Reading Shakespeare

[fortytwo]

*Originally posted by Cervaise *
**…
Of course, there are so many people here, and it’s such a diverse community, that you could probably post a thread about knocking down hot-air balloons with hairless wolverines launched from catapults and expect at least a few people to respond with advice and humorous anecdotes based on personal experience. **

What an extraordinary coincidence. My friends and I take part in a local hot-air balloon shoot down league. Only yesterday we shot down 4 -and recovered our wolverines intact!

V

[Doomtrain]

*Originally posted by Iamb Fake *
**What prompted my original question was the sense I get from some of the people I know that Shakespeare is somehow dated and/or not worth the effort of experiencing. **

I think you’ll find a large segment of the population thinks reading is work, pointless, or a waste of time.

[Dr.Rieux]

racinchikki, I useThe Norton Shakespeare .

[Leechboy]

A few nitpicks, 'cos I just can’t help myself: Hamlet is 30, not 33. Props to Leechboy for mentioning all the other great playwrights from this period, but I’m reliably informed that Ben Jonson turns over in his grave whenever anybody spells his name “Johnson.” **

I know, I know. Serves me right for replying in a late night stupor.

[Leechboy]

Oh yeah, re: the Reading vs. Seeing debate.

Some read better than they the can be played - Henry VIII is one of my favorites but I wouldn’t pay money to watch it performed

Other’s play better than they read - Titus for one, but for mine the most surprising was Othello, which always struck me as a rather dull bit of business untill I took part in a performance in front of a live audience, a found out first hand what it’s like to have a live reaction to Iago. (The movie versions just don’t seem to bring out the lighter side of that story.)

[Leechboy]

Oh yeah, re: the Reading vs. Seeing debate.

Some read better than they the can be played - Henry VIII is one of my favorites but I wouldn’t pay money to watch it performed

Other’s play better than they read - Titus for one, but for mine the most surprising was Othello, which always struck me as a rather dull bit of business untill I took part in a performance in front of a live audience, a found out first hand what it’s like to have a live reaction to Iago. (The movie versions just don’t seem to bring out the lighter side of that story.)