# The Play's the Thing - How Many of the Bard's Plays Have You Seen Live? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 3, 2018, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517 "2018-05-03T16:10:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/21 "2018-05-04T04:05:32Z")
I love Shakespeare! I’ve seen live performances of: _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_ (twice) _King Lear All’s Well That Ends Well The Tempest Measure for Measure Troilus and Cressida Macbeth_ (three times, including a bizarre but very good production in which women played the men’s roles and vice-versa, and done in the style of Japanese kabuki theatre) _Henry V Hamlet_ _Love’s Labours Lost_ (twice) _The Merry Wives of Windsor Romeo and Juliet Othello_ (with Ben Kingsley in the title role and David Suchet as Iago - both were terrific!) My favorite non-live performances: Ian McKellen’s British Fascist movie adaptation of _Richard III_, and Benedict Cumberpatch’s recent filmed production of _Hamlet_. Highly recommended. I also played Oberon in a high school production of _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_, and still remember my first line: “Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania!” ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/22 "2018-05-04T04:27:13Z")
I read the thread title too quickly and got way over excited about a stage version of The Thing. Now I’m sad. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/23 "2018-05-04T04:50:18Z")
Ooh, I thought of starting a thread like this a few times. Let’s see… The Comedy of Errors Macbeth King John The Two Gentlemen of Verona Love’s Labour’s Lost King Lear Twelfth Night Hamlet That’s all I can remember right now. The first three were by a theater troupe in Seattle called Greek Active, that did recontextualizations (their word) of classic plays. I didn’t see their _Romeo and Juliet_, but I’m told that the Montagues and the Capulets were rival lesbian softball teams. The performances were in the back room of a bar. For _King John_ they passed out cocktail toothpicks with British or French flags on them, and we were supposed to wave them for our side during certain scenes. Come to think of it, _The Two Gentlemen of Verona_ was a non-traditional staging as well. It was the free Shakespeare performance on Boston Common a few summers ago. Instead of old Verona it was done as Rat Pack, '60s Las Vegas; they even added a few songs from the era. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/24 "2018-05-04T04:52:27Z")
> [@Twoflower](#): > > My recently adopted hometown of Ashland, Oregon is famed for its Shakespeare Festival. Now that I can walk to the theater, I hope to see all the rest of them over the next few years. My mother used to drive down to Ashland for that every year. I don’t know if she ever put together a list of which plays she’d seen, but it would have been close to complete. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/25 "2018-05-04T04:55:00Z")
I saw a “Biker” version of _Macbeth_ at Piper’s Opera House in Virginia City, Nevada. That has to get some award for… something. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/26 "2018-05-04T05:59:41Z")
The Taming of the Shrew Comedy of Errors Midsummer Night’s Dream Twelfth Night The Tempest Henry IV Part 1 Hamlet I’ve seen two productions of Midsummer Night’s Dream and three of Twelfth Night, which are by no means my favorites. It looks like time to find some more Shakespeare performance variety! ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/27 "2018-05-04T06:05:45Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I saw a “Biker” version of _Macbeth_ at Piper’s Opera House in Virginia City, Nevada. > > That has to get some award for… something. In the version I saw, the whole “double, double toil and trouble” scene was replaced by three guys in drag, in cheerleader outfits, lip-syncing _Dark Lady_ by Cher. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/28 "2018-05-04T08:24:15Z")
COMEDIES All’s Well That Ends Well As You Like It Comedy of Errors Love’s Labour’s Lost Merchant of Venice Merry Wives of Windsor Midsummer Night’s Dream (more times than I can recall, including the RSC in Stratford, although the best production ever was[this one](http://www.handspringpuppet.co.za/our-work/handspring-productions/midsummer-nights-dream/) ) Much Ado about Nothing (a few times) Taming of the Shrew (this is the[latest one I saw](https://weekendspecial.co.za/review-taming-shrew-maynardville/), with an all-female cast) Tempest Twelfth Night (probably seen this 5 times? It’s quite popular at the local Shakespeare-in-the-park) Two Gentlemen of Verona HISTORIES Henry V Richard III TRAGEDIES Antony and Cleopatra Hamlet Julius Caesar King Lear Macbeth Othello Romeo and Juliet ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/29 "2018-05-04T08:31:49Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I saw a “Biker” version of _Macbeth_ at Piper’s Opera House in Virginia City, Nevada. > > That has to get some award for… something. Our local troupe did it as a post-apoc Mad Max thing… ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/30 "2018-05-04T16:14:20Z")
I played Caliban in _The Tempest_, if that counts. I also saw _Hamlet_, and _Macbeth_ in a coffee house production. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mr.Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Bill)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/31 "2018-05-05T01:07:06Z")
King John Julius Caesar Macbeth Henry V As You Like It All’s Well that Ends Well Othello Twelfth Night Hamlet Much Ado About Nothing Anthony and Cleopatra The Tempest Measure For Measure Love’s Labors Lost The Comedy of Errors A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream I would like to see them all, but haven’t been able to do more than these. King Lear and Richard III are at the top of my bucket list. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/32 "2018-05-05T01:24:55Z")
Comedies: All of them, I think, though I might have some mistakes in this list (a lot of the comedies are rather interchangeable) All’s Well that Ends Well As You Like It Comedy of Errors Love’s Labour Lost Measure for Measure Merchant of Venice Merry Wives of Windsor Midsummer Night’s Dream Much Ado about Nothing Taming of the Shrew Tempest Twelfth Night Two Gentlemen of Verona Winter’s Tale Several of these, of course, I’ve seen multiple times. _The Tempest_ is my overall favorite, but the best production I’ve ever seen was a _Midsummer_. Histories, just two: Henry IV, Pt. 1 Henry VIII And there was a lot of wind noise at the performance of Henry IV Pt. 1, so I didn’t follow much of it. Tragedies, just four: Hamlet Julius Caesar Macbeth Romeo and Juliet Of these, I think that Macbeth is the only one I’ve seen multiple productions of. It’s especially popular of late: In the past year, it’s been put on by the Great Lakes Theater, the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, and my local high school. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/33 "2018-05-05T01:37:13Z")
> [@Mr.Bill](#): > > I would like to see them all, but haven’t been able to do more than these. King Lear and Richard III are at the top of my bucket list. The free performance in the park in Boston this summer will be _Richard III_, so I’ll probably be knocking that off my list. They do a good show, if you’re in the area. Where did you see _King John_? I gather that one is not performed terribly often. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/34 "2018-05-05T01:43:45Z")
Jesus. A LOT, over the past 45 years, mostly in Cleveland, New Haven, and NYC. Several multiple times. It would be extremely difficult to list them. Although, for the record, I have NEVER SEEN a History. One of the most memorable would be a **Midsummer Night’s Dream** at my kids’ private school. To make it easier on Robin Goodfellow, the monstrous number of lines were divided between three small similar-looking teenage girls who kept sweeping around each other in a visual dance whirlpool. It was a weirdly charming effect: a triad Puck. Also, the confrontation between Helena and Hermia was the best comic performance of the scene ever…knocked the hell out of any professional performance I’ve been to. Also, Oberon was played by the Alpha gay male at the school, who was obviously relishing being the King of the Fairies. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/35 "2018-05-05T02:16:09Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Where did you see _King John_? I gather that one is not performed terribly often. That’s my question as well. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it advertised, let alone had a chance to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/36 "2018-05-05T02:23:33Z")
The first time I saw _Richard III_ was truly memorable. It was on the thrust stage at the Stratford Festival in London, Ontario, and Colm Feore played Richard. His entrance at the very first scene was into a darkened theatre, with him striding forward, lit from behind. He was playing Richard as badly deformed and his gait was remarkable, made even more so by the rear illumination, which cast bizarre grotesque shadows. His performance was amazing. Even so, in my opinion the show was stolen by the murder, who comes onstage after killing the princes in the tower. Again, the bare thrust stage, dimly lit, and the murderer sitting on the edge of the stage, doing a soliloquy about having just murdered two young boys, all the while playing with a silver chain and locket that he’d taken from one of his victims. It was CHILLING! I felt the hairs on the back of my neck going up. I felt I was truly listening to a psychopathic murderer, calmly discussing the day’s work. Then he just got up, tossed the locker in the air and caught it, and exited. It was the most impressive moment I’ve ever had in a theatre, and it lasted all of five minutes. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/37 "2018-05-05T02:33:16Z")
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (high school production) The Comedy of Errors (community theatre production) Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan) The Merry Wives of Windsor (Stratford Festival) I can’t remember if I saw Twelfth Night live or not. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/38 "2018-05-05T04:50:41Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > In the version I saw, the whole “double, double toil and trouble” scene was replaced by three guys in drag, in cheerleader outfits, lip-syncing _Dark Lady_ by Cher. I’m off to look for that! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/39 "2018-05-05T07:44:03Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > In the version I saw, the whole “double, double toil and trouble” scene was replaced by three guys in drag, in cheerleader outfits, lip-syncing _Dark Lady_ by Cher. > [@Gatopescado](#): > > I’m off to look for that! 😃 I got bad news for you. It was almost 25 years ago. The theater troupe is long since disbanded. Last time I searched, I couldn’t find anything except a few passing references to them online. The bar is still there. But I’ve got good news for you! I checked again, and there are some videos! [Here](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQEAWNXMxnkgHXcw0mqSt8g)’s a youtuber who uploaded several snippets from their version of _Macbeth_ But, I’ve got some bad news for you. The _Dark Lady_ bit is not there. Some of the three witches bit is, so I may have mis-remembered some of the details of what they left in and what they took out. I do remember the cheerleaders, and the song; they were in there, somewhere. I don’t make mistakes about stuff like that. They really were good shows. There’s some more info about them in Dan Savage’s [bibliography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Savage_bibliography) on Wikipedia. He adapted and directed a lot of their productions under a pseudonym. One other thing I remember about their _Macbeth_ was the actor playing Ross. He started with a thick Scottish accent, and it just got thicker as the play went on. By [this](https://youtu.be/q8DcVCw_tl8) point, he’s pretty much incomprehensible. It was great. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517/40 "2018-05-05T12:12:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Ukulele Ike** : > > One of the most memorable would be a Midsummer Night’s Dream at my kids’ private school. To make it easier on Robin Goodfellow, the monstrous number of lines were divided between three small similar-looking teenage girls who kept sweeping around each other in a visual dance whirlpool. It was a weirdly charming effect: a triad Puck. My niece’s high school (she’s crew, not cast) did something similar, with two separate castings for “Puck” and “Robin Goodfellow”. IIRC, they were usually both on stage at the same time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plays-the-thing-how-many-of-the-bards-plays-have-you-seen-live/813517.md?page=3)