Month: October 2015

Why We’re Translating Shakespeare | AMERICAN THEATRE

| astronut1

http://www.americantheatre.org/2015/10/14/bill-rauch-why-were-translating-shakespeare/

A controversial project is going on at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival: they’re commissioning playwrights to translate Shakespeare for a new festival called “Play On.” While the article is mostly the artistic director going on the defensive,  he makes a lot of good points. Chiefly he argues that these plays are companions to Shakespeare,  not replacements. In the  same way West Side Story isn’t a replacement for Romeo and juliet,  these plays won’t be the ones everybody reads forever,  they will be a way of illustrating our own time through the timeless characters and stories of William Shakespeare.  That’s why I happily support the OSF initiative!

New Play of the Month: MACBETH

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Just in time for Halloween, I’ve decided to abandon the Julius Caesar posts and spend the rest of the month talking about the most mysterious, most bloody, and most occult play Shakespeare ever wrote- MACBETH.

As you probably know, I already wrote a review of an amazing adaptation of Macbeth called “Sleep No More,” which you can read here. I also mentioned that there’s a new movie adaptation of this play, starring Michael Fassbender, (look at my last post to see the trailer). In future weeks, I’ll create a new play of the month page, and delve into the magic and curses associated with the play.

But for now, here are some nice tidbits from around the internet.

First, a funny comic from “Zounds, Alack, and By My Troth.”

Macbeth, Act IV summary cartoon from "Zounds, Alack, and By My Troth."
Macbeth, Act IV summary cartoon from “Zounds, Alack, and By My Troth.”

Next, a short recap of the play from 60 Second Recap. 

Third, a feminist interpretation of the play: 

And finally, a modern retelling of the play from a BBC series called: “Shakespeare Retold,” starring James Macavoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jvRBdmnpro

Enjoy (devilish last).

A Few More Updates

| astronut1

Hi folks!

I’ve now finished my work on Romeo and Juliet, and this October, I’m taking a little time to talk about two of Shakespeare’s spookiest plays- Macbeth, and Julius Caesar. Right now, the Royal Shakespeare Company is putting on a very inventive production of the play, and I’d like to talk a little about this interpretation. You can read about it here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-reviews/9317659/Julius-Caesar-Royal-Shakespeare-Theatre-Stratford-upon-Avon-review.html 

You can read my analysis of Julius Caesar here.

Here are some posts I’ve got waiting in the wings:

  1. A spooky Shakespeare Stories related to Julius Caesar, and the assassination of President Lincoln!
  2. Analysis of the speeches in Julius Caesar (podcast, hopefully).
  3. Play of the Month for Macbeth.
  4. Explanation of the curse of Macbeth.
  5. Review of “Haunt Me Still,” the sequel to “Interred WIth Their Bones” by Jennifer Lee Carrel.

Stay tuned!