comedy

Shakespearean Couples Tier List

| astronut1

Since it’s still the month of love, I thought I’d rank Shakespearean couples and see if the allegation is true that Shakespeare has no good married couples. Naturally, this is my opinion, but I will try to back my opinions up with quotations and moments from the plots. Let me know what you think!

S Tier- the Super Couples

My criteria for the best couples in Shakespeare are this:

  1. Trust
  2. Mutual respect and affection
  3. Devotion, or as Shakespeare puts it “Love is not love, which alters when it alteration finds.”

A Tier- the ones who Passed the Test

Couples in this tier all tried and failed at first- Orsino spent years mooning over Olivia not able to see how wonderful Viola is. Lysander drops Hermia for Helena, (but to be fair, that was Puck’s fault, not his). At the end though, all these lovers reconcile and are better people for their trials and tribulations.

B Tier- Affection, but no devotion

Couples in B-tier are passionate and willing to break rules, laws, and sometimes necks for their loves. However, as Friar Laurence says “These violent delights have violent ends.” Every couple in B-tier ultimately fails to create a lasting relationship.

C Tier- The ones hanging by a thread

All the C-couples have some very toxic traits. Claudius hates Gertrude’s son and murdered his own brother, so his relationship with his wife/ sister-in-law is ultimately doomed. Hamlet has little to no respect for Ophelia and flies into mysygenistic rage at the slightest provocation. Even Demetrius, who is magically compelled to love Helena forever, has a history of loving women, and then abandoning them. Who’s to say he won’t get hit by the arrow again, and throw Helena off?

D Tier- Actively ABusive/ A Relationship Based on lies

I truly despise Taming Of the Shrew, or as I like to call it, Stockholm Syndrome: The Play. The men in D-tier (and Phoebe in the case of As You Like It) are controlling, abusive, cruel, and pathological liars. They don’t want a partner, so much as a toy to beat around when they feel like it.

Special Mention- Cordelia and the King of France from “King Lear”

These guys might be low key the best couple in Shakespeare. The King of France marries Cordelia and comes to her defense after her father disowns her and humiliates him. Based on this, you can tell he doesn’t care about her title or her dowry (“Thy truth then be thy dower. Thou hast her France, let her be thine, for we have no such daughter.”

Not only that, France goes with Cordelia and lends her an army to recapture England for Lear! Clearly this guy loves Cordelia and is ride or die on making her happy.

Special Mention- Antony and Cleopatra

I know they are an iconic couple, but I think Antony and Cleopatra are a very toxic pair. When I first read the play, I hated Cleopatra for leading Antony on and mocking and teasing him every chance she got. Now I hate Antony for his selfishness. Cleopatra is trying to save her sons, her kingdom, and her family’s legacy and he is throwing away everything just to appease his own ego. He also shames Cleopatra for her promiscuity, which is extremely hypocritical coming from him. This couple is clearly in need of MASSIVE counseling, and I pity poor Enobarbus and Charmian for getting caught in their drama.

I hope you enjoyed this tier list. One pattern I noticed in all these plays is that every couple in Shakespeare is tested, whether through magic, deceit, long journeys, or just jealousy. Shakespeare does a good job of showing how young love is beautiful and exciting, but real love is based on respect and the will to choose your partner in spite of obstacles.

What to Get A Shakespeare Nerd For Christmas 2

| astronut1

If you’re reading this as I post it, there’s a Shakespearean nerd in your life and your wits are about to turn trying to find a gift. I’ve already written about printed editions of Shakespeare and educational apps, so you can consult those if that’s what you are looking for. Now I’m covering the kinds of stuff that die-hard Shakespeare fans will kill a king and marry with his brother for, basically nerdy swag that no Shakespearean fanatics should be without!

Slings and Arrows


For anyone: Immortal Longings.com- This company is very special to me. If you’ve seen any of my Play Of the Month posts, you’ve seen the gorgeous artwork for Shakespeare’s plays by the artist Elizabeth Schuch. Not only do I love her work, my wife and I put her prints on the decor for our wedding day, and wrapped some of my presents in wrapping paper with her designs on it. If you go to her website, she sells Shakespearean art printed on and inspired by Shakespeare’s plays on everything from tapestries to clothes to iPhone cases. I highly recommend checking her work out, and patronizing it as much as possible: https://society6.com/immortallongings/s?q=popular+framed-prints

I also want to give a shout-out to the website Good Tickle Brain, a weekly Shakespearean comic that satirizes the Bard’s work with love. I feel the best way to introduce anyone, young or old to Shakespeare is through a healthy dose of satire and parody. Mya Gosling loves Shakespeare and it comes through in her simple, funny retellings of his plays. If you go to their shop (spelled Shoppe to appeal to nerds like me), you can get some of her comic books, funny T-shirts, and a few educational posters for teachers too: https://goodticklebrain.com/shoppe/

Adults

  1. The Bard game This is the Monopoly for Shakespeare Nerds- each player pretends to be a theater manager putting on plays in real locations where Shakespeare’s company toured during his lifetime. You make money by reciting speeches or improvising one in the Shakespearean style, or by answering Shakespearean trivia questions. A must-have for any Twelfth Night Party! Review of the game: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12372/shakespeare-bard-game https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12372/shakespeare-bard-game
  2. Puzzles- The world of Shakespeare or Build it yourself Globe Theater- I love the idea of learning about history by building it yourself.
  3. Wine 🍷 Though I was unable to find actual wine with Shakespeare’s name on it, practically every other part of the wine drinking experience has been branded with Shakespeare- wine bags, glasses, corks and bottle stoppers, and even whole bars! If you spend a few minutes looking online, you can find tons of Shakespearean wine merch. By the way, here’s a convenient list of quotes Shakespeare wrote about alcohol: http://www.shakespeare-online.com/faq/shakespearedrinking.html
  4. T shirts 👕 https://www.redbubble.com/shop/shakespeare+t-shirts

Stocking stuffers

The title page of the clever comic book, “The Manga Shakespeare”

Shakespearean Comic Books. I’ve written reviews about some of these books and I’m very impressed by the artwork and the clever adaptations. Click here to read my review of the Romeo and Juliet Comic.

Kids

  1. Pop-Up Shakespeare by the writers of the Reduced Shakespeare Company. I’m a huge fan of The Reduced Shakespeare Company and they have created an amazing new popup book for kids of the entire Shakespearean cannon!

  1. Board books 📖 Yes, even toddlers can get into Shakespeare. I actually read this to my daughter a lot. It’s not the story of the play, but it does introduce some of the characters and famous lines which can help a child to become familiar with Shakespeare.
  2. Let’s hit each other with Foam Swords (Game)- Most kids get into Shakespeare for the swordplay, and here’s a fun, safe way to do so.

So there are some gift ideas for the Shakespeare nerd in your life. Merry Christmas!

Here’s one more gift that you could give a Shakespeare nerd ages 13-18: A class from ME!

Go to my Outschool profile and Get $5 off the following classes:

  1. Wizard Science for Kids!
  2. What Was Christmas Like for William Shakespeare?
  3. The Violent Rhetoric of Julius Caesar
  4. Stars and Constellations for Kids
  5. Romeo and Juliet: Why Do We Still Read This Play?
  6. Macbeth: An Immersive Learning Experience
  7. Love Poetry- Shakespeare Style!An Interactive Guide to Shakespeare’s London
  8. An Immersive Guide to “Romeo and Juliet”
  9. A Child Astronomer’s Christmas!

Get started at https://outschool.com/classes/a-child-astronomers-christmas-bhmPRpND and enter the coupon code at checkout. My classes are available for as low as $4 apiece! Get started at https://outschool.com/classes/a-child-astronomers-christmas-bhmPRpND and enter the coupon HTHESNIF6B5 code at checkout.

Course image: "The Violent Rhetoric Of Julius Caesar"
Course title image for my Outschool course, 2021

The Fashion Is the Fashion: Antony and Cleopatra

| astronut1

Part I: Famous Cleopatras

Elizabethan Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor in her iconic portrayal in the film “Caesar and Cleopatra”

Part II: The Real Cleopatra

  1. Actually Greek, but assimilated into Egyptian Society
  2. Dressed as the Egyptian Goddess Isis (allegedly)
  3. Spoke egyptian
  4. Hosted elaborate parties where her dress conveyed the wealth of Egypt
  5. Beauty routine.

Part II DIY antony and Cleopatra

Roman Helmet/ Sword

Jewelry

Dress

Crown

Hair

Makeup

Part III Staging antony and cleopatra

Egyptian Antony

Roman Anthony

Color blind casting

Works Cited:

https://theconversation.com/cleopatras-skin-colour-didnt-matter-in-ancient-egypt-her-strategic-role-in-world-history-did-205240

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/rehabilitating-cleopatra-70613486/

Shakespeare In the Park: Twelfth Night

| astronut1

I’m beyond excited that The Deleclrte Theater is continuing their tradition of producing high-quality, free Shakespeare in the Park, and then giving everyone the chance to see it via streaming over PBS.

This summer’s show is Twelfth Night, my favorite Shakespearean comedy, with an all-star cast

https://playbill.com/article/pbs-to-broadcast-twelfth-night-starring-peter-dinklage-lupita-nyongo-jesse-tyler-ferguson-sandra-oh

Photos

https://playbill.com/article/photos-see-lupita-nyongo-sandra-oh-peter-dinklage-more-in-rehearsal-for-twelfth-night

https://playbill.com/article/watch-lupita-nyongo-sandra-oh-peter-dinklage-more-in-the-rehearsal-room-for-twelfth-night

The cast

My predictions

I’m so excited to see Peter Dinklage as Malvolio, one of my favorite characters in Shakespeare, and one that I have played myself. I’m also very interested in Sandra Oh’s interpretation of Olivia. She has proven herself in both dramatic and comic roles, which works well for Olivia, a character who starts out in mourning and ends up madly in love.

The performance I am the most excited about, though, is Lupita N’ongo as Viola. I’ve said before that Viola is one of the greatest characters in all of Shakespeare, so I can’t wait to see her portrayed by Lupita N’ongo, an actress I greatly admire. I loved her performances in Avengers Endgame, Us, and my whole family adored her excellent voice work in The Wild Robot. She has simultaneously a childlike enthusiasm, and a calm and stoicism that I’m sure will translate excellently for Viola, who survives a shipwreck and losing her brother (she thinks) through courage and humor.

Hopefully, I can stream this program soon, and give you a full review. In the meantime, enjoy my past posts and videos about Twelfth Night

FMI

https://publictheater.org/productions/season/2425/fsitp/twelfth-night/

Close Reading: Viola’s “I Left No Ring With Her” Soliloquy

New Outschool Class: Shakespeare For Kids

| astronut1

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve created a fully online, interactive Shakespeare class for kids ages 6-11 to start them on a lifelong journey of Shakespeare! The course will include games, videos, webquest activities, and puppet shows!


Title: Shakespeare for Kids!

Purpose:

Video trailer

The goal of this class is to introduce Shakespeare to young children in a fun and interactive way. For example, each lesson starts with a fun and funny introduction to a Shakespearean topic by our friend Puppet Shakespeare. Each class will also feature interactive games and quizzes that break down the poetry, language, characters, and plots of Shakespeare to help kids lose their “Shakes-fear” and begin engaging with classic literature

Each class builds from learning about Shakespeare to learning about the language and poetry of his plays, to finally an in-depth analysis of one play: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” After watching videos, playing games, and filling out handouts about these topics, the student will go on a “webquest,” that is, a series of webpages that feature activities, outside websites, and a short- puppet show retelling of “Midsummer” for the student. The goal is that by the end of the course, the student will be able to understand the dialogue of the play, summarize the story, know the characters, and enjoy the poetry.


Format: Nearpod with video and web links.


Ages 6-10

Description:
2 week course, $10 per week.

Part I: Who Is Shakespeare?

Learn about Shakespeare’s life and career with an interactive timeline, handouts, and an engaging puppet show! This section will include me reading from the excellent children’s book: William Shakespeare and the Globe by Aliki.

Part II: Words, Words, Words


WIlliam Shakespeare (Or Bill as I like to call him), wrote in a very special way. Back then playwrights were called poets, so not only did he have to make plays, he had to write them so they would sound like lines of poetry.


Part III: Shakespeak

Figure out how to translate all the “thees” and “thous” that make reading Shakespeare a challenge nowadays


Part IV The Play’s the Thing!

What kinds of plays did Shakespeare write? This handy lesson will teach you about the basic types of plays Shakespeare wrote, and give you a quick summary of each!


Part V: Disney vs. Shakespeare

Poster for Disney’s Elemental, which bears many similarities to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
Continue reading →

RIP James Earl Jones

| astronut1

Speak of me as I am, nothing extenuate- Othello

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that one of the most iconic voices of our generation, James Earl Jones has passed away at the age of 93. I’m sure I also don’t need to mention his iconic film roles in such films as Field of Dreams, Coming To America, The LIon King, and of course, his (initially uncredited) role as the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars Trilogy. As I’ve written before, Jones had a powerful, authoritative voice that played kings, generals, knights, and even gods, which came directly from his training as a Shakespearean actor. So, instead of taking a look at his illustrious film career, I’d like to celebrate Jones’ contributions to Shakespeare, and how Shakespeare changed his life, and through him, changed mine.

Jones and Poetry

“I don’t mind talking about my stuttering because it’s just another example of you finding yourself with a weak muscle and you exercise it, and sometimes that becomes your strong muscle,” Jones told KCRA in 1986. “I was mute from grade one through freshman year in high school — mute because I just gave up on talking.”

-James Earl Jones in a TODAY Show interview, 1986

James Earl Jones was born in 1931 in Arkabutla, Mississippi. Not only did he struggle with racial discrimination at home and in his career, he also dealt with a debilitating stutter which, as you can see in the quote above, left him all but mute for years of his life. It was one of his teachers who helped Jones find his voice by giving him poetry to read, inspiring him to become an actor. As a Shakespearean actor who also struggles with a stutter, reading this about Jones helped me become an actor as well.

The New York Shakespeare Festival

Your voice has the power to inspire, motivate, and change lives. Don’t be afraid to use it.

James Earl Jones

Before he became a star in the Hollywood firmament, Jones was a classically trained actor who starred in many contemporary and classic plays like The Iceman Cometh, The Great White Hope, and a title role in a drama about the great Shakespearean actor, Paul Robeson. In addition, Jones was a regular performer at the New York Shakespeare Festival, starring as King Claudius in Hamlet, Oedipus Rex, The Prince of Morocco in The Merchant of Venice, and like Paul Robeson, Jones was celebrated for his dignified and powerful portrayal of Othello.

James Earl Jones as Othello and Cecilia Hart as Desdemona in a scene from the Broadway revival of the play “Othello.”
James Earl Jones as Othello and Christopher Plummer as Iago in a scene from the Broadway revival of the play “Othello” (New York 1982)

“Mr. Jones commands a full, resonant voice and a supple body, and his jealous rages and frothing frenzy have not only size but also emotional credibility,” .”

The Times wrote in a review in 1964

From Shakespeare to Strangelove

James Earl Jones made the leap from stage and TV (he was one of the first celebrity guests on Sesame Street among others), after a surprising performance. In 1964, he was playing the relatively minor role of the Prince of Morocco in Merchant of Venice at the New York Shakespeare Festival, while George C. Scott played the more iconic role of Shylock. Surprisingly, Director Stanley Kubrick saw both of them and cast them both in Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying And Love the Bomb, Jones’ first film role.

This goes to show that success is often not a straight line, that sometimes it’s the people you know and the reputation you garner that gives you success in your field.

Success should not be measured by material possessions, but by the contentment and fulfillment we find within ourselves.

James Earl Jones

My Favorite Performance of Jones

Though his film roles brought him international acclaim, James Earl Jones still performed onstage well into his 80s, including many more memorable performances at the New York Shakespeare Festival, including my favorite performance of all Jones’ stage roles- his role as King Lear. I’ve written before that Jones is still my favorite Lear- he plays the characters’ rage and commanding presence extremely well, but tempers it with the frailty and foolishness of age. You get the sense that this man was a force to be reckoned with, but is now unable to command himself, much less others. Jones’ interpretation apparently changed drastically in rehearsal, as he delved into Lear’s all-too-human flaws, playing him more like a king with dementia than like Mufasa.

Final thoughts

James Earl Jones would be the first to admit that Shakespeare and poetry changed his life. I would argue that the poetic qualities of his voice was what made him such a great actor. He could rumble and smash but also soothe and charm with a single sentence, and that is why I am glad that his voice is now preserved in the halls of Hollywood. Though he was a movie star, his voice was a Shakespearean through and through.

True strength is not in showing power over others, but in conquering your own fears and insecurities.

James Earl Jones

For More Information

https://news.northeastern.edu/2024/09/12/james-earl-jones-voice/

Review: Kenneth Branaugh’s As You Like It

| astronut1

The Concept

According to Branaugh, the idea behind the film was to emphasize beautiful things like tranquility and love, but preserve and heighten the danger of being hunted by a powerful warlord like the Duke

Interview with the director and cast at the Barbican

The Plot Of the Play

Historical Context

Branaugh set the film in 19th century Japan, at a time when English people came to Japan for the first time, and created small English communities in the country. I’ll discuss later that I have very conflicting feelings with this choice, but I will give Branaugh this- it does highlight the fish out of water journey that Rosalind and the other characters go through leaving their homes at court, and becoming enamored with a new country.

The Cast

The cast is full of veteran Shakespeareans and gifted Hollywood stars. Bryce Dallas Howard is charming as Rosalind, and has good chemistry with RSC actor David Oyelowo. I also enjoyed Brian Blessed’s dual role as Duke Senior and Duke Frederick. Kevin Klein is very sincere as Jaques but I wish he had a bit more fun with the over exaggerated melancholy that Jaques puts on. The overall effect of the performances is a sentimental, charming, beautiful, witty group of people who are having a fun time.

My Reaction

The cast is great, the cinematography is stunning, and the music is charming. Overall, Branaugh has done a great job of bringing the spirit of the play alive- that of a sweet, pastoral comedy about love, unrestrained by wealth or status. What I worry about though, is that Branaugh might inadvertently be celebrating colonialism. Yes, Japan is a beautiful country with a  highly sophisticated and rich culture, so it makes sense that English people would be drawn to it. That does not justify the cruel way the English and Americans colonized parts of Japan, made the people mine for gold, and forced them to trade with the west. I worry that, like The Mikado, Branaugh celebrates Japan in a way that makes it seem like westerners were justified in taking so much away from it. I wish the plot had more of a “look but don’t touch” attitude to Japanese culture.

I also question the decision to cast barely any Asian actors. Given the story Branaugh wants to tell, it makes sense to cast non-asian actors as Thr Duke, Rosalind, Celia, and even Orlando, since they are the ones who come to the forest from an English-style court. But the roles of Corin, Silvius, Audry, Phoebe, and even Old Adam are people who are supposed to be familiar with the country, meaning it would make perfect sense to cast Asian actors in these roles. Frankly, there are very few well known Asian actors in Hollywood and I would love to give some of them a chance to shine, especially since Shakespeare has long been a way for actors to show their skills.

In conclusion, I can see why people like this movie and I too enjoy it, despite its questionable subtext. I don’t want to take away anyone’s enjoyment of the film, just to remind people not to be too seduced by the historical practice of taking something “As You Like It”

If you like this analysis, you might be interested in signing up for my Outschool Course on Shakespeare’s Comedies. Link down below. Share this class with a friend and you will get $20 USD off!
You’ll also get $20 USD when you sign up with your link and take their first class!

https://outschool.com/classes/shakespeares-comic-plays-868BR5hg?sectionUid=420e2feb-050f-456b-8d06-6510f6b9ad2c&usid=MaRDyJ13&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link