Cute Kid Pix April 2023

More pictures that didn't make their own post...

My daughter's English class is reading Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. As part of the curriculum, they went to Baltimore to see the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's production. It was a morning show on a Friday. The only audience members were students and chaperones, of which I was one.

Pre-performance singing by the cast

The show was good and they had a Q&A for the students afterward. Someone asked the comic male character about how he would eat bananas as part of the play. He ate the peels too! He explained the optimal ripeness for peel flavor and he admitted that he grew up watching stuff like Stripes and Animal House, inspiring his comic style. I hope the children did not know what he was talking about!

Grandpa came to visit so we had a lot of fun times with him...

Ganging up

Fun at the food court

Crossing the stream

Movie Review: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) co-written and directed by Nicholas Meyer

A massive explosion on a Klingon moon destroys the moon and poisons the Klingon homeworld's atmosphere. The official response from Klingon High Command is that there was an incident and they need no help. Two months later, secret negotiations with the United Federation of Planets are advancing thanks to Spock (Leonard Nimoy). The UFP invites Chancellor Gorkon (David Warner) to Earth to work on a peace treaty, which would mean disbanding the military assets along the Klingon-Federation border. Kirk (William Shatner) is opposed to any peace treaty but Spock has nominated Kirk and the Enterprise as the escort through Federation space for Gorkon's ship. When the two ships meet up, Kirk invites Gorkon and his staff to a diplomatic dinner. The dinner is extremely awkward (leading to lots of funny moments--funny for the viewers, not either crew) and no tension is relieved. After the Klingons return to their vessel, two photon torpedoes are shot at them, disabling their gravity. Two Federation crewmen beam aboard and kill Gorkon. The Klingons automatically accuse Kirk, who surrenders his vessel and beams aboard with McCoy. They are arrested and sent to a penal colony while Spock leads an investigation to find out what really happened.

The movie was the "final mission" for the original Enterprise crew and it is a great send off. The plot centers on an interesting mystery that flows from the tense political situation. Both sides have their warmongering zealots. Kirk starts off in that camp and slowly (and sometimes painfully) moves over to the side of peace. The story is a thinly-veiled metaphor of the end of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. The tone does not get too dark--they throw in plenty of jokes and have a running gag about Klingons quoting Shakespeare in the "original Klingon." Christopher Plummer plays the bad Klingon and, even though his character isn't that deep, he delivers his lines with gusto, in English or in Klingon. The story does get slow at a few points and the characters make a few too many references to literature, like the too-many-Easter-eggs in the recent Star Wars films. The flaws are fairly minor and easily outweighed by the good. The idea that all rational beings should count as human is both a timely and an eternal truth.

Recommended, especially to fans of the original Star Trek crew.

TV Review: The Hollow Crown: Richard III (2016)

The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses: Richard III (2016) directed by Dominic Cooke based on Shakespeare's plays

For the previous Hollow Crown series, see my reviews of Richard II, Henry IV Part 1 and Part 2, and Henry V. For the previous episodes in the Wars of the Roses series, see Henry VI Part 1 and Part 2.

Richard III (Benedict Cumberbatch) rises to and falls from power in this adaptation of Shakespeare's popular play. Richard is a man of cunning and ambition with no apparent sense of goodness in him at all. He manipulates his family members and the nobility with horrifying ease and effectiveness, always redirected responsibility and guilt on others. He acknowledges his guilt to viewers (he makes many asides to the camera to clarify what he's really up to) and has no remorse. In spite of killing two brothers, two nephews, a wife, and a host of other nobles and relatives, he gets his comeuppance at the end.

The production is very elaborate. Scenes are filmed in historic locations and battles occur in towns and fields, giving the movie a very cinematic feel. Richard starts the movie with an aside to the camera (the "Now is the winter of our discontent..." speech) so his talking to the camera seems natural, though the previous episodes haven't had anyone speak directly to the camera since the Chorus actually appears at the end of Henry V. Since the story is an intimate portrayal of Richard, the asides work well.

On the other hand, just because it's intimate doesn't mean it's accurate. Critics of the play like to rail against it as Tudor propaganda (Henry VII beats Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth and winds up with the crown) and character assassination. Setting those (legitimate) concerns aside, this story gives a compelling picture of the most Machiavellian man ever. Dramatically it is very exciting and Cumberbatch gives a great performance, sliding around from fake meekness and icy calculation to moral outrage and anger with amazing ease. It's a great performance of Shakespeare's take on Richard III.

This is well worth watching and a fine end to the series.

TV Review: The Hollow Crown: Henry VI Part 2 (2016)

The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses: Henry VI Part 2 (2016) directed by Dominic Cooke based on Shakespeare's plays

For the previous Hollow Crown series, see my reviews of Richard II, Henry IV Part 1 and Part 2, and Henry V. For the previous episode in the Wars of the Roses series, see Henry VI Part 1.

The Wars of the Roses rages on as King Henry VI is assailed by the house of York with their claims as rightful ruler. Henry is too mild and pious to hold the crown on his own. His scheming wife Margaret is certainly more aggressive if not entirely faithful. They have a son, Edward, whom Henry disinherits in a moment of weakness while negotiating with the Duke of York. There are plenty of betrayals among the Yorks as well. The plot requires a bit of attention.

For a Shakespeare play, this production includes a lot of violence and bloody gore. There's no stagey-ness or skimping on the battle scenes. They show the full horror of battle. Coughing up blood happens a lot; many throats are slit. Heads are cut off and piked on the walls of cities (a common practice in dealing with traitors back then). So squeamish viewers need to beware.

The story moves along at a rapid pace, almost to the detriment of the storytelling. Loyalties reverse many times throughout the show, sometimes happening a bit too quickly to be believable. The story takes place over 15 or 16 years. Things slow down at the end as the focus shifts to Richard, Duke of Gloucester, (played well by Benedict Cumberbatch) who does the dirty work needed to ensure his brother, Edward IV, remains King of England. Richard will wind up as Richard III, the subject of the final movie in this series. The other actors do a good job as well. The story just looks stripped down to the bare bones.

This movie is better as a connective tissue between Part 1 and Richard III, I'm not sure that it can stand on its own as a story. Certainly it was produced as part of a trilogy, and Henry VI was originally three separate plays, so a lot of material was condensed to make it to the finale.

TV Review: The Hollow Crown: Henry VI Part 1 (2016)

The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses: Henry VI Part 1 (2016) directed by Dominic Cooke based on Shakespeare's plays

For the previous Hollow Crown series, see my reviews of Richard II, Henry IV Part 1 and Part 2, and Henry V.

Following the death of King Henry V, his infant son is crowned king. Naturally Henry VI cannot rule so his uncle, the Duke of Gloucester (Hugh Bonneville), becomes Lord Protector. Henry V's conquests in France begin to slip away. Henry VI grows up but hardly seems like an adult among the lords of Parliament. Gloucester always acts with his nephew's best interests. Others strive to undermine his influence and take his place as trusted advisor. Some even maneuver to become king of England. The reconquest of France goes poorly (thanks a lot, Joan of Arc!), enabling further mischief and machinations in the royal court. Somerset (Ben Miles) finds a French noble wife for Henry, though she is more in Somerset's sway and has many more ambitions beyond being Henry's wife. Henry himself is a weak king. His interest in religion and prayer are a detriment to his royal duties. Like his father before him, he seems unfit to wear the crown. Unlike his father, he does not have a transformative experience into a warrior king, leaving Henry VI subject to whatever  political wind prevails. It's not a good situation and leads the country into civil war.

This second series of The Hollow Crown is subtitled The Wars of the Roses. In an early scene, Richard Plantagenet confers with a handful of other nobles. He has a claim to the throne and wants to find out who would back him. He plucks a white rose from a nearby bush. Others pluck white roses in support of him or red roses in support of Somerset from the house of Lancaster. The Duke of Gloucester is not there and he does remain the king's true servant, even after his wife is banished for consorting with the occult against Henry. Gloucester's enemies use this as an excuse to implicate Gloucester, with tragic results. By the end, Plantagenet makes his claim for the crown and rallies his sons, including his hunchbacked son also named Richard (Benedict Cumberbatch).

The political intrigue is more fascinating than I was anticipating. Backstabbing nobles don't always make the most interesting or compelling characters, but the writing is excellent and the characters well drawn. The actors are uniformly wonderful and deliver the Shakespearean dialogue with naturalness and conviction.

I can't wait for Part 2!

TV Review: The Hollow Crown: Henry V (2012)

The Hollow Crown: Henry V (2012) directed by Thea Sharrock based on the play by Shakespeare

In 2012, England hosted the Summer Olympics. The BBC decided to have a "Cultural Olypiad" which included a series of William Shakespeare's historical play. In the first series, they presented Richard II, Henry IV Part I, Henry IV Part II, and Henry V.

Prince Hal (Tom Hiddleston) is now King Henry V. He wants to re-establish England's rule over France. His claim is a bit sketchy but when the Dauphin sends him a box full of tennis balls to mock him, Henry gears up to go. Politics mostly take a back seat to reflections on war, honor, duty, and the amazing transformation of party boy Prince Hal into noble and just warlord King Henry V.

The story is, of course, great. Hiddleston does a fine job transforming from the foppish prince to a respectable, if not respected, head of state. He's convincing in giving the great speeches and in fighting the big battles. The battles are filmed in realistic settings with all the grime and blood of war, making this very much a film version and not a stage production. Even so, the Chorus (who provides a running commentary and often asks the audience to imagine the greater scale of events that can't be presented on a theatrical stage) is retained for the production. He is mostly voice over and works for the film.

This movie is a very satisfying finale to the first series of The Hollow Crown. A second series was produced in 2016 including the Henry VI plays and Richard III. I will definitely continue on with the series!

TV Review: The Hollow Crown: Henry IV Part 2 (2012)

The Hollow Crown: Henry IV Part 2 (2012) co-written and directed by Richard Eyre based on Shakespeare's play

In 2012, England hosted the Summer Olympics. The BBC decided to have a "Cultural Olypiad" which included a series of William Shakespeare's historical play. In the first series, they presented Richard II, Henry IV Part I, Henry IV Part II, and Henry V.

Prince Hal (Tom Hiddleston) continues his turn away from his drunken party boy lifestyle. His tutor in debauchery, Falstaff (Simon Russell Beale), is being called to account for his lifestyle but strives through wit and trickery to avoid the consequences of his actions. He's being taken seriously as a knight and has been called to raise troops to oppose the Earl of Northumberland and the archbishop of York, who are allying against King Henry IV (Jeremy Irons). The king's health is deteriorating. He still wants to fight the uprising and has misgivings over his oldest son's friends and behavior (he says the famous quote, "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown").

Loyalty, duty, and betrayal are the big themes here. Prince Hal shifts his loyalty away from Falstaff and to his father, especially when the kingship looms over him. Falstaff wants to live a life of merriment; he heeds the call of duty but does not embrace it and is not transformed by it. He wants to stay good buddies with Prince Hal. By the end, Hal has become King Henry V and sees the need to renounce his former way of life and his former friends. The moment is sad and hard for Falstaff, who for all his loutishness is still well-rounded enough to evoke sympathy from the audience.

The actors are uniformly great in this production. The overall production values are still fairly dark though they do lighten by the end. Prince Hal's coronation is a big turning point visually and for the characters, making me very excited for the next play, Henry V.

This play is much more interesting than Part 1. I can't recommend skipping over Part 1 since it does set up the characters and the situation so well. Part 1 really needs the second part to complete the story.

TV Review: The Hollow Crown: Henry IV Part 1 (2012)

The Hollow Crown: Henry IV Part 1 (2012) co-written and directed by Richard Eyre based on Shakespeare's play

In 2012, England hosted the Summer Olympics. The BBC decided to have a "Cultural Olypiad" which included a series of William Shakespeare's historical play. In the first series, they presented Richard II, Henry IV Part I, Henry IV Part II, and Henry V.

The aging Henry IV (Jeremy Irons) is beset by hardships. Henry Hotspur, son of the Duke of Northumberland, is angry that the king would not pay a ransom for his brother-in-law. The situation grows out of hand, i.e. Hotspur and some Welsh nobles take arms in rebellion. A closer hardship is Prince Hal (Tom Hiddleston) who is living a rather dissolute life with his companion Falstaff and others. They play pranks on each other. Falstaff is older, fatter, and drunker, so he usually gets the short end of the stick. Their good times end when the king summons Prince Hal to battle against the uprising. Hal and his friends do the right thing and go to war.

This movie is less colorful and less resonant than the first film, Richard II. The story here is slow. A lot of time is spent with Hal and Falstaff playing tricks and having barroom banter. Maybe out of respect for Shakespeare the movie makers didn't want to cut anything out, but I thought the story would be better served with less. Hiddleston is a charming scoundrel and makes the turn to a more serious person believable. Jeremy Irons is good as the king but he definitely is a secondary character to Prince Hal, despite the title.

The production is also very dark visually. The royal court mostly wears black and takes place in grey, underlit rooms. The pub where Hal and Falstaff hang out shows the typical medieval grunginess and poor lighting. Even the battle at the end takes place on a snow-covered battlefield, leaving a rather bleak appearance.

A good, not great, movie.

TV Review: The Hollow Crown: Richard II (2012)

The Hollow Crown: Richard II (2012) co-written and directed by Rupert Goold based on Shakespeare's play

In 2012, England hosted the Summer Olympics. The BBC decided to have a "Cultural Olypiad" which included a series of William Shakespeare's historical play. In the first series, they presented Richard II, Henry IV Part I, Henry IV Part II, and Henry V.

Shakespeare's Richard II is a vainglorious and somewhat effeminate king from the late 1300s. As played masterfully by Ben Whishaw, Richard is at first sight like those ethereal, otherworldly Jesuses seen in various religious epics from Hollywood's 1950s and 1960s. He's fair skinned, skinny, soft, and doesn't quite make eye contact. He's a bit above it all, almost as if he is in love with his own kingliness. He has to settle a dispute between Henry Bolingbroke (Rory Kinnear) and the Earl of Mowbray. Henry has accused the earl of treason and has challenged him to duel to defend his claim. Richard doesn't want bloodshed on English soil, so he banishes them both, though Bolingbroke only for a few years while Mowbray may never return. The unsatisfactoriness of the arrangement is worsened when Richard visits Bolingbroke's father, John of Gaunt (Patrick Stewart), on his deathbed. After John is dead, Richard seizes all of his assets (i.e. the inheritance of Bolingbroke) to finance a war in Ireland. Richard has already taxed the rich and poor alike to finance his wars, so he is not exactly popular in England. While Richard goes to Ireland, Bolingbroke returns ostensibly to recover his lost inheritance. He quickly sweeps many nobles to his side and threatens to take the throne from Richard, making himself Henry IV. Henry's revenge on Richard and his supporters is swift and almost merciless.

I am completely unfamiliar with Richard II's story, so I can't comment on the historical accuracy. But dramatically the story is quite excellent. Richard at first seems ethereal and kind-hearted but his flawed ambition is soon revealed. He retains his sense of self-importance all the way to the end. At first he's annoying and easy to root against; as his fortunes turn sour he becomes more pathetic and sympathetic. The transition is partly to do with the writing (it is Shakespeare, after all) but also with the acting. Whishaw (who I have only seen as Q in the recent Bond flicks) gives a spell-binding performance. The rest of the cast performs admirably too.

The contrast between Richard and Henry is interesting as well. Richard is soft and weak but has a sense of his own authority and importance as the king. Henry is hard and strong with a respect for the king if not full trust in him. Richard's sumptuous living shows a detachment from others. Henry appears mostly in his armor and travel clothes. Even as king, his wardrobe is still simple and reminiscent of his battlewear. The two men have some respect for each other, but for both of them that respect gives way to harsh ambition with some devastating consequences.

This TV movie has very high production values. The locations look as good as any theatrical release and the buildings' interiors and exteriors look authentically medieval. The camera work is decidedly unstagey, with some interesting and meaningful shots that a theatrical audience could never see (at one point the crown is handed between the two men and the point of view if from beneath, so the screen shows Richard II framed by the crown then Henry; it's hard to describe but amazing to see).

Highly recommended!

The next play is Henry IV Part 1 with Jeremy Irons as King Henry and Tom Hiddleston as Prince Hal. I will definitely watch that!

Movie Review: Much Ado About Nothing (2013)

Much Ado About Nothing (2013) directed by Joss Whedon

Yet another film I meant to see last summer (ref: Pacific Rim and World War Z). At least my excuse for this one is that it didn't play anywhere near where we are living in North Yorkshire.

One of the most popular and most absurd plays written by William Shakespeare is Much Ado About Nothing. The story is whimsical and the characters do quite ridiculous things. Audiences love it because it is full of joy, almost exploding with joy. It's easy to forgive the contrivances of the plot because the humor and the romance are so wonderful. The story follows a troop of men who return from battle to the home of Leonato where love is in the air. Claudio wants to marry Leonato's daughter Hero while Benedick and Beatrice have a "merry war of words" that inspires their friends to make them fall in love too. Madcap hilarity ensues with occasional moments of dramatic intensity.

Joss Whedon made this film during a two-week break in the middle of making The Avengers. The actors are his friends, mostly from his previous TV shows. The set is his house and backyard. He'd been having friends over for Shakespeare readings for years and years, so it is not such a surprise that they could put something together quickly and still do a good job.

The actors are good if not always outstanding. Alexis Denisof (Benedict here; Wesley from Buffy and Angel) might be a little too buffoonish at points but nails it in others; Amy Acker (Beatrice; Fred from Angel) does a great job and has natural chemistry with Denisof; Nathan Fillion (Dogberry; Mal from Firefly) steals the show. As a fan of Whedon's previous work, it was a little distracting seeing all the different actors popping up. But I got used to it after a while, just like people get used to the Shakespearean language.

The black and white photography works well, giving it a style appropriate to the timelessness of the story. The story is ultimately relevant to generation after generation because it touches on truths and experiences that happen all the time because people are, in fact, people. We've all experienced unrequited loves, the joy of discovered love, the hope of a happy ending in even the craziest circumstances. Hopefully not this crazy.

Parental Advisory: All the characters drink quite a bit; a little bit of smoking (probably some weed); some frisky sex scenes without nudity; that difficult Shakespeare language.

Movie Reviews: Recent Shakespeareances

Here's a couple of Shakespeare movies we happened to see recently.

The Merchant of Venice (2004) directed by Michael Radford


The movie begins with some information about the treatment of Jews in Elizabethan-era Venice. They live in a walled-off ghetto. They have to wear red hats when they go outside the ghetto. They can't get regular jobs so they wind up being money lenders, only charging interest on loans is considered usury so they have to be crafty in how they are paid back. With this information, I expected a much more sympathetic portrayal of the main villain, Shylock. Al Pacino plays Shylock. Viewers might expect a larger-than-life, scenery-chewing performance. Pacino's performance is nicely toned-down, only exploding occasionally for effect. It was probably the best thing about the movie. Seeing Pacino in this role is what drew me to to the film.

The plot is faithful, at least as I remember it from reading the play in high school. Basino has fallen in love with Portia but doesn't have enough money to impress her (or so he thinks). He borrows money from Shylock on his older friend Antonio's credit. Shylock loans 3000 ducats for three months. If Antonio forfeits, Shylock may take a pound of flesh from Antonio's body. Antonio is pretty sure his ships that have gone trading (he is the merchant from the title) will be back long before three months with the money to pay back.

Basino goes off to woo Portia. Portia is an orphan and her wealthy father left specific instructions on who should be her husband. The successful suitor has to chose from three caskets which one has her image in it. The caskets are gold, silver, and lead. Some other suitors fail but Basino wins by guessing it's in the lead casket. There's a marriage and much rejoicing.

Meanwhile, Antonio's ships all fail to return and Shylock is ready to get his revenge (what he calls justice) by legally killing Antonio. Antonio had been both dismissive and abusive of Shylock for years because of his Jewish faith, so Shylock demands recompense. A big court scene finishes that story-line where Shylock argues for justice over mercy and virtually the rest of the cast argue for mercy, even when Basino returns with 6000 of Portia's ducats as repayment. Things end poorly for Shylock.

The production values are quite high and the setting seems like authentic 1600s Venice. Overall the performances are good and Pacino does stand out for his atypical performance. The movie definitely gave a more sympathetic portrayal of Shylock without revising the ending. I do have a few reservations about it (see the advisory below).

Parental Advisory--in addition to the religious tensions in the film, there's an awful lot of topless women. None of the major characters are topless but often there are topless (presumably) prostitutes in the back of street scenes for no apparent reason. One scene is set in a brothel with some heavy petting going on and more topless women. Also the movie suggests that there is some homosexual attraction or relationship between Basino and Antonio, though the most graphic it gets is a kiss on the mouth between the two. I don't remember anything about that in high school and it seems an odd interpretation since they didn't do anything with it (e.g. they could have portrayed Antonio as a hypocrite for despising the Jew Shylock while he also is part of an unpopular minority). This movie is best for older teens.

Love's Labour's Lost (2000) directed by Kenneth Branagh

I have not read this play or seen a production aside from this movie, but it definitely follows the wacky antics in plays like Much Ado About Nothing. The King of Navarre and three friends swear a public oath to study philosophy and other esoteric subjects while foreswearing women for three years. Naturally they do this just before the French princess comes to visit with three of her lady friends who all have had past associations with the King's three friends. A lot of comedy ensues as the men try to stay with their vows but also woo their women in secret.

The twist here is the setting is a 1930s musical. In fact, the story is set in the 1930s, so World War II is looming on the horizon for all the characters. And what I presume is the role of the chorus is taken over cleverly by short black-and-white newsreels filling in the back story (much like the TV reporter at the beginning of Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet). The songs are classic jazz-era tunes from Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, the Gershwins, etc. The singing and dancing are good but not stellar (except for a fabulous "I Get a Kick Out of You" by Timothy Spall's Don Armado). The cast gives fine performances, hitting the right blend of serious and silly and sensual.

The story is pretty light but very enjoyable and fits really well with a classic Hollywood musical treatment.

Parental advisory: There is one sensual dance scene with no nudity but a lot of touching. Otherwise the romantic intrigues are fairly benign.

Shakespeare Alive in Frederick, MD

One summer program in Frederick for 2013 is the Summerfest Family Theatre at the Baker Park Bandshell on Thursday mornings. The week we were there, the performers were from the Maryland Shakespeare Company and they performed Shakespeare Alive.

Baker Park Bandshell

Readers of this blog might hope for some zombie-themed Shakespeare based on their title. At least some Frankenstein/Shakespeare crossover. I know I did. What could be more appropriate for children's theater? The introduction soon crushed my hopes.

Lady introduces guys hiding behind the sign

Alas, they were presenting various bits from various plays with explanations and interpretations between. Three male performers from the company started with the Chorus's opening speech from Henry V, the one which entreats the audience to imagine the rugged fields of France and to forgive the spareness of their stage.

Dramatic posing

The three men then introduced themselves and spoke a bit about Shakespeare's times, including the fact that young men and boys played all the female roles back in the early 1600s. They then launched into an early part of The Tempest where Ferdinand is washed up on shore and Prospero's daughter discovers him, much to Prospero's displeasure. Even more displeasing, Ferdinand proclaims his love for her!

Dramatic proposing

After this scene, they talked about the political and social climate of Shakespeare's day, claiming racism and prejudices were stronger and more prevalent back then. I wouldn't agree with that claim but we all hope to improve on that score. They began a scene from The Merchant of Venice where the two young Venetians, Bassanio and Antonio, go to borrow 3000 ducats from Shylock, a Jewish money-lender. They are fairly scornful of his faith even as they seek to lend from him.

It was about this point in the performance when J and L lost interest and were ready to move over to the nearby playground. We didn't want to tie them down, so we hung out over there while some of the performance would drift over to us from the stage.

L gets a new perspective on Shakespeare

Cousin A hangs out

They did a bit from Romeo and Juliet where the guy playing a gal actually had a wig but I didn't notice in time.

I wish the performance had been interactive, inviting the children to join them on stage or try out different props and costumes. I suppose the performance is designed more for older school children who can sit and focus longer than four- and five-year olds. I enjoyed what I saw but was also happy to go to the playground too.

Book Review: Sir Thomas More by William Shakespeare et al.

Sir Thomas More by William Shakespeare et al., edited by John Jowett

Since today is the feast of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher, what better way to celebrate the saint than review a book about him. Actually, there are probably a lot of better ways to celebrate, but we do what we can...

While browsing through one of the Shakespeare bookstores in Stratford-upon-Avon this volume caught my eye. I had never heard that Shakespeare wrote a play on Thomas More. After looking through it at the store it was clear he hadn't written the entire play. He was one of about four other authors and he revised an already prepared text. Loving St. Thomas More as I do, I couldn't resist and bought the book.

The book is part of the Arden Shakespeare series, a scholarly series designed to support both literary research and theatrical presentation. The introduction is 120 pages, covering the history of writing the play, prominent themes in the play, sources used by the playwrights, performance history, and staging advice. It's quite comprehensive if occasionally bogged down in critical literary jargon, for example this passage concerning a scene where Thomas More and his servant Randall swap clothes to see if they can fool Erasmus into thinking Randall is More:

The exchange of costumes for the purpose of metatheatrical role-playing asserts the nature of the play itself as an enactment for the commercial theatre, and places the institution of theatre in relation to the play's subject-matter, the learned scholar. The low social and intellectual status of the actor of More in relation to the role he is playing corresponds with the social and intellectual status of the role of Randall - though the play insists repeatedly that More is himself of humble origin. [p. 78]

Fortunately the historical comments are straightforward and interesting. The four or five authors used various sources on More's life, some favoring More and some despising him. More was still a controversial topic when the play was written (around 1600), with Queen Elizabeth on the throne. More had refused to acknowledge the authority of Henry VIII over the church in England and implicitly his marriage to his second wife (the mother of Elizabeth). The play was reviewed by a censor who made many suggestions and deletions, all of which readers can see in the main text.

The text of the play itself is a critical edition, with extensive footnotes clarifying who wrote what and explaining the meaning of the archaic words and phrases. It requires a little patience to read. I read the play before I read the introduction. I definitely recommend that reading order since the introduction discusses details of events in the play, events I was unfamiliar with from other sources. I would have been somewhat lost in the introduction without reading the play first.

The play is in roughly two halves. The first half deals with More's rise to power in England, eventually becoming Chancellor. The main incident depicted is a near-riot of lower class workers. They want to burn the homes of foreigners in London who have the favor of the king and have been putting natives out of work. More, as a sheriff of London, speaks to the crowd and quells their anger. His service in averting the riot is what brings him political success. [Historically, this incident is almost twenty years before More becomes chancellor and lots of other events and actions contributed to his rise.]

The second half deals with his life in court, his refusal of the Oath of Supremacy (never named or detailed in the play), and his eventual execution. Throughout both halves, his jovial nature, both in personal affairs and as a lawyer/political figure, is demonstrated by many witty little scenes. If A Man for All Seasons is the straight-laced drama of More's life and death, this is much more like a comedy. Not that the play makes fun of More, but it presents his penchant for jests, for being witty in both the smart and the funny senses of the term.

The play is a little uneven in that it moves from episode to episode in More's life without a strong sense of connection between the scenes. Various court room scenes tell us more about More's character but do not point us to his eventual decision and fate. I still found it fascinating reading and would not mind seeing a stage production of this play (which is the proper way to experience a play, after all).

The book also has several appendices with textual analysis of the additions and deletions to the play, a close look at authorship of various parts, and some passages from source materials. I only skimmed through this part since it was very scholarly and not my main interest.

Yay Joss Whedon/Shakespeare Mashup!

In case you haven't seen it yet (or worse yet, don't even know about the project), the trailer for Joss Whedon's film version of Much Ado About Nothing is available!



I can't wait to see the movie!!

h/t to Sean from Just a Catholic Dad, who posted it on his Facebook feed

RSC Casting Coups

The Royal Shakespeare Company emailed me a promo of one of their upcoming shows, A Life of Galileo by Bertolt Brecht. They've even posted a trailer on YouTube which you can see right here.



With all the controversy around Galileo, I'm glad to see the RSC is not afraid to be even more controversial with their casting choices. Yes, that actor is none other than Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars! I guess the RSC think Galileo is evil, or the Emperor is a great actor.

In another odd bit of casting, the fellow who played Malvolio in the Twelfth Night production I saw last summer is playing the title role in Hamlet this summer! That has to be a tough transition to make. At least for me as an audience member.

Keep up the exciting choices, Royal Shakespeare Company!

RSC at Stratford-upon-Avon

While we were in Stratford-upon-Avon we took in one of the Royal Shakespeare Company's productions. I was interested in seeing Richard III but it was sold out. They also had a production of Much Ado About Nothing but it had a Bollywood theme, which was a little off-putting for the price. In stead, we bought tickets to Twelfth Night which was playing at the main theatre in their complex.

The production was quite delightful. The stage was imaginatively laid out, with a small tank of water in the floor of the front corner. The twins from Twelfth Night washed up onshore after their shipwreck on this spot. Also, characters occasionally threw things away in the water. The rest of the set had a 1940s Caribbean Island vibe to it, as did the costumes. Interestingly, the set was also being used for evening performances of The Tempest. The actors did a great job. We didn't see any recognizable name stars there (though we did see a poster saying that John Lithgow was Malvolio in a Twelfth Night production many years ago).

Our Malvolio was good too!

The views from the building were quite nice as well.

Garden where we had our picnic lunch earlier

When we were wandering around outside before the production, we saw a woman on a fantastic bicycle who was handing out special quest maps to special children. The quest was to help Prospero (the wizard in The Tempest) get the sun to come out so he could eat his spaghetti lunch. Lucy was interested (she loves spaghetti) and followed her to a spot where she got the scoop on how to follow the map. Several brass rubbing were hidden around the Royal Shakespeare Company building. We found the first few and rubbed the extra directions onto our map with a crayon. Then we had to split up. The kids went back to the hotel for a nap with mommy while the aunties and I saw the show.

Later, when they came back to pick us up, we finished the treasure trail and found where to put the little bottle of elixir to get the sun back in motion.

Jacob finds clue #2

Lucy gets ready to rub on more directions

The final clue led us back into the theatre

Lucy restarts the sun with her elixir!

The RSC has put on lots of productions throughout the years. A bunch were broadcast on the BBC this past summer but we didn't make time to watch. Hopefully they will be back and we can catch up on other great productions.

Stratford-upon-Avon

Stratford-upon-Avon claims to be the number two tourist destination in England behind London. York also makes that claim. While York has a variety of things to draw visitors (Viking history, the fabulous minster, the medieval buildings, etc.), Stratford-upon-Avon has just one thing, or rather, one person drawing the crowds: William Shakespeare (1564-1616).

Shakespeare was born and lived in this town, though he was a frequent visitor to London. His birthplace, the church where he was baptized and is buried, his relatives' houses, and many other buildings touching on his life are found sprinkled throughout the town. The Royal Shakespeare Company has its base here, with several stages offering performances of his works. We went to see a play there (which will be the subject of its own post) and we saw his church (which will also be the subject of its own post). And we wandered through the town.

After visiting Holy Trinity Church (where Shakespeare is buried), we walked into town to see his history. The first place we came upon was Hall's Croft, the home of the Bard's daughter, Susanna, and her husband, Dr. John Hall. Unfortunately, we were there too early to go in, but we saw what we could from the outside.

Jacob wonders why we can't go in!

Wandering down Church Street, we saw the handsome Stratford District Council Offices, which seem a bit timeless.

Stratford District Council Offices

Further down, we came across the Guild Chapel. The chapel is named after the Guild of the Holy Cross who founded it in 1269. Most of the building dates from the 15th century and features some fine craftsmanship.

Guild Chapel nave

Nice stained glass

Other modest decorations chronicling Christ's life

Just down the road is Nash's House and New Place, the location of Shakespeare's final home. Archeological excavations are ongoing to discover more about his last abode. They even have a "Dig for Shakespeare" promotion where you can see finds from the last couple of years.

Latest digging at Shakespeare's last digs

Further down is the High Street shopping district, where we bought Lucy a lolly to keep her going.

Ye olde pub

Ye olde bookstore

Lucy enjoys her lolly

Around the corner was a pedestrian shopping area that led to Shakespeare's birthplace.
On the way we found a cheesy photo-op, though since it was in support of the library, we didn't mind partaking.

Ye olde publick librarie

William "Jacob" Shakespeare

William "Mommy" Shakespeare

Then we saw the house where the Bard was born. It was quite extensive and looked like it would take up too much time, since our tummies were starting to rumble for some lunch. We admired the exterior and headed on to find food.

Home where Shakespeare was born

His coat of arms and motto

His motto means "not without right." The choice of a silver-tipped spear is interestingly appropriate both to his last name and because it resembles a writing implement. We walked to the end of the street and found a Jester Statue. It was donated by Anthony Bird in esteem of the town he was from. The jester is Touchstone from As You Like It. Among the inscriptions on it is this gem from the play: The fool doth think he is wise but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.

Jester of Stratford

We couldn't wait any longer for sustainance, so we walked over to the Rother Market. "Rother" in Anglo-Saxon means "cow with long horns." Saturday is market day, so we could find a variety of things to eat.

Rother Market with the American Fountain

Pig roasting! Though we probably should have had beef in honor of Rother

The fountain in the market is called the American Fountain. It was donated by Philadelphian George W. Childs and has fairies from A Midsummer Night's Dream at the top.

We bought some food and headed back down to the River Avon (upon which the town is built) for a picnic lunch.

River Avon with Holy Trinity Church in the distance

Swans, duck, and geese looking for a meal too!

Down by the river is the Gower Memorial. Donated in 1888 by Lord Ronald Gower, he scultped the statues himself over ten years and used his own money to pay for the work. Originally it was further down river and Shakespeare's statue faced the church. The theatre where it was located burned down and the monument was moved in 1933 to its present location. According to the plaque describing the memorial...

The figures around the base are Shakespearian characters: Hamlet, Lady Macbeth, Falstaff and Prince Hal.
Each stands in front of inidividually-modelled bronze masks with flowers symbolic of each character. Hamlet represents Philosophy with ivy and cypress; Lady Macbeth is Tragedy with poppies and peonies; Comedy is represented by Falstaff with hops and roses; and History is represented by Prince Hal with English roses and French lillies.

Shakespeare up on a pedestal

Prince Hal

Hamlet

Lady Macbeth

Falstaff

After watching the play at the RSC theatre, we walked back over and got some ice cream from one of the boats selling snacks. They had a rather silly sign on their ship, which is what drew us to them.

If only they'd had ice cream back in his day, there would have been less tragedy

It was great fun to visit Stratford-upon-Avon. Next blog post will be about the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Twelfth Night.