Recreational Shakespeare

[joe_zazen]

I decided to try some recreational Shakespeare recently. It's been much more rewarding then my abortive Joyce dalliance,

I'm starting with the lesser plays in order to become proficient in the language before moving on to the more lauded ones. So far I've gone through Comedy of Errors, Loves Labor Lost, and King John.

As was recommended to me, I start with a scene breakdown of action (Charles Boyce's Critical Companion to Shakespeare (the 'free' version) also known as Shakespeare A to Z is perfect for this), then I read the scene with footnotes immediately beside the text (best digital source I've found is Shakespearewords.com, free and better than any paid kindle book http://www.shakespeareswords.com/The-Comedy-of-Errors). Once I've read the entire play this way, I watch the bbc version with subs on—thanks to the nice seeders of the 37 BBC Shakespeare plays, btw. Thinking that only Patrick Stewart types performed in BBC Shakespeare, I was surprised to see Roger Daltrey (rock star) in Comedy and Leonard Lassiter (sit com actor) in King John; both were amazingly good.

I think I'm becoming an enthusiast. Any others here?

 

[joe_zazen]

Dammit wrong forum. Gaah

 

[ZhugeEX]

Dammit wrong forum. Gaah

Click to shrink...

I've moved it for you.

In the future you can report your own post (using the report button at the top right of your post) to alert a moderator and they'll move it quicker.

Thanks.

 

[weemadarthur]

Does recreational = "for pleasure"? Because if so, then yes I read shakespeare for pleasure.

 

[Unknownlight]

One thing I've always wished for is for someone to rewrite Shakespeare's plays in modern English, to recreate what experiencing his work would be like for its intended audience.

To be clear, I don't want it to be simplified like No Fear Shakespeare or something, I mean that I want a talented writer to keep all of the intricacies and poetic language while removing all of the archaisms. Like a very high-quality localization.

The reason I suspect this has never been done before is because the only people skilled and knowledgeable enough to attempt something like this are also the same people who would find the very idea to be blasphemous.

 

[platakul]

the Henry 6 trilogy is pretty great even though Henries 4 & 5 are better regarding. Joan of Arc is rad in H6P1

 

[Deleted member 8861]

Try the Longman textbook versions (it says "New Edition for GCSE" on the cover). I used Macbeth in that format last year, and it was great. It has a useful glossary of words and summaries and stuff, and doesn't overburden you with extra stuff like photos from productions or exercises the way Cambridge ones do

 

[Doctor Shatner]

Shakespeare is great! My favorite is probably Macbeth followed by Richard III and King Leer. Twelfth Night is great if you want comedy and I'm partial to Much Ado About Nothing.

Recently saw a production of Twelfth Night in NYC and it was great! Reading Shakespeare is one thing, but it was meant to be seen for sure.

 

[MeaningOfKarma]

One thing I've always wished for is for someone to rewrite Shakespeare's plays in modern English, to recreate what experiencing his work would be like for its intended audience.

To be clear, I don't want it to be simplified like No Fear Shakespeare or something, I mean that I want a talented writer to keep all of the intricacies and poetic language while removing all of the archaisms. Like a very high-quality localization.

The reason I suspect this has never been done before is because the only people skilled and knowledgeable enough to attempt something like this are also the same people who would find the very idea to be blasphemous.

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The reason it's never been done is because it can't be done. Trying to refit Shakespeare into modern English would interfere with the internal structure of much of his language, particularly when it comes to rhyme scheme and meter. Archaic words are not replaceable words. It's more trouble than it could ever be worth, and the end result would always be closer to No Fear than what you're imagining. Either that, or the translator will be taking enough liberties that you're not reading Shakespeare anymore.

 

[lacinius]

My appreciation for Shakespeare is probably the only thing that has stuck with me since High School. I have yet to read all of Shakespeare's works, but I have been slowly chipping away when I can. As someone mentioned previous, seeing the plays performed is how they were meant to be experienced but the films available are a decent substitute.

 

[Brakke]

Billy's best is Troilus and Cressida. It is mean and ugly and weird and great.

 

[Deleted member 8861]

seeing the plays performed is how they were meant to be experienced

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Honestly, I would want to, but as a non-native English speaker there's just no way I can fully appreciate any Shakespeare work as a performance- the language is too complex for me to comprehend. Even while reading I usually have to give every verse a second pass.

 

[yepyepyep]

Honestly, I would want to, but as a non-native English speaker there's just no way I can fully appreciate any Shakespeare work as a performance- the language is too complex for me to comprehend. Even while reading I usually have to give every verse a second pass.

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Honestly don't get too hung up on having to comprehend and understand every tiny detail. When I see Shakespeare or a play set in the Elizabethan era I am often confused during the first scene before I get my bearings. The actors performing will aid in your understanding as well. Keep in mind Shakespeare played around with words and even invented some of them; contemporary audiences wouldn't have fully understood every line.

 

[Chekhonte]

Once you pick up on the rhythm of iambic pentameter it's the best read out there. Maybe warm up on something besides hamlet but once you know the ropes read hamlet.

 

[Chekhonte]

Honestly, I would want to, but as a non-native English speaker there's just no way I can fully appreciate any Shakespeare work as a performance- the language is too complex for me to comprehend. Even while reading I usually have to give every verse a second pass.

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I feel that way about Jorge Luis Borges.

 

[MeaningOfKarma]

Honestly, I would want to, but as a non-native English speaker there's just no way I can fully appreciate any Shakespeare work as a performance- the language is too complex for me to comprehend. Even while reading I usually have to give every verse a second pass.

Click to shrink...

Even native English speakers have trouble with the language at first. But the thing about a good Shakespeare performance is that you don't need to fully understand every little thing for it to be an enjoyable experience. And the more you read, watch, and listen to, the easier it will come.

 

[Gernau Morat Gurgeh]

I don't know where your based OP, but if you ever come to London in the season hit up the Globe. 5 pound tickets to stand in the yard, and the plays are invariably excellent.

Also, see Titus Andronicus for the 17th century snuff film experience.

 

[Heraldic]

Started by reading Macbeth. Purchased tickets to Giuseppe Verdi's production at the opera and wanted to have knowledge of the play beforehand. Thoroughly enjoyed reading the play (not to difficult to grasp) but wasn't to crazy about the opera. Probably will try the opera again, but I only want the seats I can't afford (box seats).

 

[Eldy]

Macbeth is my favorite of the ones I've seen/read, largely because I saw a really amazing production of it at the Folger Shakespeare Library (and theatre) in DC a number of years ago, directed by Teller (of Penn & Teller). It's a great story in general, though.

 

[Deleted member 8861]

I don't know where your based OP, but if you ever come to London in the season hit up the Globe. 5 pound tickets to stand in the yard, and the plays are invariably excellent.

Also, see Titus Andronicus for the 17th century snuff film experience.

Click to shrink...

Turkey, sadly.

I'd be fine with missing details here and there but I miss way too much in soliloquies, which I enjoy greatly when reading.

 

[Nil'giccas]

I like Shakespeare a lot. I'm from Greece and one of the very good things there is that there is a very active theater scene and Shakespeare is particularly liked. There are some very good translations, given the enormous difficulty of such a task. I don't live in Greece now, and one of the things that I miss the most is theater.

That said I second the advice of going to the Globe. I was in London for a concert and I checked what was on at that point. By chance, basically, I managed to book the last ticket for The Tempest. It was an extraordinary experience. The small theater, the actors being so close, the atmosphere was like being in another world. I went to London for that concert specifically, but that play was the better experience.

To those who are not native speakers of English, I implore you to try it without fear. To my shame I hadn't read the play before so I didn't know what to expect. Suffice to say that when the second act starter, right after the break, I was confused that the actors where not speaking... Greek. I was so enchanted that after the first ten minutes of the actual play I was thinking that the actors were playing in my native language! Reading the plays is nice, but this is theater and it is a completely different experience.

 

[St. Alphonzo]

For most people, I would highly recommend the 1995 adaptation of Richard III starring Ian McKellen set in a fascist 1930s UK as a starting point for getting into Shakespeare.



An amazing film and Ian McKellen is exceptional.