And the Shakespeare debate rages on . . .

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Thu October 27th, 2011, 5:42 pm

My faves are "Hamlet" and "Macbeth", but I haven't read either of them since college.

SM

EC2 · Post by **EC2** » Thu October 27th, 2011, 9:27 pm

I hated Shakespeare - never did click with me. The only play I enjoyed was Macbeth and that was because we got taken to see the Polanski version at the cinema with the utterly gorgeous Jon Finch!

wendy · Post by **wendy** » Fri October 28th, 2011, 10:31 am

[quote=""EC2""]I hated Shakespeare - never did click with me. The only play I enjoyed was Macbeth and that was because we got taken to see the Polanski version at the cinema with the utterly gorgeous Jon Finch![/quote]

Yeah, I hear you! It's such a shame they can't get Johnny Depp to do some Shakespeare - he would bring a whole new generation to the bard!

Chiliarch · Post by **Chiliarch** » Fri October 28th, 2011, 11:38 am

My faves are "Hamlet" and "Macbeth", but I haven't read either of them since college.

"Hamlet" is my favourite too and I have had the great good fortune to see some really great performances live at Elsinore Castle by Derek Jacobi (several years running), Kenneth Branagh, David Threlfall and Jude Law. It is quite something to sit in the castle yard, where it is all supposed to have taken place, and listen to these great actors delivering those unforgetable lines.

SGM · Post by **SGM** » Fri October 28th, 2011, 7:55 pm

[quote=""wendy""]Had he not died so tragically young I believe Marlowe may have become as great as Shakespeare, but for my money they were two very different writers / rivals.

I enjoyed "Shakespeare In Love" - that movie really brought the period to life.

Any one got a particular favorite play? If I HAD to choose one it would be
"Macbeth" -[/quote]

I adored Shakespear in Love quite apart from the scenery, the script was so very clever but what else would you expect when Tom Stoppard was involved in it.

As for my favourite play, I am all the way with you on Macbeth which I studied and loved at 15/16. King Lear which I studied at 17/18 never quite did it for me although it got better when I saw Anthony Hopkins in it as he reminded me so much of one of my relatives.

I, too, remember the Polanski Macbeth --and whatever happened to Jon Finch?

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Fri October 28th, 2011, 8:47 pm

My favorites are probably Hamlet, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet (until Mercutio departs), A Midsummer's Night Dream, and Twelfth Night. Oh, and Richard III, of course!

LoveHistory · Post by **LoveHistory** » Fri October 28th, 2011, 9:37 pm

I haven't read enough of them to have a favorite really. Comedy of Errors didn't really seem all that funny. Though maybe it is better in performance than on the page.

SGM · Post by **SGM** » Fri October 28th, 2011, 10:15 pm

[quote=""LoveHistory""]I haven't read enough of them to have a favorite really. Comedy of Errors didn't really seem all that funny. Though maybe it is better in performance than on the page.[/quote]

We were always taught that we should view the plays as works to be performed and that they should be studied as a whole -- including the bits that weren't written by Shakespeare, ie Hecate's memorable lines.

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Fri October 28th, 2011, 11:25 pm

For movie versions, I have always liked Branaugh and Emma Thompson's Much Ado About Nothing. For live plays, if done well, my fave is Comedy of Errors--I've seen it done five times, and it always make me laugh. But for reading, I vote for The Tempest.

donroc · Post by **donroc** » Sat October 29th, 2011, 1:39 am

[quote=""LoveHistory""]I haven't read enough of them to have a favorite really. Comedy of Errors didn't really seem all that funny. Though maybe it is better in performance than on the page.[/quote]

You might enjoy seeing the Rodgers and Hart muscal sendup, The Boys from Syracuse, ca 1940. A poor print is available on DVD.