In my high school, you either got the teacher who taught Macbeth or the one who taught Hamlet! I’m soooo glad I got Hamlet! I’ve seen it three times & read it once. Maybe it’s time to read it again!
I also love the painting of Ophelia by Sir John Everett Millais, at the Tate. She’s pictured singing in the river before she drowns, I know, so tragic. A beautiful, haunting painting and the story about its painting, the model he used and afterwards is fascinating too.
Should have mentioned this first, I did see Keanu Reeves perform Hamlet in 1995 at our Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg, in the middle of a Canadian winter. He was a wonderful Hamlet! Apparently a Shakespeare buff and wanting to perform a Shakespeare play live on stage, he turned down a couple of film roles we heard later on, to come to Winnipeg to play Hamlet. Thanks for reminding me of this happy memory!
Yay for the Hamlet love and gentle chiding from child to parent! At the end of my son's senior year this past spring, his class was reading Hamlet. One night, we read a few scenes aloud together, so that he could understand the language better. It was one of the most joyful moments of my parenting life. Afterwards, I thought: I need to do theater again! (But maybe it was just the power of Hamlet!)
YES! I'm a professional actor with a good chunk of my career spent performing Shakespeare, so I absolutely co-sign READING SHAKESPEARE OUT LOUD. I think many people think they don't get Shakespeare but actually just had teachers who made them read it on their own in high school, like any other book. That's like handing a person some sheet music and expecting them to really understand and appreciate the genius and beauty of, say, Mozart just from looking at the notes.
These plays were written to be spoken and heard! If anyone thinks they don't like or don't get Shakespeare, I implore them to try reading it out loud (or better yet, reading it out loud with someone else) and see if that changes things.
Re item 1: for years, my husband and I read the so-called paper-of-record on paper every morning, but I cancelled our subscription after their terrible coverage of the 2016 election. While I still miss reading it, my only true regret is that I can't cancel my subscription now (when they are so much worse). I read the US edition of the Guardian online now.
The Canadian series Slings and Arrows centers on a life behind the scenes of a theatre company. Each of the three seasons focuses on a production of a Shakespeare play: Hamlet, MacBeth and King Lear. Story lines are modeled on themes in the play. Smart, funny--a pleasure! Available on Prime.
Love the 10 Rules!!! Favorite is #9 and I couldn’t agree more with you. I did all 3 things today and it’s the best day I have had in over a week. Random question: for the cabbage dish, are you buying heads of cabbage or pre-shredded? Actually, in some future post, just share your TJ shopping list top to bottom. :-) Also, loved Andy’s story about Hamlet. I’m not a big Shakespeare fan (sorry) but now I’m intrigued.
Couldn't be happier that Andy is "discovering" Shakespeare. I just posted on Bookstagram about Judi Dench's wonderful memoir, Shakespeare: the man who pays the rent (highly recommend on audio to Abby).
Our summer with three sons all home is ending but when I asked who wanted to join me to see a traveling production of Hamlet in Denver in late September, all three texted back, "I'm in." So we'll all be together again in six weeks --- and I'm already planning that weekend's menu in my mind.
Now Abby has to get you both to see a performance! The Tempest especially needs to be experienced (imo) and not just read. Sigourney Weaver is going to play Prospero in London next year: perfect excuse for another trip to England!
Hmm. I don't see where/how to enter my pre-order number in the free book thingy! I'm in canada and ordered it via amazon.ca if that makes any difference...?
In my high school, you either got the teacher who taught Macbeth or the one who taught Hamlet! I’m soooo glad I got Hamlet! I’ve seen it three times & read it once. Maybe it’s time to read it again!
I also love the painting of Ophelia by Sir John Everett Millais, at the Tate. She’s pictured singing in the river before she drowns, I know, so tragic. A beautiful, haunting painting and the story about its painting, the model he used and afterwards is fascinating too.
Had to look that one up. Wow, that is powerful, thank you for sharing.
Should have mentioned this first, I did see Keanu Reeves perform Hamlet in 1995 at our Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg, in the middle of a Canadian winter. He was a wonderful Hamlet! Apparently a Shakespeare buff and wanting to perform a Shakespeare play live on stage, he turned down a couple of film roles we heard later on, to come to Winnipeg to play Hamlet. Thanks for reminding me of this happy memory!
What is Hamlet?
Lolololo
Luv that u luv corn! Luv that u luv tomatoes! What's your fave corn? What's your fave tomato?
Yay for the Hamlet love and gentle chiding from child to parent! At the end of my son's senior year this past spring, his class was reading Hamlet. One night, we read a few scenes aloud together, so that he could understand the language better. It was one of the most joyful moments of my parenting life. Afterwards, I thought: I need to do theater again! (But maybe it was just the power of Hamlet!)
YES! I'm a professional actor with a good chunk of my career spent performing Shakespeare, so I absolutely co-sign READING SHAKESPEARE OUT LOUD. I think many people think they don't get Shakespeare but actually just had teachers who made them read it on their own in high school, like any other book. That's like handing a person some sheet music and expecting them to really understand and appreciate the genius and beauty of, say, Mozart just from looking at the notes.
These plays were written to be spoken and heard! If anyone thinks they don't like or don't get Shakespeare, I implore them to try reading it out loud (or better yet, reading it out loud with someone else) and see if that changes things.
If your daughter hasn't read Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad, about a production of Hamlet in the West Bank, it's gorgeous: https://www.womensprize.com/in-conversation-with-isabella-hammad/
I don't know how Enter Ghost got into my TBR pile, but it enthralled and I raced thru it. Going back to it this autumn. Highly recommend.
kudos to your abby and her persistence! these texts killed me, i love it. i just did my own ode to shakepeare on my newsletter! ( https://therollingladder.substack.com/p/bardolatry )
Thank you so much, Jenny, for your kind words about Mousetown! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ xo
Re item 1: for years, my husband and I read the so-called paper-of-record on paper every morning, but I cancelled our subscription after their terrible coverage of the 2016 election. While I still miss reading it, my only true regret is that I can't cancel my subscription now (when they are so much worse). I read the US edition of the Guardian online now.
The Canadian series Slings and Arrows centers on a life behind the scenes of a theatre company. Each of the three seasons focuses on a production of a Shakespeare play: Hamlet, MacBeth and King Lear. Story lines are modeled on themes in the play. Smart, funny--a pleasure! Available on Prime.
Love the 10 Rules!!! Favorite is #9 and I couldn’t agree more with you. I did all 3 things today and it’s the best day I have had in over a week. Random question: for the cabbage dish, are you buying heads of cabbage or pre-shredded? Actually, in some future post, just share your TJ shopping list top to bottom. :-) Also, loved Andy’s story about Hamlet. I’m not a big Shakespeare fan (sorry) but now I’m intrigued.
Couldn't be happier that Andy is "discovering" Shakespeare. I just posted on Bookstagram about Judi Dench's wonderful memoir, Shakespeare: the man who pays the rent (highly recommend on audio to Abby).
Our summer with three sons all home is ending but when I asked who wanted to join me to see a traveling production of Hamlet in Denver in late September, all three texted back, "I'm in." So we'll all be together again in six weeks --- and I'm already planning that weekend's menu in my mind.
Now Abby has to get you both to see a performance! The Tempest especially needs to be experienced (imo) and not just read. Sigourney Weaver is going to play Prospero in London next year: perfect excuse for another trip to England!
Hmm. I don't see where/how to enter my pre-order number in the free book thingy! I'm in canada and ordered it via amazon.ca if that makes any difference...?
@dinneralovestory any suggestions? can I just email over a screenshot of the order details from amazon.ca?
So wonderful-- Go Abby re: insisting Andy read Hamlet. I knew Abby was special, but now it's doubly confirmed.