What is your favorite Shakespeare play?

[shamrock30]

"The Tempest" is my favorite.

 

[Northstar]

When I was in high school, the Zefferelli version of the movie, Romeo & Juliet had just come out. So every type of class that could possibly show R&J showed it. English class, English Lit, History, Drama, World Lit,

Well, I'm a contemporary of yours, but are you SURE you're not superimposing subsequent viewings of the Zeffirelli RJ on your high school memories?

Because I remember seeing it THREE times in the theater with my girlfriends, and we brought boxes of tissues because that's how much sobbing we did... but alas, there were NO VIDEOS in those days so in English class we just had to dream about it while listening to Mrs. H. read Romeo's lines in her nasal, New-York-accented voice...

Favorite Shakespeare to read: MacBeth or maybe Henry IV.
Favorite Shakespeare to see: whatever one is being presented!

 

[nmmom95]

Taming of the Shrew and Hamlet

 

[NHdisneylover]

MidSummer Night's Dream & Taming of the Shrew

These are mine as well

I especially love to see Taming of the Shrew played from the perspective of Kate being in control. I have only seen it done that way once and we analyzed it like that once in college, but it works so well. I am also weird in that it nearly ruins Misummer for me if Puck is portrayed as a fawn rather than a sprite. I have honestly not gone to productions when I learn that ahead of time. I have no idea why that bus me s much, but it does

 

[Robinrs]

It's hard to pic a favorite. I have a degree in Eng comp lit and a BFA in theatre so imagine how much I adored Shakespeare!

I loved a Midsummer Night's Dream but totally enjoyed the psychology of Iago in Othello.

 

[shortbun]

A Midsummer Night's Dream and Othello. Of all Shakespeare's women, I enjoyed Ophelia because she is so tragic. Of his men, Othello for the same reason-his anger causes such horror and tragedy.

 

[Rora]

As You Like It!

 

[shortbun]

What do you think of Branagh's interpretations? I love them! I also love the modern portrayals or interpretations of the plays-DiCaprio/Danes's Romeo and Juliet set in modern times or "O" which was a modern interpretation of Othello. My son has embraced Shakespeare because of those two films. I should say he's not afraid of Shakespeare because of them.

 

[NHdisneylover]

It's hard to pic a favorite. I have a degree in Eng comp lit and a BFA in theatre so imagine how much I adored Shakespeare!

I loved a Midsummer Night's Dream but totally enjoyed the psychology of Iago in Othello.

I saw a modern performance of Othello in which there was a city building style "fire escape" as part of the set. Iago was very tall and lanky and he would reach up and grab the bars of the escape and sway slowly side to side just hanging there in a couple of hie monologues. It really came together well and just added to the creepy, almost inhuman aspects of the character. It was really phenomenal and I now envision it that way every time I read it.

 

[BobbinWeez]

Love Henry V and Much Ado About Nothing. I very much enjoy Kenneth Branagh's interpretations of both of those.
Hartford's City Stage had a production of Midsummer Night's Dream a while back and that was very well done.

 

[rabyoga]

I love Julius Caesar just for Mark Antony's speech.

"Friends, Romans, Countrymen... Lend me your ears. I've to bury Caesar not praise him..."

I had to memorize that speech as a Sophomore in High School (over 25 yrs. ago). It still haunts me.

Favorite Play: Othello. The film adaptation with Laurance Fishborne is Outstanding!!!!!!

 

[Judy from Boise]

In HS every year the Shakespeare teacher would show a slightly sanitized version of Roman Polanski's rated X Macbeth. Kids from all grades would pack the room!

 

[Imzadi]

Well, I'm a contemporary of yours, but are you SURE you're not superimposing subsequent viewings of the Zeffirelli RJ on your high school memories?

Because I remember seeing it THREE times in the theater with my girlfriends, and we brought boxes of tissues because that's how much sobbing we did... but alas, there were NO VIDEOS in those days so in English class we just had to dream about it while listening to Mrs. H. read Romeo's lines in her nasal, New-York-accented voice...

We had those movie projectors back then. The ones with the two film reels, that had to be threaded through the projector, and it made a lot of noise while playing. I guess the film was put on reel, especially for shools, because somehow each of the classes were able to get the movie and show us. They thought they were so novel, being able to do that, like they were the ONLY class doing it.

What do you think of Branagh's interpretations? I love them!

Love Henry V and Much Ado About Nothing. I very much enjoy Kenneth Branagh's interpretations of both of those.

I loved Branagh's interpretations. He was considered such a British Shakespeare god back then, doing such a fantastic Hamlet at age 25. He was supposedly destined to have such a stellar career as a leading man in both Britain and America. Too bad it all went to his head and in part broke up his marriage.

I remember seeing a clip of Emma Thompson walking into the Vanity Fair party after she won the Oscar. The ET reporter asked her how Kenneth reacted. She said she spoke to him on the cellphone right after she got off stage. She mimicked him spewing and sputtering, in clear shock she had won - and not in a good way. He couldn't cover over his reaction. She said she said to him, "Oh yes, Kenneth, as speechless as always!" She was so angry at his reaction, that I knew right then, that they were in trouble. About a year after that, they divorced. Emma went onto win a second Oscar. Branagh has been nominated 4 times, but hasn't won yet.

What's interesting to me is that Colin Firth, was considered a lesser actor in comparison to Branagh, at the time. Instead, he came forth to be the interesting, romantic leading man, while Branagh ended up playing more character roles, like in Harry Potter 2.

 

[Adipoo]

Twelfth Night
Cymbeline

Bard-related: Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard

 

[suzanna1066@comcast.]

I love Othello and Macbeth best.

I love the sonnets too.