aThe Daily News
1 I found a copy of the Shakespeare's Globe 2011 production of Much Ado About Nothing sometime last week. I was surprised to find that a full version came available on You Tube.
2 A lot of the actors from the Globe's Midsummer appeared in this wonderful version of Much Ado. I had never seen it, and in fact, I have yet to watch the thing all the way through.
3 I had it on the other night but dozed off and missed a few scenes, my favorite of which was when Benedick is sitting atop the lemon tree eavesdropping, and even lemon-dropping when someone talking below would offend him.
4 If you haven't seen the video, get it while it is available. I don't know what constitutes available, but it could disappear in a New York minute.
5 The DVD's are available for purchase online. I don't know enough about streaming to give any decent info here. But here is a link from Globe Theatre On Screen. Hit the link, not the pic:
6 Here is a link to this amazing production currently streaming on You Tube:
7 The only other show I have watched is their 2013 version of A Midsummer Night's Dream, also for purchase, as are many others. The fellow who plays Antonio in Much Ado plays Nick Bottom in Midsummer, and is SO clever and unique that it becomes instantly sensational.
8 GREAT resource, of course.
9 I watch these and I naturally want to teach them! I know that other teachers will probably get upset by this, but Spark Notes has both the regular versions of the plays, translated into "normal" English, and No Fear versions, where some of Shakespeare's bawdiness is explained as well. To me, you can't really have one without the other.
10 Also, familiarize yourself with some of the language. I don't want to furbish a vocab list here, because students are slowly drifting off already. And it's a bit late as I write this stuff, but perhaps later in the week I could furbish a quick list of terms that might help appreciate the subtle and not-so-subtle inferences and jokes. I could start you off. Here go:
11 The word "an" is used frequently, particularly in Much Ado. As an article, it works as it does in present-day English. It is also used frequently in Much Ado to mean "if."
12 If you ARE "getting" the gist of Much Ado, awesome. Use the Spark notes to help yourself along, even you seasoned Shakespeare fans out there.
13 In the Globe's Much Ado, I love the actors first, and then the direction. They use minimum sets, and also minimum costumes. This begs a few questions: How does Benedick think his costume is fooling Beatrice at the Masque? Well, it doesn't fool her, but we simply have to use what the great Samuel Coleridge termed a "willing suspension of disbelief."
14 That concept is used in the Oberon character in any version of Midsummer. Well, if he says he is invisible, why then he is invisible, audience. At the Masque in Much Ado, the masks conceal certain characters well enough that we assume the other character can only guess the identity of the person with whom they speak. It works, because by its very nature, we must allow it to work, and it saves a bit on costumes!
15 One bit I discovered over the years of working with Much Ado is the term "note" or "noting" repeatedly used. Much Ado is all about people noticing things about others, spying on one another, and tricking others through false identities.
16 Somewhere in that word is the secret to Much Ado. Find it, and you will discover lots of intelligent humor going on all through this masterpiece.
17 There are so many double meanings and double entendres in Much Ado that at one point in the play, Beatrice is sent to bid Benedick come to dinner. They banter a bit, and Beatrice exits. Benedick thinks there's more to it than the eye beholds, looks at the audience and says, "There's a double meaning in that..." Here is how Kenneth Branagh (the guy playing Benedick in this scene, AND the director of the film version) handled that moment:
18 Fun stuff.
19 I thought I would share all this on a Monday so that you can embrace Shakespeare, and enjoy the brilliance of it all.
20 The language is a bit demanding at first, but once you get used to it, you realize you can follow the plots reasonably well. Shakespeare plays fair, so it is easy to anticipate a lot of things, as one thing moves naturally into another. He DID write those plays to have a bit of fun with the language, but it was always intended to entertain.
21 Once you hear the beauty of the language, the intelligence of the writer, and the magnificence of a well-produced Shakespearean play, you open doors for yourself, and the gift of listening to the poetry of one of the greatest writers in the King's English.
22 Hope you enjoy these links and tips, and I hope you buy the DVD's and support this incredible Company.
23 That's it for now. I've other things to attend to.
24 Moving On, Part One: Helene is off to Vegas this fine morning with our grand friend Salli, and my G-Pa skills will come into play for the remainder of the week back here in Sacramento. I hope she has a fun time, and that the two of them get into a lot of mischief.
25 Just lots to do all this week.
26 She flies out this morning. It'll be an interesting week, I can tell you that much.
27 Can't wait. Love those babies!
28 Hopefully this will hold until tomorrow, when I should be splashing more pics of those babies all over the place. I just love 'em.
29 Gottago.
30 Have a GREAT day.
31 See you again.
32 Peace.
8 GREAT resource, of course.
9 I watch these and I naturally want to teach them! I know that other teachers will probably get upset by this, but Spark Notes has both the regular versions of the plays, translated into "normal" English, and No Fear versions, where some of Shakespeare's bawdiness is explained as well. To me, you can't really have one without the other.
10 Also, familiarize yourself with some of the language. I don't want to furbish a vocab list here, because students are slowly drifting off already. And it's a bit late as I write this stuff, but perhaps later in the week I could furbish a quick list of terms that might help appreciate the subtle and not-so-subtle inferences and jokes. I could start you off. Here go:
11 The word "an" is used frequently, particularly in Much Ado. As an article, it works as it does in present-day English. It is also used frequently in Much Ado to mean "if."
12 If you ARE "getting" the gist of Much Ado, awesome. Use the Spark notes to help yourself along, even you seasoned Shakespeare fans out there.
13 In the Globe's Much Ado, I love the actors first, and then the direction. They use minimum sets, and also minimum costumes. This begs a few questions: How does Benedick think his costume is fooling Beatrice at the Masque? Well, it doesn't fool her, but we simply have to use what the great Samuel Coleridge termed a "willing suspension of disbelief."
14 That concept is used in the Oberon character in any version of Midsummer. Well, if he says he is invisible, why then he is invisible, audience. At the Masque in Much Ado, the masks conceal certain characters well enough that we assume the other character can only guess the identity of the person with whom they speak. It works, because by its very nature, we must allow it to work, and it saves a bit on costumes!
15 One bit I discovered over the years of working with Much Ado is the term "note" or "noting" repeatedly used. Much Ado is all about people noticing things about others, spying on one another, and tricking others through false identities.
16 Somewhere in that word is the secret to Much Ado. Find it, and you will discover lots of intelligent humor going on all through this masterpiece.
17 There are so many double meanings and double entendres in Much Ado that at one point in the play, Beatrice is sent to bid Benedick come to dinner. They banter a bit, and Beatrice exits. Benedick thinks there's more to it than the eye beholds, looks at the audience and says, "There's a double meaning in that..." Here is how Kenneth Branagh (the guy playing Benedick in this scene, AND the director of the film version) handled that moment:
Kenneth Branagh as Benedick
over-thinking things...
18 Fun stuff.
19 I thought I would share all this on a Monday so that you can embrace Shakespeare, and enjoy the brilliance of it all.
20 The language is a bit demanding at first, but once you get used to it, you realize you can follow the plots reasonably well. Shakespeare plays fair, so it is easy to anticipate a lot of things, as one thing moves naturally into another. He DID write those plays to have a bit of fun with the language, but it was always intended to entertain.
21 Once you hear the beauty of the language, the intelligence of the writer, and the magnificence of a well-produced Shakespearean play, you open doors for yourself, and the gift of listening to the poetry of one of the greatest writers in the King's English.
22 Hope you enjoy these links and tips, and I hope you buy the DVD's and support this incredible Company.
23 That's it for now. I've other things to attend to.
24 Moving On, Part One: Helene is off to Vegas this fine morning with our grand friend Salli, and my G-Pa skills will come into play for the remainder of the week back here in Sacramento. I hope she has a fun time, and that the two of them get into a lot of mischief.
25 Just lots to do all this week.
26 She flies out this morning. It'll be an interesting week, I can tell you that much.
27 Can't wait. Love those babies!
28 Hopefully this will hold until tomorrow, when I should be splashing more pics of those babies all over the place. I just love 'em.
29 Gottago.
30 Have a GREAT day.
31 See you again.
32 Peace.
~H~
fin.
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