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Nancy Wright's avatar

Thanks so much for these. I had never considered Viola from that point of view - always got so caught up in her struggles to unravel everyone's expectations and then the joy of reuniting with her brother. And I like the thought of Hamlet wanting to wander as a player... you nailed the style beautifully.

I am delighted and amazed at the varied interpretations of the Bard's plays, especially the various casting choices and modern-dress settings. And despite language shifts and obscure references, that his characters are still relatable, the situations strangely familiar. I love that modern companies make it clear that Shakespeare is not just to be plummily declaimed by white actors with upper crust British accents, but merrily spoken by anyone, from round-cheeked Black women to teenage kids in ill-fitting doublets to graceful ethereal mysterious creatures with blue or green skin.

A happy memory - at a performance of Othello in our local outdoor setting, I had almost as much fun watching the 11 year old son of my companion becoming mesmerized by the magic of live theater... "Mom, he was looking right at me!" "can we see it again?"... as I did watching the play.

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Rebecca D. Martin's avatar

"Once you get anywhere near Shakespeare, I find, it’s hard not to get into a conversation with him." Indeed! This Viola poem is wonderful. Challenging. After spending last week with A Midsummer Night's Dream, I'd like to write a poem for Helena, who hardly gets a voice, and maybe needs a new vision for what to want.

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