I sat in a dark, packed theatre. In the rows in front of me, a group of high school students on a field trip whispered to each other as they waited for the action to begin. Their hushed voices were drowned out by a sudden, loud clap of thunder. A ship emerged out of the shadows, tossed by waves. Sailors scrambled across the deck, pulling on ropes and climbing the rigging. A jagged streak of lightning tore the sail in half, and all the sailors were thrown overboard. This was the opening scene of The Tempest by William Shakespeare.
Like any nerdy English major, I convinced my mom that the best possible use of our Friday was to watch a 400 year old play. So, we drove out to Stratford, a two and a half hour trip from Toronto. The play was worth every second. As I walked out of the theatre, I had this feeling of delight! Shakespeare’s characters, especially Prospero and Miranda, came alive onstage. Their jokes, their monologues were so vivid, and we were entranced from start to finish.
Is Shakespeare Still relevant today?
I’m biased, of course. I’m the type of person who enjoys reading dusty old books, and I understand that if your only exposure to Shakespeare was in a high school English class, then his plays either feel intimidating, or hopelessly boring. Shakespeare was writing centuries ago, during the English Renaissance, using words that are difficult to understand, but the distance of time and space doesn’t change the fact that his work is read, performed, and loved today. People continue to connect with Shakespeare because when he wrote stories that reached many groups of people. Whether you like old books or not, there is something in Shakespeare for you.
For those who love psychological thrillers, Macbeth is right up your alley. If you like fantasy (even a little bit of romantasy thrown in there), A Midsummer Night’s Dream is for you. Or, if political intrigue is more your thing, then you should go for Julius Caesar. When you’re in the mood for high stakes marital drama, Othello is the perfect option. Whatever genre you can imagine, Shakespeare wrote it. In fact, his work has deeply influenced many of the narrative tropes we love today. Why not give the source material a chance?
Why see shakespeare performed live?
There are some amazing film adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays, one of the most famous examples being Baz Lurhmann’s Romeo + Juliet, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Romeo and Claire Danes as Juliet, but there are many others. Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet (1948), Franco Zeffirelli’s The Taming of the Shrew (1968), and Trevor Nunn’s Twelfth Night (1996), to name a few. My personal favourite is Much Ado About Nothing (1993) directed by Kenneth Branagh, which injects Shakespeare’s classic enemies-to-loves plot with cinematic vistas of the Italian countryside. The cast of this film is absolutely stacked, including Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Robert Sean Leonard, Kate Beckinsale, Denzel Washington, and Keanu Reeves. I highly recommend these movies, but I still think you should try to experience a live performance.
Don’t get me wrong, I love watching a movie from the comfort of your couch, bowl of popcorn in hand! Only, watching Shakespeare on a screen can’t give you the communal experience of the theatre. During The Tempest, the audience members leaned forward, on the edge of our seats, waiting to learn if the sailors survived the storm. We roared with laughter at the comic relief scenes. The atmosphere was warm and friendly during intermission, as people sitting next to each other chatted about the production. We, the audience, became a part of the performance. Shakespeare didn’t intend for his plays to be enjoyed alone. They’re written for a community.
Where to go?
If I’ve convinced you that you should go to a live performance of a Shakespeare play, you might be wondering where to start. Stratford is renowned for their Shakespeare productions, with gorgeous special effects, and they offer generous student discount tickets. Time is of the essence, because the Stratford Festival only runs until the end of October this year, so you have to act quick if you want to catch The Tempest.
Alternatively, the Trinity College Drama Society is producing Richard III with shows running from October 15-17. In March, you can look forward to a production of the Winter’s Tale by the Victoria College Drama Society. Whichever theatre you choose, be sure to check out a Shakespeare play soon!