[NEohioPAL] CWRU: Versions (?) of Shakespeare

[Larry Nehring]

I think we are in dangerous waters whenever anyone discusses  
Shakespeare as a pristine text. No real evidence exists as to what was  
performed in his time so little stock should ever be taken in any  
claim at fidelity. The folio was published after his death with enough  
differences from the previously published quarto editions for their  
accuracy to be questionable. No manuscripts exist, and nothing of the  
plays in Shakespeare's own hand.

As was pointed out, there were no actresses in his plays, but today an  
all male cast would be considered rare and controversial.

Woodcuts and journals seem to be clear that Shakespeare's actors wore  
"modern dress", so contemporary clothing would be more accurate today  
than doublet & hose.

As for cutting/amending the text... it is rare for any Shakespeare  
play to be performed uncut. The prologue to Romeo and Juliet says,  
"two hours traffic of our stage," but it is difficult to even read it  
in that time, let alone perform it in under three. Big cuts have to be  
made.

While I was working at the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival we boldly  
cut and played with casting. The ideas were Shakespeare's as were the  
words, even if we rearranged or dropped many to make the story as we  
chose to present the most clear possible.

Shakespeare's plays should not be considered literature. Literature is  
meant to be read. Dickens was very careful with word choice and  
published his works. Homer recited his works and people memorized them  
by his example.  Shakespeare produced plays with so many current (for  
his audiences, not ours) references that it it easy to see how the  
lines would change as the social and political landscape changed  
around them. Lines which might displease the king or queen dropped and  
jokes about recent scandals added.

I am not an expert at Shakespeare, and let's not even start an  
authorship discussion, but I would respectfully caution anyone from  
judging an adapted script unless it is a complete deviation from the  
plot intent. Nahum Tate was one famed adapter who played pretty  
loosely with the original texts. However he and those who produced  
revisionist Shakespeare plays kept interest in the Bard going for all  
these centuries.

Bottom line is... Shakespeare wanted butts in seats. Every ticket was  
income. If he really cared about the faithfulness to the scripts he  
would have made sure there were "correct" versions for all to adhere  
to religiously.

My humble opinions only.

Larry Nehring
LNehring at aol.com
Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 13, 2009, at 6:56 PM, Anastasjoy at aol.com wrote:

> So, if women are cast in women's roles, which wasn't done in  
> Shakespeare's time, do you believe this needs to be noted in the  
> title so people won't feel cheated? I'm baffled at how you decide,  
> in the case of Shakespeare, mich of whose original production style  
> is unknown to us, what is over the line and should be advertised and  
> what hews to his origfinal intention.
>
>
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