If you want me to tell it like it has always been, here it is. The thought of studying Shakespeare back at school was scary. I didn't like or appreciate the language. It was difficult to understand and it really got under my skin. I honestly felt like I was being asked to read the bible for my English literature class.
However, this is the biggest joke of all; I fell in love with Macbeth and Othello. Macbeth till this day remains one of my favourite Shakespeare texts. The dramatic techniques in that text alone, makes me want to write a new play each time I read it.
Othello, you have to fall in love with him, a man of honour and strength, yet so weak and fallible. It goes to show no matter how strong or highly placed you are in life; there is always that one thing something which gets the better of you. In Othello's case, that's Desdemona and if you don't like Iago, I am tempted to ask why.
Imago is that colleague who smiles at you but stabs you in the back and b**ch about you. You that one, that's right, there are lots of Iago's around today. One can never be careful... Crafty, vindictive, spiteful and hateful, you name it, he is the real deal. No messing about on that one.
Those were the texts of Shakespeare I loved as a teenager and still do. But recently, that has changed. I finally fell in love with the boy from Stratford-Upon-Avon, all over.
The Histories, a fistful of plays by William Shakespeare popularly known as the History Cycle, opened in Stratford-Upon-Avon back in 2006 to critical acclaim and rapturous audience response.
Back in 2006, I knew nothing about the Histories. I was just another journalist, chasing after my own story and doing what I love to do best, write my plays. You know how we do it, well, come 2007, I get the opportunity to work with the RSC. Low and behold, I finally get the opportunity to see my first Shakespeare production, Henry V. I loved every minute of it. The dramatic action was consistent. The language was beautiful and sounded great. It was eloquently delivered by the actors. It had humour, it had style and above all, was and still is one of the most memorable piece of theatre I have ever seen. It is an event that will stay with me for a very long time.
This is the part that blew me, English history will take years to explore but Shakespeare’s ability to capture a period of time within these plays is fascinating and had critics rolling over to get the best angle they could on their reviews.
Finally the show comes to London and I have the opportunity to witness the whole cycle of plays in repertoire at the Roundhouse theatre. You bet I didn’t miss a day. I loved every minute of it - Richard II and III, Henry IV Parts I and II, and Henry VI Parts I, II and III – this was my one opportunity to experience English history with Londoners.
For me, Henry VI trilogy will always stand out because it had Chuk Iwuji in the lead role of Henry VI. The RSC did it again, cross-casting and for me, that stood out. It is an experience Iwuji himself describes as “The most joyfully, challenging, frustrating and enlightening experience of my life. I think that just encapsulates professional life anyway.”
To see one man have to suffer and be as helpless as his character was, despite being a king was truly breathtaking. Breathtaking not because he fought back but because the character of the man that he truly is came through to me as an audience member ever step of the way. Crowned king at 9 months old, that’s a job for anyone to take on. Yet he remained true to himself. You could call him an ineffective king because the actions of others move him about and I personally believe his decision making ability is crap. But who is to say, a king cannot have a heart.
The level of hatred which existed between the house of York and Lancaster was terrifying. Everyone made claim to the throne. People switched allegiance to the king and each other like they were changing their electricity or gas supplier.
I can truly say, without a doubt, this has been one of those moments where you experience a form of theatre you are not used to and you say WOW! I loved every minute of it. The characters, the staging, costumes, lighting, stage design and the music, was marvellous.
To sum it up, I was part of history and that is what theatre should always be about.
Image: Chuk Iwuhi as Henry VI
Credit: Ellie Kurtz and the RSC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2008/04/21/yourstories_shakespeare_histories_feature.shtml
However, this is the biggest joke of all; I fell in love with Macbeth and Othello. Macbeth till this day remains one of my favourite Shakespeare texts. The dramatic techniques in that text alone, makes me want to write a new play each time I read it.
Othello, you have to fall in love with him, a man of honour and strength, yet so weak and fallible. It goes to show no matter how strong or highly placed you are in life; there is always that one thing something which gets the better of you. In Othello's case, that's Desdemona and if you don't like Iago, I am tempted to ask why.
Imago is that colleague who smiles at you but stabs you in the back and b**ch about you. You that one, that's right, there are lots of Iago's around today. One can never be careful... Crafty, vindictive, spiteful and hateful, you name it, he is the real deal. No messing about on that one.
Those were the texts of Shakespeare I loved as a teenager and still do. But recently, that has changed. I finally fell in love with the boy from Stratford-Upon-Avon, all over.
The Histories, a fistful of plays by William Shakespeare popularly known as the History Cycle, opened in Stratford-Upon-Avon back in 2006 to critical acclaim and rapturous audience response.
Back in 2006, I knew nothing about the Histories. I was just another journalist, chasing after my own story and doing what I love to do best, write my plays. You know how we do it, well, come 2007, I get the opportunity to work with the RSC. Low and behold, I finally get the opportunity to see my first Shakespeare production, Henry V. I loved every minute of it. The dramatic action was consistent. The language was beautiful and sounded great. It was eloquently delivered by the actors. It had humour, it had style and above all, was and still is one of the most memorable piece of theatre I have ever seen. It is an event that will stay with me for a very long time.
This is the part that blew me, English history will take years to explore but Shakespeare’s ability to capture a period of time within these plays is fascinating and had critics rolling over to get the best angle they could on their reviews.
Finally the show comes to London and I have the opportunity to witness the whole cycle of plays in repertoire at the Roundhouse theatre. You bet I didn’t miss a day. I loved every minute of it - Richard II and III, Henry IV Parts I and II, and Henry VI Parts I, II and III – this was my one opportunity to experience English history with Londoners.
For me, Henry VI trilogy will always stand out because it had Chuk Iwuji in the lead role of Henry VI. The RSC did it again, cross-casting and for me, that stood out. It is an experience Iwuji himself describes as “The most joyfully, challenging, frustrating and enlightening experience of my life. I think that just encapsulates professional life anyway.”
To see one man have to suffer and be as helpless as his character was, despite being a king was truly breathtaking. Breathtaking not because he fought back but because the character of the man that he truly is came through to me as an audience member ever step of the way. Crowned king at 9 months old, that’s a job for anyone to take on. Yet he remained true to himself. You could call him an ineffective king because the actions of others move him about and I personally believe his decision making ability is crap. But who is to say, a king cannot have a heart.
The level of hatred which existed between the house of York and Lancaster was terrifying. Everyone made claim to the throne. People switched allegiance to the king and each other like they were changing their electricity or gas supplier.
I can truly say, without a doubt, this has been one of those moments where you experience a form of theatre you are not used to and you say WOW! I loved every minute of it. The characters, the staging, costumes, lighting, stage design and the music, was marvellous.
To sum it up, I was part of history and that is what theatre should always be about.
Image: Chuk Iwuhi as Henry VI
Credit: Ellie Kurtz and the RSC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2008/04/21/yourstories_shakespeare_histories_feature.shtml
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