Favorite play by Shakespeare

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 9:50pm

My first exposure to Shakespeare was in the 6th grade and I played a witch in Macbeth. No, I wasn't typecast. My reading teacher was real Shakespeare fanactic so we read many of his plays. My other favorite was Comedy of Errors. I was fascinated how modern the comedy was. I think his comedies are my favorite. In a way Iam glad the he exposed us to all of this because my love for Shakespeare contines to today.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 9:52pm

King Lear - Cordelia's my favorite female Shakespearean character, and her relationship with Lear really speaks to me.

Updated On: 1/14/05 at 09:52 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 9:53pm

Macbeth is my fave, Yenta.

[BroadwayDiva]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 9:55pm

A Midsummer Night's Dream

[Delphine]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 9:55pm

I love Much Ado.

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 9:59pm

Romeo and Juliet-You have to love the quintessential love story.

[Taryn]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:02pm

Probably Much Ado About Nothing. But Branagh's amazing movie version may have something to do with that, too. Out of the ones I've read in English, though, Macbeth was probably my favorite.

[Delphine]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:05pm

The Branaugh version is brilliant. Emma Thompson is a goddess!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:06pm

How do you pick one out of so many!!

I've seen so many wonderful performances by Royal Shakespeare Company and other companies.

I would have to say either Taming of the Shrew or Macbeth or Romeo & Juliet or Shakespeare in Love

[sipos]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:09pm

Twelfth Night (or What You Will).

I first saw it down by American Stage -in the Park(FL)- set in New Orleans w/jazz music. wow

Then did it.

Then saw the Lincoln Center Twelfth Night w/Paul Rudd and Helen Hunt. wow

and Play On was a great musical version with an all black cast take on the story. wow

[StraightToHeaven]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:12pm

I'm gonna go with Midsummer...

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:16pm

As a huge fan of Shakespeare's plays, I cannot just choose one work. Here are my five favourites (in no particular order), and some brilliant productions I've seen:

MACBETH: His most theatrically thrilling work, as dark and chilling as midnight. Catch Ian McKellen and Judi Dench's seminal RSC staging -- one of the best productions of a Shakespeare play, ever.

KING LEAR: It's his most potent and emotional tragedy, IMO. Some of the lines strike at the heart:
Gloucester: Let me kiss that hand!
Lear: Let me wipe it first; it smells of mortality.
It wasn't until I was in university and caught Ian Holm's National Theatre production on video that I fully appreciated the devestating power of this play. A thrilling performance.

HAMLET: I'm putting this on the list less so for its effectiveness as a piece of theatre (I have yet to see a thrilling production of this mammoth text) and moreso for its psychological depth, its iconic characters and existential exploration. I think Kenneth Branaugh did a fantastic job with his 1996 unabridged film version -- he made this 4-hour piece absolutely riveting to watch (and Kate Winslet makes a heartbreaking Ophelia).

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM: Just pure fun. As if the lampooning of romantic love through the four lovers wasn't delightful enough, there are the players' troupe, who bring this comedy to a new level of hilarity.

AS YOU LIKE IT: This is my "university play"; I've written three or four essays on it in the past four years. The best production I've seen of it is actually the University of Toronto's Hart House production in 2003, which smartly balanced the high and low forms of pastoral comedy that informs the play.

Updated On: 1/14/05 at 10:16 PM

[GypsyRoseLee]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:20pm

Romeo and Juliet is definetly a favorite, but Midsummer will forever have a special place in my heart (it was my very first play and since i've played every leading female role).

Speaking of R&J...if you live in DC and were thinking of seeing it at the Folger Shakespeare Library, be warned: this production is positively RIFE with penis jokes. I'm serious, it seems like every other line is another penis joke. But other than that, go see it: a friend of mine is the Assistant Director and another friend of mine plays Sampson.

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:28pm

Romeo and Juliet is beautiful. However, I loathe the film version that Zefferelli did. When I was a preteen, every girl swooned over Leonard Whiting. Shakespeare belongs on the stage.

[BroadwayMonkey]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:30pm

Can't just choose one. But I must say that Midsummer and Much Ado take up most of the space in my heart.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:38pm

I definetly LOVE Much Ado About Nothing!!! My favorite!! Love the movie also.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:44pm

HAMLET

OTHELLO

MERCHANT OF VENICE

but I guess I love MACBETH most, probably because I dentify so strongly with the titel character!

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 11:05pm

Ya know, I find that I identify with Shakespeare's villians, sometimes disturbingly moreso than his do-gooders. I definitely understand Iago and why he does the things he does (even though critics have for years debated over his motivations). Same with Macbeth.

Hmmm, I wonder what that says about me?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 11:15pm

Ooooo I love Shakespeare! I've stagemanaged Macbeth and Taming of the Shrew (both at the same time at two different schools) and wow was that fun but stressful and tiring. I love both those shows soooooo much as well as all his other work.

[FabalaCohen]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 11:17pm

I love Hamlet and Romeo & Juliet- I absolutely adore the Danish Prince and Mercurtio. "Look not for me tomorrow, for I shall be a grave man." "Excellent well- you are a fishmonger."

*swoons* Gotta love a man and his wordplay.

[Corine2]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 11:50pm

The Merry Wives Of Windsor
King Lear
Merchant Of Venice
Romeo And Juliet

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 11:57pm

A Midsummer Night's Dream

[jmnpublications]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 12:00am

A Midsummer Night's Dream

[Racetrack]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 12:07am

The Merry Wives of Windsor
The Winter's Tale
King Lear
Titus Andronicus
Much Ado About Nothing
Twelfth Night
Othello
Midsummer's Night
Romeo and Juliet(my first play that I read in fourth grade)
As You Like It

These aren't in any particular order.

[alterego]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 12:07am

Much Ado About Nothing and The Merchant of Venice.