Favorite Shakespeare Play (AND WHY)

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 2:20am

My pathetic attempt to raise the conversation here. What is your favorite Shakespeare play? And why? Please say something as to why, even if it sounds stupid. No list posts please. So what it is? Those who can comment on the lesser known plays I will set in a shower of gold and hail rich pearls upon thee. Bonus point if you get that quotation, and more than one point if you don't use google.

[musicaltheatrefan3]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 2:23am

I like "Twelfth Night". This will sound stupid, but I like how they deceive them, and disguise themselves. I love any play/movie/musical/novel where people get fooled.

[abitoftap]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 2:31am

King Lear...it's the age/family/trust etc thing...resonates in my life ( and I guess everyone's eventually )
The first time I saw it ( a mere 15 or so years ago ) I had tears at the end.

Updated On: 6/26/08 at 02:31 AM

[being.jeremiah]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 3:07am

I like "The Merchant of Venice". This will sound stupid, but I like how they deceive them, and disguise themselves. I love any play/movie/musical/novel where people get fooled.

I like "Cymbeline". This will sound stupid, but I like how they deceive them, and disguise themselves. I love any play/movie/musical/novel where people get fooled.

I like "Much Ado About Nothing". This will sound stupid, but I like how they deceive them, and disguise themselves. I love any play/movie/musical/novel where people get fooled.

I like "The Winter's Tale". This will sound stupid, but I like how they deceive them, and disguise themselves. I love any play/movie/musical/novel where people get fooled.

I like "Othello". This will sound stupid, but I like how they deceive them, and disguise themselves. I love any play/movie/musical/novel where people get fooled.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 3:16am

The Merchant of Venice. As to why, well just ceck out my username (I would go into more detail, but I'm tired).

[musicaltheatrefan3]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 3:28am

Oh, I thought you were actually a Jewish boy. Never mind. I like to keep track of the Jews on BWW.

There's:

Me
Jane2
scaryclowns
winston89
MarcShaiman
LiTtLeDaNcEr729

There's more, I'm sure, but we do represent a minority.

[Dre2387]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 3:29am

The Taming of the Shrew

Not the most common answer and probably a surprise to most, but here is my reason why.

I saw/worked on the production two summers ago at the Shakespeare Theatre of NJ at the outdoor stage. it was vaudeville style that really worked but what got me was how the director dealt with the taming of Kate. He didn't take it literally where Petruchio tames Kate and puts her in her place. This director, Brian B. Crowe, had them basically fall in love at first sight (signaled by a ding and surprised stares between them.) But they didn't give up at being stubborn or give in to the other. In the end, Crowe made it seem like Petruchio was teaching Kate how to play the game of life instead of taming her, so that she still had her personality but molded it a bit to fit into society without changing too much. Also, the last couple of lines really worked for nowadays;

PETRUCHIO: Come, Kate, we'll to bed.
We three are married, but you two are sped.
'Twas I won the wager, though you hit the white;
And, being a winner, God give you good night!

Basically, yes, all three of them are married but their marriage will last longer and be the happiest cause they have already discovered that having arguments in a marriage is totally normal and its about give and take, not about only one person getting their way.

It was just an incredible production that I will never forget.

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 3:30am

Why do you keep track of Jews on BWW Emma?

[musicaltheatrefan3]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 3:32am

Emma's Jewish too, you know.

I like talking to my fellow Jews.

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 3:34am

Why? Do you have some Jewish code only other Jews know Emma?

[MrBundles]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 3:34am

Coriolanus because when I saw the show at The Globe, I overheard some people thinking it was called "Cory's Anus."

[Weez]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 5:05am

I have two favourite Shakespeare plays. But they're very related to each other. ^_^

My first favourite and most favourite is 'Henry V'. I've seen, read, and watched quite a bit of Shakespeare over the years, but I never really clicked. I'd just go "gosh, I can see why that's supposed to be good" or "well, that seemed to be very well done", but there was no connection. Then I went to see 'Henry V' in Stratford-upon-Avon last October, and the click happened! I was enthralled! I was watching it, loving it, getting engrossed, swept away, laughing, cowering, everything. I understood the words the actors were saying, and I found myself responding appropriately. It was simply awesome, and the three hours+ just flew by. For the first time, I actually GOT Shakespeare, and 'Henry V' will always be my favourite play for doing that to me. (Plus I'm a vicious little beast who likes plays to be full of swordplay and gore. )

My other favourite is the first part of 'Henry IV'. I've always been into plays that explore relationships between two men ('Amadeus', 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman', 'Bent', etc), so the fact that this play does that in droves meant I wasn't ever not going to like it. I'm not big on Falstaff, as a disturbing number of people seem to be, but I do like seeing where Hal comes from in order to get to 'Henry V', and I'm coming over all giddy at the thought of the Hal/Hotspur battle in act 5 scene 4. There is no such thing as too many Henrys, as far as I'm concerned. :3

On Friday 23rd May this year, I saw both parts of 'Henry IV' and 'Henry V' in one day, and it was quite simply the best day I've ever had at the theatre. When they invent time machines, I'm going back.

I only wish someone had introduced me to the History plays sooner. I was vaguely aware there was more to Shakespeare than Tragedy and Comedy, but I assumed that because no one really mentioned the Histories (apart from occasional references to 'Richard III'), they were quite dry and boring and not well thought of. SO wrong! The Histories are my favourite Shakespeare plays, and I'm so happy I found that out with enough time to see the eight play Histories Cycle (from 'Richard II' to 'Richard III' over a period of four days with all the roles played by the same ensemble) back in May. ^_^

[Weez]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 5:31am

PS: Not Barker, I had to google your reference, even though it's a play I've SEEN, but just thought you might be amused to know this very thread is the sixth result to pop up. XD Safe enough to assume that's your favourite? If so, why?

[twogaab2]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 10:11am

"12th Night"-because it's funny.

[A Fleur De Toi]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 10:19am

Othello.

Reason being I love laughing and bitching at how melodramatic and whiny Othello is. The character really gets on my nerves, each time I read or watch Othello, I feel like throttling him to within an inch of his life and yell curses down on his family.

extremely cathartic.

Updated On: 6/26/08 at 10:19 AM

[fosca3]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 12:23pm

I'd like to put in a vote for TROILUS AND CRESSIDA

I saw it at the RSC (maybe 10 years ago?), and I found the characters and all their different internal dilemnas very moving

Played well (as Victoria Hamilton definitely did), your heart just breaks for Cressida. She tries so hard to be plucky and brave in an AWFUL situation, but her heart is broken, as basically everyone she cares about has betrayed her

You want to be angry at Troilus (and it's not hard), but Joseph Fiennes brought enough feeling to the part that he ended up being not *totally* despicable

I felt very moved and sympathetic towards Pandarus at the end. And I LOVED Thersites -- I found him the easiest to identify with (basically going with the flow, and pretty much disgusted with everyone around him)

And while Achilles isn't too likeable in the play, Philip Quast was very moving when he carried Patroclus' body onto the stage at the end. It's not like you could blame him for breaking away from Agamemnon and Ulysses and Nestor -- they WERE really annoying

And of course, Hector was just so good and brave and strong. He was easy to admire and like

There were so many characters, and so many had fully-developed, REAL-feeling personalities. I found sorting it all out in my head afterwards a lot of fun (I saw it 3 times, and it never got old)

I guess it's a pretty cynical play, and I like that too

Updated On: 6/26/08 at 12:23 PM

[Roscoe]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 12:44pm

If we're talking about the plays themselves rather than productions of the plays:

I like MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING very much, probably the best romantic comedy ever written. Beatrice and Benedick, when well played, are a joy to watch. The one drawback is that agonizing section with Dogberry, pure torture.

I like RICHARD III a lot, even if it is a bit much to take. Richard's viciousness is very entertaining. Mostly it is just the fun of watching someone be evil for the sheer fun of being evil.

Updated On: 6/26/08 at 12:44 PM

Posted: 6/26/08 at 12:58pm

Merchant of Venice is one of my favorites- I love how dark and complicated it is, even though its a comedy. And really, it's incredible just for the "Hath not a Jew eyes" speech.

Of the Tragedies, I would have to go with Macbeth. It is absolutely chilling, with some of my favorite lines in all of Shakespeare. And Lady Macbeth is wicked cool :). (Cool, of course, meaning crazy and terrifying.)

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 1:00pm

Love this thread and I love Shakespeare. But my FAVORITES?

Taming of the Shrew: I actually find it to be a feminist play and one about true love and letting down defences. Feminist because he doesn't really want her to be "obediant" but not to be afraid of who she is and can be. She can be womanly and have her own mind. I love the partnership of Kate and Petruchio. He sets her free.

I am also a HUGE fan of Othello and Lear. I love the takes both of them have on relationships and loyalty. I find them both to be heartbreaking.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 1:05pm

AS YOU LIKE IT, as it has the dazzling "7 stages of man" speech.

[gustof777]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 2:15pm

wait Fosca3 why would you be angry at Troilus? Unless I'm remembering wrong, I recall hating Cressida for cheating on him with Diomed. Act V scene 2 is devastating to watch particularly Troilus' "this is Diomed's Cressida" speech. Troilus stays faithful and is devoted through the entire play even after he sees her deception. Who betrays Cressida?


But definitely an amazing play. One of my favorites

[BenKaye]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 2:22pm

My favorite Shakespeare Play is HAMLET, simply because it's just such an epic story, a classic revenge plot, and I just love all the characters in the play.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 2:23pm

I like MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING very much, probably the best romantic comedy ever written. Beatrice and Benedick, when well played, are a joy to watch. The one drawback is that agonizing section with Dogberry, pure torture.

I agree with all of that, especially the Beatrice and Benedick thing. When played by Emma Thompson in the movie it was pure brilliance.

MUCH ADO is my favorite Shakespeare.

Posted: 6/26/08 at 2:41pm

The Tempest. Because it was the last and best one. He finally got it right and he quit.

[antiandrewx]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 2:46pm

As You Like It... just because.