Ms Burden
What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?
When I was a Sixth Former I adored Hamlet; in my twenties I loved Twelfth Night. Now, to teach I prefer Othello but my favourite plays away from the classroom are Measure for Measure and The Winter’s Tale. The latter is the consummate tale of redemption and renewal. In addition to the plays, I enjoy the poetry, particularly The Rape of Lucrece.
What is your least favourite Shakespeare play and why?
This may seem odd considering that I like The Winter’s Tale, but I’ve never really engaged with Cymbeline. Perhaps it’s a case of the complexities of the plot obscuring characterisation.
Mrs Burkinshaw
What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?
I love Richard III - the main character is so despicable and yet so witty and even charming. Much Ado About Nothing always reminds me of a wonderful summer at the Minack Theatre in Cornwall, fascinated by the sparring (and the chemistry) between Benedick and Beatrice (both on and off stage).
What is your least favourite play and why?
Hamlet - the central character and Ophelia are both so irritating! (Don’t tell Mr Burkinshaw – Hamlet is his favourite play, so he might be a bit hurt).
Who is the greatest Shakespeare character and why?
Lady Macbeth is my favourite character - so strong and yet so vulnerable, villain and victim, she has lent herself to so many varied interpretations on stage and screen. Endlessly fascinating.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare villain and why?
Again, it's got to be Richard III ('Tricky Dicky'). He is utterly amoral but he also cuts through the hypocrisy and self delusion of the other characters. A charming psychopath.
What is the best production of a Shakespeare play that you have seen and why?
Kenneth Branagh can do no wrong: his Much Ado captures the comedy, romance and tensions of the play beautifully. His adaptation of Henry V was so much darker and more gritty than Olivier's patriotic 1940s version (which I also like), including the brutal hanging of a much-loved comic character (for minor theft) that brings home the horror of war. Branagh captures Henry's moral ambiguity brilliantly. I am also a fan of Richard Loncraine's film adaptation of Richard III, with the main character (played by Ian McKellan) charming, threatening and murdering his way to the top as a crypto-Fascist leader. On stage, the most memorable performance I have seen was Michael Gambon as Falstaff in Henry IV Parts One and Two. I have many happy memories of watching Winchester Players productions of Much Ado, Twelfth Night, The Tempest and others in the idyllic Winchester College gardens on summer evenings over the years. And one of my most enjoyable experiences was directing pupils in Othello for the Shakespeare in Schools competition a few years ago. As an English teacher, it is always good to be reminded that Shakespeare does not just belong on the page, but on the stage.
Mr Burkinshaw
What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?
Ms Hart
What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?
King Lear. I first studied this play at A Level and Mr Pike, my teacher, made the play come alive. I remember one lesson where we had to stand on the desks and recite the Heath scene in Act 3 imagining that we were in the raging elements. It was brilliant. Fundamentally, what draws me to it is the complex relationship between parent and child, as well as the declining mental state of Lear. I ended up writing about this play for my BA dissertation. It is an all-consuming piece of drama that leaves you exhausted when you leave the theatre.
What is your least favourite Shakespeare play and why?
The Merchant of Venice. I find the plot a bit boring, which is not a helpful comment to be making when Year 11 are going to sit an exam where this play features! I don't identify with the characters but do appreciate the sensitive issues that the play explores.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare character and why?
Lear! This is a character who makes an error of judgement and quickly realises the error of his ways but is so full of pride that he doesn't know how to apologise or retreat from his actions. I think we can all identify with this, even if we don't admit to making errors. The final scene where he realises both Cordelia and desperately puts a mirror to her mouth to see if there is breath if so heart-wrenching.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare villain and why?
Iago is a bit of a rotter. The way he manipulates Othello, sets up Desdemona and takes pleasure in the chaos that he causes is pretty villainous behaviour.
Which Shakespearean character would you be most likely to fall in love with and why?
Edmund. He is such a bad chap, it would be hard to resist him! Despite being an illegitimate child, he has so much power, control and authority. He is incredibly smart and is always thinking about his next move. Plus, he is pretty good at his speeches!
What is the best production of a Shakespeare play that you have seen and why (theatre, film or both - choose as many examples as you wish)?Or you could talk about other adaptations (such as books, poems, etc)
I saw a production of King Lear with Nigel Hawthorne playing the part of Lear. It was fantastic. He really captured Lear's madness and vulnerability. The other most memorable part of this production was the Heath scene. The production team had decided to have great big boulders falling on to the stage to represent that stormy weather but unfortunately most of them landed on the audience. I remember reading a review where the production was slated for this! It did remove the sense of tragedy in the scene - it is hard not to laugh when you see a boulder the size of a small car careering across the audience.
Mr Richardson
What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?
It’s a bit of a cliché, but King Lear was one of the first plays I ever encountered by WS, and its sustained bleakness, its humour and its sheer power make it in a league of its own.
What is your least favourite Shakespeare play and why?
Cymbeline has been the least favourite of mine in terms of seeing productions, but The Merchant of Venice is a play I have taught on many occasions and am now truly out of love with: defending its racism makes one take very contorted positions, and I would prefer not to any longer.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare character and why?
Ah! Tricky! I have a soft spot for the bear in The Winter’s Tale: he turns a relentless tragedy into a comedy, and has never got a kind word from anyone for his pains.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare villain and why?
Well, arguably that bear, too. Edmund in King Lear is consistently and unapologetically villainous, so perhaps worth a vote here.
Which Shakespearean character would you be most likely to fall in love with and why?
None. For me they are not those sort of plays: the women are rarely lovable, and the men are rarely admirable. Perhaps Yorick in Hamlet: Hamlet remembered him fondly (if very belatedly).
What is the best production of a Shakespeare play that you have seen and why (theatre, film or both - choose as many examples as you wish)?
I saw Ian McKellan and Judi Dench in Macbeth in the seventies somewhere, which was thrilling, but I think they were having a bit of an off day. The best has to be the Cheek by Jowl production of As You Like It: an all-male cast with a black actor (Adrian Lester) playing Rosalind, it made the whole play a real experience and an utter delight.
Mrs Kirby
What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?
What is the best production of a Shakespeare play that you have seen and why?
I was lucky enough to see Jude Law play Hamlet at the Donmar and was blown away by the whole production. My favourite film adaptations include Kenneth Branagh's Henry V and Trevor Nunn's Twelfth Night.
Mrs Bell
What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?
I still find Macbeth completely beguiling. It is so psychologically dark and compelling.
What is your least favourite Shakespeare play and why?
I don’t care for Measure for Measure very much: it seems lacking in either suspense or pity for the characters.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare character and why?
Shylock: a playwright’s dream. Who else but Shakespeare could have taken a stereotypical figure of hate and given him some of the most poignant lines in English verse? To fail to understand Shylock is to fail to understand humankind.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare villain and why? (unless this is also your answer to question 3)?
Iago, surely? So cruel, so purposeless, and so jealous of love…
Which Shakespearean character would you be most likely to fall in love with and why?
I’d fall in love with Othello’s poetry and passion, but a safer bet would be the loyal Benedick.
What is the best production of a Shakespeare play that you have seen and why (theatre, film or both - choose as many examples as you wish)?
Hamlet at the Queen’s Theatre in 1988 starring Mark Rylance as Hamlet. Absolutely riveting Dane. I do maintain, however, that the greatest Polonius was the wonderful Oliver Ford Davies, on stage and screen in the RSC version of Hamlet starring David Tennant. Romeo+Juliet (Luhrman) succeeds in making the lovers truly sympathetic and was a terrific adaption. I like Orson Welles’ film version of Macbeth; perhaps a little too reverential, but with a true respect for the evil in the piece.
When I was a Sixth Former I adored Hamlet; in my twenties I loved Twelfth Night. Now, to teach I prefer Othello but my favourite plays away from the classroom are Measure for Measure and The Winter’s Tale. The latter is the consummate tale of redemption and renewal. In addition to the plays, I enjoy the poetry, particularly The Rape of Lucrece.
What is your least favourite Shakespeare play and why?
This may seem odd considering that I like The Winter’s Tale, but I’ve never really engaged with Cymbeline. Perhaps it’s a case of the complexities of the plot obscuring characterisation.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare character and why?
I’m going to turn this one into pair of characters – Beatrice and Benedick: the ultimate romantic duo, whose repartee and movement from hatred to love presages Austen’s novels in so many ways.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare villain and why? (unless this is also your answer to question 3)?
Although I’m tempted to say Richard III, how can Shakespeare’s greatest villain be anyone other than Iago in Othello? Coleridge famously called one of his soliloquies “the motive hunting of a motiveless malignancy” and it’s a memorable phrase because it is so apt: Iago puts forward a number of reasons for destroying Othello and Desdemona but none is satisfactory. At the end, his silence suggests that he is unable to justify his actions even to himself.
Which Shakespearean character would you be most likely to fall in love with and why?
Someone wholly dependable if slightly dull such as Horatio – a character who isn’t self-obsessed, constantly away at war or who has the propensity to murder me in my bed.
What is the best production of a Shakespeare play that you have seen and why (theatre, film or both - choose as many examples as you wish)?
My favourite Shakespeare film is Trevor Nunn’s version of Twelfth Night: the nineteenth century setting enhances our sense of class difference and music is key to the production. Over the years I have seen many excellent productions but the most unexpected was The Taming of the Shrew in Washington DC a few years ago – I went in unsure what to expect but it was the most entertaining version I’d seen of what today can be a challenging play.Mrs Burkinshaw
What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?
I love Richard III - the main character is so despicable and yet so witty and even charming. Much Ado About Nothing always reminds me of a wonderful summer at the Minack Theatre in Cornwall, fascinated by the sparring (and the chemistry) between Benedick and Beatrice (both on and off stage).
What is your least favourite play and why?
Hamlet - the central character and Ophelia are both so irritating! (Don’t tell Mr Burkinshaw – Hamlet is his favourite play, so he might be a bit hurt).
Lady Macbeth is my favourite character - so strong and yet so vulnerable, villain and victim, she has lent herself to so many varied interpretations on stage and screen. Endlessly fascinating.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare villain and why?
Again, it's got to be Richard III ('Tricky Dicky'). He is utterly amoral but he also cuts through the hypocrisy and self delusion of the other characters. A charming psychopath.
Kenneth Branagh can do no wrong: his Much Ado captures the comedy, romance and tensions of the play beautifully. His adaptation of Henry V was so much darker and more gritty than Olivier's patriotic 1940s version (which I also like), including the brutal hanging of a much-loved comic character (for minor theft) that brings home the horror of war. Branagh captures Henry's moral ambiguity brilliantly. I am also a fan of Richard Loncraine's film adaptation of Richard III, with the main character (played by Ian McKellan) charming, threatening and murdering his way to the top as a crypto-Fascist leader. On stage, the most memorable performance I have seen was Michael Gambon as Falstaff in Henry IV Parts One and Two. I have many happy memories of watching Winchester Players productions of Much Ado, Twelfth Night, The Tempest and others in the idyllic Winchester College gardens on summer evenings over the years. And one of my most enjoyable experiences was directing pupils in Othello for the Shakespeare in Schools competition a few years ago. As an English teacher, it is always good to be reminded that Shakespeare does not just belong on the page, but on the stage.
Mr Burkinshaw
What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?
I have always loved Hamlet. Set in Denmark, it anticipates ScandiNoir by more than four centuries with its brooding atmosphere, existential philosophy, Freudian subtext and excessive body count. I also find Troilus and Cressida very modern in its ironic treatment of love and war (conveyed very effectively in a fantastic production by Trevor Nunn in the late 90s).
What is your least favourite Shakespeare play and why?I have always loved Hamlet. Set in Denmark, it anticipates ScandiNoir by more than four centuries with its brooding atmosphere, existential philosophy, Freudian subtext and excessive body count. I also find Troilus and Cressida very modern in its ironic treatment of love and war (conveyed very effectively in a fantastic production by Trevor Nunn in the late 90s).
Twelfth Night – I get bored with all the disguises and mistaken identity, find the puns tedious and feel that the humiliation and exclusion of Malvolio at the end of the play is mean-spirited and out of all proportion.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare character and why?
My favourite character is Jack Falstaff and his unquenchable appetite for life, friendship and sherry sack. His relationship with Prince Hal is one of the great literary bromances and his rejection by Hal (newly crowned Henry V) at the end of Henry IV Part II (“I know thee not, old man”) is one of the most moving moments in theatre.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare villain and why?
Shakespeare is groundbreaking in his portrayal of the attractiveness of evil. Simultaneously charming and chilling the audience as he revels in the sheer creativity of his own villainy, Othello's Iago seems a literary forebear of anarchic nihilists such as The Joker. Meanwhile, it is Edmund the Bastard's sardonic villainy, in King Lear, that seems to make him so irresistible to Queens Goneril and Regan.
Which Shakespearean character would you be most likely to fall in love with and why?
Probably Cleopatra (from Antony and Cleopatra) – self-absorbed and self-serving, but also witty, complex and unpredictable.
What is the best production of a Shakespeare play that you have seen and why (theatre, film or both - choose as many examples as you wish)?
Michael Bogdanov’s ‘Wars of the Roses’ cycle (Henry IV Parts I and II and Henry V) at the Old Vic, featured one of the most chilling scenes I have ever seen, when the rebellious lords, instead of being executed off stage, were dragged to the front and shot in the back of the head by thugs in balaclavas, which brought the horror of civil war home to the audience very brutally. I enjoyed Mark Rylance’s performance as Hamlet, with a set taken straight from German Expressionist cinema and the protagonist dressed in pyjamas throughout, turning Elsinore into a psychiatric hospital. Christopher Walken’s portrayal of Iago as a sadistic Brooklyn mobster (described by the New York Times as “punk Renaissance”) was also particularly memorable. My favourite film adaptation is Orson Welles’ Chimes at Midnight (1966), which, like all of Welles’ productions, was made on a tight budget (the sound track is a little uneven) but his portrayal of Falstaff in all of his corrupt but life-affirming glory is magnetic, while the settings of tavern and battlefield are lent a poetic squalor by Welles' dazzling cinematography.
Mrs RobinsonWhat is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?
It's usually the one I'm teaching - currently The Merchant of Venice. Antonio- the merchant of the play's title- is a well-respected and successful businessman. In the play he borrows a large amount of money from someone and then loses it, seeking to avoid the consequences and even taking the moral high ground. Some people say that the play should no longer be taught due to its appalling treatment of Shylock, the Jewish moneylender, but I would argue that it still has a lot to teach us. We live in a world full of prejudice and generic stereotypical judgements - and the recent financial crisis reminded everyone of the perils of irresponsible borrowing. Merchant may not be easy to watch in 2016, but it opens our eyes a little wider to the world around us.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare character and why
Rosalind (As You Like It) gets my vote - she's quick, funny and wonderfully strident.
What is the best production of a Shakespeare play that you have seen and why ?
Growing up near Regent's Park, the Open Air Theatre was almost as much fun as London Zoo - the combination of fighting over picnics and watching the stage was very appealing to me and my many siblings. I remember a memorably wet production of AMSND which was - well, wet. But an exciting introduction to Shakespeare nonetheless. More recently, Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet leaves us in no doubt that Shakespearean verse can be modern and relevant to a teenage audience. One production I'd gladly time travel to see would be the 1845 Romeo and Juliet at the Haymarket, where the star-crossed lovers were more crossed than usual- Charlotte Cushman, dubbed 'the only woman who could play Romeo', played the male lead.
Ms Hart
What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?
King Lear. I first studied this play at A Level and Mr Pike, my teacher, made the play come alive. I remember one lesson where we had to stand on the desks and recite the Heath scene in Act 3 imagining that we were in the raging elements. It was brilliant. Fundamentally, what draws me to it is the complex relationship between parent and child, as well as the declining mental state of Lear. I ended up writing about this play for my BA dissertation. It is an all-consuming piece of drama that leaves you exhausted when you leave the theatre.
What is your least favourite Shakespeare play and why?
The Merchant of Venice. I find the plot a bit boring, which is not a helpful comment to be making when Year 11 are going to sit an exam where this play features! I don't identify with the characters but do appreciate the sensitive issues that the play explores.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare character and why?
Lear! This is a character who makes an error of judgement and quickly realises the error of his ways but is so full of pride that he doesn't know how to apologise or retreat from his actions. I think we can all identify with this, even if we don't admit to making errors. The final scene where he realises both Cordelia and desperately puts a mirror to her mouth to see if there is breath if so heart-wrenching.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare villain and why?
Iago is a bit of a rotter. The way he manipulates Othello, sets up Desdemona and takes pleasure in the chaos that he causes is pretty villainous behaviour.
Which Shakespearean character would you be most likely to fall in love with and why?
Edmund. He is such a bad chap, it would be hard to resist him! Despite being an illegitimate child, he has so much power, control and authority. He is incredibly smart and is always thinking about his next move. Plus, he is pretty good at his speeches!
What is the best production of a Shakespeare play that you have seen and why (theatre, film or both - choose as many examples as you wish)?Or you could talk about other adaptations (such as books, poems, etc)
I saw a production of King Lear with Nigel Hawthorne playing the part of Lear. It was fantastic. He really captured Lear's madness and vulnerability. The other most memorable part of this production was the Heath scene. The production team had decided to have great big boulders falling on to the stage to represent that stormy weather but unfortunately most of them landed on the audience. I remember reading a review where the production was slated for this! It did remove the sense of tragedy in the scene - it is hard not to laugh when you see a boulder the size of a small car careering across the audience.
What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?
It’s a bit of a cliché, but King Lear was one of the first plays I ever encountered by WS, and its sustained bleakness, its humour and its sheer power make it in a league of its own.
What is your least favourite Shakespeare play and why?
Cymbeline has been the least favourite of mine in terms of seeing productions, but The Merchant of Venice is a play I have taught on many occasions and am now truly out of love with: defending its racism makes one take very contorted positions, and I would prefer not to any longer.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare character and why?
Ah! Tricky! I have a soft spot for the bear in The Winter’s Tale: he turns a relentless tragedy into a comedy, and has never got a kind word from anyone for his pains.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare villain and why?
Well, arguably that bear, too. Edmund in King Lear is consistently and unapologetically villainous, so perhaps worth a vote here.
Which Shakespearean character would you be most likely to fall in love with and why?
None. For me they are not those sort of plays: the women are rarely lovable, and the men are rarely admirable. Perhaps Yorick in Hamlet: Hamlet remembered him fondly (if very belatedly).
What is the best production of a Shakespeare play that you have seen and why (theatre, film or both - choose as many examples as you wish)?
I saw Ian McKellan and Judi Dench in Macbeth in the seventies somewhere, which was thrilling, but I think they were having a bit of an off day. The best has to be the Cheek by Jowl production of As You Like It: an all-male cast with a black actor (Adrian Lester) playing Rosalind, it made the whole play a real experience and an utter delight.
Mrs Kirby
What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?
Othello - no matter how many times I teach it, I always end up reading it differently (King Lear is a close runner-up).
What is your least favourite Shakespeare play and why?
Merchant of Venice. I find it tedious and depressing (apologies to any Year 11 pupils currently studying it!). I've also never particularly enjoyed Cymbeline.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare character and why?
Beatrice (Much Ado). She's smart, funny and refreshing.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare villain and why?
Iago, without question. No other villain is quite as compelling or enigmatic.
Which Shakespearean character would you be most likely to fall in love with and why?
When I was younger, I always had a soft spot for Mercutio (possibly because Romeo was unimpressive by comparison).
I was lucky enough to see Jude Law play Hamlet at the Donmar and was blown away by the whole production. My favourite film adaptations include Kenneth Branagh's Henry V and Trevor Nunn's Twelfth Night.
Mrs Bell
I still find Macbeth completely beguiling. It is so psychologically dark and compelling.
What is your least favourite Shakespeare play and why?
I don’t care for Measure for Measure very much: it seems lacking in either suspense or pity for the characters.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare character and why?
Shylock: a playwright’s dream. Who else but Shakespeare could have taken a stereotypical figure of hate and given him some of the most poignant lines in English verse? To fail to understand Shylock is to fail to understand humankind.
Who is the greatest Shakespeare villain and why? (unless this is also your answer to question 3)?
Iago, surely? So cruel, so purposeless, and so jealous of love…
Which Shakespearean character would you be most likely to fall in love with and why?
I’d fall in love with Othello’s poetry and passion, but a safer bet would be the loyal Benedick.
What is the best production of a Shakespeare play that you have seen and why (theatre, film or both - choose as many examples as you wish)?
Hamlet at the Queen’s Theatre in 1988 starring Mark Rylance as Hamlet. Absolutely riveting Dane. I do maintain, however, that the greatest Polonius was the wonderful Oliver Ford Davies, on stage and screen in the RSC version of Hamlet starring David Tennant. Romeo+Juliet (Luhrman) succeeds in making the lovers truly sympathetic and was a terrific adaption. I like Orson Welles’ film version of Macbeth; perhaps a little too reverential, but with a true respect for the evil in the piece.
Comments
Post a Comment
Comments with names are more likely to be published.