What is your favorite Shakespeare play and why?

[CTyankee]

[exboyfil]

1. Macbeth

Because I had to do a term paper on it I guess. I also did Marlowe's Dr. Faustus my senior year. My high school English teacher required us to do college level critical analysis of a work of literature with sourcing. It was quite the challenge.

My debate partner did Catcher in the Rye after the Lennon shooting. My English teacher had warned him off of it, but he still went ahead anyway.

[Aristus]

2. "Much Ado About Nothing".

Despite a 16th Century-level of misogyny, it's still a wonderful play about strong-willed, intelligent characters, with a happy ending.

I played Don John in a local production about a thousand years ago. I loved playing a villain.

[Coventina]

31. If you want to see a brilliant adaptation, check out Joss Whedon's film.

It's full of brilliant stars and is a fascinating look at the play in a modern setting.

Whedon filmed it at his house while on "vacation."

[Aristus]

32. I saw it. It was excellent.

Amy Acker always makes me a little weak in the knees...

Just like her 'Beatrice' forebear, Emma Thompson.

[Coventina]

33. Agree!!

[underpants]

3. I saw a book once that was Shakespeare in English

I didn’t buy it though. Seemed interesting

[CTyankee]

4. Start easy. Work your way up. You'll like The Tempest.

[Biophilic]

5. Henry V. The Laurence Olivier movie introduced my very young self to Shakespeare and made me a

lover of anything Shakespeare and the Kenneth Branagh movie taught me a whole lot about nuance and what a difference a few tweaks can make.

[CTyankee]

7. I would love to see those old tapes of famous actors who started with Shakespeare in the Park

back in the Joe Papp days. I saw a clip from a scene in Measure for Measure with very young Streep and Sam Waterston and I'd love to see more.

Olivier: just magnificent.

and God bless Kenneth Branagh.

[Biophilic]

15. I grew up in Ann Arbor MI. Some of those productions were brought into a small theater on campus.

Luckily my mother believed we should experience these even if they often went over our heads. Awesome. I was so lucky.

[FSogol]

6. I'd like to say MacBeth, but if I am honest w/ myself, I think of Hamlet much more.

[malthaussen]

8. Probably "As You Like It."

Why? Jaques and Touchstone, the tribute to Marlowe, and any number of great monologues and one-liners.

But it's a toughie, Bill wrote a lot of great stuff, and there are memorable characters and lines in about all of them.

-- Mal

[Mister Ed]

9. "Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Romeo and Juliet" - I guess due to youthful exposure.

Late one night when I was nine years old, I couldn't sleep. I turned on our tiny, black-and-white portable TV - a Sony with a five-inch screen - and happened upon a 1930's film of "Midsummer Night's Dream". I didn't understand all of it, but I was fascinated.

A few years later, when I was twelve, my dad took us to see Franco Zefferelli's film production of "Romeo and Juliet". It took my breath away, and remains my favorite film I've ever seen.

[CTyankee]

10. I think Zefferelli did more to promote Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to a younger audience than

anyone. Like a gateway drug, it gets you to get more...

[highplainsdem]

11. I loved the 1968 production with Diana Rigg and Helen Mirren:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063297/

[Brother Buzz]

12. Taming of the Shrew, Wild West style - Robin Williams' first gig

Jim Dunn's Taming of the Shrew, Wild West style had its first production at the College of Marin in 1970 in the intimate Studio Theater. The British Consul General in San Francisco was invited to attend and fell in love with the production; he wangled an invitation to perform the play at the 1971 Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it was a smash hit, receiving a Fringe first prize. A command performance was requested for Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret and other members of the Royal family and it was hailed by the British press and reported on the international wire services.


I was a student at College of Marin that year, and did not see the play until I visited Scotland that summer. The production blew me away, Shakespeare set in a wild American west saloon, complete with a honky-tonk piano. I knew Robin at the time, but had no idea how far he was going to go, and to this day, when I view videos of Robin Williams riffing on Shakespeare or doing his spectacularly outrageous Scottish accents, I smile and remember...


Robin Williams stared as Tranio



Some video footage at link
http://www.robin-williams.net/taming-of-the-shrew.php

[CTyankee]

13. That is so cool...but also so sad. thanks for posting...

[First Speaker]

14. The Tempest...

...it's basically a 30-way tie. But The Tempest has Shakespeare's greatest poetry--Ariel's songs, which seem to me to take language to the very furthest limit. And "be cheerful, sir, our revels now are ended"--the greatest speech in all literature. Nothing quite matches this.

[highplainsdem]

17. Love so many of them. The Complete Works is one of the books I take off the shelf most often.

Was asked once if I wanted to hold and look at a First Folio (of course). To me, that's a holy relic...

[yellowdogintexas]

23. Complete works of Shakespeare should be in every home if possible

I have moved mine over a dozen times since college. It is full of notes from my full semester Shakespeare class

Warning: it is a very large and heavy book

[wnylib]

18. Macbeth for its illustrations of human nature

and quotable lines.

Out, damned spot.

Methinks the lady doth protest too much.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.........(etc. - too long to quote here)

I think there is also a line about what a terrible thing it is for a land when the ruler lacks character, but can't remember or find the exact quote.

[Aristus]

19. "The lady protests too much" is from Hamlet.

n/t

[wnylib]

20. Oops. Yes it is. Mixing plays - Is that worse than mixing metaphors?

[ironflange]

21. The Comedy of Errors

Because it's the shortest.

JK, I love The Bard!

[ancianita]

22. Twelfth Night -- the brightest comedy, most versatile in production style -- thanks for asking!

Though this version isn't nearly as colorful and jazzy as the one I saw years ago in Stratford, Canada.

This opening's pretty cool, too.

It's a great play for outdoors in summertime.

[CTyankee]

25. Thanks for the videos! Excellent viewing.

[yellowdogintexas]

24. no way to choose just one!

Macbeth - because it was the first one I read in full. It was The Shakespeare play for high school seniors in KY
Midsummer Night's Dream because it is hilarious and allows a lot of inventiveness in the production
Much Ado About Nothing. Two words: Kenneth Branaugh.
Richard III because it is a history play with components of tragedy. I am also a War of the Roses junkie; the Plantagenets were a fascinating family!

Any Branaugh production. I love his creative casting and innovative production.

At my college, Shakespeare was required for English majors. One of my favorite courses, and the professor was my favorite! We are still good friends after 52 years.

[CTyankee]

26. Branaugh! Just the name is enough to get me started on a video search...thanks for reminding me!

[Paladin]

27. Toss-up:

Branaugh's "Henry V" and Kurosawa's take on "Macbeth": "Throne Of Blood." (1957)

[CTyankee]

28. Now I've gotta go get the Branaugh and Kurosawa, far back in my memory.

I'm old; thank goddess for youtube!

[Paladin]

29. Worthwhile effort, they're both magnificent. (nt)

[Coventina]

30. Coriolanus

1. I saw Tom Hiddleston play the title character.

2. The eerie similarities between Coriolanus' mom and General MacArthur's mom.

3. It's a Shakespearean tragedy where only the title character dies, rather than wreaking total havoc like Hamlet or Titus Andronicus.