Archive
Of signatures and spellings
For the longest time, scholars and readers alike have constantly questioned the true identity of he who has been deemed the greatest playwright of the era. There had been so many factors contributing to this skepticism of whether or not such an extensive body of work should be properly named to the man from Stratford-upon-Avon. These factors range from writing style to even his identity as Stratford man. One of the more prominent issues regarding the matter involve spelling and signatures.
Throughout time, there have been varied ways in which his name had been spelled. There was no singular way that was used in the course of his lifetime. In each manuscript, it varied. Even after his death, people still seemed to be confused. Editors would use different spellings for separate versions of his work. It was not until the 20th century that people finally settled on one spelling.
The spelling that we come to know now, Shakespeare, is also the commonly used one during his lifetime. However, none of his handwritten signatures actually used this spelling. It was this spelling that was used in printed signatures in the First Folio and first editions of Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece.
First edition of The Rape of Lucrece with ‘Shakespeare’ as the printed signature
Before this widely accepted spelling of ‘Shakespeare’, others were used. In the 18th century, ‘Shakespear’ was used. It was later on replaced by ‘Shakspeare’ after that until the early 19th century. After that, the spelling ‘Shakspere’ was adopted as the most authentic spelling because this was one that was used in his signature. It kept changing for various reasons until around the 1860s. With the publication of the Cambridge and the Globe editions of the plays, ‘Shakespeare’ was accepted by most.
Just as confused everybody is about the spelling, his signature adds to the mix. There are six physical and surviving signatures of the playwright. It seemed like the Stratford man himself also didn’t know what was real because it kept changing. The six versions of his signature were: Willm Shakp, William Shaksper, Wm Shakspe, William Shakspere, Willm Shakspere, William Shakspeare.
The six signatures of Shakespeare
All this uncertainty and confusion ultimately led to a question of the Bard’s authorship. Concerns were raised regarding the possible duplicity his identity, that there could be multiple and separate people working under the name Shakespeare. The name could also be merely a pseudonym. One assumption is that there are actually three different Shakespeares: the author, the actor, and the Stratford man.
Much of this skepticism seems to lead nowhere and just end up as speculation. There are critics who are solely dedicated to proving his identity of be false, while some are wholly preoccupied with defending it. Either way, it is clear in this disparity of opinion that this man, whether or not his authenticity is proven correct, is influential enough to spark such debates.
Sexism and Racism in Shakespeare
When I started Shakespeare, was quite bothered by how the first portrayals of his plays were all played by white males. It took some time for society to adapt, and sexism was the first to adapt. The first woman to play a female character in professional stage was in 1660, decades after plays like Romeo and Juliet.
Mary Saunderson
Mary Saunderson is famous for being one of the first female English actresses. Females were allowed to act hundreds of years before people of African lineage. The fight against the ism’s has a really big impact on the Shakespearean world. The first Arab of black to play Othello only came after more than two-hundred years after William wrote the play. Technology advances, but our society does very little to keep up. In fact, the first interracial kiss in television only happened in the 1960′s.
First black Othello
The Hip Hop Shakespeare Company
My first experience with Shakespeare through the medium of Hip Hop was not a good one. I remember it very well because it was just that bad. I was in my junior year of high school and my class was taking up Macbeth for English class. To help with our discussion, my teacher had the bright idea of playing an educational Hip Hop Shakespeare song. I’m not kidding when I say that it was possibly one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard. Here it is for your listening pleasure:
Did you enjoy that? I didn’t think so. The song was just way too corny. The beat was awful and lyrics made me cringe. For a guaranteed headache watch the video at 1:06 for the catchy chorus. I can see that the creators of the video, a company called Flocabulary, wanted to convey the story of Macbeth by being hip, cool and young.
Shakespeare would roll in his grave. Shame on you Flocabulary.
Their intention was to impart the summary of Macbeth to an audience who would normally be totally uninterested in Shakespeare. For me, it achieved the total opposite effect and completely put me off writing about Shakespeare and Hip Hop. I thought that all Hip Hop interpretations of Shakespeare were as awful as Flocabulary’s. Little did I know that I was far from the truth. While researching on a topic for this blog post I came across a video which piqued my curiosity.
“It’s like Shakespeare with a ****** twist.”
Despite the title “Shakespeare,” the song was not totally about Shakespeare aside from a few direct references but rather the rapper declaring himself a modern day Shakespeare:
Now this sounded like a real rapper. This was something I could actually listen to and, against all odds, actually enjoy. I did a little digging and found out that the artist, Kingslee “Akala” Daley, founded a group called The Hip Hop Shakespeare Company which deals with education, live performances, and musical theater productions.
They make Will proud!
Akala describes The Hip Hop Shakespeare Company as a group that examine the social, cultural and linguistic parallels between Shakespeare and the best hip hop artists, specifically those from 10-15 years ago when Akala says that Hip Hop was most socially conscious and poetic. Hip Hop, much like Shakespeare, writes about and deals with human society with all its trials and tribulations, with great emotional variety. He says that the company uses the two seemingly different art forms as a way of engaging young people and audiences with the goal of changing the way the youth look at Hip Hop, Shakespeare and themselves while also inspiring them towards creative excellence.
He wants to stop the opinion that Shakespeare is only for highly intelligent people especially since most of Shakespeare’s audience in his time could not read or write. A medium like Hip Hop makes it easier to engage young people in arts and literature. According to Akala, being confident with Shakespeare changes you as a person and your outlook on life. He goes on to say that it makes you feel a sense of entitlement. If you’re entitled to Shakespeare then you’re entitled to almost anything because Shakespeare is presented as one of the most highbrow forms of culture.
THSC with Sir Ian McKellen!
The Hip Hop Shakespeare company was in Manila from 3-6 of July 2012. I wish I knew about them before I wrote this blog entry!
SOURCES:
- http://www.hiphopshakespeare.com/site/
- http://www.britishcouncil.org/philippines-common-about-us-our-events-hip-hop-shakespeare-in-manila.htm
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYQvyZCuCzU
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSbtkLA3GrY
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gme1YN-qZV8
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C960tz0Eybo
A Toast To Shakespeare
What do alcohol and Shakespeare have in common? They can both be found literally everywhere in various forms and incarnations, and they’re both pretty darn good.
The consumption of alcohol has been one of man’s primary pastimes and endeavors since time immemorial, and in light of its hallowed place in human history, is it any wonder that it found its way into the works of one William Shakespeare?
Shakespeare wrote about alcohol, Shakespeare in all likelihood consumed alcohol, perhaps even copiously, and his audience most certainly drank heartily when watching his plays, the likely culprits being those unrefined groundlings who watched from the pit. In fact, you might even say alcohol was in his blood. Shakespeare’s dear old dad was an official ale taster back home in Stratford, and was tasked with ensuring that the ingredients used by breweries were up to snuff and that the drink was sold at Crown specified prices. Rumor even has it that the elder Shakespeare was an alcoholic.
Shakespeare makes a good number of references throughout his works to that most wonderful elixir. For example, a bevy of wine variants are mentioned in his plays, among these Sack, Malmsey, Metheglin or Mead, and Canary, in such plays as Henry IV, Love’s Labour Lost, Richard III, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Twelfth Night.
What is interesting to note though is that each of Shakespeare’s plays has at least one allusion to alcohol, and that all in all there are 360 references to alcohol in general, including drinks, drunkards, or drunkenness, as well as 196 alcohol-related figures of speech throughout his body of work.
It would appear that Shakespeare knew the workings of alcohol quite intimately, perhaps through firsthand experience. In Twelfth Night, Olivia asks the Clown what a drunken man is like. He answers her, saying “Like a drowned man, a fool, and a madman: one draught above heat makes him a fool, the second mads him, and a third drowns him.” Twelfth Night (1.5.127-30)
Shakespeare also remarks on the way alcohol stokes libido but hampers the ability to deliver, seen here in an exchange in Macbeth. Macduff asks the Porter, “What three things does drink especially promote?” The Porter replies, “Marry sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lechery, sir it provokes, and unprovokes; it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance. Therefore much drink may be said to be an equivocator with lechery: it makes him and it mars him; it sets him on and it takes him off.”” (Act 2 scene 3)
Shakespeare also seemed to understand the perils of alcohol and alcoholism. “O God, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, pleasance, revel, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts!” ~William Shakespeare, Othello
There are those who contend that Shakespeare himself was an alcoholic, but this is not certain. Several of Shakespeare’s characters do display signs of alcoholism though, although Shakespeare never actually uses the word in his works. Among these are Prince Hal’s drinking companions in Henry IV, as well as John Falstaff.
It might even be true that alcohol proved to be the death of Shakespeare. He is believed to have died after a night of binge drinking with his theater friends, but whether or not this is due to alcohol poisoning is not certain. What is certain though, is that Shakespeare was no teetotaler, and could very well have taken his exit from this life with a couple of drinks in the tank.
In homage to Shakespeare and his great works, there have been a number of alcoholic brews that bear his name or reference his plays, and are a testament to his “Transmedialness” or “Transmediality.” The following aren’t cheap gimmicks looking to make a quick buck by slapping Shakespeare on their bottles, but are actually well-reviewed and positively received.
Meet Oberon Ale, produced by Bell’s Brewery. It is touted as a great summertime brew featuring malted wheat and fruity flavors, and is such a hit among beer drinkers that bars hold midnight parties to celebrate its seasonal release. The name Oberon is most commonly associated with the King of the Fairies in Shakespeare’s play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
This Shakespeare (Oatmeal) Stout is brewed by Rogue, and the image on the bottle sports a typical depiction of that famous writer.
Shakespeare also lends his name to this whisky produced by The Hebridean Liquer Wine Company. The design of the bottle is a historically accurate replica of those found in Shakespeare’s time, and comes with a parchment that features Shakespeare’s last will and testament on one side complete with his signature, and an excerpt from Macbeth on the other.
Shakespeare has also found his way into vodka, with a bottle of his own 100% Polish rye vodka. The tagline invites you to “Taste The Poetry,” and his image as well as a representation of London in the 16th century are to be found on the label.
This is Crystal Head Vodka, an award-winning brand of Vodka that is partly owned by the actor Dan Aykroyd, and it’s no mystery as to where it gets its name. Though not directly related to Shakespeare, I thought it would be a useful addition to this collection in the event that someone would like to channel Hamlet and have a skull of his or her own to hold some delightful swill.
I hope that these drinks will inspire you to imbibe and offer a toast to Shakespeare and his contribution to the world of alcohol.
By: JM Batuhan
Sources:
http://www.progressivegrocer.com/inprint/article/id2746/focus-on-refreshing/
http://www.benekeith.com/beverage/brands/154
http://fermentnation.blogspot.com/2011/04/rogue-shakespeare-stout.html
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/faq/shakespearedrinking.html
http://www.beermenus.com/beers/rogue-shakespeare-stout
http://science.howstuffworks.com/alcohol9.htm
http://www.21food.com/products/william-shakespeare-39;s-whisky-liqueur-214388.html
http://www.liquorsgalore.com/shakespeare-750ml.html
http://www.vodka-club.net/Vodka-Brands/poland-vodkas/shakespeare-vodka.html
http://www.crystalheadvodka.com/about
Translating Shakespeare
There are several words and phrases in whichever language you choose that can never be translated as accurately as you want. Let’s take for example the Filipino word “kilig”, how are we to translate this to foreigners? We would usually say that it’s a feeling when you see your crush or someone you like, but does it really explain how we Filipinos understand ‘kilig’? My friend and I were trying to explain this to a foreign exchange classmate of ours and the best way my friend could explain it was “It’s the feeling when you pee”. She was trying to describe that feeling as if you had butterflies in your stomach. It might have been really funny for that foreigner but our explanations made sense to us.
William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. So what happens when we try to translate his works? How should the audience appreciate this new version?
It is normal to translate works in different languages, especially works of William Shakespeare. But I can only imagine the difficulty of translating them. Since there is no vernacular or the one-is-to-one translation, translators attempt to stick to the original by capturing the essence of what the person said. Directors and writers compensate due to the lack of vernacular by playing up certain scenes. Shakespeare’s literature though is so transcendent, that it can cross several cultures and still have that powerful effect as if it was written in his language. It takes appreciation in the arts to be able to see the intricacy that is put in every production of Shakespeare’s play. Shakespeare has always been known not only for his works but also for his language, but today, Shakespeare is more than just the words we hear. The pleasure of watching his works no longer only depends on the verbal, but also the deep passion and emotions that flow through the characters— whether it is in a language you understand or not.
Last April 21, 2012, the Globe theatre presented an unprecedented program of multi-lingual Shakespeare productions as part of a once-in-a lifetime celebration for the London 2012 festival. Revealing in the vast array of communities and languages that make-up London’s vibrant cultural landscape, 37 international companies presented every one of Shakespeare’s plays in a different language over six weeks[1]
“It has long been recognised that Shakespeare, as well as a great playwright, has become an international language. We want to celebrate this international affection by welcoming Shakespeare enthusiasts – producers, performers and audiences – to experience his work in their own languages and dialects. says Dominic Dromgoole, the Globe’s artistic director, as it is reported the BBC News website.”[2]
“Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre: Globe to Glove festival trailer.”
Shakespeare Memes
The word meme originated from a certain book called The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins. Richard Dawkins used the word meme to refer to any sort of cultural entity that one might consider a replicator. There are various cultural entities that can be considered as replicators, be it songs, fashion, learned skills, etc. Inevitably, and at many times purposely, people do not always copy memes perfectly, and because of this, they are able to refine, combine or generally modify these memes with other memes to create even more new memes and these new memes can be used in another cycle again and change over time as well. Basically, the most fascinating thing about memes is that they display and change through the evolution of culture. Our world is a place where all kinds of different information can behave like our very own human genes and ideas can replicate, mutate and evolve.
Memes display a wide array of cultures, not limited to that of this generation. In fact, even Shakespeare has been incorporated into the meme world! Shakespeare is so widely known that even modern cultural references carry the Shakespeare name and all things Shakespeare. Shakespeare memes display the timelessness of Shakespeare and how Shakespeare transcends the barriers of culture, age, and apparently how people find humor in things.
Here are some examples of Shakespeare memes. Memes do not necessarily have to make sense or be poetic or what have you . As seen in the meme above, people just find ways to make funny stuff and it works. It is clear through the meme on the right how people are able to relate modern concepts like being “emo” to the characters or stories of Shakespeare. The bottom meme shows probably the most popular form of shakepearean meme! These breed of memes take a modern song and “shakespearize” the lyrics with of course, a signature shakespeare image background. For comparison sake, the original lyrics of the song goes, “through the window, through the wall. til my sweat drops down my balls…” People make use of irony too when it comes to making Shakespeare memes. In the example bellow, the meme maker chose the most crass of songs to be transformed into the most proper and technical english possible.
People’s ability to grasp shakespeareane concepts and apply them to their lives or as messages to send to people truly shows how Shakespeare has, as the worlds greatest playwright, created literature that has broken the bounds of literature and has exploded into all types and forms of universal culture.
By Emmanuel Paredes
Sources:
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/What-Defines-a-Meme.html
http://masi.cscs.lsa.umich.edu/~crshalizi/notabene/memes.html
PETA’s Shakespeare
by Daniel Luis Macalino V AB Interdisciplinary Studies
Shakespeare is such a global brand that everyone seems to make a version or interpretation of it on their plays. Theater companies such as the Royal Shakespeare in London have made a living on Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s works have been translated and reinterpreted for the locals who are the audience of these plays. These acts result in to expanding the idea of Shakespeare and thus the word transmedial. We have learned that these interpretations expand the thought of Shakespeare rather than change it. The openness of Shakespeare to interpretation is one of the reason why it is so good and thus have continued to thrive throughout generation. The opportunity to converse on the idea, the message rather than be restricted to this or that fact is one of the reason why people still keep talking about Shakespeare.
The Philippines is no exception in which the brand Shakespeare has entered in to. Like others, we have been exposed to Shakespeare through the many ways we have seen it. We have also made our own interpretation of Shakespeare’s masterpieces as we see it. Just recently, we had the play “Sintang Dalisay” who have made it to the big stage through their performances in Europe. Our knowledge and exposure to Shakespeare can now be called at par with the rest of the world. We can say that our local theater companies know their Shakespeare well.
One of those theater companies is PETA. This theater company was founded way back 1967 by a person named Cecile-Guidot Alvarez. Their show offerings and their interpretations of Shakespeare’s work not only improves the people’s exposure to Shakespeare but as mentioned contribute to expansion of it as a whole.
This is their interpretation of King Lear. They wouldn’t go any further than just naming it Haring Lear. This show has had its run last January all the way through March.
Here is another promotional picture of the play “Haring Lear”
“William” for me is a stroke of genius. I wouldn’t be ashamed to say that one of my teachers in High School – Mr. Ron Capinding is part of the creative mind that did this. His interpretation of it gives its viewers a fresh and youthful view of Shakespeare (something which I can perfectly relate to). Rather than concentrating on a certain play itself it didn’t. This show gives us a suggestion of a new but holistic look of Shakespeare’s mind without limiting it to a certain piece he have wrote. This show had its run for around a year of 2 now and due to its success will still be probably be on for some time to come.
Here is another promo shot of William and in here we could see Shakespeare and the youthful suggestion the play is trying to create.
PETA, like other theater companies, have indeed used Shakespeare in to their shows. We have seen several interpretations of Shakespeare here in our country. This shows, these interpretations not only become a source of pride for us Filipinos but a hint to the world that we can very well participate in the evolution and discussion of Shakespeare as it grows throughout time.
Photos and other sources are not owned by me. For sources please visit:
Shakespeare in Ballet
By: Crystal Jalijali (IV-BS Management major in Legal Management)
There is just something that interests me with Shakespeare being incorporated in ballet. There have been several attempts since the 1990’s or maybe even earlier to stage several of Shakespeare’s plays such as As You Know It, The Tempest, Hamlet, and of course, Romeo & Juliet.
It is but intriguing to see how they manage to integrate ballet in Shakespeare or Shakespeare in ballet. Shakespeare is known for its language while ballet is known for its very technical dance choreography. What happens to Shakespeare when it loses its very essence, its language? How do they integrate Shakespeare in non-verbal arts?
To watch ballet inspired by Shakespeare, in my opinion, you need to have at least an understanding or idea of the text. To better appreciate each pointe, turn, and lifts, the audience must know where these are inspired.
Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet can be arguable the greatest love story of all time and is one of the top ten (10) greatest classical ballet of all time. Prokofiev in 1935 or 1936 composed Romeo and Juliet’s score inspired by the classic tragedy of young love. This music has inspired many choreographers throughout time to try to put their own interpretation of both the story and the music. It is considered to be classical ballet, as it has remained its basic structure no matter who the choreographer is. Take for example Romeo & Juliet’s balcony scene, one of the most famous scenes in Romeo and Juliet where Juliet says “O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name”. The audience must have an idea of the story to understand why such choreography or such music was intended for the scene. Romeo’s choreography is also very enthusiastic, much like a kid –this is, after all, how Romeo is seen in the text. And of course the Capulet, Juliet marked by her very graceful and very cautious moves.
See: Act II of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet 1966 “ Balcony Scene”. Rudolf Nureyev as Romeo and and Margot Fonteyn as Juliet.
See: Romeo and Juliet: The Music (NationalBalletCanada)
“It’s more like a film score so you have pieces of music that are meant to underscore the action. You take away the music and you don’t have the drama of the situation…”
See: Romeo and Juliet: The Choreography (NationalBalletCanada)
“…you have to know exactly what you’re saying story wise” (1:40) –Guillaume Cote, Romeo
The staging of Hamlet was an ambitious attempt in trying to render it as full-blooded. In an article of Michael Crabb about the National Ballet of Canada’s rendition of Hamlet described the stage design, “Her colour pallet is muted, favouring black, grey and various brown or rusty shades. Together with her sets, it seems a deliberate attempt to lift the action into a realm of metaphorical universality, outside specific time and place, but then in the second act, by far the stronger, out come the swords and we’re back to the specifics — albeit modified — of Shakespeare’s plot.” It is much like a play where not only are the lines, actors, dancers are important, but also the stage design that enhances each feeling, each movement.”
See: “Albert Schultz, Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre Company, discusses the joys and challenges of performing Shakespeare’s greatest and most complex character. Principal Dancer Piotr Stanczyk translate Shakespeare’s words into dance.” (NationalBalletCanada)
See: Choreographer Kevin O’Day talks about translating Hamlet into dance (NationalBalletCanada)
See: “Pricipal Dancers Guillaume Cote and Piotr Stanczyk talk about portraying the complex and fascinating character of Hamlet” (NationalBalletCanada)
See: Hamlet- The Music from Music Director and Principal Conductor David Briskin. (NationalBalletCanada)
Besides online videos, I have yet to see Shakespeare in ballet. I understand how they have incorporated Shakespeare though its design, choreography, and music but ballet is more than that, Shakespeare is more than that. I believe that it is the emotion that both ballet and Shakespeare bring that has made Shakespeare in Ballet truly succeed.
Sources:
http://dance.about.com/od/famousballets/tp/Classical_Ballets.htm
http://postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1489782
http://pages.unibas.ch/shine/musicballet.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romeo_and_Juliet_(Prokofiev)
http://blog.shakespearegeek.com/2011/05/shakespeare-opera-ballet.html
The Food of Shakespeare
All of Shakespeare’s plays all revolve around love, drama, tragedy etc. People all over the world have read his play but little do they know that there’s one occurring topic that revolves around in his plays: Food. Here are some of his play that have bits and pieces of “food’ and “drinks” scattered throughout his plays:
1. Twelfth Night: Act 2, Scene 3
Do you think because you are virtuous, that there shall be no more cakes and ale?
2. Othello: Act 2, Scene 3
Good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used.
3. Henry V: Act 1, Scene 3
I would give all my fame for a pot of ale.
4. As You Like It: Act 3, Scene 2
Truly, thou art damned like an ill roasted egg, all on one saide.
5. The Merry Wives Of Windsor: Act 1, Scene 1
Why, sir, for my part I say the gentleman had drunk himself out of his five senses.
6. Antony and Cleopatra: Act 2, Scene 1
Eight wild boars roasted whole at breakfast, but twelve persons there.
7. Romeo and Juliet: Act 4, Scene 2
Tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers.
8. Twelfth Night: Act 1, Scene 3
I ama great eater of beefd and I believe that does harm to my wit.
9. Henry IV Part 1: Act 2, Scene 1
He hath eaten me out of house and home; he hath put all my substance into that fat belly of his.
10. Macbeth: Act 2, Scene 3
Drink sir, is a great provoker of three things….nose painting, sleep and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes; it provokes the desire but takes away the performance.
11. Henry IV Part I: Act 3, Scene 1
O, he is as tedious as a tired horse, a railing wife; worse than a smokey house: I had rather live with cheese and garlic in a windmil, far, than than feed on cates and have him talk to me in any summer-house in Christendom.
12. The Comedy Of Errors: Act 5, Scene 1
Unquiet meals make ill digestions.
13. Richard III: Act 3, Scene 4
My lord of Ely, when I was last in Holborn I saw good strawberries in your garden there; I do beseech you send for some of them.
14. A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Act 4, Scene 2
And, most dear actors, eat no onions or garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath; and I do not doubt but to hear them say, it is a sweet comedy. No more words: Away! Go, away!
15. Henry IV Part II: Act 5, Scene 1
A’ shall answer it. Some pigeons, Davy, a couple of short-legged hens, a joint of mutton, and any pretty little tiny kickshaws, tell William cook.
16. All’s Well That Ends Well: Act 5, Scene 3
Mine eyes smell onions; I shall weep anon.
17. Romeo and Juliet: Act 4, Scene 4
They call for dates and quinces in the pastry.
18. Henry IV Part II: Act 2, Scene 4
A man cannot make him laugh – but that’s no marvel; he drinks no wine.
19. As You Like It: Act 3, Scene 5
I pray you, do not fall in love with me, For I am falser than vows made in wine.
20. Othello: Act 2, Scene 3
O thou invisible spirit of wine! If thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee devil!
I get the feeling that Shakespeare was hungry while he was writing his plays.
source:
http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/quotes/shakespeare-food-drink/
Shakespeare in Hell
Through the course of time, we have heard, if not, witnessed Shakespeare and his works develop and branch out through different forms of art. We have seen or heard him and his works take different forms; artworks, theatre, music, movie productions, dance, and even through toys and the like. What I am going focus on however, is the area of music. Certain forms and adaptations of Shakespeare’s work could be heard through various genres such as classical, country, pop, and rock. I however, managed to stumble upon a certain band that takes Shakespeare’s works and adds their own flavor of metal to it. Yes, you read it correctly, a band that performs gothic metal or death metal renditions of songs inspired and named after some of Shakespeare’s work.
Shakespeare in Hell
“Shakespeare is dead…but he lives on in hell.
Hear the bard’s lamentations through the music of SHAKESPEARE IN HELL! SHAKESPEARE IN HELL performs Shakespeare’s greatest plays, setting them against the blood-soaked stage of death, black, and doom metal.”
The image above shows the band Shakespeare in Hell. Here is a brief history about the band:
New Orleans’ Shakespeare in Hell was formed in late 2000 by vocalist Kevin Kish and guitarist Keith Guillory. Armed with the idea of taking William Shakespeare’s darkest works and setting them against a sonic stage of death, black, and gothic metal, the pair recruited members Daniel Eschete (bass) and Steve Gipson (guitar), then began the process of recording their first CD, the dual concept album Hecate. Here SiH performed two of the Bard’s most popular works, Hamlet and Macbeth, taking the lyrics verbatim from the original Elizabethan text. The band quickly conquered the death and black metal charts on mp3.com, earning a nomination for favorite metal band, and gaining worldwide acclaim for their original and intelligent brand of heavy metal.
2003 saw the release of Shakespeare in Hell’s
most ambitious work yet, the full-length album The
Tempest. A bold interpretation of Shakespeare’s final play, The Tempest found SiH fulfilling the promise of Hecate with nine tracks of intense, melodic, and often brutal metal.
With drummer Shawn Roddy added to their live ranks, Shakespeare in Hell has taken the New Orleans metal scene by storm. With a unique blend of technical progressive skill and extreme vocals, the band has performed for enthusiastic crowds throughout the Gulf Coast region, garnering a loyal following wherever they play.
However, the band had separated thus no new content shall be heard from them. But fret not! Here are some links to a few of their songs, enjoy!
Shakespeare in Hell – Heir of Naples
Shakespeare in Hell – The Tempest (Epilogue)
Shakespeare in Hell – Caliban’s Curse
Shakespeare in Hell – Ripp’d From the Womb
Shakespeare in Hell – The Death of Ophelia
Shakespeare in Hell – Poor Yorick
Shakespeare in Hell – A Dagger of the Mind
Sources:
