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Antony & Cleopatra
Our July 13th Shakespeare on Stage discussion is on Antony and Cleopatra. Antony and Cleopatra dramatizes a major event in world history: the founding of the Roman Empire. The future first emperor, Octavius Caesar (later called Augustus Caesar), cold-bloodedly manipulates other characters and exercises iron control over himself. At first, he shares power with Mark Antony, Rome’s preeminent military leader, and the weaker Lepidus. Caesar needs Antony to fend off other Roman strongmen like Pompey; he even offers his sister Octavia to him as a bride, despite Antony’s reputation as a libertine and his past rivalry with Caesar. Once Caesar defeats Pompey, however, he needs no allies. He brings charges against…
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Romeo & Juliet
Our final Shakespeare on Stage discussion will air Monday, July 20th at 6:30pm. This week, we will be discussing Stratford’s version of Romeo and Juliet. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare creates a violent world, in which two young people fall in love. It is not simply that their families disapprove; the Montagues and the Capulets are engaged in a blood feud. In this death-filled setting, the movement from love at first sight to the lovers’ final union in death seems almost inevitable. And yet, this play set in an extraordinary world has become the quintessential story of young love. In part because of its exquisite language, it is easy to respond…
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Adventures of Pericles
Our July 6th Shakespeare on Stage discussion will be on the Adventures of Pericles. Pericles tells the story of a prince who, as a young man in search of a wife, finds a gorgeous princess; he risks his life to win her, but discovers that she is in an incestuous relationship with her father; the discovery not only disgusts him but also puts him in mortal danger from her father, and he flees. This is only the beginning of Pericles’ travails. After many adventures, including a near-fatal shipwreck, he meets another princess with whom he falls in love; this time the love leads to marriage. He and his pregnant wife…
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Love’s Labour’s Lost
Join us for a discussion of Love’s Labour’s Lost on Monday, June 15th! We will be joined by Professors Sukey Waldenberger, Andrew Winters, and Nicole Dean. A special guest from Laark Productions will also be joining us! At first glance, Shakespeare’s early comedy Love’s Labor’s Lost simply entertains and amuses. Four young men (one of them a king) withdraw from the world for three years, taking an oath that they will have nothing to do with women. The King of Navarre soon learns, however, that the Princess of France and her ladies are about to arrive. Although he lodges them outside of his court, all four men fall in love with the…
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Shakespeare on Stage: The Tempest
I’m so excited that our very first Shakespeare on Stage discussion at YC is just days away! Our first play is The Tempest. You can watch the Stratford version here: https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/AtHome. It might also be helpful to read the text of the play. If you don’t have a copy, find one HERE to read the play online. Laark Productions has created an introduction to the play: https://youtu.be/cNVIopdsiw8 Here’s a recording of the live discussion panel here from Monday, June 1st, with Professor Andrew Winters, Professor Suzanne Waldenberger, OLLI lecturer Phil Finkelstein, and Laark Productions.
