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Original poster

Can ordinary uneducated/uncultured people follow a Shakespere play?

93 replies

Nevertime · 09/12/2021 16:52

I did English Lit Olevel (B) but have to say I did it mainly by "learning" the passnotes, I never did understand any Shakespere I read or understand the answers I wrote!

I haven't looked at any Shakespere in the 30 odd years since. Most of my friends are from similar backgrounds.

In the interests of broadening my horizons I find myself the proud owner of 2 tickets for A Comedy of Errors. Will I be able to follow what's going on?

I need to invite someone, most people I know will feel the same way I do, how do I "sell" it to them? Will we have a clue what's going on?

Or am I overthinking and should approach it like any other theatre production?

OP posts:
mowglika · 10/12/2021 08:47

You’re not overthinking it! Just make sure you know the plot so you can follow what is going on. I watched a production of Twelfth Night at my dc school and if I hadn’t known the plot beforehand I would have been lost!

Needdoughnuts · 10/12/2021 09:02

Shakespeare Stories by Leon Garfield is aimed at children and does a short retelling of 12 plays. Just gives you the gist of what's going on, great for people like me who did the main ones at school but didn't have a clue what they were about!

averythinline · 10/12/2021 09:17

Most of the people that watched Shakespeares plays didn't study them...
I saw my first when doing o level....as we had just started studying it....for most of us it made much more sense on the stage than the page....
I've seen a few now and apart from Ralph Fiennes in coriolanis which was awful they have all made sense.. and suitable for anyone..

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CrotchetyQuaver · 10/12/2021 09:29

I would say yes. I failed my englit O level but I can remember studying Macbeth in 1980. It was going nowhere reading it off the page but I remember the teacher brought in a reel to reel tape recording of the play and it just came alive listening to that. I have a feeling we may have gone to Stratford to see it (school trip) and I had no hesitation in signing up because the tape had inspired me.

I would have thought with a plot synopsis you'd be absolutely fine following it

Original poster
Nevertime · 14/12/2021 11:13

Oh. It's been cancelled because of Covid in the cast. I am unreasonably disappointed Sad

OP posts:
Corbally · 14/12/2021 11:17

@purplesequins

if done well, yes. if not, then it can be a slog. I saw a marvellous titus andronicus in the globe and an absulutely awful midsummer night's dream at rsc stratford...
Was it the extremely bloody Globe Titus where they covered over the pit? I loved it, but was actually at the box office another time during a performance and people kept being carried out having fainted!
Corbally · 14/12/2021 11:59

@LBOCS2

I understand zero of an opera even with subtitles or sung in a language I understand so I'm not sure I believe that.

To be fair, I think that's more to do with the ridiculous plot of literally every single opera. They could all be sorted by everyone sitting down and having a nice chat around the table but where's the drama in that?!

Exactly. Like the vengeful gypsy swearing vengeance on her foe, but accidentally throwing the wrong baby into the fire, or a nose going missing and turning into a government official. Or my absolute favourite a chorus of nuns singing as they’re guillotined, complete with sound effects.
Gwenhwyfar · 14/12/2021 12:20

"Exactly. Like the vengeful gypsy swearing vengeance on her foe, but accidentally throwing the wrong baby into the fire"

Is that Carmen? In that case, I totally missed the baby thing.
Which one is the nuns' song from? I want to listen to it now.

soanco68 · 14/12/2021 12:22

Absolutely. Just don't try to hard to get into the language, it takes very little time to settle into a play and enjoy it

Corbally · 14/12/2021 14:59

@Gwenhwyfar

"Exactly. Like the vengeful gypsy swearing vengeance on her foe, but accidentally throwing the wrong baby into the fire"

Is that Carmen? In that case, I totally missed the baby thing.
Which one is the nuns' song from? I want to listen to it now.

No, the gypsy is in Il Trovatore (which I only saw because I fancied Dmitri Hvorostovsky) — her mother is burnt as a witch for having put a spell on an aristocratic baby, so she plans to throw the baby (which she’s kidnapped) onto her mother’s execution pyre but gets confused and throws her own baby… And the nuns are from Poulenc’s Dialogue des Carmelites, where each time it’s restaged, the music director has to figure out how to make the guillotine sound.😀 Well done, it’s brilliant creepy — it starts out as a full chorus of nuns singing the Salve Regina, gradually reducing as each is executed…
Justcallmebebes · 14/12/2021 15:40

Of course. I was at school pretty close to Stratford and we often went to the theatre to watch Shakespeare productions and even as a teenage literary heathen I still enjoyed and could follow most plays. Taming of the Shrew was brilliant

FinallyHere · 14/12/2021 18:28

I'd lash out £2.25 or whatever on a copy of lamb's tales from Shakespeare. A teacher recommended we read these, just to get a general sense of the plot before tackling a new play

We now have a paperback version, very well used.

It really helps me to read up the simplest version of each take and then to really feel you can follow the play.

I actually find the tragedies are easier to follow. The comedies often have a lot of political stuff that goes over my head.

You have time now to get a copy of the Lamb's tales and be ready for any Shakespeare that pops up.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07PDSQF35/ref=tmmkinswatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=]

TuftyMarmoset · 14/12/2021 18:53

Yes of course - they were attended by the average person at the time, who might not even have been able to read.

Re GCSEs/A levels, our teachers took us to local performances or stuck on films because it is much easier to follow when performed than read on a page. We also read them aloud.

TuftyMarmoset · 14/12/2021 18:58

I understand zero of an opera even with subtitles or sung in a language I understand so I'm not sure I believe that.

Probably not helped by the nonsensical staging so many operas have nowadays. I recently saw the Valkyrie at the ENO ie in English, (although I’m also familiar with the German source material) so I knew what was going on but the staging/scenery/costumes made approximately zero sense.
Most Shakespeare productions I’ve seen have fortunately not succumbed to this!

CaMePlaitPas · 14/12/2021 19:00

Think of the calibre of those who attended plays by him in the 17th century. There were all sorts in the standing area, prostitutes, drunks, vagrants, people will nothing else to do. It was a bit of a free for all but it was accessible. These people weren't educated, theatre wasn't the preserve of the middle class, he effectively wrote his plays for you and I. Go and enjoy it and tell us what you think!

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 14/12/2021 19:05

I took 11 year old Dd to see Macbeth, we read a childrens version, then read spark notes, Thug notes on youtube is also worth a watch and she thoroughly enjoyed it.

Next Summer if the Lord Chamberlain's Men are at an Outdoor theatre near you I highly recommend them, they are a traditional troupe and brilliant.

fluffiphlox · 14/12/2021 20:23

The RSC has various synopses on their website. Read the appropriate one before you go.

ChimneyPot · 14/12/2021 20:31

@Nevertime

Oh. It's been cancelled because of Covid in the cast. I am unreasonably disappointed Sad
How disappointing.
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