Quick poll - would you take an under-11 to King Lear? Yes or no?

[Janh]

(beety need not reply! )

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bump again, pleeeeeeese!

no

Oh thank you, expat - was beginning to feel invisible!

No, I really wouldn't.
It's very very very long, and in some way maybe to compensate for how long it is every production I've ever seen really bigs up the ghastly bits, lots & lots of blood shooting out of eye sockets, that sort of thing. Lear being pathetically naked while mad.

No, I wouldn't. Do you have other options?

No, I wouldn't either.

Oh, it's not for me, Bink! I'm doing a listing of theatre for families or under-11s, and one of the theatres has sent a flier to the publisher who has forwarded it to me for inclusion - my inclination was NO! so I just wanted a few other opinions.

What about Macbeth? (This is not for inclusion this time, just wondering,)

No, no Macbeth, either. I think I'd do one of his comedies for the under 11s.

Macbeth's a bit heavy for under 11s.

Yes, might well consider MacBeth. I'd check the timing & approach of the particular production, but that one bounces along pretty fast, and its gore is somehow in the realms of the fantastical - nothing like the awful close-to-home-ness of Lear.

Saw a beautiful Japanese (Ninagawa) MacBeth at the Edin Festival years & years ago, and it plays across cultures as well as across ages.

Mashta atta mashta atta mashta ... (probably spelt all wrong) - can you guess?

No, I don't think I would either. Dd1 (age 10) did see the Philip Pullman His Dark Materials last year (when she was 9) and was fine with that, despite the nasty bit where they torture the witch on-stage (cue sounds of cracking fingers). We also steered clear of the Jamila Gavin play Coram Boy this season, which apparently features the exhumation of abandoned babies. Aaaaargh.

She did see Macbeth this time last year at the Almeida and was fine with that. It's much less psychologically awful than King Lear, so I think easier to deal with.

Yes, me too, expat - I usually include Dream and Twelfth Night, but dither over the rest. Comedy of Errors is probably OK but doesn't get done so often.

Shakespeare4Kidz (beety hates 'em!) do versions of Macbeth and The Tempest, but I think even those are still intended for secondary age.

Oh, meant to say - only under-11s to the extent of its being OK for 10/11 yos. Not younger than that. Do you have room in your listings for that sort of caveat?

OK, will consider Macbeths as they come along!

masshta atta - hubblebubble???

I might consider Macbeth for an 11 year old but probably not younger. And even then it would depend very much on the 11 year old in question!

That last message was about MacB, of course.

I can't stand the mistaken-identity comedies! gruelling.

The magazine is just for "primary school age", Bink - productions for little ones always give an age like 3-7, 6-11, so yes, I could put in "most suitable for 10 and over" - but I prefer those recommendations to come from the theatres.

(They can vary too - the same production which says 3-6 at one theatre can say 4-8 at another. It's a very subjective thing!)

Ohhh - is mashta tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow? (Still guessing!)

DS2 did Twelfth Night (in S4K version) in Y6 - they enjoyed the story but ikwym, they are a bit contrived.

I would take DS to Macbeth, he has read a shorter version of it, he is 10.5

But I think Lear would leave a few years though

I wouldn't as my uncultured pleb DSs would be bored brainless.

Macbeth = shortest of the big 4 tragedies
R & J = shortest early play
Comedy of Errors = shortest over all I think

NOT Lear or indeed any play dealing with trauma and madness, janh.

Would also not do Much Ado, because although it's my favourite comedy I think it's too complex and poignant for youngsters.

I would consider 12th Night, Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry V for a child interested in history (good battle stuff etc) and maybe As You Like It. Also the Tempest for monster and shipwreck factor.

Lear's pretty much one of the heaviest. I remember reading it at 14 and thinking, 'Man, that guy's got some issues.' It's pretty adult material and there's no good way I can see to water it down a bit for youngsters.

Macbeth, well, I still feel most under 11s might get bored. There is some good comic relief, tho.

Probably not jan.

Yes! - Janh, well done! - lovely & sinuous, different kind of spooky from the usual.

This is making me wonder what I might do for ds's first Shakespeare (he had a brief fixation with S. last year but haven't heard any more recently). I think I might do a history w/ rather obvious goodies & baddies, Richard III or something. Henry V? Especially if done in a promenady sort of way. Hmm.

yes to Macbeth and loads of the others but Lear is 4 hours long. they willnever want to see a shakepeare agian!!

shakespeare 4kidz...agghhh!!!!!