Shakespeare’s Globe: 2009 Season
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre recently announced the 2009 season of plays, which they’re calling “Young Hearts“. This year’s slate of plays present some fantastic opportunities for us as theatre-goers. At the “heart” of this year’s theme, no doubt, is the much-loved and often-taught Romeo & Juliet, that well-known play of star-crossed lovers. In fact, those of you who pay attention to these things may remember that the Baz Lurhmann’s film verion of Romeo & Juliet (with Leonardo & Claire) includes Kim Mazelle’s wonderful song “Young Hearts Run Free“.
It is perhaps hard to think of the theater and not think of the famous Bard. No doubt, this summer’s other offerings will also offer us tremendous insight into Shakespeare’s work, the workings of theatre, and the joy of watching great literature performed on stage. Perhaps no other Shakespeare play offers the fun and frolic of the mistaken identity quite like As You Like It. Love awry and hilarity ensues! Sadly, we won’t be in London for Troilus & Cressida or Love’s Labors Lost.
No doubt we’ll be have a great time this summer as we stand like Groundlings and watch the plays!
Shakespeare’s Globe: 2008 Season
We couldn’t be any luckier for our 2008 trip! Shakespeare’s Globe (virtual tour) has just announced it’s 2008 season and headlining the group are one of the Bard’s best tragedies (King Lear) and (if it matters) one of my favorite comedies (A Midsummer Night’s Dream). In fact, I’ve seen Midsummer more than any other Shakespeare play, and had held out great hope that we’d have the chance to see it at the Globe.
Also on the bill this summer will be a Shakespeare “sit-com”, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and one biting satire, Timon of Athens.
It is perhaps hard to think of the theater and not think of the famous Bard. While I’d be the first to say not all Shakespeare plays are great, I’d have to agree with those who find both Lear and Midsummer to be among his best in their respective genres. In Lear, we have an aging monarch, contemplating his waning years and the values (or lack thereof) of age and power; in Midsummer, we have the converse: youth, ah youth, and beauty, and love, and, well, a lot of “power” and “age” turned topsy-turvey in the “green world” of a forest near Athens. What Lear asks us to ponder about our mortality and the value of family and our lives, Midsummer calls us to ignore for a few minutes and to wonder, instead, about the follies of youth and, at times, the capriciousness of our own lived experiences.
No doubt we’ll be have a great time this summer as we stand like Groundlings and watch the plays!
In keeping with the humor of Midsummer, I offer you the Animaniac’s rendering of A Midsummer Night’s Dream …
Exploring the London Stage
Next to New York, there’s no place on Earth with as diverse and interesting theater as London! In fact, there’s so much going on at any moment, it can be difficult to keep up with it all. We thought we’d start these weekly posts on “theater” with a useful site for keeping track of what’s going on on the London stage at any given time: “WhatsOnStage.com“.
This website includes news about actors who are coming or going from shows, as well as a listing (at the bottom) of all the current shows, both in the West End and elsewhere. Since we’ll be seeing so many shows this summer, it’s a good idea now to start looking at what you might want to see.
Another great site for seeing what’s going on is the London Theatre Guide. From this site, you can explore not only the most recent news (who’s in what show, who’s replacing whom, what’s opening/closing), but you can also check specific dates to see what shows are playing by date, rather than just by show. A very useful way to make planes for May and June!
