I’ve been scouring the news online for anything with Shakespeare in it, lots of fun things show up. I often see articles about schools or groups that are making an effort to make learning Shakespeare a fun experience for students of all ages. Reading these warms my heart!

One that I found made me chuckle. A 13 year old students talks about the experience of acting in one of Shakespeare’s plays:

It is such an interesting thing to do. You get to portray something that you usually aren’t. Plus Shakespeare is an amazing writer. He’s one of the first people who wrote plays and I think everyone, including kids, should know about him.

In the words of our current president, “Is our children learning?” I hope that the teacher corrected the student after seeing the article… Shakespeare was far from the beginning of play-writing.

As long as the kids get the right answers at some point. The important part is that they’re learning Shakespeare and really enjoying themselves!

The kids are putting on Hamlet. I’m sure it’s a heavily cut down show, but do you think that’s a good show for students to act? At first I was a little surprised. Hamlet? Wow… But then I realized that it’s a required text in most schools and being in a production is one of the best ways to really understand the text and enjoy it.

No, Shakespeare’s not alive again. Here’s a riddle: What would Shakespeare say if he rose from the dead?

Brains…

If you’re not familiar with the term, Second Life is basically an online virtual world in which you can have an alternate life. If you’re still confused head over to Wikipedia to learn more about Second Life.

As it turns out, some people have put together a performance of Hamlet in second life. You can see a YouTube video of Act 1, Scene 1 of Hamlet. I read that this video isn’t really how the performance actually looked, but it’ll give you a vague idea of a new way that Shakespeare is being performed.

So what does this mean for Shakespeare in performance? I don’t know… I’m asking you. Please feel free to comment with your thoughts.

I think it’s a cool new way to perform the plays. It kind of goes to show that society needs live performance. Even in a virtual life, people are still motivated to put on and attend theatrical performances of Shakespeare’s work. I think I might sign up for a second life just so I can see what one of these shows is really like.

That is the question.

Patrick Stewart is the man. Sure he was on Star Trek, and was wonderful as Captain Picard… but he’s a superb Shakespearean actor, as you will see on this clip from Sesame Street.

My hero!

This is one of those words that some readers/listeners will come across and think “WTF mate?” I shall expound all for you now!

puissance (n.) IPA Pronunciation:
power, might, force

ARCHBISHOP OF YORK
That he should draw his several strengths together
And come against us in full puissance,
Need not be dreaded.
- Henry IV, Part 2 (I.iii)

This word is most commonly used in reference to military power, but it can be applied elsewhere as well. The pronunciation depends on the line of text. The word can be two syllables by, or can be three if the line of verse doesn’t scan out to 10 syllables without it. Some pronounce the first syllable “pyoo” some “pwee,” I’ve seen it both ways in dictionaries - sometimes both ways in the same dictionary. It sounds funny no matter how you say it so pick one.

Shakespeare is required in many schools all over the world. In the UK it’s compulsory for almost all students. But trouble and Shakespeare in school seem to go hand in hand these days. Not all teachers know that much or even enjoy Shakespeare. How are the students going to get anything out of this kind of education? The Royal Shakespeare Company has an answer.

They’ve created a new program called Stand Up For Shakespeare whose purpose is to improve students experiences when learning about Shakespeare! An article in the Official London Theatre Guide can give you more of the story.

The RSC asks schools to have students get up and speak Shakespeare on their feet, see live performances of the plays, and introduce the subject to kids gently at a younger age before they’ve reached the point of hearing Shakespeare horror stories.

What a great idea! It makes me happy to see this happening and I really hope there is some success with this program. I can only wish the the US would follow suit, but I think it’ll take several more years. Maybe by then I’ll be in a place of power to make it happen! A guy can dream, can’t he?

This one’s fun to use. It rolls off the tongue easily in order to use this word to badmouth someone.

runagate (n.) IPA Pronunciation:
fugitive, runaway, vagabond

CLOTEN
I cannot find those runagates; that villain
Hath mock’d me. I am faint.
- Cymbeline (IV.ii)

Feel free to use this word as an insult. You’ll look mean and smart.*

*Use this word at your own risk. The Bard Blog claims no responsibility for any injuries for misuse of this word. Not recommended for use with any amount of alcohol. Please be safe.

No, I didn’t get to talk to Sir Ian, that would be a dream come true! But someone else did and got it all on video. It’s not quite an interview, this is sort of like a video lesson on Shakespeare taught by Sir Ian McKellen. It’s wonderful!

The focus is the video is Richard III and his explanation of the opening speech (”Now is the winter of our discontent / Made glorious summer…”). But there are other videos as well including some history, comparisons of the speech from three different film versions, Sir Ian talking about Shakespeare in education, storytelling, comparisons of Shakespeare to Lord of the Rings to X-Men, and more!

This is an awesome resource for everyone tackling Shakespeare in some way, shape, or form. Even if you think you have no reason to learn about Richard III, check it out anyway. Most of what he says can be applied universally to Shakespeare. It’s also great to see such a great actor speaking these lines with such ease and understanding every bit of it. Watch everything! There are lots of little videos about so many different things and it’s all good. It’ll take a long time to get through everything but it’s totally worth it.

My favorite part is his comparison between Richard and a biscuit. I’m going to leave you hanging about that so you’ll go and watch it!

A Conversation With Sir Ian McKellen

Here’s a word not quite unique to Shakespeare, but you won’t find it in use too often.

cogitation (n.) IPA Pronunciation:
thought, contemplation

CASSIUS
Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion;
By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried
Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
- Julius Caesar (I.ii)

This word takes some cogitation at first, but it does sort of sound like what it is right? The wheels in your head are turning - cogitation. Perfectly logical, right? If nothing else it will make you sound smarter when you use it.