Happy Birthday, Bill.
I was never as enthusiastic about Shakespeare as one is supposed to be. I was made to study him at school like most people. We did Merchant of Venice and I thought it a poor show how Shylock was treated.
“Lean, rent and beggared by the strumpet wind.” Says Gratiano.
The English teacher asked me “What’s a strumpet?” I thought it would serve me best if I feigned not to know. My fellow pupils sniggered as adolescent boys would but the English master was impressed by my ignorance.
Who said and to whom and in what circumstances “All that glisters is not gold?” This was a question in the exam. I passed, of course, everyone knows that one.
I have just had a photograph printed of my wife and two of her friends. I said it reminded me of Macbeth. I don’t think I will get any supper this evening. When the hurlyburly’s done, When the battle’s lost and won. I think I lost that one!
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Last summer, we watched Macbeth at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. Macbeth was manic and unhinged. We stood in the pit and got very close to the stage (and were later covered by the actors’ bodily fluid). Joseph Millson is a very good looking man; his Macbeth was superb. The actors, including the witches, spoke directly to us. The witches were feisty, sinister, and also mesmerising.
You have reminded me of one of my happy days. Thank you.
I really like Shakespeare, and my mum, my dad and I saw Macbeth at the Globe last year. I own lots of his plays and he is an iconic British symbol. We are about to learn about him in school so that would be very interesting.