Even so, I dreaded getting into the car to drive down—what I really wanted to do was sleep, read and perhaps watch TV if I became particularly adventuresome. It’s one of those trips that only your close friends can convince you to make through a combination of guilt and blackmail. While it’s important to have friends who know where the bodies are buried, but occasionally they’ll remind you of the plot number.
Now, I enjoy Charlottesville quite a bit and can find it pretty easily—no map required. Of course, because I believed it was in Charlottesville, I didn’t check the actual address until I was halfway there.
Having lived in Virginia since I was two years old, I can honestly say that I’ve never even heard of "Barboursville" before. Nevertheless, my trusty Blackberry map-thingy seemed to know where it was, so I did manage to make it there in one piece—despite a quite circuitous route and the faint sound of dueling banjos in the distance.
The production was wonderful and Leslie stole the show in my opinion; of course, I’m biased. Everyone died exactly when they were supposed to. I was relieved. It’s difficult to fib to friends when you don’t like something they’re doing.
What always surprising me watching a live production of Shakespeare is how I never understand a word they’re saying for the first two scenes. Then magically, I seem to get my “Shakespeare ears” in the third scene, and suddenly I understand everything.
Shakespeare is tough. I’ve had a love-hate relationship with the immortal bard over the years. Some plays I genuinely enjoy and others (I’m looking at you, "Much Ado About Nothing") I tend to think get produced because of the author, instead of the plays actually being fun to watch. Then again, I tend to get my Shakespearian comedies mixed up because the titles have almost nothing to do with the plots.
I admit that I also somewhat resent Shakespeare for taking up the entire Drama section in the bookstore. Once upon a time, I enjoyed reading a story in play-form instead—it’s a high school drama thing. You’ll have to trust me. Now, even the larger book stores stock very little except Shakespeare. Perhaps the greatest playwright of all time, but he’s certainly not the only one.
Sometimes, I need a little Tennessee Williams, Noel Coward or Clare Booth Luce to get me through, although reading plays has somehow become elitist over the years. Judge me all you want.
I suppose my biggest problem with Shakespeare has been the number of “modern dress” productions that I’ve sat through over the years.
I hope my high school drama teacher will forgive me, but I’ve gotten a bit traditional over the years. I want men in tights, women in corsets and Julius Caesar in a toga. This strange desire to put Shakespeare plays in modern dress makes me wonder about the future—will we one day live to see Arthur Miller’s "Death of a Salesman" in space suits?
Let’s face it. "Taming of the Shrew" is a cute play, but if it were happening next door, you’d call family services. "MacBeth" is one of my all-time favorite Shakespeare plays, but seeing soldiers in modern dress play it out seems a bit too much like a threat to democracy.
And, let’s face it, a modern-day Hamlet probably should have seen a therapist long before he started seeing ghosts, and taking to a jester’s skull.
Anyway, that was how I amused myself on the way home from the show. Take my advice, get out a see a show.
%7Cutmcsr%3D(direct)%7Cutmcmd%3D(none)%3B%2B__utmv%3D93240272.-%3B)
Anyone interested in some Shakespeare should go check out the Sterling Playmakers' production of Twelfth Night, opening this weekend! www.sterlingplaymakers.com for full details.