In honor of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, the Orangutan Librarian is hosting the Shakespeare Awards. My votes are below!
Most Tragic
Does The Taming of the Shrew count? I think it’s tragic some people play it like straight comedy.
Best Comedy
Much Ado, hands down. Beatrice and Benedick are perfect. And the Branagh film version is a must-see.
Most Romantic
This is difficult. I love the wooing scene in Act V of Henry V, so I’ll go with that. But you will never see me voting for Romeo and Juliet.
Most Entertaining
Cymbeline, because it’s crazy. The brothel scene in Pericles takes a close second, though.
Best History play
Henry V. Great speeches, wonderful wooing scene. And such a close to the arc of of Richard II and the Henry IV plays.
Best Sonnet
Eh…I can never choose one. But if I must, Sonnet 2.
Best Film Adaptation
This is so difficult! But I’ll go with Branagh’s Hamlet because, really, can you get better than that?
Most Beautiful Language
How can I choose just one? I guess I’ll give Romeo and Juliet a vote because I think the language is beautiful even though I don’t like the plot.
Weirdest
Cymbeline. Princess Imogen’s banished husband makes a bet with Jachimo that he can’t seduce Imogen. None of it makes sense and yet it’s still so good.
Most Unpopular
Timon of Athens. A misanthropist spends a lot of time yelling at another misanthropist. I would never stage this.
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Lol! Well said. I especially agree with this: “Much Ado, hands down. Beatrice and Benedick are perfect. And the Branagh film version is a must-see.” Really, there is no contest. All of his other comedies are rather formulaic (though usually still funny,) but Much Ado has a depth I don’t see in any of the others.
I love Henry V, and really, most of the history plays. But I find I have never actually heard of Timon of Athens. My lit-teacher mother and Shakespeare-scholar brother would be ashamed of me.
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I just really love the chair scene in Much Ado. And whenever Emma Thompson says “Kill Claudio” I get chills.
Believe me, there’s a reason you’ve never heard of Timon of Athens. It’s about a rich man who loses all his friends when he becomes poor. He then goes off to live in a cave while railing about how much he hates the world. He is joined by another man who hated the world from the start of the play. They yell a lot. While this is happening, some other guy is upset about his friend (not Timon) being wronged by the city and goes to march on Athens. You’d think potential war would make things more exciting. But you would be wrong.
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“And whenever Emma Thompson says “Kill Claudio” I get chills.” Oh yes, me too. There is very little I dislike about the play. It works for me on all levels, from Dogberry to the Prince. I loathe Claudio and want him thrashed, but it doesn’t beak the play.
Are you at all familiar with the show “Slings and Arrows?” Because my first thought is that Darren Nichols would be all over trying to stage Timon of Athens…
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I always forget Dogberry is in that play and then I sigh. 😉 And I do want to slap Claudio. I get that in his mind the market value of his betrothed is gone, but he doesn’t have to publicly humiliate her at her own wedding. What a monster. He’s possible the character I dislike the most in all of Shakespeare. Maybe next Jachimo in Cymbeline.
I have seen a few episodes of Slings and Arrows but I am trying to look up Darren Nichols because I’m not entirely sure who all the characters are. It’s a funny show but it seems like it would have had kind of a niche audience.
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“but he doesn’t have to publicly humiliate her at her own wedding.” Exactly. And when he thinks she’s dead, but doesn’t know, yet, that she’s innocent, he’s like “well, that’s sad, but she deserved it.” …he had better spend the rest of his life grovelling at her feet. He doesn’t deserve her, and I am shocked that she still wants him. 😛
Darren is Geoffrey’s rival director, massively experimental and “avant-garde” to the point of nonsense.
And yes, the show is fairly niche, but I also find it is a good way to introduce people to Shakespeare, helping them to understand what the Bard is about, and why he’s fun. At least the first season, anyway.
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Right? I guess he didn’t love her that much because he’s sure not sorry she’s “dead”!
Hm. I think I may have seen an episode with Darren, but I’m not sure.
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I’d recommend the whole of season 1 to anyone who loves Shakespeare and dark comedy.
Season 2 and season 3 have a more limited appeal, but I still enjoy them. 1 is my favorite, though.
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I love that you did this! Agreed that R&J had the most beautiful language in his plays; I was absolutely astounded by it when I revisited it.
lmao at your point about Timon of Athens; it was a baffling experience reading that one.
I didn’t enjoy reading Cymbeline because it was such a weird reading experience but your comments about it makes me want to re-read it again 🙂
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I saw the Orangutan Librarian post and I had to cast my votes! 😀
What? Cymbeline is hilarious when you think about it! What kind of husband tells another guy to go seduce his wife? And all the revelations at the end plus the weird dream/prophecy. I don’t know what Shakespeare was thinking, but I’m glad it happened.
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I may have to snag this off you then 😉
Haha, see? I need to re-read this as soon as I can xD
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Yes! I want to see your choices!
Definitely needs to be read more than it is. I just read it recently and thought, “Hey! Why does no one stage this? This is hilarious!”
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Done and done 😀
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Yay!!! I love that you did this!! 😀
Ooh taming of the shrew is a cool answer! I still need to see the Branagh film- I’m planning to watch it this week since I have it on dvd and it’s time already! But I loved Branagh’s hamlet! Wonderful choices!!
Thanks for taking part!
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Thanks for hosting!
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You’re welcome!!
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YES MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING IS THE BEST COMEDY DEFINITELY! 😀 Loved watching that, studying that, everything to do with that xD The Branagh version is pretty epic – but the Tennant one steals my heart every time – just because David Tennant and Catherine Tate are an unstoppable force together! 😀
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I haven’t seen the Tennant one yet, but I do want to see him with Tate again!
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