Group Presentations

What a delight it is to see my peers come together give their interpretations of Shakespeare.  I took a few notes, mostly for my own selfish advancement for the final, but nevertheless here are a few morsels of knowledge about Groups 1-3.

Group One:  Titus Andronicus

• Walter asks/suggests, Was this Shakespeare's first tragedy?  His first play?  A revenge play?
• Shakespeare the plagiarizer (because of Ovid), or a GENIUS for tackling current events? 
• Mutius (son of Titus) sounds like "mutiny" which makes SP very clever!

Act 2 Scene 1

• James (the rat) sounds like Mrs. Doubtfire.  Jamie told me she thinks he is a little too good at that voice.
• Craig's falsetto belongs on stage.

Act 4 Scene 1

• Lavinia "points" to Ovid's Metamorphosis in the way the tapestry is referred to.
• Rio's visual use of curling ribbon for blood/nasty arm removal was awesome.
• Roberto and Shelby raped/killed Lavinia!

Other notes

• TA starts with ambiguity, but revenge slowly leaks into the chest of each character.
• We all were invited to a banquet/feast.
• Jon Orsi made a really funny trumpet noise.
• It is common for a feast to be found in a comedy in order to signal a celebration, but interstingly enough it is used in this tragedy. 

Group 2:  Much Ado About Nothing

• Group begins with a portrayal of the scene where Beatrice is being fooled into thinking that Benedick is in love with her.  Holy smokes, good job memorizing your lines Lauren.
• The idea of the comic vs. the tragic...the audience is never quite sure if they should be crying or laughing.  The first 3/4 plays out as though a tragedy.
• Most comedies begin with a problem (to be solved), but this play's problem is that it doesn't have a problem.
• "The Hammock of Time"  5 acts, but 3 main parts broken up to the time periods of 24 hours, one week, 24 hours.

Lies and Deceit

• happens quite easily
• creates a new love story
• bad when Hero is accused of lechery

Love and Loss

• It's a love square!
• "I'd rather hear a dog bark at a cow than hear a man say he loves me." (Beatrice)

Nothing

• pronounced "noting" which is humorous because it is the eavesdroppers that make something out of nothing when they note what they think is being said truthfully.
• Joe: "Everything comes from nothing, the mythical miracle of imagination!" (I personally think that is awesome)

More Notes

• Don't worry be happy and try to do something important.
• Ryan was a tree
• Don Jon is a bastard, both by birth and by nature!

Group 3- Othello

• Othello, pronounced "Otheller" as a WESTERN!
• When I typed in "Othello as a western" I didn't get any pictures that could even come close to resembling the masterpiece this group put together.
• Taylor played the bard or chorus, adding Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" to the play.  
• My favorite line, "It's time to grease my spurs with blood!"
• Iago is Satan or a "douche-bag" while Othello is more God-like.
• It was difficult to take notes on such an entertaining interpretation of Othello.  Excellent job group 3.