A week of Shakespeare

Last night we went and saw Love's Labour's Lost at the Hudson Valley Film Festival.  We went back to the theatre after thoroughly enjoying Romeo and Juliet last week.  I managed to get single front row seats but we were all spread out around the theatre.  This often happens to us as we decide to go last minute and prefer a good view to sitting next to each other. Sitting apart also adds to the excitement.  When we meet up at intermission we compare who we sat next to!

This was the first time I had seen this play.  I googled it and we read through the synopsis.  It's a fun play.  There is a lot of romancing going on and very funny characters.  It was enjoyable to watch.  There is also a little play within the play about the Nine Worthies, a carving from the 13C of 9 great heroes. Heroes like Alexander the Great, Hector of Troy, Charlemagne to name three, who are supposed to personify the epitome of chivalry.  We didn't know all of them and we had some interesting discussions about why these men in particular were considered so worthy.  What makes a person worthy of being carved out of stone?

We were laughing all the way home about the funny bits in the play. We thought however the play lacked the drama of Romeo and Juliet and needed more music.  The female roles were also disappointing, especially the French princess who reminded me of Mrs Walton. (Did you watch that show?) Still it was worth going to see the courting gentlemen pretending to be Russians and Hercules strangling the plush green snake.




...meanwhile back at home we have been choosing auditions for A Midsummer Night's Dream.  Tristan has chosen a monologue of Puck's.  He also has vowed to Nicole (his break dance teacher) that he will practice his head stands (anywhere and everywhere).  So this is the result.

and this!

Claire is still choosing her audition piece.  She isn't crazy about the roles in A Midsummer Night's Dream.  She might choose something from another play.  I have also signed her up to do musical theatre in New Canaan.  There is a class of 6th-9th graders doing vignettes from the musical Wicked with a show in December.  Claire has been talking about that show since she saw it in Australia with her cousin, Imogen almost two years ago.  She also wants to sing and learn all the Wicked songs on the piano (and those from Spiderman, the musical too).  She starts singing lessons next week.

And finally Tristan is performing next week in New York City at the Oxford Shakespeare Company in the Merry Wives of Windsor.  He is playing a goblin that torments Falstaff.  It is a very small part but a great experience to be in a "grown up" production!  We have rehearsals in the city during the week and 4 performances on the weekend.  I am looking forward to spending some time in the city.