The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare,
believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by many critics
to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote
island, where the sorcerer Prospero, rightful Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda
to her rightful place using illusion and skilful manipulation. He
conjures up a storm, the eponymous tempest, to lure his usurping brother
Antonio and the complicit King Alonso of Naples to the island. There,
his machinations bring about the revelation of Antonio's lowly nature,
the redemption of the King, and the marriage of Miranda to Alonso's son,
Ferdinand.
There is no obvious single source for the plot of The Tempest, but researchers have seen parallels in Erasmus' Naufragium, Peter Martyr's De orbe novo, and eyewitness reports by William Strachey and Sylvester Jordain of the real-life shipwreck of the Sea Venture on the islands of Bermuda, and the subsequent conflict between Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Somers. In addition, one of Gonzalo's speeches is derived from Montaigne's essay Of the Canibales, and much of Prospero's renunciative speech is taken word for word from a speech by Medea in Ovid's poem Metamorphoses. The masque in Act 4 may have been a later addition, possibly in honour of the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Frederick V in 1613. The play was first published in the First Folio of 1623.
The story draws heavily on the tradition of the romance, and it was influenced by tragicomedy, the courtly masque and perhaps the commedia dell'arte. It differs from Shakespeare's other plays in its observation of a stricter, more organised neoclassical style. Critics see The Tempest
as explicitly concerned with its own nature as a play, frequently
drawing links between Prospero's "art" and theatrical illusion, and
early critics saw Prospero as a representation of Shakespeare, and his
renunciation of magic as signalling Shakespeare's farewell to the stage.
The play portrays Prospero as a rational, and not an occultist, magician by providing a contrast to him in Sycorax:
her magic is frequently described as destructive and terrible, where
Prospero's is said to be wondrous and beautiful. Beginning in about
1950, with the publication of Psychology of Colonization by Octave Mannoni, The Tempest was viewed more and more through the lens of postcolonial theory—exemplified in adaptations like Aimé Césaire's Une Tempête set in Haiti—and there is even a scholarly journal on post-colonial criticism named after Caliban.
The Tempest did not attract a significant amount of attention before the ban on the performance of plays in 1642, and only attained popularity after the Restoration,
and then only in adapted versions. In the mid-19th century, theatre
productions began to reinstate the original Shakespearean text, and in
the 20th century, critics and scholars undertook a significant
re-appraisal of the play's value, to the extent that it is now
considered to be one of Shakespeare's greatest works. It has been
adapted numerous times in a variety of styles and formats: in music, at
least 46 operas by composers; orchestral works by Tchaikovsky; and songs; in literature, Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem With a Guitar, To Jane; in paintings; and on screen, inclujding Julie Taymor's 2010 film version which changed Prospero to Prospera (as played by Helen Mirren), and Des McAnuff's 2010 Stratford Shakespeare Festival production which starred Christopher Plummer.
Synopsis:
The magician, Prospero, rightful Duke of Milan, and his daughter, Miranda, have been stranded for twelve years on an island after Prospero's jealous brother Antonio (aided by Alonso, the King of Naples)
deposed him and set him adrift with the 3-year-old Miranda. Gonzalo,
Alonso's counselor, had secretly supplied their boat with some food,
fresh water, "rich garments, linens, stuffs and necessaries", and
"volumes" (books) that Prospero prizes. Possessing magic powers due to
his great learning, Prospero is reluctantly served by a spirit, Ariel, whom Prospero had rescued from a tree in which he had been trapped by the cruel witch, Sycorax,
after he had refused to obey her. Prospero maintains Ariel's loyalty by
repeatedly promising to release the "airy spirit" from servitude.
Sycorax had been exiled from Algiers to the island for wreaking havoc
with her magic, and had died before Prospero's arrival and without
releasing Ariel. Sycorax' son, Caliban,
a deformed monster and the only non-spiritual inhabitant before the
arrival of Prospero, was initially adopted and raised by him. He taught
Prospero how to survive on the island, while Prospero and Miranda taught
Caliban religion and their own language. In slavery, Caliban has come
to view Prospero as a usurper and has grown to resent him and his
daughter. Prospero and Miranda in turn view Caliban with disappointment,
contempt and disgust. Prospero only performs one act of magic himself
directly on stage: he disarms Ferdinand, causing his nerves to become
"in their infancy again". The rest of his magic is through controlling
spirits (or mentioned as happening previously), which is how magicians
of the time were believed to operate.
Prospero, having divined that his brother Antonio is on a nearby
ship, has raised a tempest that causes the passengers to believe they
are shipwrecked and marooned. Also on the ship are Antonio's friend and
fellow conspirator, King Alonso of Naples, Alonso's brother and son
(Sebastian and Ferdinand, respectively) and Alonso's "trusted
counselor", Gonzalo. All these passengers are returning from the wedding
of Alonso's daughter Claribel and the King of Tunis.
Prospero contrives to separate the shipwreck survivors into several
groups by his spells, and so Alonso and Ferdinand are separated, each
believing the other to be dead.
Three plots then alternate through the play. In one, Caliban falls in with Stephano
and Trinculo, two drunkards, believing Stephano to be a "brave god" who
"bears celestial liquor". They attempt to raise a coup against
Prospero, which ultimately fails. In another, Prospero works to
encourage a romantic relationship between Ferdinand and Miranda; the two
fall immediately in love, but Prospero worries that "too light winning
[may] make the prize light", and compels Ferdinand to become his
servant, pretending that he regards him as a spy. In the third subplot,
Antonio and Sebastian conspire to kill Alonso and Gonzalo so that
Sebastian can become King. Ariel thwarts them, at Prospero's command.
Ariel appears to the "three men of sin" (Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian)
as a harpy,
reprimanding them for their betrayal of Prospero. Prospero, who has
witnessed this, leaves to visit Ferdinand and Miranda. The three guilty
nobles run off, distracted and in a frenzy, and Gonzalo and the
attendant lords chase after to prevent them from doing "what this
ecstasy may now provoke them to".
Prospero then explains that he tested Ferdinand, and betroths a
willing Miranda to him. He then asks Ariel to bring some other spirits
and create a masque to entertain the young couple. These spirits present
a blessing by Iris, Ceres, and Juno, followed by dancing. Prospero
suddenly remembers the plot against his life, dismisses the spirits and
Miranda and Ferdinand, and sets a trap for Caliban, Trinculo, and
Stephano. They are chased offstage by goblins in the shape of hounds.
Prospero, all his enemies in his power, discovers that Ariel would
pity them if he were "human", and decides to forgive the people who
tried to kill him. He tells Ariel to fetch the nobles while he breaks
his charms.
In the conclusion, all the main characters are brought together
before Prospero, who forgives Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian. Ariel is
charged to prepare the proper sailing weather to guide the King's ship
back to the Royal fleet and then to Naples, where Ferdinand and Miranda
will be married. After discharging this task, Ariel will finally be
free. Prospero pardons Caliban, who is sent to prepare Prospero's cell,
to which Alonso and his party are invited for a final night before their
departure. (It is however not made clear whether, after their
departure, Caliban will remain on the island or whether he will be taken
to Naples). Prospero indicates that he intends to entertain them with
the story of his life on the island. Prospero has resolved to break and
bury his magic staff, and "drown" his book of magic, and in his
epilogue, shorn of his magic powers, he invites the audience to set him
free from the island with their applause.
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
Extreme Shakespeare: A play rehearsed the way
Shakespeare’s company would have. Actors arrive with their lines
learned, rehearse on their own, wear what they can find, and open in a
matter of days. No director, no designers. Just great actors, a dynamic
play, and pure adrenaline, spontaneity and creativity.
King John, a history play by William Shakespeare, dramatises the reign of John, King of England (ruled 1199–1216), son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine and father of Henry III of England. It is believed to have been written in the mid-1590s but was not published until it appeared in the First Folio in 1623.
Synopsis:
King John receives an ambassador from France, who demands, on pain of
war, that he renounce his throne in favour of his nephew, Arthur, whom
the French King, Philip, believes to be the rightful heir to the throne.
John adjudicates an inheritance dispute between Robert Faulconbridge
and his older brother Philip the Bastard, during which it becomes
apparent that Philip is the illegitimate son of King Richard I. Queen
Eleanor, mother to both Richard and John, recognises the family
resemblance and suggests that he renounce his claim to the Falconbridge
land in exchange for a knighthood. John knights the Bastard under the
name Richard.
In France, King Philip and his forces besiege the English-ruled town
of Angiers, threatening attack unless its citizens support Arthur.
Philip is supported by Austria, who is believed to have killed King
Richard. The English contingent arrives; Eleanor trades insults with
Constance, Arthur's mother. Kings Philip and John stake their claims in
front of Angiers' citizens, but to no avail: their representative says
that they will support the rightful king, whoever that turns out to be.
The French and English armies clash, but no clear victor emerges.
Each army dispatches a herald claiming victory, but Angiers' citizens
continue to refuse to recognize either claimant because neither army has
proven victorious.
The Bastard proposes that England and France unite to punish the
rebellious citizens of Angiers, at which point they propose an
alternative: Philip's son, Louis the Dauphin, should marry John's niece
Blanche, a scheme that gives John a stronger claim to the throne, while
Louis gains territory for France. Though a furious Constance accuses
Philip of abandoning Arthur, Louis and Blanche are married.
Cardinal Pandolf arrives from Rome bearing a formal accusation that
John has disobeyed the pope and appointed an archbishop contrary to his
desires. John refuses to recant, whereupon he is excommunicated. Pandolf
pledges his support for Louis, though Philip is hesitant, having just
established family ties with John. Pandolf brings him round by pointing
out that his links to the church are older and firmer.
War breaks out; Austria is beheaded by the Bastard in revenge for his
father's death; and both Angiers and Arthur are captured by the
English. Eleanor is left in charge of English possessions in France,
while the Bastard is sent to collect funds from English monasteries.
John orders Hubert to kill Arthur. Pandolf suggests to Louis that he now
has as strong a claim to the English throne as Arthur (and indeed
John), and Louis agrees to invade England.
Hubert finds himself unable to kill Arthur. John's nobles urge
Arthur's release. John agrees, but is wrong-footed by Hubert's
announcement that Arthur is dead. The nobles, believing he was murdered,
defect to Louis' side. The Bastard reports that the monasteries are
unhappy about John's attempt to seize their gold. Hubert has a furious
argument with John, during which he reveals that Arthur is still alive.
John, delighted, sends him to report the news to the nobles.
Arthur dies jumping from a castle wall. (It is open to interpretation
whether he deliberately kills himself or just makes a risky escape
attempt.) The nobles believe he was murdered by John, and refuse to
believe Hubert's entreaties. John attempts to make a deal with Pandolf,
swearing allegiance to the Pope in exchange for Pandolf's negotiating
with the French on his behalf. John orders the Bastard, one of his few
remaining loyal subjects, to lead the English army against France.
While John's former noblemen swear allegiance to Louis, Pandolf
explains John's scheme, but Louis refuses to be taken in by it. The
Bastard arrives with the English army and threatens Louis, but to no
avail. War breaks out with substantial losses on each side, including
Louis' reinforcements, who are drowned during the sea crossing. Many
English nobles return to John's side after a dying French nobleman,
Melun, warns them that Louis plans to kill them after his victory.
John is poisoned by a disgruntled monk. His nobles gather around him
as he dies. The Bastard plans the final assault on Louis' forces, until
he is told that Pandolf has arrived with a peace treaty. The English
nobles swear allegiance to John's son Prince Henry, and the Bastard
reflects that this episode has taught that internal bickering could be
as perilous to England's fortunes as foreign invasion.
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
Pride and Prejudice is a novel by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The story charts the emotional development of the protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet,
who learns the error of making hasty judgements and comes to appreciate
the difference between the superficial and the essential. The comedy of
the writing lies in the depiction of manners, education, and marriage, and money in the British Regency.
Mr Bennet of the Longbourne estate has 5 daughters, but his property
is entailed meaning that none of the girls can inherit it. Having
married a woman who had no fortune, it is imperative that one of the
girls marries well in order to support the others on his death. However,
Jane Austen's opening line 'It is a truth universally acknowledged that
a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife'
is a sentence filled with irony and playfulness. The novel revolves
around the necessity of marrying for love, not simply for mercenary
reasons despite the social pressures to make a good (i.e) wealthy match.
Pride and Prejudice retains the fascination of modern readers, consistently appearing near the top of lists of "most-loved books" among both literary scholars and the general public. It has become one of the most popular novels in English literature, with over 20 million copies sold, and paved the way for many archetypes that abound in modern literature. Continuing
interest in the book has resulted in a number of dramatic adaptations
and an abundance of novels and stories imitating Austen's memorable
characters or themes.
The Bennet Family consist of five daughters. The elder of the girls
Jane and Elizabeth are intelligent, rational young women; The younger
daughters Mary, Kitty and Lydia are thoughtless and silly. Mr Bennet
himself is an aloof father watching rather than guiding his daughters,
Mrs Bennet is as foolish as her younger children.
The novel opens with Mrs Bennet trying to persuade Mr Bennet to visit
an eligible batchelor Mr Bingley who has arrived in the neighbourhood.
After some verbal sparring with Mr Bennet baiting his wife it transpires
that this visit has taken place. The visit is proceeded by an
invitation to a ball at Netherfield (Mr Bingley's rented house).
At the ball Mr Bingley is open and cheerful, popular with all the
guests and appears very attracted to the beautiful Miss Bennet. His
friend, Mr Darcy,
is reputed to be twice as wealthy, however is haughty and aloof. He
declines to dance with Elizabeth suggesting that she is not pretty
enough to tempt him. She finds this amusing and jokes about the statement with her friends.
Miss Jane Bennet also attracts the attention of Mr Bingley's sister
Caroline, who invites her to visit.
Jane visits Miss Bingley and is caught in a shower on the way
catching a serious cold. Elizabeth, out of genuine concern for her
sister's well being, visits her sister there. This is a chance to see
the Bingley family circle and is the point at which Darcy begins to see
the attraction of Elizabeth. The reader also becomes aware of Miss
Bingley's jealousy of Elizabeth.
Mr Collins, a cousin of Mr Bennett and heir to the Longbourn estate
visits the Bennett family. He is a pompous and obsequious clergyman
though because of his position as heir expects each of the Bennett girls
to wish to marry him. He does not propose to Jane because he is led to
believe that she is otherwise engaged however he does intend to propose
to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth and her family meet the dashing and charming Mr Wickham who
singles out Elizabeth and tells her a story of the hardship that Mr
Darcy has caused him by depriving him of the money promised to him by Mr
Darcy's late father. Elizabeth's dislike of Mr Darcy is confirmed.
At a ball at which Mr Wickham is not present Elizabeth dances with Mr
Darcy rather against her will. Other than Jane and Elizabeth all the
members of The Bennet family show their lack of decorum. Mrs Bennet
states loudly that she expects Jane and Bingley to become engaged and
each member of the family exposes the whole to ridicule.
The following morning Mr Collins proposes to Elizabeth: She in
sparkling terms rejects him to the fury of her mother and the relief of
her father. It is here that the reader sees that Elizabeth will not
conform to societies expectations. The news is received that the
Bingleys' are leaving for London, and that Mr Collin's has proposed to
Charlotte Lucas a sensible lady and Elizabeth's friend. She is slightly
older and is grateful to receive a proposal that will guarantee her a
home. Elizabeth is aghast at such pragmatism in matters of love.
Jane goes to visit her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner at an unfashionable
address in London. Miss Bingley clearly does not want to continue the
friendship and Jane is upset though very composed.
In the spring, Elizabeth visits Charlotte and Mr Collins in Kent.
Elizabeth and her hosts are frequently invited to Rosings Park, the
imposing home of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Lady Catherine is Mr Darcy's
aunt and extremely wealthy. She expects Mr Darcy to marry her daughter.
Mr Darcy and his cousin Colonel FitzWilliam visit Lady Catherine.
Colonel FitzWilliam tells Elizabeth how Mr Darcy managed to save a
friend from a bad match by convincing the friend of the lady's
indifference. Elizabeth is horrified at Darcy's involvement in an affair
which has caused her sister so much pain. Mr Darcy, however has fallen
in love with Elizabeth and proposes to her. She rejects him in a
dazzling display of independence. She states that she could not love a
man who has caused her sister such unhappiness, and also accuses him of
treating Mr Wickham unjustly and almost ruining him. Mr Darcy accuses
her family of wanting propriety and suggests he has been kinder to
Bingley than himself. Both are furious and they part barely speaking.
The following morning Mr Darcy gives Elizabeth a letter that explains
that his treatment of Mr Wickham was caused by the fact that Mr Wickham
after wasting all the money that he inherited from Darcy's father, who
was Wickham's godfather, tried to extort extra money with threats and
then trying to elope with Darcy's 16 year old sister Georgiana. He also
claimed that he believed that Miss Bennett did not love Mr Bingley.
Elizabeth begins to rejudge Mr Darcy on a clearer basis.
Some months later, Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle Gardiner visit Mr
Darcy's estate in Derbyshire, Pemberly. While there Elizabeth hears an
account of him from the housekeeper as being kind and generous. She
looks at his portrait and is struck with how kind he looks. When Mr
Darcy returns unexpectedly he is overwhelmingly kind and civil and
invites Elizabeth and the Gardiner's to meet his sister and go shooting.
Elizabeth is surpised and delighted by the kindness to herself and her
aunt. However she suddenly has very shocking and distressing news from
Longbourne. Her sister Lydia has eloped with Mr Wickham. She tells Mr
Darcy immediately and departs in haste believing she will never see him
again as Lydia's disgrace would ruin the family's good name.
After an agonizing wait Mr Wickham is persuaded to marry Lydia with
only the payment of debts required. With some degree of decency restored
Lydia visits Elizabeth and tells her that Mr Darcy was at the wedding.
Mrs Gardiner informs Elizabeth that it is Mr Darcy who has made the
match and hints that he may have a motive for doing so.
Lady Catherine visits Elizabeth under the impression that she is
going to marry Mr Darcy, Elizabeth refuses to deny this claim and Lady
Catherine leaves outraged by her perceived insolence.
At this point Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy return to Netherfield. Bingley
proposes to Jane and is accepted much to the delight of all. Darcy and
Elizabeth go for a walk together and at this point Elizabeth thanks him
for all he has done for her family. Darcy replies that he thought only
of her. In the course of this walk they become engaged.
Elizabeth then has to convince her father that she is not marrying
for money. He is very concerned and it is only after she speaks about Mr
Darcy's true worth that he is happy about the wedding.
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
Shakespeare Untamed! For the first time ever at PSF: a play by
Shakespeare rehearsed by methods akin to those in Shakespeare's time.
Actors arrive with their lines learned, rehearse on their own, wear what
they can find, and open in a matter of days. No director, no designers.
Just great actors, a lyrical and romantic play, and pure adrenaline and
spontaneity. Two nobles - cousins who are best friends - fall in love
with the same beautiful woman, leading to unexpected twists of fate.
The Two Noble Kinsmen is a Jacobean tragicomedy, first published in 1634 and attributed to John Fletcher and William Shakespeare. Its plot derives from "The Knight's Tale" in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, which had already been dramatised at least twice before.
Formerly a point of controversy, the dual attribution is now generally accepted by the scholarly consensus.
A prologue informs the audience that the play is based on a story from Chaucer.
Three queens come to plead with Theseus and Hippolyta, rulers of Athens, to avenge the deaths of their husbands by the hand of the tyrant Creon of Thebes. Creon has killed the three kings and refuses to allow them proper burial. Theseus agrees to wage war on Creon.
In Thebes, Palamon and Arcite, cousins and close friends, are bound
by duty to fight for Creon, though they are appalled by his tyranny. In a
hard-fought battle Palamon and Arcite enact prodigies of courage, but
the Thebans are defeated by Theseus. Palamon and Arcite are imprisoned,
but philosophically resign themselves to their fate. Their stoicism is
instantly destroyed when from their prison window they see the Athenian
princess Emilia. Both fall in love with her, and their friendship turns
to bitter rivalry. Arcite is released after a relative intercedes on his
behalf. He is banished from Athens, but he disguises himself, wins a
local wrestling match, and is appointed as Emilia's bodyguard.
Meanwhile, the jailer's daughter has fallen in love with Palamon and
helps him escape. She follows him, but he ignores her: still obsessed
with Emilia. He lives in the forest half-starved, where he meets Arcite.
The two argue, but Arcite offers to bring Palamon food, drink and
armaments so that they can meet in an equal fight over Emilia.
The jailer's daughter, forsaken, has gone mad. She sings and babbles
in the forest. She meets a troupe of local countrymen who want to
perform a Morris dance
before the king and queen. Local schoolmaster Gerald invites the mad
daughter to join the performance. Theseus and Hippolyta appear, hunting.
Gerald hails them, and they agree to watch the yokels perform a bizarre
act for them, with the jailer's mad daughter dancing. The royal couple
reward them.
Arcite returns with the food and weapons. After a convivial dinner
with reminiscences, the two fight. Theseus and his entourage arrive on
the scene. He orders that Palamon and Arcite be arrested and executed.
Hippolyta and Emilia intervene, and so Theseus agrees to a public
tournament between the two for Emilia's hand. Each warrior will be
allowed three companions to assist them. The loser and his companion
knights will be executed.
The jailer finds his daughter with the help of friends. He tries to
restore her mental health. On the advice of a doctor, he encourages her
former suitor to pretend to be Palamon so that she will be gradually
accustomed to see him as her true love. His devotion slowly wins her
over.
Before the tournament, Arcite prays to Mars that he win the battle;
Palamon prays to Venus that he marry Emilia; Emilia prays to Diana that
she be wed to the one who loves her best. Each prayer is granted: Arcite
wins the combat, but is then thrown from his horse and dies, leaving
Palamon to wed Emilia.
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
The Comedy of Errors is one of the William Shakespeare's early plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play. The Comedy of Errors (along with The Tempest) is one of only two of Shakespeare's plays to observe the Unity of Time (classical unities). It has been adapted for opera, stage, screen and musical theatre.
The Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical
twins that were accidentally separated at birth (Shakespeare was father
to one pair of twins). Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio of Syracuse, arrive in Ephesus,
which turns out to be the home of their twin brothers, Antipholus of
Ephesus and his servant, Dromio of Ephesus. When the Syracusans
encounter the friends and families of their twins, a series of wild
mishaps based on mistaken identities lead to wrongful beatings, a near-seduction, the arrest of Antipholus of Ephesus, and false accusations of infidelity, theft, madness, and demonic possession.
Because the law forbids merchants from Syracuse to enter Ephesus,
elderly Syracusian trader Egeon faces execution when he is discovered in
the city. He can only escape by paying a fine of a thousand marks. He
tells his sad story to Solinus, Duke of Ephesus. In his youth, Egeon
married and had twin sons. On the same day, a poor woman without a job
also gave birth to twin boys, and he purchased these as slaves to his
sons. Soon afterwards, the family made a sea voyage, and was hit by a
tempest. Egeon lashed himself to the main-mast with one son and one
slave, while his wife was rescued by one boat, Egeon by another. Egeon
never again saw his wife, or the children with her. Recently, his son
Antipholus of Syracuse, now grown, and his son’s slave Dromio of
Syracuse, left Syracuse on a quest to find their brothers. When
Antipholus of Syracuse did not return, Egeon set out in search of him.
The Duke is moved by this story, and grants Egeon one day to pay his fine.
That same day, Antipholus of Syracuse arrives in Ephesus, searching
for his brother. He sends Dromio of Syracuse to deposit some money at The Centaur,
an inn. He is confounded when the identical Dromio of Ephesus appears
almost immediately, denying any knowledge of the money and asking him
home to dinner, where his wife is waiting. Antipholus, thinking his
servant is making insubordinate jokes, beats Dromio of Ephesus.
Dromio of Ephesus returns to his mistress, Adriana, saying that her
"husband" refused to come back to his house, and even pretended not to
know her. Adriana, concerned that her husband's eye is straying, takes
this news as confirmation of her suspicions.
Antipholus of Syracuse, who complains "I could not speak with Dromio
since at first I sent him from the mart," meets up with Dromio of
Syracuse who now denies making a "joke" about Antipholus having a wife.
Antipholus begins beating him. Suddenly, Adriana rushes up to Antipholus
of Syracuse and begs him not to leave her. The Syracusans cannot but
attribute these strange events to witchcraft, remarking that Ephesus is
known as a warren for witches. Antipholus and Dromio go off with this
strange woman, the one to eat dinner and the other to keep the gate.
Antipholus of Ephesus returns home for dinner and is enraged to find
that he is rudely refused entry to his own house by Dromio of Syracuse,
who is keeping the gate. He is ready to break down the door, but his
friends persuade him not to make a scene. He decides, instead, to dine
with a courtesan.
Inside the house, Antipholus of Syracuse discovers that he is very
attracted to his "wife's" sister, Luciana of Smyrna, telling her "train
me not, sweet mermaid, with thy note / To drown me in thy sister's flood
of tears." She is flattered by his attentions, but worried about their
moral implications. After she exits, Dromio of Syracuse announces that
he has discovered that he has a wife: Nell, a hideous kitchen-maid. He
describes her as "spherical, like a globe; I could find out countries in
her". Antipholus jokingly asks him to identify the countries, leading
to a witty exchange in which parts of her body are identified with
nations. Ireland is her buttocks: "I found it out by the bogs". He
claims he has discovered America and the Indies "upon her nose all o'er
embellished with rubies, carbuncles, sapphires, declining their rich
aspect to the hot breath of Spain; who sent whole armadoes of caracks to
be ballast at her nose." (This is one of Shakespeare's few references
to America.) The Syracusans decide to leave as soon as possible, and
Dromio runs off to make travel plans. Antipholus of Syracuse is
apprehended by Angelo of Ephesus, a goldsmith, who claims that he
ordered a chain from him. Antipholus is forced to accept the chain, and
Angelo says that he will return for payment.
Antipholus of Ephesus dispatches Dromio of Ephesus to purchase a rope
so that he can beat his wife Adriana for locking him out, then is
accosted by Angelo, who tells him "I thought to have ta'en you at the
Porpentine" and asks to be reimbursed for the chain. He denies ever
seeing it, and is promptly arrested. As he is being led away, Dromio of
Syracuse arrives, whereupon Antipholus dispatches him back to Adriana's
house to get money for his bail.
After completing this errand, Dromio of Syracuse mistakenly delivers
the money to Antipholus of Syracuse. The Courtesan spies Antipholus
wearing the gold chain, and says he promised it to her. The Syracusans
deny this, and flee. The Courtesan resolves to tell Adriana that her
husband is insane. Dromio of Ephesus returns to the arrested Antipholus
of Ephesus, with the rope. Antipholus is infuriated. Adriana, Luciana
and the Courtesan enter with a conjurer named Pinch, who tries to
exorcise the Ephesians, who are bound and taken to Adriana's house. The
Syracusans enter, carrying swords, and everybody runs off for fear:
believing that they are the Ephesians, out for vengeance after somehow
escaping their bonds. Adriana reappears with henchmen, who attempt to
bind the Syracusans. They take sanctuary in a nearby priory, where the
Abbess resolutely protects them.
Suddenly, the Abbess enters with the Syracusan twins, and everyone
begins to understand the confused events of the day. Not only are the
two sets of twins reunited, but the Abbess reveals that she is Egeon's
wife, Emilia of Babylon. The Duke pardons Egeon. All exit into the abbey
to celebrate the reunification of the family.
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
The Merry Wives of Windsor is a comedy by William Shakespeare,
first published in 1602, though believed to have been written prior to
1597. The Windsor of the play's title is a reference to Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England, and though nominally set in the reign of Henry IV, the play makes no pretence to exist outside contemporary Elizabethan era English middle class life. It features the character Sir John Falstaff, the fat knight who had previously been featured in Henry IV Parts 1 and 2. It has been adapted for the opera on several occasions.
The play is nominally set in the early 15th century, during the same period as the Henry IV
plays featuring Falstaff, but there is only one brief reference to this
period, a line in which the character Fenton is said to have been one
of Prince Hal's rowdy friends (he "kept company with the wild prince and
Poins"). In all other respects, the play implies a contemporary setting
of the Elizabethan era, c. 1600.
Falstaff arrives in Windsor very short on money. He decides, to
obtain financial advantage, that he will court two wealthy married
women, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page. Falstaff decides to send the
women identical love letters and asks his servants – Pistol and Nym – to
deliver them to the wives. When they refuse, Falstaff sacks them, and,
in revenge, the men tell Ford and Page (the husbands) of Falstaff's
intentions. Page is not concerned, but the jealous Ford persuades the
Host of the Garter Inn to introduce him to Falstaff as a 'Master Brook'
so that he can find out Falstaff's plans.
Meanwhile, three different men are trying to win the hand of Page's
daughter, Anne Page. Mistress Page would like her daughter to marry
Doctor Caius, a French physician, whereas the girl's father would like
her to marry Master Slender. Anne herself is in love with Master Fenton,
but Page had previously rejected Fenton as a suitor due to his having
squandered his considerable fortune on high-class living. Hugh Evans, a
Welsh parson,
tries to enlist the help of Mistress Quickly (servant to Doctor Caius)
in wooing Anne for Slender, but the doctor discovers this and challenges
Evans to a duel. The Host of the Garter Inn prevents this duel by
telling both men a different meeting place, causing much amusement for
himself, Justice Shallow, Page and others. Evans and Caius decide to
work together to be revenged on the Host.
When the women receive the letters, each goes to tell the other, and
they quickly find that the letters are almost identical. The "merry
wives" are not interested in the ageing, overweight Falstaff as a
suitor; however, for the sake of their own amusement and to gain revenge
for his indecent assumptions towards them both, they pretend to respond
to his advances.
This all results in great embarrassment for Falstaff. Mr. Ford poses
as 'Mr. Brook' and says he is in love with Mistress Ford but cannot woo
her as she is too virtuous. He offers to pay Falstaff to court her,
saying that once she has lost her honour he will be able to tempt her
himself. Falstaff cannot believe his luck, and tells 'Brook' he has
already arranged to meet Mistress Ford while her husband is out.
Falstaff leaves to keep his appointment and Ford soliloquises that he is
right to suspect his wife and that the trusting Page is a fool.
When Falstaff arrives to meet Mistress Ford, the merry wives trick
him into hiding in a laundry basket ("buck basket") full of filthy,
smelly clothes awaiting laundering. When the jealous Ford returns to try
and catch his wife with the knight, the wives have the basket taken
away and the contents (including Falstaff) dumped into the river.
Although this affects Falstaff's pride, his ego is surprisingly
resilient. He is convinced that the wives are just "playing hard to get"
with him, so he continues his pursuit of sexual advancement, with its
attendant capital and opportunities for blackmail.
Again Falstaff goes to meet the women but Mistress Page comes back
and warns Mistress Ford of her husband's approach again. They try to
think of ways to hide him other than the laundry basket which he refuses
to get into again. They trick him again, this time into disguising
himself as Mistress Ford's maid's obese aunt, known as "the fat woman of
Brentford". Ford tries once again to catch his wife with the knight but
ends up beating the "old woman", whom he despises, and throwing her out
of his house. Black and blue, Falstaff laments his bad luck.
Eventually the wives tell their husbands about the series of jokes
they have played on Falstaff, and together they devise one last trick
which ends up with the Knight being humiliated in front of the whole
town. They tell Falstaff to dress as "Herne, the Hunter" and meet them by an old oak tree in Windsor Forest (now part of Windsor Great Park). They then dress several of the local children, including Anne and William Page, as fairies
and get them to pinch and burn Falstaff to punish him. Page plots to
dress Anne in white and tells Slender to steal her away and marry her
during the revels. Mistress Page and Doctor Caius arrange to do the
same, but they arrange Anne shall be dressed in green. Anne tells Fenton
this, and he and the Host arrange for Anne and Fenton to be married
instead.
The wives meet Falstaff, and almost immediately the "fairies" attack.
Slender, Caius, and Fenton steal away their brides-to-be during the
chaos, and the rest of the characters reveal their true identities to
Falstaff.
Although he is embarrassed, Falstaff takes the joke surprisingly
well, as he sees it was what he deserved. Ford says he must pay back the
20 pounds 'Brook' gave him and takes the Knight's horses as recompense.
Slender suddenly appears and says he has been deceived – the 'girl' he
took away to marry was not Anne but a young boy. Caius arrives with
similar news – however, he has actually married his boy! Fenton and Anne
arrive and admit that they love each other and have been married.
Fenton chides the parents for trying to force Anne to marry men she did
not love and the parents accept the marriage and congratulate the young
pair. Eventually they all leave together and Mistress Page even invites
Falstaff to come with them: "let us every one go home, and laugh this
sport o'er by a country fire; Sir John and all".
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart.
Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus (251–183 BC), specifically Pseudolus, Miles Gloriosus, and Mostellaria, the musical tells the bawdy story of a slave
named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by helping his
young master woo the girl next door. The plot displays many classic
elements of farce, including puns, the slamming of doors, cases of mistaken identity
(frequently involving characters disguising themselves as one another),
and satirical comments on social class. The title derives from a line
often used by vaudeville comedians to begin a story: "A funny thing happened on the way to the theater".
The musical's original 1962 Broadway run won several Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Author (Musical). A Funny Thing has enjoyed several Broadway and West End revivals and was made into a successful film starring the original lead of the musical, Zero Mostel.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum opened on Broadway on May 8, 1962, at the Alvin Theatre, and then transferred to the Mark Hellinger Theatre and the Majestic Theatre, where the show closed on August 29, 1964, after 964 performances and 8 previews.
The show's creators originally wanted Phil Silvers in the lead role of Pseudolus,
but he turned them down, allegedly because he would have to perform
onstage without his glasses, and his vision was so poor that he feared
tripping into the orchestra pit. He is also quoted as turning down the
role for being "Sgt. Bilko
in a toga". (Silvers eventually played the role — wearing his glasses —
in a 1972 revival. In the film, he played Marcus Lycus.) Milton Berle also passed on the role. Eventually, Zero Mostel was cast.
During the out of town pre-Broadway tryouts the show was attracting little business and not playing well. Jerome Robbins
was called in to give advice and make changes. The biggest change
Robbins made was a new opening number to replace "Love Is in the Air"
and introduce the show as a bawdy, wild comedy. Stephen Sondheim wrote
the song "Comedy Tonight" for this new opening. From that point on, the show was a success.
It was directed by George Abbott and produced by Hal Prince, with choreography by Jack Cole and uncredited staging and choreography by Robbins. The scenic and costume design was by Tony Walton. This wardrobe is on display at the Costume World Broadway Collection in Pompano Beach, Florida. The lighting design was by Jean Rosenthal. Along with Mostel, the musical featured a cast of seasoned performers, including Jack Gilford (Mostel's friend and fellow blacklist member), David Burns, John Carradine, Ruth Kobart, and Raymond Walburn. The young lovers were played by Brian Davies and Preshy Marker. Karen Black, originally cast as the ingenue, was replaced out of town.
The show won several Tony Awards:
Best Musical, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor (Burns), Best Book, and
Best Director. The score, however, was coolly received; it was
Sondheim's first musical on Broadway in which he wrote both the music
and lyrics, and did not earn a nomination for Best Original Score.
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
