Smithsonian Associates "Shakespeare 450" Blog Coverage
Download as DOCX, PDF0 likes146 views
The lecture "Shakespeare 450: A Standing Ovation" highlighted how Syrian children in a war camp engaged with Shakespeare's plays to cope with their struggles and foster hope for the future, under the guidance of a Syrian actor, Nawwar Bulbul. The discussion also explored the enduring relevance of Shakespeare's themes of loss, power, and humanity, linking his work to the children’s emotional experiences. Moreover, it examined historical contexts and Shakespeare's innovations in theater, demonstrating why his work remains celebrated 450 years later.
Smithsonian Associates "Shakespeare 450" Blog Coverage
- 1. A StandingOvationforShakespeare In myprevious blogpostonShakespeare,Iwrote abouthow Shakespeare’stimelessthemesare one of the many reasonsthathe isstill sobelovedafter450 years.Duringthe SmithsonianAssociates’lecture “Shakespeare 450: A StandingOvation,”onTuesdayevening, Carol AnnLloydStangerillustratedthis witha heartwarmingandbeautiful example. In a war camp in Syria,childrenandfamilieslive inacommunitymade of tentsanddirtroads.The childrendon’tattendschool;itisthe leastof theirconcerns.Syrianactor-turned-directorNawwar Bulbul wasnotokay withthe prospectof these childrenlosingvaluable timeintheirlivesforeducation and imagination.So,withthe helpof some of hisfriends,he created“Shakespeare’sTent.” Thisis a place where childrencancome to puton productionsof Shakespearewithone requirement: they have to promise Bulbul thatthey will returntoschool assoonas they can. Withthe promise made,the children settoworkto put ontheirproductionsof King Lear and Hamlet. Both are playsthat deal withthemesof loss,honesty,andpower.The mostimportantpartof these productionsforBulbul isthe line,“tobe or notto be,” fromHamlet. “Theyso craveda safe place totalk aboutlives,fears,theirsense of loss…andthatplace was Shakespeare,”Stangerexplained. The childrenperformed theirplaysinthe centerof the camp,on a stage thattook the formof a giant square drawnin the sand, withswordsmade of broomsand oldbrokenpipes.Theywore the clothes that theyhad onthat day. Familiesandfriendscame towatchthe performance andeventuallythey were invitedtoAmmantoperformforan evenlargercrowd. These children’sentire viewof themselveschanged.Theyhadthe confidence toperforminfrontof all of these people.Theyhadaway to cope withthe challengesthattheyfaced.Andtheywere shownthe endlesspossibilitiesthatare outthere.Asone girl commented, she could“be anactor, or a doctor,who knows?” Andas one childsaid, “I do notfeel lonelyanymore.” Withthisstory inmind,Stangerbeggedthe question:WhyShakespeare? Why dowe continue toreadthe worksof a man whowas born450 yearsago? Why didBulbul choose himas a pathfor these children’seducation? The firstanswerthat poppedintomyheadwas the themes.King Learand Hamlet are tragediesthat feature darkissues. The charactersface loss,the corruptionandchangingof power,andthe choice betweenwhatisrightandwhatis wrong.Thismay not directlyreflectthe livesof the readerorviewer (or actor, inthiscase),butthe emotionsandtribulationsbehindthe themesare universal,asare the waysin whichwe deal withthem. These childrenuseddarkplayswrittenover400 yearsago to cope withthe emotions theyfacedandthe violencearoundthem.
- 2. A StandingOvationforShakespeare Stangerhad a much longerlistof reasonsfor“Why Shakespeare?”whichshe callsherShakespeare Top 10. She usedthislistto not only shedlightonthe questionathand,but alsoto provide the audience witha lookinto the life andtimesof Shakespeare. Right Time: In England,duringShakespeare’slife,there were manychangesoccurring.Itwasa time for explorationintonewworlds,new sciences,andnew social structures.These new findingsand ideasneedednew language tocommunicate them,andShakespeare wasjustthe manfor the job.It was alsoa time whenthere wasa shiftfromtheater asa groupof travelingplayersto theaterasan establishedbuilding,or“the theater”aswe thinkof ittoday. Right Place: Shakespeare’sfatherheldmanycivicpositionsintheirtownof StratfordUponAvon. One of these positions,bailiff,requiredthathe approve all playsthatwere tobe puton for the people of the town. Players wouldcome tohishouse andperformjustfor him.Itisn’thard to imagine ayoungwide-eyedShakespeare sittingwithhisfatherwatchingthese playsandhavinghis interestforthe theaterheightened.Shakespeare wasanactor before he wasa playwright,anditis speculatedthathe mayhave joinedone of these travelinggroupsthatcame throughhistown. Royal Support: DuringShakespeare’stimeasan actor and a playwright,twomonarchsheldthe throne:QueenElizabethIandKingJamesI.Bothwere highlyfondof pageantry,celebration,and flamboyance, whichledtoaninterestinthe theater.There wasseriouscensorshipduringthistime and more oftenthannot,one wouldwrite theirplaystoplease the monarch. Stangermentioneda funstory: manylike tothinkQueenElizabethIlovedthe characterof Falstaff in Henry IV so much, that she askedShakespeare use himmore often.Fromthiscame The Merry Wives of Windsor, where Falstaff makesmore of anappearance. Social Changes:Social mobilitywasbecomingmore of a factorat the time.Shakespeare appliedto have a coat of arms made for hisfather,whichcanbe seenatthe FolgerShakespeare Library.The fact that a familywith aslittle political powerasShakespeare’swouldbe grantedacoat of arms was a reflectionof the times.More andmore people were applyingandbeinggrantedcoatsof arms duringhistime. Actor’s Eye: Asmentionedpreviously,Shakespeare wasanactorbefore he wasa playwright.He may have actedin some of hisownplays,and some scholarsthinkhe performedasthe Ghostof Hamletinhisproductionsof Hamlet. Playswere writtennottobe read,but to be watched,and Shakespeare’sexperienceasanactor gave himvaluable insightwhenhe transitionedtothe role of a playwright.He knewhowtowrite forthe actors, for the stage,andfor the audience. Comedies:Shakespeare’scomediesalmostalwaysfeaturethe promise of marriage,atrickor a prank,a worldthathas beenputback together, aknotthat has beenunknotted, andfamily.Some examplesare Much Ado AboutNothing,MidsummerNight’sDream,andTwelfth Night. Histories:The historyplays,whileoftendreadedthe mostbyschool children,are “endlessly adaptable”asStangersays. Theyfeature boththe pastand what is to come,politicsthenandnow, and questionwhoisandwhoshouldbe king.Inhishistoryplays, Shakespeare doesnothesitateto
- 3. A StandingOvationforShakespeare playaroundwithcharacters and plot,tomake it more entertaining,aslongas the historical outcome isthe same.Modern renditionsof the historyplayscanbe usedto reflectsentimentsat the time. Tragedies:Shakespeare’stragedieshave the abilitytobringusto the edge of our seat,to tears,and to cause us to thinkdeeplyaboutthe questionshe posesthroughhischaractersandtheiractions. There isalmostalwaysan endingwhere the worldisstill brokenandthe deathtoll ishigh.“It’sbeing catapultedtowardan outcome youcan't prevent,"Stangercomments,andIthinkthisiswhatkeeps us so intriguedandinterested.We sodesperatelywantRomeotowake upintime,or Othellotofind out the truth aboutDesdemona,butwe know withShakespeare’stragediesitisnotlikely. Timeless:If I have saidit once,I’ve saidita thousandtimes.Shakespeare’s themes, andevensome of hischaracters,are timeless.Thatiswhythe childreninSyriaperformedhisplaysandthatiswhy manypeople are gatheringthroughoutthe worldthisyeartocelebrate his450th birthday. Language: Stangerpointedoutto the audience that,because mostof Shakespeare’splayswere basedoff of existingnarratives,the theatergoersdidnotattendhisproductionsforthe plotorthe outcome,butinsteadtheymusthave gone tolistentothe beautiful languagethathe crafted.