30 Days of Shakespeare: Day 1 - Favourite Play

[Lorannah]

Ok, thought I would see if we can get some discussion going again on the board (sorry again for recent uslessness) and found a 30 days meme floating around the internet and was intrigued by what your answers might be. I probably won't post a question every day as I know I'll need time to think about my answers.


So first up:

Day #1 - What's your favourite play.

And why? As I'm curious.


I'll post my answer once I finish work tonight (and once I've decided what it is).


Here are the other 29 days, to let you know what's coming

Day #2: Your favourite character
Day #3: Your favorite hero
Day #4: Your favorite heroine
Day #5: Your favorite villain
Day #6: Your favorite villainess
Day #7: Your favorite clown
Day #8: Your favorite comedy
Day #9: Your favorite tragedy
Day #10: Your favorite history
Day #11: Your least favorite play
Day #12: Your favorite scene
Day #13: Your favorite romantic scene
Day #14: Your favorite fight scene
Day #15: The first play you read
Day #16: Your first play you saw
Day #17: Your favorite speech
Day #18: Your favorite dialogue
Day #19: Your favorite movie version of a play
Day #20: Your favorite movie adaptation of a play
Day #21: An overrated play
Day #22: An underrated play
Day #23: A role you've never played but would love to play
Day #24: An actor or actress you would love to see in a particular role
Day #25: Sooner or later, everyone has to choose: Hal or Falstaff?
Day #26: Your favorite couple
Day #27: Your favorite couplet
Day #28: Your favorite joke
Day #29: Your favorite sonnet
Day #30: Your favorite single line

[Lorannah]

After much careful consideration, I've decided that having a favourite Shakespeare play is like having a favourite Beatles song - not actually possible.

So, right now, my favourites are probably Henry IV parts 1 and 2 (which is already cheating because of there being two of them) - because of the excellent production at the Globe. And because of the range of delicious characters and the exploration of father/son relationships.

But generally I might say the Tempest, because it's the only play that makes me cry every time and contains one of my favourite speeches.

Or I might go for Midsummer Night's Dream or Macbeth, both of which I love and both of which I studied at school - which might tell you something.

So, yep, I refuse to choose.

[Rob]

I can't claim to have even seen all the big ones (though I've read or seen a film for most), but I can't imagine finding any that do more for me than the Henry IVs. It's the sheer scale and ambition of them, and how well they capture life in England at the time. Not that I have the faintest idea whether or not Shakespeare captured it accurately, but he certainly captured it convincingly.

And Falstaff might be the most British character ever written.

[Witch 1]

Falstaff is fun! ;D

I always hate picking favourites, I don't know why people are always so obessed about finding out what yout favourite XYZ is

I can contribute something to day 15 though ;D

[Rosalind]

I can't choose a favourite play, though Midsummer comes close seeing as that is the one I studied at school. I have favourite productions of plays more than the plays itself.

I loved the 2008 production of Midsummer. And I love the 2010 production of Romeo and Juliet---- something to do with a certain Mercutio I think!!

So a favourite play, no, impossible to choose.

[Lorannah]

I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling with the choice and don't worry Rob, I've not seen even half of them yet (I have a system of magnets on my fridge to let me know how many there are left to see) - plus I find it weird watching films before I've seen the play live so I've missed masses of the big films too. Though I picked up Laurence Olivier's Henry V yesterday, so who knows.

[Fluellen]

Hooray! The 30 days meme! I did this on LJ, but I shall do it here as well.

In light of the fact that favourite comedies, tragedies, and histories are covered on days 8 to 10, I'm going to interpret this question as "favourite play that does not fit under any of those three categories". Sooo The Winter's Tale! Easily! It's a funny play, with the jealousy that comes out of nowhere and the abrupt change in tone between Sicilia and Bohemia, but it's got a goddamned BEAR, it has some of my favourite Shakespeare characters EVER, and there is nothing that is not wonderful about that last scene. I adore it a whole bunch. :3

[Queen Mab]

Nov 27, 2010 9:02:55 GMT Rosalind said:

I loved the 2008 production of Midsummer. And I love the 2010 production of Romeo and Juliet---- something to do with a certain Mercutio I think!!

Fight you for him.

[Rosalind]

Dec 6, 2010 10:35:30 GMT Queen Mab said:

Nov 27, 2010 9:02:55 GMT Rosalind said:

I loved the 2008 production of Midsummer. And I love the 2010 production of Romeo and Juliet---- something to do with a certain Mercutio I think!!

Fight you for him.

LOL ;D