So yesterday we went to the annual Shakespeare Festival, like we do almost every year when we come up to the lake (for the past few years). They were showing the Complete (Abridged) Works of William Shakespeare! If you're familiar with the Reduced Shakespeare Company (RSC), it's basically that. They even did the Othello Rap! It was a great show! But it ends on Sunday, so I can't really recommend to see it since it'll be too late... haha! Oops...
One of the books I'm working my way through this week/summer.
The Shakespeare Festival is great because it takes place right on the beach of the lake so you sit on beach chairs on the sand. And you can bring your own food and watch the sun set on over the lake before the show starts. It's one of my favorite parts about the annual family vacation to our cabin! And not just because I'm a big Shakespeare nerd... My siblings actually enjoy it too now!
We weren't allowed to take pictures of the actual production or film it in any way (really wished we could for some parts 'cause they were so good!), so I don't have any photos of that. Just of us hanging out before it started. My mum actually told us to quite down a couple times because we were having a bit too much fun... But in all seriousness. It was a great show and they even talked about the history and dynamics of Shakespeare and his plays in a funny and approachable way, which I think is really important for modern audiences. A lot of people find Shakespeare and other classic literature boring, and that's sad. My mum is always sure to get tickets for his comedies because it's lighter and easier to understand. And I was really kind of glad that most of the show last night focused on the tragedies. Those are actually my favorites of Shakespeare's works because they're interesting and dynamic - not boring at all if you can get past the confusing language (which is really the hardest part for people).
And I'm very glad that this festival can take place every year. It makes Shakespeare available for the public. It's much easier to understand his plays when you watch them as they're meant to be, with actors on a stage, not in a book. (Shakespeare never even intended for his plays to be written out and it never happened until after his death.) And ever year that we've gone they always do a really great job! So as long as we come up here to the lake, we'll try to make it to the Shakespeare Festival, not just because it's important to support programs like it, but also because it's just so darn entertaining!
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