Reviews and Blog Posts: Shakespeare

In Praise of Beards

Submitted by Bobby on February 9, 2012 - 6:51pm
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Leo Tolstoy

Although it may not go down in the annals of history, February 3rd, 2012, marked a momentous occasion. After 60 years of being banned, Disney Parks "cast members" aka face-to-face employees may now sport a beard.

The change in policy allows neatly trimmed beards up to a quarter inch in length which doesn't mean they'll be joining the ranks of the seven dwarfs anytime soon but it is the biggest step against facial hair oppression since employees were allowed mustaches in 2000.

What If Shakespeare Wasn't Really Shakespeare?

Submitted by Tammi on November 3, 2011 - 11:41am
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Possible portrait of William Shakespeare

What if William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon didn't actually write the plays and poems of "Shakespeare?" What if someone else secretly wrote them and Shakespeare was merely a front?

This is the plot of the new movie Anonymous, but the Shakespeare authorship question has been around for more than 200 years. The historical Shakespeare didn't leave much of a paper trail - and some people believe he lacked the education and experience to write such masterpieces of English literature as Hamlet and Macbeth.

Many different people have been proposed as the true author of his works - Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon, and even Queen Elizabeth herself!

Happy Birthday, William Shakespeare

Submitted by Tara on April 22, 2011 - 8:53am
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Mistress Shakespeare by Karen Harper

Why is April 23rd a memorable date for Shakespeare lovers? William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 and he died on April 23, 1616. Many novels have been written about his life, loves and family, with most drawing inspiration from the historical details that are known about this legendary playwright.

Fictional accounts of Shakespeare's Life:

Shakespeare's Comedies on Film

Submitted by Tara on August 5, 2010 - 10:14pm
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10 Things I Hate About You

Shakespeare's tragedies start with a wedding and end with a funeral, while his comedies start with a funeral and end in a wedding. As the Colorado Shakespeare Festival wraps up this weekend, let's end it on a happy note with these Shakespearean comedies made for the big screen.

  • 10 Things I Hate About You - Set in a Seattle high school, this adaptation of Taming of the Shrew was Heath Ledger's movie debut. Julia Stiles and Joseph Gordon-Levitt round out the merry cast.
  • As You Like It - Like many Shakespearean film adaptations, Kenneth Branagh is the director.

To Be or Not to Be: The Many Faces of Hamlet

Submitted by Tara on July 26, 2010 - 11:06pm
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Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, has had a wide variety of film interpretations created based on its tragic tale of betrayal, murder and madness. What is it about Hamlet that appeals to us so? How many famous actors who have portrayed Hamlet can you name? I've found eight that the library owns!

  • The Bad Sleep Well (1960) Akira Kurosawa's adaptation projects the familiar Shakespearean plot onto the complex world of Japanese corporate intrigue with legend Toshiro Mifune as the Hamlet-esque character.
  • Hamlet (2009) David Tennant shines in this BBC production filmed on location and starring the Royal Shakespeare Company.
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