It seems all aspects of my life as I begin to prepare for this trip come back around to Shakespeare. I just started working at the Huntington Theatre Company just a week ago and to my surprise, their first show is called "How Shakespeare Won the West". It's about a troupe of actors who travel to California in search of fortune, not from the gold rush, but from tickets bought by rich miners to see their productions.
Shakespeare impacted our lives more than we think about. Certainly more than just reading his works in high school English, we use words and phrases he invented almost daily. Every time you wait "with bated breath" or "break the ice" when meeting someone new, you have the Bard to thank. If someone's "dead as a doornail", they died in a manner thanks to Will. If you're "fancy free" in a "fool's paradise", and you find yourself "in a pickle", it's Shakespeare's fault. When you "lie low" and have "not slept one wink", "in one fell swoop" you can blame W.S. All this might make you "sick at heart" to realize, and you'll be "a sorry sight," but the "long and short of it" is "what's done is done" and this "wild goose chase" is all thanks to Shakespeare.
He also put some words into print for the first time, including the vulgar "puke" and made many words into new parts of speech, suck as taking "market" into the adjective "marketable."
Who knew?
Until next time, "parting is such sweet sorrow".
-Nat
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Stratford-Upon-Avon
The first leg of my trip will be spent staying in Stratford-Upon-Avon. From what I've read, it's very touristy and centered around a very specific part of its history. Like Salem, MA is obsessed with the witch trials, Stratford is crazy about Shakespeare.
If you're a subscriber to the camp that believes Shakespeare really wrote the works of Shakespeare (some people believe it was Edward de Vere, Duke of Oxford or Francis Bacon), his humble beginnings come as a surprise. He was the son of a glovemaker who probably attended The King's School, a local grammer
school for boys where he would have read the works of Plato, Homer, and other classic authors. It was his only education. He was married at 18 to Anne Hathaway, who was nearly twice his age. They had three kids, a girl and a set of twins. In Stratford, the home Anne lived in before her marriage is preserved (seen on the left).
The period between his marriage and his appearence in London's blossoming theatre scene is undocumented, but there is some suggestion he was banished from Stratford for deer poaching (huh?!) or that he moved to London for work.
He moved back and forth between London and Stratford during his life. He bought a home for his family in central Stratford. It's called New Place and its foundation and gardens are still in Stratford (the building was torn down in the 1800s). He moved home for the last years of his life and died in Stratford, where he's buried in the local church, Holy Trinity Church. Funny enough, he didn't get burial there because he was famous, but because of a share he bought in the Church. He was also baptised in the church and his wife and eldest daughter are buried beside him. His grave carries a curse against moving his bones (a common practice at the time to clear space for more recently disceased folks!) There was a memorial bust built of him at the site while Anne Hathaway was still alive, so it's thought to be an accurate image of him (not quite Joseph Fiennes in "Shakespeare in Love," sadly! haha).
Besides sites related to Shakespeare and the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford is home to a lovely river that is very popular. The River Avon is a popular place for boating and relaxing, and RSC's main theatre complex is located on its banks. The river is seen below, with Holy Trinity Church in the background.
Just one day less than a month until I leave now! How exciting! More fun facts and info about the area to come....
Best,
Nat
If you're a subscriber to the camp that believes Shakespeare really wrote the works of Shakespeare (some people believe it was Edward de Vere, Duke of Oxford or Francis Bacon), his humble beginnings come as a surprise. He was the son of a glovemaker who probably attended The King's School, a local grammer
school for boys where he would have read the works of Plato, Homer, and other classic authors. It was his only education. He was married at 18 to Anne Hathaway, who was nearly twice his age. They had three kids, a girl and a set of twins. In Stratford, the home Anne lived in before her marriage is preserved (seen on the left).The period between his marriage and his appearence in London's blossoming theatre scene is undocumented, but there is some suggestion he was banished from Stratford for deer poaching (huh?!) or that he moved to London for work.
He moved back and forth between London and Stratford during his life. He bought a home for his family in central Stratford. It's called New Place and its foundation and gardens are still in Stratford (the building was torn down in the 1800s). He moved home for the last years of his life and died in Stratford, where he's buried in the local church, Holy Trinity Church. Funny enough, he didn't get burial there because he was famous, but because of a share he bought in the Church. He was also baptised in the church and his wife and eldest daughter are buried beside him. His grave carries a curse against moving his bones (a common practice at the time to clear space for more recently disceased folks!) There was a memorial bust built of him at the site while Anne Hathaway was still alive, so it's thought to be an accurate image of him (not quite Joseph Fiennes in "Shakespeare in Love," sadly! haha).
Besides sites related to Shakespeare and the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford is home to a lovely river that is very popular. The River Avon is a popular place for boating and relaxing, and RSC's main theatre complex is located on its banks. The river is seen below, with Holy Trinity Church in the background.
Just one day less than a month until I leave now! How exciting! More fun facts and info about the area to come....
Best,
Nat
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Welcome to my blog
Hi all,
As most of you probably know, I'm headed to the UK in 1 month, 2 days (but who's counting?)
I created this blog as a place to record my travels in Stratford-Upon-Avon and London. I'm departing on September 19th from Boston and arriving at Heathrow at 6:50am, London time. From there, I take a train up to Stratford where I'll be spending two weeks as a trainee with the Royal Shakespeare Company in their Properties Workshop. I'm staying with one of the company members in a lovely brick townhouse, complete with resident dog. I'm sure I'll feel right at home!
After my time in Stratford is through, it's back on a train to London where I'll be spending an additional week with one of my best friends, Christine. I'll be doing all the regular sight-seeing things, attending at least one play, and soaking it all in. (And eating lots of yorkshire pudding).
So, bookmark this page and keep an eye out for updates as the departure date draws nearer, and I'll update as things progress.
Cheers!
-Nat
As most of you probably know, I'm headed to the UK in 1 month, 2 days (but who's counting?)
I created this blog as a place to record my travels in Stratford-Upon-Avon and London. I'm departing on September 19th from Boston and arriving at Heathrow at 6:50am, London time. From there, I take a train up to Stratford where I'll be spending two weeks as a trainee with the Royal Shakespeare Company in their Properties Workshop. I'm staying with one of the company members in a lovely brick townhouse, complete with resident dog. I'm sure I'll feel right at home!
After my time in Stratford is through, it's back on a train to London where I'll be spending an additional week with one of my best friends, Christine. I'll be doing all the regular sight-seeing things, attending at least one play, and soaking it all in. (And eating lots of yorkshire pudding).
So, bookmark this page and keep an eye out for updates as the departure date draws nearer, and I'll update as things progress.
Cheers!
-Nat
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