Author Archives: degnanh16

The Wheel of Fortune Where No One Wins

Posted on May 12, 2014 by degnanh16

Sam Mendes’ adaption of King Lear takes a fatalistic approach to the tale of a devolving king, lessening the burden of tragedy that accompanies the play. The absurdity of King Lear throughout the performance within his actions and responses to … Continue reading →

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The Groundling Experience

Posted on May 7, 2014 by degnanh16

With today’s performance of Titus Andronicus I decided to stand as a groundling against the stage at the absolute front of the theater. While I didn’t originally think that standing in this position would alter my perception of this performance … Continue reading →

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Am I Really a Foreigner?

Posted on May 7, 2014 by degnanh16

Travelling to England, I expected to feel like an outsider. I have no experience with the British culture and although no language barrier exists, they definitely have a different manner of speaking. I’ve heard “Cheers” more this trip than I … Continue reading →

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The Business of Murder: The Importance of the Human Life in Arden of Faversham

Posted on May 4, 2014 by degnanh16

In her production of Arden of Faversham, Polly Findlay modernizes the tale of the adulterous, murderous wife, placing it into a farcical society focused on class division and consumerism. A factory serves as the background for this adaptation, creating a … Continue reading →

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Overlooking the Possibility

Posted on May 1, 2014 by degnanh16

In all honesty, after reading Arden of Faversham I felt completely underwhelmed. Even though I liked the character Alice, I found the play rather dry and the plot kind of redundant. However, after viewing the performance yesterday I had a … Continue reading →

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You Really Want to See a Bookstore…

Posted on April 28, 2014 by degnanh16

As we walked around Oxford today, each member of our group mentioned the location that they wanted to visit the most. We used this to plan out our day and ensure that each of us made it to the attraction … Continue reading →

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The Best of Both Hals: Gregory Doran’s Interpretation of Prince Hal

Posted on April 28, 2014 by degnanh16

The shift from childish tavern boy to princely hero within the character of Prince Hal from Shakespeare’s King Henry IV I causes a major split in audiences’ perception of his persona. Hal can represent a cold and calculating Machiavelli archetype … Continue reading →

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A Stranger’s Perspective

Posted on April 24, 2014 by degnanh16

Today at Mary Arden’s Farm we saw a swordfight demonstration. I really enjoyed hearing about the different style of swords and techniques used during duels since I have absolutely no background knowledge on that subject. Relating the techniques to Romeo … Continue reading →

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Shakespeare’s Birthplace

Posted on April 22, 2014 by degnanh16

Today when we went to the Shakespeare Center Nick Walton talked to us about the newly remodeled exhibition at Shakespeare’s birthplace. He mentioned the challenge of constructing a presentation that fits the needs of all audience members and aids in … Continue reading →

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