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Othello plot synopsis – Act One: Hate

Act One of The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice begins mid-conversation. On a Venetian street in the night, two men enter: one, we learn almost immediately is named Iago (his name is mentioned in the play’s second line), the other–at this point, unidentified–is not happy. Something has happened and Iago has known about it.

What has happened? We don’t know. Who is the second man? We don’t know.

Yet.

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Live Cinema Broadcast Review: The Winter’s Tale by the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company

Earlier this week, I had a chance to catch the cinema broadcast of the London production of The Winter’s Tale, from the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company, starring Kenneth Branagh, and directed by Rob Ashford and–you guessed it–Kenneth Branagh. I’m not sure if he took the tickets and showed the live audience to their seats or not.

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The Bill / Shakespeare Project presents: This Week in Shakespeare news, for the week ending Monday, November 30th, 2015

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This week’s Shakespeare news review includes some the RSC’s Dream 2016 project, infant mortality and parental grief in the new film of Macbeth, and statistical analysis of Shakespeare’s use of gender-specific language. PLUS our usual recap of this week’s daily highlights in Shakespearean history.

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Measure for Measure: wrap-up

So, put another play in the books: Measure for Measure is done. And though it means that I’m now three-quarters of my journey through the Canon, I’m sorry to see it go. I could have have probably gone another week or more on this play, just with topics off the top of my head (rhyme and meter in a weird speech by the ever-lovin’ fruke, a re-examination of the Bed Trick–comparing and contrasting it to the one in All’s Well That Ends Well–and the possible homosexuality of the duke, to name just three). And I’ve certainly enjoyed my two months in Vienna.

How much?

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Podcast 117: Measure for Measure: Concepts, casts, and a wrap-up

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This week’s podcast concludes our two month-long discussion of Measure for Measure with some directorial concepts and casts, a wrap-up and a look at its place within the Canon.

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Measure for Measure: midpoint, midpoint

Using Professor Rodes’ midpoint theory, let’s take a look at Measure for Measure.

There are 2594 lines in in the play, which means the midpoint is at line 1297, or at Act Three, Scene One, line 191. According to Dr. Rodes’ theory, you could find at this midpoint (or within twenty lines either way) a speech that perfectly sums up a major theme of the play. The 20-line leeway was to help remove the differences in prose line lengths between individual editions. Of course, with over 40% of this play in prose, we may need to expand that leeway.

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