REVIEW: "As You Like It" at the Stratford Festival

I've discovered that I'm pretty terrible at writing reviews because (a) I tend to like everything and (b) if I don't like something, I don't want to make anyone feel bad by saying so. Fortunately, I liked the Stratford Festival's latest production of As You Like It. 

In case you've never seen As You Like It before, here's what happens in it.

No, it doesn't really make a lot of sense. No, you shouldn't worry about it. Just enjoy. 

As You Like It is playing at the Stratford Festival until October 22. If you've ever wanted to be a tree in the forest of Arden, this is your big chance. 

Tweflth Night: Act 1, Scene 5 (part 1)

While Cesario (a.k.a. Viola) in changing into her travelling trousers, let's nip over to Olivia's household and meet the much-discussed countess herself! Oh, and her fool too. Because every Shakespeare comedy needs a fool, apparently.

 To be honest, I find Feste one of the most tolerable fools in Shakespeare. Most of his jokes are at least recognizably funny (that is, you recognize that they're supposed to be funny), plus he's got a core of morose cynicism that makes him a rather interesting character in his own right. 

Tune in again next week to see what happens when Cesario met Olivia! 

Dramatis Personae | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.5, part 1 

Twelfth Night: Act 1, Scene 4

Since we last saw Viola back in act 1, scene 2, she's had a haircut, found some clothes that look exactly like the clothes her drowned brother wore, adopted the name "Cesario", and has managed to inveigle her way into the inner circle of Duke Orsino. Whatever else she is, she's resourceful. 

As we move forward through Twelfth Night, here are some things to keep in mind:

  1. In Shakespeare's time, women weren't allowed to act on the stage, so all the female roles would have been played by boys. This makes everybody's total inability to realize that Cesario is actually a girl much more understandable.

  2. If you are going to see a production of Twelfth Night, please do not get hung up on how much Cesario does NOT look like a boy (unless you're seeing an all-male production). It's called "willing suspension of disbelief".

  3. Having said that, please do feel free to laugh at how totally clueless everybody is about Cesario's true gender identity. No one in Illyria is particularly sharp on the uptake.

Tune in Thursday to see what happens when "Cesario" meets Olivia!

Dramatis Personae | 1. 1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 

Twelfth Night: Act 1, Scene 3

Everyone has been talking about the Countess Olivia, so let's swing over to her household and see what's going on over there!

I love Sir Andrew. He's a total idiot, but such an endearing one. Sir Toby, meanwhile, is a dick. 

FUN FACT: Maria's name is pronounced "mah-RYE-ah" and not "mah-REE-ah". Fortunately, "Toby" and "Andrew" are pronounced pretty much like you'd expect them to be.

Dramatis Personae | 1. 1 | 1.2 | 1.3

Twelfth Night: Act 1, Scene 2

My scene-by-scene re-telling of Twelfth Night saunters on, with today's comic seeing the introduction of one of Shakespeare's great female leads: Viola. 

FUN FACT: The name "Viola" isn't actually mentioned by any character until the last scene of the play! We literally have no idea what her real name is until the last scene. 

OTHER FUN FACT: "Viola" is pronounced "VIE-oh-lah" and not, as I originally thought in my youth,  "vee-OH-lah". One is a famous Shakespearean heroine, the other is a massively underrated string instrument.

And don't ask me about her cunning plan to disguise herself as a singing eunuch. I don't know. I just don't know.

Dramatis Personae | 1.1 | 1.2

 

Twelfth Night: Act 1, Scene 1

You've checked out the dramatis personae, so let's get right into the opening scene of Twelfth Night, with one of Shakespeare's most famous opening lines!

Orsino is such a drama queen. He's also kind of an obsessive stalker at this point, with no respect for boundaries or for other people's feelings.

Don't be like Orsino, guys. He's got some good lines, but his interpersonal skills need help. Tune in next week to see if he gets it!

Good Tickle Brain on Air!

When I was at the Folger Shakespeare Library, I had the good fortune to chat with Austin Tichenor of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, who kindly interviewed me for their weekly podcast. It is now up and you can listen to me and Austin chatting about Good Tickle Brain! 

Also (and I swear I'll stop harping on about this soon) be sure to check out my Patreon page! For a small monthly subscription, you not only help me continue making stick figure Shakespeare comics, but you also get access to a variety of fun, exclusive perks!

Twelfth Night: Dramatis Personae

Time for another scene-by-scene retelling of an entire Shakespeare play! This time around I'm going to try my hand at adapting my first comedy, and it's one of my favorites: Twelfth Night. 

Let's get thing started with a good old who's who...

LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

Also, be sure to check out my Patreon page! For a small monthly subscription, you not only help me continue making stick figure Shakespeare comics, but you also get access to a variety of fun, exclusive perks!