“All the world’s a stage” – Shakespeare’s As You Like It
These words have never rung as true to me as they do in my adventures in London. It is not that I am acting as a new person, but I am freer to explore new facets of my life to become a more authentic version of myself.
One major way I have been able to do this is by cultivating my love for Shakespeare. London is changing in my relationship with Shakespeare since I have mostly focused on it from a literary perspective. It’s interesting to be in a Shakespeare class now and see the different approaches to the text as compared to classes at Hope. Here, it is less focused on breaking down each verse or line, but more about character motivations and the bigger picture. Yes, we still talk about the nitty-gritty bits that my literature-focused brain loves, but we also look at the minor characters in a way that I would if I was playing the part in a production.
And while I loved the bard before moving here, being able to see his pieces live truly changes the game. The public has easier access to live theatre in England compared to the US because it is significantly cheaper. Because of this, I have seen both Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the historic Globe Theatre. Both productions were modern interpretations of the text, which made the seemingly archaic words applicable to modern audiences. I was deeply moved by this because it shows why Shakespeare is still relevant. Shakespeare isn’t meant to be read in a stuffy classroom, but to be seen.
Both performances also resonated with me because they started with an actor saying, “welcome back to live theatre”. What a welcome it was. Not only did these simple words create an energy in the crowd that was almost tangible, but they made me reflect on my connection with theatre. The first production I performed in after the first lockdown was Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. You can read about my experience here. In this way, Shakespeare has brought me back to live theatre as an audience member and to do the thing I love the most.