We also saw a version of Timon of Athens, also put on by the Globe Theatre. It's a rarely-staged play, partially because most Shakespeare scholars now think that it was unfinished. There are a few plot strings that don't follow through and, compared to his other plays, this one isn't as complex. The director, Lucy Bailey, took some big risks with her staging of the play. It utilized Renaissance costuming, but a giant net was hung above the stage and actors dressed as various carrion-eaters would swoop down on Timon at differing points during the performance. (Follow this link to see some stills from the performance.) Obviously Shakespeare didn't put vultures in the script, but it was an interesting symbolic gesture. Heck, Timon was Marx's favorite play because of the cautionary tale regarding money.
The third play we saw was at the National Threatre, which always puts on a good show. When I was here last year, I went and saw St. Joan at the same theatre. We went to a staging of The Revenger's Tragedy, which is probably by Thomas Middleton. It's in the genre of Jacobean Revenge plays, which basically means that everyone is going to try and kill each other through bizarrely-complex subplots and intrigue. I don't think that the students enjoyed reading the play, but they couldn't help but be excited about the National's amazing staging, complete with a revolving stage, two DJs spinning electronica, and some amazing performances as well. The convoluted plot that was so boring to read turned into a fast-paced and entertaining play. So far, it's been the highlight of my trip.We'll be seeing four plays in Stratford, all performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company: Merchant of Venice, Midsummer Night's Dream, Taming of the Shrew, and Hamlet. I was hoping to see one of the history plays or perhaps one of the comedies that isn't staged as much, but I'm very much looking forward to the rest of the plays all the same.
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