Shakespeare: a good play for a classroom performance?

[MIJ-VI]

A Facebook acquaintance of mine, who is a Moroccan university student (first year I believe) has asked me for help in choosing a play which he and his fellow student group can act out in class.

I suggested that he Google about for any plays written by Moroccan playwrights. He did but says he couldn't find any and now he's asking me which plays by William Shakespeare are practical for his needs.

My thea-tah experience is limited to having seen 'Cats' in the '80's...



Thank you.

[hbarcat]

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" is probably the most fun. It's also very accessible to the general audience.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Midsu...ight%27s_Dream

[MIJ-VI]

Thanks hbarcat. I pass that suggestion along.

[Skitch it!]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" is probably the most fun. It's also very accessible to the general audience.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Midsu...ight%27s_Dream

+1 This, good choice to stage, I played Lysander for this back in the day, it's great fun and went down well across the board.

[UncleFluffy]

My wife always teaches "Titus Andronicus"

It's got lots of blood and gore to keep the kids interested, and it forms a good base for further work - e.g. she invites them to do modern reinterpretations of parts of it and they usually have a lot of fun improvising props and costumes to re-enact the fun scenes. Some of them even get interested enough to come back with fairly professionally put together videos which I've been very impressed by.

The Anthony Hopkins movie version is good, but has a fair amount of boobies and blood so take that into consideration before showing it to the kids.

edit: you said university student, sorry, I missed the age reference.

[bassrique]

"Titus Andronicus"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnEuv1XShWQ

I'd like to play Aaron the Moor, but in no way I could pull it off.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" is probably the most fun. It's also very accessible to the general audience.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Midsu...ight%27s_Dream

+1

What I was going to suggest too.

[MatticusMania]

A Comedy of Errors.

[RonGillman3]

The Merry Wives of Windsor, or Macbeth. Both are really good.

[MIJ-VI]

Thank you all for your suggestions gentlemen.

I've given my acquaintance from Morocco a link to this thread and suggested that he try to find Arabic or French language versions of the Shakespeare plays which you collectively have recommended.

[colcifer]

Midsummer nights dream ftw.

[mid_life_crisis]

In a classroom? The Merchant of Venice.
It's been a long time, but I don't remember any scenes that require much room to do them justice.

[hrodbert696]

I would have said 12th Night. It's one of the shorter ones, the humor is more accessible than a lot of the comedies, and it doesn't require all the fairy costumes you need for Midsummer.

[hbarcat]

Originally Posted by hrodbert696

I would have said 12th Night. It's one of the shorter ones, the humor is more accessible than a lot of the comedies, and it doesn't require all the fairy costumes you need for Midsummer.

Good point.

[Ziltoid]

Originally Posted by MIJ-VI

Thank you all for your suggestions gentlemen.

I've given my acquaintance from Morocco a link to this thread and suggested that he try to find Arabic or French language versions of the Shakespeare plays which you collectively have recommended.

Wait wait, The thing will happen in French and he wants to play Shakespeare?

Maybe I'm a purist but I'd advise a piece that's been written in French. Maybe Incendies, by Wajdi Mouawad (fairly recent but very well acclaimed, a piece none should overlook) or a classic like Antigone. Maybe a piece like "Dix petits negres" good suspense.

Just throwing it out there, food for thoughts.

[crispygoat]

Wasn't 10 petits negres written in english? If you're going to do a French play you have to do En Attendent Godo. Simple, short, boring but imo the best play ever written.

As for Shakespeare, Id probably go for one ofhis tragedies instead. Macbeth maybe?

[Ziltoid]

Originally Posted by crispygoat

Wasn't 10 petits negres written in english? If you're going to do a French play you have to do En Attendent Godo. Simple, short, boring but imo the best play ever written.

As for Shakespeare, Id probably go for one ofhis tragedies instead. Macbeth maybe?

You're right, my bad, I'll blame it on her French sounding name.

[MIJ-VI]

Originally Posted by Ziltoid

Wait wait, The thing will happen in French and he wants to play Shakespeare?

Maybe I'm a purist but I'd advise a piece that's been written in French. Maybe Incendies, by Wajdi Mouawad (fairly recent but very well acclaimed, a piece none should overlook) or a classic like Antigone. Maybe a piece like "Dix petits negres" good suspense.

Just throwing it out there, food for thoughts.

Well his native languages are Arabic and French (I'm assuming due to his having been raised in Morocco) but he is studying English and sent me these Fb messages yesterday:

English version is more important than other language ok anyway thank y very much dude i decided to work on hamlet or romeo and julleit.

Ah really one of my friend suggested to choose a play that contains comedy but i dont like this kind so i'll not act it good as i want ,dont worry i won't accept that or i'll withdraw and looking for new team to work with because this person is really stubborn!

He's already exhibiting an actor's temperament.

I've suggested that he peruse this thread for drama suggestions.

Thanks again for your input gentlemen. I'd expect that it's just a matter of time before your recommendations prove to be helpful to a young TB'er down the road.

[basstotheface]

Originally Posted by mid_life_crisis

In a classroom? The Merchant of Venice.
It's been a long time, but I don't remember any scenes that require much room to do them justice.

I'd think the opposite, for a classroom, don't do The Merchant of Venice.

[crispygoat]

Originally Posted by basstotheface

I'd think the opposite, for a classroom, don't do The Merchant of Venice.

+1

Some scholars suggest that there is a lot of antisemitism in Merchant of Venice. Wether you agree or not, I would avoid Merchant in class.