The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 11.2320  Wednesday, 12 December 2000

From:           Jack Heller <
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Date:           Tuesday, 12 Dec 2000 20:59:30 -0500
Subject: 11.2305 Re: Shakespeare Pairings
Comment:        Re: SHK 11.2305 Re: Shakespeare Pairings

Mike Jensen writes:

>I am going to show a clip from I Love Lucy (Lucy on a ledge in a
>Superman costume) along with the basket scene from the BBC Merry Wives
>to demonstrate how close this play is to a modern sitcom.  Now there is
>a strange pairing.  Some will want to note that the empowerment issues
>contrast interestingly between Lucy and Wives.

A few years ago, the Tulane Shakespeare Festival in New Orleans
anticipated this pairing. One of the wives was a curly redhead and the
characters wore '50s styles. They also used a convertible on the stage.

As for what play to pair with Merry Wives, I'd pick The Roaring Girl
over A Mad World, My Masters; The Roaring Girl's Laxton has a few things
in common with Falstaff.

Jack Heller