The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 14.1491  Wednesday, 23 July 2003

[1]     From:   R. A. Cantrell <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Tuesday, 22 Jul 2003 07:54:21 -0500
        Subj:   Re: SHK 14.1482 Re: Request for Opinions

[2]     From:   Graham Hall <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Wednesday, 23 Jul 2003 10:11:03 +0000
        Subj:   Tewksbury Mustard


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           R. A. Cantrell <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Tuesday, 22 Jul 2003 07:54:21 -0500
Subject: 14.1482 Re: Request for Opinions
Comment:        Re: SHK 14.1482 Re: Request for Opinions

>Were such things here, as we do speak about? He must have drunken on the
>insane beer they sell in the Globe that takes the wallet prisoner.
>
>A substantial number of those attending the Globe often know little
>about the play they are watching, care even less, and spend their time
>ticking one more box on their tourist itinerary sheet while blocking the
>view of others with their enormous backpacks. Nothing wrong with that.
>Doubtless some pursue Shakespeare's brand of drama as a consequence of
>their visit. But it rather gives the lie to the claim that the Globe
>does not provide for group of folk having a largely novel (perhaps one
>should say theatrical) experience.
>
>A visit among and a talk with those who choose to plug in their Walkman
>and hide it under their sweater hood in the hope that teacher will not
>spot them but then give the game away by setting about playing football
>with empty drink cans in the pit may correct his views. I find this
>zestful audience participation far more galvanizing than the cemetery
>scilens broken by the sweetie-wrapper rustling interruptions of
>Shakespeare in a dimly lit auditorium.
>
>These observations are based on the empirical evidence of attending the
>place on a regular basis since it opened and also on engaging in
>conversations with fellow members of the audiences; so no indignant
>off-list e-mails please.
>
>Best,
>Graham Hall

I bow to your Experience. Your points are all good and well taken. I had
a few at the Anchor on the way in. No one seemed to be selling sausages,
cracking nuts, or bandying with the players. The applause and laughs
were gotten, it seemed to me, for doing the lines well, not for the
lines as such. In my Experience of the place, there were none of the
teen-prisoners, walkmen, or backpacks you speak of.  The audience with
whom I shared the Globe were slightly damp, totally attentive, and
welded into a whole by their expectations (which were well met.)

All the best,
R.A. Cantrell
<This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Graham Hall <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Wednesday, 23 Jul 2003 10:11:03 +0000
Subject:        Tewksbury Mustard

Phyllis Gorfain (14.1482) writes about her students attending the Globe.

 "[...] From each other, they learned, instead, to arrive an hour ahead
and stake out sites at the edge of the stage.[...]"

thereby reflecting the short-sighted (!) loutish attitude of many of the
Pit transitees whose consistency parallels their baggage and which
diminishes in inverse ratio to the amount stage frontage ground they
invade and fiercely occupy. If these dolts would move around more within
a small remove from "their" stage edge territory not only would they
gain a better perspective of events but would permit the increased
enjoyment of the four fifths of the others who have severe difficulty
peering through their static bulk and avoiding stumbling over their
ludicrous "essential" multiple accoutrements.

My next gift to the Globe might very well be the issue of cattle prods
to the hawk-eyed denizen ushers who patrol the Pit.

Best wishes,
Hotspur Hall.

_______________________________________________________________
S H A K S P E R: The Global Shakespeare Discussion List
Hardy M. Cook, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The S H A K S P E R Web Site <http://www.shaksper.net>

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