A wet day of Shakespeare

“But tis strange: And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the Instruments of Darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray's in deepest consequence.”

I could write a blog on the above quote and it is quite likely that one day I will. It is something that speaks deeply to me. But today I am choosing to simply begin my blog post with my favorite quote from Macbeth and that be it. Today we saw Macbeth performed in the Globe Theatre. I never really thought that I would be able to type that last sentence. What an absolute treat for me. It rained heavily through the night last night and we woke up to soggy skies and so we were kinda lazy and we did no morning exercise. It is surely a wise decision to close the season at the Globe around this time of year. It was pretty miserable watching that play today, both for the actors and for the audience. It gave us a very real experience but that is not always a good thing. We did some shopping and wandering this morning and then we made lunch and headed to the bus stop and over the bridge to the theatre. It was wet. It was cold. It was magical.

We watched the play, very near the stage. The acting was superb. That is so important in a setting such as the Globe for all you have are the actors and the bare stage. Very few props or set pieces. I love that. This is how it should be performed.

As soon as it was over we moved ourselves quickly back over the bridge and into a coffee shop for tea, hot chocolate, a bathroom, and some warmth. Further shopping, wandering, and the discovery of a quaint vegetarian restaurant rounded out our day.

I find myself feeling rather pensive tonight. As Dr. Dobson mentioned in his lecture last evening, that is to be expected after one has seen The Scottish Play. But it is something more than just the quiet weight I always feel after being exposed to this work. I am fighting some insecurities and this is causing me a great deal of reflection. At what point and at what level can one question what is told of them or shown to them by "authorities"? A couple of things that Dr. Dobson stated last night were contrary to my what I have come to feel about elements of Macbeth and Shakespeare's intentions. And today, there were a number of choices made by the director that frustrated me deeply. But this is the Globe Theatre. This is THE GLOBE THEATRE. LOCATED IN LONDON. THIS IS THE LAND OF SHAKESPEARE. Do I have any right to question or struggle with any choices that these obvious experts make? That is my struggle. I know what I know. I know what my heart has told me after years of studying Shakespeare and especially this play. And that is what I sit here, in a lovely flat in London, struggling with. And then it hits what else I know. I know that I have told countless numbers of students that if someone ever tells you, I do not care how impressive their credentials may be, that they can tell you what an author intended to say then you need to remove that person from as much influence as possible in your life. If they are a professor then you do what needs to be done to complete the work in that class but you beware of allowing that person much influence. A true mentor/leader will offer you the correct questions and guidance to come to your own understanding of what the author was saying TO YOU.

So...I am gonna take my own advice and I am going to allow myself to be frustrated by a number of the directorial choices in the offering that I saw today. And it is not prideful. It is fine, I have indeed put in the time and effort to have my own understanding. And I am going to be a wee bit sad that the impact that this play can have on people's hearts and psyches was watered down for the audiences that have seen this interpretation, in my opinion. And I am gonna embrace the jeers of literary snob that seem to come my way more and more often as I get old and crotchety.

I am still loving every minute of the trip, don't get me wrong just because I say that I am pensive. Perhaps this is part of the healing I was seeking on this trip. Perhaps I needed to find the strength to be willing to own the idea of thinking for myself. Hmmm...will have to do some further pondering on this matter.

And now...off to bed...