A Guide to How Shakespeare’s Characters Kick the Bucket

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"Who's Ken Branagh?"

Blackadder meets Shakespeare in this clip from 'Blackadder Goes Back and Forth'



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Swifter Than the Moon's Sphere

The landing of the Mars probe last week reminded me of the Bard’s own contribution to our Solar System – the moons of Uranus.

The first moons ‘discovered’ were named by John Herschal, whose father first discovered the planet itself. Instead of using names from mythology Herschal named them after Shakespearean characters Oberon and Titania and the spirits Ariel and Umbriel from Alexander Pope’s ‘Rape of the Lock’.

In total Uranius has 27 moons and all are named for characters from either Pope or Shakespeare.

The Bardy-bunch are-

Cordelia

Ophelia

Bianca

Cressida

Desdemona

Juliet

Portia

Rosalind

Cupid

Perdita

Puck

Mab

Miranda

Titania

Oberon

Francisco

Caliban

Stephano

Trinculo

Sycorax

Margaret

Prospero

Setebos

Ferdinand

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'Theatre of Blood' Trailer

Original trailer for Vincent Price's 1973 film 'Theatre of Blood'

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'The Kids from Fame' do Shakespeare

'Desdemona' - by 'The Kids from Fame'

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Quote #006

"I kissed thee ere I killed thee, no way but this,

Killing myself, to die upon a kiss"

Othello - 'Othello', Act V, scene 2 

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6 - Othello

I so very nearly saw a full production of this by the possibly little known 'Southend Shakespeare Company' back in the late Eighties. I was supporting a couple of tutors from my college who, as well as taking part in some student productions, also 'AmDram'ed it up with the SSC.

It started well enough and was in a modern dress (so no ill-fitting tights!) Unfortunately someone in our group became convinced that the titular Moor (being played by one of the tutors in question) was getting progressively 'darker' as the evening drew on. By darker I don't mean his mood, which would be in character, but rather his 'skin tone' - as inevitably he was white. I would hope that today no one would dare think of blacking up to play Othello (but I could be wrong).

Sadly, once pointed out it was hard not to test the theory with each new entrance. Consequently much of the plot was lost on me and, being a student, the call of the pub finally proved too great. Some of us ducked out at the interval to misuse a pound-a-pint Budweiser promotion elsewhere in town instead. Those that stayed joined us later but with no further tales of make-up misuse. They did, however, tell us that Desdemona had died showing a tad too much leg for her own liking and was noted trying to pull her skirt down during the rest of the final scene. Yes, like Yorick before her, she too had been prone to "flashes of merriment"!

Final thoughts - My main Moor seemed to read too much into the misplacing of one small handkerchief! Is this therefore where we get the phrase 'hanky-panky'?

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