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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Quote #021

"Beware the ides of March"

Soothsayer - 'Julius Caesar' Act I, Scene 1

21 - Julius Caesar

This has been the hardest read yet. Not because of the text but because of my own history with the play.

In my post on Romeo and Juliet I mentioned that the REPO men had tackled one other of the Bard's back catalogue and this was it. REPO productions were proud to present... a three man version of Julius Caesar heavily edited so as to play for laughs but with a bit of pathos thrown in for good measure! I played Brutus, another played Cassius, the third both Caesar and Anthony. We filled in for those other parts which had made it past the edit by wearing different hats or coats but always in togas and army boots! The only other person on stage was Sooty (also in a toga) who we needed in the conspirators scene to swell the numbers.

So my problem now is that as I read it I can still see and hear all the gags - Caesar in Groucho specks, nose and tash; constant references to Cassius passing wind; the senate assassination undertaken with flowers rather than daggers ("At-choo Brute!"); and a moving mime show, of the senseless slaughter as Roman fought Roman, to the haunting strains of Morriconi's score from 'The Mission'. I know there is also an excellent play by Shakespeare in there somewhere but it's hard to see. 

Having said that I believe our version was great fun and the closest yet that I have come to performing Shakespeare in full. We staged it originally to try and be short-listed for a student drama competition, although unfortunately we didn't get through. The organisers did, however, ask us if we wanted to put it on as a cabaret act for the actual competitors. But as they wouldn't have been paying us we declined - shame really.

And Finally - Strange, but I can't find one classic line in my text - "Infamy! Infamy! They've all got it in-for-me!"

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Sportive Tricks

I'm not an overly patriotic person (and certainty not a major lover of sports) but I was moved by the Olympic opening ceremony for the London 2012 games. And what kind of ceremony wound it have been without at least one nod to Billy-Boy Bard.

So it was delightful to see the great Kenneth Branagh quoting from 'The Tempest' Caliban's description of his own Isle of Wonder. 

"Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices,
That if I then had wak'd after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again, and then in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open and show riches
Ready to drop upon me, that when I wak'd,
I cried to dream again." Act III, Scene 2

And of course that first line is also inscribed upon the gigantic 23 tonne Olympic Bell that was struck but Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins to mark the start of the ceremony. So the Bard was catered for and, thanks to Branagh and Bradley's mutton-chops, so was the Beard!

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Quote #020

"Could I come near your beauty with my nails,
I’d set my ten commandments in your face."

Duchess of Gloucester - 'Henry VI Part 2', Act I, scene 3

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