Hard for the Bard

A blog dedicated to William Shakespeare: his brilliance, his works, and his awesomeness. Find daily quotes, correspondence, photos of productions, adaptations, etc. Also, look out for the occasional post where I just talk about him or his works.This should be fun. Wanna submit stuff? hardforthebard.tumblr.com/submit. COMING SOON: youtube.com/hardforthebard

[hardforthebard]

Are any of you still here?

It’s been a while since I’ve posted. Kind of had other things going on in the Real World and all that. But I may start posting here again, if there’s still interest!

This blog was started as a way to share all my nerdy thoughts about Shakespeare; to exchange those ideas with other fellow Shakesnerds; and to act as an outlet for any of my frustrations or excitements around Shakespeare, whether it be scholarly stuff, the plays, or what have you.

I would probably use this to continue to do a lot of that, but I’d also like to start my “Underused” series - where I take an overused Shakespeare monologue and recommend a similar one that’s rarely used in auditions that you could substitute for it. How’s that sound?

Anyway, really, I just wanted to see if anybody that used to check out my blog and exchange posts with me was still around. @runecestershire ? @badgerheartedgirl ? @dukeofbookingham is probably busy being a famous author, but anyway...

Hit me up if you’re still around. Let’s get nerdy.

[shakespearenews]

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Bebe Neuwirth, center, as Titania in this Classic Stage Company production of the Shakespeare play. Credit: Sara Krulwich/The New York Times. 

[shakespearenews]

BBC 3 Radio Drama performed by the Renaissance Theatre Company. Cast in order of speaking: Kent - Keith Michel Cloucester - Richard Briers Edmund - Kenneth Branagh Lear - John Gielgud Goneril - Judi Dench Cordelia - Emma Thompson Regan - Eileen Atkins Albany - John Shrapnel Cornwall - Robert Stephens Burgundy - Denis Quilley France - Derek Jacobi Edgar - Iain Glen Oswald - Bod Hoskins Knight - Simon Russell Beale Fool - Michael Williams First Gentleman - Nickolas Grace Curan - Sam Dastor Servant - Harry Towb Old Man - Maurice Denham First Messenger - Bernard Cribbins Second Gentleman - Matthew Morgan Second Messenger - Nicholas Boulton Captain - Sam Dastor Herald - Peter Hall

[hardforthebard]

Yes, excellent. This is good. Can always count on @runecestershire.

[socialshakespeare]

Is Pericles still happening?

We made the choice to switch up and reopen the poll since we weren’t able to do it the month it was meant for, or the play we were considering for October. We wanted to revamp things a little (like with the gorgeous new page, thank you Lottie!) and felt redoing the poll was a good way to kick things off. Unfortunately this does mean putting Pericles up for vote again, and against some heavy hitters, but I promise you that we’re big fans of this shipwreckapalooza and we’ll be keeping it in our sights even if it doesn’t win!

-purplemuskrat 

[hardforthebard]

As a fellow big fan of the nonsensical disaster of a play that is Pericles (I do mean that in STRICTLY the best way possible), I am in favor of this.

[hardforthebard]

I return, mortals.

Good afternoon!

First of all, sorry for the radio silence from this account over the last few months. Life has been so crazy and I haven’t had the time for much tumblring at all. But I’m back! And I hope to be returning to running Hard for the Bard with a vengeance!

I’m posting this for three reasons:

1. To say hello! I’ve missed you all! 2. To check in and let everyone know that I intend on returning to posting regular content. 3. To find out what kind of content you would like to see going forward.

I’ve been considering continuing my “this is overdone and you should do this monologue instead” series, which saw some success. I’m also going to be posing even more text and script analysis, as well as production photos and other notes from some shows I’ve been in, directed, or produced.

But what else would you all like to see?

[harritudur]

The evil that men do is remembered after their deaths, but the good is often buried with them.

Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Act 3. Scene 2. (via harritudur)

Why are we paraphrasing?? This is not the quote.

I hate to be a bitter, cynical nerd or something, but come on... Don’t use the damn No Fear Shakespeare version. It’s written English. It’s beautiful. Use the real quote.

“The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.”

[hardforthebard]

Sooooooo

Guess who bought @dukeofbookingham's book today? Congrats, Duke. It's excellent so far!

[m-l-rio]

Crime and Theatre by M. L. Rio

M. L. Rio discusses the inherent value of crime in theatre and why the two have been linked throughout the history of performance.

Some thoughts on violence and voyeurism.

[philomaela]

[m-l-rio]

If We Were Villains Signed Hardcover Giveaway

The If We Were Villains release is 22 days away, so it’s time for another giveaway, and this time you can win some combination of six different prizes (pictured above). Here are the details:

The first place winner* will receive:

Signed hardcover If We Were Villains

The Riverside Shakespeare

Plush William Shakespeare to snuggle

Hamlet button from Shakespeare’s Globe

The second place winner will receive:

Signed hardcover If We Were Villains

Tragedy of their choice, Arden edition**

Hamlet button from Shakespeare’s Globe

The third place winner will receive:

Signed hardcover If We Were Villains

Hamlet pen from Shakespeare’s Globe

Hamlet button from Shakespeare’s Globe

To enter, click the link below and provide the necessary information (you can do this starting tonight at midnight, not before):

IWWV Hardcover Giveaway

If you want to up your chances of winning, you can also share this post on social media (up to once a day, but please don’t spam your followers), and add the book on Goodreads. Following me on social media won’t help your chances this time around, but it is the best way to keep up with what’s happening with the book, tour dates, signings, etc. if you want to stay abreast of those. (Or if you just want to see cheesy insider pictures of the launch party.) You can find all my social media links here.

Please note, you are not eligible to participate if you have already won any other If We Were Villains giveaway or if you have received an ARC or galley. To enter to win first prize, you must provide a United States Shipping address. Second and third prize are open to international entrants. Not open to giveaway blogs.

The giveaway will run from March 21 until April 4. Winners will then be contacted, confirmed, announced, and will receive their prize on or after the April 11th release date.

Thanks for participating! Feel free to contact me with questions (but make sure you read this whole post twice first). If you need to find this info again, it all lives right here.

Xx M

*must provide U.S. shipping address **choose from Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Romeo & Juliet, or King Lear

[fuckyeahgreatplays]

When I was a freshman in high school, on March 15 we were studying Julius Caesar in English class, and we spent our first period writing quotes on paper daggers. At an agreeed time, our entire class stormed the Latin classroom, yelling “THE IDES OF MARCH HAVE COME!” And taped daggers on everything and everyone.

Basically proving my theory that Shakespeare is only boring if it’s made boring.

[outofcontextdnd]

Oh my god, he won’t even shut up when he’s dying!

(via outofcontextdnd)

Mercutio? Is that you?

[shakespearean]

“It’s just that everywhere I go it’s the same old thing, all anyone wants me to say is: To be or not to be…”

[hardforthebard]

If Shakespeare was alive in 2017:

Someone: POLITICS and ART should always be SEPARATE! There is NO REASON why ART should be POLITICAL!

William Shakespeare: *laughs. writes 3 more tiny hand jokes into his latest play, King Tiny Hands.*

[fuckyeahgreatplays]

I picked this up half-afraid the quote would be attributed to Shakespeare, but thankfully they had the correct attribution.

THIS IS NOT SHAKESPEARE.

[hardforthebard]

Oh my god, this is the first time I’ve seen this attributed to the correct author. This is a big step, guys.

[johnnkeats-blog]

I’m just saying that if your Shakespeare production isn’t a little bit gay then it’s not really a Shakespeare production

[hardforthebard]

Just gonna leave this here.