Is Shakespeare meant to be read or watched?

...

Hes meant to be forgotten

listened to

At first I think it's better to read the play and understand it, and then a natural curiosity develops to watch it, but its enough for me to read it, seeing it on stage is superfluous. Anyways, who mostly goes to his plays these days? Students that need some extra credits for their college courses?

I read and then watch the best movie based on it

Also, watch Ran by Kurosawa

You read him to create an original interpretation and you watch him to see somebody else's interpretation.

Shakespeare is meant to be enacted.

>go see Romeo and Juliet in the theater
>find out Juliet is now a man
>the setting takes place in Star Wars and instead of sword fights they have light saber battles
>the dialogue has been completely rewritten into "modern" English and jokes about internet memes are added
>the ending has been changed so the titular couple lives and beheads their homophobe parents
>the cast gives a speech to the audience about resisting Trump
>mfw this is the way Shakespeare is meant to be experienced

You'd be surprised. I went to a place in Virginia that was cool as hell. Kept it true to the script. It was good.

fpbp

lol

I know this isn't true, but it was still a funny post to read

Both

lul

people who are sick and tired of capeshit and blockbusters at the cinema every weekend

holy fuck that hurt my ribs. and it's such blatant and trite jokes, this shit never gets old

kekekkeke

>Veeky Forums, you're my last hope

IIRC, in the past (pre-20th century) they literally would make the ending a happy one to please the audience.

Shakespeare meant them to be performed to early 17th century Londoners.
I personally first read the play and then, if there's a good staging nearby, watch it live.

I think it's funny how Kurosawa completely changes the setting, characters' genders (REEEEE) and numerous plot elements (he originally didn't intend to adapt Shakespeare at all, he based the story on japanese history), and nobody complains about it, but if Veeky Forumsizens see a staging that is somewhat modernized they lose their shit.

> think it's funny how Kurosawa completely changes the setting, characters' genders (REEEEE) and numerous plot elements (he originally didn't intend to adapt Shakespeare at all, he based the story on japanese history), and nobody complains about it, but if Veeky Forumsizens see a staging that is somewhat modernized they lose their shit.

Nobody complains because Kurosawa adapted it skillfully - changing mere externals while retaining the spirit of the play, the themes it embodies, and the ideas it articulates.

Bring your book to the theatre and read along with the actors you Idiot

He's meant to be smelled

That's because your idea of a "somewhat modernized" Shakespeare is Barack Obama plowing Juliet doggy style while repeating his favorite bits from Chapo Trap House. You know, to keep things fresh

Well, he's not meant to be lived though it may happen from time to time.

afaik they would make very few plays, most infamously King Lear, happy. Not every play.

yes

There is no need to shit on Chapo Trap House. They're some of the smartest people making internet content right now.

>Anyways, who mostly goes to his plays these days?
Theatre is the most Veeky Forums pastime you fucking nog, at least if you have a decent troupe in your city.

read, can't understand what they're saying

You enjoy the Black Friar's playhouse too? I've probably seen 5 or 6 productions there.

The worst thing is that it's not that far off base. I saw a college production (should have been the first red flag) of "Coriolanus" early this year and before the play started an announcer literally announced a "trigger warning" for the audience "because 'Coriolanus' is a play involving racism, sexism, and homophobia." Probably should have left right then but I stuck with it. Ended up being set in the Jim Crow era American South, Coriolanus represented the racist white landowners, and Coriolanus ended up being gay for his nemesis Aufidius (played by a gay manlet Philipino guy) and ended up having I think two shirtless makeout/implied sex/dryhump scenes.

I don't think anyone else in the audience knew the source material (heard a few people ask in the intermission, "what is this about?"), so they were unsurprised by any of this, while I was taken aback every few minutes. It was really, really bad.

At first I was fucking livid at your post, then I sat and seethed over how right you are.

I wish my beard looked that healthy...

Why read Shakespeare when you can Rupi Kaur instead?

Why not both?