Katie and I didn’t get to watch A Midsummer Night’s Dream until last night, because we wanted to wait until sambear could watch it with us. He was extremely late getting home from work, though, and then he couldn’t stay awake to watch the whole thing anyway.
Still, it was pretty good. I didn’t realize until it started that the setting for this film (the version with Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline) was changed to late 19th century Italy instead of ancient Athens. Did they just like the costuming possibilities more? Does someone have a bicycle fetish?
Anyway, it gave us the opportunity to talk about how Shakespeare’s stories have been retold in many different settings. Unfortunately, I found the references to “the laws of Athens” and the temple of Diana alongside the Italian setting and Catholic priests to be jarring. And the Amazonian queen thing makes no sense at all in that setting.
I suppose I’m biased—I had a very small part in a community theater production of the play when I was in high school.
So… any recommendations for the next of the Bard’s works to be read and watched on video? (Easier on our schedule than live theater, although we want to do that, too). Which version of video?
Remember, the intended audience is an 11-year-old.
We’re looking for performances, not “modern adaptations.” Although watching an adaptation after reading the play and seeing a performance wouldn’t be a problem.
I suppose we should do some version of Romeo and Juliet but I’ve never liked that one—not romantic, just stupid.
