Beau Peep Notice Board
Beau Peep Notice Board => Outpourings => Topic started by: Roger Kettle on June 20, 2008, 08:39:32 PM
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I don't like Shakespeare. I find it mind-numbingly boring. I also don't like opera or ballet and the wine I drink usually comes from a box. I have never read a single word written by the Brontes and my attempts to get through a Russian novel have ended after about eight pages. I hate oysters, caviar and champagne. If pushed, I could hum you a few bars from Swan Lake but my knowledge of classical music is restricted to anything that's been used in T.V. adverts. I DID get a bit interested in Coleridge and Wordsworth as a teenager but I think this was due more to their Bohemian/Hippy lifestyle than anything else. I'm not proud about this and it's time I made an effort to change.
Okay...where do I start?
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GCSE
Do you want me to set you a poem or book to analyse?
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I'm off to the Philistines next Thursday for three weeks. Starting off in Manila again.
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I don't like Shakespeare. I find it mind-numbingly boring. I also don't like opera or ballet and the wine I drink usually comes from a box. I have never read a single word written by the Brontes and my attempts to get through a Russian novel have ended after about eight pages. I hate oysters, caviar and champagne. If pushed, I could hum you a few bars from Swan Lake but my knowledge of classical music is restricted to anything that's been used in T.V. adverts. I DID get a bit interested in Coleridge and Wordsworth as a teenager but I think this was due more to their Bohemian/Hippy lifestyle than anything else. I'm not proud about this and it's time I made an effort to change.
Okay...where do I start?
I suggest reading Noddy in Toyland.
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GCSE
Do you want me to set you a poem or book to analyse?
Well, no, as that would involve work. One of our site regulars, Fyodor, is a huge Shakespeare buff but it really does escape me. I fear it's all too late for me---I've worked for The Daily Star for thirty years. I am beyond redemption.
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I don't like Shakespeare. I find it mind-numbingly boring. I also don't like opera or ballet and the wine I drink usually comes from a box. I have never read a single word written by the Brontes and my attempts to get through a Russian novel have ended after about eight pages. I hate oysters, caviar and champagne. If pushed, I could hum you a few bars from Swan Lake but my knowledge of classical music is restricted to anything that's been used in T.V. adverts. I DID get a bit interested in Coleridge and Wordsworth as a teenager but I think this was due more to their Bohemian/Hippy lifestyle than anything else. I'm not proud about this and it's time I made an effort to change.
Okay...where do I start?
I suggest reading Noddy in Toyland.
Now THAT I know!
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Okay...where do I start?
I suggest reading Noddy in Toyland.
Now THAT I know!
If you get stuck on any of the big words, I'm sure Mince will help you out.
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Well I've read Noddy, (and I've also read Hamlet). I remember he has a little shiny little yellow and red car, and the milkman would shake his head to hear his bell ring, in lieu of payment.
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Well I've read Noddy, (and I've also read Hamlet). I remember he has a little shiny little yellow and red car, and the milkman would shake his head to hear his bell ring, in lieu of payment.
Why would the milkman shake his head to hear his bell ring - was the milkman deaf?
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Well I've read Noddy, (and I've also read Hamlet). I remember he has a little shiny little yellow and red car, and the milkman would shake his head to hear his bell ring, in lieu of payment.
Why would the milkman shake his head to hear his bell ring - was the milkman deaf?
I thought he was talking about Hamlet.
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Hamlet's car was green.
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Yes, and it was an estate of Denmark.
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....and there was something rotten in it.
Shaw was also not a big fan of Shakespeare, he inspired me to look askance at all the stuff we were encouraged at school to think of as the cream of theatre.
I'm not anti Wllie Waggledagger, just don't see what all the fuss is about. Fact is, we don't talk like that nowadays and it is very difficult for modern audiences to understand what The Bard was on about. That's why we have accompanying explanatory texts.
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Shakespeare was a humanitarian and humanist during a bleak period of history, he gave sympathetic and intelligent roles to women and minorities and fought fear, ignorance and superstition while at the same time having a sense of humour and dashing sword fights. There are so many great modern movie adaptations. Shakespeare is one of my heroes.
I love the opera too and try to take my kids each year to the city to see one as part of the opera?s student program. (It is a 900km round trip for me).
My daughter is in ballet so we made the effort and bought some good seats to see Swan Lake a couple of years ago when they came to Edmonton. It was so beautiful it gave me goose bumps.
Of course it goes without saying that Shakespeare is not as good as Beau Peep though.
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Of course it goes without saying that Shakespeare is not as good as Beau Peep though.
False comparison, Diane. I'm sure what you intended to say was either that Hamlet is not as good as Beau Peep, or that Shakespeare is not as good as Kettle.
And who could argue with that?
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Good grief.
"Shakespeare" without William is generally considered a term applied to his body of work - Beau Peep is a body of work.
I read some Shakespeare last night.
I read some Beau Peep last night.
I think my comparison is fine.
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False comparison, Diane. I'm sure what you intended to say was either that Hamlet is not as good as Beau Peep, or that Shakespeare is not as good as Kettle.
And who could argue with that?
Certainly not Shakespeare.
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Forgot to say that I do like Opera. Her book club has revitalized the art of reading in the US, albeit among the well-proportioned, weepy female demographic.
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Of course it goes without saying that Shakespeare is not as good as Beau Peep though.
False comparison, Diane. I'm sure what you intended to say was either that Hamlet is not as good as Beau Peep, or that Shakespeare is not as good as Kettle.
And who could argue with that?
I have to disagree. I think the question should have been: which is the more entertaining. Of it's day, Shakespearean plays MUST have been as enjoyable as Beau Peep is today.
I must also disagree with Diane; Shakespeare did not give 'sympathetic and intelligent roles to women' - he gave them to MEN, who then impersonated women!
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Well, there's a discussion I hadn't anticipated---Shakespeare versus Beau Peep. (Cue puns like The Merchant of Dennis).
Sorry to go back to football briefly but, Malc, live on T.V. at the moment, Australia are losing a World Cup match at home to China. Tch!
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Vulch is right, of course, Shakespearean drama was very popular in its day, more importantly it wasn't considered highbrow. The so-called "groundlings" could pay a groat (or whatever) and sit on the earth right in front of the stage. The same system offered a place ON the stage itself to the nobs who could pay a king's ransom for the privilege.
We do things differently now, and just as we can't understand why a theatre company would allow some attention-seeking grandee to occupy an area of their performance space for money, neither can we understand the language used in Shakespeare.
It works well as poetry, and it's beautiful to study, but as live dialogue you want to jump up in your seat and shout "multitudinous seas incarnadine?' forget the theatre programme - supply dictionaries!"
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Roger, you and I are both watching the same match live on TV at the same time. Australia have put out a second string side for the night, with the exception of Harry Kewell.
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Much Abdul About Nothing.
Pierre and Juliet.
The Old Curiosity Sop(with).
(Okay... not the last one).
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Two Gentlemen Of Sahara.
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Hamish-let
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Hamlet's car was green.
I thought he smoked hamlet
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It works well as poetry, and it's beautiful to study, but as live dialogue you want to jump up in your seat and shout "multitudinous seas incarnadine?' forget the theatre programme - supply dictionaries!"
Can we take that as read?
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D'you mean "red"? If so, well done.
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D'you mean "red"? If so, well done.
Must take a note to avoid subtlety in future.
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I replied three times in this topic, but I can't remember this topic even existing.
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I replied three times in this topic, but I can't remember this topic even existing.
I can't remember if I had lunch.
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I replied three times in this topic, but I can't remember this topic even existing.
I can't remember if I had lunch.
Have a look down your front. If there are crumbs, or soup stains, it's likely that you did. Works for me.
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Lucy must wash your clothes more than mine get washed. I couldn't use stains as a gauge.