The Shakespeare Project

Thursday, August 14, 2014

  
For years I've slowly been working my way through the complete works of William Shakespeare. In addition to reading his plays, my goal is to see a live performance and a film version (when available) of each one. I'm going to keep track of what I've seen in this post and I'll link to reviews of the plays here as well. If you want to join me please do and feel free to grab the button above!

COMEDIES
The Comedy of Errors: Book / Play / Movie
The Taming of the Shrew: Book / Play (2) / Movie (2 and 3)
The Two Gentlemen of Verona: Book / Play (2) / Movie
Love's Labour's Lost: Book / Play / Movie
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Book / Play (2) / Movie (2)
The Merchant of Venice: Book / Play / Movie
The Merry Wives of Windsor: Book / Play  2/ Movie
Much Ado about Nothing: Book / Play / Movie (2 and 3)
As You Like It: Book / Play  2/ Movie
Twelfth Night: Book / Play (2, 3, and 4) / Movie 2

The History of Troilus and Cressida: Book / Play / Movie
All's Well That Ends Well: Book / Play / Movie
Measure for Measure: Book / Play / Movie


HISTORIES
Richard II: Book / Play (2)/ Movie
Henry IV, Part I: Book / Play / Movie (2)
Henry IV, Part II: Book / Play / Movie
Henry V: Book / Play (2) / Movie (2)
Henry VI, Part I: Book / Play / Movie
Henry VI, Part II: Book / Play / Movie
Henry VI, Part III: Book / Play / Movie
Richard III: Book / Play / Movie
King John: Book / Play / Movie
Henry VIII: Book / Play / Movie


TRAGEDIES
Titus Andronicus: Book / Play / Movie
Romeo and Juliet: Book / Play (2, 3 and 4) / Movie (2)
Julius Caesar: Book / Play (2) / Movie
Hamlet: Book / Play (2 and 3) / Movie (2, 3, 4, and 5)
Othello: Book / Play 2/ Movie

King Lear: Book / Play / Movie 2
Macbeth: Book / Play (2) / Movie
Antony and Cleopatra: Book / Play / Movie
Coriolanus: Book / Play (2) / Movie 2
Timon of Athens: Book / Play / Movie


ROMANCES
Pericles, Prince of Tyre: Book / Play / Movie (2)
Cymbeline: Book / Play / Movie
The Winter's Tale: Book / Play / Movie
The Tempest: Book / Play (2 and 3) / Movie
The Two Noble Kinsmen: Book / Play / Movie

*I've listed the plays in the order and category that they are listed in the Riverside Shakespeare. I only cross completely through the title when I've completed all three categories.


Photo by moi.

19 comments:

Amy said...

Great idea!

Cleo said...

Even though I've completely flunked my Shakespeare Challenge for the year, I think I'll join you on this one, Melissa! I love Shakespeare's plays and have been wanting to read them complete for a long time now. Thanks for the push to get me going! I'm on vacation at the moment but I'll try to get my post up later today, as long as my internet connection is nice to me! :-)

Rudejasper said...

This is such a fantastic idea! And you're doing great with it! It's been way too long since I've been to a play and now I really want to fix that.

Anonymous said...

This is an awesome idea. Keep it up!

Anonymous said...

I love this idea! I will be joining for sure. I'll add the button and write up a post after work.

o said...

This is a great way of doing it :) Good luck!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Amy - Thanks!

cleopatra - Oh good, and this is a no pressure challenge, so you can't flunk. You work your way through the list at your own speed!

Stephanie Shepherd - I review live theatre, so I'm lucky enough to get to see tons of plays. I love it!

thewanderingbookmark - Thanks!

lostgenerationreader - Yay, good luck!

o - Thanks, I've been tracking it in my big edition of Shakespeare for years, but figured I should just make a post about it.

Anonymous said...

I did my own "Project: Shakespeare" back in 2008 (just the reading, though). I tried my hardest but only got though 26/38(?) of them. I keep thinking some year I'll re-boot it and finish of the last of them, I found "Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare" very helpful and recommend it - if you're not already aware.

Did you catch The Tempest at White River State Park last weekend? I saw them do The Merchant of Venice there a few years back.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

bibliophilica - This is definitely an open ended project for me. I have been working on it for years! I did see The Tempest on the canal. It was just wonderful. There was a big storm that night so the mood was perfect. I always love their performances! I'm definitely adding the Asimov book to my TBR too!

Brona said...

I would love to do this, but I will stick to the movie and film adaptations.
I don't really enjoy reading the plays - I'm not a visually imaginative person and struggle to imagine facial expressions, intonation, gestures, attitude etc. All the stuff that happens in movies and on stage to give the words depth & layers.

Good luck!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Brona - I completely understand that. I think I enjoy it because it helps me see the base starting point for the play and I appreciate the decisions characters and directors make after I understand that better. I also just love Shakespeare's word play!

thecuecard said...

This is an ambitious goal for yourself! Good luck. I've read a number of them but that was back in college.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

thecuecard - I've grown to appreciate them more as I get older. Even the plays that aren't great help me better understand how he created some of his masterpieces!

Cleo said...

Okay, I've taken the plunge! Here is my sign-up post: http://cleoclassical.blogspot.ca/2014/08/my-shakespeare-project.html

Thanks for the inspiration, Melissa!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

cleopatra - That's awesome! I'm glad you aren't doing a deadline. I think this is more of an open ended project.

Carol said...

Love this idea. I've been slowly getting through Shakespeare for the past few years & will be going to mt first stage production of the play next week - Henry V. I'll grab your button & put all my posts under that when I get a bit of time.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Carol - That's wonderful! Enjoy Henry V, the St. Crispin Day speech is so good.

CommonWeeder said...

I recently joined a group of friends to do a reading of Richard III. In an odd preparation I read Daughter of Time, a mystery by Josephine Tey about a bed bound detective who investigates the man behind Shakespeare's play. Absolutely fascinating and great fun. When I taught 6th grade I had a group do a scene from As you Like It. I liked hearing the girls declare "Men have died from time to time and worms have eaten them, but not for love." We want love, but we want a sense of our self, too.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

CommonWeeder - Richard III is a great one! I may have to check out that Tey novel too.