Sunday, June 11, 2006

6 Hours, Seemed like 5

I don’t tell too many people this, I’ll just tell you. I love the works of Wm Shakespeare. Have since Minne Onsrud made us read Julius Cesar in High School back in Ellendale ND.

Since that time I have seen most of his plays, and read a fair number of his sonnets. I have read all the plays. Hard to do.

Friday Peggy and I went downtown. I make her come with me and she is beginning to like the Bard too.

We saw Henry the IV. Running Time 6 hours. Actually it’s more like 4 Hrs 30 minutes. There is a one hour dinner break and two 15 minute intermissions.

But, long enough.

What I appreciate about Shakespeare is his consistency. I saw Richard the Second, Henry the 4th and of course Henry the 5th. Add to that Merry Wives of Windsor. The characters are the same. It’s like watching Star Trek Next Gen. It’s kind of a serial. I have come to know and love these people.

It was moving, beautiful and expensive and it beats watching the World Cup.

If I were a critic and advisor to ol Bill I would have dumped one of the bar scenes with John Falstaff. Too much.

But the drama of the reluctant Prince Harry in the death scene of Henry the 4th helped me understand better Henry the 5th.

I hope and imagine they will be doing Henry the 5th soon. I’m looking forward to it.

We few, we band of Brothers at Agincourt.

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