I’ve seen ShakeÂspeare perÂformed all over the counÂtry, from CenÂtral Park to GoldÂen Gate Park, and in every kind of adapÂtaÂtion imagÂinÂable. By far, the most memÂoÂrable perÂforÂmance for me was a Noh stagÂing of OthÂelÂlo, in JapanÂese, with masks and hauntÂing choÂrus. I didn’t underÂstand a word of it, but I spent the entire perÂforÂmance rivÂetÂed by the culÂture shock of watchÂing a play I knew so well transÂformed by a culÂturÂal vocabÂuÂlary I didn’t. While I’ve someÂtimes brisÂtled at best-sellÂing litÂerÂary critÂic Harold Bloom’s seemÂingÂly banal claims about Shakespeare’s “uniÂverÂsal genius,” I canÂnot deny that the Bard’s work seems to transÂlate across time and space withÂout a loss of its incredÂiÂble powÂer and pathos.
ShakeÂspeare-lovers in LonÂdon this past spring were treatÂed to a simÂiÂlar expeÂriÂence as mine, magÂniÂfied by 37. As part of the masÂsive World ShakeÂspeare FesÂtiÂval, the Globe to Globe project preÂsentÂed an unpreceÂdentÂed opporÂtuÂniÂty for theÂaterÂgoÂers to see all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays perÂformed in 37 difÂferÂent lanÂguages at the bard’s own theÂater, the Globe. The plays (watch them here) were staged by some of the world’s top theÂater direcÂtors, with over six-hunÂdred actors from “all nations” and attendÂed by “audiÂences from every corÂner of our polyÂglot comÂmuÂniÂty.” In a time when varÂiÂous parts of Europe strugÂgle to come to terms with increasÂingÂly mulÂtiÂculÂturÂal demoÂgraphÂics, this fesÂtiÂval was an opporÂtuÂniÂty for a globÂal theÂater felÂlowÂship of actors and audiÂences to come togethÂer in mutuÂal appreÂciÂaÂtion and camaÂraderie.
The video above gives us a glimpse of sevÂerÂal cerÂeÂmoÂniÂal, behind-the-scenes moments; before each perÂforÂmance, a memÂber of the comÂpaÂny sprinÂkled alcoÂhol around the stage as an offerÂing to the god of theÂater and wine, DionyÂsus. In a rapid monÂtage, we see a dozen difÂferÂent actors from varÂiÂous plays sprint, skip, dance, and slide across the front of the stage, joyÂfulÂly pourÂing libaÂtions. AfterÂward, anothÂer actor releasÂes two balÂloons, one labeled The Globe, the othÂer with the company’s name. The proÂducÂtions, all availÂable to view online, are impresÂsive not only for their linÂguisÂtic range, but also for the range of cosÂtumÂing and stageÂcraft on disÂplay. Watch, for examÂple, Troilus and CresÂsiÂda in Maori, with a fierce band of Maori warÂriors stompÂing across the stage. Or see The MerÂry Wives of WindÂsor in Swahili by Nairobi’s BitÂter Pill ComÂpaÂny. To my delight, the JapanÂese proÂducÂtion of CoroÂlianus by the Chiten comÂpaÂny feaÂtures actors in Noh masks. As an added bonus, the Globe to Globe site has audio of actors from the varÂiÂous comÂpaÂnies disÂcussing their expeÂriÂences of the fesÂtiÂval in both their native lanÂguages and in EngÂlish.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Shakespeare’s SatirÂiÂcal SonÂnet 130, As Read By Stephen Fry
ImpresÂsionÂist Does ShakeÂspeare in 25 CelebriÂty VoicÂes
Josh Jones is a docÂtorÂal canÂdiÂdate in EngÂlish at FordÂham UniÂverÂsiÂty and a co-founder and forÂmer manÂagÂing ediÂtor of GuerÂniÂca / A MagÂaÂzine of Arts and PolÂiÂtics.