(Applause Books). How do we enter the heightened, extravagant language
of Shakespeare and yet feel truthful in our contemporary world? How do
performers excite the audience with Shakespeare's rich imagery and
dynamic rhythm, yet make it real for the twenty-first century? We assume
that a sophisticated intellectual background is required to grapple with
Shakespeare. But there is a much deeper, almost primal response as
available to inner-city students as to their counterparts in the private
school to the sound and rhythm in Shakespeare's language which arouses
our emotions: feelings of anger and sorrow, of passion and laughter.
This landmark five-part video series gives voice to Shakespeare's most
beloved and widely known speeches and sonnets, performed by a powerhouse
ensemble of American and British actors, as they delve into the
structure, meaning and power of Shakespeare's language. Each DVD
explores a different aspect of Shakespeare's work.