The Web Of Our Life Is Of A Mingled Yarn, Good And Ill Together: Our Virtues Would Be Proud, If Our Faults

“The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together: our virtues would be proud, if our faults whipped them not; and our crimes would despair, if they were not cherished by our virtues.”

~ William Shakespeare, from All’s Well That Ends Well

What was your first experience of Shakespeare?

I don't know if this was my first experience, but it really chimed with me. Growing up, I saw a lot of plays but when I was about 16, I saw Filter’s version of Twelfth Night at the Tricycle Theatre (now the Kiln). In the party scene, before Malvolio comes in, they handed out pizza to the audience and set up a huge game with those fuzzy balls that you throw and catch onto a disc. It was a raucous affair, a frivolous moment of fun that meant when Malvolio came in to stop the fun, we all felt completely chastised, because we were part of the action. Something really clicked for me – I was forced to engage with it in a different way and I felt the wrath of Malvolio coming in and shaking us all up. 

shakespeare class?? as a shakespeare nerd, this one gets me

oh, they’re too cute istg 🥺

sam looks a little nervous or something, and Bruce is like, “you seein’ this? 🤨”

"Awakening from his enchantment, Bottom tries to locate himself, as if still rehearsing with his mates."

Quote randomly selected from page 14 of Robert H. Bell's nonfiction book Shakespeare's Great Stage of Fools.

Additional notes: Referring to William Shakespeare's play Midsummer Night's Dream.

Quote was selected at random from a book chosen at random from my local library.

riz ahmed @ the classic lit community

Love & Mend: Much Ado About Nothing

just casually sharing this really good video essay. enjoyed it so much, such a treat <333