Play-by-Play
This section provides various resources that we hope will be of use to teachers, learners and theatre makers alike.
There are articles, reviews, interviews, slideshows, images, videos (including monologue performances by South African actors who participated in the #lockdownshakespeare initiative) and loads of links!
Click on a play title or scroll down to browse:
Antony and Cleopatra
The Tempest
Hamlet
Othello
Julius Caesar
Coriolanus
Macbeth
Romeo and Juliet
More (The Winter’s Tale, Richard III, Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure, The Two Noble Kinsmen ...)
Antony and Cleopatra
The NCT Antony and Cleopatra (2018)
Part One
For starters, you might like to read two these articles from Shakespeare ZA’s “Interview Series” about how a South African cast and director developed a schools-oriented travelling production of the play.
The NCT Antony and Cleopatra (2018)
Part Two
Here is an essay by Mary van Zyl, discussing how Antony is “two things”: a Roman Antony and an Egyptian Antony.
ACT 5 SCENE 2 | ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Sanelisiwe Yekani as Cleopatra: ““Majesty, to keep decorum, must no less beg a kingdom”
The following videos are of two productions of Antony and Cleopatra by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). The first video is a trailer for the 2017 production – a possible point of departure for discussion. The next two are extracts from the play in performance: Act 1.3 (2017), and Act 5.2 (2013), which might be watched in conjunction with reading these parts of the play.
The RSC has also published several teacher packs (2010, 2013, 2017) based on their productions of the play.
Shakespeare scholar Farah Karim-Cooper's essay, "Eastern Star", considers the role of Cleopatra and how the character would have been understood and received in early modern England.
Othello
An Othello spark page, prepared by Bernice Borain, is displayed below. It may also be accessed here.
To initiate classroom conversations about Othello from “inside” the play-world, why not use this teaching and learning tool developed by veteran educator and publisher Robin Malan?
In OTHELLO ON TRIAL, learners take on the roles of various characters from the play in two dramatised courtroom hearings!
The videos below are of a 2015 RSC production starring Hugh Quarshie as Othello and Lucien Msamati as Iago. The production is noteworthy because it casts a black man (Msamati) in the traditionally white role of Iago. This casting choice might be an interesting point for discussion and debate.
The website for Shakespeare's Globe has some useful resources for students and teachers:
Essays and research papers on the play, including "The mind of Iago" and "Women in Othello".
Videos of Act 3.3 and Act 4.3, with accompanying analyses.
'Script Machines' (interactive resources for students to explore literary devices used in particular scenes). These cover Act 1.2 (lines 17-28), Act 3.3, and Act 3.4.
ACT 1 SCENE 3 | OTHELLO | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"...but here is my husband" – Cara Roberts as Desdemona
ACT 1 SCENE 3 | OTHELLO | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"I hate the Moor" – Duane Behrens as Iago, from the #lockdownshakespeare initiatve
ACT 2 SCENE 3 | OTHELLO | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Duane Behrens as Iago: “And what’s he then that says I play the villain?”
ACT 4 SCENE 3 | OTHELLO | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Ashleigh Harvey as Emilia: “But I do think it is their husbands’ faults / If wives do fail”
ACT 5 SCENE 2 | OTHELLO | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"Put out the light..." – Kwenzo Ngcobo as Othello
Hamlet
So, you think you know “To be or not to be”? Here are two renditions that might change the way you see and hear this famous speech: by Adrian Lester in The Guardian’s “Shakespeare Solos” series, and an ensemble performance produced by The Public Theater (New York) in the context of Black Lives Matter.
In these two videos, Benedict Cumberbatch talks about taking on the role of Hamlet in a 2015 production at the Barbican Theatre in London; alongside, Kenneth Branagh discusses his 1996 film version of the play.
ACT 1 SCENE 3 | HAMLET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"...these few precepts..." - Rob van Vuuren as Polonius giving advice to Laertes
ACT 2 SCENE 2 | HAMLET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Lise-Marie Richardson as Polonius: “I will be brief: your noble son is mad”
ACT 2 SCENE 2 | HAMLET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
“What a piece of work is man” – Bryan Hiles as Hamlet
ACT 3 SCENE 1 | HAMLET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
“To Be or not to be” – Buhle Ngaba as Hamlet
ACT 3 SCENE 1 | HAMLET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
‘“… a consummation devoutly to be wished” – Camilla Waldman as Hamlet
ACT 3 SCENE 1 | HAMLET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
“What a noble mind is here o’erthrown” – Cara Roberts as Ophelia
ACT 3 SCENE 2 | HAMLET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"Speak the speech, I pray you..." – Gabe Gabriel as Hamlet
ACT 3 SCENE 3 | HAMLET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Michael Richard as Claudius: “O, my offence is rank”
ACT 4 SCENE 4 | HAMLET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"How all occasions do inform against me..." – Bryan Hiles as Hamlet
ACT 4 SCENE 5 | HAMLET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Rachelle Weiss as Ophelia: “Good night, sweet ladies, good night …”
ACT 4 SCENE 7 | HAMLET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Reneilwe Mashitisho as Gertrude: “There is a willow slants across a brook”
There is a general Teacher’s Guide to the Signet (Penguin) edition of Hamlet.
The Young Vic Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in the UK have also produced interesting education packs linked to their productions of the play. You may find it noteworthy that the RSC material emphasises how their 2016 production (directed by Simon Godwin) was guided by a desire to “draw on influences of African culture”, and to frame the politics, religion and social dynamics of the play in an African context. What do you think of this? Do you think it is possible to generalise about “African” cultural beliefs and practices?
It might also be useful to think about different approaches to or manifestations of Hamlet in a specifically South African context. In recent years a number of South African writers and scholars have tackled the play – the selection below includes research articles, essays and reviews of books and stage productions:
Coriolanus
Coriolanus is a political play: it is about life on the public stage. The characters and their relationships can be confusing! This fun breakdown of the dramatis personae may help.
Coriolanus has a particularly interesting resonance in South Africa – both because of the play’s action and themes, and because it is a favourite of former President Thabo Mbeki. This article by Daniel Roux assesses the connections between Mbeki and Coriolanus in light of the history of “tragedy” as a genre in South Africa.
Coriolanus is not performed very often – certainly not as often as Hamlet. In 2011 Ralph Fiennes directed and starred in a film version that has become a standard point of reference. Here is Fiennes discussing his film in three parts:
In 2016, the Rohan Quince and Nikki Pilkington directed a production for the National Children’s Theatre that toured South Africa, performing at schools across the country. The images below illustrate key moments in the play. (Click to enlarge.)
ACT 3 SCENE 3 | CORIOLANUS | LOCKDOWN SHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"There is a world elsewhere" – Vuyo Biyela as Coriolanus
Macbeth
Bernice Borain has put together two fantastic Macbeth resources using Spark and padlet. Click on the images below to check them out!
ACT 1 SCENE 5 | MACBETH | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"Wozani ... Come you spirits..." - Amanda Seome as KaMadonsela / Lady Macbeth
ACT 1 SCENE 5 | MACBETH | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Liatile Mohale as Lady Macbeth: “The raven himself is hoarse …”
ACT 1 SCENE 7 | MACBETH | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"Was the hope drunk / Wherein you dressed yourself?" - Faith Itumeleng Thobejane as Lady Macbeth
ACT 1 SCENE 7 | MACBETH | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"Was the hope drunk / Wherein you dressed yourself?" - Sarah Richard as Lady Macbeth
ACT 1 SCENE 7 | MACBETH | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Oarabile Ditsele as Macbeth (in English and Setswana): “If ‘twere done when ‘tis done …”:
ACT 1 SCENE 7 | MACBETH | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Mpilo Khumalo as Macbeth: “If it were done when ‘tis done …”
ACT 2 SCENE 3 | MACBETH | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Jeremy Richard as the Porter in Macbeth: “Knock, knock, knock!”
ACT 5 SCENE 1 | MACBETH | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"What, will these hands ne'er be clean?" – Ayanda Nxumalo as Lady Macbeth
ACT 5 SCENE 1 | MACBETH | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
“Out, damned spot!” - Phumelele Majola as Lady Macbeth
ACT 5 SCENE 1 | MACBETH | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Amanda Seome as Lady Macbeth: “Out, damned spot”
ACT 5 SCENE 5 | MACBETH | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow..." – Lucky Ndlovu as Macbeth
CASTING MACBETH – POSTER
In this challenging intertextual exercise, shared by Nina Nathanson, students fitted political and historical figures to roles in Macbeth. Clearly, the fact that it was a type-casting process did not mean that the talent scouts were lazy. (With apologies to Johnson: “… heterogenous characters are yoked by force together; history, politics and Macbeth are ransacked for illustrations and comparings.") Performing tasks like this one, students learn how relevant the play can be to their own world.
Or why not try these related essay topics based on Penguin’s Twitterature concept? Enjoy!
MACBETH - THREE TWITTERATURE ESSAY TOPICS [PDF]
Romeo and Juliet
Do you know
about uGugu no Andile, a South African screen adaptation of Romeo and Juliet?
Read all about it in this interview with director Minky Schlesinger (courtesy of Tinashe Mushakavanhu).
ACT 2 SCENE 2 | ROMEO AND JULIET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"What light through yonder window breaks?" – Anele Situlweni as Romeo
ACT 2 SCENE 2 | ROMEO AND JULIET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Buhle Ngaba as Juliet": “Thou know’st the mask of night is on my face”
ACT 3 SCENE 2 | ROMEO AND JULIET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?" – Nomthandazo Shandu as Juliet
ACT 3 SCENE 3 | ROMEO AND JULIET | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"I am banished" – Anelisa Phewa as Romeo
You might want to try these class activities for the Prologue in Romeo and Juliet.
(With thanks to Bernice Borain)
Julius Caesar
ACT 1 SCENE 2 | JULIUS CAESAR | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"...honour is the subject of my story" - Soyiso Ndaba as Cassius
ACT 1 SCENE 2 | JULIUS CAESAR | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Thobani Dlomo Nzuza as Cassius: “Honour is the subject of my story.”
ACT 1 SCENE 2 | JULIUS CAESAR | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
“Honour is what I want to talk about” – Mnqobi Africander as a bilingual isiZulu-English Cassius
ACT 2 SCENE 1 | JULIUS CAESAR | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
ACT 2 SCENE 1 | JULIUS CAESAR | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
ACT 2 SCENE 2 | JULIUS CAESAR | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
ACT 2 SCENE 2 | JULIUS CAESAR | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
ACT 3 SCENE 1 | JULIUS CAESAR | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"Cry 'Havoc!' and let slip the dogs of war." - Lee Roodt as Mark Antony
ACT 3 SCENE 2 | JULIUS CAESAR | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"Friends, Romans, countrymen..." - Thami Mbongo as Mark Antony
ACT 3 SCENE 2 | JULIUS CAESAR | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"Friends, Romans, countrymen..." - Anele Nene as Mark Antony
ACT 3 SCENE 2 | JULIUS CAESAR | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
ACT 3 SCENE 2 | JULIUS CAESAR | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Melusi Molefe as Mark Antony: “Friends, Romans, countrymen …”
ACT 3 SCENE 2 | JULIUS CAESAR | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
ACT 3 SCENE 2 | JULIUS CAESAR | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
The Tempest
A great starting-point for The Tempest is Caliban’s powerful “This island’s mine!” - a speech performed below by Luntu Masiza as part of Shakespeare ZA’s #lockdownshakespeare campaign.
Also from #lockdownshakespeare, but in a very different key, Inge Crafford-Lazarus delivers Prospero’s famous lines: “Our revels now are ended ...”
You might also want to watch Digby Ricci’s three-part lecture series on the play.
Alternatively, here is a Spark page on The Tempest designed by Bernice Borain, based on a talk given by Mbongeni Malaba (click on the image to load):
ACT 1 SCENE 2 | THE TEMPEST | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"This island's mine..." - Luntu Masiza as Caliban
ACT 4 SCENE 1 | THE TEMPEST | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"Our revels are now ended..." - Inge Crafford-Lazarus as Prospero
The Winter’s Tale
ACT 3 SCENE 2 | THE WINTER’S TALE | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Carnia Layla Adams as Hermione: “Tell me what blessings I have here alive / That I should fear to die?”
Richard III
ACT 1 SCENE 1 | RICHARD III | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Alan Committie as Richard III: “Since I cannot prove a lover … I am determined to prove a villain”
Twelfth Night
ACT 2 SCENE 2 | TWELFTH NIGHT | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Ashleigh Harvey as Viola: “Fortune forbid my outside hath not charmed her!”
Measure for Measure
ACT 2 SCENE 4 | MEASURE FOR MEASURE | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
Ashleigh Harvey as Angelo: “My false o’erweighs your true”
The Two Noble Kinsmen
ACT 2 SCENE 4 | THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN | LOCKDOWNSHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE
"Why should I love this gentleman?" - Larissa Crafford-Lazarus as the Jailer's Daughter in "The Two Noble Kinsmen"
Shakespeare Mashup
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, HAMLET, AND THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
Myer Taub experiments with lines and images from Antony and Cleopatra, Hamlet and The Merchant of Venice in this TikTok mashup!