One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens
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I recently had the pleasure of attending the Northern Broadsides production of William Shakespeare's Othello when the tour visited Coventry's own Belgrade Theatre. It was a genuine treat to see. In a break from his more traditional roles, Lenny Henry played the title role and gave a superb performance, but I have to say that Conrad Nelson's performance as the lead—Iago—was simply brilliant.
Unfortunately the show's tour is due to end early next month and, from what I can gather, all of the performances are (rightly!) already sold out. But if you do somehow get the chance to see any of them, I would urge you to take it. I can assure you that you will not be disappointed.
I've read several of Shakespeare's plays now and I am familiar with the stories of several others through various film or television adaptations, but this was the first time I've ever seen a Shakespeare play performed live. I'm told by a friend that to see the Royal Shakespeare Company performing at their best is a difficult act to follow, so I'm very keen to catch one of their shows in the not too distant future. But I have to say that the Northern Broadsides production was magnificent. Shakespeare with northern accents seemed perfectly normal even before the end of the first scene and, for what is one of Shakespeare's great tragedies, the cast even managed to inject some humour into proceedings throughout the show.
I remember, when I was young, I thought Shakespeare was a bit weird. In the third year of secondary school (year nine as it is now), we read Romeo and Juliet. I'd obviously heard of it before then, but didn't really know much about it. And yet, there was still a sense of anticipation about it that made me look forward to it. At the time, I struggled to get into it at first—the opening scene between representatives of both houses was a bit confusing. But once I got into it, I started to appreciate the story underneath.
I think that's where the magic comes from. The text isn't always that easy to follow and, if you're just reading it, a Shakespeare play might feel a bit complicated. There are still quite a few I'm loathe to even try to read for just that reason, but then I'm reminded that they weren't written as story books, but as plays to be performed. To see them acted out is to bring that captured magic to life and turn the words into a story. And by and large, Shakespeare's stories are fantastic.
If you get a chance to watch one of his plays, take it—especially if it's by Northern Broadsides (or the RSC, of course). There are few works that, over four-hundred years on, are still capable of capturing the imagination and attracting audiences from all aspects of society. As a budding writer myself, I can scarcely imagine having my work read in my own lifetime, let alone so far into the future.