Wait till Later

Cindy has two classes tonight, so I am sitting in her classroom (all by myself) amusing myself on the computer. Supper will be later for all. So....I thought I would take some time and write something down on the old blogspot (Out! Out! Damned Spot!). Was Lady McBeth speaking to her dog? It seems a strange thing to say in the middle of a scene of personal hygeine. Perhaps she had bathed the dog in an earlier scene which was later cut from the canon. Odd, the dog is never mentioned before or afterward in the play. And it is a short play. Could it be that there is a "director's cut" that we, meaning western civilization, have never seen? Filled with dogs and clowns and other antic creatures? I would hope so. One single drunken porter is not enough comic relief for that play. It is pretty grim most of the time.

If you are wondering why I am so stuck on Shakespeare, I was listening to a story on NPR about Shakespeare and American Politics while driving over here. And then, Cindy has a preponderance of Shakespearean stuff in this room. Everywhere you look, Will! Was he so important? Don't answer that.

Hamlet is my favorite play. He is dark and twisted (in the mind) and tries very hard to be right in his actions. Meanwhile all sorts of things are going on around him. And it all takes place in Denmark, the original home of the Baynhams. I wonder how you pronounced our name in Danish?

And what about Rosenkranz and Guildenstern? My favorites. I will never forget when Ms. Griffin had me and John (yes, me and John) doing Rosenkranz and Guildenstern and trading off parts from day to day. It did create quite a stir in a classroom where the remainder of the class was trying to catch forty winks before the next class period.

And then there was Ms. Isley and her attitude about us. Boy, was she high-strung. Saying that Midsummer Night's Dream was "about our speed." I would have slapped her if that was a viable option under the circumstances. I guarantee that I did more in my English classes at W&L then she did wherever she was educated.

And I do like Midsummer Night's Dream. Its funny and amusing and airy. I was Egeus in 6th grade. Very poor Egeus, but there, for all to see, in my white sheet for a toga. Underplayed it a bit too much. I don't think anybody even heard me. I can't remember if I heard my lines. You have to take advantage of those little roles. Ricky Wells was the best, playing one of the mechanics. He died, then rose and died again. It was pretty funny.

I have always liked the theater. I would like to write a play someday. Something witty and comical. I wonder if anyone would like it. We'll see.

P.S. By the way, I am doing a whole lot more editing since I started. I guess I lied earlier. So sue me.