Measure for Measure Trailer

Come see the show!
Saturday, Nov. 3rd - Tuesday, Nov. 6th.
William and Mary UC Commonwealth
7:30 PM

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• measure
• for
• shakespeare
• william
• and
• mary
• nun
• lechery
• adultery
• angelo
• duke
• venice
• isabella

[VonScarfman]

Normally I cannot stand Shakespeare's works performed in an American accent (I'm not being deliberately pretentious or predjudiced, or a slight on American actors, it's just a natural response - imagine Huckleberry Finn or the Great Gatsby with a Liverpool or Newcastle accent!). However, despite this handicapped view, I found your trailer rose above this well, and captured the essence of the words with great understanding and respect. Also, Metal Shakespeare - Thou rockest the kasbah.

[ZombieFilmmaker]

@VonScarfman I'm glad you liked it! I take that as a great compliment. But in addition to what actinggurl said, almost all of Shakespeare's plays (except the histories) aren't set in England anyway, so it's equally silly seeing them with a British accent as with an American.

But I've had plenty of professors who said they can't stand American accents either-- as much as I love the films of Branagh and Olivier, they did kinda trap us in a conception that only Brits can do Shakespeare. Oh well!

[ZombieFilmmaker]

Oh, but if you do want to see some fantastic, unpretentious American Shakespeare, check out the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, Virginia. I grew up seeing their shows and I still swear by them as some of the best, most viscerally enjoyable Shakespeare I've ever seen. Plus they perform in the world's only recreation of Shakespeare's indoor playhouse. Totally worth the trip.

Anyway, again, thanks and glad you liked the video!

[metalshakespeare]

Wow this looks so good. Is the whole thing online anywhere? The music really works. We made a power ballad out of a scene from this play. It's on our page if you want to take a look!

[ZombieFilmmaker]

Thanks, man! This was actually just a promo for a stage show that we put on last year, so we don't have the whole thing online, unfortunately.

I dig your music, though! Awesome idea.

[heathmai]

This is amazing ! seriously wow ive been studing the play for the last 6th months and this is an amazinf interpretation of it ! in my oppinoin the american accent is not a factor at all its the acting, its all about the presentation of the characters and this performance reflects what is important ! and both were amazing im from an area called Warrickshire down the road from strat and loved it :) X

[raverlove]

@VonScarfman Interestingly enough, one of the instructors on my shakespeare module said that the American accent is actually closer to how English was spoken in Shakespearean times than the modern British accent.

[TheAlaskanPirate]

Damn, I should've been Lucio for Halloween.

THIS IS AWESOME

[pulppulppulp1]

@actinggurl1995

Weeeellllllllllllly well, while the accents were certainly not the standard RP English accent that we become accustomed to hearing I believe Shakspearian English in the London area sounded more like an English 'west country' accent, rather than standard American.

In any case, it shouldn't matter. My favourite Shakespeare pronunciation has to be in Baz Luhrman's Romeo + Juliet when Benvolio goes "Roo-maaa-oo." Pure gold.

[actinggurl1995]

my gosh this was an incredibly well done commercial, and seems like a fantastic remake of an amazing play (my favorite, as a matter of fact). Well done!

[actinggurl1995]

@VonScarfman well, that's technically not fair because the accents of performers who acted out Shakespeare plays back then were closer to the standard american accent. And it's not a matter of the accent, it's how they put the accent into the lines.

Sorry that was really forceful of me but I do a nationally acclaimed Shakespeare youth theater, and we kick ass even without british accents, the way it should be :P.

[quietbrook1]

well done!!!!!!