Shakespeare

She’s The Man: Modern Retelling of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”

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She's The Man
She’s The Man

I happened to see this movie trailer for the teen comedy “She’s The Man” posted on Apple’s movie trailer site, and I realized quickly after reading the names of the characters that this is a modern re-telling of my very favorite Shakespeare play ever — Twelfth Night. I read the play in high school English class, after I knew I was gay but before I was comfortable telling other people that, and I was fascinated by the cross-dressing aspect of the play. Hey, there wasn’t exactly any healthy gay teen literature around at the time, so I took what I could get.

So… is this movie going to piss me off by screwing up my favorite play? Is the movie going to piss me off by portraying tomboys in an unfavorable light? It has Amanda Bynes in it, who is a great young comedic actress, so that’s a point in it’s favor. But she plays the cross-dressing Viola, and she’s not exactly convincing. A large part of that is the hair; she needed a way-better hair cut. But I’ll see it anyway. It looks silly-fun.

2022-03-15 Update:
Oh, past self, you silly kid. You’re trans; that’s why the cross-dressing appeals. It was a cute silly movie.

Here’s the actual trailer.

Continue ReadingShe’s The Man: Modern Retelling of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”

Funny Shakespeare

Hamlet is a course and barbarous play. One might think thework is a product of a drunken savage’s imagination. – Voltaire

Are the commentators on Hamlet really mad or are they just pretending to be mad?

Birnam Wood Reunion Staff

If I were Juliet, we’d have got away

If I were Romeo, we’d have got away

A most Extravagant Vagary – The Two Nobel Kinsman

Away! I do condemn mine ears, that have so long attended thee – Cymbeline

Confimer of False Reckonings – As You Like It

Brevity is the soul of wit – Hamlet

Dangerous & Unsuspected – Richard III

Confusion now hath made his masterpiece – Macbeth

He is not his craft’s master – Henry IV, Part 2

He thinks too much, such men are dangerous – Julius Caesar

Hell is empty, and all the Devils are here – Tempest

Here is a silly-stately style indeed – Henry VI, Part I

I do desire we may be better strangers – As You Like It

I muse you make so slight a question – Henry IV, Part 2

I took thee for thy better – Hamlet

Let’s meet as little as we can – As You Like It

Men’s vows are women’s traitors! – Cymbeline

More of your conversation would infect my brain – Coriolanus

O’ there has been much throwing about of brains – Hamlet

Sell when you can, you are not for all markets – As You Like It

Such bugs and goblins in my life! – Hamlet

The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers – Henry VI, Part 2

There’s a stewed phrase indeed! – Troilus & Cressida

These giddy loose suggestions! – King John

They have been at a great feast of languages and stolen the scrapes – Love’s Labor Lost

This effect defective comes by cause – Hamlet

This petty brabble will undo us all – Titus Andronicus

Though this be madness, yet there is method in it – Hamlet

We allowed your approach rather to wonder at you than to hear you – Twelth Night

What impossible matter will we make easy next? – The Tempest

Wilt thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? – Merchant of Venice

You are strangely troublesome – Henry VIII

You put sharp weapons in a madman’s hands – Henry VI, Part 2

Continue ReadingFunny Shakespeare