Announcing: Shakespeare Said it Better
Fun & Funky Shakespearean Commentary and Comedy
“What great ones do the less will prattle of” — Twelfth Night, Act I, Scene 2.
Shakespeare Said it Better
We all know it. There are words and phrases that have been so baked into the English language that they still persist even 400 years later. Whether you’ve considered the world to be your oyster or worn your heart upon your sleeve, you’ve quoted the Bard (maybe without even knowing it).
There’s a reason his words still permeate our daily language. Sure, some of it is the fact that we were all forced to study it in school, but mainly it’s because he was able to succinctly, poignantly, and accurately describe the human experience. Whether you’ve been on a “wild goose chase” or tangled with the “green-eye monster” of jealousy, he’s given us ways to express our most complicated experiences.
The fact that the Shakespearean Cannon is masterful is by no means a new take. But here’s the thing they don’t teach you in school —
Shakespeare Isn’t Breakable
As a society, we tend to define certain things as “high art.” The art to be placed on a pedestal, admired from afar, and trusted only to the most learned. Well, first off, in my humble opinion, there’s no such thing as “high art.” Art is art. But more importantly, Shakespeare shouldn’t be taken so seriously. Yeah, he was an inspired writer working with a talented company of actors. The works are pretty freaking fantastic, but they don’t have to be precious. The guy’s been dead for over 400 years. He’s not going to be offended. Plus, don’t tell your English professor, but the plays themselves are peppered with a ton of dick jokes and off-color humor.
So this is a more irreverent take on the works of William Shakespeare where I’ll give you some tips and tricks to slide these phrases into your daily life (ok, that dick joke was mine) and come across as either very smart, or melodramatic, mercurial and potentially murderous…
So, let’s dust off our Shakespeare, take it out of the special edition collectors packaging, and play with it!
Coming April 23rd (Happy Birthday Will)
This newsletter will pull words and phrases from the Shakespearean Cannon, give you some context from the works, and a discussion that’s fun, funky, and irreverent. I’ll offer some humorous ways to bring the heightened Shakespearean language to your life, and a thoughtful discussion of what those words might actually show us about the human experience. And, if you make it all the way to the end, I plan to partner with local comedians to include a short sketch involving the phrase. And, for the paid subscribers, you’ll get the newsletter as an easily-digestible podcast with a few humorous bonuses thrown in.
The first newsletter will drop April 23rd, Shakespeare’s 459th birthday, and every Sunday morning after that. I hope you’ll join me.