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With tweens and extended adolescence now a part of our vocabulary, it's easy to forget that adolescence didn't always exist. It's only been acknowledged in Western culture for the last 50 or so years. You were a child until you weren't. One defining birthday —13, 16, or 18 — changed everything from clothes to the quotidian details of daily life. It wasn't until the '50s and '60s that youth Read more
Angelina Jolie famously took a part originally written for Tom Cruise in Salt, and now Helen Mirren is set to do the same. Only she'll be playing a role that's been done hundreds of times as a man: Prospero in Shakespeare's The Tempest. Prospero is the duke of Milan who uses manipulation and other machinations to protect his daughter, Miranda. As a female, Helen tells New York magazine, the harsh Read more
When asked to pick the Shakespearean title that best described their first sexual encounter, 28% chose Comedy of Errors; 23% chose Midsummer's Night Dream; 22% chose Much Ado About Nothing; 21% chose All's Well That Ends Well; and 6% chose Rape of Lucrece. — Librarians compare their first sexual experiences to Shakespearean titles in a controversial librarians and sex survey. The poll went Read more
Emile Hirsch and one-time Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke aren't the only ones planning another big-screen adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet — there's also one in the works that will target the High School Musical audience. A 3-D musical movie version of Hamlet is coming our way, apparently "the first of six adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays, based on musical versions created Read more
Back in March, I told you about a balcony in Verona that's supposedly the 14th-century Casa di Giulietta (home of Juliet of Romeo and Juliet fame) in Verona, Italy. While evidence confirming the home's identity is sketchy at best, romantic brides and grooms can live the fantasy —hopefully without the tragedy of the Shakespeare play — for a fee of 1,000 euros. And if you're non-European, Read more
Terrence Howard recently revealed that he's producing and starring in a modern-day adaptation of Macbeth, taking the lead role and setting the story in the "exotic island setting" of Puerto Rico. Howard commented, "Yes, it's updated present time, Caribbean. It'll be a nice thing to see Shakespeare under a Caribbean sun." That could be true, as we've seen Shakespeare set in a wide variety of Read more
Gawker notes that the posters for the upcoming TV show True Blood and the Diablo Cody movie Jennifer's Body look eerily similar. It's a big day for movie-musical news. In addition to The Rocky Horror Picture Show remake, Cinematical has news that a Hairspray sequel might also be in the works. Stereogum has two videos from the very intense Amanda Palmer, who both intrigues me and scares me. Want Read more
Get ready for another Shakespearean film adaptation Recent news coming out of the Cannes Film Festival (courtesy of the UK's Telegraph): there will be a new big-screen adaptation of Shakespeare's King Lear, this time starring Sir Anthony Hopkins, Keira Knightley and Gwyneth Paltrow. Daddy's Little Girls Sir Anthony will naturally assume the role of King Lear, while Keira will portray his Read more
My man Jared on Kid Nation may be 11 years old, but he's the most dynamic personality on TV today. I kid you not. From philosopher to businessman to literary giant, Jared reinvents himself from week to week. So here's him flaunting his inner Shakespeare for all of Bonanza City. His dramatic performance is okay, but if you ask me, his "costume" takes the cake. Read more
Meet Jared. He's the resident Socrates on "Kid Nation." Don't be fooled by his youth or his scrawny appearance or his penchant for hippie-cowboy fusion wear, cuz he's a real brainiac. He can (almost) recite Shakespeare, plans to complete 20 or so years of college, and like MLK, he's got a dream. He's not sure what that dream entails at this point, but at least he's got one. read more Read more
