„TO BE OR NOT TO BE” was the question in Shakespeare time … To-day was not a question „TO GO OR NOT TO GO” !
Participate on a one day of the two days International Conference, whereas dissecting the question was whether „Shakespeare was contemporary?” Was delightful to be present at the János Mogyoróssy Public Library’s Assembly Hall on the Town Hall Street – Gyula.
Director József Gedeon welcomed the worldwide distinguish Shakespeare historian Stanley Wells – Stratford-upon-Avon who talked about scripts in Shakespeare work that in a way rang the bell of Sex and Love … ie.: Homo erotic” interpretation in that era. Furthermore, gave an autopsy overview of Shakespeare’s text as sexual joking and sexual jealousy in his plays. For example: Shakespeare’s word „nunnery” was in use at the common daily conversation, which meant „F… me off”. These lines have been said in Hamlet … „Get thee to a nunnery: why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners.” Shakespeare, masterfully offended others with his hidden jokes. Mr. Wells went back in time to the young life of Shakespeare by saying that he was a young developer, also at the age of 18 he got married. Shakespeare was one of the three young adults who was registered to have been married under the age of 20. In those days only at the age over 20 men could be married in church and he was not too welcomed of his act at Stratford-upon-Avon. In the audience there were college students, theater representatives and simply folks interested in the era of the time-and-age with Shakespeare thoughts which were put with black ink on white papers. Many came to the library to learn from the experts more about what was the meaning of the lines in the Shakespeare drama and comedy that triggered the mind of those folks reading, viewing a theater play and in how we understand the background meaning in our to-day’s understanding. He spoke about the literally works of Peter Brook, whose entire career was the most important artistic motif of staging Shakespeare’s plays and another prominent director of Romanian descent, but living for decades in the U.S.A., Andrei Serban who covered deeply in his work the Shakespearean thoughts on stage. Reference were made to Editor Jonathan Bate from the Royal Shakespeare Company who also carried out researches in resource of Shakespeare plays. He also dealt with much information on Shakespeare’s contemporary theatrical life.
After a short break the platform was taken by Maria Shevtsova – Goldsmiths College, University of London, UK. who held a lecture on „Who are the contemporary Shakespeare?” Spoked about the next generation to be of high-level scholarly through Shakespeare editions to be bound through electronic use when everything will be at the fingertips for all those of interest. She held a powerful fascinating lecture … It was not only enjoyable to have a feed of new information, but listening to her beautiful clear English speech was more than delightful.
The International Conference was a brilliant idea sharing the informative thoughts in our 21st century. The audience who wished to learn more about what the texts meant in the Shakespeare time and how the back thoughts triggered those folks in the past era surely learnt a lot by being present.
Overall, even though spending a short time at the Shakespeare Festival those were the days of good on nuts and bolds just as for those folks in the era of the Elizabethan theater practice. Imprinted superb experience in every sence and indeed for many will stay as a grand reminder of their visit at the Xth Shakespeare Festival performances brought by the best artists and scholars to the city of Gyula.
The conference was held in English language, but also available with interpretation through earphones in Hungarian language.
Update and snaps by Aggie Reiter
Rolling in Budapest 