My Own Shakespeare
Benjamin Zephaniah
May 16, 2012
Poet Benjamin Zephaniah discusses his inspiration from the final speech of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The hosts talk about their personal experiences performing Shakespearean plays and the connections with West African folklore character Anansi.
02:03
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Quick takeaways
- Performing Shakespeare in a reggae dub style helped the speaker connect with the language and explore their own interpretation.
- Shakespeare's language, especially when performed rhythmically, has a beauty and power that transcends prior knowledge of his works.
Deep dives
Discovering Shakespeare through Performance
The speaker reflects on their initial lack of exposure to Shakespeare in school but later had the opportunity to perform at the Globe Theatre. The unique experience of performing Shakespeare in a reggae dub style allowed the speaker to connect with the language and explore their own interpretation. They draw parallels between Shakespeare's trickster character, Puck, and the Caribbean and African folklore character, Anansi.
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