Watch The Globe #AtHome

Adetomiwa Edun in conversation with my class

Shakespeare's Globe is making a number of productions available online. These include full productions, and actors performing some of the greatest love poetry from their own homes. There are also more performances available to buy.

You can see a full schedule here. Please consider a donation to help Shakespeare's Globe continue their work in Shakespeare scholarship and performance.

The current play, Romeo and Juliet (2009) is a special one for me because I saw this cast perform it live while I studied in the UK, and my class was able to do a special Q&A with a few of the actors. You might recognize the stars. Ellie Kendrick (Juliet) appeared on Game of Thrones and Adetomiwa Edun (Romeo) appeared in FIFA 17/18/19.

This stream is available through May 3rd.

Anyone But You Cover Reveal and Giveaway

I'm a little late posting this; please forgive me. 

I am a fan of Amy Helmes and Kim Askew's Twisted Lit series, in which they modernize Shakespeare in very loose adaptations.  First came TEMPESTUOUS, a take on The Tempest, and then EXPOSURE, a take on Macbeth.

When I interviewed Kim and Amy in December, this is what they had to say about the series:
"We didn’t want to do a paint-by-numbers retelling of the plays, where we followed the story to the letter, only reworked it into a modern setting. As writers, that didn’t appeal to us. Instead, we use the Bard’s works as a springboard of sorts and let the story take its own trajectory while still incorporating each play’s iconic themes, symbols, characters and major plot twists. We allow ourselves a lot of freedom in that sense."

Here's the cover and blurb of ANYONE BUT YOU, coming out in January 18, 2014 and currently available to preorder:

Two Italian restaurants, both alike in dignity, in Chicago’s Little Italy where we lay our scene... After her family’s struggling eatery, Cap’s, falls prey to another of the Monte clan’s vicious and destructive pranks, sixteen-year-old Gigi Caputo finds herself courting danger during a clandestine encounter with Roman Monte, the very boy whose relatives have brought her family such grief. When the daughter and son of these two warring factions fall for each other, their quest to mend this bitter family feud turns out to be a recipe for disaster. Their story is irrevocably linked to the summer of 1933, when two twelve-year-olds, Benny and Nick, hop the turnstile at the Chicago World’s Fair. While enjoying some of the fair’s legendary amusements, Nick has a “love at first sight” encounter with Stella, a young girl who unintentionally causes a lasting rift between the two boyhood pals. Deftly winding its way through past and present day, this modern take on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet has much to do with hate — but more with love.

 

I have one signed copy of EXPOSURE to giveaway.  Since I'm late, this will be a quickie contest.  First person with a U.S. address to comment on this post gets it.  Please leave an email address so that I can reach you to get you your prize.

Review: When You Were Mine

By Rebecca Serle
Available now from Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster)
Review copy

WHEN YOU WERE MINE wasn't what I was expecting from the summary and reviews.  As you probably know, WHEN YOU WERE MINE is a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET through the point-of-view of the jilted Rosaline.  I had this imagine in my head of a crazy passionate romance between Rosaline and Rob, suddenly interrupted by her sociopathic cousin Juliet.  It would then go into thriller territory, with Rosaline trying to save Rob's life.  That's not quite how the book goes.

Rosaline and Rob have been best friends forever.  When they come back to school as seniors, Rob finally makes a move and asks Rosie out.  She's over the moon that they're finally going to go out together.  But their first date is surprisingly awkward, aside from a great kiss at the end.   Before they can make their relationship official, Juliet moves back to town and the two fall in love fast and hard.

Now, Juliet might have moved on Rob just because he was hot.  But something happened between their families years ago, and Rosie hasn't seen her cousin since one disastrous Christmas.  Juliet, however, seems to know what caused the split.  (Unlike in Shakespeare's play, Rosaline's family is aligned with Rob's rather than Juliet's.)  I loved that Juliet wasn't a straight-up crazy, evil character.  She's just a teenage girl with an unhappy home life, a need for revenge, and an unexpected passion.  Debut author Rebecca Serle gives Juliet moments of true emotion, not allowing Rosie to see her as just a villain.

Serle wisely keeps WHEN YOU WERE MINE from focusing too much on the updated versions of the famous lovers.  Their story has been told and she's doing something new.  Instead, the book introduces new characters: Rosie's best friends, Charlie and Olivia, and her biology partner Len.  Charlie and Olivia contribute to 2012's reputation as a great year for female friendships in YA.  Len, meanwhile, is a terrific diversion from the milquetoast Rob.  He's a pianist and much smarter and more dedicated than Rosie expected before she started spending time with him.  I thought the non-Shakespearean elements of WHEN YOU WERE MINE eclipsed the derivative material.

But really, what makes WHEN YOU WERE MINE a successful book is Rosaline's voice.  That's good, considering the book is supposed to be her version of ROMEO AND JULIET.  She's a normal high school girl.  She's loyal to her friends, worried about college, not as confident in her looks as she should be, a bit preoccupied with popularity, and prone to fits of pique.  I liked that she doesn't put up with the way Rob treats her.  He throws her over for Juliet, and she doesn't pretend that she's okay with that and they can still be friends.  He hurt her feelings and she's not going to let him get close again.  She has her moments of weakness, but she doesn't make a fool of herself trying to get him back.  Maybe it's just my opinion, but I can't stand stories about girls doing crazy things to reunite with their exes.  I'm so happy that isn't what WHEN YOU WERE MINE is about.

WHEN YOU WERE MINE made me cry in the way ROMEO AND JULIET never has.  It's a very human retelling of the famous drama, the old story enlivened by the trappings and distractions of high school life.  And, of course, it is anchored by a strong voice.  Serle has made a terrific debut on the YA scene.