Too Many Plays Inside of a Play

     In English class we chose to read A Midsummer Night's Dream as our short story.  I personally chose "Death of a Salesman" but it was a majority vote by the class.  William Shakespeare gave a great adaptation of love and drama while throwing in a bit of comedy in this play.  Unfortunately I am not much of a fan of the fact that he chose to put multiple plays inside of the primary one.  I understand the fact that he was trying to add to the comedy with the play; however, the audience could get a bit confused which to follow more closely.  Shakespeare did tie the 2 in well in the end during the wedding, but you have to choose which you would like to follow more.  During the first of the play you are following the dialogue between the hierarchies of Queen's and King's then Shakespeare chooses to switch to a whole different aspect of people and a totally different plot.
     I would have rather read a play about the love story and even with the fairies then been bounced around from play to play.  Do not get me wrong, Bottom and his cohorts were hilarious together and much easier to familiarize with than the wealthy characters.  On another point it should have not taken the lovers to be persuaded with magic to see which of them should truly be together. 

                                                                     Works Cited

Crowther, John, ed. “No Fear A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2005. Web. 24 Feb. 2011.

CHARGE!

     CHARGE!   One of the best lines of the movie, Arsenic and Old Lace, by director Frank Capra was yelled numerous times by Theodore Brewster.  Theodore Mortimer's younger brother, played by John Alexander, had me laughing out loud trying not to disrupt the class.  Theodore believed himself to be President Teddy Roosevelt and was a big help to the Aunt's by burying their victims in the basement.  He believed he was digging the Panama Canal.  One of my favorite of the many quotes in the movie is when Aunt Abby said:  "Oh, do you remember, Martha, once a long time ago, we thought if he'd be George Washington, it might be a change for him, and we suggested it."  Aunt Martha then replied, "And do you know what happened? He just stayed under his bed for days and wouldn't be anybody."  Poor Theodore did not realize he was doing anything wrong yet Mortimer insisted he needed to be put in Happydale Sanitarium.  He seemed to be the only one actually having any fun during the mass histeria happening elsewhere.  Frank Crapa could have based a whole movie around his character. 
     I thought it was hilarious when Mr. Witherspoon (Edward Everett Horton), the head of Happydale Sanitarium told Mortimer he was reluctant to accept Theodore because they already had a few Teddy Roosevelt's and it may cause trouble there.  I can picture it now, multiple "President's" fighting over who gives the commands.  Arsenic and Old Lace is the only black and white movie I have ever watched all the way through to the end and I now have a new respect for these type of movies.

                                                                       Works Cited
Screenplay  Arsenic and Old Lace.  Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein. released on DVD 2000.  Warner Bros.

Wanted: Actors/Actresses Who Can Sing

Patrick Lane

Mrs. Watson

English 113--Section 101

Narrative Essay

February 23, 2011

Wanted:  Actors/Actresses Who Can Sing

      Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Tim Burton, screenplay by Stephen 

 Sondheim, is a dark comedy musical set in London, England.  The movie stars Johnny Depp as Todd 

 (Benjamin Barker) and Helena Bonham Carter as Ms. Lovett.  Todd is and insane barber set on revenge 

 after his wife and daughter are taken away early in the movie by the evil Judge Turpin.  Once Sweeney Todd 

 sets his mind to it he is back into action and slicing and dicing his victims into meat pie's for Ms. Lovett's 

restaurant.  This is a wonderful adaptation of revenge with a comedic twist; however, the groaning of the

ballads by the characters was hideous.
     Early in the movie the singing was confusing.  It is understandable that he had a huge place in his heart for
his wife and daughter but the movie would have been much more capable with just spoken voice.  Johnny
Depp is an amazing actor and when asked about his singing ability in a post movie interview he gave a reply,
"I do not know if I can, but I will try."  The fact that he is unaware of any singing ability he has is obvious.
For instance when he is singing the phrase "We all deserve to die," he tries to hit a high note which makes an
awful bellow which compares to that of an injured dog.
     Stephen Sondheim unfortunately adds in the simple British accent of Carter (Ms. Lovett) throughout the
movie.  For example, when Lovett is singing about Judge Turpin taking advantage of Lucy, Todd's lost wife,
there is a solemness in her voice.  Here, the audience would be incapable of understanding the basic point of
her song because of her accent along with the darkness of the comedy, excluding her terrible singing
voice. 
     We are not all great actors or singers, but to have such a wonderful movie considerably ruined by
rudimentary musical numbers is out of the question.  Stephen Sondheim and Tim Burton could have chosen
actors or actresses with a much better singing voice than they did for Sweeney Todd:  The Demon Barber of
Fleet Street.  

Works Cited

Sweeney Todd:  The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.  Screenplay Stephen Sondheim.  Dir. Tim Burton. 

     2007. Dreamworks, 2008.  DVD