Hello to everyone reading my blog! I have to explain quickly about what I did with this post. Since this is more of a creative writing prompt than an essay-like reflection, I went in a different direction with it than expected. This is an excerpt from the 17th century Twitter page of a lower class man going to see The Tempest with a couple friends. (Please forgive my unfamiliarity with Twitter itself; this is kind of a compilation of things I've heard from other people. Also, I don't know how hashtags work, so don't get your hopes up.) Enjoy!
Shakespeare's The Tempest is playing at the Globe theatre this afternoon. Anthony, Michael, Andrew, and I are going to head up soon, it's gonna be a blast!
12:52 p.m., July 16, 1612
Just passed a bear baiting game. I wish they'd quit doing that in the streets just outside the Globe, or some time I'm going to have to free one of those bears and watch it maul the dogs for a change.
1:15 p.m., July 16, 1612
I love the whole 'get in for a penny' thing. I don't care so much about being a groundling, it's cool just to be there. Plus, Andrew's gotten us close enough that if we want, we can all join in throwing tomatoes at the actors if it comes to it. :)
1:52 p.m., July 16, 1612
Waiting..... Waiting...... I'd love if they could be on time. Every time we go to the Globe, we're stuck waiting practically forever.
2:40 p.m., July 16, 1612
Someone better tell Billy Shakespeare that if he doesn't get his rear in gear, someone might burn the theatre down.
2:52 p.m., July 16, 1612
Finally, the play's starting. It's going to be awesome!
3:02 p.m., July 16, 1612
Okay, I need to give a brief warning about being a groundling. You can't hear a stinking thing, so be prepared for that if you ever go. Plus, if you aren't careful, you might take a tomato to the head. I am just saying.
3:26 p.m., July 16, 1612
Prospero fell off the stage. He practically crowd-surfed his way back, but then somebody dropped him. Okay, so we dropped him. Okay, so I dropped him. Hey, is it my fault that Antonio doesn't know how to keep his temper? I wasn't the one who knocked an actor off the stage. Anyways, he's all right.... Sort of.
3:39 p.m., July 16, 1612
Maybe the Globe shouldn't try and do that acrobatic stuff. I swear, Ariel almost died. I don't know what they think they're trying with him, but they should really be more careful with their actors.
3:50 p.m., July 16, 1612
Miranda and Ferdinand actually make a cute couple. The characters, I mean, not the actors playing them. The guy playing Miranda could stand to be a little more...I don't know, feminine? Maybe the director should have gone for a tenor instead of a baritone, that's all I'm saying. Anyway, I'm really feeling this play. It's ten times better than Taming of the Shrew. I totally recommend it.
4:12 p.m., July 16, 1612
Aw, you know what? That play ended pretty nicely. I won't give it away, because you should really go see it yourself, but it was cool. Eventually, the hecklers laid off, too, which was awesome. The others and I will probably go to the Zephyr Tavern for some drinks after this. Come on up tonight, it'll be fun!
4:30 p.m., July 16, 1612
