Clear Shakespeare
@clearshakes.bsky.social
Akiva Fox takes you through Shakespeare's plays, word by word. A read-along podcast for students, readers, and performers.
https://clearshakespeare.com/
https://clearshakespeare.com/
Polonius gives great advice! The trouble is that it's just not advice that he himself has ever followed.
This is one of the weirdest things when people are quoting Shakespeare. Practically every line Shakespeare ever wrote is being said by a character who has his own motivations, context, meaning. the lines by themselves are like saying lama sabachthani without, you know, the Cross
*a character in Shakespeare said this in a dramatic context that frames its meaning
December 16, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Polonius gives great advice! The trouble is that it's just not advice that he himself has ever followed.
I find it pretty inspiring that Jessie Buckley had a rock-solid West End acting career, but she decided her technique wasn't good enough, so she just took three years off to go to RADA.
December 5, 2025 at 7:08 PM
I find it pretty inspiring that Jessie Buckley had a rock-solid West End acting career, but she decided her technique wasn't good enough, so she just took three years off to go to RADA.
This is a great joke, but a huge lie (the way you know it's not true is that David Mamet wrote it and Bari Weiss published it).
BUT! Stoppard did write two great Spielberg movies: Empire of the Sun and Last Crusade.
BUT! Stoppard did write two great Spielberg movies: Empire of the Sun and Last Crusade.
December 3, 2025 at 5:19 PM
This is a great joke, but a huge lie (the way you know it's not true is that David Mamet wrote it and Bari Weiss published it).
BUT! Stoppard did write two great Spielberg movies: Empire of the Sun and Last Crusade.
BUT! Stoppard did write two great Spielberg movies: Empire of the Sun and Last Crusade.
A Shakespeare character I enjoy is Potpan, a busboy in Romeo and Juliet.
November 26, 2025 at 9:42 PM
A Shakespeare character I enjoy is Potpan, a busboy in Romeo and Juliet.
Very solid directing tip from Jim Downey.
October 18, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Very solid directing tip from Jim Downey.
The word bonfire is short for BONE FIRE. Apparently on Midsummer Night they used to burn bones!
October 17, 2025 at 1:58 AM
The word bonfire is short for BONE FIRE. Apparently on Midsummer Night they used to burn bones!
Reposted by Clear Shakespeare
a tiny bit of good news is that we have secured funding to digitize john milton's copy of holinshed's CHRONICLES (1587).
the images will form part of MILTON'S LIBRARY, an open-access site featuring the 10 books positively identified as milton's w/ transcriptions/translations of his marginal notes.
the images will form part of MILTON'S LIBRARY, an open-access site featuring the 10 books positively identified as milton's w/ transcriptions/translations of his marginal notes.
![A close-up image of a handwritten note in a sixteenth-century book. The note reads: 'Spenser repor / teth otherwise / [o]f this Knight / [D]ialogue of Ire- / [la]nd / [p]. 76.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:glqdunvigi5zxowf6heik65g/bafkreigi4rz7omz3cell5pa7hlyceoxd4fxsjy2ynmcd37fozanjejhsry@jpeg)
October 14, 2025 at 7:27 PM
a tiny bit of good news is that we have secured funding to digitize john milton's copy of holinshed's CHRONICLES (1587).
the images will form part of MILTON'S LIBRARY, an open-access site featuring the 10 books positively identified as milton's w/ transcriptions/translations of his marginal notes.
the images will form part of MILTON'S LIBRARY, an open-access site featuring the 10 books positively identified as milton's w/ transcriptions/translations of his marginal notes.
Bottom from Midsummer:
1. Works in the garment industry.
2. Has a passion for acting.
3. Shows no interest in the beautiful magic lady throwing herself at him.
4. Is named Bottom.
Friends, this is not the resume of a straight man.
1. Works in the garment industry.
2. Has a passion for acting.
3. Shows no interest in the beautiful magic lady throwing herself at him.
4. Is named Bottom.
Friends, this is not the resume of a straight man.
September 12, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Bottom from Midsummer:
1. Works in the garment industry.
2. Has a passion for acting.
3. Shows no interest in the beautiful magic lady throwing herself at him.
4. Is named Bottom.
Friends, this is not the resume of a straight man.
1. Works in the garment industry.
2. Has a passion for acting.
3. Shows no interest in the beautiful magic lady throwing herself at him.
4. Is named Bottom.
Friends, this is not the resume of a straight man.
I increasingly feel like you can't perform Midsummer Night's Dream with an intermission. Once you're in magic dreamland, you can't come out until everybody wakes up.
September 3, 2025 at 5:47 PM
I increasingly feel like you can't perform Midsummer Night's Dream with an intermission. Once you're in magic dreamland, you can't come out until everybody wakes up.
Do the early modernists know that there's a very successful (American) football coach named Ben Johnson now? If I were a sportswriter, I would do nothing but write terrible Jonson-pun headlines all day long, and absolutely no one would understand them.
August 18, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Do the early modernists know that there's a very successful (American) football coach named Ben Johnson now? If I were a sportswriter, I would do nothing but write terrible Jonson-pun headlines all day long, and absolutely no one would understand them.
In 1877, Frederick Douglass joined his neighborhood Shakespeare reading group. The one role we know he performed for sure: Shylock.
July 29, 2025 at 10:20 PM
In 1877, Frederick Douglass joined his neighborhood Shakespeare reading group. The one role we know he performed for sure: Shylock.
It remains wild that everyone just assumes we know what Marlowe looked like, when there is zero proof this famous image is him.
Can we please stop using this image on books about Marlowe? Please?
www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Renaiss...
www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Renaiss...
Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare’s Greatest Rival, Christopher Marlowe
Buy Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare’s Greatest Rival, Christopher Marlowe by Greenblatt, Stephen (ISBN: 9781847927132) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
www.amazon.co.uk
July 25, 2025 at 1:46 PM
It remains wild that everyone just assumes we know what Marlowe looked like, when there is zero proof this famous image is him.
The only Harold Bloom literary analysis I agree with is that the Harry Potter books are trash.
July 20, 2025 at 2:01 PM
The only Harold Bloom literary analysis I agree with is that the Harry Potter books are trash.
Top ten things to beware in Shakespeare:
1. Ides of March
2. Jealousy
3. The rope's end
4. My sting
5. The Thane of Fife
6. Your beard
7. Brutus
8. The foul fiend
9. An ass
10. Entrance to a quarrel
1. Ides of March
2. Jealousy
3. The rope's end
4. My sting
5. The Thane of Fife
6. Your beard
7. Brutus
8. The foul fiend
9. An ass
10. Entrance to a quarrel
July 19, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Top ten things to beware in Shakespeare:
1. Ides of March
2. Jealousy
3. The rope's end
4. My sting
5. The Thane of Fife
6. Your beard
7. Brutus
8. The foul fiend
9. An ass
10. Entrance to a quarrel
1. Ides of March
2. Jealousy
3. The rope's end
4. My sting
5. The Thane of Fife
6. Your beard
7. Brutus
8. The foul fiend
9. An ass
10. Entrance to a quarrel
Andrew Garfield's character is named "Henrik Gibson." Not at all kidding.
Watch the official trailer for Luca Guadagnino's After the Hunt, starring Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield and Julia Roberts 👀
In theaters October 17 via Amazon MGM Studios.
In theaters October 17 via Amazon MGM Studios.
July 16, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Andrew Garfield's character is named "Henrik Gibson." Not at all kidding.
Had the honor of working a bit on this King Lear (and sharing a birthday cake)
Happy birthday to the great Stacy Keach. Had the great privilege to work with him on KING LEAR (spectacular) and a brilliant solo HEMINGWAY.
A truly brilliant artist and a helluv’a great guy.
A truly brilliant artist and a helluv’a great guy.
June 3, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Had the honor of working a bit on this King Lear (and sharing a birthday cake)
For years, I've been dream casting a Wes Anderson Twelfth Night movie. FINALLY, the perfect Sir Andrew has entered the equation: Michael Cera.
June 2, 2025 at 12:28 AM
For years, I've been dream casting a Wes Anderson Twelfth Night movie. FINALLY, the perfect Sir Andrew has entered the equation: Michael Cera.
A weird thing is that Malcolm didn't actually succeed Macbeth. Instead, one of Lady Macbeth's kids got put on the throne for a few months (until Malcolm had him assassinated).
April 17, 2025 at 6:13 PM
A weird thing is that Malcolm didn't actually succeed Macbeth. Instead, one of Lady Macbeth's kids got put on the throne for a few months (until Malcolm had him assassinated).
Looks like I've found my new favorite scholarly text
April 6, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Looks like I've found my new favorite scholarly text
Let's take a moment to appreciate Val Kilmer's weird little Shakespeare career. Especially that one time he played Orlando opposite Patti LuPone's Rosalind.
Juilliard-trained Val Kilmer's stage credits included "Slab Boys" on Broadway, "Hamlet" at Colorado Shakespeare, Hotspur in "Henry IV, Part 1" at The Public's Delacorte in Central Park, "'Tis Pity She's a Whore" at The Public, and "As You Like It" at The Guthrie.
April 2, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Let's take a moment to appreciate Val Kilmer's weird little Shakespeare career. Especially that one time he played Orlando opposite Patti LuPone's Rosalind.
Iago probably wasn't even next in line for that promotion.
February 28, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Iago probably wasn't even next in line for that promotion.
If there was ever a time for a Wat Tyler movie... deadline.com/2025/02/matt...
Matthew McConaughey To Star In Paul Greengrass’ Peasant Revolt Movie ‘The Rage’; Jason Blum Joins As Producer: EFM Hot Package
Matthew McConaughey is set to play a farmer who becomes the leader of a revolt in 1381 England Paul Greengrass' The Rage movie.
deadline.com
February 7, 2025 at 12:14 AM
If there was ever a time for a Wat Tyler movie... deadline.com/2025/02/matt...
She famously designed Branagh's Henry V and Much Ado About Nothing costumes. Honestly, has a cast ever looked as good as that Much Ado cast?
Phyllis Dalton, ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and ‘Doctor Zhivago’ Costume Designer, Dies at 99
The two-time Oscar winner also worked on 'Oliver!,' 'The Princess Bride' and three Kenneth Branagh films and knew the importance of "having the mud in the right place."
www.hollywoodreporter.com
January 27, 2025 at 2:59 PM
She famously designed Branagh's Henry V and Much Ado About Nothing costumes. Honestly, has a cast ever looked as good as that Much Ado cast?
For the last 30 years, Russia has had a cultural celebration called the Golden Mask. They bring all the best theatrical productions from across the country to Moscow for a six-week festival. Wow could the American regional theater use something like that right now.
January 24, 2025 at 8:29 PM
For the last 30 years, Russia has had a cultural celebration called the Golden Mask. They bring all the best theatrical productions from across the country to Moscow for a six-week festival. Wow could the American regional theater use something like that right now.
"Lo" is short for "Look"
January 11, 2025 at 6:55 PM
"Lo" is short for "Look"