Art and History

"Much Ado About Nothing"


We present excerpts from Shakespeare's playful, stylish "Much Ado About Nothing," which brings together Beatrice and Benedick, one of the most famous duos ever invented for the stage. This 1963 performance features Rex Harrison and Rachel Roberts who bring new life to this sophisticated comedy of manners on the subject of marriage and marital bondage.

Part 1
In these opening scenes, Benedick and Claudio return home from the battlefield and are greeted by Beatrice, a young lady of the court, and Hero, the Duke's daughter.

Part 2

In these scenes, Beatrice offers her views on marriage and men in general. In the meantime, the evil Don John is hatching a plot to slander Hero's reputation.

Part 3
In these scenes, Hero, the daughter of the Duke, pretends to be dead so that those who spread lies about her may be exposed. At the same time, Beatrice and Benedick have each been convinced that the other is in love.

Part 4
In these final scenes, the lovely lady Hero is exonerated and reveals that she is alive, dashing the plot of her villainous uncle, Don John. Beatrice and Benedick profess their love for each other and are united in holy, but waspish, wedlock.

"Julius Casesar"

We present excerpts from William Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" starring Sir Ralph Richardson and Anthony Quayle and directed by Howard Sackler.

Part 1
Caesar has been warned by a soothsayer to beware the ides of March (March 15). In this scene, Caesar's wife begs him not to go to the Capitol because she has had ominous dreams and fears for his life. Brutus, Caesar's friend and a conspirator against him, appears and convinces Caesar to go to the Capitol in spite of the portents.

Part 2
Caesar, a great general, is petitioned by several citizens to show clemency to one of his enemies. He declines, pompously speaking of himself in the third person. The group of conspirators then proceeds to stab him. With his dying breath he gasps, "Et tu, Brute? ("And you, Brutus?") Thus falls Caesar." The conspirators exult, and Shakespeare inserts a self-referential joke as Cassius says, "How many ages hence shall this our lofty scene be acted over in states unborn and accents yet unknown!"

Part 3
Brutus presents a rational argument in favor of Caesar's assassination at the beginning of the funeral. His logical but prosaic way of speaking convinces the attending Romans to accept his political reasons for the crime -- but only temporarily.

Part 4
We hear the end of the funeral scene. After Brutus finishes his eulogy, Marc Antony gets up to speak. In contrast with Brutus's rational argument, Marc Antony appeals solely to emotion, rousing the crowd to pity Caesar and manipulating them by sheer force of feelings. Again, Shakespeare inserts an ironic touch; Marc Antony disingenuously claims "I am no orator, as Brutus is," even though he has just defeated Brutus in a battle of words.