Being subjected to Rodney Guitierre’s Shakespeare talk and the Penelope play at St. Ann’s Warehouse was an interesting experience to me. I really benefitted from approaching Shakespeare’s works in a different perspective than what I’ve had before (simply reading through the plays in paperback and being tested on scenes– so boring!) and can see myself seeking out Shakespearean work on my own in the future.
While my memory of Rodney’s talk is a little vague because it happened so long ago, I remember being amazed by the extensive amount of facts he presented us with. I had no idea how much of a difference varying versions of the same play could affect its delivery, the actors’ portrayal of scenes, and the audiences’ perceptions of how the plot unfolds. It was really a privilege to hear about the secret quirks of theatre from such a knowledgable source, and I’m glad to have been involved in the talk.
So many parts of Penelope sparked my interest and made me feel involved with the work. I immediately loved the portrayals of each man and how their interjections were differing yet still related and entertaining. The usage of humor, especially in Dunn’s childhood memories and Quinn’s final crazy act, created comic relief in between heavy monologues, which I think definitely helped retain the play’s message without it feeling too weighty and depressing. I also really liked how the stage’s elevation was relatively low, making the performance feel like an intimate affair with the audience.
My favorite character of the play was definitely Burns. I felt a strong connection to his explanation of the true care he felt with Murray as someone he befriended and loved. I met my current best friend in high school, where the competition for good grades and success was constantly surrounding us, but we managed to cultivate a strong relationship separate from the hatred and fighting we experienced on a daily basis. I admired the courage he exhibited to fight for what is right and true in their swimming pool battlefield.
Hearing the monologues of Dunn, Fitz, and Burns reminded me of this idea that I always think about and revert back to when I evaluate my own life. People are constantly trying to create distractions and nonsensical situations for themselves, maybe to offset boredom or fear of living an unfulfilling life, but why does any of it even matter? Why does human compassion and respect toward one another always take the backseat in almost every aspect of society? Be it politics, school, fashion, business, and so on, people always complicate the simplicity of being human and forget how to love and feel. What Burns preached out to Penelope about trying to be a moral person was so powerful and sincere. While I disagree with the idea of killing a person who acts as a barrier to truth and reason, I felt like Burns’s killing of Quinn was the only thing he could do to salvage whatever was left of the men’s purpose in their lives and their desire for morality, perhaps as the last necessary evil he must perform before seeking out what truly matters in this world.
What I loved most about experiencing Rodney’s discussion and viewing Penelope was that they helped make Shakespeare’s works more accessible to a younger audience. Throughout most of my academic career, instructors constantly raved about how Shakespeare is such an influential figure in literature, and as much as I wanted to feel the same way, I found that approaching his plays on my own made them difficult to understand and relate to. Being involved in settings of Shakespeare that retain his original ideas in a modern way finally bridged that gap between acknowledging the Bard as a momentous figure and actually feeling a connection with his work.
