Library Journal Review

These releases resemble one another in their exemplification of William Shakespeare's continued cultural and social significance as much as they differ in their staging and production quality. Morse directs the University of Cambridge production of Merchant, intending to explore the comic aspects of the play and the relevance of Portia, two elements that are often overshadowed by the character of Shylock. It is essentially a filmed version of a staged play; its audio levels are uneven and the camera angles often dizzying, making this version problematic for high school viewing. It would be best used as a supplement to a college Shakespeare course. Nonetheless, the players are amiable and talented, and the shift in focus from Shylock's ambivalence to the comedic and ironical notes of the work illustrate that Shakespeare's acumen for comedy was on par with his ability to explore the darkest shades of humanity. The most inventive and original of the three is This Is Macbeth, the brainchild of producers Watkins and Jeremy Sabol, two Stanford University lecturers. They employ an interview format akin to that of Larry King Live to flesh out the dense language and archetypal plot. Between the interviews with the leading characters are interposed stagings of integral scenes and commercials that parody the violence of Macbeth's world and highlight some of the better-known phrases from the play (e.g., "Out Damned Spot" stain remover). This video is strongly recommended for both high school and college courses, as it clarifies difficult passages and provides a fresh take on an iconic, but too often standardized, piece of literature. The strongest of the trio is the stalwart King Lear, led by the Royal Shakespeare Company and starring multiple Academy Award winner Sir Ian McKellen as the mad and mercurial Lear, a king fighting the advancing forces of dementia and avaricious offspring. One of Shakespeare's later plays, it lays bare the human soul, making fool of king and philosopher of clown in an existentialist critique of both the structures of royal society and the tenuous, arguably illusory control that each individual holds on fate. The technical qualities surpass those of the other two productions, from set design to costumes. King Lear is strongly recommended for those studying Shakespeare or for those with even a passing interest in the Bard's works.-Christopher Rager, Pasadena, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.