Shakespeare References in Star Trek Memories

It is certainly not surprising to find Shakespeare references in William Shatner's Star Trek Memories, a book he wrote with Chris Kreski. Star Trek has always been strangely, wonderfully connected to Shakespeare. In fact, several of the references in this book come in the episode titles from the show. And William Shatner had done some Shakespeare before being cast in Star Trek. The book's first reference is to Shakespeare himself: "With all that in mind, it becomes conceivable that even if Shakespeare himself were to rise from the dead, dig himself out of his grave and hop a transatlantic Concorde to L.A., showing up in the William Morris offices with TV spec script in hand, he'd most likely be turned away at the lobby" (pages 15-16). The next reference is to Hamlet: "However, by 1964 Desilu had suffered the slings and arrows of Lucy and Desi's divorce, and also the irrational but somehow enduring stigma attached to that particular pairing of names" (p. 37). The phrase "slings and arrows" comes from Hamlet's most famous soliloquy. Then we get a reference to Macbeth: "He and his assistants now labored over a green vatful of viscous liquid mumbling to themselves and appearing not unlike Macbeth's three witches. Finally, after adding some unusual ingredients into the mix (Eye of newt? A bit of dragon's blood? Who knows?), they once again came up with a bright green batch of new improved paste" (p. 68). There is another reference to Hamlet's famous speech: "likeable professional who somehow managed to suffer every one of the unavoidable slings and arrows of network television without ever losing perspective or his formidable sense of humor" (p. 83). There is another Hamlet reference, this time not related to that beloved soliloquy: "All of this was truly odd for me because I'd never felt this sort of jealousy before. I was always for 'the team,' and 'the peace' and 'the play's the thing,' so these new feelings caught me totally off guard" (p. 264). The phrase "the play's the thing" comes from Hamlet's famous lines at the end of Act II: "The play's the thing/Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King." The end of that line would serve as an episode title for the series, and that's mentioned in this book, along with an episode titled "Dagger Of The Mind," which comes from a line in Macbeth. Shatner writes: "For example, Grace was to have co-starred with Captain Kirk in our eleventh episode, 'Dagger of the Mind,' but her deterioration forced Roddenberry and Justman into a decision to rewrite the episode, adding the guest character of Dr. Helen Noel and entirely deleting Yeoman Rand. Further, in Grace's final episode, 'The Conscience of the King,' her performance consisted solely of walking onto the bridge in the background of the scene, taking a quick look at a particular piece of equipment, then exiting" (p. 283). The "Dagger of the Mind" episode is again mentioned on pages 359 and 360. One of the book's chapters is titled "To Stay Or Not To Stay" (p. 285), obviously a play on Hamlet's "To be or not to be." Another episode title is "By Any Other Name," a reference to the bad quarto of Romeo And Juliet, that episode mentioned on page 316. The correct line (in both the second quarto and the First Folio) is "a rose by any other word." Another episode is titled "All Our Yesterdays," a phrase that comes from my favorite speech in all of Shakespeare's work, Macbeth's "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" speech, in which Macbeth says "And all our yesterdays have lighted fools/The way to dusty death." That episode is mentioned on pages 364, 365 and 371.

Star Trek Memories was published in 1993. My copy is the paperback edition from July 1994.

Shakespeare References in Sextrology

Many years ago I was working on a television show that had a bookstore set (I can't recall the name of the show), and so of course I was looking through the books. Several of us were enjoying bits from a book titled Sextrology (from that title, you can tell it's not meant to be taken too seriously), and, as it was the final day of that show's filming, I was given permission to take a copy home at the end of the day. I read little bits of it back then, and then forgot about it. But recently I finally decided to read the entire thing, and was surprised by how many Shakespeare references it contains.

The first couple of references are to Hamlet. In the chapter on the Aries Man, the authors (Stella Starsky and Quinn Cox) write, "incorporating the notion that females are fragile, which is, we thinks, a by-product of the man doth protesting too much against his nature," an awkward phrasing, but a reference to Gertrude's line to Hamlet, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." The second comes in the chapter on Taurus Man, with the authors writing, "But here's the rub" (p. 51), a reference to Hamlet's most famous soliloquy (that phrase is used several more times throughout the book). That same chapter contains a list of famous Taurus men, which includes William Shakespeare himself (p. 60). In the section with brief description of couplings, the Taurus Man/Cancer Women includes this: "It's a ten-hankie twosome - much ado about nothing; they cry till they laugh" (p. 67). The next couple of references are to Hamlet. The authors write, "So it becomes her most pressing issue, over which Taurus doth protest too much: to try to be more" (p. 77). The phrase "doth protest too much" comes from Gertrude's line to Hamlet, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." And then: "There is, however, more method to the Bull's madness" (p. 78), a play on Polonius' "Though this be madness, yet there is method in 't." Next there is a reference to Romeo And Juliet: "Like some schoolyard Romeo, he's continually perfecting his spiel, his well-rehearsed sales pitch" (p. 97). That is in the chapter on the Gemini man. Also in that chapter, there is this reference to A Midsummer Night's Dream: "First, the legendary figure is the mythic Robin Goodfellow or Puck (Irish: Pooka), who is a male sprite, fairy, a versatile creature of the air, indeed, the medieval incarnation of Mercury-Hermes himself, sharing, as Oberon's gofer, in that god's role of messenger" (p. 99). That play is mentioned again a little later in the chapter: "Shakespeare's Puck is the medieval Mercury, messenger to the Fairy King. Called Robin Goodfellow, he is the precursor of Robin Hood, who did bad things for good reasons" (p. 105).

The chapter on Gemini women contains a lot of references to Romeo And Juliet. First, West Side Story (itself an adaptation of Romeo And Juliet) is mentioned: "In short, her love life is all very West Side Story, characterized, as it was, by a sort of social divide" (p. 130). Then: "Just when you thought the mention of West Side Story was a throwaway reference, there's more: when it comes to the advent of love, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the basis for the aforementioned musical, is an exploration of the Geminian experience, from soup to nuts. The play treats the mutable-air world of social disorder, played out in an urban landscape. Every Mercury-ruled 3rd House theme under the sun is folded into the mix - a family feud between two merchant houses is the backdrop for Romeo and Juliet (nigh on completing her fourteenth year of life), who hastily rush into star-crossed love. The play itself is already a retelling of the Helen myth, or rather an untelling of it, as Shakespeare has Juliet betrothed to Paris, making him now into the Menelaus whom the beloved girl throws over in favor of the forbidden fruit of Romeo. Romeo describes Juliet, too, in Helenesque terms, saying she "teaches the torches to burn bright." They first profess their love to one another in the Capulets' apple orchard, only to end up in their shared tomb, like Adam and Eve expelled from the garden and ultimately robbed of their immortality. What Shakespeare calls their "death-marked love" isn't lost on the Gemini girl, for whom, as in all great romances, an element of the unrequited is de rigueur. First, like Juliet, Gemini is living proof of love at first sight, all else fuzzing out of focus when she spots a boy who takes her sign-ruled breath away - the existence of this phenomenon is still debated by dubious philosophers; for sure, not one of whom are Gemini women" (p. 130). There is a sidebar on this page that also mentions Romeo And Juliet: "Shakespeare's Juliet personifies love at the Geminian crossroads" (p. 130). Then: "It also controls automatic responses like breathing as well as the opposite instincts for fight and flight, fear and lust, love and hate, the last two comprising the thin-lined main theme of Shakespeare's play. Indeed, the name Juliet, a feminine diminutive of Julius, comes from the Greek oulos meaning "downy,"another aviary reference chalked up to the Twins bird" (pages 130-131). And: "Like Juliet, and all her archetypal figures, Gemini acts hastily, without thought to consequence" (p. 131). And: "Just as the 14-21 age group associated with the sign portrays a shift from dependent to independent thought in the individual, so, too, does Juliet shift in the play from an ancillary, conditional character to a freethinking unconditional one. She moves from using her reptilian, ritualistic brain associated with inherited automatic responses (which, by rights, should signal repulsion to a Montague) to employing her own noggin, as if for the first time, like Eve independent of God's conditional world where He does the thinking for you" (p. 131). And still more: "As with Juliet, Eve, or Helen, expectations are heaped on the Gemini girl that she adhere to a vision of her future, typically designed and held by her parents, who nonetheless fail, in her estimation anyway, to fully meet her immediate needs. She may, in fact, unconsciously seek out such Romeos as she knows will raise the ire of her loved ones" (p. 131). Then: "As in the Fantastiks, yet another Romeo-and-Juliet-based musical, the fathers of the would-be lovers prevent their growing children from seeing one another, twisting the familiar theme, in a plot to ensure they'll marry in defiance" (p. 132). And: "She risks sending a would-be Romeo the wrong message: that screwing around so easily isn't something she does just with him" (p. 132). And: "Love at first sight, for the zodiac's Juliet, invariably morphs into the unrequited variety, amid a cyclone of variables. Since she's typically so young, falling hard for an equally callow fellow, there isn't much chance outside of sixteenth-century Verona that she'd be considered old enough to marry" (p. 133). And yet: "she will eventually change identities, Juliet to Lolita" (p. 134). Then: "Lolita, remember, had a secret Romeo stashed away the whole while she sucked that lollipop" (p. 134).

The chapter on Cancer woman includes a reference to Macbeth: "In fact, in the single active objective of becoming the be-all-end-all little woman to a guy" (p. 177). The phrase "the be-all and the end-all" comes from one of Macbeth's speeches in the first act. And we get that same reference to Much Ado About Nothing in the couplings at the end of that chapter (though oddly the semicolon becomes a comma here): "It's a ten-hankie twosome - much ado about nothing, they cry till they laugh" (p. 192). Then we get a reference to The First Part Of King Henry The Fourth: "Like Shakespeare's born king Prince Hal, the young Leo will live a life of knavery, to some extent, often experiencing an outright obsession with gaming and gambling" (pages 198-199). That chapter contains another similar reference: "just as Arthur fills the seats at his Round Table with only the best and brightest, while Shakespeare's Henry must eschew such losers as Falstaff and company" (p. 204). That chapter also contains a reference to Hamlet: "and insures she'll never again suffer the slings and arrows of his emotional witholding" (p. 209). The phrase "slings and arrows" comes the most famous soliloquy. The chapter on Leo women contains a few references to Romeo And Juliet: "Purring and cooing, she disarms a would-be Romeo by rendering unnecessary his seductive lover-boy strategies" (p. 231); "Though she's not quick to fall in love, especially not on first sight like the Geminian Juliet, Leo is certainly no saint in between times" (p. 232); "And so she rumbas her ruffles into run-ins with unreserved, illustrative lover-boys, barnyard Romeos to whom she may feign to play Juliet, a character that couldn't be further from her true self" (pages 232-233); and "This is not the kind of girl to deliver a believable balcony scene, some bird in a gilded cage" (p. 233). A sidebar in that chapter includes this: "Shakespeare's Cleopatra ('Father's glory') and his aptly named Kit in The Taming of the Shrew are fiercely Leonine characters" (p. 232). 

The chapter on Scorpio man contains a reference to Hamlet: "He delights in seeing his slings and arrows soar clear over the heads of unsuspecting victims" (pages 338-339). There is also a Hamlet reference in the chapter on Sagittarius man: "Just as there was an inherent method to Dionysus' madness, Sagittarius is likewise not a sign of disorder, but rather of new order" (p. 377). That refers to Polonius' line "Though this be madness, yet there is method in 't." That chapter also includes that Macbeth reference: "self-revelation is the be-all-end-all of experience from the Sagittarian male vantage point" (p. 386). There is also an Othello reference in that chapter: "Because Sag is beyond even so blatant a duality as the vividly described 'beast with two backs'" (p. 387). That phrase comes from Iago's speech to Brabantio when he tells him that his daughter and Othello are "making the beast with two backs." The Capricorn man chapter includes a reference to Shakespeare: "speaking, as he does, in a smarmy stage whisper of a voice, often with perfect Shakespearean pronunciation, which might seem to be some sort of put-on" (p. 426). That chapter also includes a couple of references to Hamlet: "He is, like Hamlet (synonymous with harbor or haven), an eternally tragic figure - the word tragedy itself comes from the Greek word tragoidia meaning 'goat song.' And let's face it, there's no easy way of telling these skull-gazing Hamlets of the world to simply lighten up" (p. 433) and "What Mr. Hamlet or Mr. Haven needs to realize is that the safe-harbor scenario is really a two-way street" (p. 434). Then a sidebar in the chapter on Capricorn woman reads, in part: "She is Spencer's Fairy Queene and Shakespeare's Titania (Rhea the Titan) from A Midsummer's Night Dream, who steals away a young prince, just as Rhea whisked off prince Zeus" (p. 451). (And, yes, it does say A Midsummer's Night Dream instead of A Midsummer Night's Dream). That chapter also contains a Hamlet reference: "all too often having suffered their slings and arrows during her uglier-duckling days" (p. 452). There are two more references to that phrase from Macbeth: "a fitting denotation for this be-all-end-all of water signs" (p. 512) and "translates into the Piscean female's fancying herself the 'be all, end all' of womankind" (p. 536). There is also a reference to Richard The Third: "Lady Anne forms a 'pieta' mourning Henry IV in Shakespeare's Richard III" (p. 538).

Sextrology: The Astrology Of Sex And The Sexes was published in 2004.

Sex, Lies And Harold Pinter (2026 Production) Theatre Review

Sex, Lies And Harold Pinter is a visiting production now up at The Odyssey Theatre, and is made up of two excellent one-act plays by Harold Pinter – Party Time and The Lover. Though both plays were written some time ago (Party Time in 1991, The Lover in the early 1960s), they speak to us just as strongly now, and this production, directed by Jack Heller, sets them in current times.

Party Time (Pinter's third play with the word "party" in the title, following The Birthday Party and Tea Party) is up first, and within a few minutes of the house opening, the cast takes the stage, mingling, talking with each other, just as the audience does as they find their seats and get comfortable, one almost a reflection of the other. The characters all gravitate toward the drinks table, as would we all. Then, drinks in hand, they form their own little groups – two women on the couch, two men standing upstage right, the others remaining near the drinks table upstage center. The set is very symmetrical (with an end table on either side of the couch, and an arm chair to the outside of each table, and so on), but warm, dominated by wood and with red carpets. Though there are many classic touches to the set (an hour glass, the older furniture), we are in modern times, which is apparent when one of the women on the couch slips her cell phone into her purse. And if it weren't for the necessary announcements before the show (and some idiot's phone still dinged), the play could just emerge from the action already in progress. It is the two men upstage right (Paul Marius as Terry, Larry Eisenberg as Gavin) who speak first, and while they do, the other characters remain frozen in shadow. That will continue throughout the play, as the action shifts from one group to another. The conversation is about a tennis club, and there is a good deal of humor, part of it coming from them not quite connecting, until Dusty (Michelle Ghatan) joins them and tries to turn to a serious matter, asking "Did you hear what happened to Jimmy?" And though she too gets sucked into the conversation about the club, we in the audience are drawn to her and are now keeping a closer eye on her, for we feel that she's the one that will perhaps speak for us. She is the one who most directly addresses the danger outside, and Michelle Ghatan does an excellent job in the part.

Though the story takes place at a somewhat upscale party, there soon are clues that something horrible is happening on the streets, something these people are doing their best to ignore. At most, whatever it is is an inconvenience to them, as Melissa (Mouchette Van Helsdingen) makes clear when she enters and talks about the roadblock. "We had to say who we were," she says, exasperated, as those at the roadblock had the audacity to not be aware of who she is. Mouchette Van Helsdingen is wonderful there, by the way, quite funny. And soon we hear a helicopter flying overhead. And while it becomes clear from the conversations that these people are largely, or at least feel largely, innocent, or rather removed, from the troubles outside, we get the sense that they are, in fact, responsible, much in the same way that all the people who voted for Donald Trump are responsible for the concentration camps, the war with Iran and the high gas prices here and now. Sure, they might be baffled at receiving the blame, but they are responsible nonetheless. This production gives us a lot of laughs, as when Fred (Isaac W. Jay) tells Douglas, "I admire people like you," and Douglas (Christopher Louis Parker) replies, "So do I." And the way Charlotte (Brenda James) delivers the word "Appalling." Yes, everything we love about Harold Pinter's dialogue is present here. But even as we're laughing, we sense something frightening bubbling up beneath the words, a strange threat of violence. This cast does a phenomenal job of both making us laugh and also putting us on edge, turning in captivating performances. And some of our discomfort (perhaps all of it?), we discover to our own chagrin, comes from a fear of how we ourselves might act in certain situations. When the party's host reveals that a roundup is happening and that normal service will return, it is again difficult to keep from thinking of what is happening on the streets of our cities right now. And isn't there a part of us that just wants things to return to normal?

The set remains the same for The Lover, and so for a moment we can't help but think that those who came before have met with a terrific end. Sarah (Susan Priver) enters first, and, like the characters of Party Time, makes her way to the drinks table. When Richard (Ron Bottitta, who was excellent in last year's Corktown '39) enters, there is silence between them for a moment. But soon he casually inquires about Sarah's lover. The matter-of-fact delivery is startling, and we can't help but wonder what he really feels about the situation. As for Sarah, when she describes her afternoon as "marvelous," she is positively glowing, and we have a much better idea how she feels about the arrangement. She is hilarious in that moment. It's interesting that when they discuss some of the details, they focus on the blinds, the light, and the heat, rather than what actually took place. It is a relationship in questions, if not in question, and we begin to get the sense that this is some kind of game for them. He asks her, for example, if she thinks of him while with her lover, and upon learning that she does, says, "I'm rather moved by that, I must say."

We soon learn that he too has a lover. She refers to the woman as a mistress; he refers to her as a whore. "I'm well acquainted with a whore," he tells her, which receives a big laugh. They are engaged in an interesting verbal game. And, again, it is a game of questions. It is Sarah's turn to ask, "Richard, do you ever think about me at all when you're with her?" At that moment, he seems to gain the upper hand. What's particularly interesting is that Richard asks Sarah, "What does he think of your husband?" rather than "What does he think of me?" It is then that we get the idea that the role of husband is also part of the game, and thus so must be the role of wife. And, indeed, it is as if these two are always playing at their game, and seem happiest when fully invested in their roles. That is, until Richard decides he wants to put a stop to it, which sets Sarah at a panic. Are they closest when playing the game? And as is the case with Party Time, this play might have us questioning some of our own games, our own roles. How much do we require certain games in our lives? And why? And if those games take over, who are the real us? There is a wonderful moment when Sarah tells her lover that he and her husband have so little in common, and another intriguing moment when Sarah tells her husband that their arrangement was not to question. Both Susan Priver and Ron Bottitta are absolutely riveting, turning in fantastic performances that keep the audience fully engaged.

Sex, Lies And Harold Pinter runs through April 26, 2026. Visit the theatre's website for the complete schedule. There is one brief intermission between the two plays. The Odyssey is located at 2055 South Sepulveda Blvd. in Los Angeles, California. There is a free parking lot in front of the theatre.

Shakespeare References in Deep Community

Deep Community: Adventures In The Modern Folk Underground, by Scott Alarik, contains some Shakespeare references. The book is a collection of pieces on the vibrant folk scene, focusing especially on the Boston scene. In a piece on Dar Williams, titled "Dar Williams: Her Battle Cry Of Kindness," Alarik writes, referring to The Green World: "The CD title is a theater term describing one of the two worlds in William Shakespeare's plays. There is the court world, where most of his historical dramas and tragedies are set. Then there is the green world, the wild, fey forests of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and 'As You Like It'" (p. 11). A little later in that same piece, Alarik quotes the lyrics of one of Dar's songs: "You would think they're carefree, I have seen their trials/Frowning into Shakespeare and practicing their smiles" (p. 13). Then in a piece on Ewan MacColl, Alarik writes: "'The ballads are brilliant examples of song construction,' he says. 'They are as important to people today as the plays of Shakespeare or Moliere, just as much complete works of art as anything we have in written literature. I think all the ballads in the quatrain form, such as 'Lamkin' or 'Tam Lin,' were very calculatedly composed, as carefully constructed as 'King Lear'" (p. 311). Later in that piece, he writes, "What MacColl is stressing, more than anything else, is that these ballads, and for that matter, all of the traditional folk songs that have been good enough to survive this long, are great works of literature, worthy of being treated as an actor treats Shakespeare" (p. 312). A piece on Kate Wolf contains a reference to Antony And Cleopatra: "Idaho singer-songwriter Sorrels, a friend of Wolf's since their salad days as aspiring troubadours in the mid-'60s, sings a rivetingly conversational cover of 'In China or a Woman's Heart'" (p. 338). The phrase "salad days" comes from Shakespeare's play. Cleopatra says, "My salad days,/When I was green in judgment." This book actually contains a second reference to Antony And Cleopatra, using that same phrase: "Through it all, she has taken precious lessons from her salad days at Club 47" (p. 378). There is one other mention of Shakespeare. About David Coffin, Alarik writes, "After two years, he decided, as he put it, to challenge his interest in music, dropping out of school and moving to Stockbridge, Mass., where he worked two years as a musician for the theatrical troupe Shakespeare & Company" (p. 369).

Deep Community: Adventures In The Modern Folk Underground was published in 2003 through Black Wolf Press.

Antony And Cleopatra (Long Beach Shakespeare Company's 2026 Production) Theatre Review

Long Beach Shakespeare Company's new production of Antony And Cleoptra at Helen Borgers Theatre is done with few props and in modern dress, the focus being on Shakespeare's text and the characters' relationships, particularly that of the two titular characters. It is a fast-paced production, without intermission, and with the entire cast remaining in the playing space throughout the performance. In fact, as the audience enters, the actors are already on stage, greeting people as they take their seats. Though this is a small theatre, the performance is done in the round, with a half-dozen chairs placed along what would normally be the stage left and stage right walls, and even a couple of chairs upstage from the main audience area. Thus, much of the audience is in the action, which makes asides feel all the more natural. A line from the play, "Eternity was in our lips and eyes," is written on both the stage left and stage right walls. It is a line spoken by Cleopatra to Antony in the play's first act, and it is a line that is striking for while it speaks clearly of their relationship, it is something that most of us feel when falling in love. And so the audience takes that thought, that feeling into the performance.

So it is perhaps no surprise that the first line spoken in this production is Cleopatra's first line, "If it be love, tell me how much." She and Antony are seated on a chest which is placed center stage and will act as an important platform throughout the performance. That line, delivered so well by Angelina Green, establishes Cleopatra's character perfectly. She is perhaps the most powerful woman in the world, and yet there is something of the young woman in her when it comes to love, something insecure, something needy. Angelina Green's Cleopatra is wonderfully playful in these opening moments, while Dominic Ryan Gabriel's Antony is a bit more stoic, a bit more somber. He stands on his "Let Rome in Tiber melt," as to stress his position. The actors are mainly in plain black clothing, helping with the sense of an ensemble piece, but Cleopatra's costume has a little more excitement to it, which seems exactly right, with tall boots and bits of jewelry (and, later, her special robe). Cleopatra's "Why did he marry Fulvia and not love her?" is delivered to the audience, making us part of her court. Antony engages in play too, and his "Last night you did desire it" receives "Ooohs" from other cast members, and perhaps from a few people in the audience too, for the barrier is quickly blurred. Antony shushes them. Charmian (Olivia Frias), following Cleopatra's lead, has fun with her "let me be married to three kings in a forenoon, and widow them all" speech. And Enobarbas (Connor Bowen) playfully peeks inside the chest before then announcing that Antony is coming. All of this works to create a deliciously light and mirthful mood and atmosphere.

The theatre's naturally intimate space, enhanced by the in-the-round setup, keeps the audience close to the action. And it allows for some softly delivered lines, such as Antony's speech after he learns of his wife's death. Dominic Ryan Gabriel is particularly good in that moment, and his delivery draws us in even closer, and works in great contrast to the established mood. The production makes excellent use of what space there is, particularly the chest, as I mentioned, and the platform upstage. For example, on "O, never was there queen/So mightily betray'd" Cleopatra stands on that platform so that she is above Antony, as she needs to be heard, to feel a regaining of power. She then returns to his level for her speech that contains the "Eternity was in our lips and eyes" line, once again intimate. And it is remarkable that we feel that intimacy so strongly even when the couple is among so many people. And Pompey (Arjun Lakshman) stands on the chest, surrounded by the ensemble, on "I shall do well:/The people love me." When Antony and Caesar (Justin Valine) meet, and size each other up, they are standing on opposite sides of the chest. Another interesting result of the way the space is used and the way the cast remains on stage is that when characters speak of other characters that are not present in the text they are able to look directly at them. This creates some fascinating stage pictures, for it is like we in the audience are able to see their thoughts. For example, when Caesar says "to tumble on the bed of Ptolemy," he indicates Antony and Cleopatra, who are engaged in an intimate moment on the chest. Later, when Antony speaks of Enobarbus who has gone to Caesar's camp, he stands directly in front of him, though Enobarbus is not actually in the scene. It's a powerful and emotional moment. And when Agrippa (Eduardo Mora) suggests that Antony take Octavia for wife, Octavia (Julianne Holmquist), who has been watching from upstage (but is not present in this scene in the text), steps down and makes a circuit of the action before returning to her spot. She, by the way, is able to convey so much with just a look, an expression. And speaking of expressions, it is clear from Justin Valine's expression that Caesar does not fully trust Antony even when taking his hand to seal the pact, agreeing on the marriage. Another wonderful stage picture is created when the Messenger describes Octavia to Cleopatra, for Octavia and Antony are lying down upstage, Antony's head on her lap, and it is painfully clear that Octavia is far from what the Messenger describes. Seeing Antony and Octavia in that moment also makes us feel more for Cleopatra.

More lines are delivered as asides in this production. For example, when Cleopatra says, "Thou teachest like a fool: the way to lose him," the second part of that line is delivered to someone in the audience. It really helps to make the audience feel a part of the action, without destroying the meaning of a line. Perhaps the most striking example of a speech basically turned soliloquy is that famous speech by Enobarbas, when he describes the barge and Cleopatra. This speech is delivered to the audience. On "dimpled boys," he briefly takes Agrippa's hand, but continues to address the audience. Connor Bowen does a phenomenal job with this speech. On "I saw her once/Hop forty paces through the public street," we can clearly hear and see his own admiration for her. The production features a strong ensemble, but Connor Bowen's performance is one that stands out. Another that stands out is that by Angelina Green. She is especially good in the scene where the Messenger has come to reveal the unwelcome news that Antony is married to Octavia. Her delivery of "I do not like 'but yet'" is particularly delightful. Her performance makes that scene especially memorable. And Dominic Ryan Gabriel delivers an excellent performance as Antony. He is exceptional on "you were my conqueror," sinking to his knees, drawing Cleopatra to him.

Though this production uses neither armor nor sword, both are still mentioned, as when Antony demands his armor or Eros (Alan Bornemann) says, "My sword is drawn." In that latter moment, his hands remain at his sides. He does not indicate that he uses his sword to kill himself, except through Shakespeare's words. Likewise, there is no asp, so it feels as if Cleopatra wills her own death. By the way, as you likely concluded, in this production, Cleopatra is not far enough above Antony for it to be necessary to have him lifted, as in the text. Instead, Antony is helped by two men to the platform. After his death, each of the characters takes a candle from its place on the wall and places it in a row on the chest in silent tribute, a touching moment. Cleopatra had the first line in this production, and it is Charmian who has the last. Caesar's final speech is cut, so it is the women who begin and conclude the performance, giving us a different sense of where the power lies.

This production of Antony And Cleopatra is directed by Christian Lee Navarro, and produced by Holly Leveque. It runs through March 22, 2026. Visit the company's website for the complete schedule. Helen Borgers Theatre is located at 4250 Atlantic Ave. in Long Beach, California.

Shakespeare Reference in Day After Night

Anita Diamant’s Day After Night contains a Shakespeare reference, though not in the story itself. At the end of the book, there is a brief interview with Anita Diamant, and in that interview she is asked which book most influenced her life. She answers Virginia Woolf’s A Room Of One’s Own, and in her answer says, “In one passage, Woolf ponders the lives of the flesh-and-blood women who were Shakespeare’s contemporaries” (p. 306).

Day After Night was published in 2009. The First Scribner trade paperback was published in 2010.

Richard III (A Noise Within's 2026 Production) Theatre Review

The new production of Richard III at A Noise Within sets Shakespeare's play in the 1970s. There is always a risk in setting Shakespeare's plays in modern times, especially the histories, as those plays are about specific people from specific times. It sometimes feels like setting a play about Abraham Lincoln in, say, the 1950s. But it can work, and in fact the 1995 film version of Richard III, which gave the play a 1930s setting, succeeded brilliantly. And as any Ricardian will tell you, the play likely doesn't accurately represent the historical personage anyway. So what we are left with is a fascinating, captivating, twisted character that is not tied to its original historical period. The success of the play largely hinges upon the performance of Richard, and Ann Noble does an absolutely outstanding job in this production. She is riviting in the role, embodying the humor, the cruelty and, yes, the power of the character, and even making us feel for him in those more human moments. And because her Richard is so damn good at wooing the audience, we completely understand how other characters side with him. And Ann Noble isn't alone in turning in a phenomenal performance. This production features an excellent cast, including Erika Soto as Lady Anne, Trisha Miller as Queen Margaret, and Lynn Robert Berg as Buckingham. In addition to that, there are some incredible touches throughout the performance, both in the way the set is handled and the way light and sound cues punch up the emotional impact of a moment, and adding to the excitement of the production. Directed by Guillermo Cienfuegos, this ended up being one of the best productions of Richard III I've seen.

As folks enter the theatre, early 1970s rock and pop songs are playing, songs like Free's "All Right Now," Jethro Tull's "Aqualung," and David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold The World." The set features a pile of chairs center stage, a sort of sculpture on an otherwise empty black platform in front of a dark backdrop. As the performance begins, the cast appears on the other side of the backdrop, then lifts it to enter. There is an interesting moment where they stop before the pile of chairs, as if questioning how it got there and how they should proceed. A brief moment of hesitation before everyone springs into action, grabbing chairs and setting them up. And that sets the tone for this production, which increases in pace as it goes. Revealed by the removal of the final chair is the crown and sheets of paper, both red and white, which signify the roses of Lancaster and York. What an exciting and meaningful way to begin the performance, the crown being at the center of the disarray. 

Interestingly, the first lines spoken in this production are not the first lines of Richard The Third, but rather lines from Richard The Second: "This earth of majesty...This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England." A brief history lesson is enacted, with snippets from Shakespeare's plays, including a bit of the St. Crispin's Day speech from Henry The Fifth, as well as a few lines from that play's epilogue. Also spoken is that famous line from The Third Part Of King Henry The Sixth: "O, tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide," for Queen Margaret plays an important role in this production. And there is Richard's line to Henry VI, "Die, prophet, in thy speech." It is a lot to take in, but helps set up the idea of how the crown traveled from king to king in a rather crooked line, leading to where this play begins. As Richard turns his back on us, there is actually a sense of celebration around him. The chairs, by the way, are used as percussion. And as the others disappear, Richard turns to the audience and delivers the first line of the text, "Now is the winter of our discontent/Made glorious summer by this son of York."

We in the audience are immediately taken in by Richard. He takes great pleasure in his speech, which is wonderful. Dressed in a suit, Richard keeps his right hand in his pants pocket, an interesting choice, for it shows an eagerness to keep his weakness hidden, yet also a person's hands in pockets demonstrates a certain nonchalance. The phrase "That dogs bark at me" is delivered with pride, almost like he is bragging, which is delightful. And after Clarence is led in, his hands bound behind him, Richard's line "when men are rul'd by women" receives a big laugh at least in part because this Richard is played by a woman. Richard's simple "Go" also gets a big laugh, as Clarence is led off into darkness. In such a brief time, Richard has managed to woo the audience, just as he will soon woo Lady Anne. That is part of what makes that difficult Lady Anne scene believable. Anyone taking on the challenge of playing Lady Anne must make an audience believe that she can go from wanting to kill Richard to agreeing to being his wife all in the span of one scene. Erika Soto is certainly up for that challenge, and is magnificent in the scene. Her reaction to Richard's "Your bed-chamber" is great, the way the line stops her cold. And then his "Your beauty" stops her in a different way, and we see she is caught a little by surprise by that. Richard uses different tactics to achieve his ends, Ann Noble raising her voice on "kill me with a living death," which captures Lady Anne's attention. And here Shakespeare lets Richard speak uninterrupted for a time, which shows that Anne is listening and considering what is being said. I love how torn Lady Anne is, and how she is as shocked as we in the audience are when she stops Richard's hand that holds the knife. It's an incredible scene, and after it, Richard has a new energy, taking great joy in learning the extent of his ability, which seems to have surprised even himself, to have successfully wooed a woman in front of the corpse of a man that he murdered. It is then that we see he feels capable of anything. It is a great and startling moment.

As I mentioned, Queen Margaret plays an important role in this production, and that is made clear from her first appearance on stage, the action freezing for her asides from above, giving her the complete focus of the audience. Played by Trisha Miller, who was outstanding as Goneril in the 2017 production of King Lear and wonderful as both Hippolyta and Titania in 2023's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Margaret commands our attention. She is excellent when addressing and confronting Queen Elizabeth (Lesley Fera), and then even more powerful when turning on Richard. Lynn Robert Berg is also excellent as Duke of Buckingham, particularly as he shows that he is conflicted at this early juncture as to where his allegiance lies, perhaps almost swayed by Margaret's words. He is last to exit, and casts a look to Richard before he leaves, a wonderful moment. Randolph Thompson is particularly good as Duke of Clarence in the scene in the Tower, captivating even as he describes his dream. And Alex Neher and Wes Guimaraes are excellent as the two Murderers. There is some delightful comedy to this scene, as when the Murderers pause waiting for the "passionate humor" of the Second Murderer to change. Clarence remains seated as he talks to them, showing no threat to them, and also no fear. It isn't until "for my brother, for his sake" that he stands. And he only becomes fearful when learning it is Richard who sent them. As the Murderers do their job, we see Margaret above watching like a spectre. As she will do throughout the play whenever there is talk of her curse falling on someone. She watches the workings of her curse unfold, making it feel inevitable. 

King Edward (Neill Fleming), after hearing the news of Clarence's death, has his speech punctuated by coughs, and is soon overtaken by a coughing fit. But it is his soft, thoughtful delivery of "poor soul" that really draws us to him. It's a nice moment. And it helps us to feel some of the anguish that Elizabeth feels when she next enters. It is when Buckingham enters with Richard that we are certain which camp he has chosen. Interestingly, Buckingham takes a certain joy in being a villain as well, showing how being in Richard's presence has rubbed off on his own character. It makes him seem almost like Richard's pet, that he's trying to impress Richard by being as dastardly as he. But soon we see that Buckingham doesn't quite have it in him, laughing at Richard's "Chop off his head" until realizing Richard is in earnest regarding Hastings' fate. And Samuel Garnett is really good as Hastings in the scene wherein he learns what his fate is to be. There is a particularly good moment with the young princes, when on "on your shoulders," the younger attempts to get on Richard's back and Richard reacts promptly, getting upset, displaying a weakness. But there is no weakness detected when he receives Hastings' head in a box. That box is dropped without any ceremony, and with a thud, on a chair, which is both chilling and darkly humorous. As is Ann Noble's fantastic delivery of "you know my mother lives."

Margaret's line "Bear with me; I am hungry for revenge" is plainly stated, which is great. Trisha Miller is fantastic in the scene with Elizabeth and the Duchess of York (Veralyn Jones, who was excellent as Olivia in last year's production of Twelfth Night by Antaeus Theatre Company). I especially love the change in Margaret's demeanor when Elizabeth asks for her help in learning to curse. In that moment, Margaret lets go of some of her animosity, some of her anger, as their woes align them. The women of this play face so much agony. And Veralyn Jones does a particularly good job in the scene where she confronts Richard. On "my most grievous curse," she manages to rise from her wheel chair, and both her anger and her pain are striking. The pain at coming to hate her own son, something that is probably unimaginable for most parents. Lesley Fera also shines as Elizabeth in that scene as she reacts to Richard's declaration that he wants to marry her daughter. 

In the scene where Richard and his cohorts manipulate others to make him king, Richard carries a copy of the Bible, holding it up in such a way that all can see it, using it as a prop much in the way a certain fascist in the White House did in recent times. This is a scene that really strikes home with us in the U.S., for in it the people are easily misled by Richard's feigning of a religious air, which is terribly familiar here. That 1995 film version of Richard III that I mentioned earlier addressed fascism, and now we are dealing with fascism in our own country, though of course the leader of that movement has none of the wit of Richard. There is something frighteningly delicious about Richard's delivery of "let us to our holy work again," for we know exactly what his sort of work entails. Tyrrell in this production is female, which somehow makes what she does all the worse, all the colder. There is also physical distance between us and that character, as she is as far upstage as possible and receives a phone call from Richard to find out whether the deed was done. The modern setting is felt largely in the costumes, but there are other elements at play regarding the period, such as the use of phones and when sirens blare before Richard asks, "What say the citizens?" And Catesby uses a megaphone to speak to the crowd from above. And when Richmond enters, it is to a heavy rock sound. 

The performance moves quickly, the action accelerating as it drives to its climax. Tony Pasqualini is excellent as Lord Stanley in the scene where Richard accuses him of betrayal. He raises his voice on "Most mighty sovereign," and that seems to work on Richard, but perhaps only to an extent, for Richard then demands that Lord Stanley leave behind his son. For at this point Richard can't trust anyone, and there is a great moment where he stands over the prone messenger, demanding, "bring better news." There is a wonderful use of images on a screen to depict the series of ghosts that appear to both Richard and Richmond in their sleep. And Richard's "Soft! I did but dream" speech upon waking is delivered while he remains supine on his cot. He sits up before "My conscience hath a thousand several tongues," and on "There is no creature loves me," Ann Noble allows a bit of humanity to show. Might we in the audience be again wooed to his side through that sign of humanity? It is interesting that just a bit later Richard says, "conscience is but a word that cowards use." For, having spoken the word himself upon waking, is he then admitting to some cowardice of his own? If so, it doesn't show, for the battle is fierce, upon sheets of white and red papers, Margaret then witness to one last result of her curse. This production is one hell of a great ride.

This production of Richard III runs through March 8, 2026. Visit the theatre's website for the complete schedule. There is one intermission, which comes at the end of Act III Scene v. A Noise Within is located at 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., in Pasadena, California. There is a free parking garage at 149 N. Halstead Street.