Shakespeare is undoubtedly the most popular playwright of all time. Having written 38 plays in total, Shakespeare’s theatrical works encompass an immense range of stories—from Romeo and Juliet to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, to Richard III. Shakespeare’s plays have remained important to the culture, and there are numerous reasons why it is imperative that his work is kept alive in performance today.
Many of Shakespeare’s plays explore themes relating to the human condition, which remain prominent in contemporary society. For example, the popular tragedy that many study in school for their GCSEs: Macbeth. This play continues to carry important messages and moral teachings that many can benefit from learning about, such as the consequences of an overwhelming ambition. Whilst lots of students may resent this text because they associate it with school, it is undeniable that Macbeth is a great literary work, and certainly still worthy of the stage.
Additionally, Shakespeare’s plays can be adapted and altered in a variety of ways which can make them exciting to watch, whether or not you are already familiar with the plot. Through transporting the play to the modern day, or perhaps even the future, the story can adopt a whole different meaning and purpose. This shows the universal nature of Shakespeare plays. Modernising and adapting Shakespeare also carries over to the world of film, with many fan-favourite movies being based on The Bard’s plays. For example, the classic 10 Things I Hate About You is actually based on The Taming of the Shrew.
This denotes that when Shakespeare’s plays are made accessible, they become enjoyable for more people. It is certain that many members of the public are simply deterred from going to see a Shakespearean performance because of its associated literary snobbery and a fear of misunderstanding. However, this could not be further from the truth—whilst Shakespeare plays can be somewhat difficult to read, to watch them in performance is a completely different experience. When the words are transformed into live theatre, the story becomes more comprehensible, and characters more defined. It should be remembered that Shakespeare wrote for the masses, not the elites. His stories are for everyone to understand, enjoy and experience.
Ultimately, Shakespeare plays are definitely still worth being redone and interpreted in a myriad of ways. They detail important life lessons which we can relate to and learn from. Also, they provide a sense of enjoyment, whether that involves being immersed into the military world of Othello or into the magical realms of The Tempest.