On Monday, TNT aired a new show called "Will" which chronicles the life of our favorite bard from Stratford-Upon-Avon. Dramatic, sexy, and gory, there are many critics saying that the show is falling flat after only two episodes. But here's why as a young Shakespeare scholar I'm hopeful for the sensational dramatization.
While not necessarily great in the realm of historical accuracy, the show focuses on an aspect of Shakespeare's life that we tend to gloss over when we talk about him: he was Catholic in a time when you could be actively persecuted for it. Whether Will was actually invested or devout in his religion, we don't know. But this is a lens that's really interesting to see because it's not talked about in adaptations of his life often.
In addition, we get to see the realities of the fluidity of sexuality during the bard's time. Though I admit that I am worried about seeing the beginnings of the "gays are the villain" trope in Marlowe, it's no secret that both Shakespeare and Marlowe had homosexual themes in their plays and sonnets. It's very likely that though they probably wouldn't use the terms we have today to describe their identities, they probably had their fair share of male lovers. And in the show, Kit Marlowe is unapologetic and not subtle about his love for men. I didn't know I needed eyeliner-clad Marlowe with lusty eyes for Shakespeare, but man, am I glad I have it now.
We also get a nice strong female character in the shape of Alice Burbage. She's feisty, outspoken, and not afraid to put Shakespeare in his place when he's wrong. When he makes mistakes at her expense, she lets him know that she isn't happy. While it seems she's the probable love interest (you're married, Will, settle down now) she's also not going to allow him to patronize her in any way.
It shows us the reality of cutthroat, competitive theater. Relevant one day, a nobody the next. The need to be new, exciting, original. And even the backstage shenanigans with actors who show less respect for the text than they probably ought. It's a scene familiar to anyone who's worked in theater before and I love watching it unfold.
Anything that makes Shakespeare more accessible to the masses is more than welcome to me. He was always meant to be for the people, but over the years we've put him on a pedestal and made him inaccessible to the average person. But through this show, we can start to bring interest in him back. Through a show like this, we can understand him better as a person and make the average person want to read (or at least watch) his plays. I want Shakespeare to be mainstream again.
This is Shakespeare the way Shakespeare would have wanted it. Bloody, funny, raunchy, and full of puns and wordplay. So I would catch up on the episodes that have aired already and join me on this wild ride while we see what happens next to our favorite poet.
