SC36463 Four Fairy Costumes for "A Midsummer Night's Dream" produced by Robert Courtneidge at the Princes Theatre, Manchester, 1896-1903 by C. Wilhelm (1858-1925)Victoria & Albert Museum
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Lysander hearts Hermia. Hermia hearts Lysander. Helena hearts Demetrius. Demetrius hearts Hermia. Confused? Things descend further into chaos under the influence of some fairies and a love potion, but after much swapping of partners and cases of mistaken identity, all ends well just in time for a royal wedding.
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MAA199029 Farewell - one kiss and I'll descend (oil on canvas) Eleanor Fortescue Brickdale (1871-1945)The Maas Gallery
Romeo and Juliet
'From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whole misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.'
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YBA215026 Children acting the 'Play Scene', Act II, Scene ii, from 'Hamlet', 1868 (oil on canvas) by Charles Hunt (1829-1900)Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Fund
Hamlet
This is The Bard's morst popular play, of which the eponymous character spends mostly fighting himself and musing upon a vast array of oft-quoted gems like 'To be or not to be...'. Poison by the barrel-full is employed to keep various factions away from the contested throne of Hamlet's father. Ultimately, no one is left after the bloodbath except for Hamlet's loyal friend, Horatio. Alas, t'was not to be for poor Hamlet.
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YBA183013 Malvolio before Olivia, from 'Twelfth Night' by William Shakespeare, 1789 (oil on canvas) by Ramberg, Johann HeinrichYale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Fund, USA
Twelfth Night
A tragic shipwreck, two cases of assumed sibling death, one case of mistaken identity, and a cross-dressing page at the centre of a torrid love triangle. After many rounds of miscommunication and trickery, the play closes with two reunited siblings, three happily wed couples and a disgruntled servant who vows to take revenge.
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ZIN41539 Three Witches by Fuseli, Henry (Fussli, Johann Heinrich) (1741-1825)Collection of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Macbeth
It's a fight to the death between ambition and reason. Poor Macbeth is tormented by three witches and their prophetic visions and when his wife gets involved, she makes matters worse. Watching Macbeth walk right into 'the fate trap' is painful. He loses his head, both figuratively and literally.
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NGS85315 Ariel and Caliban, 1837 by David Scott (1806-49)National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland
The Tempest
Banished sorcerer, Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, uses his magical powers to punish his brother by raising a storm that drives Antonio's ship ashore. As we have come to expect, Prospero's daughter Miranda, falls in love with Ferdinand, the son of her father's arch-enemy. With the help of Ferdinand, an airy spirit, Ariel, and a deformed monster, Caliban, the conspirators are brought in front of the sorcerer. In the end, all is forgiven and Prospero and his daughter hitch a ride back to Naples so she can have her happy ending.
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