Why should
Philadelphia have a great Shakespeare theatre?
I want to answer
that question with a question. What do you want? After our basic needs have
been met, what is it we want? I think we are all seeking meaning in our lives-to have access to and participate in something deeper than the everyday. Humans
from the dawn of time have been seeking this meaning. From the first exquisite
lines we drew in the caves of Lascaux and Chauvet, we have been trying to give
expression to our humanity-our imaginative impulse.
We weren’t
trying to explain the hunt when we drew on those cave walls, we were trying to
find the meaning of the experience. That was the beginning of a tradition we
would carry through the ages.
When this
creativity is nurtured, we see the development of great civilizations. When you
think of all of the great civilizations, what do you remember about them? The
highest expressions of their arts and culture. Blossoming creativity made these
civilizations great not only aesthetically, but also economically, because
innovation, collaboration, and invention were prized. When we think of ancient
Athens we remember the vases, the buildings, and the art.
We, even today,
visit the great cities of the world simply because of their arts and culture–Paris, London, Rome, cities throughout China, India.
I love
Philadelphia and I'm sure that you do too. So many of us have spent our lives
in efforts to uplift the city. We all want it to be a great city and we've made
great strides towards that goal. We have over 400 cultural organizations, many
of international renown-one of the best orchestras in the world, an
internationally renowned art museum, the Barnes with the largest collection of
Cezannes in the world, and dozens of performing arts institutions.
So, why should
Philadelphia have a great Shakespeare theatre?
Simply put, he
is the best.
Shakespeare is
the pinnacle of expression of the English language. He is not only the greatest
of English poets, he is also a global phenomena, he's translated into over 80
languages. Fifty percent of the worlds children study Shakespeare. A Zulu king
in the late 1800s translated Shakespeare into Zulu because he thought it would
uplift his people and become part of their higher education. This global
Shakespeare was celebrated at the cultural Olympiad in Britain last summer when all
37 of his plays were produced by 37 companies from around the world in 37
different languages.
Shakespeare has
achieved this global influence by being an extremely personal author. It is more than likely Shakespeare's
plays have been taught to you at some point in your life. If you, like me, love his work, there
was a moment that elevated him from old words on a page to something that lives
inside of you. Mine was when a teacher read words that appealed to how hopeless
I felt growing up poor in England, words that related to how bleak I felt my
future was. They were,
Tomorrow
and tomorrow and tomorrow,
Creeps
in this petty pace from day to day,
To
the last syllable of recorded time;
And
all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The
way to dusty death. Out, out brief candle!
Life’s
but a walking shadow, a poor player
That
struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And
then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told
by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying
nothing.
Those words
lifted off the page and sunk into me. It’s an experience I have not been able to shake since. Even though I felt hopeless, and even
though the words were hopeless, having my feeling expressed so exactly, as if
my very nerves were framed and hung in a gallery, made what I was feeling that
much clearer and less frightening.
Have you had an
experience like that? If yes, you
know why Philadelphia needs a Shakespeare theatre. If no, you are why Philadelphia needs a Shakespeare theatre.
- Carmen Khan, Artistic/Executive Director
No comments:
Post a Comment