Kids love Shakespeare

The other night my daughter Abby and I were talking about Shakespeare. It wasn't a heady, intellectual discussion, although sometimes that happens after reading or viewing a play like "The Merchant of Venice."

No, we were counting. Seeing all of Shakespeare's plays has become a goal of Abby and her sister Claire, so we were taking stock in advance of our planned outing to see Actors' Shakespeare Project's production of "Antony and Cleopatra."

We determined that Abby and her sister have seen 16 of Shakespeare's plays. After last night's visit to "Antony and Cleopatra," that would be 17 down, about 20 to go. Abby is 12, Claire 14. I think they have a good start.

None of us is too worried about them reaching their goal before the age of 20, because seeing the plays all over again is just as exciting as seeing them for the first time. In fact, they've already watched four productions of "Hamlet," two of "Macbeth," two of "The Winter's Tale," two of "The Comedy of Errors," and I've lost count of how many versions of "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

If you think Shakespeare is too complicated for your kids, I'm here to try and convince you otherwise. The actors may talk funny, but that's no obstacle to enjoying the enduring value of Shakespeare's work. In fact, the artistry in Shakespeare's language is one of its greatest draws.

How do you overcome resistance? Starting young will probably help. Abby was 7 when she saw her first Shakespeare. It was a staged reading of "Hamlet" by Actors from the London Stage. Did she understand every little thing? Of course not. Did it matter? No. Fortunately, with Shakespeare, as with all things in life, absolute knowledge is not required in order to enjoy, learn, and grow.

Speaking of learning, Claire and Abby have undoubtedly engaged in quite a lot by attending productions of Shakespeare plays, and from reading the plays themselves (try group readings with assigned parts for a really fun time). They can identify how Shakespeare's words have creeped into modern usage, they recognize Shakespearean references in art and literature, they know the storylines, and they're not intimidated by writing that some kids might consider weird, difficult, or elusive.

I recall going to see a Christmas show back when Claire was 6, and standing by as she conversed with one of its creators and identified a reference to "As You Like It." The man's jaw dropped. If we lived in a different world, perhaps this would not be considered so remarkable. To me, the real value lies in the fact that Claire and Abby truly enjoy Shakespeare. And why not?

It's funny, it's dramatic, it's exciting. It's populated by fascinating characters facing human problems. It's teeming with some of the best poetry ever written. It offers generous and juicy food for thought. It's full of so many things, signifying much more than nothing.

PLACES TO SEE SHAKESPEARE AROUND BOSTON

 -- Actors' Shakespeare Project offers intimate, quality productions of the Bard's work

http://www.actorsshakespeareproject.org/

-- The Huntington Theatre is offering history play "Richard III" in repertory with the madcap "The Comedy of Errors" this spring.

 http://www.huntingtontheatre.org/season/production.aspx?id=8517&utm_source=web&utm_medium=splash&utm_campaign=Propeller

-- Re-interpretations of Shakespeare can be fun, too. This spring in Boston a couple of productions re-invent "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

 https://artsemerson.org/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=A2078D2A-EADF-4724-9DF0-445B7D2F9698

 http://blo.org/2010-2011_midsummer_nights_dream.html

-- Actors from the London Stage visit Wellesley College each fall and present free staged readings to the public. Hands down the best Shakespeare we've seen. Keep an eye on the website for the announcement of the 2011 visit. Arrive early to get good seats.

 http://web.wellesley.edu/web/Events

-- This year's free production on the Boston Common by Commonwealth Shakespeare Company is a delightful comedy, "All's Well That Ends Well."

 http://www.commshakes.org/shows/current_show/AllsWell/shows_current.html

-- Go west of the city for what looks like a fanstastic summer season at Shakespeare & Company, including Tina Packer's excellent overview of Shakespeare's women, "Women of Will."

 http://www.shakespeare.org/

-- Look for local arts organizations bringing Shakespeare to your town or nearby this summer. Here's one example in Arlington.

 http://www.acarts.org/shakespeare.php

-- If your teen is hooked and wants to do more than just watch, Actors' Shakespeare Project provides an opportunity.

 http://www.actorsshakespeareproject.org/education/summer2011.html