Sure, Stephen Greenblatt’s book on Shakespeare was “kind of a big deal.” But few things are more impressive than English department superstars taking to the stage as characters from Shakespeare—whilst reading their unlearned lines directly off a sheet of paper. “Love and Cruelty” was both the theme and title of the show, which meant that TFs and professors had to interact in a rather uncomfortable and unfamiliar context.
A scene from Richard III starring Professor Daniel G. Donoghue as Lady Anne playing opposite his female TF as Richard was made all the more entertaining as the duo stumbled through their poorly memorized lines.
One particularly memorable exchange:
Richard: “I am fit for one place...” (scrambling, searching for paper)
Anne: “Some dungeon?”
(more scrambling, muttering)
Richard: “...uh...your bed chamber.”
But Professor Blair G. Hoxby showed up these slackers by having all his lines from “Much Ado About Nothing” down pat. FM gives him extra props for creating some serious sexual tension with his female TF, who repeatedly groped him throughout their scene.
Professor W. James Simpson was the one doing the violating in his scene, where he showed off his dramatic flair by adding in some improvised ass-grabbings of his TF while they performed a scene from “The Taming of the Shrew.” Erenest Burnbaum Professor of Literature Daniel Albright likewise showcased his theatrical prowess, dropping an extemporaneous F-bomb as Iago from “Othello” (don’t remember that from the play).
Galena E. Hashozheva, a grad student, managed to impress her audience even without such tactics. Unlike some of her professors, she had memorized all her lines. “It was so hard, all those lines,” she said.
“And I hardly speak English.”
