October 13, 2008

Shakespeare and U2 - I'm Up for That


U2 the musical: it’s a beautiful day for Bono and the Bard

It’s the Bard meets Bono and is the hottest musical in Burbank California this month. A US theatre company has mixed U2 and Shakespeare to create hit musical As U2 Like It.
Matt Walker, the show’s creator, said: "Even though Shakespeare and U2 are nearly 400 years apart, there’s such a similarity in the language they use. They share common themes too which include love and loss, heartbreak and politics."
See online : Sunday Tribune
Ken Sweeney Entertainment Editor
I need to check into this since its in my area!  
Yep, I can imagine this as a U2 lyric:  "What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

2 comments:

David Amulet said...

I can see a U2 album and song named "Love's Labours Lost." But not "Timon of Athens."

Steve Hackett did an acoustic guitar album a few years back with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra based on, and titled, "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Cinnamon Girl said...

That's because when he is not babbling about A mole in a hole, the Bononator can write some gorgeous lyrics. And given that they are nearly ALL bibically inspired the language is not that far apart.

My major was history (English) my minor was literature (English again) and I have to say there is a TON of Willy Shakes that would work. And a TON of U2 songs that could be used in a contemporary retelling of the plays.

I usually hate modernization of Shakespeare plays but sometimes it is done very well. Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland has done some nice reworking of plays. And Baz gets two thumbs from me on Romeo and Juliet.

Come to think of it, Baz gets two thumbs for Moulin Rouge as well which is nothing more than a retelling of Camille.

Uh...sorry. When book nerd on ya :P

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