Small One Does Shakespeare

Those of you who’ve been visiting my blog for awhile have heard about the amazing Shakespeare program at my daughters’ school. My Tall One has been reciting soliloquies and performing pratfalls since she was newly nine (an age at which I’m not sure I’d even heard of Shakespeare).

Swoon.

Or, as our friend William would say, "Can one desire too much of a good thing?"

Well. The good thing this year is that my Small One gets let in on the fun.
And she is positively giddy with the grandness of performing something "so old and quite famous."

Yesterday, she and one of her best buds were out in our front yard rehearsing a scene from As You Like It.
There were gestures and dramatic pauses (which may have indicated forgotten lines, but nevermind).
There were makeshift props and costumes.
And there were audience members.

Yes, a line of water balloons (all named) observed quite politely from the top of the picnic table.
Lend me your ears, indeed.

Such is the life of the Shakespearean actor at eight…

28 Responses to “Small One Does Shakespeare”

  1. bostonerin

    Liz, that’s awesome!! What a wonderful foundation for your children, and such a great connection between UT and your school.

    I’d love to send a copy of TOTAL TRAGEDY to the school. Any suggestions as to who would be the best person to receive it?

  2. Anonymous

    Man. Such a good school, it sounds like.

    Jules (frustrated with her daughter’s school today…Sigh)

    • liz_scanlon

      Jules. Believe me, we have those days, too.
      Are things mostly happy for her? Sigh…
      Hard to put them out there in the world…

  3. Anonymous

    Tanita Says 🙂

    Shakespeare taught me to think — in two directions at once. His sly wit pounced on me unexpectedly, and I read deeper to find all of his double meanings. What fun, to come to him earlier, and learn to be witty bards themselves!

    • liz_scanlon

      Re: Tanita Says 🙂

      I know! That’s what’s so stunning to me. That they’re getting all that this early. So they can just eventually kind of embody it. Y’know???

  4. saralholmes

    I wore my “Can one desire too much of a good thing?” necklace last night to the Press Club thingie. Me thinks Small One might like one, too. 🙂