> People seriously have to lighten up when it comes to Shakespeare.

I agree. Too many productions are pretentious. Shakespeare wrote for the lower class. Since then, he's become a favorite amongst more artsy circles -- and certainly there is artistry to appreciate. But wrapping up a production intended for the lower class in showiness and ceremony just doesn't make sense. There should be energy, raw emotion, and verve, if, indeed, anyone really knows what "verve" means.

I loved Kenneth Branagh's "Much Ado About Nothing." Granted, it's a comedy, so there's less temptation to make the production a stuffy one, but it sure is fun. I have yet to see either his "Henry V" or "Hamlet," but I'd like to.