There’s been a lot of talk this week about the possibility that someone has finally found the literary holy grail, an actual portrait of Shakespeare. In fact, the supposed discovery has been reported in almost every major publication and has been touted as the “literary discovery of the century” and “the greatest discovery in 400 years.” There is, however, just one small problem. Every bit of evidence points to the fact that the individual in the portrait, which is found in John Gerard’s The Herbal or General History of Plants, is actually a portrait of Dioscorides and not Shakespeare.
Don’t believe me? Just check this article in the Huffington Post. It describes every problem with the idea that the drawing found in the frontispiece is Shakespeare, including my personal favorite, the fact that the second edition of the book actually has the name “Dioscorides” printed under the image in question and not Shakespeare’s name. Now, if you would like to enjoy something that is actually related to Shakespeare, you’re in luck because while Shakespeare may not be alive and well, his works are certainly alive and well in the Boston area this weekend.
First, for all of the fans of tragic love stories out there, there’s always Romeo and Juliet and if you’re looking for Romeo and Juliet, the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company has you covered. This is because the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company is performing Romeo and Juliet at the Strand Theatre in Boston at 7:30 P.M. tonight (May 29, 2015) and 2:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, May 30, 2015.) These performances, which will actually feature the company’s early-career actors, will allow you to see Shakespeare’s classic tale of two lovers caught between two feuding families for a measly fee of $5. For more information on the Romeo and Juliet performances at the Strand Theatre, please visit the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s website.
If, on the other hand, you’d prefer a love story that isn’t quite so tragic, you may want to check out the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) Institute’s presentation of Much Ado About Nothing. The A.R.T. Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University will be performing Much Ado About Nothing at the Loeb Experimental Theater (Loeb Ex or the Ex for short) at 9:30 P.M. tonight (May 29, 2015.) This show, which will feature graduate acting students from the A.R.T. Institute, will give you the opportunity to experience Shakespeare’s sense of humor as you watch the pandemonium that can arise any time there’s a wedding but especially when the lovers are betrothed. For more information on the A.R.T. Institute’s presentation of Much Ado About Nothing, please visit the A.R.T. Institute’s Shows & Events page.
Finally, if you’re not really a fan of love stories or you’re just more of a history buff than a love story aficionado, the Bridge Repertory Theater (or Bridge Rep for short) may have what you’re looking for. This is because the Bridge Rep is performing Shakespeare’s historical play, Julius Caesar, at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts at 8:00 P.M. tonight (May 29. 2015), 2:00 P.M. tomorrow, and 8:00 P.M. tomorrow (May 30, 2015.) This production, which has taken some liberties with the dialogue to make it more accessible to modern viewers, will let you witness the tale of one of the most powerful men to ever live in the Roman Empire. For more information on the Bridge Repertory Theater’s production of Julius Caesar, please visit the Bridge Rep website.
Photo credit: TRF_Mr_Hyde / Foter / CC BY