I love Shakespeare, as of course all English people do. At least, once someone has told us what exactly he’s on about. My favourite quote from the Bard himself, and one which I actually understood for once “what a clever girl!” follows here:
“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.”
At points in our life, we feel that we’re always going to be with the people that currently share our stage, only to be disappointed or even heartbroken when they exit the stage. To me, this quote points to the notion that nothing is permanent and guaranteed. Not even our own character, as Shakespeare tells us that we play many parts in our lifetimes. As life goes on, the sets around us change; key characters move in and out; life events force growth and change.
Sometimes, after perhaps some rather negative life events, we might regret the moments shared on stage with another actor; sad that we ‘wasted’ our best lines for another. In times like these, remember that every character, no matter how major or minor their role, has the potential to have a dramatic impact on the course of events throughout the play. This might be an obvious change in action and dialogue between the cast, or it may simply be that their part brings the main character to a point of self-realisation.
I did say ‘2 Quotes’ in the title, so here’s the second:
“Life isn’t a dress rehearsal.”
This is it folks – the real thing. This isn’t a practice so you have to give it your all. You have to take chances and be brave, regardless of stage-fright. Treat your fellow actors kindly, whispering lines to them when they slip up. Apologise when you’re the one who misspeaks, but also be kind to yourself. When mistakes happen, make it part of the play; use it. Embrace the moments on stage, knowing that your time here, or that of your fellow players, may be much briefer than you’d hoped.
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