Episode 49 - Shakespeare's Lesser Known Plays

<p>In 1996 Joni Mitchell released two compilation albums - Hits and the appropriately contrapuntal Misses - to show how even the most well-regarded of artists occasionally creates something that never really finds the audiences they might deserve. When it comes to Shakespeare, the Bard had a number of stinkers in his repertoire, including ones we've already covered like Henry VI (parts 1 & 3 especially), but also a number of later works that have never captured audiences the way Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet or Midsummer Night's Dream have.</p> <p>This episode we're taking a look at some of those lesser known plays and asking the simple question: why? What sets these plays apart from the canonical "great works" and what lessons can we as more modern audiences take from their successes, failures, and experiments? So join us for a talk about Shakespeare's swings that didn't quite land with a resounding thud.</p> <p>Ancient Bickerings:</p> <p>This episode we discussed the question: which of the lesser known plays do you think is primed for a comeback in popularity?</p> <p>Notes:</p> <ul><li>The Smithsonian Magazine article Lindsay mentioned <a href='https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/there-such-thing-bad-shakespeare-play-180958869/'>has a great dive into the shifting understanding of King Lear</a>.</li> <li>There was no The Winter's Tale film adaptation, Lindsay was probably thinking of the <a href='https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2094064/'>Much Ado About Nothing version done by Joss Whedon</a> in 2012.</li> <li>Our list of lesser known plays, pulled purely from the ether without hard data or really anything to back them up: <ul><li style="font-weight:400;">Merry Wives of Windsor</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">As You Like It</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">All's Well That Ends Well</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Winter's Tale</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Pericles</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Two Noble Kinsmen</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">King John</li> <li style=