Saturday, April 27, 2013

And the Curtain Closes

The Two Gentlemen of Verona may as well have never have ended. It's not that it was a particularly grand play in terms of its plot. It may be jam-packed with great comedy, but its character interactions aren't particularly novel or touching (except, perhaps Speed's with his dog Crab).

Why it shouldn't have ended is simply because it doesn't end as almost all other Shakespeare plays end: with the character who wields the most power saying something conclusive in a couplet. The Two Gentlemen of Verona ends instead, with the de facto hero, Valentine uttering some words. That's it. Having been taught and having experienced Shakespeare's trademark ending device so many times, it really feels like The Two Gentlemen of Verona has an extra, lost scene.

In spite of its marks of being an early work, it still shines as something Shakespeare wrote. The plot is solid, though safe, the characters are fun to listen to, and the comedy is laugh of (or chuckle) out loud quality. If you're looking to brush up your Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona is a fine pick - especially if you want to see what the Bard was like when he started out.

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