The Bardcast: "It's Shakespeare, You Dick!"

Sent us a text, you dicks!! Fate and free will represent the classic tension between pre-determined outcomes and human agency.  Which outcomes are fixed in advance by a higher power or destiny? Which outcomes are based on a human's self-directed choices? And which camp do the characters in the Shakespeare canon fall into? In this episode, we discuss just that - who has a choice and who doesn&...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! "We like to drink, drink, drink, drink, drink, drink, drink, drink, driiiiink, driiiiiink, driiiiink!!!' This episode brings to mind the operetta "The Pleasant Peasant" from I love Lucy. Why?? Because this episode is all about the characters in the Shakespeare canon that like to tie one on!!!!  Which characters are complete lushes? And which characte...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! Yeah, yeah, we know, we constantly harp on our shared belief that if you put a concept on a play, and particularly a Shakespeare play, it must ADD to the text and make the play better by its addition.  Otherwise, it sucks.  So... in this episode, in what we think is chronological order, we go through every play in the canon and decide what we think would be a HORRIBLE i...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! Hi dicks and dickesses!!!   In this episode, we discuss all the things related to Shakespeare that we want to see or hear or direct or play and haven't gotten to yet!!! FYI, there's A LOT. What about you??? To send us an email - please do, we truly want to hear from you!!! - write us at: thebardcastyoudick@gmail.com  To support us (by giving us money - we&apos...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! We do not mean the bovine kind, here folks... we are talking about grudges. Which characters in the canon have a beef with another character? Which characters do we have beefs with generally? And when do we have a beef with Shakespeare for writing what we think is stupid or impossible?? In this episode we dive deep down into the tallow (get it??).  Join us!! To send us...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! We have talked about many aspects of characters in the canon over the last six (!!!!) years, but during an off mic conversation, we realized that we have never specifically talked about those characters who are heads and tails above the others as far as intelligence goes! In this episode, we do a deep dive into the mental power of the canon.  Who do you think we missed?...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! Really... who and what can you trust these days??? It's bad enough to not be able to trust the media in the world today, but what about people? LA had been thinking about the Canadians she encountered during her trip to Newfoundland (AMAZING people!!!) and Owen suggested this topic. Who are the people in the Shakespeare canon that one can ACTUALLY trust? With secre...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! There are a LOT of selfish, self-centered, and self absorbed characters in Shakespeare. In this current climate (and we don't mean weather!), we've been thinking a LOT about this topic, so we decided to put these thoughts to good use. So... who are the real narcissists and egomaniacs in the canon? We found a whole bunch - can you think of any we missed?? Write...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! We've talked about many things over the years (YEARS!!!), but we realized that we never delved into the fatherly aspects of the Shakespeare canon!! So, in this episode we talk about all the fathers - the good ones, the bad ones, the absent ones, the murderous ones, etc. Can you think of any we missed?? To send us an email - please do, we truly want to hear from you...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! We cannot believe it but this episode is the start of our SEVENTH SEASON of the pod!!!!!!! We are INCREDIBLY grateful to all our listeners and guests over the years... and we wanted to reflect that in some way, hoping that all of you have learned as much as we have. And so, this episode is us talking about seven (at least!) things we've learned about Shakespeare in...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! IT'S BAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!! Your thought we were done with the sonnet episodes, didn't you??  NO, DEAR LISTENERS!!!! (After all, there are 154 of them!!!) And this time, we have our dear friend (and one of the top fans of the pod!!) Brian Linden with us!! Brian has chosen Sonnet 19 to perform and discuss, and we are tickled pink!!! Strap in and get ready!!! To sen...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! There are several wars happening in the world now. We don't think all of them are justified. In this episode, we discuss the wars in the canon and whether or not we think those were fair - or just plain idiotic.  As Shakespeare said: Now, for our consciences, the arms are fair                                                               When the intent of bearing...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! Sooooo... we have always (well, not we as in Owen and Lisa Ann, but we as in Shakespeare scholars across the centuries) suspected that William Shakespeare owned property in London somewhere in the Blackfriars area. And in fact, there is a plaque that says just that on the side on an office building there! But!!!!! Thanks to Lucy Munro, Professor of Shakespeare and Early...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! Dear listeners, dicks and dickesses!!!  You have heard us discussing The Winter's Tale for YEARS now, and recently, we've mentioned that Lisa Ann is currently directing a production of it for Slippery Rock University's Theater Department and is INCREDIBLY proud of all the work these wonderful young artists have done in the past few months. Well guess what...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! Yes, we know we spelled it the British way... on purpose of course, because that is what this episode is about!! The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust began last year (as a result of academic pressure) to "de-colonise" its collection.  What does this mean? Well, Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust has warned visitors that some items in its collections may contain ‘langu...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! We LOVE when listeners write to us and suggest an episode topic!! This one comes out of an email by a listener - and actually, we mined several topics of that email!!  In this episode, we talk about those characters who have committed literal or figurative crimes and whether or not they get away with it. Is there anyone you can think of that we missed?? To send us an em...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! We've been surrounded lately by the abuse of power running rampant in our country. It's disheartening. So how do we combat this? We connect it to the Bard!!!   What characters are guilty of misusing their office and/or position for nefarious uses? Why? And how does it serve the play? In this episode, we discuss just that. To send us an email - please do, we tr...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! The weather outside is STILL frightful, but getting better. Nonetheless, dealing with it has made us grouchy. And cranky. And fussy. So we thought... Who are the grouchiest characters in the Shakespeare canon? And what are the degrees of grouchiness? In this episode, we (crankily) discuss this topic. Who can you think of that we missed? Write us and we'll send you...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! We've been thinking a lot about the cold... a huge snow storm where we live, bitter temperatures, the protests against the employees of the Dept. of Homeland Security... sigh. Shit IS ice cold!!! Also, LA is currently directing a production of The Winter's Tale and there is some COLD freakin' behaviour in that play!!!!!! So we thought... who are the colde...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! Asses, butts, behinds, and fistulas.... what do they all have in common? Actually, we were just amused at the thought of an episode about asses, so there you are. What did we miss? To send us an email - please do, we truly want to hear from you!!! - write us at: thebardcastyoudick@gmail.com  To support us (by giving us money - we're a 501C3 Non-Profit - hellllooooo...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! Now... both of us have taught in institutions of higher learning. And both of us have engaged in scholarly discussion of the Shakespeare canon from time to time, but first and foremost, we are actors and creatives and THAT is how we look at the text.  What's the difference between how an actor views a Shakespeare play and how an academic views a play? And FYI, lovi...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! Merry Christmas!!! Happy Boxing Day!!! ( And also, Happy Belated Hanukkah!!! And Happy Kwanzah!!!) In this episode, we talk about all the gifts that are given from one character to another in the Shakespeare canon.  We also talk about traditional Elizabethan gifts... 'cuz, you know, it's presents time of year!!! Did we miss any?? Write and tell us!! To send us...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! This its our belated Thanksgiving episode, dicks and dickesses!!!  We are talking about those characters in the canon who are truly jive turkeys. Oxford Dictionary says "a dishonest, insincere, or foolish person." But it's not that simple - people are complicated!!! We only thought of a few definitive jive turkeys, albeit other characters have some jive t...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! Hello dicks and dickesses!! We are taking this week off due to personal reasons, but we leave you here with LA and a few Shakespeare quotes about thankfulness. Hope your Thanksgivings (if you celebrate it, that is!!) were warm and wonderful!! LA & Owen To send us an email - please do, we truly want to hear from you!!! - write us at: thebardcastyoudick@gmail.com  To...

Sent us a text, you dicks!! To be completely honest, this episode came directly out of the fact that Owen had a colonoscopy the day we recorded. However, we stand by it - there are TONS of ass reams in the Shakespeare canon. People are always yelling at each other.  That's what we're discussing today. Short and sweet. Can you think of any we missed? To send us an email - please do, we tr...