In the realm of twentieth-century scandals involving the last name Simpson, most people are likely to think of a crazed ex-football player, a ludicrous trial, a glove, and a truly tasteless hypothetically confessional book. Yet before the SUV chase seen round the world, before Marcia Clark’s ever-changing hairstyles, there was another Simpson scandal. In the 1930’s divorcee Wallis Simpson’s romance with Edward VIII of England became notorious after he abdicated the throne to be with her. The couple has been plagued by all kinds of negative rumors, including alleged Nazi sympathies.

Those rumors and the original scandal are the basis for a new Canadian production of the tragedy Macbeth. It reminds the world of the infamous events by resetting the play in World War II, and fashioning the famously diabolical Lady M. as a doppelganger for Simpson. The historical reference is old enough not to sting anyone, but how would audiences react to the use of more contemporary scandals as fodder for Shakespearean concept productions. Speaking of O.J., what would the reaction be to an Othello inspired by his story? Would an Ophelia inspired by JonBenet Ramsey offend people? Ultimately, does history become cheapened or enriched when used in Shakespearean performances? Perhaps there is no single uniform answer to this question. Perhaps, like anything else, the result is shaped by the execution of it and the intent behind the comparison. We know Shakespeare can speak to our times, so how does he speak back to them?

Posted Tue, 08 Jan 2008 10:29:46 and filed under Othello, Pop Culture, History, Hamlet, Macbeth, Adaptations. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.