Shakespeare in the Ring is where fearless actors verbally spar over Shakespeare. Join me, “Dr. Pol,” and my furious troupe of Shakespearean actors as they engage in a fierce battle of wits. Who’s the judge? You are! Which actor controls the action? Who parries, slips and blocks verbal punches with the greatest technique? Who lands the most shots? You’ll make your decision and share it in the comments.
Who is Dr. Pol?
My real name is Dr. Julie Sutherland, and I have nearly 20 years of experience working with academics, actors and literature lovers to keep Shakespeare alive in the imaginations of everyone willing to rise to the challenge. In theatrical venues and beyond, I always went by the pseudonym Doktor Luke. But I sold that name in 2018 (literally! a bit of a story there), so I’ve adopted the moniker Dr. Pol. Why Dr. Pol?, you may ask. Because cunning Polly ‘Aunt Pol’ Shelby is the brilliant mastermind behind a fascinating, if somewhat dangerous, machine on the smash-hit TV series Peaky Blinders and I’d like to be something like her in this life or the next.
Videos currently uploaded
Staging Shakespeare’s Richard III in the #MeToo Era Pt. 1
Is it OK to stage Shakespeare’s Richard III as a sympathetic villain in the #metoo era? We live in a culture of consent. Richard III is a sexual predator and murderer. He joins a long list of villains with sympathetic backstories: The Joker. Gollum. Darth Vader. Two-Face. Loki. Killmonger. Do we dare try to understand Richard III? Watch Dr. Pol and two actors–Donna Lea Ford and Kerry van der Griend–debate this topic. Then, share your decision in the comments! Just want the highlights? Skip ahead to a plot summary at 3:05 and the actors’ fight at 4:54.
Out With the Old, In With #MeToo: Richard III Pt. 2
The votes are in and your comments have determined the winner! Watch to see the judges’ decision and some post-fight analysis. If you missed the big fight between Richard III and himself, check out Part 1.
The Wicked & Dirty (& Sometimes Pitiable?) Macbeths: Lady Macbeth vs. Macbeth Pt. 1
Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are two of the most scheming, selfish, and dangerous characters in Shakespeare! But, even though they are absolutely, definitely wicked, there’s way more to them than their villainy. They’re fully alive, complex characters and they’re surrounded by powers that seem beyond their control. So, who’s the greater villain? The ‘d[r]ead butcher’ Macbeth or his ‘fiend-like Queen’, Lady M? You’ll be the judge! Watch Dr. Pol and two furious actors debate this topic, and then share your decision in the comments! Don’t want to watch the whole video? Skip to plot summary: 2:55; skip to fight: 4:50.
Everybody else is doing it: Lady M vs. Macbeth Pt. 2
The results are in from last week’s big fight between Macbeth and Lady M, and your comments have determined the winner! Check out this video to find out who’s more vile and to hear some post-fight analysis. If you missed the big fight, check out Part 1. Skip right to the decision: 0:44
Hamlet: Prince of Philosophical Revenge or Self-Obsessed Woman-Hater?
Hamlet has the most lines of any character in a single Shakespearean play. Some of them are heart-rending and thought-provoking. But, does this make Hamlet a hero? He may seek vengeance for his father’s murder, but he also treats Queen Gertrude (his mother) and Ophelia (his former beloved) brutally, using physical and verbal violence against them. Watch Anna Marie Weir and Michelle Lieffertz battle it out over Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark. Then you’ll get to decide: Is Hamlet a winner or a loser? Share your decision in the comments! Just want the highlights? Skip ahead to a plot summary at 1:19 and the actors’ fight at 3:13.
Was Shakespeare Gay?
If you ask Google “Was Shakespeare Gay?” you get over 39 million hits, so I guess it’s still a question? And, people still seem obsessed with other people’s sexuality. Take Billie Eilish’s cryptic statement on IG not long ago and millions of fans went bananas wondering what it conveyed about her sexual orientation. Then there’s the whole question of male-male friendship versus male-male desire (and the blurry boundary between those). Shakespearean England really valued male-male friendship, but that doesn’t rule out the question of whether or not Shakespeare loved men sexually. Plus, even if his male characters seem erotically invested in each other, does that mean Shakespeare was “into” men? Maybe … maybe not. Watch this video and see what you think!
Is Shakespeare Still Relevant? (And the Hamlet fight results!)
In this video, I argue for Shakespeare’s relevance in the 21st Century. Why do we keep staging him, teaching him at school, and turning his works into movies when there’s been so much spectacular writing since he lived and died? This video doesn’t argue against all the superb contemporary writers but instead argues that Shakespeare was the first writer in English to fully understand what it means to be human—in all of our goodness, and in all of our badness. Join me as I provide a few examples from his plays that reveal the whole range of human emotions that Shakespeare presented in the characters in his plays.
Skip to 2:00 for the main event: Shakespeare vs. the 21st Century!