Rating Shakespeare Editions | SPARKNOTES: NO FEAR SHAKESPEARE

Welcome to my first ever Lady McDuff YouTube video and HAPPY MACBETH MONTH (the spookiest play for the spookiest month of the year)!!
I am so delighted and grateful and frankly terrified to be sharing this little piece of me here - it is in no way, shape, or form perfect (so please be kind...) but the good news is that it only gets better from here!

As of right now I'm still working on my website... but here's a link to my Patreon and my contant info if you'd like to learn more about my mission and Folio Technique Project:

PATREON

CONTACT

You can also follow me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at @ladykatemcduff

SUMMARY
In this first video of a series in which I'll "grade" Shakespeare editions based on their accessibility and content, I discuss the Sparknotes No Fear Shakespeare edition; I talk a little bit about what a Shakespeare edition is, and demonstrate some of the ways (some of which I'm a fan of, some of which I'm not) this particular edition "mediates" the relationship between its intended audience and the text. I'm sure there are things I did not think of, and that's where I would love your input! I know it's *the internet* and what I'm about the say is probably laughable to some degree, but I do hope to create a safe space to learn, grow, get better, and respectfully express thoughts and opinions about these topics. So, fire away!

TIME STAMPS
00:00 Welcome/About Me
03:00 Intro to video content
03:33 What is a Shakespeare edition? (Shakespeare Unlimited podcast quotes)
06:04 Is No Fear Shakespeare good for actors? (Peter Hall Quote)
08:05 "Rubric" for "grading" the edition
09:50 Access (free-ness, which plays are available)
11:38 Differentiation (what versions the plays come in)
15:45 Readability (checking out the printed and online versions)
18:29 Contextual Aids (assessing the resources, especially the Study Guide)
30:33 Score Sheet
32:21 Answering the question: Is No Fear Shakespeare good for actors?
32:52 Conclusion/Final Thoughts
33:50 Thanks for watching/Random silliness

LINKS
--No Fear Shakespeare Audiobooks (Google Play) -

Please check out your local bookstore to purchase hard copies of the books I mentioned:
- Sparknotes: No Fear Shakespeare Macbeth
- Sparknotes: No Fear Shakespeare Macbeth (Deluxe Student Edition)
- Sparknotes: No Fear Shakespeare Macbeth (Graphic Novel)
- The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare and Race, edited by Ayanna Thompson

*I realize the pop-up text is not friendly for visually-impaired individuals - please bear with me as I figure out the best way to make post-filming edits that can be seen/heard by all!

Thank you for joining me!

[miketufaro]

I keep getting a whole bunch of slack from my family for reading these versions. My response has been “Do you understand Shakespeare without the footnotes? Or Beowulf in it’s original Anglo-Saxon?” Glad to see it’s endorsed by someone more familiar with Shakespeare than myself.

[Musophilus]

Congratulations, Kate, on posting your first video. Great job! Extremely engaging and informative. Huzzah!

[lizlyle]

I love that you showed me the existence of a Shakespeare graphic novel!!! I need to buy some of these and I love how you point out the extended margins for students. I can speak from experience and say as an adult I still write in my margins. Looking forward to more videos!

[isaacgalliher]

I love your headband! Really enjoy your analysis and commentary here and on Coen’s film adaptation of Macbeth. Content I definitely didn’t know I needed and haven’t seen much before. Exciting, so thank you!

[lydiad]

Lmao “barriers are trash.” YAS QUEEN, so proud of you!

[ShelbyLovesShakespeare]

Congrats on your first video Lady McDuff! Really excited to hear from someone who has such an eye towards accessibility within the classical texts realm. And LOVED the Shakespeare Unlimited quotes 😄🙌 Subscribed!

[IAmTheHutch]

Well done! I agree- Adrian Lester is dreamy! 😍 Have you seen his Hamlet??

[preciousbees]

Love that most people that get on here agree education should be accessible and not gatekept. This is the 21st century yall, we cannot keep pretending the best education is for who can regurgitate it at its current form or highest bidder. (Pls pardon my grammar and/or syntax, I am of the third unmentioned category, not hardworking…. Forgiveness?)

[sarahomar]

Amazing video. Thanks a lot for your efforts in making it. 🤩

[brentgill]

Nice video! I agree with you on King John! You are also quite foxy, btw! 😍

[mollybrown]

From a Shakespeare standpoint I kind of love that your name is Kate ahaha

[fruitarian]

Too long, needs editing, wide changes in pitch and volume.