Tony and Cleo

I've been thinking about new ways to engage Shakespeare's texts, and thanks to a friend, the marvelous work of hip hop artists the Q Brothers came back to my mind today. 

Here's my first experiment in translating Shakespeare into the hip hop idiom, starting with the opening of Act I, Scene i of Antony and Cleopatra.  Let me know what you think!   Suggestions appreciated.

PHILO

Yo brotha Deme, the Generals' whacked

He's out of control, and that's a fact

The Roman soldier boys used to be his stars

And his eyes were a-glowin like the great god Mars

When he took them to battle and got into fights

But now Antony is spending all his nights

In bed with Cleopatra where he always wants more

He's giving all his mojo to that gypsy whore

Oh man, here they come, you'll see exactly what I mean

Just watch this fool now when he makes the scene

CLEOPATRA

If you really love me, baby, now tell me how much

ANTONY

It's really too big, my girl, for you to judge

CLEOPATRA

I'll be the judge of that - now let me measure your heart!

ANTONY

It's bigger than the universe, how's that for a start?

MESSENGER

I have some news from Rome my lord - now please don't scoff

ANTONY

Just spit it out my man before you piss me off

CLEOPATRA

Fulvia your wife might have a bone to chew-

And baby Caesar have a little work for you-

To subjugate some lands and liberate a few

You better do it now, and better do it well

If you don't follow orders, you'll be damned to hell!

ANTONY

Say what?

CLEOPATRA

Say this, my man - you gotta go!

Your orders come from Caesar, and he's running the show

Where's Fulvia's summons?  Oops - I meant to say Caesar's!

The two of them have got your nuts inside some tweezers

Get the messengers now, and tell us what they said

Oh, Antony, I do believe your face is red!

That shows I hit it right - you're Caesar's dog, his slave!

And Fulvia, she whips your butt 'til you behave

Now Antony, it's plain to see, you're fully red!

Get the messengers - now!- and tell us what they said!

ANTONY

Let Rome in Tiber melt, and let the empire fall!

Kingdoms are clay, but we are standing tall!

My place is here, and let the news be global!

Antony and Cleopatra's love is noble!

Act I, Scene i: "Let Rome in Tiber melt..."

ANTONY

     Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch
     Of the ranged empire fall! Here is my space!
     Kingdoms are clay! Our dungy earth alike
     Feeds beast as man. The nobleness of life
     Is to do thus, and when such a mutual pair
     And such a twain can do't, in which I bind,
     On pain of punishment, the world to weet
     We stand up peerless.

This is Antony's response to Cleopatra's teasing admonitions for Antony to call in his messengers, who she presumes will be delivering orders and reprimands from Caesar and Fulvia, his wife.  Rather than face these realities, Antony wishes Rome and the empire into oblivion, and commits himself to "this space"--in Alexandria, with Cleopatra, where together, he declares, they have achieved the highest possible "nobleness of life."

Have Antony and Cleopatra created something "noble" together?  Considering their passion, their playfulness, their extravagance, and their theatricality...  I would say that they are excellent in their enjoyment of each other.  They are fun to watch, and to be with, as Charmian's and Enobarbus' responses show us. This, too, is excellent.

I admire Antony and Cleopatra's success in creating a space like this--where beauty, wit, and pleasure can thrive.  I'd much rather have them over for dinner than, say, Octavius Caesar and Lepidus!  A short dinner--since my enjoyment of their gamesmanship would wear thin after a few rounds.

At the same time that I enjoy Antony and Cleopatra's passionate love-making, I can also see that their mutual admiration is solipsistic, addictive, and ultimately destructive.

This has me thinking of my own pursuit of "nobility" in certain areas of life.  Passion, wholeheartedness, and a dedication to excellence can curdle when they become too narrow and possessive.

What are your initial responses to the play? What does the language suggest to you about the characters, their choices, and the relevance of all this to your own experience?

Post your comments here.

Exploring ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA

Starting this week, Nick Leair, Megale Taylor, and Jonathan Shailor of The Shakespeare Prison Project begin an on-line exploration of William Shakespeare's great tragedy. ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA.

We chose this play because it is one of the lesser-known tragedies, and one that we have both been wanting to take a closer look at for quite some time now.

We welcome you to join us as we investigate the play's characters and themes.

This week, we will explore Act 1, with a particular interest in the personalities of Antony, Cleopatra, Octavius Caesar, and Enobarbus.  What does Shakespeare reveal to us about these people through their words and actions?  What elements of these characters do we see in ourselves and others?  What choices do the characters make, and how do we go about evaluating those choices?

An on-line text of the full play is available at

Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare

The 1974 film production by the Royal Shakespeare Company, directed by Jon Scoffield, and starring Janet Suzman and Richard Johnson, can be viewed here:

Antony and Cleopatra (RSC, 1974)

The 1981 BBC television film production, directed by Jonathan Miller, and starring Jane Lapotaire and Colin Blakely, can be viewed here:

Antony and Cleopatra (BBC, 1981)

Dive in to the material and start dishing your own questions, reflections, and provocations by posting to the comments section here, and on future posts!  I look forward to the exchange.