جدای از زیبایی نمایشنامه و داستان، دو نکته‌ی برجسته نظر من رو به خودش جلب کرد:

اول نوع پرده‌بندی در این نمایشنامه که انگار در پرده پیشین داستان تمام می‌شد و داستان دیگه‌ای آغاز می‌شد... مثلاً در پرده‌ی دوم آنتونی و قیصر درگیر توطئه‌ی پومپی هستند، اما در پایان پرده‌ی دوم این قسمت از قصه به پایان می‌رسه و داستان بخش دیگری آغاز می‌شه.

دوم نوع شخصیت‌پردازی شخصیت‌ها... تا آخر نمایشنامه با اینکه با شخصیت‌های اصلی هم‌دردی می‌کنید، اما نمی‌تونید با طیب خاطر حق رو بهشون بدید یا بگید که دنبال باطل رفتند... شخصیت‌ها تا حدود زیادی (اونقدر که در قرن 17 اجازه می‌داده و مخاطب رو می‌تونسته درگیر کنه) خاکستری‌اند... این نکته وقتی جالب‌تر می‌شه که این نمایشنامه از روی زندگی شخصیت‌هایی نوشته شده که واقعاً وجود داشتند و خاکستری بودنشون به نمایش بعد انسانی‌شون بسیار کمک کرده. ( )

This tragedy features triumvir Mark Antony and Queen of Egypt Cleopatra. She loves him although he is married. Octavius Caesar, the third political figure in the book, keeps the play's action interesting. Based on texts from Plutarch's Lives, we learn a little history of the Roman Republic prior to the time of Christ. It's not my favorite Shakespeare, but I liked it better after reading it this second time. I probably would not have re-read it, if I"d remembered how Cleopatra died. It's a classic, and a great way to share a little ancient history. ( )

En realidad, no es una edición de la obra original, sino de la versión que en 2021 estrenó la Compañía Nacional de Teatro Clásico. Esto significa que hay algunas pequeñas escenas suprimidas y algunos cambios que se dicen menores. Bueno. En todo caso, tenemos aquí una lección de lo que pasa cuando se mezclan el amor y la política, o el amor y el trabajo. Todos los personajes se comportan como lo que son, y el lector (supongo que también el espectador) comprende y hasta llega a justificar los vaivenes de Antonio, las ocasionales insensateces de Cleopatra y hasta la frialdad cruel de Octavio César. Cada uno de ellos tiene un papel que jugar y uno se plantea lo que haría en su lugar. Incluso Antonio mismo, velado (eso sí) por su pasión, casi comprende la traición de sus partidarios. El juego final de muertos que no están muertos pero que acaban provocando la muerte me recuerda al de Romeo y Julieta y está igual de bien conseguido. En fin, una muy grande obra que hay que leer con un poco más de calma de lo que lo hice yo. ( )

Would LOVE to see this played as a screwball comedy all the way through, yes, including all the deaths at the end. Cleopatra is one of the funniest and broadest characters in Shakespeare, and what's more comedic than triumvers drunkenly discoursing on the crocodile, or, you know, a man botching his own disembowelment? For heaven's sake, the most dramatic scene in the play is interrupted for several minutes when a clown stumbles into it and refuses to take his cue to leave. ( )

Inspired by having read Shakespearean earlier in the year, I determined to listen to those Shakespeare plays I could find in the library. This is the first alphabetically (you got to start somewhere).
It is also one I know next to nothing about and next time I would read the synopsis and character list first - that would have helped somewhat. Anyway on to the play. I think that Cleopatra deserves an epitaph along the lines of nothing in life became her so much as leaving. Through the play she doesn't always display in the best light, her behaviour towards the bearer of bad tidings is unkind and her jealousy towards Mark Antony's wives is beneath her. However she certainly comes into her own in the final scene and makes an exit that is nothing if not memorable.
Mark Antony doesn't quite finish on the same high. He takes an inordinate time to finish the deal. He comes over as torn between his desire and duty and never manages to make a decision which side he is actually on until the last - and even then he needs to be pushed.
It is highly likely that I've missed any amount of nuance and subtlety in this, but it was an enjoyable listen, I just know I need to do a smidge more home work next time. ( )