Shakespeare for the Shopper

So I finally tried Librivox. I wanted to try listening to some Shakespeare while I ran, so for my long run on Saturday morning, I loaded up my brand new phone with Macbeth and took off. But for some reason, it just didn't work for me. Maybe it's cause I'm not used to listening to anything while I run, but Shakespeare distracted from my run, and my run distracted from Shakespeare so it didn't last very long. But after I got back home, I tried listening while I did some other random chores: cleaning, doing dishes, laundry, and even when I went grocery shopping. This worked great and added an interesting variety to my Saturday. I have to admit, it was kind of depressing, listening to Macbeth all day because it's such a depressing play. But now I have a tempo-spatial link forever in my mind with some scenes from Macbeth, based upon the places I was when I was listening to them. For example, Lady Macbeth's unsex me speech will now forever in my mind be linked with pulling into the Smith's parking lot. Whenever I re-read the scene when Macbeth is informed he is the new thane, I'll think of the bridge on the Provo River trail under 800 E in Orem. When Macbeth visits the witches to ask for additional foresight, I will always remember folding my laundry...maybe slightly disturbing, but there you go.

As for what I thought of Librivox? For being free, it's really not bad, at least Macbeth was pretty palatable. There was huge variety in the actors; some were great...some were horrible. Lennox had a weird accent that kind of distracted. Lady Macbeth was so good it scared me to listen to her. I was seriously disturbed while parking at Smiths, and thoroughly disgusted. One of the witches was so flat and dry I almost think she had to be doing it on purpose. But the variety in their voices was fun. Even with the bad actors, having a different voice with the different characters helped give life to the play. After all, Shakespeare was written to be performed, not read.