Things I Will Not Do When I Direct Shakespeare....

Mark A.'s HyperLiterature always has delish links worth visiting — case in point, Angevin2's Livejournal entry:

The Things I Will Not Do When I Direct
A Shakespeare Production, on Stage or Film

This list, at present 426 items, is still growing.  Hmm, I can think of a few I could contribute....

A few of the choice entries on this list:

9. I will not assume I know the play better than Shakespeare did, despite apparent evidence to the contrary. 20. I will not costume anyone such that the first thought raised in the minds of the audience is "merry elf," unless he is playing one of the fairies in A Midsummer Night's Dream." 27. If I am running an annual Shakespeare festival, I will acknowledge that there are plays beyond A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night. 30. As much as I enjoy his films, I will not steal from Kenneth Branagh. It's not like people won't notice. 36. Keanu Reeves will not be allowed near the production. 63. Sir Andrew Aguecheek shall never be a young, lean, attractive man whom no one in the audience can understand why Olivia turned away. 151. Having Shylock pour blood on a prayer shawl and ululate in Hebrew while waving a curved knife during the trial is just overkill. 173. I will not let Leonardo DiCaprio near the production. 219. I will not decide that Helen of Troy in Troilus and Cressida is actually a sports car, nor will Pandarus do lines of cocaine off of her. (I will especially not do this if I can't afford a real sports car and have to make do with a small toy Ferrari, set on a table). 347. I will not decide that the best way to portray "Exit, pursued by a bear" is to have the rest of the cast dressed in brown and do some sort of modern-dance amoeba thing to absorb the character.

But, go read the list for yourself, it's well worth it.