Rosalind does not weep and she certainly does not beg. The play is a stark contrast to the romantic Khmer soaps my students are always watching, where woman are always seen weeping or imploring their men to return. When it comes to choosing an appropriate Shakespeare play, there is an obvious choice. But here, I am surrounded by empowered young Khmer women working to break the stereotypes of the role of women in Cambodian society. In past years, I relied upon my childhood favorite – Macbeth. Here, in the Kingdom of Cambodia, reading, listening, writing and speaking Shakespeare with Khmer college freshman and sophomores, our focal point has been the language. The year before, at a Thai university, our focus was the adaptation to a South East Asian setting. Last year in Boston, I explored the elements of the story with 6 th graders and probed the emotional transformation of the bard’s characters with teenagers. Once again I have found myself teaching Shakespeare in an unusual environment. How does one translate “All the World’s A Stage” into the ancient language of Khmer?
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