This is an article on the historic playwright. For the Jungle Cruise parody, see Shakes Spear.
William Shakespeare (bapt. 1564-1616) is a historic author, playwright, actor and poet.
History[]
Jungle Cruise connections[]
Adventure Trading Company[]
Shakespear was referenced in The Daily Gnus where journalist Thompson J. Gazelle interpreted the, "Adventureland Gorilla Theatre Company" as performing Shakespeare's play Hamlet using supplies stolen by big-game hunters in the Congo Base Camp. Gazelle also calls out Kejo the Silverback as having delivered a, "Beautiful soliloquy" during the performance.
Jungle Cruise[]
The boat, "Kissimmee Kate" is named after the musical Kiss Me, Kate, an adaptation of the Taming of the Shrew. The boat and musical take their names from Katherine/Kate Minola, the love-interest from this play. Over the Global Broadcasting Service, Skipper Missy mentions a, "Shakespeare in the Jungle Performance" occurring the next day with the first ever musical production of Hamlet.
Skipper Canteen[]
The library of the Skipper Canteen contains several Jungle Cruise themed parodies of Shakespeare's work, most of which are written by a character named Shakes Speare. These parodies include:
- A Midsummer's Night Cruise: A parody of A Midsummer's Night Dream (c. 1595).
- The Comedy of Ears: A play on The Comedy of Errors (1594).
- Droolius Caesar: A parody of Julius Caesar (1599)
- Hamlet: A Lion's Tale: A reference to The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and its Disney adaptation, The Lion King (1994).
- Sam IV Part 1: A play on Henry IV, Part 1 (1592). Likely a reference to the Jungle Cruise character of Trader Sam.
- Sam IV Part 2: A play on Henry IV, Part 2 (1591). Another likely reference to Trader Sam.
- Sam V: A play on Henry V (c. 1599). Another likely reference to Trader Sam.
- Sam VI Part 1:
- Sam VI Part 2:
- Sam VI Part 3:
- Two Skippers of Verona: A play on The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623).
Other connections[]
Aladdin[]
The parrot Iago was named in real-life after the villain of Othello. Genie also briefly references Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar when he yells, "Whoah, Brutus" in a Julius Caesar costume in response to a knife.
The Great Movie Ride[]
In the queue were dresses from the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love.
The Lion King[]
This film was loosely based on Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Furthermore, its sequel was a reimagining of Romeo and Juliet (1597). This connection is even referenced in the Skipper Canteen via the book, "Hamlet: A Lion's Tale".
Tarzan[]
While teaching Tarzan about human society, Jane shows Tarzan a slide with Shakespeare on it.
Other appearances[]
United Kingdom Pavilion[]
A marble bust of Shakespeare can be found in a garden.[1] The Tea Caddy is also made to resemble the home of Shakespeare's wife, Anne Hathaway (1556-1623).
Trivia[]
- The Kissimmee Kate is sometimes also asserted to be a tribute to actress Katherine Hepburn (1907-2003) who portrayed Rose Sayer in the film The African Queen, a 1951 adventure movie which inspired the Jungle Cruise. The same is true for the boat Kwango Kate though it lacks the Shakespearean connection.
- The Haunted Mansion's theme-song, "Grim Grinning Ghosts" or, "The Screaming Song" is adapted from Shakespeare's 1593 poem Venus and Adonis.