A 50-year-old homeless Yale Alum performing Shakespeare on the streets of a gritty New England city.
This is what movies are made of.
And in fact, a movie was made about Margaret Holloway, better known to the rest of the world as "The Shakespeare Lady."
That is why I opted to purchase this piece of history.
I know Margaret. I used to live across the street from the transient housing she slept in. When I woke up in the morning, stumbling out onto the busy downtown of New Haven, Connecticut, she would already be up and at the corner performing her routine. Her wild gestures, piercing eyes and booming voice followed me throughout my day. Then, while I was working the late shift at a local coffeeshop, it was Margaret who would come in and tell me drama filled stories about her life. She was out there rain, snow or sun. Even on holidays. Definitely more reliant than the postman.
And they don’t call her the “Shakespeare Lady” for nothing. She can recite almost any passage of the major plays and some of the less known acts. There is no other street performer that can pull off an accurate recitation of the Canterbury Tales followed by a series of Richard Pryor jokes. She is truly a performer. But Margaret Holloway is also a cultural icon of New Haven and an inspiration to those she meets.
Oh, the music? The band? I think they take back seat to the real star, Margaret. Though I give major props to the creators of this DVD, especially for donating part of the proceeds to Margaret instead of exploiting her, the music will probably only appeal to certain avant-garde, experimental types. The band sequences, with them swaying to and fro to the music, seem stiff and rehearsed. 
And let’s face it. They ain’t no actors and they ain’t no Shakespeare Lady.
Still, if you want a piece of history, get this DVD. It even costs less than one of Margaret’s performances. Now that’s a deal!
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