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SHAKESPEARE MADNESS TOURNAMENT BRACKETS

Scroll over the character names to learn their skills and signature moves.
 

1. Iago (Othello) Iago knows he’s worth no less than a #1 seed. He hates Othello for passing him over for promotion, developing his signature shot, the green-eyed monster of jealousy, to exploit the Venetian general’s defensive vulnerabilities. Opponents hate Iago in the post -- he’ll proclaim their wives’ infidelity while throwing cheap shots officials never see. If they don’t adjust, Iago’s medicine will work to catch credulous fools.                                   1. Lady Macbeth (Macbeth) Scottish noblewoman of undaunted mettle, conspirator to regicide, Lady Macbeth rose to the #1 seed of the very deep North Region after pouring her spirits into her husband’s ears, cajoling him to the murder of their royal houseguest. She has a ruthless inside-outside game, nagging right into the brain, then kicking it out to the spirits of night and evil. Her signature move is the gender bender husband-insult, though she’s capable of threatening infanticide as well.
                      
16. Desdemona (Othello) A loyal wife, Desdemona’s heart is subdued even to the very quality of her lord Othello: she’ll have to defend her honor—and her handkerchief—from Iago’s onslaught in the first round. lago                       Lady Macbeth 16. Imogen (Cymbeline) Known for her bracelet bling, this early British princess defends her honor better than she defends the perimeter. She’s strong for a #16 seed: she can lull opponents to sleep, and she’s pretty good at blocking the penetration pass. Don’t count on her scoring an upset, though: she’s lovestruck with a guy named Posthumus.
                             
     lago               Lady Macbeth     8. Cymbeline (Cymbeline) The King of Britain, and his high ranking, is one of the feel-good stories of the tournament. After bouncing his daughter early, and getting locked down by the Romans and their stifling pressure, he was accused of being too soft (particularly to his wife). But he trusts his team to bail him out at the end.
8. Troilus (Troilus and Cressida) This Trojan prince, historically overshadowed by his brothers Hector and Paris, has shown some ability to maneuver past the defenses of his lover Cressida. All lovers swear more performance than they are able, though, and Troilus’s game relies on others to talk him up.                      
    Cressida                           Cymbeline    
9. Cressida (Troilus and Cressida) Cressida prides herself on her defenses—of her wit, her wiles, her honesty, and her beauty—and yet knows that scoring on her is less difficult than she makes it out to be. The Trojan Troilus and the Greek Diomedes know it too.         EAST   NORTH         9. Gertrude (Hamlet) In the run up to the tourney, Hamlet’s mother (who then became his aunt) created fits for the selection committee by basically giving up to #6 Claudius and then upsetting her #2 seed son. She’s notoriously hard for defenses to read, but what seem to be set plays are often accidents. She has a reputation for protesting every foul that’s called on her—too much, methinks.
                                 
5. Cleopatra (Antony and Cleopatra) A lass unparalleled, the most powerful woman in the ancient world has immortal longings, if not infinite virtue. On her home court in Egypt, Cleopatra and Marc Antony seem to rule: not a moment of their lives stretches without some pleasure. A single basket from a visitor, though, could leave her snakebitten.       Portia         Lady Macbeth     5. Macduff (Macbeth) Beware Macduff. Beware the Thane of Fife. Teams that believe themselves charmed may find themselves untimely ripp’d from the tournament by the strong-armed upstanding warrior. That he’s in the contest at all after the deaths of his wife and son is testament to his courage. If ever a #5 deserved to wear the crown, it would be Macduff.
         
  Puck                       Orlando    
12. Puck (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) This shrewd and knavish sprite can sprinkle fairy dust to bewitch defenders, but can get his matchups mixed up: to execute Oberon’s gameplan successfully, Puck will need to choose his targets carefully.                           12. Orlando (As You Like It) He doesn’t have his beloved Rosalind’s skills, but Orlando is a crowd favorite nonetheless: his opponents praise his sportsmanship. What he lacks in discipline, he makes up for in boldness.
                                 
4. Portia (The Merchant of Venice) This young noblewoman of Belmont has been tested: suitors from all over the world put on a full-court press before Bassanio finally took the lead and won Portia’s heart. When she takes to the court, she unleashes a gentle rain of shots from heaven upon the place beneath; the quality of mercy may not be strained, but opponents will need to beg for it after Portia schools them like a learned judge.     Portia                   Rosalind     4. Rosalind (As You Like It) Versatile, balanced, aware of her strengths and weaknesses, Rosalind might have been a #2 or #3 seed in any another region. She loves the sport. And she’s stunningly clever on both sides of the ball, disguising her coverages, reacting more quickly than almost any player in the draw. She leads the league in steals of both scenes and hearts.
                         
    Portia                           Rosalind    
13. Sir Toby Belch (Twelfth Night) As long as there’s a passage in his throat and drink in Illyria, the party won’t stop for this kinsman of the countess Olivia. With his backcourt partner Sir Andrew Aguecheek, he’ll set screens against the likes of Malvolio, but may also commit numerous drunken fouls.                           13. Ophelia (Hamlet) It’s really a tale of three seasons with Hamlet’s would-be girlfriend. At first, she played smart and tough, coached well by her brother and father. Mid-season, she played out of her mind, with mad skills, and could finish with an impressive dunk. Now, though, she’s in over her head.
                                 
6. Shylock (The Merchant of Venice) After opposing fans spit on his gaberdine in the Rialto, this Venetian moneylender sought revenge, vowing to get a pound of his opponents’ flesh. In this tournament, he could be a laughingstock, a villain, or both, but no adversary will want to face him in the low post, where he feeds fat his ancient grudge.           Portia   Lady Macbeth           6. Claudius (Hamlet) To be blunt, his offense is rank and stinks to heaven. His defense is a little better, but it’s his transition game that really shines. In transition defense, he backpedals fast, gets defenders like Laertes to plug the gaps. And on the fast break, he’ll step over anyone, drawing charging fouls often enough. Get him in the half-court, though, and it’s over.
                     
    Shylock               Claudius    
11. Oberon (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) Titania’s husband and ruler of the fairies of the wood, Oberon is swifter than the wandering moon, and presides over a flawless offense, taking from thence all error with his might. He’ll get assists from the hobgoblin Puck, and may also make occasional passes to receptive mortals.                           11. Cordelia (King Lear) Her low ranking might be the result of her refusal to pander (“that glib and oily art”) to the media or to the selection committee, just as she refused to flatter her father the King. But she has a tendency to disappear from games, especially when teams play her tough, and she’s liable to collapse at the end.
                                 
3. Viola (Twelfth Night) Several of the tournament’s best players are master-mistresses of the cross-dressing crossover, but none executes it with the skill of Viola. In her masculine usurped attire or her woman’s weeds, she’s the most capable messenger in Illyria: as Duke Orsino plays on at games of love, Viola’s able to catch him on the rebound. Double-teaming her meanings in every line, Viola could become the tournament’s mistress and its fancy’s queen.     Viola                   Macbeth     3. Macbeth (Macbeth) No one in the North region has racked up the personal fouls Macbeth has, nor has anyone seemed so unfazed by them: “fouls are fair,” the saying goes. His go-to move down-low is the clear-out: just ask Duncan, Banquo, Lady Macduff, and the others who suffered career-ending injuries. You get the sense he’d stop at nothing to fulfill his ambitions, though he’s got to work on closing out games. He has a tendency to unravel in existential crisis at the end, which could be his undoing.
                         
    Viola                           Macbeth    
14. Malvolio (Twelfth Night) This Puritan is virtuous: no more cakes and ale for him. Players like Sir Toby have been victimized all season by his self-righteous slams, though, and they can’t wait to put him in his cross-gartered, yellow-stockinged place.                           14. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (Hamlet) It doesn’t look good for this pair of Danish schoolfellows, who are their own worst enemies at times, basically handing over their playbook to their opponents who will slaughter them with it. They’re particularly vulnerable to the half-court trap. It’s hard even to talk about their strengths, but they can be slippery at times.
                                 
7. Marc Antony (Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra) The greatest soldier of the world, this floor general used to run the Roman offense but eventually came to bury Caesar, not to praise him. Coming to power himself through a smooth transition game, Antony eventually ended up in Egypt with his lover Cleopatra: though opposed by Caesar’s nephew Octavius, there’s hope in it yet.     Viola                   Hamlet               7. Hotspur (Henry IV, Part I) Sir Henry Percy, son of the Earl of Northumberland, earned his nickname for his breakneck pace and streaky play and for his desire to win at all costs. He never met a shot he didn’t take, which can lead him to marvelous upsets or ugly defeats. “Let them come,” he says, “I am on fire.”
        Henry V          
    Titania                         Hotspur    
10. Titania (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) Queen of the fairies, Titania is evenly matched one-on-one in a lovers’ quarrel with her husband, jealous Oberon, over her affection for a little changeling boy: Oberon and Puck, though, will attempt a fast break to leave the queen on the sidelines, enamored of an ass.                       10. The Three Witches (Macbeth) These weird sisters can be full of double toil and trouble for unsuspecting opponents, who never know where or when they’ll pop up to prophesy doom. Their game is full of hurly-burly, so higher seeds must beware, beware: something wicked this way comes.
                             
2. Othello (Othello) This Moorish general of Venice has more wins than any other competitor, from feats of broil and battle to hair-breadth escapes. One-on-one, he could outmuscle any other player, and that’s been enough to give him countless victories against the Turks. Some of his tournament competitors, though, are more subtle, and have studied his weaknesses. He’s easily swayed by pump and spin fakes around the virtue of his wife Desdemona, whom he loved not wisely but too well.     Othello                   Hamlet     2. Hamlet (Hamlet) The crafty Prince of Denmark is a strong #2 seed because opponents never know which Hamlet they’ll have to face: the brooding boy with an Oedipus complex, the lunatic manipulator, or the trash-talking dagger-wielder with no compunction about watching the bodies pile up. He’s the master of the hesitation move, with “more offenses at my beck than I have thoughts to put them in… or time to act them in.” Expect to see the court explode when he gets going.
                         
    Othello                           Hamlet    
15. Bottom (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) He has an ass’s head and an outsized ego, but this playmaker has a knack for winning performances on a big stage. Making an unlikely pairing with his backcourt partner Queen Titania, Nick Bottom could turn a matchup upside-down.                           15. Polonius (Hamlet) The Lord Chamberlain at the Danish court is one of the older entrants in the tournament, but while age can mean experience, it can also mean “tedious old fool.” Polonius thinks well of himself, fancies himself a coach on the court, and this results in selfish play: he is, at least, to his own self true. He’s likely to get buried by any team that can drop daggers coming off a screen.
                                 
1. Lear (King Lear) The King of Britain is eighty, and he’s ever but slenderly known himself. Notorious for a flagrant foul on his own youngest daughter, his resulting ejection and suspension from the monarchy have left him the maddest player in the tournament field. Nevertheless, he’s a majestic presence on the court and an unquestioned #1 seed, capable of either a raging drive into grief or a chilling fade away into the infirmity of age.                                   1. Julius Caesar (Julius Caesar) Easily the weakest of the #1 seeds, Caesar may have pulled some strings to make it this far. He’s a bit of a ball-hog. His take-no-prisoners approach, however, makes him a lethal force-to-be-reckoned-with. If he can put the contest away early, he’ll soar above the view of men and keep us all in servile fearfulness. On his game, Caesar is more dangerous than danger. Off his game, if he doesn’t beware the ides of March, then Caesar falls.
                Henry V                
    Lear                         Julius Ceasar    
16. Stephano and Trinculo (The Tempest) Red-hot with drinking, the butler Stephano and the jester Trinculo are belched into the tournament on a sea of celestial liquor: with an eventual matchup with Prospero hanging over them, they dream of becoming kings, but will more likely lose their bottles in the pool.                         16. Dogberry (Much Ado about Nothing) This constable of Messina is the master of malapropism, but may be out of his depth in this tournament: he and his watch have never had to comprehend such auspicious persons as they’ll face in the early rounds.
                                 
8. The Fool (King Lear) Not altogether fool, Lear’s sidekick is the tournament’s genius trash-talker. Audiences are frequently amazed at how quickly his creative, versatile attack can accumulate points, as defenders find themselves unable to answer him. Still, nothing will come of nothing, and the Fool’s run may end early, as he’s liable to disappear mid-game.     The Fool                   Valentine &
Proteus		     8. Valentine and Proteus (Two Gentlemen of Verona) In a two-on-two game, these gentlemen of Verona would be tough to top—only, that is, when they work together. Get them out of their element—throw them in a forest, say—and it’s hard to know who or where they are. This tournament will test their depth, and their loyalty.
                         
    The Fool                           Valentine &
Proteus		    
9. Richard II (Richard II) The regular season ended for Richard with an agonizing defeat at the hands of Henry Bolingbroke—although Richard’s supporters still insist that his title was really lost to questionable officiating about the rules of succession. When in command of the royal offense, he sets up plays for his favorites; at the other end of the floor, he can enlarge his coffers and infuriate opponents with a well-timed steal.             Lady Macbeth           9. Beatrice (Much Ado about Nothing) The merry wars and skirmishes of wit between Beatrice and Benedick have led both to hone their game leading into the tournament. The Governor’s niece bid her maiden pride adieu when the Paduan lord captured her heart, but don’t count her out: she’s known to take a commanding lead in the fourth act.
                             
5. Edmund (King Lear) The bad boy of the Central, Edmund’s an illegitimate son to Gloucester, but he’s a natural, and may be a legitimate contender. He’ll exploit opposing defenses ruthlessly: as soon as they’re convinced that the threat is elsewhere, he’ll strike.         The Fool           Valentine &
  Proteus		     5. Coriolanus (Coriolanus) Roman general Caius Marcius, renamed Coriolanus, is one of the most enigmatic picks in the draw. Always serious and generally motivated by revenge for previous losses, he can be lethal playing from behind. As with Julius Caesar, if he doesn’t win, it may be because his own fans turn against him.
                     
    Ariel                           Coriolanus    
12. Ariel (The Tempest) In a cowslip's bell lies Ariel, a brave spirit who executes Prospero’s offense perfectly: he’s undersized but magical, and sailors are shocked to find themselves on the receiving end of his dunks.                           12. Petruchio (The Taming of the Shrew) Patient and wily, this gentleman of Verona is no gentle man. Say you play him tight, why then he’ll play loose. Say you play him loose, he’ll play tight. His threadbare uniforms are a little the worse for wear, but this seems like one more ploy. Even when he loses, he acts like he’s won.
                                 
4. Prospero (The Tempest) Prospero is literally a defensive wizard: he runs complex schemes and is capable of summoning everything in the book once opponents wander onto his island. Offensively, expect a storm of shots from beyond the arc; opposing teams are likely to find themselves shipwrecked. He’d love to get a shot at his brother Antonio—who stole his crown as Duke of Milan in their last meeting—but with nothing but time to prepare, he’s ready to take on all comers.     Propero                   Coriolanus     4. Juliet (Romeo and Juliet) Juliet Capulet has earned a surprisingly high seed for someone yet a stranger in the world, the youngest competitor in the field. She’s a difficult matchup for anyone when she gets hot, teaching torches how to burn bright. But soft, some say, and easily frustrated, especially in night games, when civil night might learn her how to lose a winning match.
                         
    Propero                           Juliet    
13. Mistress Quickly (The Merry Wives of Windsor) The post player for the Merry Wives of Windsor, Mistress Quickly carries messages for her teammates Page and Ford: surprisingly dirty in her play, she can shock spectators with her double-entendre assault.                           13. Aaron the Moor (Titus Andronicus) “Bad boy” puts it mildly. Expect flagrant fouls to abound and limbs to flail. This is way beyond throwing elbows: this is back-stabbing, cannibalism and murder one. He has his charming moments, but when he falls behind, expect things to get ugly, and don’t expect him to repent.
                                 
6. Richard III (Richard III) Now is the winter of his discontent: he’s questionable for the tournament (severe hunchback) and equally questionable for the monarchy, having proved a villain. He sees the whole court, though, and always seems to cause enough chaos to come out with a win.                                   6. Brutus (Julius Caesar) Few can play at both ends of the court with as much resolve as Brutus, and yet few are as likely to pass up on a crucial shot to take the lead. He tries not to play selfishly, but as the noblest of Romans, to fight for the team. But in contests like these, when you live by the sword, you often die by the sword.
Henry V Katherine 
Caliban   Leontes
11. Caliban (The Tempest) Caliban, not honored with a human shape, campaigns to unseat his master Prospero and recover the title lost by his mother, the foul witch Sycorax. His treacherous crossover is part of an inside game to aid Prospero’s enemies, Stephano and Trinculo.                   11. Leontes (Twelfth Night) Squabbles and jealousy over playing time may rupture team chemistry and cause this Sicilian king not only to abandon his game plan, but to abandon his very daughter. There’s a good chance, though, that a statue play might reunite the team just in time.
                                 
3. Sr John Falstaff (Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2, The Merry Wives of Windsor) Falstaff may be the least athletic player in the field: his off-season conditioning regimen appears to take place entirely in the taverns of Eastcheap. Nevertheless, no other player has his combination of size & quickness. Opposing guards frequently think they’ve got this gross fat man locked down, only to witness Sir John coming back with a devastating rejoinder & then proceeding to score—inevitably in the nearest brothel.     Falstaff                   Katherine     3. Katherine (The Taming of the Shrew) There may be ten things to hate about Kate, but there are hundreds to love. She plays brash, talks trash and backs it up, plays like a wild-cat and stings like a wasp. She has the remarkable skill of seeming to be beaten down, but slyly turning her opponents’ schemes against them, triumphing in the end.
                         
    Falstaff                           Katherine    
14. Mistress Page (The Merry Wives of Windsor) Wives may be merry, and yet honest too: Meg Page’s first-round opponent, Jack Falstaff, is sure that he can penetrate her defenses—but as sure as Falstaff’s guts are made of puddings, Mrs. Page intends to mock him home to Windsor.                           14. Mercutio (Romeo and Juliet) Romeo’s best friend should be a Globetrotter someday, for all his wit and crowd-pleasing dramatics. He loves being at the dance so much, his opponents and even his teammates may take offense at his jests (“he jests who never felt a scar”) and goofing-off. He’s not likely to last into the second round: ask for him tomorrow and you’ll find him a grave man.
                                 
7. Miranda (The Tempest) The tournament is a brave new world for this maiden, who comes in with an unblemished record. (Her father Prospero has made sure of that, despite a close call against Caliban early in the season.) She’s looked good all season, but remains young and inexperienced.     Henry V      CENTRAL SOUTH   Katherine         7. Titus Andronicus (Titus Andronicus) No one on the court in this tournament started the season as strongly as this Roman general, whose hard-won style of play features bodies flying all over the court. That up-tempo physical play has taken its toll on a team—he looks tired, and twenty-four of his twenty-five sons may end up dead before his reign is over.
           
    Gloucester                           Titus
Andronicus		    
10. Gloucester (King Lear) This old nobleman has learned his game from Lear, and thus shares some of his master’s questionable judgment. He’s capable of some of the tournament’s greatest heroism, but his court vision often fails: if his opponents can blind him, he won’t find his way very far in the tournament.                           10. Benedick (Much Ado about Nothing) A college of wit-crackers cannot flout this Signor of Padua out of his humor, but he may be well-nigh dead if he makes it to the later rounds. He starts with a game plan of confirmed bachelorhood, but succumbs easily to pressure: he’s likely to be lured into marriage and into ill-advised challenges in the low post.
                                 
2. Prince Hal/Henry V (Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2, Henry V) Known mainly for his off-the-court antics in his youth, this royal imp led the English a historic upset win over France at Agincourt. He specializes in improbable long shots, orchestrating intricate verbal defenses, and inspiring his happy few to play well beyond their ability. He’ll seem lost in a mental fog early in the game, but remember that he’s just imitating the sun: when he breaks out, he’s that hot.     Henry V                   Romeo     2. Romeo (Romeo and Juliet) Gentle Romeo is a favorite at the dance: his face, his leg, a hand, a foot, a body, though they are not to be talked on, they are past compare. Impulsive and passionate, he probably lacks the maturity needed to overcome the setbacks that are bound to come his way, but his passes are a thing of beauty, even the desperation heaves he sinks as time is running out.
                         
    Henry V                           Romeo    
15. Bardolph (Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2, Henry V, The Merry Wives of Windsor) Known as the Knight of the Burning Lamp for his fiery alcoholic complexion, Bardolph’s had the strongest schedule of the tournament players. As Falstaff’s sidekick, he’s a veteran of four plays: alongside his teammates Pistol and Nym, he’s survived a barrage of his master’s insults.                           15. Calpurnia (Julius Caesar) Even if Calpurnia doesn’t have the weapons to be a real threat here, she has all the hallmarks of an expert coach, or bookie. She reads offenses well, and has a real knack for predicting and advice-giving.