Shakespeare

Seeing Shakespeare in Stratford you'll never be disappointed. I love the smaller Courtyard theatre rather than the large Swan theatre at the RSC.

Even though it is quite a long way for me, I loved a production of A Winter's Tale a few years ago so much, that I went back a week later to see it again!!

I should think I know what you'll be doing this evening

My daughter is vocal coach for the stage play featured on tonight's 'Imagine' programme -'The Two Worlds of Charlie F' featuring professional front-line soldiers. Its a new venture for her but she was asked to do it because of her reputation as a voice gp teacher.
[proud parent emoticon]

Your daughter must be very talented, gracesmum. How wonderful to be able to look at the stage and say, 'My daughter did that'.

So glad others enjoyed this as much as I did! Also planning to see King John at Stratford (Swan), middle DD is its designer and it has had excellent reviews. Very chuffed, she has been asked to design As You Like It at the "big" theatre next year!! [modest but chuffed to bits] emoticon!

SKY Arts 2 recently broadcast several productions from the Globe Theatre, in particular Henry IV (a play discussed by Simon Schama in his current TV series). Roger Allam's Falstaff was wonderful - and in his mouth the language is instantly understandable.

I noticed that Henry V was on, but too late to watch it. I have seen it many times when I was teaching mature students. We watched both the Olivier and the Brannagh versions. They were each redolent of their time. Olivier did it in wartime when the country needed to hear of heroism and patriotism - a shot in the arm. Brannagh's version shows more of the squalor of war - not the Dulce et Decorum attitude.

* susiecb* Yes l caught that on TV last night as l'm NOT a football fan.
I thought it was great- liked the African setting. I envy you seeing it live.
I might even watch it again on catchup.
Did anyone see the Laurence Olivier Henry V on on of the remote channels on Sat afternoon.The production seemed stiff and dated.but still good to revisit.

How true, lilygran. I think the worst example was Measure for Measure in broad Scots. It wasn't even well acted and the setting didn't bring any fresh understanding to the admittedly tortuous plot. Many years ago, saw Much Ado in a British Raj setting. Why?

Susie, Annobel, saw the telly version last night. It was great! Sometimes when you see a non- trad Shakespeare production it's quite irritating because the scenery/location costumes etc don't seem relevant. When it works, like it did here, it's like seeing the play for the first time. The African setting really brought the themes alive.

I would definitely prefer Shakespeare to football. Sounds like you had a great birthday susie

The all black cast was because it was set in a nameless African country undergoing a coup against a general planning to become a dictator. It was a brilliant and highly successful piece of drama. Putting it in an African context proves that Shakespeare doesn't go out of date. Human nature and human politics don't change for the better! The torture of the conflict between Brutus' loyalty to his friend, Caesar, and what he saw as his patriotic duty, was brought to life by Paterson Joseph's agonised portrayal.
A famous African leader, the late President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, obviously saw the play's relevance to African politics when he translated it into classical Kiswahili.
Thank goodness there was something good to watch while the football was on.

susie wish I had been there too, did JC for O level.

Why an all black cast? I don't really understand the point they make when they do any all one race performance, like Ballet Black, what is the point? Would love to understand.

We saw Julius Caesar at the RSC STratford n Avn on Friday night. It was was shown on BBC laast night. The cast was made up of all black actors and it was electrifying! The performance is shown as a whole piece without an interval s it never loses pace. the actors were wonderful so ful of life and energy and the delivery was faultless. It was an expensive thing to do (tickets, meal, hotel) but it was my birthday present to DH who never wants or asks for anything for hinself and he loved it. we are really hooked on Shakespeare now.

I'm so envious Seventimesfive

Have a wonderful time ...please tell us something about each one!

School trips to the Old Vic... Alan Badel and Claire Bloom in Romeo & Juliet -- 1952 or 53 -- the frantic pressing of sixpences into the opera glass slots as the masters saw Juliet lean over the balcony in her low-cut frock...!

Julius Caesar - all I remember is the death of Cinna the Poet from that production (it was the play on our GCE O Level Eng. Lit exam)

Have any of us watched any of the Globe Theatre production shown on SKY Arts2? A fabulous Flastaff in Henry IV by Roger Allam - funny and entirely believable.

You don't know what you've missed then! Perhaps we could organise something together? Later on in the year though, as I've got a lot on at present. 2cruises and lots of work to pay for them. I really, really want to go on the QE Xmas cruise as well in princess class, so I'm waiting to see if they drop the price. Or I may book while I'm on the QM?

jeni I would definitely be interested in a GN trip to Stratford for a Shakespeare production.
There have been some excellent Shakespeare productions at The Tobacco factory in Bedminster, Bristol.They have recently finished a run of 'King Lear'.
I saw a couple of productions there but not since I moved 5 yrs ago.
I've seen Othello at Chichester,'King Lear' in Bath,Richard 3rd at Roundhouse in London (Dustin Hoffman in next row!) but I've never been to Stratford.

Macbeth! A real tongue twister of a speech. Could catch with its surcease success.

"if 'twere done, 'twere better it were done quickly.." [ smile]

Love "Coriolanus" - "Oh mother, mother, what hast thou done to me?" (Same old - blame your mum!)

As part of the Cultural Olympiad the Globe on the South Bank, where I am a volunteer steward, is putting on all 37 of Shakespeare's plays in 37 different languages - Julius Caesar in Italian, Macbeth in Polish, Coriolanus in Japanese, Troilus and Cressida in Maori, Twelfth Night in Hindi etc. It should be really inspiring to see how different companies from around the world will interpret Shakespeare. I've got a ticket which allows me to see all the plays standing in the yard, so I hope my legs hold out! The usual season starts at the beginning of June and Mark Rylance and Stephen Fry will be in Twelfth Night, which should be great! I think it will be a very special season.

I saw Corialanus at Stratford when I was young! Olivier played Corialanus and I think Dame Sybil as his mother!
He did a spectacular fall from the top of the three tiered stage in the death scene, being caught by his ankles!
A gasp went up from the audience, I still remember it now!
I can't remember what year it was! But it was amazing!
I wonder if anybody would be interested in a GN trip to stratford?
Perhaps GNHQ could organise some group discount?
GERALDDiNE!
Could this be done?

Watch Coriolanus - the recent movie by Ralph Fiennes. It takes place in Bosnia and has a superb cast including Vanessa Redgrave. It makes Shakespeare relevant and is a fabulous - if violent - introduction to Shakespeare.
Don't be put off by the language - I find that I don't even notice it after a while.