BBC2 Bardathon

So much to enjoy. I even enjoyed the Hip Hop Shakespeare much to my surprise. Lovely to see Judi Dench playing Titania again, I saw her in Midsummer Night's Dream about 5 years ago.And To Be or Not To Be was great fun.

Catherine Tate was a huge error of judgement on the part of the producers. She was a real lightweight surrounded by some real actors. She looked haggard and totally out of place - and as for that strange garment with her boobs bouncing about with every breath........!

But it was a very worthwhile programme with a good variety of aspects of the bard. Judi Dench is a cracker - and Ian McKellen on top form.

I do wish though that they had had Bryn Terfel or Roderick Williams to sing Come Away Death - I did not like Ian Bostridge's interpretation at all.

Missed it! We were out carousing....Shakespaere would have approved of us.

I agree that All the World's a Stage was dreadful.

I missed it - OH wanted to watch something else and was recording another programme - but good to see it is on iPlayer. I would watch anything with David Tennant in - never mind the bard!

I really enjoyed it but I'm afraid I didn't enjoy Catherine Tate's presentation (or the dress too revealing and it seemed to slip lower and lower throughout the evening. I don't think I have ever heard 'all the world's a stage' so badly.
Overall though a brilliant evening and HRH is such good fun.

The whole event was brilliant, we both thoroughly enjoyed it (tho DH fell asleep and missed the "to be...." Sketch). The dancing was all amazing, and I found the rap part surprisingly good. Good on Prince Charles for joining in! But yes, Catherine Tate's dress was definitely a distraction!

I only saw the last 20 minutes or so - stumbled on it and was so cross that I hadn't known it was on . However, have just discovered it is on iPlayer .

Did anyone else think that Catherine Tate's dress was ill-judged?

I wasn't keen on the presenters but other than that I enjoyed the evening.

The Othello dance was amazing as was the Romeo & Juliette pas de deux. I'm going to watch them both again.

I really enjoyed it - even, surprisingly, the rapping! The pas de deaux from Romeo and Juliet was probably the most beautiful and erotically charged piece of ballet I have seen, and I am no ballet fan. I had never heard the Thomas More speech - amazing how Shakespeare resonates down the ages - and who but Ian McKellen could have put it across so well. The whole evening was a feast.

I thought it was wonderful, although I do admit to making a cuppa during the opera bit.
Al Murray had those ears on all day and Prince Charles is a good sport too!
I do love a bit of Shakespeare. All the different interpretations are fascinating.

Dame Judy in doublet and hose. What a lady!

A brilliant tribute and such a mixture of tragedy and fun, the to be or not to be sketch was hilarious and I agree on the lines given by Ian McKellen , great evening