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Post by kathryn on Apr 24, 2016 12:43:32 GMT
This was the RSC doing Saturday-night variety telly, so naturally it was hit and miss, and different people will have enjoyed different bits. Nowt wrong with that - it's a 'broad church', as the man said.
I was following the Twitter hashtag and it was positive on the whole - the consensus was that it got better as it went on, everyone seemed to enjoy Dench and Al Murray and the Hamlets skit.
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Post by moelhywel on Apr 24, 2016 12:55:41 GMT
I was one of those who enjoyed this programme,with a few caveats (I also thought the West Side Story wasn't particularly well performed) but this was intended to be a celebration of Shakespeare and the fact that it was shown on BBC2 and not BBC4 is something to be welcomed given the paucity of arts programmes on mainstream TV. If this encourages anyone to go to the theatre to see Shakespeare or any other form of theatre then we should all be pleased.
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Post by theatremadness on Apr 24, 2016 12:56:32 GMT
Yes, I took Jean's posting as she says - laughing that we receive the same thing so differently. In which case, my mind must've been in overdrive - my apologies to Jean! |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2016 13:16:52 GMT
Phew, I'm glad we're all OK!  ? I've been condescended to a few times on various threads here over the years and you're absolutely right theatremadness, it is insulting. I can be forthright in my opinions at times but I sincerely hope never derogatory! And yes, I'd agree Twitter got more positive as the night went on and they rolled out the 'big guns' we'd been waiting for (I was starting to think Allam and Mirren had gone home early). |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2016 13:17:44 GMT
Well...we're OK, but apparently my smileys aren't. Sorry about those question marks!
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Post by crabtree on Apr 24, 2016 13:36:36 GMT
sadly, we'll brush over the opening with west side story.......very ragged. But from the non-play pieces I loved the Berlioz duet, and David Bintley's Othello duet. some of the projections were beautiful and apt, and the stage pictures for Titania/Bottom were wonderful. Great image of Cleopatra and her ladies. So much to enjoy, and I was rather overwhelmed by the scale of just what Shakespeare is, and how much he has been a daily important part of my life. It all started, for me, by seeing The Wars of the Roses, aged 9, ironically on the celebrations for his birth. And yes the Horrible Histories were fun. Just west Side Story and the jazz band fell flat.
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Post by kathryn on Apr 24, 2016 14:02:54 GMT
Phew, I'm glad we're all OK! ? I've been condescended to a few times on various threads here over the years Look how well we've settled in to our own theatre board - we're starting to forget that we were ever anywhere else! :-) |
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Post by lynette on Apr 24, 2016 14:20:21 GMT
The jazz band was seated way back in the orchestra seats so I think lost impact seeing they were youngsters. The close ups on the telly I think reveal the lack of contact with the audience. Watching the tv I can see that some items lost immediacy such as the dancers who were terrific spesh the guy with the rapper. This kind of tv live is really hard to pull off. But an experiment worth repeating.
I'm just wondering if Greg Doran woke up this morning thinking this is one he won't have to do again. Hope he left has notes for the person in charge in 2064 birth and 2066 death!
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Post by Honoured Guest on Apr 24, 2016 14:46:18 GMT
And yes - on to The Hollow Crown! Series One of The Hollow Crown is repeated on BBC4 this week, Monday to Thursday, starting Monday at 11.00pm. |
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Post by crabtree on Apr 24, 2016 22:09:05 GMT
Perhaps this should have been called 'The infinite variety show'
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Post by alexandra on Apr 25, 2016 9:51:13 GMT
It wasn't about showing how relevant and accessible Shakespeare is, it was (I thought) about showing how his influence has pervaded every aspect of our culture. Point worth making. Other than that it was a bit of a jolly.
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Post by theatremadness on Apr 26, 2016 13:45:04 GMT
Will be released on DVD soon for those interested!  |
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Post by theatremadness on Apr 26, 2016 13:50:21 GMT
Phew, I'm glad we're all OK! ? I've been condescended to a few times on various threads here over the years and you're absolutely right theatremadness, it is insulting. I can be forthright in my opinions at times but I sincerely hope never derogatory! And yes, I'd agree Twitter got more positive as the night went on and they rolled out the 'big guns' we'd been waiting for (I was starting to think Allam and Mirren had gone home early). Oh absolutely!! I blame the internet for not being able to convey tone and context!!  But at least it will teach me not to jump to conclusions before asking any questions!! haha |
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Post by maggiem on Apr 27, 2016 11:20:44 GMT
I really enjoyed it.
They pulled off a few good surprises. Judi Dench and Al Murray doing AMD, and of course, the wonderful "To Be, Or Not To Be" sketch. "Princes to act" eh? (wrong play, I know, but I couldn't resist!)
I loved Rory Kinnear's Macbeth, and would pay to see the full version whichever theatre puts it on!
Ian McKellen's Thomas More speech.... Once I realised the subject matter, I thought 'wait for the Daily Mail'. The Mail on Sunday beat them to it, with the usual accusations of Leftie bias! Hee hee..... so predictable.
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Post by lynette on Apr 27, 2016 16:56:22 GMT
Well if we are to believe scholarship, this play Sir Thoma More is written partly in Shakespeare's own hand! So we can perhaps assume he must have approved of the sentiments expressed in the speech even if someone else dictated it. Banishment and exile very frightening then as now. So whatever The Daily Mail says, there it is.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2016 19:45:37 GMT
What? An author doesn't automatically share the viewpoints of a character they've written for, that's the strangest idea I've ever heard.
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