I wrote these for someone I met on tumblr who saw and loved the production but was previously unfamiliar with the play, and thought I might share them because I didn't write a proper review. It's not even that I am lazy or didn't have enough to say; I just loved the production so much and thought it was so close to my perfect production that there ( Read more... )

I CANNOT STOP WATCHING THIS

Five glorious minutes of David Tennant deposition scene goodness.

They are pretty glowing, thus far.

From the Guardian (4/5 stars):

Tennant's strengths, as we know from his Hamlet, are a capacity for quicksilver thought and an almost boyish vulnerability. And, even if he might do more to convey the patterned lyricism of the language, what he brings out excellently is the fact that Richard only learns to value ( Read more... )

It's the trailer for David Tennant's Richard II!

Click to view

It doesn't reveal anything about the production -- which just started rehearsals last week -- but the central image suits the play, and oh yes, there is a voiceover by MICHAEL MOTHERFUCKING PENNINGTON who is playing John of Gaunt.

Also, the RSC rehearsal diaries continue to be lovely. The ( Read more... )

On the heels of the squee-inducing news that the RSC will be doing a cinema broadcast of David Tennant's Richard II, more excitement:

NT Live will be broadcasting Kenneth Branagh's upcoming Macbeth.

It is going to be such a great summer/fall. In addition to those productions, also happening in the future are:

Jamie Parker in Henry V

Mark ( Read more... )

It's too late to book tickets to see David Tennant tackle Shakespeare's flawed and doomed King Richard II: every bookable seat for both Stratford-upon-Avon and London has already been sold, even though it doesn't open until next autumn ( Read more... )

But I just saw this on my twitter feed:

As I have been saying for ages he ought to do, David Tennant will be playing Richard II for the RSC later this year.

To which I can only say SQUEE and also OMG PLEASE PLEASE FILM IT OR I WILL CRY.

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.

So I was in the middle of a temper tantrum just now because people on my twitter feed have been tweeting about seeing Palestinian Richard II at the Globe to Globe Festival, an event that has filled me with occasional rage and disappointment because I CANNOT AFFORD TO GO SEE IT and EVEN IF I COULD I HAVE CLASSES TO TEACH.

EXCEPT.

The estimable fuunsaiki ( Read more... )

...women I really admire keep saying stupid things about cross-casting in Shakespeare ( Read more... )

Today I saw the Donmar King Lear with Derek Jacobi, via the magic of NT Live, and -- well. HOLY SHIT just about describes it, or at least I still haven't quite formulated all the right words; while the production is not completely and beyond question without flaws, Jacobi's Lear is just as magnificent as everyone says it is. If you have the chance ( Read more... )