The Tempest
AKA: How we would have had a much less enjoyable time if it not for the wonderful staff at the Globe.
Let's start from the start...
Back in February I booked four tickets for the Tempest, but as my mother is disabled, we had some difficulty sorting out parking and access since we left it a little to late to enquire The Globe about this due to other RL issues. However when we did ring the staff kindly told us that the only two disabled parking spaces had already gone but that they'd reserve a space for us elsewhere and to come to the gate at the side of the Globe and use the intercom to tell them when we were there (which turned out to be half an hour after the play had already started :(). So me, my mother, and sister rushed off into the building while my father went to park the car.
When we wandered in we must have looked completely lost as a woman came over with a walkie talkie to ask if we were alright - I think she must have clocked my mother's stick - and before you could say 'wham bam, thank you, ma'am' were in a lift and being lead through the dressing rooms, behind the stage (where I noticed a TV playing the performance), past the musicians, and bumping into Amanda Wilkin (Ceres) on the way.
I was worried that I wasn't going to enjoy the play, the Tempest not being my favourite of Shakespeares, and coming in on the build up of Antonio and Sebastian attempting to assassinate Alonso, Gonzalo, and Adrian, which didn't grab my attention or interest and was expecting to hanker down and 'watch for the pretty (Colin)'. Also coming in late meant that the first we saw of Colin was him sitting up on the high platform in the dark during this particular scene, so I tried not to do the creepy Ariel stare back at him. ;-D
The next scene however was of the drunk stewards, Trinculo and Stephano, meeting Caliban on the island and I was hooked from then on in!
The hell hounds and Ariel as the harpy have to be up there for favourite moments. I felt that Colin really shone in this part and was in danger of stealing the show a little bit. As the gentle spirit Ariel, he held back just as he should, but when instructed by Prospero to scare the saboteurs he really was fearsome and commanded the scene with the help of a great costume and the other spirit actors moving his 'wings' beautifully.
I also loved the dance that Roger Allam's likeable Prospero orchestrated as a means of keeping Miranda and Ferdinand apart for as long as possible.
Colin's singing! Colin's singing does have a bit of a wobble which seems to happen when his accent comes through. His singing did enhance the group pieces really well but was 'workmanlike' when singing solo.
The audience was very respectful and supportive of the performers - laughing, cheering, and being silent in all the right places - and the performance was beautifully delivered all-round.
Everybody seemed to enjoy the dance at the end with the darbuka! They all looked so joyful with their shared grins!
I love the more informal and playful way the productions are done at the Globe and I am glad they went for a more comedic and whimsical feel for the play... so it's not really a surprise that we've decided to go back for the midnight matinee.
When the play ended the staff member came to escort us back through the same way. We didn't spot any actors on our way back but we did see the brilliant musicians again. Once we were out we went to look for toilets and to belatedly buy a programme and as we were waiting for the others I saw Amanda Wilkin and Pip Donaghy (Gonzalo) pass unnoticed to the other side of the upper foyer area. As we were leaving the Globe we made a small detour to look at the Thames to have our tourist moment where we again bumped into Amanda Wilkin exiting the Swan bar (back entrance?). We saw a few other actors leave that way too.
After that third 'awkward' encounter we made our way around the corner of the Globe to our car. As we rounded the corner there was a clutch full of fangirls and a fanboy or two standing around and had the slow realisation from there on that they'd parked us right by the stage door.
For awkward encounter number four: we weren't sure how to get out of the gated area as there was an intercom to get in on the other side but not on our side (we assumed the gates could be automatic but were unsure) and then we saw a man unchain a bicycle obviously going to leave so decided to follow the bicyclist assuming he'd know what to do. My mother apparently had a non verbal conversation with him as he seemed to notice we were confused... Again! He motioned as if to say I'll go first, okay? We gave the affirmative and as it turned out when he got there nothing happened, he stopped, and made a circular hand movement as if to say 'open'. When he turned around to go 'I don't know WTF' at us it turned out to be James Garnon (Caliban). We then drew forward to trigger the sensors with the car and he rode on through with a 'Way hay!' from the fangirls once Caliban was free and went off to sign some autographs as we drove off to get lost for another two hours in London.
On a sidenote my sister thought Colin was a random dancer when she first saw him on stage which just reinforces the opinion that Colin is very 'acrobatic' in this. He makes all the athletic movements he has to perform look effortless i.e. don't try it at home kids.
To know more about what I thought of the play see: rodneyscat. ;-D
This Entry Was Originally Posted At Dreamwidth | Comments
Let's start from the start...
Back in February I booked four tickets for the Tempest, but as my mother is disabled, we had some difficulty sorting out parking and access since we left it a little to late to enquire The Globe about this due to other RL issues. However when we did ring the staff kindly told us that the only two disabled parking spaces had already gone but that they'd reserve a space for us elsewhere and to come to the gate at the side of the Globe and use the intercom to tell them when we were there (which turned out to be half an hour after the play had already started :(). So me, my mother, and sister rushed off into the building while my father went to park the car.
When we wandered in we must have looked completely lost as a woman came over with a walkie talkie to ask if we were alright - I think she must have clocked my mother's stick - and before you could say 'wham bam, thank you, ma'am' were in a lift and being lead through the dressing rooms, behind the stage (where I noticed a TV playing the performance), past the musicians, and bumping into Amanda Wilkin (Ceres) on the way.
I was worried that I wasn't going to enjoy the play, the Tempest not being my favourite of Shakespeares, and coming in on the build up of Antonio and Sebastian attempting to assassinate Alonso, Gonzalo, and Adrian, which didn't grab my attention or interest and was expecting to hanker down and 'watch for the pretty (Colin)'. Also coming in late meant that the first we saw of Colin was him sitting up on the high platform in the dark during this particular scene, so I tried not to do the creepy Ariel stare back at him. ;-D
The next scene however was of the drunk stewards, Trinculo and Stephano, meeting Caliban on the island and I was hooked from then on in!
The hell hounds and Ariel as the harpy have to be up there for favourite moments. I felt that Colin really shone in this part and was in danger of stealing the show a little bit. As the gentle spirit Ariel, he held back just as he should, but when instructed by Prospero to scare the saboteurs he really was fearsome and commanded the scene with the help of a great costume and the other spirit actors moving his 'wings' beautifully.
I also loved the dance that Roger Allam's likeable Prospero orchestrated as a means of keeping Miranda and Ferdinand apart for as long as possible.
Colin's singing! Colin's singing does have a bit of a wobble which seems to happen when his accent comes through. His singing did enhance the group pieces really well but was 'workmanlike' when singing solo.
The audience was very respectful and supportive of the performers - laughing, cheering, and being silent in all the right places - and the performance was beautifully delivered all-round.
Everybody seemed to enjoy the dance at the end with the darbuka! They all looked so joyful with their shared grins!
I love the more informal and playful way the productions are done at the Globe and I am glad they went for a more comedic and whimsical feel for the play... so it's not really a surprise that we've decided to go back for the midnight matinee.
When the play ended the staff member came to escort us back through the same way. We didn't spot any actors on our way back but we did see the brilliant musicians again. Once we were out we went to look for toilets and to belatedly buy a programme and as we were waiting for the others I saw Amanda Wilkin and Pip Donaghy (Gonzalo) pass unnoticed to the other side of the upper foyer area. As we were leaving the Globe we made a small detour to look at the Thames to have our tourist moment where we again bumped into Amanda Wilkin exiting the Swan bar (back entrance?). We saw a few other actors leave that way too.
After that third 'awkward' encounter we made our way around the corner of the Globe to our car. As we rounded the corner there was a clutch full of fangirls and a fanboy or two standing around and had the slow realisation from there on that they'd parked us right by the stage door.
For awkward encounter number four: we weren't sure how to get out of the gated area as there was an intercom to get in on the other side but not on our side (we assumed the gates could be automatic but were unsure) and then we saw a man unchain a bicycle obviously going to leave so decided to follow the bicyclist assuming he'd know what to do. My mother apparently had a non verbal conversation with him as he seemed to notice we were confused... Again! He motioned as if to say I'll go first, okay? We gave the affirmative and as it turned out when he got there nothing happened, he stopped, and made a circular hand movement as if to say 'open'. When he turned around to go 'I don't know WTF' at us it turned out to be James Garnon (Caliban). We then drew forward to trigger the sensors with the car and he rode on through with a 'Way hay!' from the fangirls once Caliban was free and went off to sign some autographs as we drove off to get lost for another two hours in London.
On a sidenote my sister thought Colin was a random dancer when she first saw him on stage which just reinforces the opinion that Colin is very 'acrobatic' in this. He makes all the athletic movements he has to perform look effortless i.e. don't try it at home kids.
To know more about what I thought of the play see: rodneyscat. ;-D
This Entry Was Originally Posted At Dreamwidth | Comments