(no subject)
Apparently I have 2 posting modes at the moment- one is slightly guilty and depressed and the other is posting about ridiculous fluff and everything else between is going out of the window. I'm going to claim that's because I'm suffering from a lack of energy/willpower/mojo and I'm expending it on things that will cause me actual problems if I fail to do then rather than LJ.
(I'm claiming that & so far it's true but imagine a juggler with all the balls in the air at the moment they realise one has drifted too far out of reach but they have't actually dropped it yet... and now I will stop with the ridiculous metaphor)
I am currently having an interesting conversation on twitter with @The_Globe (or at least Sian at the Globe) about Celia & Rosalind in AYLI and the way that Shakespeare portrays friendship. I still maintain Celia/Rosalind is a perfectly reasonably outcome of AYLI but it's also true that Shakespeare does place a huge amount of importance on friendship & loyalty. Of course now I'm typing this I'm realising that's why there's so much Shakespearean slash out there- beautiful and true and loving friendship kind of lend themselves to it (Celia/Rosalind, Helena/Hermia, Sebastian/Antonio, Hero/Beatrice (and Benedick/Claudio for that matter)...)
I shouldn't be talking about friendship in Shakespeare I should be writing some of the 9 reviews I owe before this weekend when I add another 3! Let's at least try the two big ones now that they're both finished /o\
Richard II- RSC @ Barbican
I saw this towards the end of January and I think, for me, it suffered a little from all the hype. It had been on for so long and so many people had told me how AMAZING it was and that's the sort of thing that's inevitably going to leave you with either unrealistic expectations OR a sort of perverse desire not to like it. I was the first I think and what it's done is meant that every time I speak or write about it I sound like someone who really didn't enjoy the play but I DID I just [dot dot dot]
What I did love was the masterclass from the older actors in the cast especially Michael Pennington & Jane Lapatoire but also the Yorks (I loved the pleading scene near the end- they were both so stubbornly wedded to their own ideas and so believably a married couple!) The death speech from John of Gaunt was absolutely fantastic, the best I've ever seen it I'd say and I do love that speech.
One thing I found strange (but not necessarily bad) was that they'd made Bolingbroke rather less sympathetic than I'm used to seeing him- I didn't really believe he had any actual affection for Richard but then the play can be read like that and I rather suspect it's truer to the actual Bolingbroke than Rory Kinnear's lingering looks in The Hollow Crown were.
Speaking of the Hollow Crown I think I enjoyed that so much that I never quite stopped comparing the two and, for example, the use of Aumerle at the end just ended up feeling like copying to me. And nonsensical copying at that because no Bolingbroke didn't tell him to do it or even suggest it at any point that we saw!
David Tennant was great which was so nice after that Much Ado that we try not to think about... His Richard was less frail than Ben Whishaw's but that meant I actually believed he could have done some of the things the real Richard did like end the Peasant's Revolt. You could see how his charisma carried people along, especially contrasted with Bolingbroke, and how his public persona and the way he saw himself had become inextricably twined. That said the hair was silly and unnecessary and a distraction (IMHO)
The set and costumes and music were all absolutely amazing and worked perfectly within the production- I loved the choice of trumpets and voices as the only instruments and the way the set had dividers which weren't quite solid so sometimes you could see right through was very clever.
But yes, when it comes down to it, I'm not sure when I think "Richard II" it's this one that will jump into my mind though when I DO think of it I'll be thinking positively?
N & I had a conversation after we'd both (separately) seen Richard II and Coriolanus about how extenuating circumstances can really alter your view of a play- she saw Richard just before Christmas and sat really close to the stage whereas I was further away and it was early January and people had been going on and on about it :-P And then she saw Coriolanus the night after she'd been to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse and her back was aching like mad whereas I saw it on a Friday evening and I was so excited and we had great seats.
Which is leading up to the obvious point- she preferred Richard II and I preferred Coriolanus (though we both preferred Red Velvet to either- of which more at a later date)
Coriolanus @ Donmar Warehouse
Mum, after seeing the NT Live encore for Coriolanus, said "it really is a stupid play isn't it?" and whilst there are defintiely stupider plays it really is a bit. Why Coriolanus' friends thought he'd play nice when he has shown NO sign of it before is a bit of a mystery- and his mother too!
But leaving aside the plot is both stupid and, given the stupidity, somewhat inevitable I really enjoyed it!
Again it was an amazing cast, no weak links that I could see, and this time I think Deborah Findlay gets to take the honours because she really was stunning and my one great sadness is that in the NT Live version and then from my seat I couldn't see her face as Coriolanus basically told her she'd signed his death warrant because I'm sure it was amazing.
What did I say after Deborah Findaly was incredible? Oh yes! Mark Gatiss & Peter de Jersey were both amazing as Coriolanus' friends and I loved how clearly Menenius was wearing a mask most of the time and how he was able to play the popular politician for the people- I guess that makes sense of why he thought Coriolanus could do it too? But the whole end of the play was that much more heartbreaking because I believed these men were all friends and so Cominius' little headshake when Menenius said he would try absolutely tore my heart in two.
The other smaller roles were all amazing as well- Alfie Enoch has definitely got into my HP kids' Top 5 (which isn't so much a list as an accumulation of names with Harry Melling at the top). the Tribunes were beautifully slime-y and power hungry without being completely a caricature and the actors playing "everyone else" did a very good job of keeping their roles clearly delineated- I especially loved the scene with Coriolanus claiming they Voices.
Oh and then Hadley... I can see why they gave Aufidius an accent but it was quite hard to get used to at first though he didn't let it slip. That aside my problem with Aufidius wasn't Hadley it was the play (I hate you, oh I love you, oh you nicked all my men so I hate you, I'll just watch while you destroy yourself, OH WAIT I'M SO SAD but I'm going to kill you anyway) Let's be honest, it only makes sense if he is completely obsessed with Coriolanus in a somewhat romantic/sexual way so the kiss seemed right. Also obviously I didn't hate watching it but it did make sense in the play!
And Tom was amazing too, so physical and so present in all the moments and despite the fact that Coriolanus is obviously a character very unlike Tom himself he still kept that strict sense of itnegrity that I always get from Tom.
And the production around the actors were great- very Josie Rourke *g* I was a little uncertain about the chairs (either keep the cast on stage throughout or don't, having them sometimes stick around is weird) but the sparse set worked well and the graffiti and the way they made a complete mess of the stage all came together to match the tone of the play. The sound/music worked better live than through the cinema screen but that's often true.
Mostly I just loved seeing Tom Hiddleston back where I first saw him but owning the stage!
Two reviews! That took me basically all day so I think I'll stop there.
ETA LJ DELETED THE END OF MY REVIEW *cries forever* I guess I better try and write that again :-/
(I'm claiming that & so far it's true but imagine a juggler with all the balls in the air at the moment they realise one has drifted too far out of reach but they have't actually dropped it yet... and now I will stop with the ridiculous metaphor)
I am currently having an interesting conversation on twitter with @The_Globe (or at least Sian at the Globe) about Celia & Rosalind in AYLI and the way that Shakespeare portrays friendship. I still maintain Celia/Rosalind is a perfectly reasonably outcome of AYLI but it's also true that Shakespeare does place a huge amount of importance on friendship & loyalty. Of course now I'm typing this I'm realising that's why there's so much Shakespearean slash out there- beautiful and true and loving friendship kind of lend themselves to it (Celia/Rosalind, Helena/Hermia, Sebastian/Antonio, Hero/Beatrice (and Benedick/Claudio for that matter)...)
I shouldn't be talking about friendship in Shakespeare I should be writing some of the 9 reviews I owe before this weekend when I add another 3! Let's at least try the two big ones now that they're both finished /o\
Richard II- RSC @ Barbican
I saw this towards the end of January and I think, for me, it suffered a little from all the hype. It had been on for so long and so many people had told me how AMAZING it was and that's the sort of thing that's inevitably going to leave you with either unrealistic expectations OR a sort of perverse desire not to like it. I was the first I think and what it's done is meant that every time I speak or write about it I sound like someone who really didn't enjoy the play but I DID I just [dot dot dot]
What I did love was the masterclass from the older actors in the cast especially Michael Pennington & Jane Lapatoire but also the Yorks (I loved the pleading scene near the end- they were both so stubbornly wedded to their own ideas and so believably a married couple!) The death speech from John of Gaunt was absolutely fantastic, the best I've ever seen it I'd say and I do love that speech.
One thing I found strange (but not necessarily bad) was that they'd made Bolingbroke rather less sympathetic than I'm used to seeing him- I didn't really believe he had any actual affection for Richard but then the play can be read like that and I rather suspect it's truer to the actual Bolingbroke than Rory Kinnear's lingering looks in The Hollow Crown were.
Speaking of the Hollow Crown I think I enjoyed that so much that I never quite stopped comparing the two and, for example, the use of Aumerle at the end just ended up feeling like copying to me. And nonsensical copying at that because no Bolingbroke didn't tell him to do it or even suggest it at any point that we saw!
David Tennant was great which was so nice after that Much Ado that we try not to think about... His Richard was less frail than Ben Whishaw's but that meant I actually believed he could have done some of the things the real Richard did like end the Peasant's Revolt. You could see how his charisma carried people along, especially contrasted with Bolingbroke, and how his public persona and the way he saw himself had become inextricably twined. That said the hair was silly and unnecessary and a distraction (IMHO)
The set and costumes and music were all absolutely amazing and worked perfectly within the production- I loved the choice of trumpets and voices as the only instruments and the way the set had dividers which weren't quite solid so sometimes you could see right through was very clever.
But yes, when it comes down to it, I'm not sure when I think "Richard II" it's this one that will jump into my mind though when I DO think of it I'll be thinking positively?
N & I had a conversation after we'd both (separately) seen Richard II and Coriolanus about how extenuating circumstances can really alter your view of a play- she saw Richard just before Christmas and sat really close to the stage whereas I was further away and it was early January and people had been going on and on about it :-P And then she saw Coriolanus the night after she'd been to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse and her back was aching like mad whereas I saw it on a Friday evening and I was so excited and we had great seats.
Which is leading up to the obvious point- she preferred Richard II and I preferred Coriolanus (though we both preferred Red Velvet to either- of which more at a later date)
Coriolanus @ Donmar Warehouse
Mum, after seeing the NT Live encore for Coriolanus, said "it really is a stupid play isn't it?" and whilst there are defintiely stupider plays it really is a bit. Why Coriolanus' friends thought he'd play nice when he has shown NO sign of it before is a bit of a mystery- and his mother too!
But leaving aside the plot is both stupid and, given the stupidity, somewhat inevitable I really enjoyed it!
Again it was an amazing cast, no weak links that I could see, and this time I think Deborah Findlay gets to take the honours because she really was stunning and my one great sadness is that in the NT Live version and then from my seat I couldn't see her face as Coriolanus basically told her she'd signed his death warrant because I'm sure it was amazing.
What did I say after Deborah Findaly was incredible? Oh yes! Mark Gatiss & Peter de Jersey were both amazing as Coriolanus' friends and I loved how clearly Menenius was wearing a mask most of the time and how he was able to play the popular politician for the people- I guess that makes sense of why he thought Coriolanus could do it too? But the whole end of the play was that much more heartbreaking because I believed these men were all friends and so Cominius' little headshake when Menenius said he would try absolutely tore my heart in two.
The other smaller roles were all amazing as well- Alfie Enoch has definitely got into my HP kids' Top 5 (which isn't so much a list as an accumulation of names with Harry Melling at the top). the Tribunes were beautifully slime-y and power hungry without being completely a caricature and the actors playing "everyone else" did a very good job of keeping their roles clearly delineated- I especially loved the scene with Coriolanus claiming they Voices.
Oh and then Hadley... I can see why they gave Aufidius an accent but it was quite hard to get used to at first though he didn't let it slip. That aside my problem with Aufidius wasn't Hadley it was the play (I hate you, oh I love you, oh you nicked all my men so I hate you, I'll just watch while you destroy yourself, OH WAIT I'M SO SAD but I'm going to kill you anyway) Let's be honest, it only makes sense if he is completely obsessed with Coriolanus in a somewhat romantic/sexual way so the kiss seemed right. Also obviously I didn't hate watching it but it did make sense in the play!
And Tom was amazing too, so physical and so present in all the moments and despite the fact that Coriolanus is obviously a character very unlike Tom himself he still kept that strict sense of itnegrity that I always get from Tom.
And the production around the actors were great- very Josie Rourke *g* I was a little uncertain about the chairs (either keep the cast on stage throughout or don't, having them sometimes stick around is weird) but the sparse set worked well and the graffiti and the way they made a complete mess of the stage all came together to match the tone of the play. The sound/music worked better live than through the cinema screen but that's often true.
Mostly I just loved seeing Tom Hiddleston back where I first saw him but owning the stage!
Two reviews! That took me basically all day so I think I'll stop there.
ETA LJ DELETED THE END OF MY REVIEW *cries forever* I guess I better try and write that again :-/