omg!

[obsessive24]

There was some most unprofessional screaming in the office when I heard from a colleague that David Tennant is returning to the RSC by headlining in Richard II later this year. O! M! G! That totally made my day. Or week. Or month. Immediately bought an RSC membership so I can get priority booking when the tickets come out

Comments

[oxoniensis]

Is it confirmed then? Because there have been rumours and hints he's doing it for a couple of months, but nothing definite.

I'm going to the Macbeth too - can't wait!

[obsessive24]

It's on all the major newspaper sites, so assume a proper press release was issued.

[oxoniensis]

Brilliant! Though I have mixed feelings - Michael Grandage and Eddie Redmayne's RII was so good, I'm not sure I'm ready to see another version.

[obsessive24]

I missed that one! Eddie Redmayne = <3

[hollywoodgrrl]

Wow, I can't believe how much McAvoy seems to love playing Macbeth. Hope his Lady is as awesome as Keeley Hawes was in the Shakespeare retold thing. (She was definitely the MVP of that production.)

[obsessive24]

Wut is this Shakespeare Retold I do not know. I think I hear it being mentioned in passing but don't actually know what it is. Research time!

[hollywoodgrrl]

It was on the telly and also has bonus Rawrmitage in it. I really loved the way they adapted it and a certain thing they did to flesh out Lady Macbeth (hint: an amaaazing scene in the restaurant) which was just perfection.

[obsessive24]

I remember seeing a Chef Macbeth at some point but I'm sure it didn't have McAvoy in it, might have been some weird Australian version. Anyway! I found Shakespeare Retold on Lovefilm so I have put it on my queue :D

WHY AREN'T YOU ON CHAT IF YOU ARE ONLINE

[amnisias]

Man, are we being spoiled this year or what? McAvoy doing Mcbeth, Tennant doing Richard II and Jude Law doing Henry V. Up in Manchester we'll also have Brannagh doing the schottish play for the Festival.

[obsessive24]

Sooo spoiled but I love it. And don't forget Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones in an old people Much Ado! :D Is Brannagh Scottish? I'd always thought he was English but those Scots do make a habit of having really good English accents.

[amnisias]

Ohh, I had not heard about an 'old people' Much Ado - what a neat idea that is - I saw JEJ in an all black version of Cat on the Hot Tin Rood a couple of years ago, which was fantastic. Clearly he likes to go for the 'slightly different' take on the classics.

AFAIK Brannagh is English, I was just refering to the play, Macbeth. At least I think he's English...?

[obsessive24]

I figured he was English. What are English people doing in Macbeth? haha. I'm just kidding. You know what I really want to see? Scarlett Johnansson in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Not that anyone can beat the Taylor/Newman combo.

[thedothatgirl]

John told me about this last night. We're looking for productions to book this summer for our London holiday. May make a special trip for this one. Enjoy Macbeth too :)

[obsessive24]

I think it'll be well worth a London visit! :D When are you here for the summer?

I've decided I'm going on a pilgrimage to Stratford Upon Avon in November to see this, and also Antony and Cleopatra, and maybe another one if they have something else good on. Shakespeare long weekend! \o/

[thedothatgirl]

Stratford Upon Avon sounds great.

We're not sure when we're in London yet, other than it will be during summer school holidays. So late July through to beginning of September. No doubt when I start booking things I'll be online flailing about how awesome it's going to be. I need to join the Globe and some other organizations.

[buffyann]

I don't know if I would understand love a shakespeare's play but lucky you seeing David Tennant in anything !!!!

[obsessive24]

If you don't love Shakespeare it's because you haven't seen the right one yet. ;) Yay for David!!! Think I'll book to see him twice, once in Stratford and again in London :D

[buffyann]

Probably ! I've read Romeo and Juliet back in the day of the Baz Luhrman film and loved it, but the language is definitely a challenge for me, and I think R+J is pretty easy to understand compared to his other stuff ?
I could see myself seeing a modern-day language play (I would have liked "much ado about nothing" I think) but Shakespeare is scary :-)

So where are you at with your list of shakespeare's plays ? how much haven't you seen yet ?

[obsessive24]

Yeah that's the art with Shakespearean adaptation, you have to keep it relevant.

I actually have a really well organised epic list that I keep in a private post. Here are all the ones I've seen / have booked for. :D (And just had to edit cos I realised I can cross 3 more off the list, haha.)

Comedies
Much Ado about Nothing (Old Vic, Vanessa Redgrave/James Earl Jones 2013 | Wyndham's, David Tennant/Catherine Tate 2011)
All's Well That Ends Well
As You Like It (The Globe summer 2012 season)
Comedy of Errors
Cymbeline (Barbican, Yukio Ninagawa company in Japanese 2012)
Love's Labour's Lost
Measure for Measure
Merchant of Venice
Merry Wives of Windsor
Midsummer Night's Dream (Noel Coward, David Walliams 2013)
Taming of the Shrew
The Tempest (movie, Helen Mirren/dir Julie Taymor 2010)
Twelfth Night (Apollo, Stephen Fry/Mark Rylance all-male production 2012)
Two Gentlemen of Verona
The Winter's Tale (Hampstead, Propeller all-male company 2012)

Histories
Richard II (Stratford-upon-Avon, David Tennant 2013 | Mini-series, Ben Whishaw 2012