Shakespeare Bucket
rydra_wong and
rachelmanija started it, so how could I resist:
Comedies:
Comedy of Errors: watched the 1970s (I think) BBC tv production, but can remember the musical version (The Boys from Syracuse), which I watched as part of Shakespeare in the Park, much more vividly. Not least due to getting earwormed by Sing for your supper. Liked both, without urgent need to rewatch.
Much Ado about Nothing: the Branagh movie was the first version I saw, then various stage productions including the Tennant/Tate one, then the Whedon movie. Definitely a favourite play. I can‘t say any of these is my definite version, though, as each had elements I loved beyond others. The Joss Whedon production was the only one which made the Watch characters bearable and indeed funny to me, for example, whereas MIchael Keaton in Branagh‘s film just grates and I can‘t remember any other production, including the T & T one, where I didn‘t just want the Watch scenes to be over. The Whedon film is also the only one where I don‘t dislike Leonato for turning on his daughter. In terms of the main couple, though, much as I like both Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof, the Branagh/Thompson and Tennant/Tate combos clearly win as Benedick and Beatrice. If forced to choose one of them: the „Kill Claudio“ moment which is of such crucial importance came across even more powerful to me in the T & T combination, whereas Branagh wins in the scene where Benedick delivers his challenge to Claudio. My favourite Don Pedro remains Denzel Washington in the Branagh movie, of course.
Taming of the Shrew: the Zeffirelli movie starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton first, later a stage version in my hometown‘s theatre. These were diametrically opposed in their interpretation, though both cut the Christopher Sly framing scenes. The movie definitely goes with Petruchio trolling society and Kate joining the game in the final sequence of scenes, as well as with the „sparring lovers, attracted from the get go“. (Casting meta is obvious.) Meanwhile, our local stage production grimly took the triumph of the patriarchy literally, and Kate is broken and a hollow-eyed abused wife at the end. It was a J‘Accuse type of production, certainly memorable, but hardly bearable when watched.
The Winter‘s Tale: saw it on stage in the Globe, my first production in the Globe altogether. There was a magical element in that, and I remember a vaguely African setting, but I don‘t think I was sold on Leontes earning forgiveness at the end.
All‘s Well That Ends Well: saw a tv version, read the play, vaguely disliked both.
Twelfth Night: never on stage, saw various tv and film productions, most memorably the one by Trevor Nunn which I loved. Never would have thought that Orsino would one day become Captain Flint, though. :) More seriously, it‘s a rare Orsino who isn‘t insufferable, and Toby Stephens managed, but I can‘t say he was a focus of my attention back then. I loved Imogen Stubbs as Viola, though.
A Midsummer Night‘s Dream: various stage productions, filmed stage productions and movie versions, due to participating in an entire class on the play and its productions. Afterwards I had Dream fatigue for a few years, but more recently I really enjoyed the RTD production. The first one I ever saw was in my hometown theatre, which, like many an ensemble, doubled the actors of Theseus and Hippolyta as Oberon and Titania. It was also heavy on homoerotic subtext between Oberon and Puck, but that‘s all I remember.
The Merchant of Venice: various stage productions as well as film versions (did a class on that one, too). The most memorable German one I saw was in Augsburg, and adapted from George Tabori‘s version. Modern dress (due to our penchant for Regietheater, you‘d be hard pressed to find a Shakespeare in meant-as-historical costumes on the German stage), solidified my loathing for Gratiano and Lancelot Gobbo; Antonio was definitely gay (and in unrequited love), and the final image of the play was Antonio as an outsider in Belmont stage left and Shylock with his suitcase in hand leaving Venice stage right, while everyone else was paired up and frolicking. The mirror image of Antonio and Shylock as the two outsiders isn‘t one I‘d seen elsewhere. In English, the two staying in my mind are the Peter Hall production with Dustin Hoffman as Shylock and Geraldine James as Portia, with the later in particular shining with what George Bernard Shaw called „life force“, and the Michael Radford directed movie, about which I‘ve written at length here. It‘s an impossible play and yet I rarely avoid a chance watching it, despite being disturbed, one way or ther other, every time.
Measure for Measure: never saw a stage production, did see the BBC 70s or 80s tv version. It didn‘t hold my attention which reading the play (which I’d done before) definitely did. I mean, I got upset a lot, but it definitely had my interest. It‘s just that I feel it needs a strong actor to make sense of the Duke (Angelo is the meatier role, but what the hell, Duke?), and a director along with the actress should commit into showing how Isabella takes being railroaded into marriage.
The Tempest: saw school productions, stage productions and various movie versions. Films: The Helen Mirren one was unfortunately a let down, the Jarman one beautiful imagery and sound but left me cold emotionally. Stage: hands down winner and my favourite Tempest of them all was the one I watched in Stratford, with an arctic setting and Patrick Stewart as a half mad Prospero who really struggled with forgiveness and his sanity. More here.
Histories:
York Tetralogy (Henry VI, Part 1-3, Richard III): alas I never saw any of the Henries on stage, and The Hollow Crown version was something of a let down (though it had it its moments). Richard III., by itself, I did see both on stage and in the various film versions. (Most recently with Ralph Fiennes as Richard and Vanessa Redgrave is Margaret d‘Anjou at the Almeida in London. Save for one big caveat, I thought it was an excellent production.) Oh, and I also saw Looking for Richard, in which Al Pacino explores the play both through performed scenes and by discussing it with other people. Can‘t say I have a definite Shakespearean Richard, though I will add Olivier‘s performance, which was legendary in its day, sadly comes across as a bit too over the top in the film for me. Ian McKellen is twisted and charismatic (while deliberately playing it anti-sexy) and the AU 30s England setting works, complete with Elizabeth Woodville as an American (echoes of Wallis Simpson) queen, not to mention that the supporting cast is terrific.
Lancaster Tetralogy (Richard II, Henry IV Part 1, Part 2, Henry V): Henry V I saw on stage in the Globe (in the Globe‘s first or second season), which was quite the experience - the audience reacted as if it was a football play, England vs France, and there were cheerful boos and applause. (This was many years ago and I was just amused and thrilled. Probably today I wouldn‘t see it as harmless.) The first time I saw it was via the Branagh movie when it hit the cinemas, though, then the Olivier movie, and my Shakespearean pal at the time was appalled I liked the Branagh film better. (I did like the neat touches Olivier added to the framing, though, the performance in the orginal Globe complete with Burbage helping the boys playing the female roles with their makeup, unless I misremember.)
Henry IV, both parts I only ever saw on film, and sorry, but here my inner Orson Welles fangirl capitulates. Chimes at Midnight is is for my preferred definite version. Though Jeremy Irons in The Hollow Crown is my preferred Henry IV, arguably the first I‘ve seen to make Henry compelling in these two plays instead of being overshadowed by Falstaff and Hal.
Richard II: never saw it on stage, either. Both versions I‘ve watched - the Hollow Crown one with Ben Wishaw as Richard and the filmed RSC production with David Tennnant - were captivating and changed my mind on the play which had left me cold when I read it. But if I have to choose, I‘m going with DT, and not just because of basic actor fondness. It overall does more interesting things with the play, I think. More thoughts here.
Tragedies:
Julius Caesar: watched on stage and on film, divided by language: all the stage productions I‘ve seen so far were German, all the filmed ones and movie versions English. I‘m quite fond of the black and white directed by Joseph Mankiewicz one, and Marlon Brando as Mark Antony was inspired casting. The stage version I wish I‘d seen was the one directed by a very young Orson Welles which Simon Callow describes vividly and with an actor’s sense of scene in the first volume of his Welles biography. The German stage production I remember best is the one directed by Peter Stein I saw at the Salzburg Festival, leaning very much into Cassius/Brutus and being amazingly straightlaced for a German production by a famous director. (No gimmicks, I mean.)
Antony and Cleopatra: Saw the filmed BBC version from decades ago, was left indifferent, gave up on the play, then completely revised this opinion when watching the RSC production with Harriet Walter as Cleopatra and Patrick Stewart as Antony. Harriet Walter actually pulling off making the constant moodswings enchanting instead of annoying and making true the „age cannot wither her infinite variety“ claim; the chemistry between her and Patrick Stewart was sizzling; Stewart played Antony with awareness of his own decay and yet also full of life and so charming you understood why so many people cared. Antony flirting with everyone, including Octavius (just to mess with his mind, he kisses him on the lips on the drunken revels chez Sextus Pompeius), who in this production wasn’t the usual coldly Machiavellian interpretation, but someone disturbed by his own feelings for Antony; this Octavius felt himself jilted along with his sister. „I am dying, Egypt, dying“ spoken with that voice alone made it worth it.
Othello: saw it on stage in Germany once, in a none too memorable production, saw the BBC tv version, the Laurence Olivier film (with himself as Othello, a young Maggie Smith as Desdemona and Frank Finlay as Jago) , the Orson Welles film and the one with Lawrence Fishburne as Othello and Kenneth Branagh as Iago. In terms of movie artistry, Orson wins (again), easily. That movie is one of the most beautiful I ever saw. I thought some of the cuts in the Fishburne-starring movie were unforgivable. LF himself was fine, and Kenneth Branagh definitely is the only Jago whom I‘ve seen pull off the „honest, honest Jago“ facade so well that you can understand why everyone buys this image of him.
Titus Andronicus: saw it on stage in Munich (good, not stellar; really brought home Titus and Lavinia as proto Lear and Cordelia) as well as the Julie Taymor movie (excellent), though the very first scenes from this play I ever saw were in Theatre of Blood, so to this day I regret there is no complete version starring Vincent Price.
Timon of Athens: didn‘t like it when reading it, was left cold when watching it at the Globe, too. Gave up.
King Lear: another class (at the university, not at school) subject, so I saw the various film versions, including Kurosawas, and several stage versions. Couldn‘t stand the Munich Kammerspiele one, was partly impressed and partly not sure by the National Theatre one starring Simon Russell Beale, thought good the recent Amazon Prime produced one. But I don‘t have a definite Lear (though Anna Maxwell Martin might be my definite Regan).
Macbeth: this one we did do at school, because it‘s the shortest of the tragedies. That was when I fell in love with the filmed Trevor Nunn production starring Ian McKellen as M and Judi Dench as Lady M, and they are my favourite Macbeths to this day. (Not least because all other Macbeths I‘ve seen either have a strong Macbeth and a weaker actress for the Lady, or vice versa, but McKellen & Dench balanced each other beautifully.) Surprisingly, I wasn‘t (and still am not) keen on the Orson Welles version. The most recent movie starring Michael Fassbaender also was a let down - any Macbeth which cuts the freaking porter scene automatically loses, but are a lot of other reasons why I disliked it, not least the impression that it felt like Grimdark Shakespare Fanfic (of a play which isn‘t exactly a bundle of laughs anyway). Now Roman Polanski may belong in prison but when he‘s on, he‘s on, and his Macbeth (the first movie he made after his wife Sharon Tate was murdered) is disturbing as hell without the wannabe grimdark of the most recent offering, full of memorable imagery, and his twist of making Ross the third murderer (who later switches sides not for moral reasons but for how clearly Macbeth is losing it) felt viciously right.
Hamlet: saw it on stage, saw it on film, both a lot. My first Hamlet was Olivier, my least liked Hamlet version is the Ethan Hawke one, I do admire all the effort Branagh went to for his magnum opus (the complete text uncut) but think that In the Bleak Midwinter, aka the black and white movie he made to relax after, actually does more interesting things with the play. I loved and adored the RSC stage production with David Tennant and Patrick Stewart, which I watched at Stratford, and feel forever slightly let down by the later filmed version because it ruins one of my favourite moments from the live experience, the long exchange of looks when Claudius gets up during The Mousetrap and Hamlet has this expression of terrible joy in his face, and they both know exactly what the other thinks at that moment. (In the filmed version, you can‘t see his face at all because it‘s blocked by Claudius.)
Romeo and Juliet: my very first Shakespeare experience, and I love and adore it to this day. I was twelve, the Zeffirelli movie was on tv, and I fell in love with just about everything about it. (I had never seen anything like it, funny and sad at the same time, and laughed and sniffled along. This was before video recorders, at least before we had one, and thus I taped the movie on audio tape when it was repeated, because I had loved it so much.) Later, when I was 14, the Bamberg theatre did a production of the play in one of our most historical settings, proving to me it wasn‘t just the movie, and I loved that production as well. In fact, I can‘t think of a Romeo & Juliet I haven‘t enjoyed watching in the decades since. (Including the young Leonardo di Caprio/Claire Danes combination.) Which is why I always am surprised and sad when people express their hate of the play, which in the English speaking world they do frequently, since, I take it, they were taught it at school and resented it for that reason. It never was part of my school calendar, and thus my first affection continues to this day.
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