fanmix: we are torchwood [torchwood, alice/emily]
1. So, last Saturday I saw the Shakespeare Free-For-All production of Hamlet with my cohorts. Despite the fact that - in typical Wash D.C. fashion - it poured most of the day and was disgustingly hot the rest of it, it was actually a rather pleasant experience. Most of the time was spent sniggering over the Hamlet/Horatio. It was an unusually
( Read more... )
(Technical-wise, the sets were absolutely gorgeous - basically these moving walls that were lit from within, kind of greenish. Very art deco. No "room" was the same, and you got the sense of this endless ice palace which, again, was very cool. The music was awful, though. Loud and jarring.)
Ha! Yeah, I thought that Amy Manson was rather awful, but to be honest I didn't like/notice any of the Jack backstory. Mostly, I spent the time during that storyline shouting, ENOUGH JACK, WE DON'T CARE! BRING OUT THE IANTO!
Reply
Wow, that in itself sounds weird enough. It's good when you can tell the cast is rocking out, though-for their sakes at least, given that it tends to be so hot at the Free For All, they're practically melting out of their clothes.
While he obviously got the "yes, this character is a bad guy" thing, the way he did it encompassed both the good and bad of the man, the "mafia boss slick" and the inner turmoil over killing... well, everybody. Dunno if he would have stood out as much in a more sedate cast, but when everyone else was like, LA LA LA LA CRAAAAAZZZYY he was very cool.
Claudius as a mob boss! That's a connection I've never made before, but it does work well. For years I've held the theory that Claudius is actually pretty good at ruling the country, or at any rate better than Hamlet Sr. was, and certainly better than Hamlet himself would be. There's textual evidence, what with the old king Hamlet busting out wars left and right; Denmark's relations with its neighbors seem to be calming down some under Claudius. And you just have to look at Hamlet and think about what he'd be like, running the kingdom. I was just thinking about rewatching the four-hour Branagh version, being inspired by this post on Hamlet:
One of the elements I loved in the Kenneth Branagh Hamlet on film - that Derek Jacobi as Claudius and Branagh as Hamlet were made up to look as alike as possible given that they as themselves really don't. For the first time, this made me wonder how long the Claudius/Gertrude tryst had been going on, and whether in fact the Ghost's ultimate revenge on Claudius wasn't setting up Hamlet to avenge Hamlet Senior's murder when in fact Hamlet was Claudius' son.
I love that idea, although I don't think there's the support in the text that there is for the Claudius-for-stability interpretation.
Those sets sound great! I remember the Pericles sets were sea-greenish, too (of course, the sea's important there), and a lot of beautiful moving fabric waves across the stage for scene changes and so on; the costumes were all color-coordinated with the sets, and the music was orchestral.
Yeah, I thought that Amy Manson was rather awful, but to be honest I didn't like/notice any of the Jack backstory. Mostly, I spent the time during that storyline shouting, ENOUGH JACK, WE DON'T CARE! BRING OUT THE IANTO!
It's true, just about every second of the Jack backstory was painful anyway. And I totally felt sorry for Tosh, sitting through his smarm when she was desperate to get out of UNIT Guantanamo. I was wondering what more substance we could get of Ianto's backstory from these writers, but I did enjoy what it turned out to be.
Reply
Though the whole "revenge" theme is still very relevant in this day and age, I kind of thought that the whole struggle over kingship was a little outdated (or maybe I'm just spoiled, living in the US of A?) A friend actually suggested that someone do a modern adaption of Hamlet with them crazy Columbian drug lords instead of kings. I totally agree, though one might run into problems with all the references to 'kings' and such.
It's funny: the stereotypical way for a Bad Guy to become such is to kill his father/brother/lover for the throne, but people ignore the fact that a lot of the kings and rulers we hail as pretty cool actually did commit patri- or matri- or fratri-cide to get the throne (and if they're really cool, they committed all three). Yes, he was a little of a ruthless bastard, but I agree with you in that Claudius would have done a MUCH better job as king.
Orchestral? Oh, I'm jealous. For some reason, every Shakespeare production I see is haunted by the spectre of awful music. Macbeth, it was people literally banging metal sheets together (the type you might roof your shed with); As You Like It was supposedly-futuristic-but-really-crap GarageBand drivel; the rest, just noise. (What is it about good old Will that urges people to experiment?)
I was wondering what more substance we could get of Ianto's backstory from these writers, but I did enjoy what it turned out to be.
Being a clear fan-favorite, I'm actually surprised that none of the writers seem to be very adept at giving him a life outside Torchwood, but at the same time I'm kind of glad about it. I mean, we've all seen Cyberwoman; clearly, Bad Things Happen when they try. I have a feeling the whole reason why people like him (and his relationship with Jack) so much is that that the writers haven't tried to stuff anything down our throats - they just left David-Lloyd to do his thing. And it's a good thing.
Reply
Yes, though we no longer believe in the divine right of kings, the violent power struggles and especially the culture of paranoia are things we come back to today. C.P. Cavafy's King Claudius, Zbigniew Herbert's Elegy of Fortinbras, and Heiner Müller's Hamlet Machine (which frames Hamlet in the light of East Germany and the failure of revolution) engage in readings with respect to the latter; Brecht's interpretation of the former appears in A Little Organum for the Theatre.
Orchestral? Oh, I'm jealous. For some reason, every Shakespeare production I see is haunted by the spectre of awful music. Macbeth, it was people literally banging metal sheets together (the type you might roof your shed with); As You Like It was supposedly-futuristic-but-really-crap GarageBand drivel; the rest, just noise. (What is it about good old Will that urges people to experiment?)
Those do sound awful! I can see how a director might think the metal sheets were a decent idea, since I expect people use them for thunder sound effects and there's a lot of that in Macbeth. I believe in experimental productions of Shakespeare, but there are bound to be a good number of clunky decisions. Pericles was stunning in terms of visual spectacle (some of those dresses and sets almost looked like they belonged in a Busby Berkeley production) and music (I think there was even a harp), which helped offset the fact that the play itself isn't one of the finest attributed to Shakespeare.
It's true, the last thing we want is another Cyberwoman. I found the writers' characterization of Ianto and his relationship with Jack confusingly uneven in the first season, but they've done an okay job of establishing something in the second season. In the first season, I didn't find Ianto or his relationship with Jack interesting, but I'm pleased that there's more consistent and developed characterization to work with now.
Reply
Actually, you kind of see this pattern with all the Torchwood characters. It's somewhat amusing and a little sad that in a show that's run two seasons, they still don't know what exactly they're trying to do with it. (Or, here's to hoping the 3rd season is the one where they get their act together.)
Reply
I didn't know that! Makes sense, and it clarifies a lot.
I hear Chibnall is leaving for good (and it really is for good; that is, I think it's worth celebrating). I'll probably wait for reviews of the first episode or so. If the new characters don't hit an Owen-style low, I may well tune in.
Reply
Nay, my year.
I know that no matter how bad it is, I'll end up watching the first episode hours after it's broadcasted and squealing and shouting and whatnot. Because, really - I was excited by Static Shock (and still am). It's hard for me to give up on shows I like, and I'm not that great a judge anyway.
Reply
From the horse's mouth: Chris Chibnall is definitely leaving Torchwood. He simply doesn't have the time to produce both "Law & Order" and "Torchwood". So, if series three does indeed go ahead, the show will have a new head writer next year.
Reply
Anyway.
Chibnall produces Law & Order? Figures.
Reply
Chibnall's joining Law & Order: London. I guess that's a new spinoff.
Reply
London? Before we know it, Law & Order: Cardiff edition. And how are they going to do the Tough American Cop Voice, while talking about biscuits and lifts?
Reply
Before we know it, Law & Order: Cardiff edition.
Bwahaha. That totally came to mind for me, too.
And how are they going to do the Tough American Cop Voice, while talking about biscuits and lifts?
I don't know, but then I'm almost totally unfamiliar with L&O. Hee!
Reply
(That, and the fact that their biggest hit is Law & Order: SVU. That's enough to make me cringe and walk away pretty fast.)
Reply
Oh, SVU. Ahaha.
Reply
A lot of repeats.
Reply
Leave a comment