To post or not to post...

[caffienekitty]

Thanks to a good friend I had the opportunity to watch the recent BBC Production of Hamlet. (No, I'm not doing a bloody scene-by-scene reaction post for Hamlet. Well, not a full one.)

Comments

[weesta]

I only saw parts of the newest Hamlet...now I may have to go watch the whole thing.

[caffienekitty]

It's a long one, but it's worth it, even if you have no prior experience or opinion of David Tennant.

[irismay42]

I was lucky enough to see the production in the flesh at Stratford TWICE thanks to my David Tennant obsessed friend and her love of eBay! I was so close to the man at one point that I could see he had a Band Aid on his finger! Also, it didn't come over brilliantly in the BBC version, but at one point he did a fantastic impersonation of Patrick Stewart, to which Patrick just cracked up laughing!

I agree, this was by far the best version of Hamlet I've seen too, and I agree the modern setting only enhanced the production.

[caffienekitty]

I was lucky enough to see the production in the flesh at Stratford TWICE thanks to my David Tennant obsessed friend and her love of eBay!

Lucky lucky! :-D

[ravenrants]

I ADORE that set. I'm a set geek to begin with and that? Was bloody brilliant.

But the actress playing Ophelia bugged the crap out of me. I think because she read as too old and... normal for the most part that the going crazy bit seemed almost out-of-character.

But Tennant v. Stewart? Awesome. Absolutely awesome. And the confrontation scene with the Queen had me on the edge of my seat.

[caffienekitty]

But the actress playing Ophelia bugged the crap out of me. I think because she read as too old and... normal for the most part that the going crazy bit seemed almost out-of-character.

I think they had to play her older than the traditional Ophelia because Tennant's not exactly traditional Hamlet age.

But Tennant v. Stewart? Awesome. Absolutely awesome. And the confrontation scene with the Queen had me on the edge of my seat.

Oh totally. It's not like you don't know how the scene goes while you're watching, but the way it was all done was very immediate, like something happening rather than something being reiterated.

[caffienekitty]

They are a hell of a combo

[caffienekitty]

Exactly.

[caffienekitty]

Ophelia was a little off, but part of that was I think the necessary age difference in the casting. I thought she did well at going nuts though.

(and I enjoyed reading your essay! fandom is indeed awesome :) )

I had a moment of sheer bogglement at the end there as I was editing things together and fleshing out paragraphs. Fandom really does make a person do things they never thought they'd do for fun. :-)

[caffienekitty]

It's a fine line, ethereal. Hard to do without seeming like the character isn't a total flake and destined to be a victim. It can be played differently than that, but it's a hard balance. I kind of like the stronger, more solid way she was played in this, because it makes her breakdown that much more jarring. I do see what you mean though. She's a bit too strong-seeming to snap the way she does later. Hm.

Also the costuming for Ophelia did her no favours.

Oh good lord, that dusty greenish dress thing she was wearing in court did not go with those shoulders. XD