Love's Labour's Lost, dir. Gregory Doran, at the Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

[lareinenoire]

I'd like to preface by admitting that I haven't read Love's Labours Lost in a very long time. I saw it once before, in Louisville in July, 2001, and enjoyed it far more than I would have expected, since my previous attempts to read it had met with much frustration. So, while I know Gregory Doran made a substantial number of cuts to the script (he

Comments

[lareinenoire]

It was great fun, and completely eye candy. Also, ear candy. ;)

[deliasherman]

See, this is why I need an instantaneous matter-transmitter. So I can see this performance AND A Man For All Seasons in New York AND whatever's going on in London that I don't even know about.

But having your reviews is the next best thing. Thank you.

[lareinenoire]

You're very welcome -- I'm one of those people who's madly scribbling notes during intervals.

Oh, you will love this! BBC Radio 3 is currently doing The Duchess of Malfi with Sophie Okonedo as the Duchess and Jonathan Slinger (Richard II and III in the recent RSC histories) as Ferdinand. So far, it is fabulous, and it's available online until the end of the week.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00dw3gd

[lareinenoire]

It is a shame, as it's such a nice accent! In this case, it was interesting, since it very clearly set him apart (along with the differently coloured costume) from the rest of the men.

[tree_and_leaf]

Sounds like it was an excellent night, despite the flaws.

I have wondered for a long time why they made him use RP for Doctor Who,/i>

It's actually sort of intermittent Estuary, which is if anything even more annoying. RTD said that he couldn't do it in Scots because they couldn't have 'a tour of the regions' but I think that's utterly stupid, especially as we have had a Doctor who was obviously Scots before (Seven).

[lareinenoire]

How odd. Especially since all the Companions so far have been Londoners. I heard the theory yesterday that they thought it wouldn't sell to American audiences. Which is odd, since there didn't seem to be any problems with Eccleston, and Tennant's accent is perfectly understandable.

[tempestsarekind]

I actually have an easier time understanding him in his natural accent than his Doctorly one--and Tennant speaks pretty quickly himself, so I don't think it's just the Doctor's motormouth.

Anyway. I will be jealous of you forever for seeing this, if you don't mind. :) But thanks for the in-depth review!

I will admit this isn't my favourite of the comedies to read, but watching it is fascinating.

That's always been my reaction to LLL too, and I'm first and foremost a comedies girl. I think I agree with you about the lovers; there's that brief moment when we find out that one of the ladies has a sister who died of love, but mostly everything has this sheen of wit that only cracks at the very end--and the Princess even admits that she and her ladies never took all the love-play seriously, that it was only "as bombast and as lining to the time."

[lareinenoire]

Yes, they kept the lines about the sister who died for love, and the actress playing Kate delivered it in a very straightforward way. After she'd finished, everyone paused for a second, and then went back to being clever and witty. It was a very odd moment. Only Rosaline seemed to react at all, with her question about Kate's meaning, but there wasn't much more than that.

I'm very happy to have seen it -- I was just incredibly lucky, since I knew someone with an extra ticket. I got there and they were completely sold out.