tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58346418144203799682024-03-19T04:20:42.346+00:00Your Bard!A personal journey through the reading of Shakespeare!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-9495145753238940682015-01-06T11:49:00.001+00:002015-01-06T11:49:11.323+00:00"Bill" Trailer<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G3elUyECKGc" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From the Horrible Histories team - so should be Horribly Hilarious! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-3683836877319602092014-12-24T10:53:00.001+00:002014-12-24T10:54:09.227+00:00Twelfth Night (Shakespeare) - Directed by Kenneth Branagh<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6i3J17Jp0ag" width="459"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An excellent production and with a fitting Yuletide setting!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-59160474370325179522014-12-23T15:03:00.001+00:002014-12-23T15:08:07.151+00:00Right Welcome Back<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Forsooth, I have been too long apart. I fear reprisals </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">And chastisement at my lack of fealty to this blog.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">I pray thee forgive my tardiness as I cry</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Thrice welcome to the lovers of the Bard, Billy-Boy!</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a precursor to trying once again to tackle this blog on a more regular footing in 2015 I felt a round up of the past year was in order.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was fortunate to see two full productions this year in two very different but equally stunning locations. The first back in July was the Globe on Tour's production of King Lear performed at the <a href="http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/bodley">Bodleian Library</a> in Oxford prior to starting a tour across America. Joseph Marcell's portrayal of Lear was not the strongest I've seen but the company as a whole had the feel of strolling players; simple and rustic and with a small cast doubling or even trebling up on roles. The outstanding performance for me was Bethan Cullinane as both Cordelia and the Fool.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The second bout of Bard was '<a href="http://www.minack.com/showdream14.htm">A Midsummer Night's Dream</a>' by the Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company at the Minack Theatre in Cornwall. The August night out was finished perfectly with a beautiful moonrise joining the cast. The show had a unique 1950's setting which incorporated some marvellous costumes; from the changeling as an Enid Blyton style school boy in a Red Indian headband and feather to the fairies as colour co-ordinated housewives. A particular favourite part of the play for me was the other possible entrainments at the wedding feast - muses, tipsy Bacchanals, centaurs and an Athenian eunuch - all putting in amusing appearances during the course of the production.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In other news I have been slowly increasing my collection of <a href="http://yourbard.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/5-king-richard-ii.html">Arden Shakespeares</a> (I discovered all three parts of Henry VI in an Oxfam just this Saturday) with the tally now standing at 21 'Got' and 16 'Need'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My hopes for 2015 include being able to finally catch up on the many movie versions I've missed in the pass few years. I also look forward with much anticipation to the return of 'The Hollow Crown' to the BBC plus the Beeb's adaptation of Wolf Hall (not technically Billy-Boy but close enough). And I'm signed up for another mini-MOOC in March with <a href="http://www.futurelearn.com/">Future Learn</a> this time regarding 'Much Ado About Nothing'. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So here's to another year of blatantly brilliant Bard-like brouhaha!</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-65555434000026497312014-11-03T16:13:00.001+00:002014-11-03T16:13:12.567+00:00The Hollow Crown (Season 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ciVcbcIO_ZxN0_9GRHlDjn6Po6GUgHV3EZWjAo_4RW_pRHabv-pS_Igxi-KaQNCAVjBOidaIwY91Hcp_2rhe-WG8Fx002gUBzMAYPg_hR-oSKpJ1jDKff8hX6_IkSZ3uJhDLuZcUYyA/s1600/First_official_picture_of_Benedict_Cumberbatch_in_The_Hollow_Crown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ciVcbcIO_ZxN0_9GRHlDjn6Po6GUgHV3EZWjAo_4RW_pRHabv-pS_Igxi-KaQNCAVjBOidaIwY91Hcp_2rhe-WG8Fx002gUBzMAYPg_hR-oSKpJ1jDKff8hX6_IkSZ3uJhDLuZcUYyA/s1600/First_official_picture_of_Benedict_Cumberbatch_in_The_Hollow_Crown.jpg" height="241" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So looking forward to this after the enjoying the first season so much. And before he tackles Hamlet Mr Cumberbatch will be Barding it up as <a href="http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-10-01/first-official-picture-of-benedict-cumberbatch-in-the-hollow-crown">Richard III</a>.</span><br />
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-Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-51112638880835432382014-04-17T13:14:00.001+01:002014-04-17T13:14:24.745+01:00Shakespearean Dating Tips <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZNMwhaSHK9Q" width="480"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-67979100460070654422014-03-18T13:18:00.001+00:002014-03-19T06:14:24.411+00:00Shakericks - Richard III<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qO5UROn_alfLLFWpnglkvdpbn9NIc3oP7jgtT8SIHpw3TJVLHTAItt55BVmEcZyeYNIpNkN-PbLGJN9D0uL77KZOmtIkjJbIdL4lQX_BorQYR4taTYo5uZuTibEGLabKkKzsJ3Ra-1E/s1600/shakespeare-richard-iii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qO5UROn_alfLLFWpnglkvdpbn9NIc3oP7jgtT8SIHpw3TJVLHTAItt55BVmEcZyeYNIpNkN-PbLGJN9D0uL77KZOmtIkjJbIdL4lQX_BorQYR4taTYo5uZuTibEGLabKkKzsJ3Ra-1E/s1600/shakespeare-richard-iii.jpg" height="200" width="193" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A Duke with a back, bent and bony<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Was crowned due to bunk and baloney;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He’d pushed past both his brothers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">His nephews and others</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But lost it for want of a pony!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">-</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-60912537219164404052014-03-18T11:17:00.001+00:002014-03-18T11:17:01.575+00:00Shakespeare is Everywhere: Christopher Gaze at TEDxVancouver<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LsESSyMnwmU" width="480"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-50485949911515411012014-03-17T09:28:00.001+00:002014-03-17T09:28:39.297+00:00A Guide to How Shakespeare’s Characters Kick the Bucket<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0T2FX9LIjH5fWFuR2XY0f7VC_GnYsKVQ0dUN43eIT1ExCeRNX1pxDHLo5XxBBPYiGYIQ_VjhhWnZjcDZJl_0VAR_8x7Y5F9-2NyIgSK3NU3kQ8llf5clFse3-u0cK5WIkDlSxVknw5L0/s1600/tragedies-2-465x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0T2FX9LIjH5fWFuR2XY0f7VC_GnYsKVQ0dUN43eIT1ExCeRNX1pxDHLo5XxBBPYiGYIQ_VjhhWnZjcDZJl_0VAR_8x7Y5F9-2NyIgSK3NU3kQ8llf5clFse3-u0cK5WIkDlSxVknw5L0/s1600/tragedies-2-465x1024.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.everseradio.com/a-guide-to-how-shakespeares-characters-kick-the-bucket/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Original link</span></a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-14648257147761696432014-03-03T10:16:00.003+00:002014-03-03T10:16:41.119+00:00MOOCy-Boy Bard<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Time for my second MOOC on Billy-Boy Bard!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This time <a href="http://www.futurelearn.com/">FurtureLearn</a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> is taking me on a longer journey with </span><a href="https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/shakespeare-and-his-world" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>'Shakespeare and his World'</i></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> (coordinated by the University of Warwick and the</span><a href="http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/home.html" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"> Shakespeare Birthplace Trust</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-79913946341162351952014-02-12T15:16:00.000+00:002014-02-12T15:17:14.063+00:00“To Not Be, Not To Not Be" (Explained)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuyeHLnYi4v4L5gAIB856JtfVqWtl8O-dp7Mth8G_8UpxwgolID-3mRzfoOeBegTTAeUgaqK2eYqqnWi8u1oNGc0SdBaH7WT5DmKUU5A8Den7kCip-hVWKFhACZKQn47q1Gl5Q4rZpPA8/s1600/Lego+Bard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuyeHLnYi4v4L5gAIB856JtfVqWtl8O-dp7Mth8G_8UpxwgolID-3mRzfoOeBegTTAeUgaqK2eYqqnWi8u1oNGc0SdBaH7WT5DmKUU5A8Den7kCip-hVWKFhACZKQn47q1Gl5Q4rZpPA8/s1600/Lego+Bard.jpg" height="200" width="199" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>So this is how I explained the whole “To Not Be, Not To Not Be” to our Betty on the way back from the first night of Hamlet…</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Life or death! That’s what it boils down to. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is it better to put up with all the bog-water what people drop on you? Or to take a swing at them even if they end up knocking your block off! So basically “Put up or be shut up!” As dead as a doornail, pushing up the daisies and resting in peace. No, better than resting. Completely free from all the pains you get in life - like when your back gives out if you do any heavy lifting (or like my having to listen to you going on and on about it) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>(Course I didn’t say that bit to her)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, there’s something I wouldn’t half wish for! To be dead and having a right good kip! And while kipping having some lovely dreams (Like that one I have about me and the barmaid from the Duke’s Head!) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>(Didn’t say that bit to our Betty either or else there would have been a whole world of pain!) </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ah! But then that’s the problem ain’t it! Exactly what do we dream about when we’ve popped our clogs? Makes you stop and think don’t it! And it’s that stopping and thinking what makes living to a ripe old age be such a ripe old pain in the Arras! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Think about it! Would you put up with all the problems we have in life? Like Old Man Turner always having a go at us for not paying the rent? Or Nelly Punkwit making out she’s so much better than you just cause she’s still got five of her own teeth? (Or the barmaid at the Duke’s Head slapping me every time I so much as say hello!) Or Paying taxes or cow towing to all those toffs swanning up here from the West End? Why put up with all that when one quick slash from a naked blade would set you up with a nice quiet after-life?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Who would bear his fardels (certainly not me in my condition) and live with all that? Except… Except for the fact that if you were to top yourself something even worse might happen to you ‘after’ death! (Yes! Even worse that Nelly Punkwit!) Because let’s face it, when was the last time you had a chat with someone who’d passed over? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Oh! Hello our Nan! How are things with you?”</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Oh, just fine dear! It’s lovely up here. I was only saying to that Angel Gabriel yesterday…”</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You see it’s that not knowing that muddies the water. Call me a coward if you like but I say “You know what? I think I’d rather stick with Old Turner and his tongue lashing than meet Old Nick and his pointy pitchfork!” (Because I don’t want that anywhere near my fardels! Thank you very much!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And so it is that no matter how red you get in the face you’ll always end up a cowardly-custard yellow! And why people heading for Peckham Rye often get lost in Acton! (Or summit like that!)</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Daniel Smallpiece, Firkin Bottom Knocker (Retired), London 1601ish</span></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-46446965859894001642014-02-06T14:24:00.000+00:002014-02-06T14:24:38.668+00:00Monty Python - Hospital For Over Acting<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/pbS2WJdav6c" width="459"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-11720549184371030342014-02-06T09:46:00.003+00:002014-02-06T09:46:49.941+00:00Quote #039<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,<br />Than are dreamt of in your philosophy"</span></i></b></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hamlet - 'Hamlet', Act I Scene 4</span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-36119739713906755002014-02-06T09:46:00.002+00:002014-02-06T09:46:30.808+00:00All the World's a MOOC<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What's a MOOC?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's a Massive Online Open Course (no joke) and I have been once more indulging my love of Shakespeare by trying one out with the relatively new <a href="http://www.futurelearn.com/">FurtureLearn</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The course I'm currently enjoying is called <i>'Shakespeare's Hamlet'</i> and is run in partnership with the <a href="http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/edacs/departments/shakespeare/index.aspx">University of Birmingham's Shakespeare Institute</a> at Stratford upon Avon. My review of the first night of Hamlet in an earlier Blog entry was an exercise on the course. Unfortunately there are only two more weeks but you may still be able to join or if they should repeat it I would recommend it to anyone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If not then there is also another Shakespeare course coming up in March called <a href="https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/shakespeare-and-his-world"><i>'Shakespeare and his World'</i></a> which is coordinated by the University of Warwick and the<a href="http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/home.html"> Shakespeare Birthplace Trust</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So if you want to learn more about Billy-Boy Bard come and join the party...</span><br />
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-Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-41131280854464195122014-01-24T10:51:00.000+00:002014-01-24T13:14:14.463+00:00First Night Review of Hamlet<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Well, me and the misses went over the river to the Globe last
night to see Billy-Boy Bard's latest - Hamlet, Prince of Dagenham (or summit).
Now, as Betty will tell you, I'm a big Shakespeare fan (especially his early
funny ones) but I’ll admit I had my doubts about going to see this. I'd been
hearing rumours all over the shop that it was a remake of that other Hamlet play
(not that I'd see it) and very similar to Kyd's "Spanish Tragedy” (not that
I've seen that neither). But let me tell you – you can forget all about that
other rubbish! This Hamlet was the business! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">There were some lovely scary bits. Right at
the start there was all this goings on with a ghost and our Betty nearly had an
accident at this other bit when Hamlet kills this old bloke behind a curtain.
And as for Hamlet himself, he might start off as a bit of a Moaning-Minnie but
once he start's acting as if he's “a few galleons short of an Armada” it gets
well good - hats off to Burbage for that as he delivered in buckets as always. He
was great at the whole “Will he? Won’t he?” bit about killing his uncle, the
King. (Nasty piece of work that uncle - can't remember his name though) Course,
if was me and he’d killed my father and married my mother I'd have just said “stuff
it” and stabbed him right in the chapels! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All the players were up to scratch last
night; all the lads and all the “other lads” (if I have to explain to our Betty
once more that the women aren’t women she’ll be going for a swim with Ophelia,
I’ll tell you!) <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Now the comedy was a bit thin on the ground. Personally I don’t
find grave-diggers that funny – if he’d juggled the skulls or fallen into the
grave a couple of times that might have got him a laugh! And I think Billy-Boy
missed a trick not using that pair, Rosy-stone and Guild-his-whatsit, a bit
more. Maybe like Fallstaff they should get their own play! Maybe a bit of back-story or something telling us what they got up to in England (but what are
the chances of that happening).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I will have to admit that the play did get a bit befuddling at
times. (I had to explain the whole "To Not Be, To Be Not Be" bit three
or four times to our Betty on the way home) Especially confusing was the play going
on inside the play (all a bit post-modern for me).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But that final scene was amazing! What with the sword fight and
the poison and bodies everywhere! But then I'm a blood-thirsty one me. I just
love Theatre-Nasties. Now, I don’t want to spoil the end for you in case
you go yourself but basically in this one - no one gets out alive!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Daniel Smallpiece, Firkin Bottom Knocker (retired)</i> </span></span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-16005674209479248982014-01-14T13:35:00.002+00:002014-01-14T13:35:47.042+00:00Hamlet Mash Up (2013)<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/mFZT4gOq8io" width="480"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There's Hamlet all over the shop!</span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-45710254721455480232014-01-10T10:14:00.000+00:002014-01-10T10:14:49.753+00:00"Go Ask Shakespeare"-- Rufus Wainwright with Burt Bacharach<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/F63iDr2XBBo" width="459"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sorry for the break in transmission... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the meantime here is some music...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-12137859899974565112013-07-23T12:47:00.003+01:002013-07-23T12:47:59.417+01:00A Monologue for Three<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/mephJf3-zYE?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The hilarious <a href="http://www.britanick.com/">BriTANicK</a> (Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher) give their rendition of Puck's parting soliloquy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Joss Whedon likes these guys so much he's appeared in some of their YouTube vids and gave them roles in his cinematic version of 'Much Ado About Nothing')</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">-</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-54136361242312735962013-07-12T09:29:00.001+01:002013-07-15T12:55:26.076+01:00Quote #038<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzhFaYauZ6qV7pIl65_8oK_VaIfNuPtM2eZ9Os6YyBxBlmNiHmcqRgQo72DOhyAHH36QepZfyFlZ0Hjqo4mU1cUwW96zfdbQswE-cX5e3UmmqkPbHJIGjglPg31vfhaGy8JZ9g_6biZ0/s1600/As+You+Like+It.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzhFaYauZ6qV7pIl65_8oK_VaIfNuPtM2eZ9Os6YyBxBlmNiHmcqRgQo72DOhyAHH36QepZfyFlZ0Hjqo4mU1cUwW96zfdbQswE-cX5e3UmmqkPbHJIGjglPg31vfhaGy8JZ9g_6biZ0/s200/As+You+Like+It.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"O Rosalind! these trees shall be my books,<br />And in their barks my thoughts I'll character,<br />That every eye which in this forest looks<br />Shall see thy virtue witness'd every where."</span></b></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Orlando - 'As You Like It', Act III Scene 2</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-43527350754008156592013-06-27T15:56:00.000+01:002013-06-28T08:46:29.943+01:00"Who's Ken Branagh?"<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Blackadder meets Shakespeare in this clip from 'Blackadder Goes Back and Forth'</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-80782048451768162922013-06-27T13:49:00.000+01:002013-06-28T08:44:51.369+01:00Never say never...<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hi there!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes I know I said I'd moved on to 'Blogging Pastures New' but the Bard just won't lie down and nor should he!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Actually it took the start of the fabulous new drama series <i>'The White Queen'</i> from the BBC (or the Brilliant Bard Channel) to put me back on Billy-Boy's trail. Two episodes into this adaption of the historic novels by Philippa Gregory and I'm already reaching once more for my copies of Henry VI and Richard III. I know! The Histories!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I'm back, Billy-Boy's back and the Blog's back! Be ready for more reviews, clips and other Shakespearean shenanigans!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And remember - "Thou art divine!"</span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-60967960739883536622013-01-22T13:30:00.000+00:002013-01-22T13:30:29.716+00:00Moving on...<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
It's been a fun challenge but time to move on to pastures new. The picture below is a clue to my 2013 challenge which can be <a href="http://foreign-movie-time.blogspot.co.uk/">found here</a>!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjVhfE2QQN-bzapucGswyQTWHKTl4zmUrzQKmZXl48HYyHEfE5gKVoqjKJnfLoD5tTjP-e7CZAGIL35BSQH1WEjYvvil0p1kLRNN7PbOm2xu-bQJAvE71htSCX_yJfoZ4vOAJT3PmNnI/s1600/Ran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjVhfE2QQN-bzapucGswyQTWHKTl4zmUrzQKmZXl48HYyHEfE5gKVoqjKJnfLoD5tTjP-e7CZAGIL35BSQH1WEjYvvil0p1kLRNN7PbOm2xu-bQJAvE71htSCX_yJfoZ4vOAJT3PmNnI/s320/Ran.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-20766655800808503332013-01-03T10:44:00.003+00:002013-01-03T10:44:56.074+00:00Quote #037<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"Better a witty fool than a foolish wit"</span></i></b></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Feste - 'Twelfth Night', Act I, scene 5</span><br />
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-Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-66816006997852314472013-01-03T10:44:00.000+00:002013-01-03T14:21:16.624+00:0037 - Twelfth Night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgwB1Dau0CXRhca_-NtLx-wycjOjnTlK8RCb0N3tzAJyN278mTsg-J0wBgLS1iTnKwGIuRgeje6Iv_Z2515sOEgrjw53E-Xy7yK4lb5mFLOEp5z7rMMUH86IasJTmStQlIkocz1JJWjU/s1600/Anton+Lesser+-+Feste.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgwB1Dau0CXRhca_-NtLx-wycjOjnTlK8RCb0N3tzAJyN278mTsg-J0wBgLS1iTnKwGIuRgeje6Iv_Z2515sOEgrjw53E-Xy7yK4lb5mFLOEp5z7rMMUH86IasJTmStQlIkocz1JJWjU/s200/Anton+Lesser+-+Feste.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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I left the best until last, partly to see if any other of Shakespeare’s works could top it but for me it still reigns supreme. </div>
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This is probably the play by Billy-Boy that I have seen the most over the years. I can remember clearly my first run in with it when, aged eight and as part of my drama club’s showcase evening, I saw four older kids perform the duel scene between Viola and Sir Andrew and loved it. At the time I had no idea what it was from and it was only when I studied the text later in secondary school that I made the connection. </div>
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For the play as a whole I can think off-hand of at least five different stage productions I’ve seen including one by the RSC with Antony Sher as Malvolio, a version directed by Peter Hall and one at Regents Park's 'Open Air Theatre' whose only star I can remember just now was Ruth Madoc! There have also been numerous screen versions including both the BBC’s and, my particular favourite, Kenneth Branagh’s ‘Renaissance Theatre’ production (I remember taping that one and then practically watching it weekly.) </div>
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My biggest draw to the play is Feste - my favourite character in all of Shakespeare. Although he has no soliloquy to speak of it was a mash-up of his original chastisement of Olivia that finally won me a place a drama school, so I have a lot to thank him for. And almost everything he says could count as my favourite line from the Bard, although I do also crumble every time I hear Sir Andrew say “I was ador'd once too”.</div>
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<i>And Finally – Thank you to everyone who has taken time to read these mad ramblings. If has been a fun challenge and very rewarding. I may not have completed it within one year but at least I finished before Twelfth Night (see what I did there?) All that’s left is to miss-quote from my favourite clown and say – </i></div>
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<b><i>"But that’s all one, my blog is done, </i></b></div>
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<b>A<i>nd I’ll strive to please you another day…"</i></b></div>
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- Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-25113636962363794022013-01-03T10:32:00.002+00:002013-01-03T14:21:44.003+00:00The Almost Rans<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
With the end in sight here as some of the splinter features for this blog which never took off - </div>
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<li><b>The Behead Count</b> - I'm afraid I lost count somewhere in the late Henrys and never caught up again </li>
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<li><b>Dice Dearly</b> - Died a death </li>
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<li><b>Shakey Camera Work</b> - Reviews of Shakespeare related movies</li>
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<li><b>Eightscore Eight Hours</b> - Trying to see how often I heard the Bard mentioned within one week </li>
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<li><b>Good Day, Bard Day</b> - A weekly round-up of all brushes I'd had in the last seven days with the Bard (so an extension of Eightscore Eight Hours)</li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5834641814420379968.post-73466324611107672322013-01-02T16:34:00.000+00:002013-01-02T16:34:40.591+00:00Benedict Cumberbatch - The Seven Ages Of Man <div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
One of my current fav actors...</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MJMaGT2ZiY4?rel=0" width="420"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com