Tuesday 6 January 2015
Wednesday 24 December 2014
Twelfth Night (Shakespeare) - Directed by Kenneth Branagh
An excellent production and with a fitting Yuletide setting!
Tuesday 23 December 2014
Right Welcome Back
Forsooth, I have been too long apart. I fear reprisals
And chastisement at my lack of fealty to this blog.
I pray thee forgive my tardiness as I cry
Thrice welcome to the lovers of the Bard, Billy-Boy!
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.
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 Bodleian Library 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.
The second bout of Bard was 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' 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.
In other news I have been slowly increasing my collection of Arden Shakespeares (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'.
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 Future Learn this time regarding 'Much Ado About Nothing'.
So here's to another year of blatantly brilliant Bard-like brouhaha!
Monday 3 November 2014
The Hollow Crown (Season 2)
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 Richard III.
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Thursday 17 April 2014
Tuesday 18 March 2014
Shakericks - Richard III
A Duke with a back, bent and bony
Was crowned due to bunk and baloney;
He’d pushed past both his brothers
His nephews and others
But lost it for want of a pony!
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