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Post by PokerKitten on Sept 23, 2004 22:19:00 GMT
I've been thinking about it, and most Macbeths I have had the pleasure of seeing have been pretty stripped back, free flowing and fast paced. I've been reading about the revised plans for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and they sound more acceptible than the knock it down plan that was first mooted. The Beeb have a good article about it here. Thrust is good! And talking of theatres, I was very lucky to accidentally attend Founders Day for the Globe when it opened. It was accidental in that their box office had made a slip up when taking a block booking for the Redditch Shakespeare Society (yes, it is kinda staggering that there is such a thing, but I met the members and tagged along with them because of a friend!). The erformance was the all male Henry V, which was fine and dandy, but the building stole the show. No, it enhances the shows. The setting, the atmosphere, the heckling, the wandering about... it all slipped neatly into place and I found myself thinking "Of course! This is it". And this from someone who has seen Shakespeare indoors and out, lots of different towns and different types of theatr; and who was starting from the point of being a Shakie fan anyway, and believing I generally "got" the language. It just took it all to another level. That's not to say I only want to go see productions performed in this way in this kind of setting from now on. Far from it. But it was good to have all the elements just "click", and I'd love to go again. I'd recommend the experience to anyone PS - I just came across a new LJ community for The Globe! You don't have to be an LJ-er to read it, of course - www.livejournal.com/community/thegreatglobe/
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Post by Pixie on Sept 25, 2004 20:58:50 GMT
I'd really love to do that - to see Shakespeare performed in the setting it was written for. I think I know what you mean about it seeming right, and I'd love to see a play and feel that way about it. The few I've seen, while good, haven't quite done it for me. Yet.
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Post by deborahw37 on Sept 25, 2004 21:32:32 GMT
The Globe is a great place to see Shakespeare but man those wooden benches are hard on the arse .. I didn't hire a cushion because I have ample padding .. boy that was a mistake!! oh the restaurant is great and reasonably priced for a pre show meal too
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Post by PokerKitten on Sept 25, 2004 21:40:01 GMT
Hee, I am much more well padded than you Deb, even was then, and I sure hired me a cushion! ;D
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Post by Ditto on Oct 6, 2004 13:49:13 GMT
I want to go to the Globe now. It looks very good from the outside viewed from the river which is as near as I got.
You know in Twelfth Night? Well they weren't very nice to that Andrew at the end were they? I liked him, he was funny. Also I felt sorry for Malvolio.
We're going to see Hamlet next. I've seen the video with Mel Gibson in it.
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Post by PokerKitten on Oct 6, 2004 17:31:49 GMT
Although Malvolio starts out as a pompous twat, he can rise to tragic dignity by the end. I usually feel very sorry for him too, and want to thrash Sir Toby to ithion an inch of his pathetic life. Thing is, he knows his life is pathetic, so maybe that's enough.
I should scan my Globe pics and post a few, really. I am on holiday in a couple of weeks so may get round to it then.
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Post by Pixie on Oct 6, 2004 22:31:43 GMT
Yeah, I feel sorry for poor old Malvolio in the end *sniff*. But I'm fond of the play...
oh, I saw a school production of it, I forgot that! Saw a school production of Much Ado, as well, with my sister as Dogberry (all girls school) - she's a great actress and mimic, and was hilarious, stole the show! The outsized welly boots helped, of course... she really did look a complete ass! ;D
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Post by PokerKitten on Oct 10, 2004 22:55:40 GMT
I've only had the patience to scan three pics of the Globe so far. Maybe when I am on holiday...
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Post by PokerKitten on Oct 10, 2004 22:57:21 GMT
Look at the detail at the back of the stage! And the cute minstrels in the gallery ;D
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Post by PokerKitten on Oct 10, 2004 22:59:26 GMT
This is the all male production of Henry V, on Founders' Day. All kinds of nobs were in the audience!
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Post by nightnurse on Oct 10, 2004 23:13:03 GMT
Thanks for those PK....it looked impressive from the outside, but looks absolutely stunning inside. I must try and get to go next summer....I'd have to sit though, I really can't stand up for hours, I'd end up flat out on the floor
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Post by Incogni2 on Oct 11, 2004 1:49:25 GMT
Damn, damn, damn...there it was and there I was and...damn, damn, damn sci fi cons!
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Post by PokerKitten on Oct 11, 2004 9:23:07 GMT
And if only you'd said earlier that you wanted to go I'd have come with you (well, you would have pushed me!). R&J was on at the time, wasn't it? Only the hardy and rowdy groundlings stand, NN; but sitting without hiring one of their cushions is not advisable! Hard benches.... Maybe York Hall should hire out cushions for Halloween, to save people having to arrive with a full backback of cushions and costume changes Most of the other pics I have of the Globe are more of the same sort, I think. I didn't actually take them; ex-friend Paul did and got me a duplicate set.
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Post by Pixie on Oct 11, 2004 11:15:37 GMT
Mm, would love to go. It looks stunning, I can imagine it would really add something to the performance to see it in such surroundings.
Like NN, though, I'd need to take a cushion, as I can't stand up for long periods of tim because of my back, and have a bony ass!
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Post by PokerKitten on Oct 11, 2004 11:26:23 GMT
As Deb and I mentioned, they hire them out, no need to take your own. The money helps towards the upkeep of the theatre. I only have that one visit and performance to go on, but it really did enhance the whole Shakespeare experience I'd studied the theatre and staging of the time, but it meant little til to me other than a decently graded essay or two until I got something like the experience Elizabethan/Stuart audiences would have.
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Post by Pixie on Oct 11, 2004 11:59:13 GMT
Right. Am DEFINITELY going to try to get to a performance at some point... might see if I can inveigle mother (ex-English teacher, retired) to go with me... I think she might have been, but she's a sucker for Shakespeare (that's where I get it from), so she might want to have a girl's day out with me!
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Post by PokerKitten on Oct 11, 2004 12:13:05 GMT
Sounds good!
Don't get me wrong, I love seeing Shakespeare in all kinds of settings and periods, indoors, outdoors, on film, whatever works and is well performed. But reading worthy texts about the staging of the day just meant it was just something else to learn, as I am no actor or director, and have never had aspirations to be... But seeing a play at the Globe was bahboombangbang ;D
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Post by twistedspike on Oct 11, 2004 19:07:39 GMT
Oh Wow PK those are great pics, can't wait to see more. You know I've lived a totally deprived life I've never been to a Shakespeare play and until now I never even gave it a thought. But now I can see I've totally missed out. I would loved to go to the Globe and see a play. Wil has got to read Taming of the Shrew for her Literature course perhaps we could go and see that some time. Has anyone ever been to The Swan theatre in Stratford that was the one James stood on wasn't it.
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Post by Pixie on Oct 11, 2004 21:04:36 GMT
I'm not sure which one it was in Stratford I went to, too young to remember. My mum would know, prolly.
P'raps the DGs should have a day out and go to the Globe for a play...
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Post by PokerKitten on Oct 11, 2004 22:23:50 GMT
The Swan is tacked on to the end of the main theatre in Stratford (and they have another studio theatre elsewhere). It is kinda shaped like the Wooden O, but doesn't have anything like the same atmosphere. It's a long time since I was there *wistful smilie* They tend to put on non-Shakespeare in it.
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