Would anybody like a thread to chat about Shakespeare?

[immortalmarble]

I know it is performance rather than reading but I am re reading Hamlet at the moment.

I wondered if anyone would like to come and talk about their face Shakespeare plays, why, good live performances and film versions?

I've seen a fair few Shakespeare productions, but don't get a chance to go to the theatre as much these days unfortunately.

We saw SRB in The Tempest last year, but I think I preferred his Ariel (from 20 years ago, I remember that to have been stunning). I saw McKellen as Lear 10 (?) years ago - I think that was the one with the onstage rain, and he got starkers too... And Antony Sher as Lear last year, he was amazing.

I'm really looking forward to Lear tonight on the Beeb, I love Richard Eyre's direction.

What did people think of King Lear last night on BBC2? I generally don't like Anthony Hopkins's acting, but I love everyone else in the cast.

I enjoyed it last night. Good cast and the pacing was good too.

The trailer looked alarming, as if AH was playing Lear as Elderly Hannibal Lecter in iambic pentamer -- was that the case?

The second half was stronger I thought - but I know Lear really well (it has the BEST lines, imo, and not really savoured last night ) and if I hadn't I reckon I would have been very confused.

Andrew Scott just irritated me and the ending didn't make the strange power vacuum clear. Edmund's soliloquies (in fact all the soliloquies) were understated. The three sisters were great once let loose, as was Cornwall.

Yes Andrew Scott's affected screeching was annoying and he garbled a lot of his lines but Edmund (John Macmillan) was very watchable.

I might give the King Lear that was on TV last night a go.

Studied Twelfth Night for A Level, and I really loved it. Even studying it for two years didn't put me off. It really helped that the rest of my class were so enthusiastic as well. As a result of loving it so much, I do still see productions of it. Out of interest, did anyone see the National Theatre Twelfth Night production last year, with Tamsin Greig as Malvolia? I was sceptical before seeing it, but I absolutely loved it!

OOH! Glad that I've found this thread.

I've seen Macbeth many times, in fact it was an A level text, but this performance was incredible mif.co.uk/previous-festivals/mif13/macbeth/

It's still available as it was direct-streamed. I honestly think that Kenneth Branagh was born to play Macbeth. And Alex Kingston (River Song) outplayed him. It was an amazing production. I don't think I will ever go and see the play again now.

I saw Tamsin Greig as Malvolia. She was amazing, as she always is.

I didn’t actually get to see Lear - how annoying! It’s on iplayer though, I suppose.

Hoping to go to an open air production soon - any suggestions?