Post by actaeon on Aug 6, 2002 4:48:23 GMT -5
Hi
I'm new to this board (just found the link on HLAS), so hope I don't seem to presumptuous leaping straight in on this!
My least favourite has to be Timon of Athens. I've seen it on stage twice, and can't find anything to redeem the play - the characters are unsympathetic and unrealistic; the dialogue is vicious, but doesn't give the audience anything to latch onto, as it fails to find enjoyment in cynicism or bitterness in the way that Iago or Aaron (for exmaple) do, and is also so opaque in its meaning at times that the only way to understand it is to be reading it as you watch. I tend to prefer my plays with some hope of redemption, even if it is ambiguous (e.g. Winter's Tale, Measure for Measure).
If I might comment on some other posts as well (takes a deep breath and jumps in the deep end):
The Vincent Price film in which critics are killed in the style of Shakespeare plays is indeed Theatre of Blood. Robert Morley is choked to death on a pie made from his favourite poodles, a husband kills his wife for adultery and then shoots himself (although the adultery is real), a wine-lover is drowned in a butt of wine, and another has his heart cut out over a misunderstood contract. The play ends with the hero being saved from having his eyes put out with heated daggers.
The Price character is called Edward Lionheart, and his daughter is played by Diana Rigg. It's all done in a wonderfully cheesy 70s way, and I think the 'great chefs' film was done as a follow-up.
I can understand Ganymede's views on Shrew - but to my mind that problem is what makes the Shrew interesting. It is a very funny play, but like the best comedy (Shakespearean, particularly) there is darkness at its core, in this case the mental abusiveness of the relationship. Productions tend to shy away from this; I'm directing a production in Feb 2003 which addresses this head on, so hopefully Ganymede would approve and find that it's a decent play after all. Katherina (never Kate - she doesn't like it!) is a wonderful person, and is a jewel of a part for an actress. It's not as mature as some of his later works, but still worth taking notice of for what it prefigures.
MelanieS, Love's Labours Lost: My group read this several times before we decided to stage this, and while it doesn't read well, it works very well on stage. We were worried that the audience would have trouble with the fact that the comedy is very verbal, and hence less obvious than the physical comedy, but evidence proved us wrong.
See it on stage before you condemn it.
Portia, Coriolanus: This is a really quite difficult play, as Coriolanus is extremely unlikeable! And I can say that from a position of authority having played him a couple of years ago. For a tragic 'hero', there is little to commend him to the audience's empathy. Having said that, the scene that I think Shaxper means (it could be others), where Coriolanus turns back his invading army from the gates of Rome at his mother's request is quite simply superb. He goes against everything she has taught him, because it is the only way she can save the city, and they both know that his action will result in his death. The actress playing Volumnia and myself were both extremely affected by playing this scene every night.
Hope that's of some interest to people!
I'm new to this board (just found the link on HLAS), so hope I don't seem to presumptuous leaping straight in on this!
My least favourite has to be Timon of Athens. I've seen it on stage twice, and can't find anything to redeem the play - the characters are unsympathetic and unrealistic; the dialogue is vicious, but doesn't give the audience anything to latch onto, as it fails to find enjoyment in cynicism or bitterness in the way that Iago or Aaron (for exmaple) do, and is also so opaque in its meaning at times that the only way to understand it is to be reading it as you watch. I tend to prefer my plays with some hope of redemption, even if it is ambiguous (e.g. Winter's Tale, Measure for Measure).
If I might comment on some other posts as well (takes a deep breath and jumps in the deep end):
The Vincent Price film in which critics are killed in the style of Shakespeare plays is indeed Theatre of Blood. Robert Morley is choked to death on a pie made from his favourite poodles, a husband kills his wife for adultery and then shoots himself (although the adultery is real), a wine-lover is drowned in a butt of wine, and another has his heart cut out over a misunderstood contract. The play ends with the hero being saved from having his eyes put out with heated daggers.
The Price character is called Edward Lionheart, and his daughter is played by Diana Rigg. It's all done in a wonderfully cheesy 70s way, and I think the 'great chefs' film was done as a follow-up.
I can understand Ganymede's views on Shrew - but to my mind that problem is what makes the Shrew interesting. It is a very funny play, but like the best comedy (Shakespearean, particularly) there is darkness at its core, in this case the mental abusiveness of the relationship. Productions tend to shy away from this; I'm directing a production in Feb 2003 which addresses this head on, so hopefully Ganymede would approve and find that it's a decent play after all. Katherina (never Kate - she doesn't like it!) is a wonderful person, and is a jewel of a part for an actress. It's not as mature as some of his later works, but still worth taking notice of for what it prefigures.
MelanieS, Love's Labours Lost: My group read this several times before we decided to stage this, and while it doesn't read well, it works very well on stage. We were worried that the audience would have trouble with the fact that the comedy is very verbal, and hence less obvious than the physical comedy, but evidence proved us wrong.
See it on stage before you condemn it.
Portia, Coriolanus: This is a really quite difficult play, as Coriolanus is extremely unlikeable! And I can say that from a position of authority having played him a couple of years ago. For a tragic 'hero', there is little to commend him to the audience's empathy. Having said that, the scene that I think Shaxper means (it could be others), where Coriolanus turns back his invading army from the gates of Rome at his mother's request is quite simply superb. He goes against everything she has taught him, because it is the only way she can save the city, and they both know that his action will result in his death. The actress playing Volumnia and myself were both extremely affected by playing this scene every night.
Hope that's of some interest to people!