The Merchant Of Venice @ Shakespeare’s Globe
August 12, 2007
The Merchant Of Venice is in trouble. In all the version I’ve seen of it on stage and screen, this “comedy” has become a very serious play, with one issue- Shylock. The Jew. The events of the early 20th century have unbalanced the play, drawing on the discussion of anti-semitism to turn this into the …
Othello @ Shakespeare’s Globe
August 5, 2007
I saw one of my first ever Shakespeare productions at the Globe, The Tempest with Vanessa Redgrave starring as Prospero. The Globe is somewhat smaller than I remembered, but still brings with it that sense of occasion. You don’t just go to the Globe to see the play, but to have the experience of jostling …
Henry IV Part I (RSC) @ The Courtyard Theatre
August 4, 2007
The disappointment is crushing. It was perhaps too much to hope that every play in the Histories Cycle would be a cracker, but after five excellent productions (even Richard III, which I wasn’t too fussed about at the time, has left a positive impression on me), Michael Boyd has finally dropped the ball. That said, …
Richard II (RSC) @ The Courtyard Theatre
With the Complete Works Festival now long over, and the Swan preparing to shut down in a couple of weeks, the RSC’s attention now seems focussed on its new Big Project. The Histories Cycle is Michael Boyd’s attempt to stage with a single company the two tetralogies of history plays that Shakespeare wrote. The Cycle …
Twelfth Night (WSAF) @ Warwick Arts Centre
June 28, 2007
There are dangers to taking on Shakespeare. People are obviously drawn to the history, the accessibility, the guaranteed audiences and the copyright-free texts, but sometimes the dangers get overlooked. Perhaps the most overlooked problem when tackling a Shakespeare play is the question of “Why?”. When every play has such a rich performance history, why do …
Cymbeline (Cheek by Jowl) @ The Barbican Theatre
June 6, 2007
I love Cheek By Jowl. I’ve seen several of their productions, both English and Russian, over the last few years, and they are the company who have most consistently impressed me with their intelligent approach to classical texts, their innovative ideas and groundbreaking use of space and movement, directed by Declan Donnellan. In addition, they’re …
Macbett (RSC) @ The Swan Theatre
May 30, 2007
I should preface this by saying that I’m not overly familiar with the work of Eugene Ionesco. I’ve studied a little of the ‘Theatre Of The Absurd’, but never actually seen a Ionesco production until last night. The opportunity, therefore, to see a response to Shakespeare written by one of the pioneers of a particularly …
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Dash Arts) @ The Swan Theatre
May 5, 2007
I’ve raved about this production before, the greatest, or 2nd greatest (depending on my mood) production of the Complete Works Festival. It’s back for three sold-out weeks in Stratford-upon-Avon, and the production has gone from strength to strength since it was last here, playing to packed audience around the globe. This is, of course, Tim …
Coriolanus (Ninagawa Company) @ The Barbican Theatre
April 30, 2007
I’d never been to the Barbican before Friday night, and I have to say I was incredibly impressed. It’s enormous and beautiful and very much the kind of venue that gets me excited about theatre, life and all the possibility there is. Needless to say I picked up several events guides and am already looking …
Macbeth (RSC) @ The Swan Theatre
April 17, 2007
‘Macbeth’ is a play that has been done time and time again. Most importantly, it’s been done well. Trevor Nunn’s production starring Ian McKellen and Judi Dench is often held up as the greatest filmed Shakespeare, and films by Roman Polanski and Orson Welles have also had major impacts. Even the BBC version was uncommonly …
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