Much Ado About Nothing

[knot_sweet]

My favourite Shakespeare performance was "Midsummer Night's Dream" played by the Shakespeare in the Park company.

Wandering through the Botanic Garden to find the different sets with coloured torches was magical.



Last weekend I went to see "The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged)".
Hilarious.
The Bard would have approved.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Pretty sure he wouldn't be interested.

I got to be a French shoulder fallen in battle as he extemporized about what to do when you forget your lines.

Now, most actors know to say "I am amazed and know not what to say" when they've forgotten their lines in Shakespeare, so that your fellow actors can get you back on track.

But in this scene he was trying to "remember" the names of French houses fallen on the battlefield and was talking about the noble houses of...Beaujolais.

For anybody who has ever been onstage and forgotten their lines (guilty!) it is funny.

Reminds me of The Postman. Bill was a great actor!

 

[Recidiva]

My favourite Shakespeare performance was "Midsummer Night's Dream" played by the Shakespeare in the Park company.

Wandering through the Botanic Garden to find the different sets with coloured torches was magical.



Last weekend I went to see "The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged)".
Hilarious.
The Bard would have approved.

I saw that one, if it was in the 80s. Not sure if they're repeated. They had...William Hurt at Oberon? and the actor who played Webster as the Changeling baby.

I was waaaaay back in the park, so I have teeny tiny memories of it.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Former Presidential candidate Gary Coleman?

 

[Recidiva]

Reminds me of The Postman. Bill was a great actor!

God has given you one face, and you make yourself another.

 

[butters]

for reci

 

[Recidiva]

Former Presidential candidate Gary Coleman?

Gary Coleman was great in Avenue Q.

However, Gary Coleman was in Diff'rent Strokes.

Webster was Emmanuel Lewis.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

God has given you one face, and you make yourself another.

I am JANUS!

 

[knot_sweet]

I saw that one, if it was in the 80s. Not sure if they're repeated. They had...William Hurt at Oberon? and the actor who played Webster as the Changeling baby.

I was waaaaay back in the park, so I have teeny tiny memories of it.

I wish...mine was closer to amateur theatre, and I live in Australia...it's highly unlikely the esteemed William Hurt would have showed up for a low rent production Down Under.

That said, it was pretty freaking awesome and done to perfection. Mr Hurt himself probably couldn't have done better.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Gary Coleman was great in Avenue Q.

However, Gary Coleman was in Diff'rent Strokes.

Webster was Emmanuel Lewis.

tee hee

I didn't watch much TV back in those days...

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

A Midsummer Night's Dream - at the Globe.

Henry V - on DVD, Sir Kenneth Branagh

AWAY! YOU THREE INCH FOOL!

The Taming of the Shrew.

 

[Recidiva]

for reci

Look at Dr. Who/Bartleby go!

I always love actors who can take their time and use authentic silences. So many people do not ever do that in their need to fill every moment with noise.

This may sound ironic coming from me.

Soulful eye contact with the camera. This is why film gives different opportunities from stage.

 

[Recidiva]

I wish...mine was closer to amateur theatre, and I live in Australia...it's highly unlikely the esteemed William Hurt would have showed up for a low rent production Down Under.

That said, it was pretty freaking awesome and done to perfection. Mr Hurt himself probably couldn't have done better.

I was lucky to grow up close enough to Manhattan to cash in on lots of free Shakespeare in Central Park and other opportunities, there is always free theater in the park in the summer. I think I also made it for Pirates of Penzance. You have to wait in line all day. We waited in line all day and I was still waaaaay back, but it is always a real celebration.

My daughter did that this summer too, waited in line all day for something in Central Park, I think it was Love's Labour's Lost.

 

[Recidiva]

I am JANUS!

It's all Greek to me.

 

[Recidiva]

tee hee

I didn't watch much TV back in those days...

I am an omnivore. Though I didn't actually watch Diff'rent Strokes or Webster. There is still IMDB!

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

It's all Greek to me.

Unless it is rotting in Denmark...

What a piece of work is a man! How noble in
reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving
how express and admirable! In action how like an Angel!
in apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the
world! The paragon of animals! And yet to me, what is
this quintessence of dust?

 

[butters]

Look at Dr. Who/Bartleby go!

I always love actors who can take their time and use authentic silences. So many people do not ever do that in their need to fill every moment with noise.

This may sound ironic coming from me.

Soulful eye contact with the camera. This is why film gives different opportunities from stage.

he gives great face

i would be envious of all those who've seen live shakespeare performances if i could not comfort myself with the anticipation of all i've yet to see for the first time. though i'll never get to see some of the actors already mentioned perform, there will be others who rise.

one quote that struck me, as a wayward arrow might - a glancing blow to draw bright beads but little more, impertinent in its foray:

Done to death by slanderous tongue.

 

[Recidiva]

AWAY! YOU THREE INCH FOOL!

The Taming of the Shrew.

That's better. Shakespeare is excellent at abuse.

I do desire we may be better strangers.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Why then do all the Shakespeare movies generally suck?

 

[Recidiva]

Unless it is rotting in Denmark...

What a piece of work is a man! How noble in
reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving
how express and admirable! In action how like an Angel!
in apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the
world! The paragon of animals! And yet to me, what is
this quintessence of dust?

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

Oddly enough a lot of Star Trek the original series comes from Shakepearean conceits.

Sooo many titles and plots. "All Our Yesterdays" is a name of an episode.

Yes, I'm a huge dork.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Why do you think I am such a fan of Kurosawa?

 

[Recidiva]

he gives great face

i would be envious of all those who've seen live shakespeare performances if i could not comfort myself with the anticipation of all i've yet to see for the first time. though i'll never get to see some of the actors already mentioned perform, there will be others who rise.

one quote that struck me, as a wayward arrow might - a glancing blow to draw bright beads but little more, impertinent in its foray:

Done to death by slanderous tongue.

I try to see it wherever I can. When I was exposed to it in school it was the deadest, driest stuff. Deadpan readings, serious interpretations, bad accents.

Like in Romeo and Juliet, most people say "Wherefore art thou Romeo?" as if they were asking "where" are you, when it is "Why are you Romeo" as in...why do you have that name, why are our families at war, if you had another name life would be so different...

So most Juliets look over the balcony and indicate "looking" for him.

Oh, c'mon, Juliet...*facepalm*

One of the reasons why I think people have basically been people, and sophisticated at that, and nowhere near as "dumb" as modern people think our ancestors were...is Shakespeare. Living (well, enduring) proof that bloody well damned smarter than everybody else has been out there for a good long time.

Being in England, you have a sense of it being a living cultural icon due for celebration. I see it the same way, but I am just grateful that the RSC records stuff and also sends your guys over here for me to celebrate.

 

[Busybody]

What is your favorite Shakespeare play?

You can't say anything about Obama. But you might go for Othello. When you say Othello I'll know you mean Obama.

My Fav Is

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING!

Reminds me of Obama

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

A lovestruck romeo sings a streetsus serenade
Laying everybody low with me a lovesong that he made
Finds a convenient streetlight steps out of the shade
Says something like you and me babe how about it ?

Juliet says hey it's romeo you nearly gimme a heart attack
He's underneath the window she's singing hey la my boyfriend's back
You shouldn't come around here singing up at people like that
Anyway what you gonna do about it ?

Juliet the dice were loaded from the start
And I bet and you exploded in my heart
And I forget the movie song
When you wanna realise it was just that the time was wrong juliet ?

Come up on differents streets they both were streets of shame
Both dirty both mean yes and the dream was just the same
And I dreamed your dream for you and your dream is real
How can you look at me as if I was just another one of your deals ?

Where you can fall for chains of silver you can fall for chains of gold
You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold
You promised me everything you promised me think and thin
Now you just says oh romeo yeah you know I used to have a scene with him

 

[Recidiva]

Why then do all the Shakespeare movies generally suck?

In reality, about 90% of them do. At least the ones Americans have made.

Joss Whedon's "Much Ado" has a great sense of fun and utilization of character and environment that I really liked. They made Conrad female, but I really wanted to see Borachio female. A gay encounter with Hero would have been more interesting. But they didn't quite go there, alas.

It was worth doing though. A lot of talented friends having fun is a good idea.

I do love Kenneth and Emma's version, but I simply can't forgive the Keanu Reeves' Don John.

There's so much GOOD. I would suggest Henry V by Kenneth Branagh because the cast is flawless and the production is excellent.

Much Ado is one of those stories that has a minimum of differing language and a good cast can always make themselves absolutely clear through their performance, and they did.

There were a few mumbling moments and a few flubs in editing choices, but Sean Maher is a much better Don John.

Though Keanu was unforgivable in the way that cutting Dogberry's BEST LINE is unforgivable.

Henry V is just a better movie. The language is a little more difficult to get through, but it's entirely worth it, and the actors SELL that son of a bitch.