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Post by partytentdown on May 26, 2016 11:31:05 GMT
This summer at the Globe seems to be shaping up for great excitement and looking at Wonder Noir season across the winter no let up in a stream of lively and provoking ideas.I think if Shakespeare was with us today he would use all the techniques and possibilities available to him in creating his popular and all embracing worlds for audiences.I have no problem with mics as used in Dream and when the audience almost danced out into the Bankside night it was joyous. Experiments,new approaches ....responses to existing texts and who knows ahead an OP production .....Globe continues to be a crucible of exploration and experiment under Emma Rice. Hi Emma |
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Post by horton on Jun 1, 2016 8:46:07 GMT
I'm sure the theatre professionals who work at the Globe realize it is a theatre, not a museum. Some people- possibly of a certain generation, political persuasion or narrow artistic view- have decided the Globe has to be a certain way; well **** 'em!
There have been thousands of traditional OP performances across the years, and I'm sure there will be again, and many will be enjoyable: Rylance in 'Twelfth Night' is one of the Shakespearean highlights of my life; but surely there is space for some alternative visions, too?
OK, not every production needs to be "an introduction to..." but this production is so much more than Shakespeare for Kidz! From the hypnotic and evocative music to the luscious exotic setting and costumes, this interpretation sets out a very clear vision of the play's sexual anarchy and dalliance with hallucination. Theseus opens the play by boasting that he tamed Hippolyta with his "sword" which very nearly "did her harm" so it's pretty clear that Shakespeare himself was using a dash of the old sauce to please his crowd. Sadly, nowadays probably thanks to Britten's fairies skipping around the woods, we often imagine that the play was written as the primary school's bookend to the Christmas Nativity: a lovely pageant of delightful, pretty imps being winsome. B*****ks! This group of actors absolutely nail the sexual free-for-all the writing conjures. (My personal favourite moment was when Puck joined in Oberon's mounting of the sleeping Demetrius with a "well if I can get away with it" expression).
There are bold alterations to the text- some as gags- and some to widen the play's scope further: personally, I was delighted at the creation of Helenus- but if anything, I think Demetrius' struggle to accept his true sexuality could have been explored a little further. Sure, Helenus' camp is funny, but again I think his rivalry with a female could have been mined for just a little more emotion.
There was no doubt 99% of last night's audience was up for a party and I rejoice at that. Emma Rice has opened her account with a bold, coherent, entertaining romp, very much playing to her strengths.
I hope she manages to strike a balance, though, and recognizes all the potential of this theatre space and accommodates the more traditional alongside the experimental. That way we have a win-win.
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Post by Nicholas on Jun 2, 2016 3:19:22 GMT
Not to be a nit-picker but is it bestiality if only the head is beast-ly? I don’t think the word for sex with an animal head is 'bestial'. I think the word for sex with an animal head is 'Prime Ministerial'. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2016 15:48:39 GMT
OK. Beg, steal or borrow a ticket for this. It's absolutely glorious. Wonderfully funny and two moments near the end that gave me goosebumps and brought a tear to my glass eye.
The cast are uniformily excellent but special mention to Ankara Ball as Helenus, Lucy Thackeray as Quinces, Ewan Wardrop as quite possibly the best Bottom I've seen since Kit-off Harington and the incandescent Meow Meow who simply has to be one of the sexiest, vampiest, delicious creatures to walk the earth. Her chemistry with Zubin Varla is a thing of wonder, their end duet is heartstoppingly gorgeous.
It flags a touch in the second half but it doesn't matter. The whole thing leaves you with a tingle and a gigantic smile and if you haven't fallen in love with at least one of the four romantic leads or Meow Meow you have no heart.
If this is the shape of things to come at the Globe under Emma Rice then sign me up!
Oh and one of the best "switch off your phones/fire exit" announcements I've ever seen. Like, ever!
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Post by barelyathletic on Jul 22, 2016 15:42:06 GMT
Just managed to grab what seemed to be the last two returns in the world, for next Thursday. £5 bargains in the Yard. Ouch! my back, but who cares. Inordinately excited considering I hated Dromgoole's version and have seen the Dream so many times. Unfortunately not seeing Meow Meow, who I love having helped her bodysurf over the audience at Soho several years ago, but I'm sure it will be marvelous. And it even looks like the sun will shine. Happy, happy, happy chappy.
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Post by Jan on Jul 23, 2016 6:30:33 GMT
I'm sure the theatre professionals who work at the Globe realize it is a theatre, not a museum. Some people- possibly of a certain generation, political persuasion or narrow artistic view- have decided the Globe has to be a certain way; well **** 'em! Political persuasion ? Certain generation ? What are you on about ? Upset about Brexit are you ? Just because you like something doesn't mean you have to insult people who don't. I notice you don't throw social class into the mix, the Emma Rice (49) shows I've seen were achingly middle-class with an audience to match. Nothing wrong with that. |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Sept 12, 2016 6:49:42 GMT
I am currently watching the stream on iplayer and there are two things that strike me.
Firstly the coarseness of the acting is bordering on the crass. I don't demand perfect diction and RP accents for Shakespeare - but I do expect a basic understanding of the text and how to use it. Too few in this cast are demonstrating that. Some will claim that this is to make it more relevant and easily understood. Piffle. The key to understanding Shakespeare is for the cast to know exactly what they are saying - that way the audience will follow clearly. Dumbing it down is not the way to go - and too much of this acting is dumbed down.
The other thing that seems very clear is that Rice doesn't trust the text. Too often the biggest audience reactions are coming from stuff interpolated into the original - and that shows to me that she doesn't know how to exploit Shakespeare's own words to engage an audience.
I don't care about Helena becoming Helenus - doesn't add anything to the play but it doesn't really take too much away. The use of amplification for voices is to be regretted. The over-reliance on lighting is similarly disappointing. But these are nothing compared to the poor acting and direction.
I am far from a purist with Shakespeare but I do value good acting and clear direction. Neither of which are present in this. It is superficial, facile and weak.
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Post by Jan on Sept 12, 2016 6:56:23 GMT
What surprised me given Rice's interviews on her approach is that this runs so LONG, that was one of her main complaints about Shakespeare, she could surely have cut this to make it closer to 2hrs than 3.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Sept 12, 2016 6:59:43 GMT
If she didn't insist on adding musical sequences, she could have kept the run time down. Mind you the last RSC Dream was a 3 hour 5 minute job as well
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Post by Jan on Sept 12, 2016 7:14:18 GMT
If she didn't insist on adding musical sequences, she could have kept the run time down. Mind you the last RSC Dream was a 3 hour 5 minute job as well No comedy should be allowed to run over 3hrs. |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Sept 12, 2016 7:16:15 GMT
Agreed
2 hours 20 plus interval has always been the maximum for any of the versions I have directed.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2016 7:44:47 GMT
Running times exceeding 3 hours isn't exactly an exclusively Emma Rice thing though, they're half the reason I wasn't completely sad to see Dromgoole go. Someone should really tell the Globe - and the RSC - that 3+ hours should be considered more of a limit than a target.
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Post by Jan on Sept 12, 2016 7:48:35 GMT
Running times exceeding 3 hours isn't exactly an exclusively Emma Rice thing though, they're half the reason I wasn't completely sad to see Dromgoole go. Someone should really tell the Globe - and the RSC - that 3+ hours should be considered more of a limit than a target. True, but Dromgoole and the others never said this: "In a world where people are used to watching television and film, it would be “silly” to not to try and streamline some of the plays to keep them fresh, she says. “I think [the plays] do need to be shorter,” she concedes. “I’m going to be quite rigorous with myself and my directors to say come on, there’s clearly some more fat in this that can go. Let’s keep moving it on.” |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2016 8:16:59 GMT
Haha, touché! Still, Macbeth and Shrew both came in under 3 hours, so let's give Rice more than one production to prove she can do the same.  |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Sept 12, 2016 8:20:56 GMT
Given that a pretty full text Macbeth can be done in 2 hours, coming in under 3 is not really an achievement!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2016 8:26:14 GMT
Given the previous history of Globe productions, I'm willing to accept the baby-steps for now 'cos at least they're in the right direction! |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2016 9:26:00 GMT
The reason that oxfordsimon directs plays is that he has strong personal tastes and wants them done his way. Bravo for that! The same is true of Emma Rice. Her tastes clearly differ from those of oxfordsimon, and theatre would soon become very boring if every director had the same outlook. Only one of them is the artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe, and it's not surprising that they choose to direct there their personal preferred way rather than in that of the other.
Seeing the show live in the theatre, I felt very comfortable with the acting and the amplification and the running time (on my feet in the yard) and with everything else! Judging from the warm responses all around, so did many many others of our audience.
I'm beginning to wonder if the repeated sniping is partly because some individuals who don't respond positively to Emma Rice and Kneehigh resent that everyone else around them is sharing such a deep warm human experience. It must be like going to a party when you haven't taken the same drugs as everyone else. There's no point in complaining - Just join in or go home!
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Post by caa on Sept 12, 2016 10:51:36 GMT
Sorry I need to say I really like Kneehigh productions but have to say I agree with Oxford Simon. As far as I'm concerned if you want to hear Shakespeare's words don't bother seeing a Shakespeare production directed by Emma Rice. Why she was made artistic director of the Globe is beyond me, but I guess they wanted someone who would shake things up! In my opinion it was a mistake putting her in charge but only time will tell. As for her Midsummer Nights Dream it has been a hit, but I wish she had trusted the text more.
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Post by David J on Sept 12, 2016 11:48:57 GMT
I agree that this is far from the perfect Shakespeare production. I too have problems with things like singing interrupting the text and particularly Puck shouting her lines a lot of the time.
At the same time this is one of the best Midsummer Night's Dream experiences I've seen. It's revived so many times and at this point I want to expect the unexpected from a Midsummer production. I want to be lost in this world of magic like the mortals.
This production did that for me and standing in the yard it was one of the best experiences I've had this year.
It will be interesting how much Emma Rice will test my preconceptions of a Shakespeare production in the next few years.
I just hope she doesn't mess around with the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. The Globe has had enough time to establish itself as a venue of "historical importance". We've only had the Jacobean recreation for a few years and I've already seen some of the most imaginative shows in there using limited production values. Though how Emma Rice expects to get a lighting rig in there I do not know.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2016 11:55:59 GMT
Emma Rice has already directed The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk in the Sam Wanamaker. She's also directing The Little Matchgirl there in the Winter Season. I suppose someone will say it should have been adapted as The Candle Boy because matches weren't in common use, girls were played by boys, and everyone was little in the olden days.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2016 12:35:53 GMT
I think there's a middle ground to be reached between directors not trusting the text, and directors trusting the text too much. Some of the most deadly productions I've seen have adhered to the text absolutely slavishly, and a cheeky rewrite or adlib here or there never hurt anyone. And if I've said it once I've said it eight hundred times - I'd rather see a flawed yet entertaining production than a thoroughly respectable yet deeply dull one. Did Emma Rice take it too far with Dream? Maybe she did. Am I going to pass judgement off the back of her one Shakespeare production in her first year? Absolutely not. (Also, as far as I'm concerned, Rice's cheeky rewrites displayed a much better understanding of the original Shakespeare than Trevor Nunn's thoroughly turgid direction of King John did.)
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Post by Jan on Sept 12, 2016 13:01:34 GMT
I think there's a middle ground to be reached between directors not trusting the text, and directors trusting the text too much. Some of the most deadly productions I've seen have adhered to the text absolutely slavishly, and a cheeky rewrite or adlib here or there never hurt anyone. And if I've said it once I've said it eight hundred times - I'd rather see a flawed yet entertaining production than a thoroughly respectable yet deeply dull one. Did Emma Rice take it too far with Dream? Maybe she did. Am I going to pass judgement off the back of her one Shakespeare production in her first year? Absolutely not. (Also, as far as I'm concerned, Rice's cheeky rewrites displayed a much better understanding of the original Shakespeare than Trevor Nunn's thoroughly turgid direction of King John did.) You are not comparing like with like. Nunn's Dream illuminated certain aspects of the text much better than any other production of the play I've seen. Just a small example: why at the end of the play does Egeus suddenly give his approval to Hermia for her to marry Lysander having opposed it so strongly at the beginning ? Without adding any new text or gimmicks Nunn made it entire clear. |
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Post by caa on Sept 12, 2016 13:09:53 GMT
Having seen Emma Rice direct Cymbeline for Kneehigh 10 years ago, and her production of Midsummer Nights Dream I think her approach to both plays was very similar.
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Post by Jan on Sept 12, 2016 13:18:55 GMT
Having seen Emma Rice direct Cymbeline for Kneehigh 10 years ago, and her production of Midsummer Nights Dream I think her approach to both plays was very similar. Not really, her production of Cymbeline didn't use ANY of the original Shakespeare text. |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Sept 12, 2016 15:14:51 GMT
I have always taken a very fluid approach to my Shakespeare productions. My style has varied but I have always wanted to have very clear storytelling and a fidelity to the text without being slavish about it. I am not a purist in any way. My favourite three Shakespeare productions are the McKellan Richard III, the Vegas Merchant of Venice and Aberg's RSC King John (which I acknowledge was a divisive interpretation)
I have always cut the text and changed language to help understanding. I have always engaged in cross-casting as far as I could - without disturbing the structures of the play.
I am open to new ways of approaching Shakespeare. Having watched the stream of the Rice Dream, I felt it was in many ways very derivative and lacking in real originality. It was clearly a crowd-pleaser and there is much to be said for bringing in new audiences - but you have to show them Shakespeare if they return to see other productions in different styles and not to feel as if they don't belong there. I fear that people who are introduced to Shakespeare via the Rice Dream will struggle with a more 'traditional' approach.
The Globe has always taken risks - like the all-male and all-female ensembles, the three person Tempest, the work with OP productions. It shouldn't be a stale historical place - but you can take things too far in the opposite direction.
I don't think this Dream was too far. I think it was poorly cast and poorly executed. That is a far bigger problem. If you don't love and understand Shakespeare, your audiences won't either.
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