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Post by Jan on Apr 6, 2020 17:22:38 GMT
Yes. It's that thing where you ask people to list their favourite all-time pop music and they list what was popular when they were 13. That describes my list that includes 5 RSC productions from the late 2000s to the early 2010s, when Michael Boyd was in charge. Boyd is a very good director. His history cycle was great, and he directed a very good Midsummer Nights Dream, but for me his best was Troilus and Cressida set between the wars in Belfast as Nationalists vs Unionists, it resolved (just for example) that issue about it being a city apparently under seige but each side are somehow free to come and go and mix together. It had a Catholic priest wielding a machine gun too. It was a small-scale production, not sure many people saw it. The last time I mentioned it here someone said they disliked the equivalence it made between Helen of Troy and Mary Mother of God, but for me that fitted right into the concept. |
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Post by Dawnstar on Apr 6, 2020 21:35:30 GMT
Can we do this including productions of operas & ballets based on Shakespeare? Because I reckon I've seen more Shakespeare in operatic form than I have the actual plays.
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Post by bordeaux on Apr 7, 2020 8:04:04 GMT
Can we do this including productions of operas & ballets based on Shakespeare? Because I reckon I've seen more Shakespeare in operatic form than I have the actual plays. Yes, that would be just as interesting. We love a list. And there are no rules! |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Apr 7, 2020 11:59:33 GMT
Falstaff can often be more enjoyable than a bad production of Merry Wives.
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Post by Dawnstar on Apr 7, 2020 12:19:49 GMT
In which case, my top 10. Ordered by artform rather than overall preference, as it's too difficult to compare the artforms. The dates are when I saw them, not when the production originated (the RB's R&J is the original from the 1960s, for instance). I have reluctantly decided that Kiss Me Kate & Lend Me A Tenor do not include enough Shakespearean scenes to qualify!
Plays
The Comedy of Errors Globe tour 2009
Much Ado About Nothing Globe 2011
The Merchant of Venice Globe 2015
Love's Labour's Lost RSC 2017 (West End transfer)
Much Ado About Nothing RSC 2017 (West End transfer)
Ballet
Romeo & Juliet RB 2019
Opera
Sir John In Love ENO 2006
Otello WNO 2008
Beatrice et Benedict WNO 2012 (the opera itself isn't nearly as good as Much Ado but the production was gorgeous)
Musical
A Winter's Tale Landor 2012
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Post by maggiem on Apr 7, 2020 13:39:51 GMT
In no particular order, and some of these are from streaming or TV/DVDs
Henry VI 1,2 & 3 and Richard III (BBC 1982/83?) Four Sundays of politics, intrigue and brilliant performances!
Twelfth Night (Globe: Mark Rylance & Johnny Flynn) One of the biggest laughs I've had.
Timon of Athens (NT Simon R-B): my first-seen production of a rarely performed Shakespeare.
Merchant of Venice (RSC 2011) the Las Vegas themed one. Scott Handy in the trial scene portrayed the terror so well!
Much Ado about Nothing (RSC 1983) Never forgot the all white costumes and mirrored stage reflecting DJ and SC's dance at the end!
Julius Caesar (Bridge 2018) Still feel privileged to have had a promenade ticket for this. I really felt like a member of the mob when David Morrissey spoke the eulogy for Caesar.
Midsummer Night's Dream (Bridge 2019) Wildly funny take on the play, a daring role-reversal.
Hamlet (Harold Pinter 2017) Loved Andrew Scott's performance more than BC at the Barbican, as it felt so much more intimate.
Macbeth RSC 1976) Only seen this on video, later DVD, and I wish I'd been able to see it on stage. Brilliant all round.
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Post by theatremad on Apr 7, 2020 14:36:35 GMT
In which case, my top 10. Ordered by artform rather than overall preference, as it's too difficult to compare the artforms. The dates are when I saw them, not when the production originated (the RB's R&J is the original from the 1960s, for instance). I have reluctantly decided that Kiss Me Kate & Lend Me A Tenor do not include enough Shakespearean scenes to qualify! Plays The Comedy of Errors Globe tour 2009 Much Ado About Nothing Globe 2011 The Merchant of Venice Globe 2015 Love's Labour's Lost RSC 2017 (West End transfer) Much Ado About Nothing RSC 2017 (West End transfer) Ballet Romeo & Juliet RB 2019 Opera Sir John In Love ENO 2006 Otello WNO 2008 Beatrice et Benedict WNO 2012 (the opera itself isn't nearly as good as Much Ado but the production was gorgeous) Musical A Winter's Tale Landor 2012Oh I had forgotten about Sir John in Love, that will have to be number 11 |
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Post by bordeaux on Apr 7, 2020 19:21:36 GMT
Falstaff can often be more enjoyable than a bad production of Merry Wives. Falstaff is a brilliant opera, an example of that rare phenomenon of something being better in its adaptation than in the original in my view. That might be true of a number of operas. I've never seen Beaumarchais' The Marriage of Figaro but I can't imagine it's anything like as good as the opera. I have seen Ostrovsky's The Storm and it's nothing like as good as Katya Kabanova. Perhaps the phenomenon is less rare than I thought five minutes ago.... |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Apr 7, 2020 21:07:49 GMT
Falstaff can often be more enjoyable than a bad production of Merry Wives. Falstaff is a brilliant opera, an example of that rare phenomenon of something being better in its adaptation than in the original in my view. That might be true of a number of operas. I've never seen Beaumarchais' The Marriage of Figaro but I can't imagine it's anything like as good as the opera. I have seen Ostrovsky's The Storm and it's nothing like as good as Katya Kabanova. Perhaps the phenomenon is less rare than I thought five minutes ago.... I did a readthrough once of The Barber of Seville play script and it was not a patch on the Rossini. I suspect the same is true of the sequel. There are some works of true genius and Barber/Figaro show Rossini and Mozart at their very best |
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Post by joem on Apr 24, 2020 23:48:32 GMT
I think my favourite productions are: All's Well that Ends Well - National Theatre - 2009 - Marianne Elliott Othello - Donmar Warehouse - 2007 - Michael Grandage King Lear - New London Theatre - 2007 - Trevor Nunn The Wars of the Roses - Rose Theatre - 2025 - Trevor Nunn Hamlet - Almeida Theatre - 2017 - Robert Icke Othello - 2004 - (Cheek by Jowl) - Declan Donnellan Julius Caesar - Bridge Theatre - 2018 - Nicholas Hytner Antony and Cleopatra - National Theatre - 1987 - Peter Hall Richard II - Globe Theatre - 2015 - Simon Godwin The Winter's Tale - Garrick Theatre - 2015 - Kenneth Branagh I don't think I can bear to wait five years to see Trevor Nunn doing the Wars of the Roses. |
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Post by dlevi on Apr 25, 2020 6:48:57 GMT
What I love about these lists is that inevitably they reveal the maker's rough age and years of theatre going experience. I wonder how many of these were the first or second Shakespeare that we experienced?
In any event here's mine:
1. A Midsummer Nights Dream ( Peter Brook RSC 1970)
2. Henry V- Jude Law ( Grandage)
3. Hamlet - Andrew Scott ( Icke)
4. Hamlet - Nicol Williamson ( Tony Richardson)
5. The Winter's Tale ( Branagh/Ashford)
6. Love's Labour's Lost ( Nunn /National)
7. King Lear ( Jacobi / Grandage Donmar)
8. As You LIke It ( Adiran Lester /Declan Donellan)
9. Midsummer Night's Dream ( Hytner /Bridge)
10. Twelfth Night ( Mendes/ Donmar)
This list was harder to make than I thought so many fine productions over the years.
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Post by Jan on Apr 26, 2020 11:39:18 GMT
That Love’s Labour’s Lost at NT was not that well reviewed and is rarely mentioned, but it is on my list. Part of the joy of it was that it was cross-cast with Anything Goes which was also great.
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Post by lynette on Apr 27, 2020 12:21:31 GMT
That Love’s Labour’s Lost at NT was not that well reviewed and is rarely mentioned, but it is on my list. Part of the joy of it was that it was cross-cast with Anything Goes which was also great. For me the RSC LLL ,the one set just before WWI was the best of recent times. It really got the heart of the play, its melancholy. |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Apr 27, 2020 18:07:11 GMT
I did enjoy that LLL - it got the tone just right. Unlike the Much Ado that went with it - which really didn't.
Shame the BBC are showing the Much Ado rather than the LLL - as I would have liked to have seen it again (if only for the rooftop scene with the letters - which was joyous)
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Post by bordeaux on Apr 28, 2020 7:23:25 GMT
I did enjoy that LLL - it got the tone just right. Unlike the Much Ado that went with it - which really didn't. Shame the BBC are showing the Much Ado rather than the LLL - as I would have liked to have seen it again (if only for the rooftop scene with the letters - which was joyous) Are you talking about the same LLL?! I assumed Lynette was talking about the Ian Judge 1993 one with Jeremy Northam , not the Christopher Luscombe one. |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Apr 28, 2020 9:14:16 GMT
I was talking about the Luscombe one. The 1993 doesn't count as recent times to me...
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Post by Fleance on Apr 29, 2020 3:14:51 GMT
Ten Favorites plus one
All's Well that Ends Well (RSC/Barbican, 1982, Trevor Nunn) Peggy Ashcroft, Philip Franks, Harriet Walter, Roger Allam
Twelfth Night — (RSC/Barbican, 1984, John Caird) Emrys James, Daniel Massey, Zoe Wanamaker
The Merry Wives of Windsor (RSC/Barbican, 1985, Bill Alexander) Peter Jeffrey, Sheila Steafel, Lindsay Duncan, Janet Dale
King Lear (National/Olivier, 1986, David Hare) Anthony Hopkins, Michael Bryant, Bill Nighy, Roshan Seth, Anna Massey, Douglas Hodge
The Plantagenets (RSC/Barbican 1989, Adrian Noble) Ralph Fiennes, Penny Downie, David Waller
Troilus and Cressida (RSC/Barbican Pit, 1991, Sam Mendes) Ralph Fiennes, Amanda Root, Simon Russell Beale, Ciaran Hinds, Norman Rodway
Measure for Measure (RSC/Young Vic, 1992, Trevor Nunn) David Haig, Claire Skinner
Henry V (RSC/Barbican, 1995, Matthew Warchus) Iain Glen
The Merchant of Venice (National/Cottesloe, 1999, Trevor Nunn) Henry Goodman, Derbhle Crotty
Hamlet (Almeida, 2017, Robert Icke) Andrew Scott, Juliet Stevenson, Jessica Brown Findlay
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bridge, 2019, Nicholas Hytner) Gwendoline Christie, Oliver Chris, Hammed Animashaun, David Moorst
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Post by Jan on Apr 29, 2020 6:42:15 GMT
Ten Favorites plus oneThe Merry Wives of Windsor (RSC/Barbican, 1985, Bill Alexander) Peter Jeffrey, Sheila Steafel, Lindsay Duncan, Janet Dale Bingo ! I saw all of those. I'd forgotten that Merry Wives set in the 1950s, very good - but I don't think it's a good play. I very rarely go to opera but I saw the ENO "Sir John in Love" version of it mentioned above and I thought it was awful - the terrible acting put me off. |
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Post by Jan on Apr 29, 2020 6:45:02 GMT
That Love’s Labour’s Lost at NT was not that well reviewed and is rarely mentioned, but it is on my list. Part of the joy of it was that it was cross-cast with Anything Goes which was also great. For me the RSC LLL ,the one set just before WWI was the best of recent times. It really got the heart of the play, its melancholy. The NT production was framed at the start and end by scenes in the WWI trenches - it was presented as Berowne's memory of that summer just before the war started. |
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Post by lynette on Apr 29, 2020 13:11:57 GMT
I did enjoy that LLL - it got the tone just right. Unlike the Much Ado that went with it - which really didn't. Shame the BBC are showing the Much Ado rather than the LLL - as I would have liked to have seen it again (if only for the rooftop scene with the letters - which was joyous) Are you talking about the same LLL?! I assumed Lynette was talking about the Ian Judge 1993 one with Jeremy Northam , not the Christopher Luscombe one. Right to assume I don’t know what I’m talking about on most occasions but here I mean the Luscombe one, with the roof top scene. |
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Post by Fleance on Apr 29, 2020 13:55:34 GMT
Ten Favorites plus oneThe Merry Wives of Windsor (RSC/Barbican, 1985, Bill Alexander) Peter Jeffrey, Sheila Steafel, Lindsay Duncan, Janet Dale Bingo ! I saw all of those. I'd forgotten that Merry Wives set in the 1950s, very good - but I don't think it's a good play. I very rarely go to opera but I saw the ENO "Sir John in Love" version of it mentioned above and I thought it was awful - the terrible acting put me off. I agree. That's one of the things I liked about that production. It's not one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, but Bill Alexander's production made it hugely enjoyable. |
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