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Post by Honoured Guest on Nov 21, 2017 17:07:03 GMT
That's understandable, he's only been a stalwart of Greg Doran's RSC casting since he took over in 2013 with a bunch of other RSC credits before then. ? If you're defining "high-profile" as "having been cast by the RSC under Greg Doran", then each and every RSC cast member is "high-profile". Seems a perversely circular way of considering this.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Nov 21, 2017 17:16:01 GMT
I'm going to see this next week and now I'm scared it will be as flat as Coriolanus.
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Post by martin1965 on Nov 21, 2017 17:58:30 GMT
It is intriguing that Ralph Fiennes actively wanted to play the role (at NT next year) and was cast before Cleopatra - that is very unusual. Must feel he can bring something to it. More normal was the last NT production where they cast Helen Mirren and then realised they had a problem finding someone to play Antony. Alan Bates was cast and then withdrew at the last minute, Alan Rickman took over and was apparently (i didnt go).poor. Ironically not long after Bates played the role at Stratford opposite Frances de la Tour and was quite good. It is interesting about Fiennes, as you say unusual to find an actor actively going for the role.
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Post by Jan on Nov 21, 2017 18:28:10 GMT
It is intriguing that Ralph Fiennes actively wanted to play the role (at NT next year) and was cast before Cleopatra - that is very unusual. Must feel he can bring something to it. More normal was the last NT production where they cast Helen Mirren and then realised they had a problem finding someone to play Antony. It is interesting about Fiennes, as you say unusual to find an actor actively going for the role. Olivier did of course, partly I suppose because he was keen to promote his wife Vivien Leigh as a stage actor in the classics.
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Xanderl
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Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Nov 21, 2017 19:23:11 GMT
Despite the length of the part it is traditionally extremely hard to persuade any high-profile actor to play it - partly no doubt because it is Cleopatra's play and Antony disappears way before the end. Paul Scofield turned it down several times for example and McKellen/Jacobi and a host of high-profile others never played it. Of course, you can get round that problem by doing it in rep with Julius Caesar, where Antony is a much better part. Unless you do them in rep without cross-casting.
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Post by Jan on Nov 22, 2017 6:49:41 GMT
Despite the length of the part it is traditionally extremely hard to persuade any high-profile actor to play it - partly no doubt because it is Cleopatra's play and Antony disappears way before the end. Paul Scofield turned it down several times for example and McKellen/Jacobi and a host of high-profile others never played it. Of course, you can get round that problem by doing it in rep with Julius Caesar, where Antony is a much better part. Unless you do them in rep without cross-casting. Yes, that seems absolutely perverse in the current RSC season, why cast them differently ? I mean apparently they've got the same set and design concept ?
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Post by Jan on Nov 22, 2017 6:52:57 GMT
I'm going to see this next week and now I'm scared it will be as flat as Coriolanus. Well it's not Angus Jackson directing. (Just trying to give you some hope).
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Post by martin1965 on Nov 22, 2017 7:13:56 GMT
Of course, you can get round that problem by doing it in rep with Julius Caesar, where Antony is a much better part. Unless you do them in rep without cross-casting. Yes, that seems absolutely perverse in the current RSC season, why cast them differently ? I mean apparently they've got the same set and design concept ? They have, it seemed odd to me not to have Antony played by same actor. Did you see Fiennes in the Barbican Julius Caesar a while back? He was good as i recall.
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Post by Jan on Nov 22, 2017 7:58:19 GMT
Yes, that seems absolutely perverse in the current RSC season, why cast them differently ? I mean apparently they've got the same set and design concept ? They have, it seemed odd to me not to have Antony played by same actor. Did you see Fiennes in the Barbican Julius Caesar a while back? He was good as i recall. Yes I did see that, he was good from what I remember.
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Post by lynette on Nov 22, 2017 12:15:08 GMT
Yes, a missed opportunity for an aspiring actor. They always seem to think that Antony should be played by an Old established actor whom we are all crazy to see. no! NO No. slightly older than Octavius, yes, a touch of gristle... but it doesn’t have to be a 'name' and it would be fun to have the same bloke in both JC and Ant & Cleo. And the same Octavius. Etc etc..
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Xanderl
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Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Nov 22, 2017 12:58:22 GMT
I think in terms of historical events, Antony and Cleopatra starts 4 years after the end of Julius Caesar, so no reason not to use the same actors.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2017 14:56:43 GMT
I have only ever seen this play once. I saw the 1987 Judi Dench/Anthony Hopkins version directed by Peter Hall. I was very pleased to see it because I don’t think Hopkins ever appeared on stage again after that. It was brilliant.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2017 15:04:12 GMT
Actually, I also saw Talawa Theatre’s Version with Dona Kroll as Cleopatra. She was fab. I think that Josette Simon also appeared in the Dench/Hopkins production. Can anyone else remember?
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Post by Jan on Nov 22, 2017 17:27:14 GMT
Actually, I also saw Talawa Theatre’s Version with Dona Kroll as Cleopatra. She was fab. I think that Josette Simon also appeared in the Dench/Hopkins production. Can anyone else remember? I saw that one. Hopkins was good but Dench hopelessly miscast in my view. I don't remember Josette Simon being in it and the NT Archive suggests she wasn't. catalogue.nationaltheatre.org.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Performance&id=838&pos=1However, she had a small part in the RSC Adrian Noble/Helen Mirren/Michael Gambon production of it in the 1980s which is maybe what you were remembering.
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Post by bordeaux on Nov 22, 2017 21:12:28 GMT
I have only ever seen this play once. I saw the 1987 Judi Dench/Anthony Hopkins version directed by Peter Hall. I was very pleased to see it because I don’t think Hopkins ever appeared on stage again after that. It was brilliant. I'm pretty sure he was in M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang in 1989, the thing Clive Owen is in on Broadway at the mo.
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Post by lonlad on Nov 23, 2017 0:41:19 GMT
Yes, M BUTTERFLY at the Shaftesbury was the last thing Hopkins has done onstage in London - he was pretty terrible in it and gave the impression that he was embarrassed by the part. the play didn't do especially well here (having been a smash in NY a season or two before where it had several cast changes) and Hopkins's London co-star, Glen Goei, has totally vanished. FWIW, Owen is *excellent* in the current NY production - tremendously engaged and sympathetic.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Nov 23, 2017 0:59:12 GMT
Hopkins's London co-star, Glen Goei, has totally vanished. Actually he's a very active actor and theatre director in Singapore
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Post by Honoured Guest on Nov 23, 2017 17:53:29 GMT
M Butterfly with Anthony Hopkins was a huge popular hit at the Leicester Haymarket, immmediately prior to the Westy Endy transfer.
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Post by Honoured Guest on Nov 23, 2017 17:55:04 GMT
Hopkins's London co-star, Glen Goei, has totally vanished. Actually he's a very active actor and theatre director in Singapore Don't confuse the London-centric folk on here with facts!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2018 14:44:05 GMT
How long after 'Julius Caesar' is 'Tony & Cleo' set? Because I'm pretty sure they used the same Octavius from JC but not the same Mark Antony. In fact, Mark Antony from JC was someone else entirely in this one!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2018 14:49:16 GMT
Octavius in JC was Jon Tarcy, but in Antony & Cleopatra it was Ben Allen. I can see them looking reasonably similar from further back, but Tarcy does tend to play younger than Allen. Not, mind you, enough to justify James Corrigan turning into Antony Byrne within the same time frame!
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Xanderl
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Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Jan 11, 2018 14:59:42 GMT
As noted above - I think in terms of historical events, Antony and Cleopatra starts 4 years after the end of Julius Caesar, so no reason not to use the same actors. It seems really odd not to use the same cast for both give they were doing the two in rep.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2018 15:10:03 GMT
Well ta muchly @baemax and Xanderl, much obliged. I was sat in the first circle so far back enough to think the Octavius' (Octavii?) looked alike. I much preferred the Tony from JC, he was much more attractive. Perhaps they had to age him up a bit so that he matched with Josette Simon who was a bit older? I've just seen that she is 57. She's clearly got a painting in the attic somewhere, she looks amazing. And very brave to give everyone a flash of her asp towards the end too! The play drags on a bit though doesn't it. Although having said that, I did like it when they were playing with their toy boats. That was fun. Lovely curtain too. And I have to say that I do love it at the Barbecue when the lights go down and all of the doors along the sides close at the same time.
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Post by lynette on Jan 11, 2018 19:07:22 GMT
Yes, the Barbican door closing is the best thing in this theatre. Also it is slightly spooky.
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Post by Jan on Jan 12, 2018 10:55:00 GMT
Yes, the Barbican door closing is the best thing in this theatre. Also it is slightly spooky. What’s happened to the big shiny metal fire curtain though ? Haven’t seen it for years.
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Post by martin1965 on Jan 12, 2018 12:30:30 GMT
Yes, the Barbican door closing is the best thing in this theatre. Also it is slightly spooky. What’s happened to the big shiny metal fire curtain though ? Haven’t seen it for years. Is it broke? Havent been to the Barbican in yonks but surely its still there? Even when i went there a lot in the 90s i couldnt help but stare at the doors closing in unison😌
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2018 12:48:50 GMT
I haven't seen the fire curtain during my RSC trips, but I'm sure I've seen it during other shows in 2017.
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Post by TallPaul on Jan 12, 2018 13:27:21 GMT
What’s happened to the big shiny metal fire curtain though ? Haven’t seen it for years. There's a photo of it in the London Theatres book, so must still be operational, if not always used during performances.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jan 12, 2018 13:28:39 GMT
I didn’t notice last night for Cleo or for Corlianaus - I suspect it is more interesting than the actual Rome Season
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Post by Jan on Jan 12, 2018 14:22:38 GMT
I haven't seen the fire curtain during my RSC trips, but I'm sure I've seen it during other shows in 2017. So I wonder why the RSC don’t have to use it any more - did fire regulations change ? There used to be two bits of the stage at the front that used to automatically fold up in preparation for the curtain descending. Best use of the thing was when Terry Hands had it close during a climactic scene in Cyrano with Derek Jacobi.
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