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Post by David J on May 7, 2016 22:39:26 GMT
I can only concur with Steve that Rice's carnival of a show turns everything on its head. Not only gender, tone and music but just how we perceive how Globe productions should be performed.
I could complain that Katy Owen resorts to shouting a lot as Puck.
I could complain that the whole pre-show announcements that the mechanicals make goes on for ages.
I could complain that the production doesn't explore some dark undertones further (Lysander the sexual predator, or a drunk Oberon caressing the sleeping Titania as he gives her the love potion).
I could complain that the text gets overshadowed by the way characters frequently change between delivering the text to either singing, using modern language, or speaking the text to music.
I could complain that the use of lighting (which in this Rock gig/carnival setting I really loved) only works during the evening productions.
I could complain that some of the staging left me scratching my head (such as Puck passing right by Demetrius and Helenus after she mistakenly gives Lysander the love potion)
But really this is A Midsummer Night's Dream. This isn't Shakespeare's deepest play and deserves to be down right fun. And not only does this production achieve that, but like the mechanicals and the lovers who are subject to the fairies' mischief, I was amazed, dumb-founded, and surprised.
And surprised is what I want to be when I see another Shakespeare production. To realise that there is no end of possibilities to what you can do with a play and this did that.
That being said I hope this isn't all we can expect from Emma Rice's Shakespeare production. I can see this working again in The Comedy of Errors or even Twelfth Night where the carnival and misrule elements appear again.
A great director is one who doesn't do the same thing again and again (I'm looking at you Jamie Lloyd and Lucy Bailey), but to show variety.
And I also think variety is best for this current season. Let the other director's do their thing, Emma Rice |
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Post by David J on May 7, 2016 22:52:27 GMT
Oh, and usually Midsummer is the best introduction to Shakespeare for kids, but I would express caution with this production.
Unless you are prepared to answer some awkward questions
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Post by partytentdown on May 8, 2016 8:33:12 GMT
Oh, and usually Midsummer is the best introduction to Shakespeare for kids, but I would express caution with this production. Unless you are prepared to answer some awkward questions Awkward why?... |
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2016 8:54:45 GMT
I mean, it's right there in the text that Helena offers to let Demetrius use her as his spaniel, and that he threatens to "do [her] mischief in the wood", and that Oberon uses a date-rape drug to trick his wife-figure into non-consensual bestiality, so if you haven't had to answer awkward questions for your kids before now with Midsummer, then you must've seen some pretty placid productions.  |
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Post by mallardo on May 8, 2016 9:12:56 GMT
Not to be a nit-picker but is it bestiality if only the head is beast-ly?
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2016 9:24:38 GMT
Not to be a nit-picker but is it bestiality if only the head is beast-ly? Ask Ivana. |
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Post by David J on May 8, 2016 9:29:00 GMT
I mean, it's right there in the text that Helena offers to let Demetrius use her as his spaniel, and that he threatens to "do [her] mischief in the wood", and that Oberon uses a date-rape drug to trick his wife-figure into non-consensual bestiality, so if you haven't had to answer awkward questions for your kids before now with Midsummer, then you must've seen some pretty placid productions. Oh, the things you don't know my dear Baemax... Anyway whilst I do agree that this is doesnt represent Shakespeare well, I do think this is a great interpretation of the play |
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Post by partytentdown on May 8, 2016 9:42:57 GMT
I mean, it's right there in the text that Helena offers to let Demetrius use her as his spaniel, and that he threatens to "do [her] mischief in the wood", and that Oberon uses a date-rape drug to trick his wife-figure into non-consensual bestiality, so if you haven't had to answer awkward questions for your kids before now with Midsummer, then you must've seen some pretty placid productions. Exactly. 400 years of awkward discussions with your kids? get over it. I don't really understand the Telegraph's bizarre write up: www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/to-modernise-or-not-to-modernise-thats-not-the-point---youll-fin/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitterSeems to be saying it's a bad thing that new audiences are being attracted to the theatre. Fair enough hate the show, but its own reviewer gave it a glowing 4 star review! |
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Post by waybeyondblue on May 8, 2016 9:53:27 GMT
Saw this last night. It's an entertaining show but at the wrong venue. The Globe provides a period environment in which to perform naturally. There are plenty of other places to put on on a Cirque de Soleil.
I agree about making her mark but it's at the cost of the play. It was interesting looking round at how many crossed arms there were during the happy clappy bits.
Next year's best friend sub is on hold pending Macbeth - screw that one up and I do desire we may become better strangers.
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2016 12:16:22 GMT
The writer also recently wrote about how you should only ever listen to The Beatles' 'Revolver' on vinyl as he did when it first came out. So he must be arund sixty or so (I'm not that much younger) but has got stuck in an era and isn't interested in the changes that life brings, well, it is the Telegraph I suppose. EDIT: I just Googled it, he's 58. |
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2016 16:54:13 GMT
Not to be a nit-picker but is it bestiality if only the head is beast-ly? I think there's enough clues in the text to suggest that Bottom was turned all the way into an ass, from Titania's "methought I was enamoured of an ass" to Bottom's "Methought I was - and methought I had - ", but for ease of telling the story on stage, what with a human actor being easier to direct than an ass, and probably better at delivering dialogue too, plus in the interests of keeping it humorous rather than disgusting, we accept the convention that Bottom just grows ears and a tail, or gets a new head, and makes "heehaw" noises a bunch in between lines. Anyway, it's Oberon's behaviour that I personally find unforgivable, not Titania's, so the bestiality part isn't quiiiiite as relevant as the fairy roofie part.  |
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Post by peggs on May 8, 2016 21:23:20 GMT
The writer also recently wrote about how you should only ever listen to The Beatles' 'Revolver' on vinyl as he did when it first came out. So he must be arund sixty or so (I'm not that much younger) but has got stuck in an era and isn't interested in the changes that life brings, well, it is the Telegraph I suppose. EDIT: I just Googled it, he's 58. What a grumpy article, so tired of reading how Rice is going to led people talk, cheer and babies in like that wasn't quite likely at the Globe long before she set foot there. This production and the others may or may not be everyone's cup of tea but people have been interpreting Shakespeare, Marlowe for hundreds of years and they've survived so far so I dare say they will continue to do so. The point made re the National and the first production not necessarily being all that is to come is I hope a relevant one, I loathed Everyman but have enjoyed myself there since and am more interested in what seems to be coming out now so that may well ring true for the Globe too. |
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Post by peggs on May 8, 2016 21:24:14 GMT
Great review Steve. Makes me wish I had booked just to see what it is all about. But then the balloons...hmmm Oh those balloons and how they scarred you Lynette, maybe these ones wouldn't be so bad?! |
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Post by peggs on May 8, 2016 21:26:33 GMT
I mean, it's right there in the text that Helena offers to let Demetrius use her as his spaniel, and that he threatens to "do [her] mischief in the wood", and that Oberon uses a date-rape drug to trick his wife-figure into non-consensual bestiality, so if you haven't had to answer awkward questions for your kids before now with Midsummer, then you must've seen some pretty placid productions. I'm sure they sold us this as a romance with some delightfully skipping fairies at school, we were clearly duped |
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Post by lynette on May 8, 2016 21:55:17 GMT
You are right Peggs, at school MND is seen as safe for the younger kids but it is all about sex! Same with Romeo and Juliet which is seen as safe for teenagers. Well, more relevant for sure but teachers rarely share the dirty jokes.
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Post by altamont on May 9, 2016 9:54:28 GMT
I have two tickets for the Sunday 15th performance at 13.00 - front row of the middle gallery (Bay D, A9 and A10) and they cost £40 each. We aren't able to use them now and I'll be returning them to the box office tomorrow for resale - but if anyone is interested, please let me know - they are "print at home" so I can email them.
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Post by Steve on May 10, 2016 19:14:53 GMT
Saw this last night. It's an entertaining show but at the wrong venue. The Globe provides a period environment in which to perform naturally. There are plenty of other places to put on on a Cirque de Soleil. I agree about making her mark but it's at the cost of the play. It was interesting looking round at how many crossed arms there were during the happy clappy bits. Next year's best friend sub is on hold pending Macbeth - screw that one up and I do desire we may become better strangers. Of course we all have different ideas of what the Globe is for. No doubt purists are against female performers and night time shows, illuminated by electric lights. My own personal redline is the Groundling/Seat divide. That brings it's own special energy, that I love. If Emma Rice abolishes groundlings, and installs premium seating in the pit, administered by Lovetheatre, with a £15 booking fee, I'm out lol. |
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Post by partytentdown on May 10, 2016 19:27:00 GMT
Photos of Taming of the Shrew they've tweeted look like costume/set isn't modern day or Elizabethan but that sort of generic olde style they used in Hamlet etc.
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 9:33:08 GMT
Overheard from a groundling in the interval last night: Until tonight, I always thought that Shakespeare was a bit proper. Now I know he wrote about real people.
The whole audience loved this show. It made me so happy.
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Post by addictedtotheatre on May 26, 2016 8:16:41 GMT
Saw this yesterday afternoon, and gosh it was entertaining. So much invention! One thing I really liked was that the actors are now miked; yes, its not authentic but open air venues didn't have airliners flying over few minutes in Shakespeare's time.
Anyway, I came home and booked for everything else in the season.
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2016 8:23:42 GMT
Saw this yesterday afternoon, and gosh it was entertaining. So much invention! One thing I really liked was that the actors are now miked; yes, its not authentic but open air venues didn't have airliners flying over few minutes in Shakespeare's time. Anyway, I came home and booked for everything else in the season. That bolded bit is honestly the most sensible thing I've heard anyone say about the new season so far. It's so obvious and sensible, and yet the purists rebel against it even though helicopters are a regular thing. |
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2016 8:27:20 GMT
YES. Dear lord all I've heard is moans that it's not 'what the Globe was' funny enough not all of us thought the existing Globe was the second coming....anyway I enjoy hearing what's said on stage too.
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2016 8:57:21 GMT
One of the glories of this show is how it directly references and playfully comments upon many past features of Shakespeare's Globe, warmly and generously celebrating some of the eccentricities of the venue that some of us have more rudely moaned about.
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Post by CG on the loose on May 26, 2016 10:00:08 GMT
Well the comments on this thread were enough to make me book - I'm a relative newbie to the Globe and not much of a Shakespeare aficionado, but really looking forward to it. Couldn't quite resist the lure (and seating options) of the midnight show on 26 August - silverlining, there maybe less flyovers at that time too!
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Post by cirque on May 26, 2016 11:27:46 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.
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