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thehefner... till he be eas'd with being nothing."
It's amazing what one can find on YouTube these days.
RICHARD II, starring Derek Jacobi with John Gielgud as John of Gaunt. One of the two or three genuinely brilliant productions from the BBC's complete Shakespeare series.
EDIT: Blast, I thought they posted the whole thing on there. Here, instead of the first scene, have the last one, to contrast with the Rylance one below.
It's available on DVD, so one way or another, this is an absolute must-see. Jacobi's performance moves me to tears, especially with his "NO!!!" But my first introduction to this little-seen play came when I saw Mark Rylance's production at the Globe in London.
And why oh why oh why did I not know the BBC filmed the Globe production?!
It's only on YouTube in excerpts. Where the hell can I get a full recording?! It's not often you can have a filmed version of one of the greatest Shakespearean theatrical experiences of your life.
God, RICHARD II. I cannot imagine a Shakespeare play that could possibly be more punishing to read yet rewarding to see live (and done well). It's a whole play entirely devoid of action and filled with long, long speeches of self-pity. But what self-pity. In the hands of Jacobi and Rylance, self-pity becomes heartwrenching, saintly, even angelic, which is all the more remarkable coming from a character who started off the play as a petulant jerkass, not unlike my version of King John. Yet the more power he loses, he more dignity and grace he gains.
Man, I need to get full versions of both productions. Like, yesterday.
EDIT AGAIN: There was a TV production in 1970 of Ian McKellen as Richard?! Egad, it must be mine!
It's amazing what one can find on YouTube these days.
RICHARD II, starring Derek Jacobi with John Gielgud as John of Gaunt. One of the two or three genuinely brilliant productions from the BBC's complete Shakespeare series.
EDIT: Blast, I thought they posted the whole thing on there. Here, instead of the first scene, have the last one, to contrast with the Rylance one below.
It's available on DVD, so one way or another, this is an absolute must-see. Jacobi's performance moves me to tears, especially with his "NO!!!" But my first introduction to this little-seen play came when I saw Mark Rylance's production at the Globe in London.
And why oh why oh why did I not know the BBC filmed the Globe production?!
It's only on YouTube in excerpts. Where the hell can I get a full recording?! It's not often you can have a filmed version of one of the greatest Shakespearean theatrical experiences of your life.
God, RICHARD II. I cannot imagine a Shakespeare play that could possibly be more punishing to read yet rewarding to see live (and done well). It's a whole play entirely devoid of action and filled with long, long speeches of self-pity. But what self-pity. In the hands of Jacobi and Rylance, self-pity becomes heartwrenching, saintly, even angelic, which is all the more remarkable coming from a character who started off the play as a petulant jerkass, not unlike my version of King John. Yet the more power he loses, he more dignity and grace he gains.
Man, I need to get full versions of both productions. Like, yesterday.
EDIT AGAIN: There was a TV production in 1970 of Ian McKellen as Richard?! Egad, it must be mine!
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no subject
Date: 2008-09-11 05:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-11 05:42 am (UTC)Jacobi reading Dahl? Holy crap, I must find it. I have tapes of him reading Fagles' translation for THE ILIAD, but I'm not quite ready to commit to that.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-11 05:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-11 05:55 am (UTC)Seriously, I, CLAUDIUS! Go, watch, it's so magnificent!
no subject
Date: 2008-09-11 05:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-11 05:16 pm (UTC)And the videos/DVDs are out there--she just got a new set from a friend travelling back from England. So, maybe the BBC website?
Yet the more power he loses, he more dignity and grace he gains.
Yes, yes, a million times, yes. This is why you'd be my favorite to cast if I ever direct RII. You get it.
It would be interesting to see a company somewhere do a whole War of the Roses cycle--RII through HVI pt.3--in what would have to be at least two seasons. But with a casting continuity, same Bolingbroke, the same Gaunt, etc. Kind of like a theatrical mini-series.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-11 05:33 pm (UTC)That means so much to hear you say that. If the Rudes ever were to do it, I would make time to be a part of that. Preferably as a winter production so I wouldn't be Fringing... *cough*
I believe some company in London actually did recently do the full War of the Roses cycle as an epic staged mini-series with the same cast! Was it the Globe? I dunno,
no subject
Date: 2008-09-11 05:37 pm (UTC)Sadly, I think JC is my swan song with the Rudes. An hour commute is just a bit much being a one-car family with a kiddo running around.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-12 04:40 am (UTC)In other news, I should totally brag on my teachers more. They farkin' rocked. How often do you get to watch Alexandre Nevsky and listen to Tori Amos in one Music Appreciate class? Or are asked to create a 3D representation of Vietnam.
Man, I was one lucky kid.