Wow. This is a GREAT review. Entertaining and well written and extremely informative and I agree with you on SO many points!
I also think that they and presumably the director - were well aware that this will be not only the first time some of the audience has seen Much Ado but for some, the first time they've seen any Shakespeare at all. I have to say that when I saw this production the first time (I've seen it twice already) I was COMPLETELY unfamiliar with Much Ado (although I've seen/read lots of other Shakespeare) so not only was I watching David and Catherine for the first time, I was also watching the story unfold for the first time and I really didn't have any difficulty understanding it, so I think they did do a very good job at making this accessible.
You hit the nail on the head in your paragraph about Claudio. That was something I really struggled with while watching this. I enjoyed the actor and I think he did a great job, but I just had such a hard time with the complete switch he makes at that point. And then in the end when it's revealed that she's alive and he's all in love again, well, I have a hard time buying and accepting that. He treated her horribly, he needed to do more to redeem himself. I think though that this is a flaw with the play and not the production and that the actor did the best he could with it, I just am not 100% happy with it story-wise, you know?
I have no idea how he does it, but somehow, the words coming out of his mouth sound as though he's speaking everyday "normal" English. Perhaps it's because those words are accompanied by such a wide range of facial expression and vocal inflection that it makes them easier to understand - I really don't know what it is. I'm quite familiar with the play, having seen it several times over the years, and studied it in depth, but that was a while ago and it's been a while since I've seen it, so I'm sure it wasn't all down to familiarity.
As someone who was completely unfamiliar with the play, I can honestly say that I agree with you here. Particularly when Tennant was speaking I sort of forgot that I was watching Shakespeare. I understood everything clearly and enjoyed every delectable moment.
I too was impressed by Catherine's bravery with the pulley scene. It is QUITE A distance and she moves around a LOT. But she does it so well and it's so funny I'm really glad they were able to stage it that way. The second time I saw the play (July 13th) she actually got stuck in the harness near the end of the scene. Everyone else had left the stage and she was supposed to unhook herself and walk to centre stage but she couldn't get the hook off and at one point it seemed she nearly burst out laughing as she tried to walk and was pulled back. Luckily one of the painters noticed and came to her rescue and she stayed in character the whole time so it worked!
The ending of the play is my favourite. I LOVE that kiss - like you said it's got a bit of "gimme some more of that" which I TOTALLY loved. And I love the amount of energy that the whole production gives off and all the dancing is just so much fun and enthusiastic - especially from David and Catherine. If I can, I really want to go again on closing night (it's sold out but if I see a ticket for sale somewhere I'll snag it or take my chances with lottery) just because I think they'll totally let go then. I love the song too. "Hey Noni, noni" is fantastic and I love that the cast all sing it.
Ahhhh I'm getting all nostalgic for this production again. I really must go to see it again once term is over and I'm not at work when the lottery is drawn at 10:30 *g*!
Thanks for a delightful review. I really enjoyed it!
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branchandroot
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Date: 2011-06-27 06:12 pm (UTC)I also think that they and presumably the director - were well aware that this will be not only the first time some of the audience has seen Much Ado but for some, the first time they've seen any Shakespeare at all. I have to say that when I saw this production the first time (I've seen it twice already) I was COMPLETELY unfamiliar with Much Ado (although I've seen/read lots of other Shakespeare) so not only was I watching David and Catherine for the first time, I was also watching the story unfold for the first time and I really didn't have any difficulty understanding it, so I think they did do a very good job at making this accessible.
You hit the nail on the head in your paragraph about Claudio. That was something I really struggled with while watching this. I enjoyed the actor and I think he did a great job, but I just had such a hard time with the complete switch he makes at that point. And then in the end when it's revealed that she's alive and he's all in love again, well, I have a hard time buying and accepting that. He treated her horribly, he needed to do more to redeem himself. I think though that this is a flaw with the play and not the production and that the actor did the best he could with it, I just am not 100% happy with it story-wise, you know?
I have no idea how he does it, but somehow, the words coming out of his mouth sound as though he's speaking everyday "normal" English. Perhaps it's because those words are accompanied by such a wide range of facial expression and vocal inflection that it makes them easier to understand - I really don't know what it is. I'm quite familiar with the play, having seen it several times over the years, and studied it in depth, but that was a while ago and it's been a while since I've seen it, so I'm sure it wasn't all down to familiarity.
As someone who was completely unfamiliar with the play, I can honestly say that I agree with you here. Particularly when Tennant was speaking I sort of forgot that I was watching Shakespeare. I understood everything clearly and enjoyed every delectable moment.
I too was impressed by Catherine's bravery with the pulley scene. It is QUITE A distance and she moves around a LOT. But she does it so well and it's so funny I'm really glad they were able to stage it that way. The second time I saw the play (July 13th) she actually got stuck in the harness near the end of the scene. Everyone else had left the stage and she was supposed to unhook herself and walk to centre stage but she couldn't get the hook off and at one point it seemed she nearly burst out laughing as she tried to walk and was pulled back. Luckily one of the painters noticed and came to her rescue and she stayed in character the whole time so it worked!
The ending of the play is my favourite. I LOVE that kiss - like you said it's got a bit of "gimme some more of that" which I TOTALLY loved. And I love the amount of energy that the whole production gives off and all the dancing is just so much fun and enthusiastic - especially from David and Catherine. If I can, I really want to go again on closing night (it's sold out but if I see a ticket for sale somewhere I'll snag it or take my chances with lottery) just because I think they'll totally let go then. I love the song too. "Hey Noni, noni" is fantastic and I love that the cast all sing it.
Ahhhh I'm getting all nostalgic for this production again. I really must go to see it again once term is over and I'm not at work when the lottery is drawn at 10:30 *g*!
Thanks for a delightful review. I really enjoyed it!