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Author Topic: Theatre - The last play you saw, or are about to see  (Read 27011 times)

Thor

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Theatre - The last play you saw, or are about to see
« on: April 22, 2009, 04:42:11 PM »
Not sure if there's a thread for this. Probably should be. We have threads for all kinds of nonsense. I mean really, if you want to be scared by raw humanity, go back through some of the "No Movie Talk Allowed" and "Idle Chatter" threads...  :D

Anyways, I'm off to see Twelfth Night tonight at the CST, in honor of Shakey's b-day tomorrow. Jolly good.
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FLYmeatwad

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Re: Theatre - The last play you saw, or are about to see
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2009, 05:07:45 PM »
Very cool. I really want to see August In Osage County or whatever it's called, my American Drama professor last semester recommended we all try and go see it because he thought it was incredible. I can't wait for the film adaptation.

¡Keith!

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Re: Theatre - The last play you saw, or are about to see
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2009, 05:11:25 PM »
shakes schmakes - i want more linky filled meta goodness!

Ronan

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Re: Theatre - The last play you saw, or are about to see
« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2009, 06:12:18 AM »


Saw this at the weekend in the Gate Theatre in Dublin. Was pretty good but they did a better production of it 4 years ago in the Abbey

Emiliana

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Re: Theatre - The last play you saw, or are about to see
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2009, 09:08:02 AM »
The last play I saw was "Biographie" by Max Frisch (who is one of my favourite German language writers). It's about a man who gets the opportunity to go back and change his behaviour in certain key moments of his life. But can you really change the big picture by changing little details? And would you really change all that much given the chance, or would you realize that you couldn't have acted any other way at the time? It was pretty amazing, and I think it would also make a really good film.

This year is going to be the first in a while in which I won't be going to Stratford-upon-Avon to gorge myself on Shakespeare. I have done that four times in the last four years, each time seeing between five and eight different plays. This year, there just aren't enough plays on at the same time to warrant the time and money :( But I miss it already....

The next play I'm going to see here is "Der zerbrochne Krug" (The Broken Jug?) by Heinrich von Kleist. It's a classic of German literature, but somehow, I've never seen it before.

Thor

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Re: Theatre - The last play you saw, or are about to see
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2009, 09:50:51 AM »
Twelfth Night at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
(by William Shakespeare, directed by Josie Rourke)

CST always excels at bringing Shakespeare's comedies to life, often using musical interludes, smart choreography and clever re-conceptualizations to create a spirit of joviality in the crowd, and Twelfth Night did this brilliantly. Along with having live violinists accompany the opening "If music be the food of love...", many other witty songs were incorporated throughout, most brilliantly delivered by Ross Lehmann as the fool Feste. Looking like a slightly less haggard Mel Brooks, Lehmann steals the show here with one of the funniest performances I've ever seen - at one point, when reading Malvolio's letter of madness near the close - he basically brought the play to halt as the entire cast were clearly trying not to be overcome with giggles. It was a great moment that really emphasized how fun CST has made this whole performance, playing up the elements of festivity, sexuality and ribaldry, but still finding enough nuance to ensure that Malvolio's humiliation rightly transitions from juicy laughs to a slight, wincing distaste at how far he's mocked by these careless revelers.

It would be remiss if I didn't mention the set. Absolutely incredible. Made entirely from wooden slats that covered the sides of a deep and substantial square reflecting pool in the front of the stage, before coming out of the water in raised steps and then curving up around the sides of the back of the stage into a huge heart-shape, framing the entire thing. Not only stunning to look at, but richly enhancing the play's themes of reflectivity and doubling, most obviously when the twins finally see each other for the first time from across opposite corners of the pool, their reflections mingling, before they both jump in to the water together in joy at being reunited. A well earned moment, both poignant and celebratory. But really, the main point of that huge pool of water is that watching people dressed in Elizabethan clothes repeatedly fall and dive into water is funny, and there is unlimited comic joy in seeing heaps water dripping out of doublets and breeches.

Oh, and at the interval, they served everyone cake in honor of Shakey's birthday. Hey nonny nonny nom nom nom :D Happy 445th, Billy!
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ferris

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Re: Theatre - The last play you saw, or are about to see
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2009, 10:53:08 AM »
Movin' Out

Pretty solid evening of entertainment.

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Emiliana

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Re: Theatre - The last play you saw, or are about to see
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2009, 12:22:15 PM »
Twelfth Night at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
(by William Shakespeare, directed by Josie Rourke)

[rave review]

Oh, and at the interval, they served everyone cake in honor of Shakey's birthday. Hey nonny nonny nom nom nom :D Happy 445th, Billy!

I see what you did there! Nice...

Sounds like a wonderful evening, Thor, I'm jealous. I have yet to see a production of Twelfth Night where everything comes together - the Viola/Orsino/Olivia part of the play always seemed bland in comparison to the Feste/Malvolio/Sir Toby/Maria part.

Thor

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Re: Theatre - The last play you saw, or are about to see
« Reply #8 on: April 23, 2009, 12:27:12 PM »
Twelfth Night at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
(by William Shakespeare, directed by Josie Rourke)

[rave review]

Oh, and at the interval, they served everyone cake in honor of Shakey's birthday. Hey nonny nonny nom nom nom :D Happy 445th, Billy!

I see what you did there! Nice...

Sounds like a wonderful evening, Thor, I'm jealous. I have yet to see a production of Twelfth Night where everything comes together - the Viola/Orsino/Olivia part of the play always seemed bland in comparison to the Feste/Malvolio/Sir Toby/Maria part.

Yeah, I know what what you mean. They didn't totally overcome that (though the actresses playing Viola and Olivia were both excellent), but there's no denying that the play is at its best when Feste and Sir Toby and co are doing their thing... I think you have to blame that on the writer...  :)
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oneaprilday

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Re: Theatre - The last play you saw, or are about to see
« Reply #9 on: April 23, 2009, 04:51:04 PM »
Twelfth Night at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
(by William Shakespeare, directed by Josie Rourke)


Sounds wonderful, Thor! I love Twelfth Night - became prolly my favorite of Shakey's comedies after seeing a superb production of it in London in 1996.