R and G Are Dead - a review from a friend.
Thu, 4 July 2002, 12:12 pmPamela1 post in thread
R and G Are Dead - a review from a friend.
Thu, 4 July 2002, 12:12 pm------------------------
Rosencrantz & Guildernstern are Dead - leece's little play reviews No.2
I am astounded that not more people have written reviews for
this excellent production. Having had this brought to my attention I
will now give one of my unscientific, stream-of-consciousness rambling
reviews.
It deserves better than me, but it has got that with JB's earlier review.
R & G has been one of my favourite plays since I was first introduced to
it in 1984. Since the first matinee viewing at the Playhouse I have seen
it various times, with varying degrees of success.
With this production the audience has been gathered up in a
close whirlwind of darting lines,humour, puns, sympathy and mounting
tension, in Guildernstern's and Rosencranz's cages of lightning wit and
expression. All because our two leads are skilled masters of gesture,
voice and delivery.
As well as the actors' composure in stalking coins around the set, it
all looked entirely natural.
After Salieri and Withnal Mr McCann could probably get
a lot of people to pay to listen to him read out the telephone
directory. More than once.
This first Saturday night the play was on was
an excellent example of the way this production should be. The audience was enchanted, from overheard conversations most of them had never seen or read this play before and they laughed and were shocked in all the right places, they followed the dialogue and understood it. They were in sync with production the whole time. They even sniggered at Mr Stoppard's not-at-all-veiled references to a Certain Other Play, especially the one mentioning the ambiguous scene with the leading character's mother.
The chilly desolation of the stage led me to think of Denmark in winter,
of cold stone and the industrial architecture of Claudius's crown
painted him as a ruthless, scheming, cold and hard king. Well played he was too. You could feel the audience's hackles rising when he came on stage.
Alfred of the Players was such a figure of pathos and so sweet if had not
been played so restrainedly would have carried the show quite away, the audience was so enchanted.
The Player himself was magnificent, a Harlequin figure, the only one able to make sense of it all, we pause, tensed for not so much his
revelations, but for their devastating effect on poor old R & G.
Beatifully choreographed, some good tight stage direction, masterful
improvisation and appropriately moody lighting as well.
There's stuff I haven't mentioned, but it was all completely
brilliant. Couldn't fault it. You all did very well and we loved you. I
would like to come and see you again this Saturday. Inspiration to us all.
Rating ***** Your favourite chocolate and your favourite liqueur or coffee and you in big armchair on a cold night in front of a real
fire.
___________________
[%sig%]
Rosencrantz & Guildernstern are Dead - leece's little play reviews No.2
I am astounded that not more people have written reviews for
this excellent production. Having had this brought to my attention I
will now give one of my unscientific, stream-of-consciousness rambling
reviews.
It deserves better than me, but it has got that with JB's earlier review.
R & G has been one of my favourite plays since I was first introduced to
it in 1984. Since the first matinee viewing at the Playhouse I have seen
it various times, with varying degrees of success.
With this production the audience has been gathered up in a
close whirlwind of darting lines,humour, puns, sympathy and mounting
tension, in Guildernstern's and Rosencranz's cages of lightning wit and
expression. All because our two leads are skilled masters of gesture,
voice and delivery.
As well as the actors' composure in stalking coins around the set, it
all looked entirely natural.
After Salieri and Withnal Mr McCann could probably get
a lot of people to pay to listen to him read out the telephone
directory. More than once.
This first Saturday night the play was on was
an excellent example of the way this production should be. The audience was enchanted, from overheard conversations most of them had never seen or read this play before and they laughed and were shocked in all the right places, they followed the dialogue and understood it. They were in sync with production the whole time. They even sniggered at Mr Stoppard's not-at-all-veiled references to a Certain Other Play, especially the one mentioning the ambiguous scene with the leading character's mother.
The chilly desolation of the stage led me to think of Denmark in winter,
of cold stone and the industrial architecture of Claudius's crown
painted him as a ruthless, scheming, cold and hard king. Well played he was too. You could feel the audience's hackles rising when he came on stage.
Alfred of the Players was such a figure of pathos and so sweet if had not
been played so restrainedly would have carried the show quite away, the audience was so enchanted.
The Player himself was magnificent, a Harlequin figure, the only one able to make sense of it all, we pause, tensed for not so much his
revelations, but for their devastating effect on poor old R & G.
Beatifully choreographed, some good tight stage direction, masterful
improvisation and appropriately moody lighting as well.
There's stuff I haven't mentioned, but it was all completely
brilliant. Couldn't fault it. You all did very well and we loved you. I
would like to come and see you again this Saturday. Inspiration to us all.
Rating ***** Your favourite chocolate and your favourite liqueur or coffee and you in big armchair on a cold night in front of a real
fire.
___________________
[%sig%]
PamelaThu, 4 July 2002, 12:12 pm
------------------------
Rosencrantz & Guildernstern are Dead - leece's little play reviews No.2
I am astounded that not more people have written reviews for
this excellent production. Having had this brought to my attention I
will now give one of my unscientific, stream-of-consciousness rambling
reviews.
It deserves better than me, but it has got that with JB's earlier review.
R & G has been one of my favourite plays since I was first introduced to
it in 1984. Since the first matinee viewing at the Playhouse I have seen
it various times, with varying degrees of success.
With this production the audience has been gathered up in a
close whirlwind of darting lines,humour, puns, sympathy and mounting
tension, in Guildernstern's and Rosencranz's cages of lightning wit and
expression. All because our two leads are skilled masters of gesture,
voice and delivery.
As well as the actors' composure in stalking coins around the set, it
all looked entirely natural.
After Salieri and Withnal Mr McCann could probably get
a lot of people to pay to listen to him read out the telephone
directory. More than once.
This first Saturday night the play was on was
an excellent example of the way this production should be. The audience was enchanted, from overheard conversations most of them had never seen or read this play before and they laughed and were shocked in all the right places, they followed the dialogue and understood it. They were in sync with production the whole time. They even sniggered at Mr Stoppard's not-at-all-veiled references to a Certain Other Play, especially the one mentioning the ambiguous scene with the leading character's mother.
The chilly desolation of the stage led me to think of Denmark in winter,
of cold stone and the industrial architecture of Claudius's crown
painted him as a ruthless, scheming, cold and hard king. Well played he was too. You could feel the audience's hackles rising when he came on stage.
Alfred of the Players was such a figure of pathos and so sweet if had not
been played so restrainedly would have carried the show quite away, the audience was so enchanted.
The Player himself was magnificent, a Harlequin figure, the only one able to make sense of it all, we pause, tensed for not so much his
revelations, but for their devastating effect on poor old R & G.
Beatifully choreographed, some good tight stage direction, masterful
improvisation and appropriately moody lighting as well.
There's stuff I haven't mentioned, but it was all completely
brilliant. Couldn't fault it. You all did very well and we loved you. I
would like to come and see you again this Saturday. Inspiration to us all.
Rating ***** Your favourite chocolate and your favourite liqueur or coffee and you in big armchair on a cold night in front of a real
fire.
___________________
[%sig%]
Rosencrantz & Guildernstern are Dead - leece's little play reviews No.2
I am astounded that not more people have written reviews for
this excellent production. Having had this brought to my attention I
will now give one of my unscientific, stream-of-consciousness rambling
reviews.
It deserves better than me, but it has got that with JB's earlier review.
R & G has been one of my favourite plays since I was first introduced to
it in 1984. Since the first matinee viewing at the Playhouse I have seen
it various times, with varying degrees of success.
With this production the audience has been gathered up in a
close whirlwind of darting lines,humour, puns, sympathy and mounting
tension, in Guildernstern's and Rosencranz's cages of lightning wit and
expression. All because our two leads are skilled masters of gesture,
voice and delivery.
As well as the actors' composure in stalking coins around the set, it
all looked entirely natural.
After Salieri and Withnal Mr McCann could probably get
a lot of people to pay to listen to him read out the telephone
directory. More than once.
This first Saturday night the play was on was
an excellent example of the way this production should be. The audience was enchanted, from overheard conversations most of them had never seen or read this play before and they laughed and were shocked in all the right places, they followed the dialogue and understood it. They were in sync with production the whole time. They even sniggered at Mr Stoppard's not-at-all-veiled references to a Certain Other Play, especially the one mentioning the ambiguous scene with the leading character's mother.
The chilly desolation of the stage led me to think of Denmark in winter,
of cold stone and the industrial architecture of Claudius's crown
painted him as a ruthless, scheming, cold and hard king. Well played he was too. You could feel the audience's hackles rising when he came on stage.
Alfred of the Players was such a figure of pathos and so sweet if had not
been played so restrainedly would have carried the show quite away, the audience was so enchanted.
The Player himself was magnificent, a Harlequin figure, the only one able to make sense of it all, we pause, tensed for not so much his
revelations, but for their devastating effect on poor old R & G.
Beatifully choreographed, some good tight stage direction, masterful
improvisation and appropriately moody lighting as well.
There's stuff I haven't mentioned, but it was all completely
brilliant. Couldn't fault it. You all did very well and we loved you. I
would like to come and see you again this Saturday. Inspiration to us all.
Rating ***** Your favourite chocolate and your favourite liqueur or coffee and you in big armchair on a cold night in front of a real
fire.
___________________
[%sig%]