The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 10.0704  Wednesday, 21 April 1999.

From:           Mike Jensen <
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Date:           Tuesday, 20 Apr 1999 15:36:17 -0700
Subject: Re: Keanu Does Shakespeare
Comment:        SHK 10.06638 Re: Keanu Does Shakespeare

A few days back Janet MacLellan reviewed reasons for delivering Don
John's lines stiffly as a means of defending Keanu Reeves.  She ended:

>It is a "stiff"-sounding language to begin with. In casting as his Don
>John an actor whose movies continue to do well at the box office despite
>the frequent stiffness of his performances, Branagh made an oddly
>appropriate choice.

If I may respectfully disagree?

I don't remember the name of the very fine actor who played Don John in
the BBC version - which is embarrassing because I met him hanging out at
the Rose Theater site a decade ago - but he too gave a "stiff"
performance.  The difference between his performance and that of Mr.
Reeves shows just what stiff Reeves was in that film.  I take your point
about the way Don John is written.  I don't take your point about his
performance in Branagh's film.

Mike Jensen