The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 13.1272  Thursday, 9 May 2002

[1]     From:   Andrew Walker White <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Wednesday, 8 May 2002 11:36:02 -0400 (EDT)
        Subj:   Re: SHK 13.1267 The Hollow Crown

[2]     From:   Mark Williams <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Thursday, 9 May 2002 13:53:54 +1000
        Subj:   RE: SHK 13.1267 The Hollow Crown

[3]     From:   Peter Ayers <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Thursday, 09 May 2002 10:15:27 -0200
        Subj:   Re: SHK 13.1267 The Hollow Crown


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Andrew Walker White <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Wednesday, 8 May 2002 11:36:02 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: 13.1267 The Hollow Crown
Comment:        Re: SHK 13.1267 The Hollow Crown

I had the good fortune to see it during what I believe was its first US
tour, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.  Michael Redgrave, no
less, was in the cast.

The actors sat in a semi-circle, and with some occasional live musical
accompaniment, stitched together a wonderful evening of theatre.  I can
still hear the guitarist's use of harmonics to this day, and I recall
some Arthurian material being added into the Shakespearian mix.  Not
that the critics cared much for it, but I was enthralled.

But you know how faulty memory can be, so I hope others can correct me
on details of the staging.  I was just a high-school kid at the time.

Andy White

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Mark Williams <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Thursday, 9 May 2002 13:53:54 +1000
Subject: 13.1267 The Hollow Crown
Comment:        RE: SHK 13.1267 The Hollow Crown

Greetings from autumnal Melbourne

The Hollow Crown opened here last night as part of an Australia-New
Zealand Tour with Diana Rigg, Derek Jacobi, Donald Sinden and Ian
Richardson in the four speaking roles.  Needless to say a full opening
night house in the 1600-seat Her Majesty's Theatre enjoyed themselves
immensely as they went on John Barton's eclectic journey through the
beginnings - but mostly endings of the monarchs of England - often using
the writings or reported speech of the kings and queens themselves.  The
performance style is static and instead it is the language, delivered
with a masterful eye and ear for the audience, which means that, in this
case, you truly go to "hear" the play.

There is very little Shakespeare quoted apart from Richard II's
soliloquy and the script largely passes the Elizabethan era in favour of
other monarchs.  For me, the dialogue from the trial of Charles I early
in the second half with Jacobi as the king and Ian Richardson in effect
playing John Bradshaw was the most effective and made one sit up
properly with interest.  To have almost identical exchanges in real life
between Milosovic and his accusers reflected in the most famous
early-modern political trial thoroughly justified this revival.

Mark Williams.

[3]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Peter Ayers <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Thursday, 09 May 2002 10:15:27 -0200
Subject: 13.1267 The Hollow Crown
Comment:        Re: SHK 13.1267 The Hollow Crown

Though I have had ample opportunity, I have never seen The Hollow Crown;
it is however reputed to be excellent. The subject, however, intrigues
me because I received this Christmas past a mug, quite a handsome one,
from the Stratford, Ontario, festival gift shop that had on one side an
elegant crown, and on the other the quotation "uneasy lies the head that
wears the crown," correctly identified as coming from Henry IV pt. 2,
but attributed to Falstaff. What a world we live in! Or perhaps it was a
post-modernist joke.

_______________________________________________________________
S H A K S P E R: The Global Shakespeare Discussion List
Hardy M. Cook, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The S H A K S P E R Web Site <http://www.shaksper.net>

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