You should watch the rest of the “Playing Shakespeare” series. It’s about 8 hours long or so, and I imagine it must be on YouTube somewhere. Patrick Stewart’s in it, as is Ian McKellen, and other terrific actors. Excellent series overall. John Barton was director of The Royal Shakespeare Co. back in the day and he put it together. Very knowledgeable man on the Bard, acting, and the language of Shakespeare as well.
“Playing Shakespeare” is one of my favorite “educational” shows on Shakespeare of all time. I’ve watched it every few years since it first aired in the early 80’s. Really great to see all those wonderful actors working on playing Shakespeare. Top notch stuff.
What fun! I had the series in my Netflix queue – and I didn’t even know Mike was in it. So I bumped it to the top, and watched the first disc last night. I’ll have to buy it for use with my Shakespeare Club – a bunch of “bas bleu” ladies (and the occasional man) who get together to read Shakespeare for fun. (started in 1901 – my town was in the hinterlands – “culture” was what you made of it.) Since the advent of videotape, we’ve been letting the actors do all the hard work. And I don’t think we are really aware of how hard they DO work. (I’ll tell you of our encounter with Pericles, if you wish, but I don’t want to hijack your blog.)
Our club studies two plays a year, meeting 5 times, once for each act – in the Fall and in the Spring. In the day, the “director” actually directed, and the “critic” corrected the ladies’ pronunciation. Now, both offices just lead the discussion and share a video (or bits of multiple videos.) In the 114 years of the Club, the one play that had NEVER been studied was Pericles of Tyre, probably because it was too bawdy for the prim founders. But in our liberated days, we took it on last spring. I was “critic” and had to fill in several times for the ailing director. (Great way to do it: lower expectations – I just swotted up on Google and popped in the disc.) As critic, I just gave a historical presentation on bawdy houses and venereal diseases, but as acting director, I had to address the actual play. I remember telling the ladies not to expect much, and called Pericles “a cardboard King.” But Mike found humanity in the part that I certainly missed on the page. And I could see why Harold Bloom felt this was the one play of the canon that he’d rather see than read. (“Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human.”) We had a lively discussion on how actors make flat character live, and all in all, very much enjoyed the play.
Guilty confession time: it was while I was following links trying to find Mike’s other performances that I found your delightful blog. I hope you don’t kick me out as a cyber-stalker. I don’t regret it. I love your blog, and I also found clips of the RSC musical version of “A Comedy of Errors” – which I also love. (I hope it is available in Region I format when next I have to direct.)
LOL! That’s the story of my life. People wanting Mike but then they get me 😀
Mike’s old RSC performances are sold in their (online) shop, I think. Filmwise he doesn’t really like what he did except for On the Black Hill and How Green is my Valley (fabulous cast!)
LOL. Not just of the Shakespeare variety. He’s got an extraordinary quiet-charisma. We rarely meet people where it doesn’t lead to being invited to something. Problem is he prefers being at home rather than going out. That leaves me negotiating social situations… 🙂
My Mazamet 
Wow…that’s something a writer might do with prose. I’ve never seen it done ‘out loud’. Brilliant.
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🙂 It was a very amusing series. They explore a number of aspects of communication.
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It’s mind blowing to think that the really good actors have to actually /think/ that deeply about a part. Or perhaps that’s just Shakespearan actors.
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All good actors do it, and, to be a good actor, IMO, ya’ gotta tackle Shakespeare. Guy wrote the meatiest, best parts any actor could want to play.
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Acting is not something I know anything about. I’ve only ever watched the results from the outside. Now I’m seriously impressed.
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You should watch the rest of the “Playing Shakespeare” series. It’s about 8 hours long or so, and I imagine it must be on YouTube somewhere. Patrick Stewart’s in it, as is Ian McKellen, and other terrific actors. Excellent series overall. John Barton was director of The Royal Shakespeare Co. back in the day and he put it together. Very knowledgeable man on the Bard, acting, and the language of Shakespeare as well.
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I might just do that. 🙂
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Do you have the playing Shakespeare book? 😀
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I don’t. Didn’t know there was one. I’ll see if I can find one.
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If you can’t, just email me your address, I’ve got extra copies 🙂
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I’ll do that. Thanks! 🙂
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pink.agendist@yahoo.com
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All good ones do it 🙂 All good anything do it. Trump’s success is he identified all the right messages. As did Mussolini. Or Franco.
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Now isn’t /that/ scary. 😦
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“Playing Shakespeare” is one of my favorite “educational” shows on Shakespeare of all time. I’ve watched it every few years since it first aired in the early 80’s. Really great to see all those wonderful actors working on playing Shakespeare. Top notch stuff.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What fun! I had the series in my Netflix queue – and I didn’t even know Mike was in it. So I bumped it to the top, and watched the first disc last night. I’ll have to buy it for use with my Shakespeare Club – a bunch of “bas bleu” ladies (and the occasional man) who get together to read Shakespeare for fun. (started in 1901 – my town was in the hinterlands – “culture” was what you made of it.) Since the advent of videotape, we’ve been letting the actors do all the hard work. And I don’t think we are really aware of how hard they DO work. (I’ll tell you of our encounter with Pericles, if you wish, but I don’t want to hijack your blog.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Do tell!!!
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Our club studies two plays a year, meeting 5 times, once for each act – in the Fall and in the Spring. In the day, the “director” actually directed, and the “critic” corrected the ladies’ pronunciation. Now, both offices just lead the discussion and share a video (or bits of multiple videos.) In the 114 years of the Club, the one play that had NEVER been studied was Pericles of Tyre, probably because it was too bawdy for the prim founders. But in our liberated days, we took it on last spring. I was “critic” and had to fill in several times for the ailing director. (Great way to do it: lower expectations – I just swotted up on Google and popped in the disc.) As critic, I just gave a historical presentation on bawdy houses and venereal diseases, but as acting director, I had to address the actual play. I remember telling the ladies not to expect much, and called Pericles “a cardboard King.” But Mike found humanity in the part that I certainly missed on the page. And I could see why Harold Bloom felt this was the one play of the canon that he’d rather see than read. (“Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human.”) We had a lively discussion on how actors make flat character live, and all in all, very much enjoyed the play.
Guilty confession time: it was while I was following links trying to find Mike’s other performances that I found your delightful blog. I hope you don’t kick me out as a cyber-stalker. I don’t regret it. I love your blog, and I also found clips of the RSC musical version of “A Comedy of Errors” – which I also love. (I hope it is available in Region I format when next I have to direct.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL! That’s the story of my life. People wanting Mike but then they get me 😀
Mike’s old RSC performances are sold in their (online) shop, I think. Filmwise he doesn’t really like what he did except for On the Black Hill and How Green is my Valley (fabulous cast!)
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So, you’re a human shield, protecting Mike from aging Shakespeare fan-girls? Go, you!
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LOL. Not just of the Shakespeare variety. He’s got an extraordinary quiet-charisma. We rarely meet people where it doesn’t lead to being invited to something. Problem is he prefers being at home rather than going out. That leaves me negotiating social situations… 🙂
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