William Shakespeare - Love's Labour's Lost (2024) Review

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(More customer reviews)Opus Arte's presentation of Dominic Dromgoole's production of William Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost" is highly entertaining, and for me, highly recommended.
Firstly, the technical aspects of the disc are very good. The production takes place in a reproduction of Shakespeare's "The Glode" theater in which the stage was surrounded by the audience. The disc's sound felt very immersive, placing you in that audience. The video was sharp and clear.
Next, the camera work was excellent, adding a necessary shift of attention from actor to actor, neither just holding one frame too long, nor switching, Michael Bay-like, and intruding on the presentation.
Finally, the production itself is delightful, mixing Shakespeare's most intellectual play with the overtones of a Mack Sennet pie fight. The problems of the "unfunny clowns" is here solved.
If you have enjoyed videos of Shakespeare's plays that have "updated" the settings (I'm looking at you, "Romeo+Juliet"), try viewing this production.



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When the King of Navarre and his three courtiers forswear all pleasure, particularly of the female variety, in favour of a life of study, the arrival of the Princess of France and her ladies plays havoc with their intentions. Using every kind of verbal gymnastics to poke fun, Shakespeare's most intellectual comedy is brought to hilarious life in Dominic Dromgoole's highly entertaining production, rich in visual humour and sexual innuendo. Jonathan Fensom's knot garden and original music by Claire van Kampen create the framework for an engaging performance by an excellent cast.

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Hamlet / Kline, New York Shakespeare Festival (Broadway Theatre Archive) (1990) Review

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(More customer reviews)No filmed version of "Hamlet" is entirely satisfying. The play is too rich to be reduced to a single definitive interpretation. But Kevin Kline's production of the more accessible of Shakespeare's two greatest tragedies ("King Lear" is equally great but sparer and more difficult) is one of the better versions available. Hamlet may be the most intelligent and verbally-skilled character ever written, and sometimes the wit and depth of his lines can obscure the real tragedy of his situation. Kline plays the character as deeply sad as well as intelligent. His reading of the "To be or not to be" soliloquy, for example, is masterful: we witness someone who is not just considering suicide as an intellectual puzzle, but is despairing enough to be seriously considering it. This is a human and emotional Hamlet, in contrast to Branagh's (who even in the worst straits seems almost to be enjoying himself), Gibson's (alternately frightened and enraged), Williamson (existentially disgusted), or Olivier's (weak and indecisive, and in my opinion the only indefensible choice here).
Kline has some wonderful bits of "business," too: tearing the page out of the book and sticking it on Polonius's forehead, pointing to the book after Polonius hears him say "tedious old fools" as if he is merely reading, clasping Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's heads to his chest once he has decided he cannot trust them -- all very clever. (However, the scene where he dangles Ophelia like a puppet is a bit overdone.) Laertes cutting Hamlet on the hand during a break is a good choice too (Laertes should not be able to lay a glove on Hamlet without cheating). On the other hand, Kline's version of Hamlet's feigned madness seems quieter than the "antic disposition" the character claims he will "put on."
The rest of the cast is not as strong, unfortunately. Josef Summer captures Polonius's egotism and foolishness, but we get no sense of the cunning that has made him a power at court. Diana Venora plays Ophelia with a little too much self-awareness and resignation for her mad scene to be believable when it arrives. Dana Ivey is a fine Gertrude, but the role is not one of the play's strengths. Worst of all, Brian Murray hardly registers as Claudius, who can be played as purely evil, as tormented by guilt, as a decadent drunkard, or even as a reluctant murderer, but here is a puffed non-entity.
Most productions of "Hamlet" make cuts, and Kline's choice is to remove all the politics. An actor is listed playing Fortinbras, but I cannot remember him (though it has been a few months since I have watched this version). We neither see nor hear much about him, which robs the play of some of its power: Hamlet, Fortinbras, and Laertes are three men in the same position; their differing responses -- respectively that of the Renaissance philosopher and poet, the modern military man, and the hothead -- provide one of the most basic themes of the play.
But "Hamlet" is not merely a personal or family play; it is also a play about nations, about the damage a ruler of bad character does to a country's reputation. As the gravedigger tells us, Hamlet was born the day his father slew the elder Fortinbras; Hamlet's life exactly spans the period of Denmark's ascendancy over Norway. In a sense, he is born to remedy a cosmic error. All of that is gone (as are other more minor but still missed elements such as the character of Reynaldo, and some of the comments on acting and the theatre). Fortunately, Kline rejects any facile Freudianism, such as we see in the Gibson/Zeffireli version.
The staging is simple. About the most you can say of it is that neither it nor the costumes distract us from the acting. The lighting, however, is quite elegant, and the camera work intimate without causing claustrophobia.
Overall and despite its flaws, Kline's "Hamlet" remains a skillful and moving effort, ennobled by the actor's sensitive and thoughtful portrayal of literature's first and greatest modern man.

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With a daring and depth few of his American contemporaries seem prepared to match, Kevin Kline stars in and directs Hamlet for the New York Shakespeare Festival. Now with the felicitous addition of Kirk Browning as co-director, he has brought his indelible Hamlet to television where, as The New York Times stated, "It is eloquent, moving and at times thrilling. The shrewdly edited version uses tight close-ups and captures small crowd scenes without a sense of confinement. The teleplay flows with commendable grace from beginning to end, all urged on by Kline's intelligent interpretation."

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BBC Shakespeare Tragedies DVD Giftbox (1980) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an update of this review.....This is the BBC series marketed by Ambrose Video that many colleges and libraries have purchased (see ambrosevideo.com). These DVD packages are a very good deal because the original videos are prohibitively expensive (although I broke down and purchased several of the plays that are simply not available on any other media - when was the last theater run you saw of Cymbeline, Henry VIII, or Troilus And Cressida?). The 37 play VHS series is still >$2,500, the DVD series ~$3,000, selected 5 play sets on DVD $150, and individual plays around $100. The series was remarkable in that it actually included all 37 plays in full with a solid set of players (many famous) who worked hard at maintaining as much historical accuracy as possible, but especially with the verbiage.
This set has selected some of the best ones, so it is well worth the expense. The problem is that many of the scenes are less than sparkling....it's very much like watching the filming of the series of plays instead of watching a movie or TV version.....even the Bard himself would have struggled to keep the life in them with no audience. Sometimes the effort for accuracy actually shows in some of the acting. You have to give the various troups credit for sticking to the goals of the series, but realize that it is done with some sacrifices to the thrill and magic at some points.
This set makes a total of 15 of the plays now available at reasonable cost on DVD. There are 3 five play DVDs now available as follows:
Tragedies
Romeo & Juliet
Hamlet
Macbeth
Julius Caesar
Othello
Histories
Henry V
Richard II
Richard III
Henry IV, Part I
Henry IV, Part II
Comedies
As You Like It
The Taming of the Shrew
The Tempest
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The Merchant of Venice
The Tragedies Series has some of the best, so it is well worth the expense. The problem is that many of the scenes are less than sparkling....it's very much like watching the filming of the series of plays instead of watching a movie or TV version.....even the Bard himself would have struggled to keep the life in them with no audience. Sometimes the effort for accuracy actually shows in some of the acting. You have to give the various troups credit for sticking to the goals of the series, but realize that it is done with some sacrifices to the thrill and magic at some points.
What I like about the BBC series is the hard-to-find plays.....like All's Well That Ends Well, Coriolanus, Cymbeline, Measure For Measure, Henry VI, Henry VIII....it's nice to see the whole Wars Of The Roses historical series with the same troup.
Here is the information on each play in this series (as given by Ambrose Video):
OTHELLO
Perhaps his greatest triumph as a stage play. When the evil Iago plants the seeds of doubt in Othello''s mind about Desdemona''s fidelity, audiences around the world have been held spellbound. Starring Anthony Hopkins as Othello and Bob Hoskins as Iago. A play about relationships, filled with manipulation, deception, jealousy and finally self-understanding. Running Time: 208 minutes
JULIUS CAESAR
Breaking all conventional rules of drama, Shakespeare creates neither a clear-cut hero nor a Villain. Instead, this great tragedy presents complicated human beings in agonizing conflict with one another, and themselves. Starring Richard Pasco, Keith Michell and Charles Gray as Caesar. Running Time: 161 minutes
MACBETH
This savage tragedy is one of Shakespeare''s most enduringly popular. Told by a trio of witches that he is fated to become King of Scotland, the warrior Macbeth, aided by his wife, in his quest for power murders his king and assumes the throne. The two embark on a guilt-ridden reign of terror. Starring Nicol Williamson and Jane Lapotire. Running Time: 148 minutes
ROMEO AND JULIET
One of the great love stories of all time and a ""hit "" for over 400 years. Full of passion and exquisite language, it expresses love in its infinite variety more than any other work in the English language. Stars Sir John Gielgud, Rebecca Saire, Patrick Ryecart. Running Time: 167 minutes
HAMLET
In this richly costumed production, the greatest tragedy ever written maintains all the tension of a murder mystery as it examines the fundamental issues of justice, guilt and death. The director''s innovative film technique creates an intimate performance that succeeds extremely well on small as well as large screen. Hamlet, the most complex of all Shakespeare''s characters is considered the greatest challenge for an actor. Derek Jacobi is a superb choice in the rigorous tradition of Shakespearian acting. Stars Derek Jacobi, Patrick Stewart, Eric Porter and Claire Bloom. Running Time: 222 minutes.


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Shakespeare is rightly considered the world's greatest playwright for the soaring beauty of his language, for his profound insight into human nature, for the truths he dramatized and for the realism of the characters he created. He was, and remains, a superb entertainer.
These BBC and Time-Life film productions feature some of Britain's most distinguished theatrical talent (Anthony Hopkins, Sir John Gielgud, Patrick Stewart, Derek Jacobi, Claire Bloom and more), these DVD's now are the number-one choice for continuing personal enjoyment.
This special Drama DVD Giftbox Set contains 5 of Shakespeare's most popular tragedies: Romeo and JulietOne of the great love stories of all time and a hit for over 400 years. Full of passion and exquisite language, it expresses love in its infinite variety more than any other work in the English language. Stars Sir John Gielgud, Rebecca Saire, Patrick Ryecart.Running Time: 167 minutes
Hamlet The greatest tragedy ever written maintains all the tension of a murder mystery as it examines the fundamental issues of justice, guilt and death. Hamlet, the most complex of all Shakespeare's characters is considered the greatest challenge for an actor. Derek Jacobi is a superb choice in the rigorous tradition of Shakespearian acting. Stars Derek Jacobi, Patrick Stewart, Eric Porter and Claire Bloom.Running Time: 215 minutes.
Macbeth This savage tragedy is one of Shakespeare's most enduringly popular. Told by a trio of witches that he is fated to become King of Scotland, the warrior Macbeth, aided by his wife, in his quest for power murders his king and assumes the throne. Starring Nicol Williamson and Jane Lapotire.Running Time: 148 minutes
Julius CaesarBreaking all conventional rules of drama, Shakespeare creates neither a clear-cut hero nor a Villain. Instead, this great tragedy presents complicated human beings in agonizing conflict with one another, and themselves. Starring Richard Pasco, Keith Michell and Charles Gray as Caesar.Running Time: 161 minutes
Othello When the evil Iago plants the seeds of doubt in Othello's mind about Desdemona's fidelity, audiences around the world have been held spellbound. Starring Anthony Hopkins as Othello and Bob Hoskins as Iago.Running Time: 203 minutes
The Plays contain subtitles in English that can be turned on or off.

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Great Performances: Macbeth Review

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(More customer reviews)I just finished watching Rupert Goold's film of Macbeth, starring Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood. As mentioned in the last post, I saw this production on Broadway and was eagerly awaiting the film version. Now I've seen a lot of great film Macbeths, including the Ian McKellen/Judi Dench version, the RSC film with Antony Sher, and Roman Polanski's. This film is the best Macbeth that you will ever see. In fact, scenes that I didn't find very effective on stage (Lady Macbeth's mad scene and and the long scene between Malcolm and Macduff) were very powerful in the movie. Patrick Stewart's performance is definitive. You can see every thought that passes through his mind. Kate Fleetwood's Lady Macbeth charted her fall into insanity with such clarity that when Macbeth is told that she has died, it's no surprise to him or the audience. You see that there was no other end to her story. The Weird Sisters, here played as Nurses who have gone over to the dark side, are truly frightening. There is no weak link in this cast, the directing is thrillingly original, and the production design is stunning. It easily could have been shown in movie theaters. This Macbeth is set during the Cold War of the 1950's, and doesn't shy away from the shocking violence of a dictatorship. Characters are brutally executed, and the murder of Lady Macduff and her children is greatly disturbing, even though you see almost nothing happen. And to top it all off, Rupert Goold has the film end with the camera panning from location to location throughout the castle (the dining room, the kitchen, the Weird Sisters' morgue) and then closes with a shot of Macbeth and his Lady in the elevator, hand in hand. So we end with the idea that Macbeth's castle isn't just drenched in blood. Now it's haunted.

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Following a London West End run in December 2007, a sold-out limited engagement at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in March 2008, and a subsequent eight-week run on Broadway, director Rupert Goold s gripping stage production of Macbeth starring Patrick Stewart in a triumphant, Tony-nominated performance will be filmed for television in a co-production agreement between WNET.ORG and Illuminations Television, in association with the BBC. Shot in High Definition on UK locations, Goold will maintain the atmosphere and tone of the critically acclaimed stage production.

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Great Performances: King Lear Review

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(More customer reviews)Ian McKellan totters into a circle of light and raises his palsied hands to command his court into prostrate submission. McKellan's Lear has a despot's easy authority that effortlessly requires obedience. Aged, infirm and bright-eyed, Lear enjoys humiliating those who doubtless wish him dead so that they may inherit. McKellan's Lear is a sly-suave tyrant - reminiscent of Olivier. There are other fine Lears - the brutally hostile Ian Holm (the boss from hell), James Earl Jones' as a cranky African tribal chief, or Orson Welles' nightmare fury. All are excellent. Welles, Olivier, and McKellan are more cinematic whereas Jones and Holm are filmed versions of stage productions. Welles and Holm provide a strong dose of Sturm und Drang melodrama - the volume is turned up so high, it is hard to tell when catharsis hits. Olivier and McKellan are beautifully acted and nuanced. Jones has an amazing voice and his presence overwhelms the cast - except perhaps Raul Julia's wonderful plotting, evil Edmund.
Of the directors, Trevor Nunn is the best and most experienced interpreter of Shakespeare to cinema. He is faithful to the text, (cuts are logical and keep the action moving) but with contemporary Hollywood fit and finish. It helps that Nunn takes care of details that Shakespeare neglects. For example, he shows us exactly how Goneril poisons Regan. When Lear complains that "my poor fool is hang'd," - it refers to an earlier scene where the Fool is actually strung up.
The part of Lear demands a strong actor who can easily dominate a production. Only Olivier and Nunn balance the King with a strong supporting cast. Appearing opposite Olivier are John Hurt as the brilliantly sarcastic Fool, Leo McKern (Rumpole of the Bailey) as a pompously lecherous Glouster, and Diana Rigg as the blindingly beautiful Regan.
Trevor Nunn's outstanding cast boasts Romola Gerai as a sensual Cordelia - upswept hair, wearing a strapless, white satin, wedding gown, and a simple gold chain necklace, that accents her flawless profile, neck, shoulders, and decolletage. Nunn's inspiration for Cordelia is a mystery, but to me she looks like Sargent's sensational painting of Madame X, with the black dress changed to white. She speaks from the heart, clear-eyed, like a child, rejecting Lear's incestuous demand that his daughters love only him - and pays a price for her honesty. Sylvester McCoy's amazing performance as the bitter fool -who alone speaks truth to power without punishment - rivals John Hurt's. Where Hurt practices wicked satire as a sport, McCoy is a disappointed romantic, his cynicism mixed with sadness.
Once again, Trevor Nunn has created an excellent film version of Shakespeare. If only more of his works were available for north american viewers.

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Studio: Public Media DistributionRelease Date: 04/21/2009Run time: 150 minutes

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The Taming of the Shrew (Broadway Theatre Archive) (1976) Review

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(More customer reviews)Riveting high energy interpretation of one of Shakespeare's more problematic comedies. The director's decision to present this somewhat sexist comedy as an over-the-top commedia dell'ate production was brilliant. Patruchio's use of physical violence to tame his headstrong finacee is somehow made tolerable because all the relationships in this play are embued with violence. And like characters in a Roadrunner cartoon, victims bounce back with vigor and always manage to give as good as they get. The troupe is incredibly in sync with one another, highly athletic, and incredibly gifted at reciting their iambic pentameter flawlessly while being twirled overhead or kicked in the groin. It really has to be seen to be believed. And who knew Marc Singer, the Beastmaster, could act?! In the end, he brings a subtlety to his part that leaves you wondering who's taming whom?
Harold Clurmann's interview with the director is a nice DVD extra.

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San Francisco's prize-winning American Conservatory Theater's rowdy commedia dell'arte production incorporates slapstick, pratfall and earthy humor into William Shakespeare's comedy about the two unmarried daughters of a wealthy Italian merchant. While daughter Bianca is genteel and popular, daughter Kate is foul-tempered and strong-willed. No one dares to marry Kate, until Petruchio arrives in Padua and tries his hand at courtship. "...delivered with such clarity." --The New York Times. With Fredi Olster, Marc Singer, Stephen St. Paul, Sandra Shotwell, and William Paterson.

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