37 replies to this topic

[Duncan]

Mr Kenneth Branagh is getting knighted today. And Baz in the Mail has announced that he is due to play Macbeth at the 2013 Manchester International Festival.

More details are due to be released next week.

[Honoured Guest]

BB also says Rob Ashford to direct and quotes one of the Royal Exchange artistic team saying it's "unusual" for a MIF event, which is an understatement! There must be so much more to this story as BB's slivers of gossip don't make sense yet.

[Epicoene]

It is very unfortunate that Ken chooses provincial venues for his Shakespearean roles: Macbeth (Manchester), Richard III (Sheffield), Coriolanus (Chichester) - it does does nothing enhance his reputation as a great actor - I mean who ever talks about McKellen's Prospero, or Scofield's Prospero ?

[Honoured Guest]

Epicoene, on 09 November 2012 - 11:18 AM, said:

It is very unfortunate that Ken chooses provincial venues for his Shakespearean roles: Macbeth (Manchester), Richard III (Sheffield), Coriolanus (Chichester) - it does does nothing enhance his reputation as a great actor - I mean who ever talks about McKellen's Prospero, or Scofield's Prospero ?

A cursory web search reveals that a Leeds production of The Tempest, with Paul Scofield as Prospero, transferred to the National Theatre in 1975. Was your point that it was a poor performance by virtue of originating outside London? Or did you mean that Londoners don't talk about what they don't see?

The Leeds Tempest with Ian McKellen was part of a well-publicised rep season so it was probably seen by everyone with a particular interest. Some actors are happy to work in certain contexts and don't need to focus on enhancing their reputation.

I'm intrigued by the Kenneth Branagh rumour. As part of MIF, which commisions major new work often mixing disciplines, I speculate whether this Macbeth might be a site specific show along the lines of Michael Sheen's The Passion in Port Talbot two years ago.

[Lynette]

Well, arise Sir Ken and be bloody, bold and resolute!

[Alf]

If this happens, I'll be on the train to Manchester faster than you can say "Double, Double toil and trouble".

[xanderl]

It's an "Immersive" performance in a deconsecrated church, which holds 300 people.

So should make getting tickets for "The River" look easy

http://www.guardian....urch-manchester

[Pharaoh's number 2]

How kind of them.

And little chance of a transfer I guess, given how site specific it is.

[Lynette]

Well haven't been to Manchester for a million years. Group outing?

[Pharaoh's number 2]

We could take over the local Travelodge