14 replies to this topic

[Lynette]

The RSC one ? Yes, you are right. What was it? I loved Jonathan Slinger but hated the modern dress. I wish they had gone with the original production and not tried to make it 'relevant'. With somethign so brilliant as this play, the 'relevance' is there for all to see.

[Duncan]

Have to agree with Lynette about the modern dress. Particularly after seeing the three parts of Henry VI in period costume, it was jarring to see the same cast running around with modern guns. Directors seem to love helicopter sound effects etc. all in attempt to make it relevant to today. If the director can see the relevance in the text then so will an intelligent audience. I was left wondering why two armies with guns and helicopters were meeting in a field to fight hand-to-hand. Surely a few air-to-ground missiles would have been more effective?

There was also something else missing from the production. I found Slinger much more menacing in 3 Henry VI. By the time he's become Richard III some of the menace has gone and he's more Puckish; possibly because I also saw him as Puck at the RSC a few years back.

I did like the way that in the dream sequence Richard awakes to find himself free of his deformities and dances around, only for the ghosts to arrive and reinflict them on him.

But please, don't mix swords and revolvers in the same production!

[simon from oxford]

I saw the second performance and by all accounts a lot of the ideas have been altered as the production developed.

There were moments of brilliance (such as the dream sequence) and I am glad that some of the early excesses (Lady Anne making her oration over the body using a microphone) have been expunged.

As a whole it didn't blow me away as the McKellen did all those years ago - but I was left satisfied by the end of the evening.  It was certainly a better show than the Goodman version.

It might well develop further as the ensemble works further.  Once we get the cycle of all 8 plays completed, I shall certainly go back and reconsider it as a whole

[Alnoor]

We also saw all 4 plays last weekend. Loved the three Henry VI-----hated Richard III. Just felt it was a complete let down after part 3.

[David]

But please, don't mix swords and revolvers in the same production!

I'd agree with that- I really enjoyed the production as a whole, and enjoyed the modern interpretation, but thought that the mixture of swords and guns was odd.

I saw the Henrys and Richard about as far apart as I possibly could, so it wasn't jarring at all for me to see the change to modern dress, and I thought that all (of the 4) plays were fantastic.

On a random drift away from the topic, did anyone else do all 3 Henrys in one day? That was great fun- a full day of story, and an experience to remember, I thought!