Almost done
Sunday morning, and there's only one play left to see, plus a talk from Michael Boyd, which I'm looking forward to. It's funny, there was a point on Saturday when I felt rather overwhelmed at the thought of another 5 plays to see, but now, it seems to have flown by.
I sat next to someone on Friday who was blogging after each play for Whatsonstage.com, so it'll be interesting to check her reports out in due course. I didn't have computer access to blog after each one, so here's my notes, briefly:
Just over half way (Saturday morning)
Five plays in, 9 hours in a theatre yesterday and 3 so far today with 6 to go - still magical and engrossing. Everyone doing the full cycle has a Histories bag, so other "Gloriosi" are easily identifiable. Henry V was fab, Geoffrey Streatfield really nicely shifting from feckless Hal to
regal Henry. Ace battle scenes, really liked the foppish French and earthy English characterisations. Henry VI pt 1, v good, loved the French court as a fashion parade.
Beginning to flag (Saturday afternoon)
Just finished Henry VI pt 2 and am beginning to flag a little - definite post lunch slump. Nothing to do with the acting, which is superb, more feeling tired in a warm dark room. Had a fabulous seat on row J (have been shifting about a bit as I complained about my original seat - K64, its obstructed view, don't buy it!) sitting next to John Shrapnel, father of Lex (with whom I am still smitten, but I didn't tell his Dad that).
One puzzle - the last two nights, some women have thrown daffodils onto the stage at the end of the play - why? And will Daffodil Women be back again tonight?
Nearly the end (Saturday night)
Can't quite believe 7 plays have gone by so fast. Henry VI, which I've only ever seen as the two part Rose Rage by Propeller a couple of years ago, as a whole makes a very detailed and compelling picture of England's fall into the Wars of the Roses - and you can't doze off for a moment otherwise you lose track of which lords are which and who's on which side. Brilliant stuff. Sustained and enthusastic applause for ther actors at the end, which is so well deserved.
Daffodil Women were tonight transformed into Carnation Women - what's that all about?
And now I'm heading back to SuA, brunch, talk, play (Richard III) and reception. Proper and more thoughtful reviews tomorrow, probably.
I sat next to someone on Friday who was blogging after each play for Whatsonstage.com, so it'll be interesting to check her reports out in due course. I didn't have computer access to blog after each one, so here's my notes, briefly:
Just over half way (Saturday morning)
Five plays in, 9 hours in a theatre yesterday and 3 so far today with 6 to go - still magical and engrossing. Everyone doing the full cycle has a Histories bag, so other "Gloriosi" are easily identifiable. Henry V was fab, Geoffrey Streatfield really nicely shifting from feckless Hal to
regal Henry. Ace battle scenes, really liked the foppish French and earthy English characterisations. Henry VI pt 1, v good, loved the French court as a fashion parade.
Beginning to flag (Saturday afternoon)
Just finished Henry VI pt 2 and am beginning to flag a little - definite post lunch slump. Nothing to do with the acting, which is superb, more feeling tired in a warm dark room. Had a fabulous seat on row J (have been shifting about a bit as I complained about my original seat - K64, its obstructed view, don't buy it!) sitting next to John Shrapnel, father of Lex (with whom I am still smitten, but I didn't tell his Dad that).
One puzzle - the last two nights, some women have thrown daffodils onto the stage at the end of the play - why? And will Daffodil Women be back again tonight?
Nearly the end (Saturday night)
Can't quite believe 7 plays have gone by so fast. Henry VI, which I've only ever seen as the two part Rose Rage by Propeller a couple of years ago, as a whole makes a very detailed and compelling picture of England's fall into the Wars of the Roses - and you can't doze off for a moment otherwise you lose track of which lords are which and who's on which side. Brilliant stuff. Sustained and enthusastic applause for ther actors at the end, which is so well deserved.
Daffodil Women were tonight transformed into Carnation Women - what's that all about?
And now I'm heading back to SuA, brunch, talk, play (Richard III) and reception. Proper and more thoughtful reviews tomorrow, probably.
posted by Sal at
10:38 am
4 Comments:
What a wonderful weekend, I am only a little bit green (yeah right!) Can't wait to read your 'indepth' reviews. Love Nina
The ideal, of course, would be to get a significant fraction of the 599 people who did all eight present on one thread of comments. Although given the age demographic, that's unlikely. I enjoyed the view from seat B28 all weekend, although I was worrying about getting a face full of sword every time they rushed offstage...
I don't think I would make it all the way through, w/o dozing off! :)
Maybe the flower women were just getting whatever bloom was on special.
Thanks for your comment on my 'blog'. I will be a while catching up, as it's still all sinking in. I was sitting next to one of the 'daffodil women' - apparently it's a tradition from the Globe - and as you'll have seen, it was roses (red, white and pink) for the last perfromance.
Val (L44)
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