"The best laid plans of mice and men..."
From the Robert Burns poem, 'To A Mouse'
From the Robert Burns poem, 'To A Mouse'
Much Ado About Nothing
at Shakespeare’s Globe
Opening Night!
25/4/24
What a great evening on the Southbank. Shakespeare’s Globe is opposite St Paul’s Cathedral and it’s always a joy to see the night lights reflected in the Thames. I love taking students to the Globe for the first time - so few school trips occur these days so hardly any of my students have been there before I take them.
With GCSEs fast approaching I’m sure that seeing Much Ado will have consolidated the plot, themes and characters. The stage was covered in oranges looking extremely succulent and ripe: oranges in baskets and oranges on golden trees. Of course they are a reference to Claudio’s rash rejection of Hero calling her a “rotten orange”. Moreover the beautifully bright orange, blue and gold colours on the set were reflected in the costumes and this vibrancy created a wonderful world of Messina. I’m lucky to have been to Sicily and I particularly appreciated the citrus, sun-kissed Italian vibe from the set and costumes. The musicians were excellent and the audience cheered heartily when Leonato finished the ‘Hey Nonny Nonny’ song. The actors were incredibly impressive with their lines and physical acting so received many laughs and cheers (Benedick and Beatrice’s kiss of course). This production leans more to pantomime, especially when Don John appears for the final time - so interesting that the audience started to hiss but stopped immediately as if that pantomime response would be diminishing Shakespeare’s work. I saw the all black cast of Much Ado in Stratford a couple of years ago - which was also excellent- but there was more solemnity and no suggestion of pantomime.
So many great lines:
“Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes.”
“If I were a man, I’d eat his heart in the market place.”
“In a false quarrel there is no valour.”
“A star danced and under that I was born.”
“I love no one in the world so well as you.”
With GCSEs fast approaching I’m sure that seeing Much Ado will have consolidated the plot, themes and characters. The stage was covered in oranges looking extremely succulent and ripe: oranges in baskets and oranges on golden trees. Of course they are a reference to Claudio’s rash rejection of Hero calling her a “rotten orange”. Moreover the beautifully bright orange, blue and gold colours on the set were reflected in the costumes and this vibrancy created a wonderful world of Messina. I’m lucky to have been to Sicily and I particularly appreciated the citrus, sun-kissed Italian vibe from the set and costumes. The musicians were excellent and the audience cheered heartily when Leonato finished the ‘Hey Nonny Nonny’ song. The actors were incredibly impressive with their lines and physical acting so received many laughs and cheers (Benedick and Beatrice’s kiss of course). This production leans more to pantomime, especially when Don John appears for the final time - so interesting that the audience started to hiss but stopped immediately as if that pantomime response would be diminishing Shakespeare’s work. I saw the all black cast of Much Ado in Stratford a couple of years ago - which was also excellent- but there was more solemnity and no suggestion of pantomime.
So many great lines:
“Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes.”
“If I were a man, I’d eat his heart in the market place.”
“In a false quarrel there is no valour.”
“A star danced and under that I was born.”
“I love no one in the world so well as you.”
Macbeth at Arts Theatre, Cambridge
11/11/23
11/11/23
Its’s that time of year again as Year 11s prepare for GCSE mocks. I love going to the theatre so organised a trip for some of my willing students to see The English Touring Theatre’s production of Macbeth here in Cambridge before the company continues their tour in Ilfracombe.
What an excellent production directed by Richard Twyman. So many powerfully visceral moments. My favourite scene was when Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to proceed with the deed by questioning his masculinity: The combination of riveting acting in the claustrophobic gold-fish-bowl kitchen was exceptional. Impressive set design by Basia Bińkowska created a beguiling contemporary set of the Macbeth’s home with several doors, clearly symbolic of the equivocation that takes place behind them as well as the tormented psychological trajectory that Macbeth experiences. The text was rearranged - and there were no witches!!! At first I was distressed by this but it worked….witches don’t exist do they? Discuss.
I got emotional when Lady Macduff played the bagpipes. That was another cool element to the production. It was stunning to hear the pipes live again; I used to work at the Edinburgh Academy and loved hearing the pipe band perform regularly in the playground.
What an excellent production directed by Richard Twyman. So many powerfully visceral moments. My favourite scene was when Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to proceed with the deed by questioning his masculinity: The combination of riveting acting in the claustrophobic gold-fish-bowl kitchen was exceptional. Impressive set design by Basia Bińkowska created a beguiling contemporary set of the Macbeth’s home with several doors, clearly symbolic of the equivocation that takes place behind them as well as the tormented psychological trajectory that Macbeth experiences. The text was rearranged - and there were no witches!!! At first I was distressed by this but it worked….witches don’t exist do they? Discuss.
I got emotional when Lady Macduff played the bagpipes. That was another cool element to the production. It was stunning to hear the pipes live again; I used to work at the Edinburgh Academy and loved hearing the pipe band perform regularly in the playground.
Macbeth at Shakespeare’s Globe
14/4/22
A few students and I went to see a “children’s” production of Macbeth at Shakespeare’s Globe during the Easter holidays. (The run finished on 16/4/22). My students agreed that it was extremely useful revision and, as they had never been to Shakespeare’s Globe, a great opportunity to visit this wonderful theatre built in 1997 based on the original Globe theatre which burnt down in 1613. I took everyone on a tour to see the original site of the Globe theatre and the fascinating area around St Paul’s and Borough Market. I love visiting the South Bank and we also popped into The Tate. Not long now until the exams… and your brains might be “full of scorpions” but “screw your courage to the sticking place”, stay strong and you will not fail!
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Year 11 Summer Course
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