Measure for Measure
Oct. 13th, 2015 10:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smallhobbitMy second play of the day was also at the Young Vic. When we were looking at how to celebrate our anniversary I'd asked SM if he'd like to see Romola Garai on stage and he thought this an excellent idea.
Putting the rest under a cut, as it's possible some of my London-based flist may be going to see the play and there will be definite spoilers, although to say we enjoyed seeing Romola Garai, isn't. So, for the rest of you:
The play wasn't as innovative as La Musica, but once again it made use of hand-held cameras to show some of the action, which took place at the back of the stage, onto large screens. This might have not been quite as annoying if I hadn't already had that particular experience in the afternoon, although SM wasn't impressed either.
But the major innovation, and one which all the reviews mention, unsurprisingly, was the blow up dolls strewn over the stage at the beginning, to symbolise the decadence of Vienna. The dolls remained throughout the play, although pushed into the back half of the stage, where the cells purportedly were. For any of my UK flist who remember the Only Fools & Horses episode with the inflatable dolls you can guess where our minds went - Shakespeare didn't have a chance.
The acting was good, Zubin Varla, who played the Duke, held the action together. Romola Garai played Isabella exactly as might be expected. It's four years since I last saw the play and I don't recall Isabella having quite such a dominent role, so it may be an emphasis on the casting this time round. Those of you who know the play better may know. And the complexities of the plot seemed simplified. Last time I saw the play (at the RSC) there was a lot of black leather, which was sadly missing this time.
We enjoyed the play, but once more felt there were modernisations which could have been ommitted. I have seen better productions at the Young Vic.
Putting the rest under a cut, as it's possible some of my London-based flist may be going to see the play and there will be definite spoilers, although to say we enjoyed seeing Romola Garai, isn't. So, for the rest of you:
The play wasn't as innovative as La Musica, but once again it made use of hand-held cameras to show some of the action, which took place at the back of the stage, onto large screens. This might have not been quite as annoying if I hadn't already had that particular experience in the afternoon, although SM wasn't impressed either.
But the major innovation, and one which all the reviews mention, unsurprisingly, was the blow up dolls strewn over the stage at the beginning, to symbolise the decadence of Vienna. The dolls remained throughout the play, although pushed into the back half of the stage, where the cells purportedly were. For any of my UK flist who remember the Only Fools & Horses episode with the inflatable dolls you can guess where our minds went - Shakespeare didn't have a chance.
The acting was good, Zubin Varla, who played the Duke, held the action together. Romola Garai played Isabella exactly as might be expected. It's four years since I last saw the play and I don't recall Isabella having quite such a dominent role, so it may be an emphasis on the casting this time round. Those of you who know the play better may know. And the complexities of the plot seemed simplified. Last time I saw the play (at the RSC) there was a lot of black leather, which was sadly missing this time.
We enjoyed the play, but once more felt there were modernisations which could have been ommitted. I have seen better productions at the Young Vic.
