Benedict Cumberbatch in "Hamlet"

[Inge l-w]

And reading the whole five-act thing, I came to realise how much of Rumpole's musings is actually Shakespeare, rather than his professed favourite, Wordsworth. And if you missed 31 you have a right to complain, because in my Stratford Shakespeare, it says "pith" not "pitch"!

[jadpdr]

I got 27 out of 36. "So close to perfection, Shakespeare studies are your strong suit", and that is not even true! I like Marlowe better than the Bard, but I shall have to lump it and like it, I suppose, although I still think Racine, Corneille and later on Moliere could have given him a run for his money when it came to adapting ancient drama to the then modern stage!

Marlowe, the Renaissance man pesonified, writer, poet, spy in Her Majesty's service, inspiration to Goethe for Faust, a genius like Sherlock, whose untimely death our favourite detective might have cleared up!

[Van Buren Supernova]

This is actually better than expected XD XD XD

 

 

Shakespeare is never my cup of tea.

But if I had any chance to see BC's play, I would.

[J.P.]

Oh, I consider me a plebeian too, even without the test.

 

Yesterday I was playing a couch potato due to my unwilingness to move in that heat, and as a preparation for the cinema viewing I watched the Branagh version online, with Polish voiceover (so I can knit along not having to be fully concentrated on every word) Well, as I said before - so many words, words, words for such a simple story. :P

 

Somehow I don't have a heart for the classics in general. Not really my area. But BC - as stated so many times before - could read a telephone book or source code for Barbican's website and it will be still worth to see it. ;) I'm also curious about Ciaran Hinds.

[T.o.b.y]

I like the Branagh version, have it on DVD, even, but I won't watch it before October either. I want my mind to be as free of any preconceived notions as possible.

 

I don't really care that much for the story of Hamlet. For me, it's mainly about the words - I see it as 3 plus hours of poetry.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I got 20.  I haven't looked at Hamlet in over 21 years so did pretty good considering.  Some were guesses of the educated variety.

[J.P.]

Poetry? Well, to me it's 3 hours plus of very strange English.
 

I'm just trying to get to know it good enough to have at least an idea of what they talk about. October is not so far away.

[sittything]

I managed 15 and given the fact I've never read Hamlet... I'll take it!

[J.P.]

And now not the whole press-mess got a name: Phonegate

 

Of course, for the lack of other information, the press jumped at the message and Ben for making it etc, etc...

It's like it happened for the first time and only because of him and his fans.

 

HERE is a nice article about the issue from 2013

 

 And now I just hear it from SKY news!

... And I could kill the jerk for the comment "many of those people never been in a theater before" Yeah, the Invasion of Barbarians.

Good that the studio comments were actually supportive of him.

[Inge l-w]

We have to face facts: theatre and the cinema, like airline companies, survive by putting ( excuse the expression) butts on seats. If you ask airline attendants what they have witnessed during flights, especially long ones, your eyes will pop in disbelief, the mobile device flight mode notwithstanding, from pairs having sex to drunken passengers throwing up. So, if the theatregoers are there to be seen to be there and envied by their friends ( the Keeping up with the Johneses principle), then measures HAVE to be taken to ensure that a play goes on as it should. Cinemas have the same warning right before every screening, why should live performances not enjoy the same protection? It's disrespectful to all actors and their very hard work, unless we want the whole world to become one of self-aggrandising Philistines. Phonegate works for me!

[J.P.]

SKY at least speaks of "people taking photos" not of "fans" and brings it as a part of a bigger issue.

They think it might even be useful having BC as a spokesman to make people more aware of the problem.

 

On the other hand the problem is not people not being aware, but people being jerks.

[J.P.]

Just to calm us down. Or not.

 

 

[Arcadia]

Thanks JP, lovely pix. Although I'm not sure if that calmed me down, or if I need to take a cold shower now! :p

 

I saw, but didn't bother to post, a couple of headlines trying to make it sound like Ben had some sort of cranky-pants fit and swore at his fans. Although when you read the actual article, they quoted him verbatim and made it clear it was all very civilized. I guess they thought they'd sell more papers by having a headline that made it seem he was being a jerk. Gahhhh, sometimes the media makes me despair....

[Arcadia]

 

Shakespeare is never my cup of tea.

But if I had any chance to see BC's play, I would.

You'll get to see the broadcast in a movie theater though, won't you? It's the closest I'll ever get, that's for sure.

 

Poetry? Well, to me it's 3 hours plus of very strange English.

 

I'm just trying to get to know it good enough to have at least an idea of what they talk about. October is not so far away.

As I recall, it's actually much easier to understand what it means when you hear it spoken. And seeing it performed helps too, of course, since body language can convey some of the meaning. I remember reading Romeo and Juliet and feeling completely lost; then our teacher played a recording for us and it made perfect sense. Well ... more sense, at any rate.

 

 

And now not the whole press-mess got a name: Phonegate

 

Of course, for the lack of other information, the press jumped at the message and Ben for making it etc, etc...

It's like it happened for the first time and only because of him and his fans.

 

HERE is a nice article about the issue from 2013

I saw another that talked about the same thing just yesterday. Apparently these "news" outlets just recycle the same "stories" over and over.....

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I remember reading Romeo and Juliet in 9th grade. My teacher had us read a set of lines then we'd discuss the meaning. After we got through the play, we watched the Franco Zeffirelli version of the play. That helped my understanding of Shakespeare as the following year I could explain Julius Caesar to a classmate without issues. We then watched Julius Caesar (I think with Charlton Heston) and Mel Gibson's version of Hamlet.

[Arcadia]

Right, I forgot about that version! Had no trouble following that either.

 

My nephew (then around 20) and I watched the Claire Danes/Leondardo DiCaprio version and thoroughly enjoyed it. My nephew is dyslexic so reads very little ... certainly not Shakespeare ... but he had no trouble following it.

 

I liked Mel Gibson's Hamlet, too, I don't know why all the articles seem to assume it was a disaster. Because it was Mel, I guess.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

The only reason why I remember that it was his version is I remember Glenn Close being in it. I'm looking forward to seeing Benedict's modernized version as much as I would've liked to see a more traditional adaptation.

[Arcadia]

She was? Wow, I don't remember that at all. And I really like Glenn Close! *sigh* I really am terribly unobservant......

[Carol the Dabbler]

I've moved the geography discussion to the "Hijacked Thread" Thread, starting here.

[Arcadia]

Egad, I forgot we had a "Hijacked Thread!" How do you do it, Carol, keep notes?

[SherlockedCAMPer]

She was? Wow, I don't remember that at all. And I really like Glenn Close! *sigh* I really am terribly unobservant......

The only reason why I know she was in it is that I saw a promo pic of that version the other day and was like "oh yeah, that's right, I remember she was the mother or something like that."

[Van Buren Supernova]

You'll get to see the broadcast in a movie theater though, won't you? It's the closest I'll ever get, that's for sure.

I doubt it. Can't even catch Mr. Holmes (can't say I tried hard enough).

But for BC's, I might be able to strategically plan the time and place to make it possible.

Will watch out for theater release for Hamlet and rumored Christmas Special (please!)

 

Poetry? Well, to me it's 3 hours plus of very strange English.

I remember trying to read Shakespeare's works but my brain wander too much, couldn't order it to get captivated enough to continue.

 

Just to calm us down. Or not.

Not! Certainly not. Definitely not. Obviously.

 

Egad, I forgot we had a "Hijacked Thread!" How do you do it, Carol, keep notes?

great to know for new members!

[Arcadia]

 

You'll get to see the broadcast in a movie theater though, won't you? It's the closest I'll ever get, that's for sure.

I doubt it. Can't even catch Mr. Holmes (can't say I tried hard enough).

But for BC's, I might be able to strategically plan the time and place to make it possible.

Will watch out for theater release for Hamlet and rumored Christmas Special (please!)

 

I've forgotten (if I ever knew) where you are, but you might want to check here to see where it will be shown.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Egad, I forgot we had a "Hijacked Thread!" How do you do it, Carol, keep notes?

great to know for new members!

Yes, indeed -- if you want to make an off-topic reply to someone's post, just post your reply on the "Hijacked" thread and quote the other person's post in it. (All you have to do is pretend you're going to quote it in the original thread, then copy and paste into your post.)

 

I'm not going to claim any sort of omniscience, Arcadia -- after all, I'm the person who started posting Hamlet reviews on the "BC News" thread, having forgotten about the existence of this one.  But umm, well, I've been around here a while!  :xmas2:

 

[Arcadia]

Ooooh, you just left me SUCH an opening ... but I will nobly resist!!!!! And go to bed instead. 'Night, all!!