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Post by Cardinal Pirelli on Aug 8, 2017 10:54:28 GMT
Barry Stanton in the Bogdanov cycle back in the late eighties was very good, I seem to remember. My memories are failing - I thought that was John Woodvine, but I wasn't sure. Joss Ackland was Falstaff in Trevor Nunn's RSC Henry IV part I and II which opened the Barbican Theatre, with Gerard Murphy as Hal. It was my first Henry IV and very believable and touching I thought. Stanton in the production when I saw it, I think he might have taken over from John Woodvine.
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Post by Honoured Guest on Aug 8, 2017 10:57:00 GMT
John Woodvine was unapologetically unlike how we expect Falstaff to be, and as he seemed 100% confident in his representation then so were we.
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1,119 posts
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RSC 2018
Aug 8, 2017 11:08:13 GMT
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Post by martin1965 on Aug 8, 2017 11:08:13 GMT
Welles' "Chimes at Midnight" excellent of course. It is a good adaptation/reduction of the plays too, someone should try staging that script. Falstaff in Merry Wives is an even more thankless task I think, I've never seen it done well, Barrie Rutter entirely charmless for example. Callow did CaM at Chichester a while back. I missed it, nice touch to have had the Welles Hal (Keith Baxter) as the King, reviews werent kind as i recall.
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Aug 8, 2017 11:43:11 GMT
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Post by Jan on Aug 8, 2017 11:43:11 GMT
John Woodvine was unapologetically unlike how we expect Falstaff to be, and as he seemed 100% confident in his representation then so were we. One of the oddest bits of casting was Richard Cordery as Falstaff in David Farr's "Merry Wives" but no one noticed because it was overshadowed. by one of the most bizarre pieces of miscasting of all time with Greg Hicks giving us his Dr Caius.
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1,119 posts
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Aug 8, 2017 11:47:37 GMT
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Post by martin1965 on Aug 8, 2017 11:47:37 GMT
John Woodvine was unapologetically unlike how we expect Falstaff to be, and as he seemed 100% confident in his representation then so were we. One of the oddest bits of casting was Richard Cordery as Falstaff in David Farr's "Merry Wives" but no one noticed because it was overshadowed. by one of the most bizarre pieces of miscasting of all time with Greg Hicks giving us his Dr Caius. That was an intentionally hilarious production! The wives werent much good as i recall. The Leslie Philips/Susannah York one is prob the best ive seen.
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Aug 8, 2017 12:16:58 GMT
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Post by Jan on Aug 8, 2017 12:16:58 GMT
One of the oddest bits of casting was Richard Cordery as Falstaff in David Farr's "Merry Wives" but no one noticed because it was overshadowed. by one of the most bizarre pieces of miscasting of all time with Greg Hicks giving us his Dr Caius. That was an intentionally hilarious production! The wives werent much good as i recall. The Leslie Philips/Susannah York one is prob the best ive seen. The high-concept RSC one set in the early days of Elizabeth II's reign in the 1950s best I've seen.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Aug 8, 2017 13:30:38 GMT
I wonder whether someone like Mark Addy might not make a decent attempt at the role
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Post by Honoured Guest on Aug 8, 2017 13:35:39 GMT
The high-concept RSC one set in the early days of Elizabeth II's reign in the 1950s best I've seen. Bill Alexander directed - and his Richard III with Antony Sher was within a year, as far as I remember. Peter Jeffrey as Falstaff? Lindsey Duncan and Janet Dale under the hair-driers?
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Post by TallPaul on Aug 8, 2017 13:37:20 GMT
I wonder whether someone like Mark Addy might not make a decent attempt at the role He did do The Hypocrite, that Richard Bean thing. It's the sort of play I know emicardiff loves.
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Post by emicardiff on Aug 8, 2017 13:39:06 GMT
I wonder whether someone like Mark Addy might not make a decent attempt at the role He did do The Hypocrite, that Richard Bean thing. It's the sort of play I know emicardiff loves. *shudder* it's my dream play scenario that one right there.
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Post by Jan on Aug 8, 2017 13:57:29 GMT
I wonder whether someone like Mark Addy might not make a decent attempt at the role I think a common mistake they make is casting a fat actor in the role rather than casting the character. Peter O'Toole would have been great.
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Post by Baemax on Aug 8, 2017 13:58:23 GMT
I wonder whether someone like Mark Addy might not make a decent attempt at the role He's still the best Dogberry I've ever seen. Indeed, as he was my first Dogberry, it was apparently three years before I saw another one and realised why everyone hated the character so much.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Aug 8, 2017 15:33:18 GMT
I wonder whether someone like Mark Addy might not make a decent attempt at the role I think a common mistake they make is casting a fat actor in the role rather than casting the character. Peter O'Toole would have been great. I was thinking more about his ability to handle the comic and nasty sides of the role whilst still being able to retain audience sympathy rather than his size. Falstaff can be a very, very unlikeable character in the wrong hands - and for the end of 2H4 to really hit home, the audience must feel something for him at the end rather than feeling he deserved all he got. Addy might not require much padding - but he can still pull off the role (with the support of a good production)
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Post by Jan on Aug 8, 2017 16:36:10 GMT
I think a common mistake they make is casting a fat actor in the role rather than casting the character. Peter O'Toole would have been great. I was thinking more about his ability to handle the comic and nasty sides of the role whilst still being able to retain audience sympathy rather than his size. Falstaff can be a very, very unlikeable character in the wrong hands - and for the end of 2H4 to really hit home, the audience must feel something for him at the end rather than feeling he deserved all he got. Addy might not require much padding - but he can still pull off the role (with the support of a good production) I don't rate Addy much but what you say about the character is right. When they asked Richard Griffiths why he'd never played Falstaff, despite repeated offers, he said he didn't want to "because he's a bit of a scumbag isn't he"
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2,706 posts
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Post by Cardinal Pirelli on Aug 8, 2017 19:59:02 GMT
Conleth Hill would be a decent bet.
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Post by lynette on Aug 8, 2017 20:11:51 GMT
Addy was a bit acting by numbers in that ridiculous farce Vice Versa, was it?
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1,119 posts
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Aug 12, 2017 13:06:17 GMT
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Post by martin1965 on Aug 12, 2017 13:06:17 GMT
Frantically trying to get back on topic! Is there nobody out there who has heard what will be on at Stratford next year? Measure for Measure and Pericles would be nice.
Dream Swan season: Athiest's Tragedy, Dutch Courtesan, Catiline and Michaelmas Term😊
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Aug 12, 2017 14:08:12 GMT
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Post by Jan on Aug 12, 2017 14:08:12 GMT
Frantically trying to get back on topic! Is there nobody out there who has heard what will be on at Stratford next year? Measure for Measure and Pericles would be nice. Dream Swan season: Athiest's Tragedy, Dutch Courtesan, Catiline and Michaelmas Term😊 Ram Alley, The Insatiate Countess, The Massacre at Paris, The Second Maiden's Tragedy
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Post by theatremad on Aug 12, 2017 14:34:16 GMT
Total Dream Season and fantasy as no one will ever do at least one of them:
RST
The Dynasts by Thomas Hardy in a new Version by Mike Poulton or David Edgar
to complement Henry VI and Richard III.
SWAN
The Poetaster The Honest Whore Parts 1 and 2 The Bloody Banquet
TOP
The Shape of the Table Pentecost The Prisoners Dilemma
or a season of anything more substantial that packs punch than the short plays they've done. Maybe Richard Nelsons Apple and Gabriel Plays.
Total fantasy but hey it's fun
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Post by martin1965 on Aug 12, 2017 17:06:37 GMT
Total Dream Season and fantasy as no one will ever do at least one of them: RST The Dynasts by Thomas Hardy in a new Version by Mike Poulton or David Edgar to complement Henry VI and Richard III. SWAN The Poetaster The Honest Whore Parts 1 and 2 The Bloody Banquet TOP The Shape of the Table Pentecost The Prisoners Dilemma or a season of anything more substantial that packs punch than the short plays they've done. Maybe Richard Nelsons Apple and Gabriel Plays. Total fantasy but hey it's fun Love it!
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1,119 posts
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Aug 12, 2017 17:07:22 GMT
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Post by martin1965 on Aug 12, 2017 17:07:22 GMT
Frantically trying to get back on topic! Is there nobody out there who has heard what will be on at Stratford next year? Measure for Measure and Pericles would be nice. Dream Swan season: Athiest's Tragedy, Dutch Courtesan, Catiline and Michaelmas Term😊 Ram Alley, The Insatiate Countess, The Massacre at Paris, The Second Maiden's Tragedy Next two seasons sorted Jan!
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Post by lynette on Aug 12, 2017 17:33:22 GMT
Impressive suggestions. Let's see what they come up with.
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Post by tributary on Aug 12, 2017 18:19:27 GMT
Anthony Sher as Cleopatra. Henry V with Anthony Sher. Salome with Anthony Sher. Revivals of recent hits Henry IV 1 and 2, and King Lear. Twelfth Night. And a new one-man show based on the Sonnets, set in South Africa, with a very exciting leading man indeed.... Coming soon!
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1,119 posts
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Aug 12, 2017 20:21:50 GMT
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Post by martin1965 on Aug 12, 2017 20:21:50 GMT
You cant even get his name right!!
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Aug 13, 2017 5:47:03 GMT
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Post by Jan on Aug 13, 2017 5:47:03 GMT
You cant even get his name right!! Phileas Sher ?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2017 20:34:27 GMT
Welles' "Chimes at Midnight" excellent of course. It is a good adaptation/reduction of the plays too, someone should try staging that script. Falstaff in Merry Wives is an even more thankless task I think, I've never seen it done well, Barrie Rutter entirely charmless for example. Callow did CaM at Chichester a while back. I missed it, nice touch to have had the Welles Hal (Keith Baxter) as the King, reviews werent kind as i recall. Strange that Simon Callow hasn't been back to the RSC in recent years, I would have thought that some of the great older Shakespearean roles would have interested him and he is a good name to have back for a run. I agree that Mark Addy would make a great Falstaff as his build would not require a bulked up costume and he is a proven comic actor. Martin Clunes would also make a good Falstaff IMO but he prefers to work close to where he is based and no doubt gets lots of stage offers.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2017 20:35:54 GMT
I was thinking more about his ability to handle the comic and nasty sides of the role whilst still being able to retain audience sympathy rather than his size. Falstaff can be a very, very unlikeable character in the wrong hands - and for the end of 2H4 to really hit home, the audience must feel something for him at the end rather than feeling he deserved all he got. Addy might not require much padding - but he can still pull off the role (with the support of a good production) I don't rate Addy much but what you say about the character is right. When they asked Richard Griffiths why he'd never played Falstaff, despite repeated offers, he said he didn't want to "because he's a bit of a scumbag isn't he" Richard Griffiths would have been fantastic in the role.
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Aug 13, 2017 20:37:53 GMT
Toby Jones was great as Falstaff in one of the Complete Walk films. Would love to see him have a go at it.
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Aug 14, 2017 6:04:52 GMT
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Post by Jan on Aug 14, 2017 6:04:52 GMT
Callow did CaM at Chichester a while back. I missed it, nice touch to have had the Welles Hal (Keith Baxter) as the King, reviews werent kind as i recall. Strange that Simon Callow hasn't been back to the RSC in recent years, I would have thought that some of the great older Shakespearean roles would have interested him and he is a good name to have back for a run. I agree that Mark Addy would make a great Falstaff as his build would not require a bulked up costume and he is a proven comic actor. Martin Clunes would also make a good Falstaff IMO but he prefers to work close to where he is based and no doubt gets lots of stage offers. Simon Callow isn't an RSC actor though is he. The only thing he's ever done for them is that Merry Wives musical and even then he took it on at the last minute when Desmond Barrit pulled out.
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Post by Honoured Guest on Aug 14, 2017 7:55:00 GMT
Simon Callow isn't an actor.
He's a performer.
His greatest role is Simon Callow.
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