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blufive[Globe Website (here's hoping they don't bitrot the link at the end of the show's run)]
After a period of war, Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon, has successfully concluded a peace with his bastard brother, Don John. Arriving at the house of Leonato in Messina, Don Pedro and his retinue turn their thoughts from war to love, and a happy match is foreseen between Claudio, one of Don Pedro's men, and Hero, Leonato's daughter. But Don John has other ideas...
I enjoyed it. The all-female company tore into it with enthusiasm, making maximum use of the almost-in-the-round structure of the globe to engage with the audience. Josie Lawrence, in particular, milked the "horn" jokes for all they were worth. It was funny, which is obviously the point, so they were doing that bit right.
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calatrice and I had plum seats - front row of the bottom tier, right in front of the stage. So we were sorted. Cal's parents, on the middle tier and somewhat to one side, reckoned their view was pretty damn good too.
We thought we were well prepared, having carefully planned beforehand: "the globe has no roof, must take waterproofs just in case"
Unfortunately, we completely overlooked the possibility of 30-centigrade heat and blazing sunshine. Jackets came off to avoid heatstroke, and I ended up luminous pink (and peeling a few days later). I managed not to end up completely barbequed, but still, oops. I'm sure you can figure out the moral here.
In terms of getting the maximum number of people as close to the stage as possible, the Globe succeeds admirably. The biggest drawback, however, was the damn aircraft. The Globe is right in the middle of London, conveniently under the outer end of the eastern flight path into Heathrow (which is ever so slightly one of the busiest airports in the world). There were moments when the cast were having difficulty making themselves heard.
Still, a grand day out for all concerned.
After a period of war, Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon, has successfully concluded a peace with his bastard brother, Don John. Arriving at the house of Leonato in Messina, Don Pedro and his retinue turn their thoughts from war to love, and a happy match is foreseen between Claudio, one of Don Pedro's men, and Hero, Leonato's daughter. But Don John has other ideas...
The play
My first time for this particular comedy, and I don't think I'll bother commenting on the script, since I gather that most people think this Shakespeare guy's pretty good :)I enjoyed it. The all-female company tore into it with enthusiasm, making maximum use of the almost-in-the-round structure of the globe to engage with the audience. Josie Lawrence, in particular, milked the "horn" jokes for all they were worth. It was funny, which is obviously the point, so they were doing that bit right.
The Theatre
This is the first time I've ever seen Shakespeare in a proper theatre - the previous productions I've seen have been in outdoor amphitheatres or improvised stages in castles.calatrice and I had plum seats - front row of the bottom tier, right in front of the stage. So we were sorted. Cal's parents, on the middle tier and somewhat to one side, reckoned their view was pretty damn good too. We thought we were well prepared, having carefully planned beforehand: "the globe has no roof, must take waterproofs just in case"
Unfortunately, we completely overlooked the possibility of 30-centigrade heat and blazing sunshine. Jackets came off to avoid heatstroke, and I ended up luminous pink (and peeling a few days later). I managed not to end up completely barbequed, but still, oops. I'm sure you can figure out the moral here.
In terms of getting the maximum number of people as close to the stage as possible, the Globe succeeds admirably. The biggest drawback, however, was the damn aircraft. The Globe is right in the middle of London, conveniently under the outer end of the eastern flight path into Heathrow (which is ever so slightly one of the busiest airports in the world). There were moments when the cast were having difficulty making themselves heard.
Still, a grand day out for all concerned.