The Duchess At The Wanamaker

[poliphilo]

I was watching a recording of The Duchess of Malfi from the Globe's new indoor theatre last night. I only got to just over the half way mark because the computer kept stopping and starting (blame the internet connection) and then it was bedtime, but I saw enough to be able to imagine the rest. Candlelight is the loveliest of artificial lights.  How Shakespeare must have loved it- towards the end of his career- when he got to work in a theatre with a roof- and things became possible that had never been possible before.  Webster has a scene where the lights go down completely and something horrific happens in the dark. That must have been electrifying first time round.

I was taught The Duchess at 6th form level by an English teacher who loved it- and passed his love on.  When we read it in class I played Ferdinand to his Bosola.  Webster is our greatest dramatic poet after Shakespeare and there are scenes in the Duchess where he's operating at the older man's level.

Strangling is a very quiet death.

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I've only seen clips.

It struck me as a object lesson in how not to do it.

Olivier made three very good Shakespeare films- and then seems to have lost the knack.

[negothick.livejournal.com]

Legend hath it that Olivier blacked up ALL OVER his body, not just where it showed, to really get into his character.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I can believe it.

I read that as part of his homework he went and watched Sammy Davis perform night after night.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Some of it was very good. Some of it was awful.

I thought his Shylock was okay and his late-life Lear, when he was too frail to carry Cordelia (who had to be harnessed) was incredibly poignant.