TheTeapot Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 3 minutes ago, John Wright said: I’ve always pictured him as 30, pinched, drawn and thin. But Simon Russel Beale was a good rounded portrayal. I had to look him up, but yeah, he'd fit my version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wright Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 4 minutes ago, TheTeapot said: I had to look him up, but yeah, he'd fit my version. I think Russell Beale is the foremost Shakespearean actor of his generation. Much overlooked and under rated. I’ve seen 3 great Richard III’s. ( I’ve seen some crap ones in provincial reps ). 1. by RSC, 2. a production by Sam Mendes ( which might have been RSC but which I saw at Donmar Warehouse ). Thinking back it must have been RSC. I saw it again at The Other Place in Stratford. 3. National Theatre. RSC was Antony Scher. Compelling in black and on crutches. NT was McKellen. Sinister as a fascist. Both excellent productions, spellbinding performances. Donmar was Russell Beale. I think it may have been because of the small intimate space, I was 10 feet from the stage, but the power, evil, menace were palpable. Spine chilling performance. One of the all time great performances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake me up Judy Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 I've been watching and listening to Simon Russell Beale since he came on the scene. Great actor...but every role he plays is usually the same: same voice; same diction; same mannerisms etc in every thing he does. That's what happens when you become acting royalty: producers, directors, and audiences just want you to play yourself, or your stock performance every time. They don't want to see an actor; they want to see Simon Russell Beale. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake me up Judy Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 1 hour ago, TheTeapot said: What? It is LITERALLY taught in schools. Talking of 'the party' I note that from that list I linked (and a similar one I also looked up) that 1984, another book I was lucky enough to study aat school, is not on the GCSE list anymore. Wonder why that is? Orwell's been out of fashion for years. Not left-wing enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTeapot Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 3 minutes ago, Shake me up Judy said: Orwell's been out of fashion for years. Not left-wing enough. Animal Farm remains on the syllabus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wright Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 19 minutes ago, Shake me up Judy said: I've been watching and listening to Simon Russell Beale since he came on the scene. Great actor...but every role he plays is usually the same: same voice; same diction; same mannerisms etc in every thing he does. That's what happens when you become acting royalty: producers, directors, and audiences just want you to play yourself, or your stock performance every time. They don't want to see an actor; they want to see Simon Russell Beale. You see, that’s how I find McKellen. Nice guy. I’ve had some good piss ups and socials with Serena. But he only has one character/voice/inflection. Even in Bent. And he was magnificent in that. Russel-Beale I’ve never noticed the limitations you refer to. ETA Bent the stage show, not the film. Film didn’t gel for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake me up Judy Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 Is Serena his pseudonym John ? I've only read Bent and it's a fantastic play. McKellen's decision to play Hamlet is a bit daft at his age. I liked him early on but I think I agree with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wright Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 15 minutes ago, Shake me up Judy said: Is Serena his pseudonym John ? I've only read Bent and it's a fantastic play. McKellen's decision to play Hamlet is a bit daft at his age. I liked him early on but I think I agree with you. Sir Ian = Serena. Drag name. Or Polari. Luvvie speak. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 4 hours ago, Shake me up Judy said: Hold on there fella: Of Mice and Men isn't about race or prejudice. No but it's a theme. It's about loneliness and the marginalised and Steinbeck uses race to reflect that. The migrant workers are marginalised people, but the black character doubly so. They live in a communal barracks - he lives in a makeshift hut. He's made more lonely and marginalised because of his race. Do you think a writer of Steinbeck's skill and politics casually through around racial language and stereotypes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake me up Judy Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 1 minute ago, Declan said: No but it's a theme. It's about loneliness and the marginalised and Steinbeck uses race to reflect that. The migrant workers are marginalised people, but the black character doubly so. They live in a communal barracks - he lives in a makeshift hut. He's made more lonely and marginalised because of his race. Do you think a writer of Steinbeck's skill and politics casually through around racial language and stereotypes? No, of course not, he was a master storyteller. He could spell too... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 10 minutes ago, Shake me up Judy said: No, of course not, he was a master storyteller. He could spell too... Is that all you've got? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake me up Judy Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxman1980 Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 Having done GCSE English and an A-Level in English Language our syllabus included; - Merchant of Venice - Romeo & Juliet - A Midsummers Night Dream - To Kill a Mockingbird - An Inspector Calls - Lord of the Flies As has been said, when you get to the stage where you are studying books rather than just reading them for pleasure you are asked to analyse the themes and consider if there was a deeper meaning. Would anyone suggest that Blyton's works are worthy of such study? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake me up Judy Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 They were children's books and not literature, but I think much of her vast output had value in teaching kids about a sense of adventure; danger; loyalty; independence and self-reliance in a world without adults; responsibility; morality etc. The best kids fiction has all these themes and more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxman1980 Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 19 minutes ago, Shake me up Judy said: They were children's books and not literature, but I think much of her vast output had value in teaching kids about a sense of adventure; danger; loyalty; independence and self-reliance in a world without adults; responsibility; morality etc. The best kids fiction has all these themes and more. And that is the problem. They are books aimed at children and some of the values included within them are unacceptable today. That's why some have been edited to remove racial connotations and others were removed from publication years ago as they were outright racist. The Daily Fail and Gammons are getting wound up over nothing (as usual) and they have the nerve to call those who oppose them 'snowflakes'! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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