Tracking my review of the 2009 show down proved a bit tricky given that all the words in 'as you like it' are all common and blog search does not do quoted strings.
Tried a google search which is more cunning and I got an entry which claimed to be for 1st December 2006, but which actually & eventually turned out to be for the 5th December, and was, in any case about books rather than plays.
At which point I had a brain wave and I thought to try searching for rosalind and that turns up reference 1, a post for 2009 which google did not find at all. Clearly google is a bit sloppy about indexing my blog, this despite the fact that it runs it, blogger being a member of the google family, as they say at Walmart.
Anyway, back at the Globe, the show started off with an unscripted funeral, which was OK as it served to quieten the audience down, rather as the advertisements and credits do at the cinema.
Costume vaguely Jacobean, which was as I like it (no pun intended), although the court costumes for Rosalind and Celia were oddly unbecoming. The absence of swords jarred occasionally; one can only suppose that the Globe needed to economise on fight masters, health and safety and all that sort of thing.
Charles the wrestler affected a dim voice which jarred and which he kept when he doubled for another role later on. The chap playing both the dukes was not very ducal in either role, but that did not seem to matter. Jaques was well camped up, which I found rather tiresome. Corin a bit feeble. I liked Oliver better than Orlando, but then I suppose it is always easier to pull the bad guy off than the good guy. Phoebe (little) and Audrey (large) both very good. Rosalind and Celia generally good, but with an overdone tendency to girlish giggles and frolics. Not enough sense of their own importance for my taste.
The cast generally were rather keen on making speeches from spots dotted about the extremities of the stage and from the auditorium which I found rather irritating. I like the action on the stage where I can watch without having to keep moving my head about to track down the voice.
Rather more clapping than I like. Rather a lot of aeroplane and helicopter noise. One even suspected the helicopters making a point of showing their passengers the Globe in action. But two cushions (at only a pound a pop) rather than one was a very smart move, particularly as it turned out that our balustrade was near enough the heads of the groundlings not be suitable for much leaning on. For most of the balustrade this was not a problem, but it was for our bit.
Given the amount of song in the script and the wedding at the end, we had worried that the Globe, with its love of song, dance, clowns and pantomime would rather overdo all that sort of thing, But in the event, they did not, and the complicated antique instruments on display were rather fun, Which were followed up by a busker playing tunes on a modified rip saw on the way back to Waterloo,
Reading the Arden crib (1920, Methuen, 2nd edition, originally sold by Deighton Bell & Co. Ltd. of Cambridge and once the property of one E. J. Upward, a chap with a very small hand), I learned that much of the imagery used in this play was also to be found in Lear, where the scenes on the heath served a similar function to this play's scenes in the forest. A parallel which I found interesting in the flesh.
Reading the notes at reference 1, I wonder now whether they simply picked up that previous production, twiddled it a bit for variety, and used it again. No problem if they had, as I liked both shows - and, having been brought up to speed again, it will interesting to see what the National Theatre make of the play in November. All in all, a good outing to see a good play.
On the way to Waterloo, attracted by the flashy & florid window boxes, we stopped for refreshment at the 'Mad Hatter', where they did a very decent New Zealand sov. blonk.. Their gentlemen's rest room also saw fit to offer a communal sink for washing, the first time I have come across such a thing. See reference 2.
Entirely satisfactory supper at the Epsom branch of Ask, with our main course being a spaghetti Bolognese with rather soft spaghetti, soft as if it had been standing cooked for quite a while. I usually prefer my spaghetti a little firmer, but less firmer did not seem to matter on this occasion.
With thanks to wikipedia for the image, 'Jaques and the Wounded Stag' by one William Hodges.
PS 1: found an ancient text about networks by one Andrew Tanenbaum under a seat. A substantial book from 1988, but one which might serve one of my present interests rather well. Lots of stuff about seven layer models. Also a JW tract of which more in due course.
PS 2: very impressive rain as I correct the proofs.
Reference 1: http://pumpkinstrokemarrow.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=rosalind.
Reference 2: http://madhatterhotel.co.uk/.
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