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Richard II

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Shakespeare Richard II play. The Royal Shakespeare Company is directed 2013 by Gregory Doran before a live audience at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. Stars actors David Tennant (King Richard II), Emma Hamilton (The Queen), Michael Pennington (John of Gaunt), Nigel Lindsay (Bolingbroke), Oliver Ford Davies (Duke of York), Marty Cruickshank (Duchess of York), Oliver Rix (Duke of Aumerle), Jane Lapotaire (Duchess of Gloucester), Antony Byrne (Thomas Mowbray), Sam Marks (Bushy), Jake Mann (Bagot), Marcus Griffiths (Greene), Simon Thorp (Earl of Salisbury), Jim Hooper (Bishop of Carlisle), Keith Osborn (Sir Stephen Scroop), Sean Chapman (Earl of Northumberland), Edmund Wiseman (Harry Percy), Joshua Richards (Lord Ross/Gardener), Youssef Kerkour (Lord Willoughby), Gracy Goldman (Lady-in-Waiting), Miranda Nolan (Lady-in-Waiting),  and Elliot Barnes-Worrell (Groom). Musicians are Charlotte Ashley, Anna Bolton, and Helena Raeburn (sopranos); Chris Seddon, Chris Storr, and James Stretton (trumpets); and Kevin Waterman (percussion); and Bruce O'Neil (keyboard). Designs by Stephen Brimson Lewis; lighting design by Tim Mitchell; music by Paul Englishby; sound design by Martin Slavin; movement by Michael Ashcroft; fights by Terry King; company text and voice work by Lyn Darnley; assistant direction by Owen Horsley; music direction by Bruce O'Neil; casting by Helena Palmer, CDG; production management by Simon Ash; costume supervision by Stephanie Arditti; company management by Ben Tyreman; stage management by Suzi Blakey; deputy stage management by Klare Roger; assistant stage management by Charley Sargant; directed for screen by Robin Lough; screen production by John Wyver; associate production by David Gopsill. Released 2014, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A

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As You Like It

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Shakespeare As You Like It play. Directed 2009 by Thea Sharrock at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London. Stars Brendan Hughes (Duke Frederick), Naomi Frederick (Rosalind/Ganymede), Laura Rogers (Celia/Aliena), Dominic Rowan (Touchstone), Gregory Gudgeon (Le Beau), Sean Kearns (Charles), Philip Bird (Duke Senior), Tim McMullan (Jaques), Peter Gale (Amiens), Jamie Parker (Oliver), Jack Laskey (Orlando), Trevor Martin (Aham), Michael Benz (Silvius), Jade Williams (Phebe), Sophie Duval (Audrey), and Ewart James Walters (Hymen) plus musicians Rob Millett, Ben Grove, Tracy Holloway, David Powell and Dai Pritchard. Designs by Dick Bird; music composed by Stephen Warbeck; choreography by Fin Walker; fights directed by Kevin McCurdy; musical direction by Rob Millet; film direction by Kriss Russman and produced by James Whitbourn. Released 2010, this disc has 5.1 dts Master Audio Grade: A+

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Romeo and Juliet

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Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet play. Directed 2009 by Dominic Dromgoole at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London. Stars Adetomiwa Edun (Romeo), Ellie Kendrick (Juliet), Ukweli Roach (Tybalt), Philip Cumbus (Mercutio), Tom Stuart (Paris), Penny Layden (Nurse), Miranda Foster (Lady Capulet), Rawiri Paratene (Friar Lawrence), Andrew Vincent (Prince Escalus), Michael O'Hagan (Montague), Holly Atkins (Lady Montague), Jack Farthing (Benvolio/Quartet), Graham Vick (Abraham/Apothecary/Chorus/Quartet), Fergal McElherron (Balthazar/Peter/Gregory/Chorus/Quartet), Ian Redford (Capulet), James Lailey (Sampson/Friar and John/Constable/Chorus/Quartet). Citizens played by Lucy Conway, Jason Carter, Rhoda Ofori-Attah and Stevie Raine.  Musicians are William Lyons, Arngeir Hauksson, Amy Kelly, Sharon Lindo, and Nicholas Perry. Designed by Simon Daw; music composed by Nigel Hess; choreographed by Siân Williams; fight director was Malcorm Ranson; musical director was William Liyons. Directed for TV by Kriss Russman; produced by Hans Petri. Released 2010, disc has 5.1 dts Master Audio sound. Grade: B+


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Love's Labour's Lost

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Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost play. Directed 2009 by Dominic Dromgoole at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London. Stars Philip Cumbus (Ferdinand, King of Navarre), Trystan Gravelle (Berowne, a Lord), William Mannering (Longaville, a Lord), Jack Farthing (Dumaine, a Lord), Michelle Terry (The Princess of France), Thomasin Rand (Rosaline), Siân Robins-Grace (Katharine), Jade Anouka (Maria), Tom Stuart (Boyet), Paul Ready (Don Armado), Seroca Davis (Moth), Christopher Godwin (Holofernes), Patrick Godfrey (Sir Nathaniel), Andrew Vincent (Dull), Fergal McElherron (Costard), Rhiannon Oliver (Jaquenetta), and James Lailey (Mercadé) plus musicians Nicholas Perry, George Bartle, David Hatcher, Claire McIntyre, and Arngeir Hauksson. Designs by Jonathan Fensom; music composed by Claire van Kampen; choreography by Siân Williams; fight direction by Renny Krupinski; musical direction by Clair Van Kampen and Nicholas Perry. Directed for TV by Ian Russell; produced by James Whitbourn. Spoken in English with English subtitles only. Released 2010, this disc has 5.1 dts Master Audio. Grade: A

Wonk Gordon Smith's notoriously picky L'OperaDou jury gave this an A. That is an astonishing verdict considering that half of that jury usually are persons who speak French as their mother language. And this is one of Shakespeare's hardest plays with a huge amount of wordplay that was probably pretty challenging in 1595 and is much more daunting today.

Here are some Jury comments:

"The language was delivered in a wonderfully understandable, modern manner with inspired stage business to match. All in all a marvelously paced production that demanded constant but rewarded attention from the audience—worthy of repeated seeing.

"I love the dynamic acting from everyone in the cast, the energy, their ability to switch from acting to singing to dancing to mime—in other words totally rounded actors. This is total Theater!"

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