DVD/150: RICHARD III (Richard LoncraIne, 1995)

Richard Eyre's 1990 RICHARD III at the National Theatre starring Ian McKellen was set in the 1930s, finding a natural setting against the rise of Fascist dictators and five years later, Richard Loncraine based his screen version on this production using an adaptation by himself and McKellen.

As good as McKellen is, eventually he becomes wearing; being so close to the script-writing means few other characters get a look in.

Loncraine's film however is excellent: the action is wonderfully thought through to fit the 1930s concept and the production design and costumes won BAFTAs and were nominated for Oscars.

As I said, it's a struggle for the cast to get round McKellen but there is fine work from Annette Bening as Queen Elizabeth. Maggie Smith as the Duchess of York, Nigel Hawthorne as Clarence, Jim Broadbent as Buckingham, Kristen Scott Thomas as Lady Anne and Adrian Dunbar as Tyrell.

Shelf or charity shop?  Alhough McKellen's Richard is ruling from the DVD limbo of a plastic storage box, it is definitely one to keep for it's ingenuity, dazzling cast and the wonderful location use of Battersea Power Station. St Pancras Station, Brighton Pavillion, Senate House and the former Bankside Power Station, now the Tate Modern building.

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Dvd/150: THE HOLLOW CROWN: THE WAR OF THE ROSES - RICHARD III (Dominic Cooke, 2016)

The second cycle of THE HOLLOW CROWN ends with Benedict Cumberbatch murdering his way to the throne as RICHARD III.

Starting with a tracking shot around Richard's grotesque twisted spine, Cumberbatch gives a subtle portrayal of evil shot through with a sense of murderous fun as he colludes with the viewer in his treacherous plans.

Ben Power's adaptation keeps the plot moving fast but in this part of the trilogy, some poetry is lost - Queen Elizabeth's plea to the stone walls of the Tower to protect her captive sons and, more unforgivably, Clarence's dream of drowning.

This is Dominic Cooke's first filmed work and the trilogy has an assured, cohesive vision.  Again Sophie Okonedo is marvellous as Queen Margaret, cursing the royal family who learn too late she is right, and in a relatively minor role as Richard's mother, Judi Dench is magnificent in her final denunciation scene with him.

Shelf or charity shop?  Ruling from the shelf, the final death toll incidentally is 25... farewell Clarence, Edward IV, Lords Hastings, Grey and Rivers, Princes Edward and Richard, Queen Anne. Buckingham, Catesby and of course, you know who...

DVD/150: THE WAR OF THE ROSES (Robin Midgley, Michael Hayes, 1965)

Peter Hall and John Barton's conflating of Shakespeare's three HENRY VI plays with RICHARD III for the RSC in 1963 was not only a milestone in British theatre but also for television too when broadcast in 1965, filmed on the Stratford stage the year before.

Hall and Barton's trilogy - HENRY VI, EDWARD IV and RICHARD III - are a textbook adaptation, keeping the action flowing while retaining the poetry.  The BBC's decision to film it was remarkable as their version of all the History plays, AN AGE OF KINGS, had been broadcast in 1960.

With two years experience of the roles, the actors deliver definitive performances: 23 year-old David Warner as Henry VI, Peggy Ashcroft as an unforgettable Margaret of Anjou;  Donald Sinden's York, Brewster Mason's Warwick and Janet Suzman's Joan La Pucelle all shine.

John Normington is terrific as Young Clifford while Ian Holm is excellent as Richard III.

Shelf or charity shop?  These three kings will rule the shelf for some time to come...

 

The 10th Annual Chrissie Awards - the red carpet awaits...

Time to dig out that old Balenciaga and the dinner jacket with the shiny lapels (and backside) - it's only the 10th Annual Chrissies... the award that all the West End wants...

BEST DRAMA (Original/Revival)

 

RICHARD III - William Shakespeare (Almeida)

Nominees:

THE DEEP BLUE SEA - Rattigan (Lyttelton) / ELLEN TERRY WITH EILEEN ATKINS - Atkins/Shakespeare (Sam Wanamaker) / KENNY MILLER - Poulson (Arcola) / THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS - O'Casey (Lyttelton)

BEST MUSICAL (Original/Revival)

SHOW BOAT - Jerome Kern / Oscar Hammerstein II (Sheffield & New London)

Nominees:

RAGTIME - Flaherty / Ahrens / McNally (Charing Cross Theatre) / SHE LOVES ME - Bock / Harnick / Masteroff (Menier) / THE THREEPENNY OPERA - Brecht / Weill / Stephens (Olivier) / TITANIC - Yeston (Charing Cross Road)

BEST BALLET/OPERA

THE RED SHOES - Matthew Bourne (Sadler's Wells)

Nominees:

LA FILLE MAL GARDÉE - Ashton (Covent Garden) / TOSCA - Puccini (London Coliseum) / LA TRAVIATA - Verdi (Covent Garden) / THE WINTER'S TALE - Wheeldon (Covent Garden)

BEST ACTOR (Drama)

  RALPH FIENNES - Richard III (Almeida)

Nominees:

O-T FAGBENLE (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) / DAVID MORRISSEY (Hangman) / LUCIAN MSAMATI (Amadeus) / LUCIAN MSAMANTI (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom)

BEST ACTRESS (Drama)

HELEN McCRORY - The Deep Blue Sea (Lyttelton)

Nominees:

EILEEN ATKINS (Ellen Terry with Eileen Atkins) / SHARON D. CLARKE (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) / LISA DWAN (No's Knife) / GLENDA JACKSON (King Lear)

BEST ACTOR (Musical)

RORY KINNEAR - The Threepenny Opera (Olivier)

Nominees:

PAUL AYRES (Kinky Boots) / EUAN GARRETT (Billy Elliot) / HARRY HEPPLE (Into The Woods) / MICHAEL XAVIER (Show Boat)

BEST ACTRESS (Musical)

  SCARLETT STRALLEN - She Loves Me (Menier)

Nominees:

ANITA LOUISE COMBE (Ragtime) / LAURA PITT-PULFORD (Side Show) / JENNA RUSSELL (Grey Gardens) / SHERIDAN SMITH (Funny Girl)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (Drama)

STEVE PEMBERTON - Dead Funny (Savoy)

Nominees:

FINBAR LYNCH (Richard III) / ANDY NYMAN (Hangman) / DOMINIC ROWAN (The Tempest) / PETER SULLIVAN (The Deep Blue Sea)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (Drama)

VANESSA REDGRAVE - Richard III (Almeida)

Nominees:

LINDA BASSETT (Escaped Alone) / SUSAN ENGEL (Richard III) / BRONWYN JAMES (Hangmen) / GRÁINNE KEENAN (The Plough and The Stars)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (Musical)

ADAM J. BERNARD - Dreamgirls (Savoy)

Nominees:

ALLAN CORDUNER (Show Boat) / NICK HOLDER (The Threepenny Opera) / EMMANUEL KOJO (Show Boat) / MALCOLM SINCLAIR (Show Boat)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (Musical)

REBECCA TREHEARN - Show Boat (Sheffield & New London)

Nominees:

SHEILA HANCOCK (Grey Gardens) / KATHERINE KINGSLEY (She Loves Me) / SANDRA MARVIN (Show Boat) / JENNIFER SAAYENG (Ragtime)

BEST BALLET/OPERA MALE

DANIEL COLLINS - Jekyll & Hyde (Old Vic)

Nominees:

BENNET GARTSIDE (The Winter's Tale) / STEVEN McRAE (La Fille Mal Gardee) / EDWARD WATSON (Strapless) / THOMAS WHITEHEAD (The Invitation)

 

 BEST BALLET/OPERA FEMALE

CORDELIA BRAITHWAITE - The Red Shoes (Sadler's Wells)

 

Nominees:

KERI ALKEMA (Tosca) / MARIANELA NUNEZ (Giselle) / MARIANELA NUNEZ (The Winter's Tale) / NATALIA OSIPOVA (La Fille Mal Gardee)

BEST DIRECTOR

RUPERT GOOLD - Richard III (Almeida)

Nominees:

MATTHEW BOURNE (The Red Shoes) / CARRIE CRACKNELL (The Deep Blue Sea) / CASEY NICOLAW (Dreamgirls) / MATTHEW WHITE (She Loves Me)

BEST DESIGNER

  LEZ BROTHERSTON - The Red Shoes (Sadler's Wells)

 Nominees:

HILDEGARD BECHTLER (Richard III) / BOB CROWLEY (La Traviata) / BOB CROWLEY (The Winter's Tale) / PAUL FARNSWORTH (She Loves Me)

BEST LIGHTING

 PAULE CONSTABLE - The Red Shoes (Sadler's Wells)

Nominees:

JON CLARKE (Richard III) / JEAN KALMAN (La Traviata) / NATASHA KATZ (The Winter's Tale) / HUGH VANSTONE (Dreamgirls)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY (Musical)

CASEY NICHOLAW - Dreamgirls (Savoy)

Nominees:

CRESSIDA CARRÉ (Titanic) / PETER DARLING (Billy Elliot) / ALISTAIR DAVID (Show Boat) / REBECCA HOWELL (She Loves Me)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY (Ballet)

CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON - The Winter's Tale (Sadler's Wells)

Nominees:

FREDERICK ASHTON (La Fille Mal Gardée) / MATTHEW BOURNE (The Red Shoes) / KENNETH McMILLAN (Anastasia) / PETER WRIGHT (Giselle)