Ian Charleson appeared in three of the BBC Shakespeare productions - and they are all killjoys: Fortinbrass in HAMLET, Octavian in ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA and Bertram in ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.
Typical, his biggest role is in one of my least liked plays!
Twelve years ago, I saw ALL'S WELL at the NT and, while I enjoyed that production, I have stayed away from it since - until now..
Directed by Elijah Moshinsky, the design is based on Dutch artists like Rembrandt and Vermeer.
The austere design helps you focus on one of Shakespeare's most confusing plots...
When Helena cures the ailing French King with her late physician father's potion, he allows her the husband of her choice. She picks the Countess of Roussillon's son Bertram who she unrequitedly loves - but he dislikes her.
Bertam escapes, setting her two impossible tasks before he will marry her - but he doesn't know Helena...
Shelf or charity shop? Despite my dislike of the play, it's a keeper. Moshinsky doesn't really bring insights into the text and some of the performers rattle through their lines like broken photo-copiers, but the design works marvellously well and most of the actors deliver their lines like they actually understand the meaning behind the words. Among the strong performances are Celia Johnson as the Countess, Pippa Guard as Diana who helps Helena thwart Bertram, Donald Sinden as the King of France, Michael Hordern as The Countess' friend Lafeu and of course, Ian - yes he is a cad but a marvellous role for him to shine in. Sadly Angela Down as Helena cannot bring the character to life, and Peter Jeffrey's Parolles sub-plot is just a messy distraction.
No comments:
Post a Comment