So David Tennant is torturing me by making me wait a whole year for a new season of Doctor Who (though we do get a few specials during the 2009 season). Why? So he can play Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company!
Well, OK, I have to give him some slack for that.
And the thing is, the reviews look pretty good. The skinny rat from Mars can act! But we knew that.
I wish I could see it; it looks pretty interesting. But between him being Hamlet and Patrick Stewart as the ghost of his father (and Claudius as well) every scifi fan on the planet wanted tickets, and they sold out months ago. Oh well, I’ll always like the Gilligan’s Island version best.
August 16th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Alas porr Tennant ‘Who’ knew him? … well?
August 16th, 2008 at 11:00 am
One line, just one line, and yet theres’ still a $#$#@#!@@!$#$##!@#@ typo!
AAAAaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-0
August 16th, 2008 at 11:01 am
porr = poor okay y’all.
D’OH!!
Sigh.
If only we could edit here…
August 16th, 2008 at 11:04 am
My Dad won Best Actor in the Year dot with the RSC at Stratford. Tennant’s reviews were mixed at best. What made me laugh was that the RSC were really worried there would be cries of “Make it so” and “Allons-Y” from Sci fi fans in the audience. but the cool thing was all the kids that have turned up to watch Shakespeare because Dr Who is in it and they have LOVED IT!
August 16th, 2008 at 11:06 am
A;las poor Hamlet your problem is clear,
The pub is all shut and your all out of beer,
The tequila is empty the mead is all gone
Alas poor Hamlet for Yorrik has gone
To the pub with Claudius
The jokes on you, son
For Yorrick will come back with a carton of booze
But meanwhile for your guests there’s nothing to choose!
—–
Please forgive this drunken doggrel
Unless it amuses
in which case good new’es ..
August 16th, 2008 at 11:06 am
… For Who es!
August 16th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Cool Madge Glad to hear it.
August 16th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Hmmm… “Make it so!” I can uderstand & even “Tea, Earl Grey” … But “Allons-Y” .. Que?
Je ne non comprendez. (Or ‘I don’t understand.’)
August 16th, 2008 at 11:19 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH1xgdzmJOg
http://www.tv.com/doctor-who-2005/show/34391/allons-y-alonzo/topic/15268-904993/msgs.html
Those pretty well cleared it up for me. Google-fu for the win.
August 16th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Phil, I’m afraid you are mistaken. The best version of Hamlet is by The Simpsons!
August 16th, 2008 at 11:29 am
Can we take the other end for a bit? What is the worst version of Hamlet? I’m leaning towards Mel Gibson.
August 16th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Off-Topic but please Dr Phil Plait, Bad Astronomer, sir please can we have the foollow-up / second part to the “No green stars” thread that ou romised us soon~ish?
Pretty please with a bright nearby-but-not-too-nearby-supernova on top?
——-
Alas poor Eta Carinae I knew her well Horatio
A star of infinite brightness surpassing fancy
Yet future generations shall be be made of her dust .. & Alexanders
August 16th, 2008 at 11:51 am
An interesting but risky article by Peter Usher tried in 1997 to connect the Danish characters from Hamlet to Tycho Brahe. However, the cosmology of Hamlet is adapted to the cosmology of 12th Century. History was one of the favourite topics of Shakespeare and we do not forget that the prime objective of the original Doctor Who was history divulgation. Tout se tient!
August 16th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Thanks Phil. Thanks a lot. Now I’ve got that stupid Gilligan’s Island version of Hamlet’s song in my head!
Make it stop!!!
August 16th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Madge, er, not really. A couple less than stellar reviews from 2 tabloids (from less than stellar reviewers, it might be noted); the rest all at least “good.” The only caveat in the reviews being, generally, he’s a very good but not great Hamlet. But for theatre reviews, a very positive response, not what is ususally considered “mixed.”
August 16th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
that blows, and i was just starting to get into doctor who. ohh well there is the first 4 seasons to catch up on
ohhh phil, what ye gonna do without the doctor (in british accent). i know, entertain the lot of us with reality, science, anti-woo and the doctor too
———
Alas poor Rose, we knew her well
and donna, and martha, and sarah jane
August 16th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Tennant has garnered good reviews for his Hamlet almost across the board. Nobody is calling it one of the all-time greats (he’s good, but not that good) but calling it “mixed” is a little misleading. Yes, there are a couple of negative reviews but universal acclaim is rarely achieved.
My parents saw the play opening night and they thought both Tennant and Stewart put on strong performances. They’ve lived in Stratford-upon-Avon for over 20 years and have seen the vast majority of the RSC productions in that time. I will take their word for it.
August 16th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Ah, forty two years of going through life not being able to watch ‘Hamlet’ or listen to ‘Carmen’ without thinking of Harold Hecuba! Well, there’s always the ‘William Tell Overture’, “Hi-yo, Silver, away!”
August 16th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
BTW — for those of you who have never seen an RSC production of one of Shakespeare’s classics in the theater — what the heck are you waiting for?
I still vividly remember the first RSC production I saw–A Midsummer Night’s Dream with none other than David Troughton (the 2nd Doctor’s son and guest star on this year’s series). His portrayal of Bottom had the whole theater rolling in the aisles. It was truly magical.
August 16th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I know you were half joking but what do yo mean
“So David Tennant is torturing me by making me wait a whole year for a new season of Doctor Who (though we do get a few specials during the 2009 season). Why? So he can play Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company!”?
If you are a Who fan you would know that DT playing Hamlet was not THE reason for the ‘gap year’
In British TV this always happens sometimes even for years. It was the producers idea that it was the best for all that there was a rest.
August 16th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I always wondered why Bob Denver (Gilligan) never made it big in the movies. I mean, just looking at that clip, you can see that the man had immense acting talent! I always got a kick out of that show – they went for a three hour cruise – where did the costumes come from? LOL
August 16th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
@Kevin:
Oh, come on! You know you like it!
August 16th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
A few moths back we saw Patrick Stewart in a modern adaptation of Macbeth at the Gielgud Theatre in London. I must admit I found the play a bit boring, but my wife enjoyed it.
If I took anything away from that play, I guess it would be an acknowledgement of Patrick Stewart talent as an actor and a insight into the source of subtle emotions he’s able enact in his other works.
August 16th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Been there, seen it, LOVED IT…
Of course the skinny scottish Lad can act! He is brilliant, energetic, sad, comic, manic, lewd – everything Shakespeares wonderful words require.
And he signs programmes for his fans at the stage door afterwards (mine is safely stored away!)
Going again in November it was soooooo Good!!
August 16th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Allons-Y:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bOx0AiBn08&feature=related
August 16th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
My favourite Gilligan’s Island episode was the one where they almost got off the island.
August 16th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Dennis: So many???
The breadth and depth of these actors talent is substantial. We’ve had many great actors come to us from the British Isles.
Hope they keep on coming.
Gary 7
August 16th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Dennis, Yeah, I remember that one!
August 16th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
i saw it friday night. i loved it. it was manic, and funny (who knew hamlet was funny? but it’s all there in the text.) and disturbing and engaging. stewart was perfectly smarmy as claudius, and completely badass as the ghost. tennant was brilliant. his performance was very physical, and totally riveting, and he really managed to make the text feel real, especially in the places where the words can easily feel recited because everyone knows what’s coming.
great special effects, too, and it established a wonderful atmosphere using minimal sets and various reflective surfaces. it evoked a craggy seaside setting on a bare, mirrored stage. it kept the audience, kids included, completely riveted.
i’ll definitely be coming back to stratford to see shakespeare. i’m excited to see the new theatre when it’s done.
August 16th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Don’t forget Stewart made his name under Sir Peter Hall at the RSC. He was ’slumming’ in Star Trek.
August 16th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
You can also find Billie Piper on SHOWTIME’s “Secret Diary of a Call Girl”.
August 16th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
The Gilligans Island musical version was apparently MUCH better than Max Bialystock’s musical version!
August 16th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Dennis Says:
My favourite Gilligan’s Island episode was the one where they almost got off the island.
Which time???
This is almost astronomy–there are stars starring in some stellar performances.
August 16th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
StevoR said:
“One line, just one line, and yet theres’ still a $#$#@#!@@!$#$##!@#@ typo!
AAAAaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-0″
Yes, and there are only 8 ‘g’s in AAAAaaaarrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 17th, 2008 at 1:00 am
My first reaction when I saw the picture of Tenant in the famous “Poor Yorick” scene was; “I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”
August 17th, 2008 at 2:04 am
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAROFL =snort= MAO =gasp= Gimme some =coff= oxygen, before I =wheeze= pass out! very. bestest. Gilligan. episode. evar.
ZOMGZ Tennant and Stewart together in Hamlet woooooaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh holyfrakkincrackers!
@ StevoR: “Allons-y!” (=Let’s go!) is one of The Good Doctor’s favorite sayings. BTW, I think it’s “Je ne comprends pas.” But it’s been 40 years since I took French in school, so what do I know?
August 17th, 2008 at 8:42 am
I’m going to the RSC Hamlet in a couple of weeks. It looks like my 3 tickets would be worth just short of $1,000 on ebay. Wouldn’t consider it for twice as much.
August 17th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Maura – don’t sell even for a million. Saw the show in preview, amazing performances all round. One of the so called “less than stellar” reviews actually hit the web ten minutes before the actors left the stage dated the next day! I know as I was watching the site!!!! Only criticism I have is a director cut of the explanation of the death of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern – had to explain the missing bit to someone with me later! But Tennant was remarkable the night I saw him – not a whisper of a flaw in his performance. He took my breath away. And he had magnificent support from Stewart and the rest of the ensemble. AND both leads took the time to sign autographs and chat at the stage door – above and beyond the call of duty after a long gruelling emotional performance. Have seen other RSC performances – with as high profile stars – and they were OK (and some were appalling), this however was SUPERB!
August 17th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Mr. Tennant in an earlier role …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB-M_tYhLGU
August 17th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Good one, nomuse.
August 17th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
The scary thing is that I recognized that it was the Gilligan’s Island version of Hamlet from the YouTube screen before I read it in the text….
August 17th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
I always liked Shakespeare’s take on astrology from King Lear:
“This is the excellent foppery of the world: that when we are sick in fortune—often the surfeits of our own behaviour—we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and stars, as if we were villains on necessity, fools by heavenly compulsion, knaves, thieves, and treachers by spherical predominance, drunkards, liars, and adulterers by an enforced obedience of planetary influence…. An admirable evasion of whoremaster man, to lay his goatish disposition on the charge of a star!”
He got rather carried away there on the subject way back in 1606, what a shocking indictment on us all that these charlatans are still churning out their horsesh*t today!
August 17th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Haha… whenever I hear Carmen I always start humming “I ask to be, or not to be”
August 18th, 2008 at 6:25 am
Having to wait several months to see the next batch of episodes of Doctor Who?
Battlestar Galactica fans are crying for you, Phil. Welcome to our world. So say we all.
August 18th, 2008 at 7:09 am
A friends of mine was just in London and saw Hamlet, not knowing who David Tennant was, but hearing from everyone that he was “like a big thing” over there. She said that the show was really good.
August 18th, 2008 at 9:14 am
To all who are upset over having to wait a year with only four or five two-hour specials to tide you over until Season Five….
Deal with it. Us old school Whovians had to wait fourteen years, with just the American telemovie (which wasn’t bad, but wasn’t nearly enough) and a couple of charity productions to tide us over. Well, that and the New Adventure novels, which really weren’t the same as seeing it on TV. This is the real reason we all gave a collective shudder when we heard it was going on hiatus. We remember how long the *last* hiatus lasted.
Shakespeare is awesome, and I’d give my eyeteeth to see this one. Would that it were going on worldwide tour! They should videotape it. It’d sell like hotcakes.
Really, though, there is no substitute for seeing Shakespeare live on stage. There have been some excellent film adaptations (and really, I like Franco Zeffirelli’s verison, starring Mel Gibson) and some really atrocious ones (the German public television version that featured during MST3K’s final season comes to mind), but all in all, it is best to see it live. Same goes for all of Shakespeare’s plays.
My first introduction to Sir Ian McKellan was not Lord of the Rings or X-men; it was a Royal National Theatre touring production of Richard III, upon which his film adaptation was largely based. It was *superb*, and I had the fortune to sit close enough to see the spit fly.
That’s become my judge of how good the seats are at a play. If you can see spit, you’ve got a good seat! He was fantastic. Consequently, I was ecstatic to hear he’d be playing Gandalf and then Magneto. An actor of that caliber can play *anything*.
Wish I could have similar seats for Tennant and Stewart in “Hamlet”. For those wishing to see Patrick Stewart live, he does a lot of touring productions, so you have a good chance of catching him in something sooner or later. (I say that, and yet I’ve managed to *not* get tickets each time he’s come to the Guthrie here in the Twin Cities. Curse my fiendish procrastination!)
August 18th, 2008 at 9:27 am
@Calli Arcale
He’s been through the Guthrie? Man, I miss that place. I have yet to see the new Guthrie, though. A friend of mine works there and has told me a bit about its new incarnation.
August 18th, 2008 at 9:39 am
Never got into Shakespeare. I think it was the idea that if you were smart you *had* to love it, and all that did was drive me away.
I’m such a rebel!
August 18th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Can we take the other end for a bit? What is the worst version of Hamlet? I’m leaning towards Mel Gibson.
Hamlet, Prinz von Dänemark. Not even Mike & The Bots could save this turkey.
August 18th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
@Calli
I first saw Ian McKellen in the film version of Richard III. The film was fantastic and McKellen’s performance was brilliant.
August 18th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Oh, it was amazing, wasn’t it? It’s different from the stage adaptation that he based it on, but it keeps the quasi-Nazi setting. One of the most brilliant moves of the film version was having the opening monologue (which, IMHO, is one of the two best that Shakespeare ever wrote, the other being the opening to Henry V) start off as a good-natured address to the crowd, cutting abruptly to Richard in private, speaking directly to the camera in a totally different tone of voice, making it clear that “now is the winter of our discontent” spoken to the party guests was meant as veiled sarcasm. It was a very different reading of the text than what you usually see.
I also had the pleasure of seeing McKellan play Captain Hook at the RNT. That was pretty darned cool. It’s not a difficult part, and it doesn’t give much opportunity for creative depth, but he was visibly enjoying himself in the part, snarling for the kiddies in the audience so that they’d boo all the louder. It was great.
Todd W, Patrick Stewart has actually been to the Guthrie several times, including once to the new Guthrie. He apparently likes the Guthrie and enjoys coming back, so we’ll probably get our chance sooner or later.
I haven’t been to the new Guthrie yet either (except once by accident when I was trying to find the way to eastbound I-94 — signage sucks downtown) but I’ve really been wanting to go. My mom says its wonderful.
August 18th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
@Calli Arcale
Yeah, I’ve heard the new space is supposed to be nice. Just stinks, though, that the Walker tore down the old one. It was a piece of theatre history (first regional theatre in the U.S.). Plus it just had a cool design to the seating. One of these days when I get back to MN, I’ll need to stop by the new one.
August 18th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
That image _needs_ Photoshop help.
“Alas, poor Gaia, I knew her well ….”
August 19th, 2008 at 6:05 am
@ StevoR : “Allons-y!” (=Let’s go!) is one of The Good Doctor’s favorite sayings. BTW, I think it’s “Je ne comprends pas.” But it’s been 40 years since I took French in school, so what do I know?
Probably more than me. I very vaguely recall doing French at high school about twenty years ago. About all I do remember is that they call their swimming pools “piss-ins!”
Thankyou Madlolscientist , THX.
————–
Alas poor Picard we knew him well Janeway
A captain of infinite jest and fancy
Infinitely better than the #@!#@!$ crud of Star Treks (& Bleeccch!! “Enterprises”) future!
August 19th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
@calli arcale:
yeah, i procrastinated through mckellan’s latest stint at the guthrie as well…and i have yet to set foot in the new building. it looks really cool from the outside, though – that cantilever is just awesome.
it is too bad they had to tear down the old building. i hate that about this country. we seem to have a penchant for erasing our own history. yes, the big green lawn looks cool next to the new walker, but was it really worth destroying the guthrie to build a car park? really?
August 20th, 2008 at 8:20 am
I went to see this a couple of weeks ago and it was utterly fantastic. What surprised me most was that Tennant stole the show completely, even compared to Patrick Stewart (who, admittedly, had a far small role or two). Next up – Loves Labours Lost – Tennant again I believe.