martes, 15 de diciembre de 2015

La Novia Tráiler Oficial (2015)



Today I don't write about theatre, but about a movie, which in this case is based on a play (so many times performed in Spain and abroad) by the well-known playwright Federico García Lorca, BODAS DE SANGRE (Blood Wedding).

The play, mostly writen as poetry, is a masterpiece which belongs to the 'rural trilogy' together with Yerma and The house of Bernarda Alba.

Wonderfully played and directed by Paula Ortiz comes this movie, keeping the language that Federico García Lorca gave to its characters.

Here I leave a small fragment, one of the most beautifully writen in our Spanish literature:

Novia:
Con los dientes,
con las manos, como puedas.
quita de mi cuello honrado
el metal de esta cadena,
dejándome arrinconada
allá en mi casa de tierra.
Y si no quieres matarme
como a víbora pequeña,
pon en mis manos de novia
el cañón de la escopeta.
¡Ay, qué lamento, qué fuego
me sube por la cabeza!
¡Qué vidrios se me clavan en la lengua!
Leonardo:
Ya dimos el paso; ¡calla!
porque nos persiguen cerca
y te he de llevar conmigo.
Novia:
¡Pero ha de ser a la fuerza!
Leonardo:
¿A la fuerza? ¿Quién bajó
primero las escaleras?
Novia:
Yo las bajé.
Leonardo:
¿Quién le puso
al caballo bridas nuevas?
Novia:
Yo misma. Verdad.
Leonardo:
¿Y qué manos
me calzaron las espuelas?
Novia:
Estas manos que son tuyas,
pero que al verte quisieran
quebrar las ramas azules
y el murmullo de tus venas.
¡Te quiero! ¡Te quiero! ¡Aparta!
Que si matarte pudiera,
te pondría una mortaja
con los filos de violetas.
¡Ay, qué lamento, qué fuego
me sube por la cabeza!
Leonardo:
¡Qué vidrios se me clavan en la lengua!
Porque yo quise olvidar
y puse un muro de piedra
entre tu casa y la mía.
Es verdad. ¿No lo recuerdas?
Y cuando te vi de lejos
me eché en los ojos arena.
Pero montaba a caballo
y el caballo iba a tu puerta.
Con alfileres de plata
mi sangre se puso negra,
y el sueño me fue llenando
las carnes de mala hierba.
Que yo no tengo la culpa,
que la culpa es de la tierra
y de ese olor que te sale
de los pechos y las trenzas.
Novia:
¡Ay que sinrazón! No quiero
contigo cama ni cena,
y no hay minuto del día
que estar contigo no quiera,
porque me arrastras y voy,
y me dices que me vuelva
y te sigo por el aire
como una brizna de hierba.
He dejado a un hombre duro
y a toda su descendencia
en la mitad de la boda
y con la corona puesta.
Para ti será el castigo
y no quiero que lo sea.
¡Déjame sola! ¡Huye tú!
No hay nadie que te defienda.
Leonardo:
Pájaros de la mañana
por los árboles se quiebran.
La noche se está muriendo
en el filo de la piedra.
Vamos al rincón oscuro,
donde yo siempre te quiera,
que no me importa la gente,
ni el veneno que nos echa.



"Y te sigo por el aire como una brizna de hierba" 


viernes, 4 de diciembre de 2015

Benedict Cumberbatch up for WhatsOnStage award

Glad to hear that most of the plays I had the opportunity of watching in London are nominated for the WhatsOnStage Awards, as it was reported yesterday by the BBC.

Benedict Cumberbatch up for WhatsOnStage award


Benedict Cumberbatch as Hamlet


Not only Benedict Cumberbatch has been nominated but also other drama stars whose performances blew me away as a spectator.

Here are the names of those main actors who can bring magic to any stage around the entire world and have been nominated. We'll have to wait for a decision, I've already made my choice......
Best Actor in a Play:
  • Benedict Cumberbatch, Hamlet
  • James McAvoy, The Ruling Class
  • Bradley Cooper, The Elephant Man
  • Mark Rylance, Farinelli and the King
  • Alex Hassell, Henry V

Best Actress in a Play:
  • Nicole Kidman, Photograph 51
  • Denise Gough, People, Places and Things
  • Lia Williams, Oresteia
  • Rosalie Craig, As You Like It
  • Harriet Walter, Death of a Salesman






jueves, 3 de diciembre de 2015

Photograph 51 | Teaser Trailer



Here I leave a 'tiny' teaser of PHOTOGRAPH 51, just to give you an idea of what a discovery like this may have been for those involved and even for us, normal people. And I pray you to see Nicole's brief performance in this video, it makes me speechless!!!

After having enjoyed the play in Noël Coward Theatre, it still gives me goosebumps as it reminds me of my Biology lessons. It sometimes comes to my mind the day when my teacher made the whole class stand up as a tribute to Rosalind Franklin, the woman, he said, who discovered the DNA but died before being awarded for such a wonderful discovery.

The world used to be a men's place, they say 'used to be' as it was something from the past, but the world, this round and bluish sphere is still being ruled by men. And doing things like this, where women perform as main characters should be, and it is, in fact, being, one of the multiple ways to overcome the non so distanct situation.


LET THE PLANE TAKE OFF, AND LET IT FLY HIGH  

PHOTOGRAPH 51. Starring Nicole Kidman



After more than two months, having been in 'no man's land', I come back with a recent, well no so recent play, that I had the opportunity of watching last October during my two week stay in London.

The DNA double helix, photograph taken by Rosalind Franklin at King's College in 1952.


The play's name, this time, PHOTOGRAPH 51. Well, you may be asking yourselves whether this is the name of a play or of a picture taken somewhere at some point. The answer is no more than both things at the same time. Apparently Anna Ziegler, the playwright, chose this name after a picture taken by Rosalind Franklin at King's College in the 50s, when London was the main target of the II World War.

However, the lines writen above may not give much information to those who are not related to science and don't know anything about the woman who discovered the DNA, well not the DNA but its functional structure (the well-known double helix), Rosalind Franklin (if you would like to fill your brain with new information about her life, do not hesitate to click on her name).

As a scientist Rosalind contributed substancially to Science and after her death, she was given the recognition she hadn't been given before. 

The play is no more than her story, marked by her irresistible taste for what was perceived as a man's profession and her willingness to do something relevant in life. The play is basically focused on the moment when she takes the picture, which she names Photograph 51 as a series of pictures taken up to that moment, and how both Watson and Crick try to do their best to steal information from other laboratories to find out the real structure of this molecule.

Nicole Kidman brings to life one of those people whose life was marked by something more than brilliance, a life also defined by an incurable disease and a sickly childhood.

Doubtless, PHOTOGRAPH 51 is more than worth watching. Specially for those who have never heard of this brilliant woman.

  


lunes, 14 de septiembre de 2015

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time (Gielgud Theatre, London)

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME

'I was absolutely convinced that my novel was unfilmable and unstagable'-says Mark Haddon. Here is the proof that shows the opposite. Most rare things can happen in life, when there are people committed to make them possible!!!



Because if we believe in things, in these things we really care about, magic shows off and theatre is possible!!! Never say never!!! 


JUST LET THE PLANE TAKE OFF, AND LET IT FLY HIGH


domingo, 13 de septiembre de 2015

El Clan. 72nd Venice International Film Festival

EL CLAN
by Pablo Trapero


For this rainy Sunday, it could be a great idea to watch this creepy film for which director, Pablo Trapero was awarded in the 72nd Venice International Film Festival. 

Enjoy your Sunday!!!

Three Days in the Country. 'A play by the attactive british praywright Patrick Marber'


THREE DAYS IN THE COUNTRY 
by Patrick Marber

Hectic weeks lead to a lack of time in all senses. It's been a long time not writing any post. But here comes one...

Once upon a time Ivan Turgenev wrote a play called A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY, a comedy of manners about the life in the country. But the story isn't that easy as human relationships take place and there comes the problem, specially in matters of love.

Love affairs can be very harmful not only for the two parts involved in them but also for those who are related to these people. But we cannot run away from our feelings. We are passionate beings that need to struggle against the fact of having these feelings. And then life becomes mad and full of desperation.






What does Sir Patrick Marber do brilliantly? Well, he takes this classic play by Turgenev, and make it a little bit more contemporary. Of course it's still a classic but with a sense of humour that accommodates to this new era. And here comes out this masterpiece!!!

I love classic stuff so that's the reason why this play was like a piece of fine glass made with love and tender. It shows human darkness and human light. It confronts our deepest instincts with much wisdom. And, as it always should be (well, maybe not always), the sense of humour is a constant which never runs away from the fact of the dramatic situation.

Nobody should miss this piece of art. I think it's on untill October the 21st so that if you are in London run to get your tickets. They truly fly away!!!


JUST LET THE PLANE TAKE OFF, AND LET IT FLY HIGH




miércoles, 2 de septiembre de 2015

UN DÍA PERFECTO (2015)

A PERFECT DAY (2015) 
as it's said in English



This post is not about theatre, it's about movies. And not any movie but one I watched recently: UN DÍA PERFECTO or A PERFECT DAY.

Directed by the famous Spanish director Fernando León de Aranoa, this is, for me, a masterpiece. Using the humour as a way to escape from all the pain, the suffering and the work of four volunteers who cannot get their aim. Because Bosnia's war still remains in people's memories, it's not so far from our minds, and how Fernando León de Aranoa tells it is just amazing.

A corpse is contaminating the water for the people, so the aim is to get rid of it but as the time goes by it becomes harder to do it. They don't have a rope, United Nations doesn't let them and so on....Apparently the story is easy but the background is hidden behind, waiting for us to puzzle it out!!! Touching and hilarious, I would say. And the cast couldn't have been a best choice....

A good choice for the weekend if you didn't watch it yet!!!  

Tomorrow I'll write a post in Spanish about the movie. It deserves it.....xD


JUST LET THE PLANE TAKE OFF, AND LET IT FLY HIGH

martes, 1 de septiembre de 2015

Everyman trailer (Olivier Theatre, National Theatre)


 
 
I leave you the trailer. All the critics are superb for this production. Maybe I'm wrong or it was not my best day, or tastes aren't the same for everyone. I couldn't explain the reason because sometimes our inconscious doesn't want to explain itself.... 
 

CHIWETEL EJIOFOR PLAYING EVERYMAN

GIVE ME AN "E" FOR EVERYMAN
Chiwetel Ejiofor is EVERYMAN
 
 
 
 
I've been off these last few days as life is becoming busier and busier. However, today I've decided to write a Little bit about EVERYMAN a play which has taken place at the National Theatre in London, but it's not on anymore as it was being played until 30th August.
 
Here some words about the plot:
 
"Everyman is successful, popular and riding high when Death comes calling. He is forced to abandon the life he has built and embark on a last, frantic search to recruit a friend, anyone, to speak in his defence. But Death is close behind, and time is running out.
One of the great primal, spiritual myths, Everyman asks whether it is only in death that we can understand our lives. A cornerstone of English drama since the 15th century, it now explodes onto the stage in a startling production with words by Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate, and movement by Javier De Frutos." http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/everyman
 
 
And yes, he is. Everyman is a rich guy, full of life and money who ends up being called by Death as his habits are not very orthodox. Here begins a struggle between Life and Death and the possibility to understand the mistakes we made as we were alife. And that is the main story. Besides the great visual effects, the story is something predictable. Of course the words are poetry themselves but there is not more to add to it. At least not for me!!! At the beginning I knew the ending and I didn't find anything touching...
 
Chiwetel Ejiofor is a good actor so that it's difficult to make a critic on how he performed for EVERYMAN, but I dare to say that this is not his best role.
 
Unfortunately the play isn't on anymore so its pointless to explain how to get tickets for it. But as it's the National Theatre, and to be exact, the Olivier Theatre where there are other plays running (The Beaux' Stratagem and Our Country's good), you can get day tickets for £15 or maybe standing tickets for £5. 
 
 
 
JUST LET THE PLANE TAKE OFF, AND LET IT FLY HIGH
 
 
 
 
 


sábado, 29 de agosto de 2015

JULIETTE BINOCHE PLAYING ANTIGONE




GIVE ME AN "A" FOR ANTIGONE

Antigone owns the power to disobey the law. She is a woman of great strength and will. Family is more important than the State, so that she decides to give his brother, Polynices, a honourable burial. 

Creon, the new ruler of Thebes after Oedipus, will not let it happen and after being reported about Antigone's behaviour the punishment is irreversible.


WHAT ABOUT THE PLAY?

When you watch the play, as I did at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, something bitter goes over your body. You cannot explain if you liked it or not, if you understood everything or not, the only thing you can say is: I WILL NEVER FORGET THIS PLAY!!! And you don't know why, maybe it has opened a door in your unconscious, something which is deep inside. It's a play of Jung's Archetypes, these which define human's nature, after the well-known psychiatrist. 

It makes you think, but what does it make you think about? About the power, the power in general, the will, the strength, the neccesssity of expression as humans, about love and about wrong decisions made by those who own the power. Life is more important than any other things and we are alive, and so is Antigone until she's punished.

At the beginning you see Juliette Binoche as Antigone in a completely pain after his brother's death. She is determined to bury him and nothing will change her desire. No sun shining yet. Antigone is giving his brother a honourable burial.

A bright sun lightens the stage, sending energy not only to the characters but also to the audience. And then all the other characters as if they were a sort of chorus, but without intention of being such a thing, make their appearance and talk, discuss about Antigone's behaviour against the law. Creon is determined to punish her, though his son Haemon, engaged to Oedipus' daughter, is strongly against his father.

The decision is already taken, Antigone will be buried. The law wins the battle against family love. Juliette Binoche as Antigone lie as a dead body where his brother lied before. 

Life is not what it seems, those who break the law must die. But the Gods also punish these ones who took wrong decisions as Creon did. Nobody goes away from their fate. Creon didn't listen to the elders so that he will end up his days in pain and sorrow. 

Don't expect a classic performance as the story is told in a contemporary way. The setting is an office as if life was a business in Creon Kingdom. The only way to appeal for life is the bright sun which connects us with the main essence of being alive: the sun which gives us power to carry on. But when this sun hides then the misfortune arrives and there is nothing to do against the Gods. 

If you would like to watch the full play at the Barbican, there is only one way you can do it, by clicking on this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05sj2j6 . WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? If you aren't an UK resident or you are not living in the UK, the system will not let you in. 

So far the play has already ended, but I hope they will be doing it again and you can watch it!!!




JUST LET THE PLANE TAKE OFF, AND LET IT FLY HIGH




viernes, 28 de agosto de 2015

FASSBENDER'S FANS WILL BE IN TEARS!!!




Not only because it's one of Shakespeare's classics but also because it's being performed by one of the most valued and well-known actors in the Hollywood business so far. Co-starring with Marion Cotillard this film is gonna make Michael Fassbender's fans year. And I think it's gonna make my year too. Can't wait to buy a ticket to enjoy it!!! 

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH is a man of 'coincidences'

COINCIDENCES MAKE LIFE FUNNIER

Let's go back in 11 years time, 2004. What was going on with Benedict Cumberbatch at that time? Well, the thing is that he was filming Hawking for the BBC.



There are two funny things in this story. The first one is that this year he was competing against Eddie Redmayne (the gorgeous ginger) to win the Oscar. And voilà, the gorgeous ginger's character was the famous physician Sthephen Hawking, the same role Benedict played in the past for the BBC. I cannot believe how annoying this must be: having played the same role and not winning the Oscar because it's given to an actor whose character you played, quite amazingly, in the past. This is the first coincidence. Maybe Benedict was happy for his fellow or maybe not. We'll never know. The only thing we know is that both actors were very committed in their roles. However, I choose Eddie Redmayne because he made me cried my eyes out and though the story was too romantic for me, the guy is just amazing.

The second funny thing is that his character in the BBC production, Hawking, was going to a play with his love, Jane. And voilà, what was the play Benedict Cumberbatch was watching? As it couldn't be different, it was the prince of Denmark, HAMLET itself. Benedict as Hawking was leaning forward his seat, quite amazed by the show....Did he know he would be playing HAMLET at the Barbican with a huge repercussion in social media 11 years later? We will never know; maybe he wanted to and when he was offered the role he remembered the Hamlet he saw as Hawking and thought: 'this time I will be a bloody good Hamlet'...

He didn't win the Oscar but he's making his year with Hamlet!!! Well done...


JUST LET THE PLANE TAKE OFF, AND LET IT FLY HIGH

jueves, 27 de agosto de 2015

BAKKHAI (ALMEIDA THEATRE, LONDON)

 GIVE ME A 'B' FOR BAKKHAI (A NEW VERSION BY ANNE CARSON)

http://www.almeida.co.uk/whats-on/bakkhai/23-jul-2015-19-sep-2015

Ben Whishaw as Dionysos


O Thebes! garland yourself
in all the green there is-
ivy green,
olive green,
fennel green,
growing green,
yearning green,
wet sap green,
new grape green,
green of youth and green of
branches,
green of mint and green of
marsh grass,
green of tea leaves, oak and pine,
green of washed needles
and early rain,
green of weed and green of oceans,
green of bottles, ferns and apples,
green of dawn-soaked dew and
slender green of roots,
green fresh out of pools,
green slipped under fools,
green of the green fuse,
green of the honeyed muse,
green of the rough caress of ritual,
green undaunted by reason
or delirium,
green of jealous joy,
green of the secret holy violence
of the thyrsos,
green of the sacred iridescence
of the dance-
and let all the land of Thebes dance!
with Dionysos leading,
to the mountains!
(Anne carson, Bakkhai)


When you read Bakkhai you deepen into human's nature, you recognise the anger of the God, the miserable decisions of the king...Then you feel that Euripides was not that far away from men's behaviour. It's the struggle between the conscious and the unconscious: human degradation until its last consequences.

Then you feel the chorus in its lines. You hear the sound of their voices, the vibration of their togas, the dance, the joy, the fear, while shouting Bakkhai. And there you are, sitting on your couch reading a classic. But...the good thing comes when you are given a chance to watch a classic converted into a contemporary production in London; there begins the magic trick!!!

Referring to the production I would say, it's impeccable. Nothing out of place, though the setting is not the Epidaurus Theatre and the characters don't look like the ancient men in Greece. And why? Because it's something contemporary, something that will be able to touch the audience from the 21st century. The story is told in all senses and there is not a possibility of misunderstanding. As I said before, everything in its right place. 

The three main characters, Ben Whishaw (as Dionysus, the God), Bertie Carvel (as Pentheus, the King) and Kevin Harvey (as Cadmo, the old founder of Thebes) are just stunning, specially in their bodies and their voices. The way they move on stage, their confidence as playing their characters make one lean forward the seat. 

Kevin Harvey can play an old man without hesitating, all his body is committed, his voice is even better, his shaking doens't let you go away from the story. He's a real old man because he's playing the truth on stage. Nothing is fake on his manners, his movements, even his feelings. Despite not being an old man he does it with such a facility that encourages an actor in progress (in this case actress like me) to be working all the time non-stop.

Bertie Carvel is another thing, in the good way I mean. As Pentheus, the King, he plays amazingly, but what about Pentheus dressed up as a woman? OMG, he's even better. He seems to like it, to enjoy the fact of being a woman as probably Pentheus did. 

Ben Whishaw is Ben Whishaw, I mean, how could I make a critic on such a well-known actor? It wouldn't be fair. He's good, quite good in fact. His movements made me think of the asexual angels. As a God it could be, but we know that Greek Gods were created as promiscuous creatures. I dare to say that Ben Whishaw was fantastic but I would choose the other two in this production.

And what to say about the chorus? It's impossible to do such a great job. I know more or less how a chorus works as I've been doing a little bit of training in that and it's such a hard work...it requires practise and practise and more practise and even practising there is no way to do something decent. However these ten women were.....I have no words to describe it!!! I'd say SUPERB. I never have favourites in a chorus but the one I couldn't stop staring at was Amiera Darwish, as I could see a truly commitment in every movement, every word she said.

If you have the opportunity to go and watch it, don't lose it; it's worth it. The main problem could be the price, as it's £38. However if you are students you can get a half price ticket, so make sure you have your student card with you. In my case I had to pay £38 as all the tickets for students were sold out, but I'll never regret it!!!



JUST LET THE PLANE TAKE OFF, AND LET IT FLY HIGH
  


We know we are looking at a set, at an actor; but we allow ourselves to see the setting, the character...

A LITTLE BIT INTO BAKKHAI

Pentheus being ripped off by the wild women


Before getting into the new version of BAKKHAI by Anne Carson, I'd like to go back in time, a few years ago, maybe a few centuries and bring if not the essence, but some of the aspects that make this last play by Euripides one of the most acclaimed.

BAKKHAI was Euripides last work for the stage and it was performed in Athens a long, long time ago, at about 405 BC.

BAKKHAI shows the two opposite sides of man's nature: the rational and civiliced side, which takes part in men's decisions but also the instinctive side which can be useful at taking decisions sometimes (and why not, it is, really...but only sometimes)

One thing that gives BAKKHAI a distinctive position among all the greek plays is the fact that the chorus is integrated into the plot and the God is not a distant presence, because he is one of the characters, he is, without doubt, the protagonist.


ECSTASY, TERROR, BACCHAE

1. There comes Dionysius, telling the story of his life and how he is the son of Zeus and Semele, though the citizens don't believe he's a God, specially Semele's sisters . He has disguised as a mortal and has led all the Thebes women into the mountains to observe his ritual festivities. All the women have become mad.

2. An all-female chorus takes part as soon as Dionysius leave the stage, singing and dancing. Ans they will be a presence in the entire play.

3. The dionysian feasts are taking place, Cadmus and Tiresias seem to join it, when Pentheus, the Thebes king, appears and intends to capture everyone, Dionysius included (who he doesn't recognise as the God is dressed up). Pentheus is against these feasts.

4. Later a sheperd comes down from the mountains and reports that he found women up on the hills behaving in a strange way. Pentheus wasn't sure about that fact, now he knows more about what's going on with Thebes women.

5. Pentheus gets angry and intends to kill all the women, but Dionysus persuades him to disguise as a woman and observe what's happening. Of course, Pentheus doesn't realise that the man (or semi-human) giving the advice is not other than Dionysus.

6. Pentheus, the Thebes king, agrees and dressed up as a woman climbs the mountain. The king, being betrayed by the same Dionysus, is captured by the wild women who confuse him with a lion.

7. Pentheus is killed by all the women, including his mother Agave. Agave, the woman whose womb carried Pentheus once, is the one who carries his son's head down to the city as a trophy.

8. Everything is misfortune for the royal family, now broken into pieces. Agave gets mad while trying to reassemble Pentheus' corp together. Now her son is dead, she killed him.

9. Dionysus' revenge has taken place. Nobody will question his divinity anymore!!!


 "A great part of the thrill of BAKKHAI is its unusual self-reflectiveness: the 'meta' quality of its reflections on how the theatre works. All of us, when we attend the theatre, are seeing double-seeing, as Pentheus does under Dionysus' spell, 'two suns, two cities og Thebes'. we know we are looking at a set, at an actor; but we allow ourselves to see the setting, the character" (Bakkhae: Ectasy and Terror. D. Mendelsohn, 2014)




JUST LET THE PLANE TAKE OFF, AND LET IT FLY HIGH




ALMEIDA GREEKS (Almeida Theatre, London)


This morning I got up and I had the beautiful soundtrack of this trailer for the three ALMEIDA GREEKS in my head so I thought, let's post about BAKKHAI in the afternoon!!!
And so will be!!!
There will only be good words for such an inspiring play writen by Euripides.
JUST LET THE PLANE TAKE OFF, AND LET IT FLY HIGH

miércoles, 26 de agosto de 2015

Every mom is proud of their children

'BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH IS A BLOODY GOOD HAMLET'- says mom


I couldn't go to bye-byes without sharing this news referring to how proud a mum can be of her child, specially if he's a star like BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH. And, of course, he is playing one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, the one which Sir Laurence Olivier played long time ago!!!

"He is a bloody good Hamlet". And why not? I had the chance to see him in the Barbican, and YES, for all saints, he is stunning. I hope one day my mum says the same...


"A BLOODY GOOD HAMLET" SAYS THE PROUD MOM!!!


More stuff about Hamlet played by Benedict Cumberbatch (Barbican Theatre, London) in future posts. 


JUST LET THE PLANE TAKE OFF, AND LET IT FLY HIGH




Playing 1984

CHALLENGES OF PLAYING 1984


As a future actress (an actress in progress...) I dare to say that playing on stage is not easy at all. You need concentration more than anything at all; you need to be with your partner, listening to everything he/she gives you and, of course, you have to be with the audience. For all these reasons, being an actor is as hard as other professions in the world. IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB!!!

So, I'd say that playing 1984 requires all these competences. But of course, the most difficult task for an actor in this field is the combination of both playing on stage and being filmed at the same time. BUT WHY? BECAUSE there is nothing more annoying than shifting from one code (the theatre one) to another (the filming/cinema one).

Being on stage requires a different presence, more expression as people from the last row want to enjoy the play as those lucky ones in the first row. The actor's body needs to be more active, a little bit more than in real life. That's not a big problem but....what happens when your character is being filmed and your face appears on a big screen at the same time you're kissing the woman of your dreams in your own room? Here the actor has to face the challenge!!! 

Changing easily from a big amount of energy to a little bit less is terribly hard. Now the expression is in the eyes but not entirely in the body. And this is a great challenge, for sure it is!! We also have to add all the hectic environment, the noises that bring a total paranoia in room 101. 

Here I can say that Matthew Spencer, and of course the rest of the cast, but specially him and his female partner, face this challenge with sublime perfection!!! WELL DONE!!! 

 
Matthew Spencer as Winston Smith


1984 Playhouse Theatre, London.




'GIVE ME A 1 FOR 1984'

AT THE PLAYHOUSE THEATRE (LONDON)


When I got up this morning I thought, 'WHY NOT STARTING WITH HAMLET, STARRING BENEDICT CUMBERBACH AT THE BARBICAN? Then I realised that I want to leave that post for another time, when I feel more confident in this new blogger world.

So here I come with a fantastic play based on the novel by the same name: 1984 (by the talented and famous writer George Orwell). I'll try to answer some questions that could be of interest in case you're in London (the city by the Thames river, the 'land of dreams', the 'field of poetry', the grass where Shakespeare spread his ink with tender and passion) and you're thinking about watching it or you're not in the city yet but you'd like to spend a weekend as a Theatre Alcoholic. 

  • Why did I watch this play? 

When I go to a play, where I'll be spending two or more hours of my life, I always make this question to myself. 
Well, in this case, the answer is simple: my lovely and amazing host recommended it to me!!!
That first day in London I was a little bit lost as there are so many places to go and things to do that I found hard to choose something interesting. 
Fortunately, my host, who has become a friend now and who encouraged me to start with this blog, was right. THE PLAY IS SUPERB!!!
So, as a conclusion, I bought a ticket for 1984 because someone recommended it to me. It's something that happens sometimes and it can be worth it. In this case it really was...!!!

What to do in other cases? Of course, in other cases, the best thing to do is to explore the different plays going on and read the reviews. TimeOut (theatre section) is a good page to be sure of that.



  • What about the play?

You enter the Playhouse Theatre and some of the lines you read in George Orwell's novel come to your mind. You start thinking about the Big Brother, the opression, the political control and about how the world has changed. Then you sit down and the show starts. You lean forward on your seat and get ready to enjoy the play!!!

A big screen at the top of the stage showing Winston's diary, where he writes his lines. His hands being filmed at the same time he writes 1984 on a piece of paper. Then all the lights turn off and the room where he was on his own becomes crowded...Then the Dystopia starts!!!

The Big Brother controls everything. Each movement, each meeting, each word out of context but it doesn't stop Winston falling in love with Julia, a rebel who wants to DAMN THE BIG BROTHER!!!



The impression of being in two different worlds, in two paralel realities gives you the sense of not being free, of being stuck in the same place all the time, an eye on your shoulder doesn't give up looking at you. A hectic reality, flashbacks, rebelions, repeated situations...all in one play. And GOOSE-BUMPS assured!!!

The walls opening up (showing the reality behind them, the TRUTH maybe), the strong rebelion ( and Winston's torture are so powerful that your eyes will keep wide open  without any doubt. So if you're one of those people who tend to fall asleep in the theatre, you'll not this time. 

Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan did a wonderful job by co-writing and directing this new version of 1984. The combination of playing on stage and in front of a camera which films some of the character's actions makes the audience experience the contradiction of what's real and what's not, let them think about how much the Media takes control in their/our lifes. Even a tender kiss taking place behind the stage wall can be filmed. WHERE IS THE PRIVACY THEN?  

Maybe there's no privacy any more in our lifes. Maybe we're being puppets in the middle of nowhere, being tortured unconsciously, being damaged without an explanation, being controled by the Big Eye. But MAYBE, we can change it!!!


  • Information of interest

I didn't want to spoil the play by giving too much information, cause I think you have to experience it by yourselves. I only dare to give you some tips about what you should do in case you'd like to watch it!!!

1. THE NOVEL BY GEORGE ORWELL: If you didn't read the novel yet it's time to do it. It's easier to understand the play. Make it your bedside table book!!! (However you don't need to, but it's a very interesting book)



2. HOW TO GET TO THE PLAYHOUSE THEATRE?: The nearest tube station is Enbankment, but you can also get off at Charing Cross. You can find more details in this link:


3. THE BEST WAY TO GET TICKETS: I guess that you'd like to watch as much theatre as possible by spending a small amount of money. Here comes my recommendation (there are different ways to get the best tickets):
     (It's gonna be cheaper. I couldn't manage it cause my credit card       was not working, so that I had to find another way) 

  • Go to a box office: you'll find many box offices around Leicester square or Picadilly where you can find bargains (However, I would say there are better options, so leave it for the end, when you start feeling desperate...)

  • Go to the Playhouse Theatre and try to get cheap DAY TICKETS or RETURN TICKETS: this is, for sure, the best option. Go to the theatre about half an hour before the show starts and answer for day tickets, they are the best price ones. You'll not spend more than £15 if you succeed. And £15 for a west end show is more than worth it!!! 



The thing is, HOW DID I SUCCEED? Well, I got the tickets in a box office in Leicester Square, so that I spent a little bit more (£22), because I was not into this world yet. If I had known that I could have got day tickets I'd have saved £7.



And here I am, after watching the play!!! 
MÁS FELIZ QUE UNA PERDIZ, as we say in Spanish...


More posts about other plays will come soon. Keep an eye on them!!!



JUST LET THE PLANE TAKE OFF, AND LET IT FLY HIGH



lunes, 24 de agosto de 2015

LONDON PLAYS

A LIST OF INTERESTING PLAYS IN LONDON!!!


As I said in my recent post, being a Theatre Alcoholic requires a mixture of COMMITMENT, TIME and LUCK; it's more or less like life which also needs the three of them to be more interesting, isn't it?

Now comes a LIST that contains the plays I had the opportunity to watch during my stay in LONDON, the city by the Thames river, the 'land of dreams', the 'field of poetry', the grass where Shakespeare spread his ink with tender and passion.

THEATRE, THEATRE AND MORE THEATRE!!! 
  • 1984 (Playhouse Theatre)
  • Hamlet (Barbican Theatre)
  • As you like it (Shakespeare's globe)
  • Bakkai (Almeida Theatre)
  • The trial (Young Vic Theatre)
  • The curious incident of the dog in the night-time (Gielgud Theatre)
  • War Horse (New London Theatre)



Three plays of interest at the National Theatre:
  • Three days in the country (Lyttelton Theatre)
  • Everyman (Olivier Theatre)
  • The red lion (Dorfman Theatre)


If you want to know more about all the shows going on right now, you should have a look at TimeOut. Here I leave the link in case you'd like to have a look. Enjoy it!!!





Further information about each play will be provided in next posts. 
Pay attention to it!!!



JUST LET THE PLANE TAKE OFF AND LET IT FLY HIGH