Two more Shakepeares

We’ve just been to Stratford to see two less popular plays, Titus Andronicus and All’s Well That Ends Well. It was a lovely trip. First, Stratford has a lot of clothes shops aimed at women of a certain age, all within a shortish walk, and I always end up getting something. This time it was a dress which I’m very pleased with.

Then the weather was lovely, a really warm Indian summer, so we bought picnic food and ate it by the river. There was a slight problem with that -people feeding the geese and swans with white sliced bread. Most places ask you not to do so, pointing out that bread is bad for wildfowl, and it made me a bit edgy, but not enough to dare to actually spoil peoples’ fun. There should be signs explaining the problem, as there is almost everywhere else; but Stratford has so many geese and swans it’s possible that the council prefer a few to blow themselves up and die, rather than that they arouse the wrath of the animal rights people by culling them. Actually, having thought about it, perhaps they can’t cull the swans without the Queen’s permission.

The two plays seem to have gone through an unpopular patch, but actually modern sensibilities mean that they are more accessible now than they were at one time. Titus, in particular, with its extreme violence and revenges taken, fits rather well with the Tarantino school of movie making. There were some rather hysterical bursts of laughter from the audience when matters became excessively bloody. Titus himself responds to the deaths of his sons with laughter.  So I appreciated it more than I expected I would. The whole cast was excellent, and the wonderfully choreographed orgy of murders at the end was stunning. I’m not sure that I want to see it again – a lesser production would either be simply horrible or laughable, not manage the trick of being both.

One thing I did like, and it added to the slightly surreal feeling of the play, was that the Goths were dressed as modern Goths, with the same huge platform boots and black lipstick. I think I enjoyed it, if that’s quite the right word, better than my husband, who has a low tolerance for blood. But he’s recovered quickly – when we got back to Nottingham and ate out, he ordered pie! It might be a while before I fancy pie. 

   

All’s Well That Ends Well also seemed a bit unpromising, but again modern ideas about men who refuse to grow up, women making close alliances and being more mature and organised than men, all mean that the play is more understandable for modern audiences than it probably was, certainly in Victorian times. And the production managed to put in a few moments, hinting that Bertram actually fancied Helena but was frightened of commitment, which made him more sympathetic. I don't mind the ambiguous ending. I don't see that it's a fault. The ending of The Tempest is ambiguous and people never seem to mind that. 

I thoroughly enjoyed it – the men were terrific . I was a bit unsure about Helena, but it isn’t a part with a lot of scope. The other women were great. Again the choreography was wonderful. It’s finished now, otherwise I would urge you to go at once.

So now we’re down to four definite Shakespeares (Cymbeline, Pericles, Henry VIII, and Love’s Labours Lost). I know Cardenio and Two Noble Kinsmen have been relatively recently decided to be at least partly by Shakespeare, but if we can manage the four definites we will be happy.