Streaming theater

[mafief]

I’ve been taking advantage of content that’s newly accessible and might as well share what I’ve found.


National Theater Live is posting one new play a week. I think you can only watch it once. https://www.youtube.com/user/ntdiscovertheatre

I’ve watched last week’s show, One Man, Two Guvnors, which was super silly and not for me. There was a classic humor dinner scene, random lines, and characters breaking the fourth wall. I didn’t finish it, and I’m not broken up about it.

This week is Jane Eyre. I love the movie 1996 version with Charlotte Gainsbourg and William Hurt. There are apparently 16 versions of Jane Eyre and I’ve only seen that one.
I think this plays version is too artsy for me. The stage pieces, costuming, the cast were minimal. There was strange elements like when they were traveling by train they would walk in place. There was a random opera women in red. The baby scene at the beginning almost caused me to stop watching. To show Jane’s swirling thoughts, there was an few actors/actresses that would surround her and yell out her thoughts. It took me a embarrassingly long time to figure out that is what they were doing. Madeleine Worrall as Jane was fine. Felix Hayes as Mr Rochester didnt feel right. His voice was very rough and it felt like he was angry yelling all the time.
Next week is Treasure Island. Week after is Twelfth Night, which I know will confuse me so I’ll use sparknotes that day.


Cirque did Soleil is posting 60 minute specials. https://www.youtube.com/user/cirquedusoleil
These I liked. They have the strange cirque magic and it’s wonderful.

Broadway also has content available. I haven’t explored it yet, but I’m getting there. https://broadwaydirect.com/where-to-watch-musicals-online-the-musical-lovers-guide-to-streaming/

Comments

[smallhobbit]

I've seen One Man, Two Guvnors which is silly, but when we saw it at the theatre it was hilarious. It's quite a physical piece, and you lose some of that watching it on screen.

Your description of Jane Eyre sounds very plausible. (I've not seen it.) Again, what works well on stage (where the audience is conscious of the limitations) doesn't always come over as well on screen.

As you know, I love live theatre, but don't generally watch the streamed version.

[mafief]

I was hoping you’ve seen some of these plays so we could chat a little about them.

I agree that One Man two Guvenors is really physical. James Cordon eats all the time and the sandwich thing is silly. In the video he catches food in his mouth after throwing it. That’s impressive if he has to nail that move each time.

I agree that something is missing when seeing it recorded. Jane Eyre comes off as trying too hard, maybe all the symbolism works a lot better in person.

[smallhobbit]

I saw One Man in 2013, which was before I started blogging about plays, and I don't remember it that well. I went with friends and I remember we all enjoyed it and thought it funny. I think the sandwich things worked better live because you do have the audience reaction, also for me there's a much greater spatial sense if you're watching something live. Plus, because of the camera angles a viewer is prepared more the for the jokes, whereas in a live play your viewpoint is far wider.

The National does tend to do a lot of symbolism at times, which can make a production seem too clever, and fail to tell the story properly.

[mafief]

I can see that.

Eyre reminded me of this joke. http://www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2015/10/08/shakespeare-adaptation-generator/ (and it took me way to long to find it again)

[smallhobbit]

Yes - I do agree with that! I think Shakespeare can be updated - and I've seen some excellent productions where Hamlet, for example, have been. I've also seen some where it really hasn't worked. If it takes the essence of the play, and all the meaning, and makes it more modern it can help to expand the meaning, but if the sole reason appears to be 'clever' then I see no point.

A friend and I once went to a performance of Macbeth and it wasn't until we read the programme afterwards we realised what the setting was supposed to be - so a failure! On the other hand, I saw a brilliant reworking of Henry V, which showed the play being performed by English and French soldiers in a WWI battlefield hospital, which was incredibly poignant.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thank you for the cirque du soliel link. The boys loved it.

[debriswoman]

I enjoyed seeing One Man live at the theatre, but not so much rewatching it last weekend...worked better in my opinion with a live audience.
Thank you for the links...I watched Jesus Christ Superstar through a similar link...good to know what is available:-)