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Muskehound

Groundlings

mood: enthralled enthralled
Have you been to the Globe? OMG you must go to the Globe. I don't care if you're several continents away.

My visit yesterday, to see A Midsummer Night's Dream from the £5 standing area, was my first, but we all came away plotting to go again as soon as possible. Everyone in our six-strong, three-generation party (ranging in age from seven upwards) was utterly enthralled.

Usually I like my Shakespeare very traditional (or what I fondly imagine is traditional; lots of velvet and facial hair, please). This version was a little bit modern and a little bit Bollywood: rude mechanicals recast as Globe staff led by Rita Quince and Health & Safety Officer Nick Bottom, and the quartet of lovers as Hoxton hipsters with Helena gender-swapped to an adorably camp Helenus.

It was totally fresh, and made me feel that Shakespeare was living and relevant in all those ways that English teachers unsuccessfully bang on about.
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Posted on Jun. 27th, 2016 at 05:05 pm | | Leave secret message | 18 secret messages | Share

Comments


land_girl

I have, and I love it, and I'm very proud that my grandfather worked with Sam Wanamaker on the original plans 😀
Posted on Jun. 27th, 2016 04:21 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

huskyteer

Oh, gosh, so you should be!
Posted on Jun. 27th, 2016 05:32 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

debodacious

I adored my groundling experience and can't wait to go again.
Posted on Jun. 27th, 2016 05:23 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

huskyteer

We thought perhaps we'd wimp out and go for seats next time. And stick to the comedies!
Posted on Jun. 27th, 2016 05:32 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

hrrunka

Sat on a seat to watch King Lear a few years back... ;)
Posted on Jun. 27th, 2016 06:32 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

huskyteer

I've seen King Lear once and it was hard work emotionally.
Posted on Jun. 28th, 2016 06:43 am (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

allaboutweather

Didn't they use to assign seating based on their respective class? Peasants either had to stand or sit at the bottom, middle class had seats while upper class had seats with cushions?

Of course, it's a moot point today as we don't that anymore. XD
Posted on Jun. 27th, 2016 10:25 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

huskyteer

I don't think it was class so much as who could afford what!
Posted on Jun. 28th, 2016 06:43 am (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

greenreaper

To be fair, the true upper-crust could probably swing a private performance. :-D
Posted on Jun. 28th, 2016 07:52 am (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

allaboutweather

How much did those seats cost (besides the standing area, which was £5)?
Posted on Jun. 28th, 2016 10:55 am (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

huskyteer

I think seats start at £15.
Posted on Jun. 28th, 2016 11:48 am (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

allaboutweather

I guess that's not too bad then.
Posted on Jun. 28th, 2016 10:40 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

benicek

I want.
Posted on Jun. 27th, 2016 05:38 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

huskyteer

I hope you get, some time!
Posted on Jun. 28th, 2016 06:43 am (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

porsupah

When money's not in quite such short supply, I definitely want to go along sometime. Oo, and yes, AMND's on for a couple months yet.. perfect. ^_^ (I do love the very British cautioning, "This production contains naughtiness of a sexual nature" =:)

Posted on Jun. 27th, 2016 07:56 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

huskyteer

Haha, I missed that, and I assume the 7-year-old's mother did too!

It was quite sexual, but in a funny way likely to go over most kids' heads, and it felt right - they had simply interpreted the text in a way that led to hijinks.

Edited at 2016-06-28 06:44 am (UTC)
Posted on Jun. 28th, 2016 06:44 am (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

allaboutweather

I'm just going to walk along the perimeter just to say I've been around the Globe.
Posted on Jun. 27th, 2016 10:22 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

huskyteer

:)
Posted on Jun. 28th, 2016 06:45 am (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply