The James Plays (NHB Modern Plays)

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The James Plays (NHB Modern Plays)

The James Plays (NHB Modern Plays)

RRP: £99
Price: £9.9
£9.9 FREE Shipping

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Description

Shades of soap opera surface, but the play's tragic ambit resonates – it's almost as if Prince Hal had spent his youth playing around with Hotspur instead of Falstaff. Either way, the NTS is at a major turning point. This year's surprise departure of Sansom as artistic director after three years in post came at a time when The James Plays was touring the world. It also came shortly after it had been announced that Murray and McLaren would be leaving to become joint artistic directors of Ireland's de facto national company, the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Nevertheless, the actor continues, the history being depicted on stage occurs “before we [Scotland and England] were even joined”. Consequently, she says, it’s important for actors and audiences alike to “try and put ourselves in that world”. James III: The True Mirror (****) stars Sofie Gråbøl – Sarah Lund of The Killing – and she is expertly cast as Queen Margaret, the Danish wife of James III (Jamie Sives from Game of Thrones, a charismatic presence), whose court was marked by cronyism and his neglectful rule as he pursued a hilariously hedonistic lifestyle, which included having a choir following him around. They have a sparky, passionate relationship and the onstage chemistry between Grabol and Sives ( pictured right by Robert Day) has real fizz.

The play contains the performance of the trilogy from Andrew Still, playing Will Douglas, the King’s only friend as a child. His transformation from impish yet endearing child to something a whole lot more dangerous, all the while pressured by his horribly malevolent father, transcends his character, forming an argument about nationhood and the compromise between personal power and the good of the nation. Despite all the slaughter and machismo, there's enough room for gentle cross-cultural comedy. Munro writes wonderful female parts, and scenes between James' highly-strung English bride (Rosemary Boyle) and her earthy Scottish lady-in-waiting (Sally Reid) showcase the play's Scottish humour – self-deprecating, full of gruff defiance, and mischievously energised by the current political climate.

About

Fear and resentment of the perceived “outsider” is, as human history shows all too clearly, a dark and powerful combination.

However, I feel robustly certain that whatever their thoughts and feelings might have been, human nature is exactly the same now as it was then. Only culture and circumstances have changed.

First night reviews

Shakespeare covered English events in his Henry VI plays and Richard III, but this is easier going than his overload of feuding Dukes and Earls and unashamedly propagandist pitch for the new Tudor dynasty. Scotland’s somewhat similar ruthless competition for power seems more clear-cut as a struggle between a self-aggrandising nobility and the establishment of royal rule, at least as these plays present it.



  • Fruugo ID: 258392218-563234582
  • EAN: 764486781913
  • Sold by: Fruugo

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