But Nunn's version isn't problematising the text (or bringing out the problems already on the surface), it's just turgid
Couldn't agree more. I don't mind darker interpretations of comedies, but Nunn's Twelfth Night was terribly plodding and lacked dramatic momentum. And I think Twelfth Night is a charming play, and while I don't necessarily go to the theater to be charmed, I don't think that any TN should be quite so humorless.
It wasn't terrible, but I just found it uninspiring--the choice to change the setting to something resembling 19th century Central Europe didn't bring any new textual insights, most of the actors were either woefully miscast (*coughHBCcough*) or directed strangely (Toby Stephens, Imelda Staunton), and the whole thing was weirdly joyless--they even cut out the best part of Viola's ring soliloquy!
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Date: 2012-03-13 07:40 pm (UTC)Couldn't agree more. I don't mind darker interpretations of comedies, but Nunn's Twelfth Night was terribly plodding and lacked dramatic momentum. And I think Twelfth Night is a charming play, and while I don't necessarily go to the theater to be charmed, I don't think that any TN should be quite so humorless.
It wasn't terrible, but I just found it uninspiring--the choice to change the setting to something resembling 19th century Central Europe didn't bring any new textual insights, most of the actors were either woefully miscast (*coughHBCcough*) or directed strangely (Toby Stephens, Imelda Staunton), and the whole thing was weirdly joyless--they even cut out the best part of Viola's ring soliloquy!
Points for Ben Kingsley's singing, though.