Tag Archives: Michael Pennington

Shakespeare in Italy 2018

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Sylvia Morris

In Richard II, after his father, John of Gaunt, has told him to think positive about his banishment, Bolingbroke pours out his despair. How is it possible for imagination to turn bad into good, winter into summer? O, who can … Continue reading →

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Directing Shakespeare

Posted on April 22, 2017 by Sylvia Morris

With the sudden death of Michael Bogdanov this week theatre directors and their importance in the staging of Shakespeare’s plays have been on my mind in the build up to Shakespeare’s birthday. Shakespeare was the first director of his own … Continue reading →

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Italy and the Italians in Shakespeare

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Sylvia Morris

The English have been fascinated by Italy for centuries, never more so than during the period in which Shakespeare lived. Sir Henry Wotton, who represented King James as the English Ambassador to Venice from 1604, was more knowledgeable than most. … Continue reading →

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Holding the mirror up to nature: acting for a living

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Sylvia Morris

Shakespeare knew a thing or two about acting: he observed the struggles of the inexperienced as well as writing guidelines for professionals. In real life the amateur prince Hamlet’s advice might have been unwanted, but as author, actor and theatre shareholder Shakespeare … Continue reading →

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Anticipating Richard II

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Sylvia Morris

There are now less than two weeks to go until the RSC’s most-hyped production of the last few years, Richard II, has its first performance. With David Tennant playing the leading role, all the Stratford performances were sold out months … Continue reading →

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Shakespeare’s Hamlet: productions for their own time

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Sylvia Morris

This week the actor Jonathan Slinger, who in the last 10 years has played many of Shakespeare’s leading roles including Richard III, Prospero and Macbeth, is taking on  Hamlet at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Any new production is always met … Continue reading →

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Chaos, Jack Cade and the men of Kent

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Sylvia Morris

But then are we in order when we are most out of order. This contradictory line is spoken by the rebel Jack Cade in Shakespeare’s play Henry VI part 2. In his very first history play Shakespeare chose to explore … Continue reading →

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One-man shows and Shakespeare’s theatre

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Sylvia Morris

Last week I saw Eduardo de Filippo’s play The Syndicate, currently touring UK towns and cities. It stars two great Shakespearean actors, Ian McKellen and Michael Pennington. Watching them in this subtle play it occurred to me that the last … Continue reading →

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