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October 27, 2014 8:35 pm  #301


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

Too bad, I am at the Savoy next week (3rd). I hope you two had a lot of fun (I am sure, you had  ).


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"There is a place for people like you, the desperate, the terrified. The ones with nowhere else to run."
"What place?"
"221B Baker Street."
 

October 27, 2014 10:31 pm  #302


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

It was great! A very impressive production and the Savoy is the perfect place for such a screening.
I'd love to see the version with Benedict as creature again but it is unlikely that I'll be able to make it to Hamburg next week. Hope I can see the other version, should be interesting to see the same play with switched roles.


O, learn to read what silent love hath writ:
To hear with eyes belongs to love’s fine wit.
(Shakespeare, Sonnet 23) 
 

October 28, 2014 12:28 pm  #303


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

I saw BC as the creature last night.  Ladies I don't even know if I have the words.

Above and beyond the acting I loved the production design, the lighting and musical effects.  Danny Boyle put together a fine visual treat.

The performances were all around solid but of course our leads were the shining stars.  JLM was inense and kinda scary but it was almost impossible for him to not be outshown by The Creature.

As written, it is really The Creature's show.  And as performed by Benedict, The Creature is mezmeriazing.   Here BC truly acts with his whole body.  Every muscle twitch, every sound he makes draw you into the creature's world.  You feel his joy at discovering the world, his pain when the world greets him with hate and fear, and his loneliness as he realizes he is the only one of his kind.  It had to be incredibly exhasting to play and I admire BC even more for his stamina.

The story of Frankenstein ask so many hard questions.
What makes us human?
How do you define love?
Just because science gives us the ability to do something does that mean we should?
Why is our first reaction to difference so often hate?
What obligations do we owe our creations?

This production doesn't answer any of them but it gives you lot to think about.

Side note: I was pleased and surpirsed at all the little moments of humor.
 


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Proud President and Founder of the OSAJ.  
Honorary German  
"Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not".
 -Vaclav Havel 
"Life is full of wonder, Love is never wrong."   Melissa Ethridge

I ship it harder than Mrs. Hudson.
    
 
 

October 28, 2014 4:58 pm  #304


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

One really needs to see both versions.
But I certainly prefer the on with BC as creature.


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October 28, 2014 5:20 pm  #305


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

tonnaree wrote:

I saw BC as the creature last night.  Ladies I don't even know if I have the words.
 

 
Awesome.  Wonderful, wasn't it?   
I know… I was a bit surprisedly 'whoah' at seeing what I was in for with the very first glimpses of that amazing, circular set, and BC's creature waking up!  Talk about intensely artistic!
I wish I could have seen the other version, too!


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We solve crimes, I blog about it, and he forgets his pants.  I wouldn't hold out too much hope!

Just this morning you were all tiny and small and made of clay!

I'm working my way up the greasy pole.  It's… very greasy.  And…  pole-shaped.
 

October 28, 2014 5:39 pm  #306


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

I wish I could have seen this live.


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October 28, 2014 7:16 pm  #307


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

I think we all wish we could've seen it live BB, but at least we got to see it.  I'm going to see the one with JLM as the creature soon.

2 more comments.

Knowledge is knowing that the monster is not Frankenstein.
Wisdom is knowing that Frankenstein is the monster.

and

I swear to god I did not stare excessively at Benedict in that loin cloth!


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Proud President and Founder of the OSAJ.  
Honorary German  
"Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not".
 -Vaclav Havel 
"Life is full of wonder, Love is never wrong."   Melissa Ethridge

I ship it harder than Mrs. Hudson.
    
 
 

October 28, 2014 7:36 pm  #308


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

I actually thoiught Jonny looked better.


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http://professorfangirl.tumblr.com/post/105838327464/heres-an-outtake-of-mark-gatiss-on-the
 

October 28, 2014 7:45 pm  #309


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

I like your "knowledge and wisdom" observation, Tonaree - very astute! 

I would rather have no loincloth at all - not for prurient reasons, but just because it seems more natural.   I can understand that maybe they didn't want to commit the naked version to film, but it seems a shame that appropriate nudity should be such an issue. 

 

October 28, 2014 7:48 pm  #310


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

I understood it was purely the decision of the actors, so possibly we have to accept that.


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http://professorfangirl.tumblr.com/post/105838327464/heres-an-outtake-of-mark-gatiss-on-the
 

October 28, 2014 7:56 pm  #311


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

I believe that they did play the part naked (with make-up) on the stage, so they weren't opposed to nudity itself, only to committing it to film (and no doubt, to freeze frame and capture, etc) - I just think it's a shame that we have that sort of society, where nudity is usually sexual and/or demeaning - that the actors should have to feel like that.  I've seen some really quite unpleasant and personal comments about actors' nude scenes, so I can understand their point of view -  I just wish it wasn't that way!

Last edited by Liberty (October 28, 2014 7:59 pm)

 

October 28, 2014 9:51 pm  #312


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

I am very pro nudity.  


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Proud President and Founder of the OSAJ.  
Honorary German  
"Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not".
 -Vaclav Havel 
"Life is full of wonder, Love is never wrong."   Melissa Ethridge

I ship it harder than Mrs. Hudson.
    
 
 

November 1, 2014 12:44 am  #313


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

Wow.  I saw BC as the Creature last night and I'll say it again: Wow.  When I saw the film the first time with BC as Viktor, I thought he was good but the role didn't seem a stretch to play; it reminded me too much of Sherlock.  But as the Creature, BC was superb.  I can't imagine how physically exhausting it must have been to perform that every other day for I don't know how long.  But BC was so believable in the role and what happened to the Creature was heartbreaking.  The transformation from his birth to the end of the film was just so well done.  I wish I'd been so talented at age 18--I really must read the novel sometime.  I'd say words fail me but obviously, they aren't.  I'll just end here with: That.was.amazing.

Last edited by Sherli Bakerst (November 1, 2014 12:44 am)


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Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.  -- Helen Keller
 

November 1, 2014 1:17 am  #314


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

I just saw the play with Benedict as a Frankenstein and Johnny as a Creature. Oh my God, what an excellent play that was. I really like Ben's role, he was such a cruel and ruthless Frankenstein, unable or unwilling to understand his creation's feelings but also a little bit lost, confused, maybe proud and Benedict showed all this emotions in excellent and moving way. But I have to say that I absolutely fell in love with Johnny's Creature. I loved the way he was moving, speaking and looking with his big eyes full of loneliness and anger. It was absolutely stunning.

I'm so, so happy that I was able to watch Frankenstein, I hope that in the future I will be able to see another version to compare them. Fingers crossed 


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"Hey, chief, I might be wrong, but I think we're flying into a mountain. This makes me feel... scared of the mountain.
One thing we could do is pull up and fly over the mountain. How does that sound to...
"
 

November 1, 2014 3:22 am  #315


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

MartaSt  I also fell in love with Jonny as Creature!    So incredibly soulful and physical.    Then I saw Benedict
as Creature,  so otherworldly and heart-wrenching!   I hope you get to see both versions.    What a
treat for us that they filmed these performances.

 

November 1, 2014 4:40 am  #316


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

Saw this Thursday night .It was excellent obviously...BC was such a sympathetic and oddly amusing creature. Childlike at times..but then so clever...when he said the world went round.. of course it does! rather snappily Sherlocky I thought.
Creatures voice was so wonderfully written and portrayed, though I wonder @ the ending. Hmmmm.
The esotericism / allegory was a bit 'in your face' though or are all people really idiots?! ! Idk..So Worth the trip though.

 

November 1, 2014 9:57 am  #317


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

I saw Creaturebatch on Thursday night, this being my first time seeing Frankenstein and I was blown away. Benedict's acting was surreal, and I struggle to find words to describe my feelings throughout the production.

I've booked tickets to see Benedict as Victor next, so it'll be interesting to compare the performances of both BC and JLM.


“Because I’m desperate, that’s why. Because Sherlock Holmes is a great man, and I think one day—if we’re very very lucky—he might even be a good one.”



 
 

November 7, 2014 3:46 pm  #318


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

I went to see this last night. Jonny was the creature and Benedict Victor. It was just wonderful. It asks so many questions about so many things, not least the relationship between scientists and their creations/discoveries. I loved the staging and the acting was spot on (except, I must confess, I did not rate the actor who played Victor's father as I just found him unconvincing and was aware every time he spoke or did anything that he was, indeed, acting. I thought the rest of the cast were excellent.


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Don't make people into heroes John. Heroes don't exist and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
 

November 10, 2014 12:09 pm  #319


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

Tonight I will see the version with Benedict as Victor and Jonny as Creature. I saw the other version two times in the last two weeks. I only wanted to see each version once but after the first time I saw it I was so owerwhelmed that I had to watch it again. Benedict did such a great performance of the Creature that I was often close to tears. Though I didn't understand everything (nearly 80% I think), it thrilled me till the end. After the first view I discovered that the script of Nick Deary was also available as book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Frankenstein-based-novel-Mary-Shelley/dp/0571277217/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415621199&sr=8-1&keywords=frankenstein+nick+dear. It was very helpful for me as non-native speaker to read the text again and could prepare for the second view.

I also loved the stage, music and light - it was so perfect and well-conceived. I have to agree that the actor of the father of Victor was not only unconvincing but in my point of view ubsolutely weak. At the first time I didn't notice it that much because I was so blown away by Benedict's and Jonny's performances but after the second view it jumped out at me. What a shame! But fortunatley, Benedict and Jonny were so suberb that they overshawdowed that weak performance. I'm really exciting for tonight's version. Is someone else going to the Savoy Theater in Hamburg tonight?

 

November 12, 2014 10:03 pm  #320


Re: National Theatre "Live"- Frankenstein

I'm glad it wasn't just me. Unconvincing was me being rather kind (English trait?). I thought the was actually quite awful!


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Don't make people into heroes John. Heroes don't exist and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
 

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