BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / What Shakespearean roles would you like to see him in? (Not Hamlet!)

**Posted by miriel68** May 23, 2013 2:27 pm

I say, we should exclude Hamlet, because probably all of us (me included) would dream about him interpreting the Prince of Denmark.
But since B. said in one of recent interviews that he would like to go back to the theatre and since he seems mature for any Shakespearean role.... what is your pick and why would you go for it?

I have been thinking about it for a while and my first choice is Iago (STiD inspiration?) I would love to see him play handsome, young and supersmart Iago to a heavy, tired and older Othello (someone Morgan Freeman type). He would be someone driven by very complex motivations: bitter not because he has been overlooked in a promotion (I have never bought this from the original play!), but because he doesn't believe in human nature and wants to demonstrate to everyone and to himself that humans are weak and true virtue doesn't exist.
Ah, as for the look: curly red hair , his natural colouring

**Posted by Lily** May 23, 2013 3:03 pm

I would love to see him as Benedick.

**Posted by SusiGo** May 23, 2013 6:24 pm

Sounds great. I'd like to see him in both. And I'm sure he could pull off a verygood Richard III as well, emphasising his ambiguous nature and the burden of being a cripple which was much stronger in those times.

**Posted by SusiGo** May 23, 2013 6:58 pm

And what about an audiobook with the sonnets?

**Posted by Davina** May 24, 2013 7:35 am

Hmmm! I am going to give this some thought...I would have said Macbeth but since James McAvoy did such a brilliant portrayal so recently I don't think this is likely. We haven't seen Julius Caesar on stage for a while. He would make a great Mark Anthony. Perhaps a more comedic role?

(FYI Tom Hiddleston is doing Coriolanus at the Donmar Warehouse with Mark Gatiss Dec 6 2013- Feb 8 2014; further info in the Moftiss section folks).

**Posted by miriel68** May 24, 2013 12:47 pm

I respectfully disagree about Mark Anthony. He should be Brutus!

I thougth about Richard III, as well. You know, he was quite young when he became the king, about 32-33, and since all that nonsense about him being crippled is Tudor (especially T. More) propaganda, it would be lovely to have a handsome Richard III for once. My main problem here is that I would love to see Richard III set in modern era (could be a really nice gangster play, IMO), but there is already this brilliant Loncrain's fascist version with Ian McKellen.

**Posted by SusiGo** May 24, 2013 1:02 pm

That's true, the Loncraine film is brilliant, I watched it again some months ago. As for the comedies - what about Berowne in "Love's Labour's Lost"?

**Posted by SilverMoonDragonB** May 24, 2013 1:47 pm

I think he could do a good job playing Richard the III , and for something more comedic I think it would be interesting to see him in Much Ado About Nothing! Personally my favourite comedic Shakespeare play, I could see him playing either Don John, Don Pedro or Benedick.

@SusiGo. An audiobook with sonnets? With that voice? Hmmm...gimme gimme gimme!!!!!

**Posted by miriel68** May 26, 2013 12:50 pm

I don't know... I am not really keen on seeing him in a Shakespeare's comedy... maybe because my favourite are 12th Night and As you like it - both with strong female characters and not so interesting male ones. Also, I think he is past playing supporting characters and I don't seen an interesting lead part for him.

But an audiobook of S. sonnets.... mmh this idea is just DIVINE!

**Posted by Elvina** June 12, 2013 5:59 pm

Angelo the baddy in Measure for Measure, he would be epic in that commanding, calculating, detached role. Despite being a total hypocrit Angelo can be a very hot role and of course, it's not all about Benedict's sex appeal but about his acting prowess too.

**Posted by miriel68** June 12, 2013 7:19 pm

Wonderful idea, Elvina!

**Posted by Elvina** June 12, 2013 9:05 pm

Dear lord, I really want him in this role now...especially after the re-watch of SiB, he's so commanding in that ep esp when Mrs Hudson is hurt.

**Posted by miriel68** June 13, 2013 8:43 am

Theseus in Midsummer Night's Dream would be also nice, but of course it is not a leading role .

Not Shakespeare, but I really think he would be gorgeous as Thomas Stockmann in Ibsen's An Enemy of the people.

**Posted by Merry** June 13, 2013 3:11 pm

I think I'd go with Iago or Richard III. Definitely prefer villians and anti-heros, although I do worry that after Star Trek he'll be type-cast as the new English villain in every hollywood movie, like Sean Bean and Alan Rickman.

**Posted by SilverMoonDragonB** June 13, 2013 3:19 pm

In the end, I really think he'd do well in pretty much any Shakespeare role...I know I would swoon and sigh no matter what role he played...dat voice, speaking Shakespeare??? *thud*

**Posted by miriel68** June 13, 2013 9:41 pm

Well, I don't think he should try Romeo