Oh! And John Hurt as the Fool, right? That was an AMAZING cast.

Yes, indeed. And let us not forget Jeremy Kemp as Cornwall. And lovely lovely David Threlfall as Edgar.

And Anna Calder Marshall taking the thankless task of interpreting Cordelia without making her saintly, and doing it beautifully.

And just looking now, I noticed Brian Cox was in it as well (can't remember who Burgandy is in the play, though).

Also, I'm unreasonably fond of Polanski's version of the Scottish play, despite some significant liberties with the text (although more in terms of the action than the speech).

Somehow, I think Shakespeare might be the last thing on our minds... IJS.

I should tell you that I find iambic pentameter very, very sexy. *ahem*

can't remember who Burgandy is in the play, though

Burgundy and France are both suitors for Cordelia at the beginning of the play. When Lear revokes her dowry, Burgundy says, no thanks. France loves Cordelia for herself.

Also, I'm unreasonably fond of Polanski's version of the Scottish play

Gods, yes. Jon Finch and Francesca Annis. I adore that version, unlike the largely unwatchable Orson Welles version.

I'd love a new shiny movie version of the Scottish play. That's always been my favorite.

I saw it in April in Stratford-Upon-Avon by the Royal Shakespeare Company, and it was amazing! Squee!

Martha Grimes' The Dirty Duck

It's a pity Martha Grimes has started repeating herself. I'm very tired of her always having some orphan or something lurking about. Richard Jury needs to just damned well grow up.

I've completely blanked on the author--I'm really horrible at that--but there's a mystery series with Shakespeare in the early days and an actor buddy of his falling into situations and having to figure them out. You get to see Will cribbing lines from people and stealing their names and their lives for later works.

See, that's precisely how I've always seen him: a teenager with a really severe Oedipal thing going on, sulky, self-absorbed, not remotely heroic, and extremely physical because he's uncomfortable in his body.

I've always seen him as a post-grad, mid-twenties guy. Someone who really likes being an intellectual, hanging out with actors, discussing the meanings of things. I think that's the problem with Hamlet. When you read the play his voice is so strong that everybody has his/her own idea about him. I've never seen a Hamlet to equal the guy in my head. (Although I've never seen the Olivier version, it's next on my Netflix queue. Yay! I've joined Netflix!) I hate the Mel Gibson movie though, because I think the Oedipal stuff should never be that overt (it's there without the blatant allusions). Also, Glen Close is like 7 years older than Mel.

I'd love a new shiny version of the Scottish play.

How 'bout a Fringe show, picking up the tale of the Three, MacBeth, and MacDuff 900 years later? (That's what provoked my comment about historical liberties last night.)

I should tell you that I find iambic pentameter very, very sexy.

Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took,
And each doth good turns now unto the other....