52 Lists: Week 22

As I was sitting and enjoying "A Midsummer Night's Dream" on Sunday, I started thinking about the Shakespeare productions I've seen live.  For the last year or so, I've had this little thought in the back of my head that I would eventually see productions of all of his plays either live or "live-ish."  What I mean by "live-ish" is a recorded production of a live show. Not a big-budget Hollywood version but anything like what the National Theater does with their productions - record them on stage, and beam them all over the world so those of us not lucky enough to live in Stratford, still get to see some amazing theater.

So that brings me to my list, I calculated the number I've seen already and have determined I still have quite a bit to go because these are all I've seen:

~ Macbeth at CenterStage in Baltimore: It was the very first Shakespeare I saw in high school, and I was definitely not a fan.

~ Romeo and Juliet with Orlando Bloom (Live-ish through NT Live): Good, but (and what I'm about to say is controversial) I'm not a huge fan of Romeo and Juliet.  It's always seemed a bit too over the top for me.  Though, I'm certain the draw for me on this one was Legolas as Romeo.

~ Coriolanus with Tom Hiddleston (Live-ish through NT Live): Never read this one, so I was not prepared for the violence, blood, guts and gore.  Rough one to watch!

        

~ Much Ado About Nothing with David Tennant & Catherine Tate (Live-ish through NT Live): Hilarious!  Those 2 play off each other so well and have the best chemistry.  I would have loved to have been in the theatre to feel the energy.  Also, the only Shakespeare show I know that has it's own soundtrack!

~ Richard II with David Tennant at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford upon Avon: Absolutely my most favorite production of Shakespeare (and pretty much my favorite of any type of production) ever!  David Tennant was phenomenal and I can't say enough good things about the production itself.  It blew me away.  

~ Measure for Measure at The Globe in London: I learned 2 things during this production. 1. I was not made to be a groundling. One can only endure standing straight up on concrete for so long. 2. There are a few of Shakespeare's plays that are truly terrible. 

~ Hamlet with Benedict Cumberbatch in London: Oh how I wanted to love this show.  It was Benedict Cumberbatch in the flesh!  But I hated it. The director moved around parts in order to get him on the stage faster.  The Set was enormous and just too much for such a personal play.  And he just wasn't as good as I thought he'd be.  After seeing this production, I appreciated David Tennant's performance so much more.  

~ A Midsummer Night's Dream by the Annapolis Shakespeare Company: So great!  The actors were fantastic and the set (all outside) was perfect!