King Charles 111

DavidKlyne
DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,857 ✭✭✭
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edited May 2017 in Entertainment #1

I found this quite a fascinating drama (BBC2 Wednesday 10th May)  It was adapted by Mike Bartlett from his  popular stage play of the same name, is part political thriller, part family drama, and a timely examination of contemporary Britain and starred the late Tim Piggott-Smith who also played the role of the stage as did several other cast members. It was unusually in that it was spoken in a similar way to a Shakespeare play. A bit like a Royal House of Cards!!! 

David

Comments

  • Morris Traveller
    Morris Traveller Forum Participant Posts: 56
    edited May 2017 #2

    It sounded "Shakespearean" because it is written in blank verse.

    There were other Shakespearean echoes too, from various History plays, Lear, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing: the ghost; the wayward young prince; the scheming wife; the resentful royal brother; betrayal;  ungrateful children.

    Or so my OH informed me while we watched. Very enjoyable.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #3

    Will try and watch on catch up, got distracted and forgot to watch it!

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #4

    I enjoyed it as a piece of drama, even with the very far fetched story line! I hadn't realised before watching that it was written in that Shakespearean style and with so many references to his plays which, for me made it doubly enjoyable. Great performance from the sadly missed Tim PS. smile

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited May 2017 #5

    If it shows them as a very unpleasant family, backstabbing and trying to increase their own wealth and constantly trying to improve their public profile to counter their actual personaliies, then I'd say it must be true to life.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,192 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #6

    We watched it and I thought it was a very different angle. I'm afraid we didn't enjoy the dialogue form. Good job were all different 😉.

    Good performance by Tom Piggot-Smith.

  • Morris Traveller
    Morris Traveller Forum Participant Posts: 56
    edited May 2017 #7

    I suppose plays written in blank verse are rather 'theatrical' and maybe do not lend themselves to small screen adaptations. Perhaps they are better on stage.

    We hardly ever watch TV, so this was  a rare treat. My OH is an avid theatre-goer, so for her, it seemed natural, and she enjoyed it as she thought  it to be in the tradition and style of Shakespeare's  History plays.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #8

    I had a brief look at it on i player. I liked the blank verse because I like Shakespeare's plays but the modern idioms like "Mum and Dad" jarred. So did the story line as it was a repeat of the stuff the media dishes up. Perhaps I should have stuck it out but I lost interest, although the family tale lends itself well to a Shakespeare drama.smile

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