Friday, April 22, 2016

Five on Friday

It's Friday so I'm joining in with  Amy at Love Made my Home for this week's Five on Friday.  Click on the link at the bottom of this post to find others who are joining in too.

Holy Trinity Church, Stratford upon Avon, photographed the last time we visited in May 2011

Tomorrow is the 400th Anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare and there are lots of events happening all over the country to celebrate the life of one of our greatest writers and playwrights.  I've been a lover of all things Shakespearean since my early teens when I used to stay up quite late to watch, on black and white television, the BBC's adaptation of  the Royal Shakespeare Company's Wars of the Roses plays and being totally absorbed and enthralled by them.   I think it would have been about 1965 and I know my Dad hated it all but couldn't stop me watching as it was in his eyes educational. Unlike The Avengers and Ready, Steady Go which he also hated with a passion. 

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford upon Avon  photographed in May 2011

  My first ever visit to Stratford came a couple of years later when I went with a friend to see Coriolanus with Ian Richardson in the title role.  I've made numerous visits since and seen lots of Shakespeare's plays both at Stratford and in other theatres too.



I'm not a huge hoarder or collector but I do save all my theatre programmes and all the tickets too if I can.  Above are just my collection of programmes from the Shakespeare plays I have seen over the last fifty years, other programmes, probably twice as many again, stayed in the box.


I was amused to find the tickets above in the bottom of the box and I don't know now what plays I saw with them but they cost £3.30 in the stalls on one night and £1.70 on the balcony on the second night.  Obviously they were bought after 'D' day - decimal day which happened on 15th February 1971 - when we changed from pounds, shillings and pence to pounds and pence.  I was thinking that it didn't seem a lot of money but when I think I was earning only about £20 a week in the early seventies it is quite a chunk of that I suppose and with an overnight stay and coach fare to get there too.

Anyway, to get back to the theme of Five on Friday I have whittled down all the Shakespeare plays I have seen to just five of the most memorable ones, although I have cheated slightly as one programme covers three plays which we saw in one day - quite a marathon event.

Here are my most memorable five in no particular order


1.  Henry V with the late Alan Howard in the title role and it was an unforgettable performance that we still remember when we reminisce about plays we have seenPerformed in Stratford in 1977 the cast also included Alfred Lynch as Chorus, Charles Dance as Lord Scroope and Barbara Kellerman as Princess Katherine. I went with a friend and we stayed overnight at a hotel on Bridge Street which is now a Marks and Spencer store I can't remember what it was called.  I remember we also visited the city of Bath as part of this short break.


2.  The Comedy of Errors - seen in 1976 we loved it so much we went back to see it again, it was funny and joyous and full of music and I remember that the cast came out into the audience at the end whilst singing the final song.  I've been looking at the cast list in the programme which included Judy Dench and her husband Michael Williams, Francesca Annis, Richard Griffiths, Roger Rees and Robin Ellis.  Three of those actors no longer with us.
 

3. The Plantagenets - seen at Stratford in 1988 we watched all three plays in one day, morning, afternoon and evening with lunch and tea breaks in between.  It was hard work for the actors in all three plays and a tiring but thrilling thing to do for us as we worked our way through the reigns of Henry VI,  Edward IV and Richard III.  It was a brilliant, young cast, some very well known now, including Ralph Fiennes as Henry VI and Penny Downie as Margaret of Anjou.  David Morrisey played the Duke of Clarence and Anton Lesser the Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III.

4.  A Midsummer Night's Dream - seen in 1992 at the Stamford Shakespeare Theatre at Tolethorpe Hall near Stamford in Lincolnshire.  It was an open air production and we went to see it on Midsummer's Eve with some friends.  The weather was dry and warm, the picnic we took with us was delicious and the amateur cast were brilliant.  It was made magical by the special animated wings worn by Oberon, Titania and the other fairies which flickered like glow worms in the fading light.  A truly unforgettable night.


5. Hamlet - seen in 1971 at Nottingham Playhouse. Ian McKellan played the title roll and it was a wonderful production.  I was living and working in Nottingham at that time and went with a group of work colleagues and yes, that is a programme signed by the great man himself.  Other cast members included the late Susan Fleetwood, who was a wonderful actress and sister of Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac fame, who played Ophelia and Tim Piggott-Smith.

I hope you have enjoyed my little wander down memory lane.

All for now.  Have a lovely weekend. 

Edit Saturday 23rd at 8.38a.m.  -  I've just visited A Shropshire Patch blog where Mrs Tiggywinkle has written a wonderful post about her love of all things Shakespearean and also included details of plays she has seen over the years.  All of them different to the ones I have included here.  Do pop over and take a look link above on the name of her blog.


38 comments:

  1. A seemingly endless stream of ex-boyfriends and ex-husbands have promised me they'll take me to Stratford to see the RSC and only once has any of them made good on the promise. (Which is one of the reasons they're all exes!) The one who finally took me to the RSC? He bought tickets for the Duchess of Malfi.
    Great performance. I had a good time. But it wasn't the Bard!
    I'm jealous.

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    1. Ah, oh dear, I hope you get there one day. Early on (60s and 70s) I used to go with friends and we'd plan and book our tickets and coach and etc - those were the days of postal orders and sae in the post and eagerly awaiting the tickets. Latyer I went with Paul who, thank goodness, likes Shakespeare. I saw the Duchess of Malfi at the Swan Theatre with Harriet Walter in the title role, I wonder if we saw the same production?:)

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  2. I have never been to Stratford but it is definitely on my bucket list. xx

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    1. It is a lovely town with many interesting buildings to see though of course very touristy too. We used to go before Christmas which was always nice, but coming our of the theatre in the warmth of a Summer evening with lights in the trees sparkling on the river was always a perfect end to a day there:)

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  3. Rosie I had no idea you were such a great Shakespeare fan! I have never been able to read a Shakespeare play but I did see Romeo and Juliet at the Barbican in London many years ago. I also didn't realise (until today) that many of the phrases we use originate from him such as 'neither a borrower or a lender be' and 'in a pickle' and 'in the twinkling of an eye'! I think I may pay him a little more interest in the future. x

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    1. Yes, many of our everyday sayings come from Shakespeare's writings and of course many modern day plays, musicals and etc are remakes of his original stories with a modern slant. I don't know why I developed a love of his work as until I saw those TV plays I'd never tackled him before even at school:)

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  4. I did enjoy this post, Rosie and loved looking at all these old productions. I am a bit annoyed with myself that I haven't kept all the old programmes from the Shakespeare I've seen at Stratford and the Globe and elsewhere - so I have to remember what I've seen and when. I've only got a couple of programmes to look back on. It is wonderful that you've kept yours and it's fascinating to see which actors were in which productions.

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    1. I do like to buy a programme as a souvenir and it became a tradition to keep the tickets too and save both. I should get rid of them really as no one will want them when I'm gone, but I'll hold on to them just a little longer. I've never been to the Globe - I'd love to see something there:)

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  5. My Mother was born and lived in Stratford for many years, my Grandparents were there so it was a big part of my youth although I never saw a Shakespeare play there. What a great collection you have.

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    1. You have wonderful connections with Stratford and must have some lovely memories of the place. It is true that we often don't visit things and places that are on our doorstep:)

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  6. From this far-off perspective any one of your five would have been a memory of a lifetime. I have been to the Stratford Festival (in Stratford Ontario!) but have never had the thrill of being right there, on the ground, in England. Your collection of programs and tickets is a keeper!

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    1. I've heard of the Shakespeare Festival at Stratford, Ontario I think from my mother's cousin who lived in Ottawa - long gone now of course:)

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  7. All I can say is how lucky you are!!!!

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    1. Thanks, Janet. I used to save up so I could go every year to see two or three plays in the season. Luckily I had friends who wanted to see tha plays too and who I could travel with. Later of course, I went with Paul and sometimes him and other friends too:)

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  8. Hello, Rosie! What a lovely collection of theatre programmes! I'm so envious too. You have seen so many wonderful productions and great actors. :)
    A Midsummer Night's Dream is perhaps my favourite. I too have seen it in open air. It was in August, it means evenings were already dark. (On Midsummer's Eve it wouldn't be dark at all, which would look magical too.)
    Thank you for sharing this very beautiful and interesting post! xx

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    1. Thanks, Sara, I remember the play we saw in June finished quite late so I think it was duskly dark for the last hour, I think it finished after 11p.m. as it was midnight before we got away from the venue and went home:)

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  9. What a wonderfully interesting post - so enjoyed reading about your favourite productions. My son has kept all the programmes from plays we've seen at the RSC, Courtyard, Globe and Birmingham Rep. I have some of the tickets which I've put in a box - sadly, I got rid of quite a few when I had a mad decluttering session a few years back :(

    Lovely to see Holy Trinity Church too - my son and I had the 5 Shakespeare House pass last year and visited all of the homes and we revisited the church earlier this year. Had a super time exploring - I think we'd only been to Mary Arden's farm previously. I've never been to an outdoor production - will try and change that this year (I believe some of the NT properties hold them locally).

    Thanks so much for sharing your memories and mementoes :)

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    1. Oh, I'm so glad your son has saved all his programmes as they are wonderful to look through years after and remember what and who you saw. I've visited the Birthplace a couple of times and Ann Hathaway's cottage but never Mary Arden's house. I think I'd like to go and see all the houses again this year if we can. The last theatre visit was to The Merchant of Venice in 2011 but we were with friends and we moved on to Baddesley Clinton and Kenliworth the next day:)

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  10. I shall show this post to my daughter she will be thrilled to read about the productions you went to. She lives Shakepeare too

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    1. Oh, thank you - I do hope she enjoys reading the post and looking at the photos:)

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  11. It was wonderful to wander down memory lane with you! I really enjoyed reading your memories and experiences to do with Shakespeare. I have only seen one of his plays in person - at Stratford - but sadly cannot remember which one and I don't have a programme either, your records are much better than mine! It is amazing to think that he was writing so long ago and we are still watching his work now though isn't it. Thank you for joining Five On Friday again this week, I do so appreciate it and enjoy reading your posts. Hope you have a great weekend! xx

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    1. Bless you Amy, thank you and thank you for organising Five on Friday even though you are so busy with other things. It is amazing isn't it how so much of Shakespeare's words and work are still appreciated today:)

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  12. It was delightful to read your post today Rosie. I learned a little bit too regarding Shakespeare. It must be fun to look back over all your programs and ticket memorabilia and recall each of these plays you attended. Thank you too for the kind words you left on my blog. Have a wonderful day, Pat xx

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    1. Thank you Pat, yes it is good to look back to happy days. Glad you enjoyed the post:)

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  13. I really enjoyed your Shakespeare retrospective. You seem to have seen different plays to me. Twelfth Night was the first I saw in Stratford and it made a profound effect on me. I'm looking forward to the new Hollow Crown series. :-)

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    1. I enjoyed the first Hollow Crown plays and I'm looking forward to the next ones. I love Twelfth Night, I saw it at Nottingham Playhouse and I have the film on DVD which we watch on 12th Night isfwe remember - forgot this year:)

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  14. What a fabulous post. So good to have special memorabilia. You can only keep so much but those are very special. I expect you will be having a Shakespeare themed weekend :) B x

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    1. Oh, yes. I have As you Like It on DVD to watch - bought for £3 from the supermarket in the week and also the special birthday extravaganza on Saturday on TV:)

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  15. What a nice post it's nice to have all these things to remind you.
    Amanda xx

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    1. Yes, it is nice to have them, I don't look at them very often but occasionally I look through them when I'm trying to remember something about one of the plays:)

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  16. This is such an interesting post Rosie and a real trip down memory lane for you. You have seen some wonderful productions. We are hoping to see A Midsummer Night's Dream when it is performed in July. Hope you are enjoying your weekend and the Shakespeare celebrations. Marie x

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    1. I think A Midsummer Night's Dream is so lovely to see in the summer and out of doors if you can. I hope you enjoy it:)

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  17. What a great post! Such a nice tribute to the Bard! My favorite is Hamlet. I also love Midsummer Night's Dream and Macbeth. And Much Ado About Nothing. I wish I had something pertinent to post to commemorate this anniversary, but I don't. So glad you did! Oh, and by the way, I loved the Avengers too. :-)

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    1. I think I've probably seen Hamlet more times than any of the other plays except perhaps Henry V and Richard III. Not too fond of Macbeth but love Much Ado about Nothing:)

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  18. Hi Rosie, I tried to comment on Friday but naughty Blogger wouldn't let me. Grrr! Thank you for linking to my post, you are very generous. I LOVE this post, as you knew I would. My mother and I spent a lot of time on Saturday discussing the productions we, and you, had seen, lovely reminiscences. Hope you have had a good weekend. x

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    1. Blogger is a nuisance sometimes, when I was writing this post it kept telling me that I couldn't spell check and to try again later! I'm so glad you and your mother enjoyed the post and I certainly enjoyed yours. Haven't we all got some wonderful memories?:)

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  19. I can see you have had a great time reminiscing while rummaging through your memorabilia. I'm so excited to be visiting the UK in July and seeing some of the sights.
    Shakespeare works weren't on my list of want to read when I was a teen but we had to read some at school and I loved it. Couldn't admit that to the classmates though.

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    1. I know what you mean about not admitting to liking Shakespeare or any of the classics at school. I do hope you enjoy your visit here in the summer:)

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