Citizen 11th November 2011 - the City of London School

More documents

Recommendations

Info

16 When the new Royal Shakespeare Theatre building in Stratford was reported to have opened “on time and on budget”, I knew something was up - the project had seemed a shambles, with huge numbers of complaints about how dominant it was over the centre of Stratford, with its colossal tower and voluminous inner hall. But when I first arrived there, to see Michael Boyd’s Macbeth, it seemed suspiciously pleasant - presiding over the local area without being forceful, and neatly incorporating the older building of the Swan Theatre. I met this, however, with suspicion rather than satisfaction - surely it wasn’t possible that they could have actually got it right? As I took my comfortable seat, with a good view of the thrust stage, my eyes were narrowed as I sniffed around for what it was that had been neglected in order to dedicate time to the new building - but found nothing. Tom Piper’s atmospheric set, a half-ruined church with shattered stained glass windows and a torn-down crucifix amongst strewn rubble set the scene during the chaotic destruction and violence of the Reformation. At curtain up, I sat back, cynicism having dissolved, genuinely impressed at the effectiveness of the new space and wondering what parallels would be drawn with the bloody iconoclasm of the play and that of its setting. And then the play started. Gimmicky, poorly-cast, with precisely no further reference to the ecclesiastical set-design, and, most cringe-worthy of all, positively dripping with “accessibility”, it is no surprise that the usually sparkling Boyd announced his departure as Artistic Director just a few weeks after the opening of this production. The text of the play was neutered with surgical precision - the offhand deletion of the entire opening scene robs the play of the eerie, jarring sense of the supernatural that should pervade it. thecitizen 11 November 2011 The weird sisters are later represented by three children, who later reappear as Macduff’s children, slaughtered by Macbeth’s henchmen. This would have been a striking device, had the audience not first been struck by how blindingly obvious it was made - I suspect the only technical glitch of the night was the failure to lower a sign above the stage emblazoned with Boyd’s smirking face and the words: “See what I did there? Aren’t I clever?”. These gimmicks took priority over dealing with the core of the play - the violent relationship between Macbeth and his Lady was dealt with through a neat, Rada-approved “tortured scream” from the hyperventilating Aislin McGuckin as Lady Macbeth, before swiftly moving on to the next eye-catching party trick. Contrast this with the next production I saw in the new theatre, Rupert Goold’s The Merchant of Venice. The action takes place in modern day Las Vegas - a society supposedly built on Christian values, but unappealingly mercantile and money-obsessed and with a thinly-veiled undertone of nastiness. The comparison with Shakespeare’s Venice fits like a glove. In the final scene, this usually formulaic comedy is citizenreviews Theatre: Michael Boyd’s Macbeth By JAMES WADDELL J6PTB transformed in Goold’s most powerful masterstroke - a problem play where poor Antonio looks longingly after Third Form Parents Supper Thurs 17th November 2011 at Northbank Restaurant at 7.00 pm Bassanio, twisting Portia’s final monologue into something broken and tragic, more reminiscent of the revelatory horror of Helena in the final scene of All’s Well That Ends Well than the neatly tied knot into which the play could have been tied. A set-design that was vital to every part of the production, ideas and twists that provoked thought and allowed the audience to see the text in a new light, topped off with a healthy dose of Goold’s trademark brash, searingly energetic style and a powerful Patrick Stewart as Shylock - this is the direction the new RSC should be taking post-Boyd. We have been offered a 3-course set menu with 2 choices per course for a cost of £28 per head which includes service and a welcome glass of wine or a soft drink. Any other drinks are extra. There will also be a vegetarian option, but this needs to be notified in advance. Northbank is located 1 minute east of School, so turn left at the bottom of the stairs leading to the River not right. This casual evening is an excellent opportunity to get to know other parents in a relaxed atmosphere. Places are limited, so please book ASAP by email at friends@clsb.co.uk and follow up with your cheque payable to ‘Friends of CLS’ to secure your place. If you have any questions, please contact Jane MacLean at jane.maclean@btinternet.com or 07760154133. Please return the completed slip below along with your cheque in an envelope to CLS Reception no later than Thursday 10 th November. ...................................................................................................................................... Boy’s name....................................................................................Form.......................... Please reserve............places for Thursday 17 th November at a cost of £28 per head I/we would like...........vegetarian options I/we enclose a cheque made payable to ‘Friends of CLS’ for £.......... Parents’ Names................................................................................................................
TV - what to watch: Frozen Planet By EDDY WAX J6JBK The BBC’s Frozen Planet is not your bog-standard nature documentary. Combining breathtaking time-lapse photography and stunning panoramic views, David Attenborough’s latest adventure into the wild is sure to become a multi-award winner, if not a classic. Comfortingly reassured by Attenborough’s soothing and educating voice in the background, thie exceptional first episode follows the seasonal change in the North Pole as the arrival of the sun after six months of darkness begins to melt the unimaginably vast expanses of ice, in some places 20 miles thick. However, don’t be scared away by thoughts of lichen growing By OS LEANSE 4C Films: TinTin - The Secret of the Unicorn Being a big fan of Tintin ever since I was little, The Secret of The Unicorn was a film I was really looking forward to. As soon as the film started, I noticed there had been a major upgrade in animation since the comics. Tintin and Snowy both looked more life-like than ever before. The film opens in a market-place, where Tintin (Jamie Bell) is strolling in the sun, with Snowy, his faithful dog. This scene is where Tintin comes across a grand model of a ship – The Unicorn. He buys, it, completely unaware of its importance, and the scroll hidden within one of the masts. Moments after the ship is sold, a breathless man comes up to the stall asking to buy the ship, and when he learns that it has just been sold, a look of horror crosses his face. citizenreviews 17 in painstaking slow-motion, this action-packed nature programme has a bite. Though perhaps lacking an overall story arc, the show is brimming with tense encounters between predator and prey. Witness two polar bears sparring wildly on their hind legs, a 25 strong wolf pack pouncing on a young hefty bison and a clumsy and rather embarrassing attempt by a gormless sea lion to catch a nifty penguin on land. In the second episode we saw killer whales, elephant seals and a woolly bear caterpillar. Catch the remaining episodes of Frozen Planet Wed BBC1 9:00pm and on BBC iPlayer. Tintin turns down many desperate offers from the man, and leaves, slightly irritated, and suspicious. Tintin is in grave danger, but does not know it yet. The film evolves into a gripping story where Tintin, and his drunkard new acquaintance Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis) are thrown into a race to retrieve the three hidden scrolls of the Unicorn. But they are not the only ones seeking them. Ivanovich Sakharine (Daniel Craig) will do anything to get his hands on them before the daring detective. The story ends on a nail – biting cliffhanger. Will Tintin and Snowy return? Rating: 8.5/10 By DAOUD AL-JANABI 6PTB Retro album review: Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump Recently we have been subject to a torrent of re-issues including Pink Floyd’s entire career, and Nirvana’s Nevermind. Unfortunately when faced with such prolific competition, it is inevitable certain re-issues will get buried, and this is likely to be the case with Grandaddy’s excellent 2000 album, ‘The Sophtware Slump’. The album is the second from the band and is primarily about the dangers of technology (explaining the word play of its title) and while having a clear message, never seem preachy in the execution. Despite the obvious restrictions of working within such an inherently inhuman subject the band have managed to create moving and personal pieces of work which even at their most ‘sci- fi’ can stir the sort of emotion one might expect from more traditional ballads. Perhaps the song that best fits the template is ‘Jed the Humanoid’, a song about a robot who eventually drinks himself to death. The tension is palpable throughout the track and despite the subject of the song being a robot, the shock felt when his fate is revealed is never blunted. The album definitely deserves a better fate than Jed; every track on it is catchy, thoughtful and ambitious and all feel cohesive with the underlying theme, leaving a distinct message. Be wary of progress. Please. thecitizen 11 November 2011
Page 1 and 2: Issue 9 Friday 11 November 2011 the
Page 3 and 4: Geography trip to Iceland By JACK F
Page 5 and 6: Citizen Health Column Help me to he
Page 7 and 8: citizenschool 7 thecitizen 11 Novem
Page 9 and 10: Zizhou Zhang plays at Lord Mayor’
Page 11 and 12: Letters ... Sir, As someone who has
Page 13 and 14: citizennews 13 Genetically modified
Page 15: Let the sun shine!: Solar-powered E
Page 19 and 20: Cricket - test-playing nations in c

Citizen 11th November 2011 - the City of London School

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?