Richard III - three versions of "Now is the winter of our discontent"

This brings back fond memories of JC1 Lit with Adrian Thirkell. I had that speech memorised once -- snatches of it still come back to me from time to time. Richard III and Thirkell's loving exegesis of the opening soliloquy was probably what got me hooked on Lit. (His generous grading didn't hurt either, and the number of new words that I picked up from him was astonishing.)



Ron Cook rushes the speech and doesn't savour his words enough to my mind -- we don't quite catch the puns and wordplay. Also, "determin-ed"? Interestingly enough, he is enunciating it correctly according to the Longman edition (which I used for English 24), but incorrectly according to the Arden version (which I used in JC). Since "I am determined to prove a villain" is a standard line of pentameter, I see no reason for the extra syllable. It's such an important word too -- better say it properly.

Jonathan Slinger has someone else on the stage with him for a bit -- is that meant to be Edward? Not sure why he's there. In any case, his delivery is much livelier and full of menace, intelligence, and bitterness, which is the way it should be.

McKellen takes creative license with the text and has the rest of the cast listening appreciatively to the first part of the speech. It works quite well, actually, because Richard has two audiences in the play, and McKellen's opening scene establishes that brilliantly. The moment in the washroom when Richard, contemplating himself in the mirror, suddenly (or deliberately) becomes aware of us, the viewers at home, couldn't be done on stage half as effectively.
Posted by kungfuzi at 10:47 pm |