ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD
National Theatre Live has captured a performance from the 50th anniversary of The Old Vic theatre production and transformed it into a cinematic event for select movie-goers to experience on the big screen.
Against the backdrop of Hamlet, two minor and very unfortunate characters, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, take to the stage, fast-talking irrelevantly and sometimes nonsensically as they break into the action of Shakespeare’s classic drama. Their version of the story unfolds, evoking an extremely funny situation comedy which ultimately dwells on their dark preoccupation with death.
This is world-class, cutting-edge theatre with a cast of English actors who play vibrant characters led by Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and Joshua McGuire (Cinderella) in the titular roles.
Intensely humorous, this is intelligent theatre at its best which non-scholastic audiences may find hard to follow, owing to the rapid change of discussions and intense Shakespearean verse. The approximate 200 minutes running time (with a 20 minute interval) may also be daunting and arouse restlessness among non-enthusiasts of Shakespearean literature.
This is a unique and innovative approach in film-making, which includes a behind the scenes tour of the famous Old Vic Theatre with the charismatic Radcliffe and McGuire. (MMo)
★★★★
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