I blame that Bernard Levin - and that Tom Stoppard

It was in 1978 that my life changed.  Well, to be exact, it didn't so much change, it was more a case of a door, of whose existence I was only dimly aware, suddenly opened.  The responsibility lies entirely with that word-wizard, the late Bernard Levin.  Through my life I have enjoyed, perhaps 'relished' is a better description, many superb essayists and commentators but none of them ever quite reached the heights seemingly so easily scaled by Levin.  Anyway, back in '77/'78 he had been banging on about a new play by a hitherto new playwright which concerned itself with the plight of Russian dissidents - a subject very dear to Levin's liberal (small 'l')  heart.  The play was Every Good Boy Deserves Favour and the writer was Tom Stoppard.  On Levin's urging I went to see it at the Mermaid Theatre.  I came out pole-axed!  Quite simply, I had never seen so much brilliant wit, inventiveness, imagination and, running deeply through the text, such a sustained and passionate plea for liberty. This, I remember thinking as I stumbled away, electrified, from the Mermaid after the show, this is what theatre should be.  My (very) amateurish theatrical career began shortly there-after!

I was very, very, unbelievably lucky to be able to direct three Stoppard plays and I will be forever indebted to the Richmond Shakespeare Society for the opportunities they provided me.  The first was 'EGBDF' in which I attempted to pay homage to Stoppard and, by doing my very best, thank him for opening up a new vista in my life.  The next play of his I directed was Travesties which, to my joy and amazement, eclipsed even 'EGBDF' in brilliance.  It cannot get better than that, I thought - until I directed Arcadia!  For me this is Stoppard's very greatest play.  Philosophical, scientific, historical and artistic themes twist and wind their way through the fabric of his intricate plot but, for the first time in his writing career to that date, he introduces a tragic love story of exqusite tenderness that can turn your previous tears of laughter at his witty dialogue into real tears of loss.

I am provoked to write all this, partly from 'remembrance of things past', but also for great expectations because this is going to be a Stoppardian autumn.  Presumably this is also why Victoria Glendinning conducted an interesting interview with Stoppard published on More Intelligent Life.com which gives you the flavour of this somewhat elusive, elliptical man.  Beginning tonight on BBC2 is the first of five episodes of a TV version, scripted by Stoppard, of Parade's End by Ford Maddox Ford.  According to the previews, the first episode is fairly quiet being mainly an introduction to the characters.  There-after, things take off but, as one perceptive previewer reminded us, Stoppard does not take prisoners amongst his audience.  He just assumes that you are as well-read and intelligent as he is.  Probably, like me, you are not, but it doesn't matter.  If you have a mind that is curious and prepared for intellectual adventure then you may safely place your hand in Stoppard's and he will take you on a journey to remember.  In addition, the film version of Anna Karenina, again, scripted by Stoppard, is about to be released into a cinema near you in September. 

So, book your cinema seat and set your 'do-flicker-recording-thingie' for 9.00 pm tonight, or whatever, but do NOT under any circs miss any of it - and that's an order!

 

Comments

[ortega]

Thanks for the tip!
I had seen the BBC schedule, but I did not know that Stoppard had anything to do with it. Now, direct to the DVD it is.
About AK, I'll wait and see. Keira Kknightley is not exactly my cup of tea.

By the way. Do you know that our minimum temperatures are above your top ones? That's ruining a good idea by excess!

[David Duff]

Heh! Typical Spanish, stealing our global warming!

[Dom]

A little off-topic, but Daniel Hannan just tweeted for the single best line from Shakespeare. His answer was:

And scants us with a single famish'd kiss Distasted with the salt of broken tears...

What's yours?

[David Duff]

My favourite line and a half from Lear as he speaks gently to Cordelia:
And take upon's the mystery of things / As if we were God's spies

But my favourite *passage* is from the most mysterious play he ever wrote, Troilus & Cressida, in which two old enemies, Ulysses the Greek and Hector the Trojan, converse during a truce beneath the walls of Troy:

ULY:Sir, I foretold you then what would ensue. / My prophecy is but half his journey yet; / For yonder walls, that pertly front your town, / Yon towers whose wanton tops do buss the clouds, / Must kiss their own feet.
HEC: I must not believe you. / There they stand yet, and modestly I think / The fall of every Phrygian stone will cost / A drop of Grecian blood. The end crowns all; / And that old common arbitrator, Time / Will one day end it.

An example of Will's constant fascination with the mystery of Time and the folly of men who think they and their artifacts can outlive it. The last line and a half says it all.

[dearieme]

I tried the Stoppard. It's my age, I know, but I hate, hate, hate the way some bloody muzak is used to make it harder for me to make out the dialogue.

[JK]

Erm David?

Unless I'm mistaken (wanna bet?) I'm thinking you once placed in comments the 'do-flicker-thingy' your Pal Rupe gave you, will not, cannot seem to tune to the BBC!

Shall I ring Rupe 'n tell him you've gizzlebangered his gizmo?

[David Duff]

Here's a tip, DM. A set of large, comfortable ear-phones with a long lead. Thus equipped, I can hear everything much more easily. The other advantage is that I can watch and listen to things that drive the 'Memsahib' batty (I'm currently watching reruns of The Wire') because I can turn up the volume to the 'cans' and turn it down or off on the actual TV set. Similarly, I can plug the 'cans' into my music-thingie whilst she watches her favourites. But no Jock stinginess, DM, get the best and most comfortable, padded 'cans' you can, you cannot wear cheap ones for more than 15 minutes. (Also, of course, you could record things and watch later and if you didn't quite catch something you can instantly wind back and replay it - dead easy to do on my mate Rupe's thingie!)

JK, an inability to tune to BBC News comes under the heading of 'human error', or to be exact, a strong aversion to being sent into a state of gibbering, spitting fury!

[dearieme]

But won't the muzak get louder too, Duffers?

[David Duff]

Oh do stop being logical, DM!