Sam Wanamaker must be spinning in his grave

The late and exceedingly great Sam Wanamaker must be weeping as well as spinning in his grave.  He it was who had the idea of building a replica of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in more or less the same spot on the South Bank of the Thames.  It was a brilliant notion and it has provided me, and no doubt millions of others, with unforgettable theatrical experiences.  Today, authorities in charge appear to be intent on producing theatrical nightmares!

Here is an extract from The Spectator's review of their latest production of Henry IV Part I.

Henry IV Part 1 looks like a pillow-up-the-jumper am-dram effort. Hal and Falstaff, both played by women, stride up and down the boards shrieking their lines at the sky without interacting, or even looking at each other. It’s hard to grasp that this is an Elizabethan Secret Millionaire. A royal prince has joined a crew of drunken mercenaries who are plotting to mug some pilgrims as an amusing pastime in between real-life battles. Sarah Amankwah’s Hal has a surfeit of biddable chirpiness but no hint of introspection, still less of majesty. She’s miscast, perhaps. Certainly mis-costumed. She’s togged up as a chic commando, in a scarlet beret and matching jacket, like an aerobics teacher at a 1980s disco. There are levels of pathos and rumination in Hal that this production can’t fathom.

As you will have guessed, Ms. Amankwah is black!  The very epitome of a young.

medieval, royal Prince of England!  Well, sort of, I suppose, if you're deaf, dumb and blind!  Both Falstaff and Hotspur are also played by women.  So never mind poor old Sam Wanamaker, just spare a thought for poor, old Will Shakespeare!

 

 

Comments

[Bob]

It was funny when Monty Python dressed like women and shrieked. The Bard is probably looking down from his cloud having a good laugh. Lighten up.

[David Duff]

No, Bob, I will not "lighten up". "Henry IV' is one of the greatest of Shakespeare's plays and 'Falstaff' one of his greatest inventions. They should either do it right or put on a pantomime! 'Bloody wimmin'!

[Whyaxye]

"Sarah Amankwah" seems as if she could be an anagram of Sam Wanamaker, or perhaps "A Ham Wankah". Either way, that picture looks like the bloke who used to front the Black and White Minstrels, and if a cartoonist drew that he would end up on the sharp end of a Twitter-storm about racist stereotypes.

[Whitewall]

Well back then, the Dark Ages were not that far in the past you know. Either that or she managed to slip over from Calais recently.

[AussieD]

Bob do you understand the difference between satire and high drama?

[Timbo]

But David, it’s so edgy. And brave.

[Penseivat]

Can't wait till someone like Alan Carr is cast as Nelson Mandela. Well, it's art, innit?