Playing Shakespeare

If you're interested in Shakespeare, in poetry or in theater, I think you'll enjoy PLAYING SHAKESPEARE now available to stream on Netflix. 


In 1979 Trevor Nunn, then artistic director of Britain's Royal Shakespeare Company, created a TV workshop on the art and technique of acting in Shakespeare's plays. He was joined by RSC co-founder and Associate Director John Barton and a group of the leading RSC actors of the day. There were 9 programs that aired from 1979 - 1984.


Among the actors participating in PLAYING SHAKESPEARE were: Ian McKellen (Gandolf/Magneto), Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard/Prof. X), Ben Kingsley (Gandhi/Schindler's List), Judi Dench (M from the Bond films/As Time Goes By), David Suchet (Hercule Poirot) and Peggy Ashcroft.




And here is Fry & Laurie's parody of PLAYING SHAKESPEARE. It's a sketch about a Shakespeare masterclass ("an actor prepares"), where a teacher (Stephen Fry) with delusions of grandeur gives pretentious, nonsensical acting advice to his eager student (Laurie).

My Favorite TV Shows of 2010 (In No Particular Order)

Doctor Who (BBC America)
Best episodes: “The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone,” “Vincent And The Doctor,” “The Lodger”


Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Best episodes: “Anastasia,” “Nights In Ballygran,” “Home”


Fringe (Fox)
Best episodes: “Peter,” “White Tulip,” “The Plateau”


Cougar Town (ABC)
Best episodes: “Letting You Go,” “Finding Out,” “You Don’t Know How It Feels”


Lost (ABC)
Best episodes: “Happily Ever After,” “Across the Sea,” “The End”


Terriers (FX)
Best episodes: “Fustercluck,” “Agua Caliente,” “Quid Pro Quo” 


Mad Men (AMC)
Best episodes: “Waldorf Stories,” “The Suitcase,” “The Beautiful Girls”


Parks And Recreation (NBC)
Best episodes: “Galentine’s Day,” “Summer Catalog,” “The Master Plan” 


Community (NBC)
Best episodes: “Modern Warfare,” “Cooperative Calligraphy,” “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas”


 The Good Wife (CBS)
Best episodes: “Bang,” “Mock,” “VIP Treatment”


Better Off Ted (ABC)
Best episodes: “Beating a Dead Workforce,” “The Impertence of Communicationizing,” “Lust in Translation”

Who Do You Trust To Sort This Out?

The global financial crisis shifted up another gear this week. Who do you want to take a lead? Politicians? Bankers? Regulators? International organizations? Or maybe you’re happy to trust the market to sort out the problems it’s created. Leave your thoughts and read what others from around the World are saying here.