LET US BE EVIL HISTORIES OVERLORDS.

[angevin2.livejournal.com]

So I was talking to faithhopetricks and speak_me_fair about things that should be done in productions of the histories but never (or rarely) are. (The specific thing that triggered it is that none of us had ever seen a production of the improv scene in 1H4 that took advantage of being in a tetralogy to play up the echoes of Richard II's deposition.)

And from this came the question of things we would totally put in the histories if we were in charge of the Shakespeare world.

I was going to write up my own list to start, but it would take me about three hours to write, so I will put them in in the comments. What sorts of things do you think should turn up in productions of the histories (but don't or probably don't)? ALTERNATELY what sorts of things do directors always seem to do that they shouldn't?

Comments

Re: OH ALSO VERY IMPORTANT

[gileonnen.livejournal.com]

*cracks up* Fwoppity, or *smack*--Oh, this just makes my evening. YES. Let us have GAGES. MANY OF THEM. (Favorite scene? Why, yes, I think so!)

Re: some honest Ricardian trust me with a gage!

[angevin2.livejournal.com]

I would so make a vid if there were a suitable production.

Re: some honest Ricardian trust me with a gage!

[angevin2.livejournal.com]

YES BUT THEY CUT THE GAGES SCENE.

AND THE ESC'S IS REGRETTABLY SUBDUED.

Re: OH ALSO VERY IMPORTANT

[lareinenoire.livejournal.com]

Apparently the RSC production was all about Piles of Stuff, because RII had a pile of gages as well as a pile of heads! ;) And they totally went *smack* and *fwoppity* because they were those black leather fencing gloves!

Re: OH ALSO VERY IMPORTANT

[cisic.livejournal.com]

The gages were oh so brilliant in the History cycle. There was a point where a character ran out of gloves, so he ran and took one from someone else so that he could throw it down. Delightful.

Re: OH ALSO VERY IMPORTANT

[lareinenoire.livejournal.com]

I want to say it was either Hotspur or Aumerle. EITHER WAY, WIN.

Re: OH ALSO VERY IMPORTANT

[angevin2.livejournal.com]

That's Aumerle, and it is total win, though it is Shakespeare win rather than Boyd win. I have a fond memory of Globe!Aumerle borrowing a scarf from an audience member. :D