King Henry the Eighth and Much Ado About Nothing recorded by the Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professional Players. King Henry, $18.67 (Mono), $22.42 (Stereo); Much Ado, $14.00 (M), $16.82 (S).
Once it is granted Shakespeare must be seen to be fully believed, and that anything short of actual stage performance is less than the real thing, one can get down to the business of assessing recorded productions of the plays. And yet not quite; for at least in the instance of a work like Henry VIII, the impediments that the play itself offers must qualify any attempt to present it on records. With an acknowledged masterpiece or even a well-made play, most of the critic’s attention can be devoted to what a particular interpretation did for or to the text. But with Henry VIII there are so many problems that some time must be spent showing why allowances should be made for the actors, who—and this seems to me a symptom of the play’s real weakness as drama—are tempted constantly to staginess.
Already have an account? Log in
Join KR for even more to read.