Richard II 3.2 from Shakespeare's Globe

From the BBC4 broadcast, aired 7 September 2003. This is the other thing (besides "this earth, this realm, this England") that everyone knows from the play -- the speech with "sad stories of the death of kings." Mark Rylance plays Richard II, Chu Omambala is the Duke of Aumerle, William Osbourne is the Bishop of Carlisle, and Patrick Brennan is Sir Stephen Scroope.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• shakespeare
• bbc
• globe
• richard
• ii

[schizovreni]

Oh I saw that play four times! I love Marc Rylance. Lovely voice and manner of speaking. I can still hear him say; a little, little grave... It's a shame he's no longer at the globe. Do you know what he's doing now?

Thank you so much for uploading this.

[strangebrooch]

I seem to recall he's going to be doing an original-practices tour of Othello (as Iago, yay!). Also, he's in "The Other Boleyn Girl" and is by far the best thing about it.

[shantidude]

And speaking of, it's amazing how, at the end of the speech, the florid language and images are gone - "feel want, taste grief, need friends." And it packs so much more of an emotional punch as a result.

Goddamn, I love Shakespeare.

[artbrent23]

This is your opinion. A subjective reaction. I find no slapstick in the scene. Rylance finds the humor in it and by contrast makes the poignancy and awkwardness of Richard's state even more painful. He is a character who is unsuited for his position, but nonetheless feelingly human; therefore, an uncomfortable humor is appropriate. The audience finds that moment funny because there is a certain absurdity in it and Rylance finds it and communicates it. Shakespeare is full of contrast. as is life.

[khi590]

@schizovreni he is doing lots of new plays with great success - unforgetable - and some films (watch out in Wikipedia or just google) - the best I saw ever

[GCmediacourse]

@strangebrooch He is in the New Roland Emmirbirch film 'Anonymus'. Type in the title on youtube and watch the trailer

[orchote]

Furthermore, there is a different between humor being present in some trace in a scene, (which I don't think this one has, but whatever), and playing up laughs. In this case, with the pointing and the nodded and the facial expressions, the scene was being PLAYED for laughs. It's one thing to guffaw at the irony and all that sort of thing. It's another thing to mug for the assembled groundlings this day and age.

[Dous88]

@orchote i disagree. i studied shakespeare also and this and stuhlbargs are my personal favorite interpretations of richard II. but if you didn't like thats fair, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but dont think it's a bad choice at all. gerald freedman said "theres no such thing as a bad choice, theres wat works and what doesnt work" this works pretty well.

[SHSGHSGg]

JEEEEES! The Audience is so annoying. Poor bastards don't even understand a tenth of what shakespeare was playing to here-AND THE MOST ANNOYING THING IS WHEN THEY LAUGH WHEN THERE'S NO REASON TO DO SO-I see in every play in every opera-ITS A FREAKIN SHAME AND ITS SIMPLY PUT FREAKIN ANNOYING! They don't get the true intentions or the witty allegories, BUT they laugh when the actor acts like a fool-OH LOOK AT HIM GUGU GAGA HES SO SILLY HEHEHEHEH-LIKE FREAKIN KINDERGARDEN-so saaaad!!!!

[throwoutyourarms]

@orchote I have been studying how I may compare this person writing here unto Mark Rylance. And for because Mark's performance is populous, and here is not a creature but himself, I cannot do it...

[swannavon]

Yes, yes! Well said about how the language works in this speech! So beautiful!