Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Philistines - Cast Interviews

It does exactly what it says on the tin!

You can find a short film of four cast members talking about Philistines on YouTube, or on the Philistines page at the National Theatre site.

Why they filmed Ruth and Rory in Black and White, I have no idea!

Enjoy!



p.s. I did finish that script writing assignment in the end, and I got 86%, very chuffed!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the link Penny and congrats on your assignment results :) Does that actually involve "writing a script" as the title suggests, or am I just being a simpleton? Not surprised you did well if so, as it's obvious from your blog that you have a pretty fine way with words.

Cheers

Fi

pennyforyourdreams said...

Hi Fi,

How are you?!! Thanks for compliment, oh I'm going all red...

It was a short OU course that I just completed, you either had to write a 7 minute long play, or a couple of scenes (no longer than 7 minutes) of your longer play. I submitted it with about twenty minutes to spare. Arrgh.

I'm not sure I'm a natural playwright, but at least I gave it go! And I did enjoy it, despite all my bellyaching and writers block.

How was "St Joan"? Did you have a good time?

Kind regards,

Penny

Anonymous said...

Hi Penny

You're too modest about your writing talents! Hope you keep up the efforts, despite the writer's block!

St Joan was AWESOME. I don't know if you've read any of its reviews in the main papers, but all the critics more or less agree that this is a masterful production of the play, with fantastic performances from all the main players. And I can only agree!

I studied this play for A Level (more years ago than I care to remember) and even though it was a set text, I really enjoyed it and have happily re-read it a number of times since (my English A level syllabus was generally great actually and not a chore at all!).

So, when I saw that a new production was coming up at the National, I just HAD to go. Luckily a very good friend of mine, who did A Level English with me, is also still a fan of the play and she agreed to come.

We were just six rows from the front and, as you know, in the Olivier the seats are tremendously close to the stage - literally within spitting distance!!

I recommend this play and this production to everyone - the storyline and its themes remain incredibly relevant in today's troubled times and the actors are just fantastic - if Ann Marie Duff and the gorgeous Paterson Joseph don't win any awards for this, there's something very wrong with the theatre awards system! Paul Ready was also exceptional as the Dauphin.

It was so good, I'm tempted to go and see it again, despite the 200 mile trek to London that would involve!! It pisses me off mightily that we get no quality theatre in the sticks (specially in the Welsh sticks!!).

Cheers

Fi

pennyforyourdreams said...

Hi Fi,

Glad you had a great time at St Joan. As I've been trying to write plays, I've been reading lots of reviews and a few plays as well. (I think I should've tried something lighter than 18 century Restoration Comedy though, my eyes started to glaze over.)

From what I've read, Ann Marie Duff was excellent, I didn't hear much about Paterson Joseph, but he's great too. And gorgeous, but any way... YouTube via the National Theatre have some video clips of him!

I really want to go and see something, but with work being so busy (grrgh) I don't get time. Looking at the NT site, Philistines closes in two days! Damn. Emperor Jones is going until October and Present Laughter looks enticing (I'd rather see a comedy than a tragedy). But staff shortages at work already mean that I have to work Bank Holidays and some weekends, and very soon I may be doing on-call work. So they can call me in the middle of the night....

I may bunk off "sick" one day and go to a matinee. But if you're sick more than twice in six months, they flag you up to personnel. So I have to weigh the likelihood of being genuinely sick
with how much I want to go.

And no one wants to go with me. So I'll look like a loner. I may have to endure "Wicked" to get my pal to come with me.

Oh well. Sorry, this turned into a bit of an anti work rant.

Kind regards,

Penny

Anonymous said...

Hi Penny

Did you get to see any more theatre yet? I'm on the lookout for something to go and see, but for us that involves a trip to London and staying over, so we have to be pretty sure that we target the right play!!

I'm kicking myself now that for the seven years I lived in London (back in my 20s, which is more years ago now than I care to remember - Margaret Thatcher was on the throne back then!!) I seemed to spend all my time chasing men and going to parties, rather than doing too much cultural stuff. Still, needs must, eh?

I've been keeping an eye on what's coming up and so far not much grabs my fancy for the autumn.

If you do get to see anything good, please do tell!!

Hope work is not driving you completely bonkers either!

Re forthcoming classics on TV - I'm looking forward to the new version of Room with a View.....

Cheers

Fi

pennyforyourdreams said...

Hi Fi,

Great to hear from you!

I've been busy recently and not much inclined to blog or search out a decent play, because my sister just had a baby girl!!!!

I'm an aunty for the third time! She's so cute and cuddly (the baby, not my sister) but then I'm biased, we're related!

So it's all go here at the moment as my two other nieces are staying with us for the meantime, they are 7 and 4 and they are quite, quite mad. And they never shut up, I was never that noisy as a child, even though my Dad assures me I was. I refute that heinous allegation!

Work slogs on and I'm being externally audited tomorrow and I'm scared! They will ask me questions and the answer will escape me as my head is too full of babies! And their peculiarly addictive baby smell...

Your 20's sounded quite heady, chasing boys and partying hard eh, tut tut! Oh well, you're only young once!

I'll definitely post if I do go to see a play, even if it is by myself! Like you said, nothing is jumping out at me, maybe I'll read the reviews first before I go anywhere. Though Elling sounds good...

Hope all goes well with you, take care!

Penny

p.s. upcoming classics on tv: Cranford Chronicles, which has the world and his wife and Judi Dench in it. Another version of Sense and Sensibility, some updated fairy stories, and Oliver Twist with Tim Spall as Fagin. Though the musical will be hard to beat! Lots to look forward to!