SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Kaydan Christian A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Alain English "The Two Gentleman of Verona" is one of Shakespeare's much better comedies, full of the kind of witty wordplay and lively characters that frequently appear in them.The plot is essentially simple: Proteus (Tyler Butterworth) is in love with Julia (Tessa Peak-Jones) and Valentine (John Hudson) is in love with Silvia (Joanne Pearce). Complications arise, however, when Proteus falls in love with Julia...There are some good performances here from everyone involved. Butterworth and Hudson are great fun as the two leads, and handle the play's darker elements very well. The portrayal of the two servants Speed and Launce (Nicholas Kaby and Tony Haygarth respectively) are also spot-on, although the latter does tend to confirm Shakespeare's generally patronising attitude in his plays towards the working classes. David Collings as brilliant as ever as irksome fop Thurio.The theatricality in the production (with a scene in a forest not shot on location but quite evidently in a studio) actually serves the comical story much better than realism.A good one to get warmed up on Shakespeare.

Ross My rating isn't for the story for which I'd give only 6 but for the gorgeous settings and good acting - how the actor could act stupid, selfish Proteus so well is worth watching by itself! I've been rewatching this wonderful series - and watching for the first time some I missed when they were shown on TV originally. The story is good enough to enjoy tho' not one of the Bard's best by any means. I really couldn't though agree with one reviewer who suggested the lines by the lovers (and therefore I suppose the whole play) should have been played for laughs because I love the language and the style and I really don't want to see any of the plays presented as complete farce. Added to which I don't find the others in the play farcical nor the story itself. The problem lies in Proteus being so intolerable immature, stupid and selfish. But I can imagine the viewer in question becoming frustrated at Proteus' persistent stupidity and wondering if farce might have helped any viewer to calm down rather than want every few minutes to give him a slap for his bad behaviour. Certainly he doesn't suffer enough at the end when he's forgiven, and that means the viewer doesn't feel much pleasure at his redemption. He doesn't seem to deserve it, nor Julia who's suffered quite enough from his ill behaviour. I wonder what her father and mother will think of all this and especially of Proteus, when she finally goes home with her regained lover? But doubtless the Duke will deal with the parents tactfully?Thank goodness Sylvia has the sense not to listen to nasty Proteus but to realise immediately that he betrayed the trust of his friend and her love. One can accept Proteus can't help his lusts and when forcibly parted from Julia, this very silly young man immediately swoons over another lovely girl who's nearby instead of afar. The worst moment is when he declares all's fair in love but in terms that are thoroughly insulting to Valentine, Julia and Sylvia too. Valentine banished behaves sensibly and shows he's worthy of Sylvia, hence the Duke forgives him for his attempt to make off with her secretly seeing that was to save her from the unwanted husband the Duke is trying to force on her. Deceitful Proteus though is far too easily forgiven by Julia even though he has hurt her over and over as she, disguised as a page, has to listen to his passionate declarations to Sylvia and dismissal of his past love. A slap across his face (or several during the play) would have done him a world of good. I suppose he's forgiven because humans can't control love - it strikes where it will as Cupid in this production demonstrates now and again. These days people expect a bit more contrition, I think. Still, the actor does his best with his moment of self-discovery and shame.So, a very satisfying production visually which makes up a great deal for Proteus being such a completely stupid and deceitful twerp and a certain lack of satisfaction at the end. Well worth watching.

tonstant viewer If "Two Gentlemen" isn't the first of Shakespeare's plays, it might as well be. There are many themes here that are rough sketches for later, more fully developed works, but the play as a whole is a misfire, and this performance can't redeem it.The physical production is beautiful, and Crab, the dog, is an unfailing source of warmth and enjoyment. The human actors, however, are much more of a mixed lot, with none outstanding, some good, a handful perplexing and more than a few excruciating.A wise man once said, "Never tell an English actor he's in a comedy," and the first, sunny half of the play is a chore to sit through with all the mugging, rolling eyeballs and forced laughter. Once things get serious at about the midpoint the young cast is on a firmer emotional footing, however preposterous the plot. Shockingly, the final Shakespearean resolution, in which everybody forgives everybody and all the couples are united, for once does not produce the requisite spinal tingle.You may remember the beautiful sets. You will remember the dog. But you won't have that wonderful feeling of two or three hours in the exquisite company of Shakespeare, because this one just doesn't work.

apteryx-1 I must admit that this production of one of Shakespeare's earliest plays (if not the earliest) is beginning to grow on me. I must be losing my critical judgment.Or it may be because I have learned to filter out the rubbish spoken by the main characters, and play full attention only when the clowns Speed (in this production played plausibly as an annoying boy by Nicholas Kaby) and Launce (played by Tony Haygarth) are speaking. Launce's classic speech to his dog Crab (the only other engaging character) about the trouble Crab has brought on him is the highlight of the play.It may be that this production (the only one of this play I have seen) suffers from the seriousness which is applied to all of the productions in this BBC series of the plays. I wondered on watching it how much better it might have been if the four main characters had played their lines for laughs. The absurd reconciliations in the final scene might then have had me rolling in the aisles rather than staring in disbelief. It is hard to believe that a writer as intelligent as Shakespeare could have intended to have those lines delivered po-faced, and harder still to believe that if he did anyone would have paid him to write another play