The Hollow Crown

I'm probably in a minority again but I've just watched the latest part of the BBC's Shakespeare's mini series which they have called The Hollow Crown and started a year or so ago - and it was brilliant.

Yes I know Shakespeare is a big turn off for many but if you can get into him he is probably the best story teller you will ever get to hear/watch.

The latest play is Henry VI part I.

Doesn't sound too gripping I know but it is about the War of the Roses, or at least setting the back ground to it which the next instalment of the series will develop further.

Basically without giving too much away the King (Henry VI) is weak and others see their chance to take his crown.

One chancer is the Duke of York, who should have been the king anyway except his granddad was usurped (had the crown taken from him by the founder of the House of Lancaster) Henry IV.

He is claiming the crown by birth right.

The other chancer (and the baddie) is the current head of the House of Lancaster, Lord Sommerset (yes I know, but that is what he is called).

Basically he is trying to manipulate the king through the queen who he fancies (and she does he!).

Throw into that the background of losing our possessions in France (the King's dad Henry V won the famous battle at Agincourt which meant he was going to be the next King of France when the current one died - but Henry died first!).

Also witchcraft, treason, adultery and murder chucked in as well - and all reasonably based on known facts (more or lessish!) and you have one hell of a gripping story.

Fwiw I watch Shakespeare with the subtitles on and from time to time have a quick look on wiki to understand some of the characters better and how they fit in to the story.

If you do manage to get into the story you certainly wont regret it with other plays covering the War of the Roses leading to my favourite of all Shakespeare plays, Richard III (the one the found in the Leicester car park not so long back!).

I get very annoyed with people who sit there and laugh at the 'jokes' in Shakespeare. As if they're better than the rest of us.

All those plays were written by Bacon anyway.

Whoever wrote them, they are belting story's.

I certainly don't consider myself to be a snob or anything and I'm not saying Shakespeare is easy to follow but if you do get into them like I have (particularly his historical plays) I think you would enjoy them - I know I do.

I did consider starting another thread other than this one tonight but I thought from past experience that one on the current Giro d'Italia would be less received than this on Shakespeare!

(Mikel Landa the man to beat imo).

Sluffy wrote:
If you do manage to get into the story you certainly wont regret it with other plays covering the War of the Roses leading to my favourite of all Shakespeare plays, Richard III (the one the found in the Leicester car park not so long back!).

Irish bloke goes into the library and asks if they have a copy of Dick the Shit...

boltonbonce wrote:I get very annoyed with people who sit there and laugh at the 'jokes' in Shakespeare. As if they're better than the rest of us.

All those plays were written by Bacon anyway.

Francis Bacon?

Reebok Trotter wrote:

boltonbonce wrote:I get very annoyed with people who sit there and laugh at the 'jokes' in Shakespeare. As if they're better than the rest of us.

All those plays were written by Bacon anyway.

Francis Bacon?

I'm hoping there's a veggie option.

Reebok Trotter wrote:

boltonbonce wrote:I get very annoyed with people who sit there and laugh at the 'jokes' in Shakespeare. As if they're better than the rest of us.

All those plays were written by Bacon anyway.

Francis Bacon?

Some academics rushed to speculate it was him, but I think they couldn't have been rasher.

SAUCE