This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/aug/19/benedict-cumberbatchs-hamlet-media-accused-of-contempt-and-hysteria
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Benedict Cumberbatch's Hamlet: media accused of contempt and hysteria | Benedict Cumberbatch's Hamlet: media accused of contempt and hysteria |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Actors and directors have rallied to defend the Barbican’s production of Hamlet, featuring Benedict Cumberbatch, with one condemning what he described as hysteria surrounding the production. | |
| The play will finally open officially next Tuesday night after two weeks of previews during which two newspapers broke established theatre convention by sending in critics early. | |
| Related: To be, or not to be: does it matter? | Related: To be, or not to be: does it matter? |
| One was the Times, which gave the play a two-star review and criticised the decision to move the “to be or not to be” soliloquy from the third act to the beginning as indefensible. On Wednesday, it reported that it was back in its traditional place. “Clearly, something was rotten in the state of Denmark,” was its verdict. | One was the Times, which gave the play a two-star review and criticised the decision to move the “to be or not to be” soliloquy from the third act to the beginning as indefensible. On Wednesday, it reported that it was back in its traditional place. “Clearly, something was rotten in the state of Denmark,” was its verdict. |
| What might seem like harmless fun is taken more seriously by figures in the theatre industry. “The Times will have alienated every single theatre practitioner,” said Ian Rickson, a former artistic director at the Royal Court. “To break the review embargo so flagrantly and with such contempt.” | What might seem like harmless fun is taken more seriously by figures in the theatre industry. “The Times will have alienated every single theatre practitioner,” said Ian Rickson, a former artistic director at the Royal Court. “To break the review embargo so flagrantly and with such contempt.” |
| He believes the Times’ move could bring about a fundamental change in how the theatre business works. “Directors like myself will insist on an extra week of closed dress rehearsals, which will mean less previews which will drive ticket prices up and exclude more people. | He believes the Times’ move could bring about a fundamental change in how the theatre business works. “Directors like myself will insist on an extra week of closed dress rehearsals, which will mean less previews which will drive ticket prices up and exclude more people. |
| “The next time I do a play with someone famous, I’m not going to expose my actors to this sort of ridiculousness. I’ll demand conditions that allow me to work the show in a theatre, invite people, private dress rehearsals and all that.” | “The next time I do a play with someone famous, I’m not going to expose my actors to this sort of ridiculousness. I’ll demand conditions that allow me to work the show in a theatre, invite people, private dress rehearsals and all that.” |
| He said it put too much pressure on the company. “It would be like an art critic rooting around the studio for half-painted canvases and going off and attacking before the paint has even dried.” | He said it put too much pressure on the company. “It would be like an art critic rooting around the studio for half-painted canvases and going off and attacking before the paint has even dried.” |
| Rickson said it should be no surprise that productions change radically during previews. “It’s when the real work starts happening … I’ve always thought the best directors work their shows through to the very last preview and, having run a theatre, it was a really wonderful thing watching how directors altered and transformed their shows through the array of different responses you get from an audience.” | Rickson said it should be no surprise that productions change radically during previews. “It’s when the real work starts happening … I’ve always thought the best directors work their shows through to the very last preview and, having run a theatre, it was a really wonderful thing watching how directors altered and transformed their shows through the array of different responses you get from an audience.” |
| The actor Stephen Mangan said the story was another example of press “idiocy” and agreed changes were made all the time during theatre previews. | The actor Stephen Mangan said the story was another example of press “idiocy” and agreed changes were made all the time during theatre previews. |
| “I did Jeeves and Wooster in the West End last year and we previewed for four weeks and it was unrecognisable on press night from the first preview. Things had moved around, bits were cut. | “I did Jeeves and Wooster in the West End last year and we previewed for four weeks and it was unrecognisable on press night from the first preview. Things had moved around, bits were cut. |
| “You can build a car in a factory, but until you take it on to the road you don’t know if it works properly and the same is true of a play. Only when you get in front of an audience do you realise which bits are working and which bits aren’t.” | “You can build a car in a factory, but until you take it on to the road you don’t know if it works properly and the same is true of a play. Only when you get in front of an audience do you realise which bits are working and which bits aren’t.” |
| Mangan said it was infuriating to read that those involved were capitulating. “It is not a capitulation. It’s previews. They are just trying stuff out. It is par for the course, some stuff works, some stuff doesn’t, you cut bits, you add bits, you move stuff around.” | Mangan said it was infuriating to read that those involved were capitulating. “It is not a capitulation. It’s previews. They are just trying stuff out. It is par for the course, some stuff works, some stuff doesn’t, you cut bits, you add bits, you move stuff around.” |
| Mangan said hysteria was being whipped up around the production. | Mangan said hysteria was being whipped up around the production. |
| “He [Cumberbatch] is a hugely popular actor and everyone is excited to see the show. I totally understand that, but I think everyone needs to realise how it works. You wouldn’t review the first cut of a film. They are put through test audiences and focus groups before they release the finished product. | “He [Cumberbatch] is a hugely popular actor and everyone is excited to see the show. I totally understand that, but I think everyone needs to realise how it works. You wouldn’t review the first cut of a film. They are put through test audiences and focus groups before they release the finished product. |
| Related: Not to be: Barbican U-turn over Hamlet soliloquy | Related: Not to be: Barbican U-turn over Hamlet soliloquy |
| “People write emails and texts and rewrite them, it is the same thing. Once you press send then fine, everyone can have their say. Until then people should respect what is going on … It is a trial period.” | “People write emails and texts and rewrite them, it is the same thing. Once you press send then fine, everyone can have their say. Until then people should respect what is going on … It is a trial period.” |
| Away from the stage, Cumberbatch has gamely obliged the fans queuing for autographs and selfies outside the theatre. | Away from the stage, Cumberbatch has gamely obliged the fans queuing for autographs and selfies outside the theatre. |
| At one gathering, he pleaded with audiences not to film the show, describing the experience as mortifying. | At one gathering, he pleaded with audiences not to film the show, describing the experience as mortifying. |
| He said there was “nothing less supportive or enjoyable” than being on stage and seeing a “big red light” from an audience member’s camera. | He said there was “nothing less supportive or enjoyable” than being on stage and seeing a “big red light” from an audience member’s camera. |
| Those involved with Hamlet, including the director Lyndsey Turner and producer Sonia Friedman, are saying nothing. A spokeswoman said they were letting the production speak for itself. | Those involved with Hamlet, including the director Lyndsey Turner and producer Sonia Friedman, are saying nothing. A spokeswoman said they were letting the production speak for itself. |
| Critics have pointed to the fact that audiences are having to pay the same price for preview tickets, as much as £125 for some seats, than they are for actual performances. | Critics have pointed to the fact that audiences are having to pay the same price for preview tickets, as much as £125 for some seats, than they are for actual performances. |
| The theatre commentator Terri Paddock, co-founder of the My Theatre Mates website, said the prices were difficult to defend, but that actors and directors needed and deserved the space of previews to make changes and get things right. | The theatre commentator Terri Paddock, co-founder of the My Theatre Mates website, said the prices were difficult to defend, but that actors and directors needed and deserved the space of previews to make changes and get things right. |
| She said she had never seen so much coverage of a single production. “It is hysteria and if I were in that company I would feel not flattered but a little bit frightened. It must be very difficult for all the actors under the weight of this scrutiny.” | She said she had never seen so much coverage of a single production. “It is hysteria and if I were in that company I would feel not flattered but a little bit frightened. It must be very difficult for all the actors under the weight of this scrutiny.” |