Another engaging double-bill on BBC4 as well as a welcome surprise in Sunday evening TV scheduling; mettle more attractive for me than, say, Poldark! 
BBC 4, 26 April, screened consecutively, Antigone at the Barbican Theatre, an English-language version of Sophocles's tragedy, translated by poet Anne Carson and directed by Ivo van Hove, a second West End triumph for the Belgian director who also scored with his production of A View From the Bridge which recently won three Olivier Awards.
A pared-back approach to Sophocles which I first saw in the 1950s in an adaptation by Anouilh about a woman punished for refusing to accept the state's rules. The eye-opener for me was the sustained and lucid discussion about the parameters of democracy and, particularly fundamentalism, powerfully played by Patrick O'Kane as the dogmatic Kreon and Kathryn Pogson as his wife, Eurydike (titter ye not, please!). Juliette Binoche in the title role, arguably a bit too old, brought a strong stage presence and her enunciation, even in her rage, was always clear and concise. The traditional role of the chorus was give to single actors and worked well in this scenario. The setting against a backdrop of bleached earth and hazy sun set the tone for a magnetic 90mins.
The 'second feature' was Renoir (2012), a period drama, with subtitles, set in the beautiful landscape of the French Riviera in 1915; ageing artist, Pierre-Auguste, (Michel Bouquet - an elderly look-a-like of Laurence Olivier) - has to deal in family strife when his war-injured son returns to the rich family estate and becomes attracted by a beguiling young model. The pace rambled a bit but was offset by the ravishing background and, gradually, the emergence of the son, Jean Renoir, became entirely credible as he learned from his father the need to find his own 'ways of seeing' resulting in classic films like Boudu Saved From Drowning, Un Partie de Compagne (my personal favourite) La Grande Illusion, La Bete Humaine, La Regle du Jeu - thanks to the Academy cinema (Oxford Circus) and the Everyman, Hampstead for my baptism of fire and grounding in French film as part of my education in world cinema, all now available on DVD for instant access, including the double-bill.
I'm also curious about the start of a BBC4 series, tomorrow- 3 May - BBC Four Goes Slow - 20.00-22.55 hrs - Frederick Wiseman's film, National Gallery; there are no sound effects or voiceover, "in order to enhance unhurried, pleasurable viewing"
BBC 4, 26 April, screened consecutively, Antigone at the Barbican Theatre, an English-language version of Sophocles's tragedy, translated by poet Anne Carson and directed by Ivo van Hove, a second West End triumph for the Belgian director who also scored with his production of A View From the Bridge which recently won three Olivier Awards.
A pared-back approach to Sophocles which I first saw in the 1950s in an adaptation by Anouilh about a woman punished for refusing to accept the state's rules. The eye-opener for me was the sustained and lucid discussion about the parameters of democracy and, particularly fundamentalism, powerfully played by Patrick O'Kane as the dogmatic Kreon and Kathryn Pogson as his wife, Eurydike (titter ye not, please!). Juliette Binoche in the title role, arguably a bit too old, brought a strong stage presence and her enunciation, even in her rage, was always clear and concise. The traditional role of the chorus was give to single actors and worked well in this scenario. The setting against a backdrop of bleached earth and hazy sun set the tone for a magnetic 90mins.
The 'second feature' was Renoir (2012), a period drama, with subtitles, set in the beautiful landscape of the French Riviera in 1915; ageing artist, Pierre-Auguste, (Michel Bouquet - an elderly look-a-like of Laurence Olivier) - has to deal in family strife when his war-injured son returns to the rich family estate and becomes attracted by a beguiling young model. The pace rambled a bit but was offset by the ravishing background and, gradually, the emergence of the son, Jean Renoir, became entirely credible as he learned from his father the need to find his own 'ways of seeing' resulting in classic films like Boudu Saved From Drowning, Un Partie de Compagne (my personal favourite) La Grande Illusion, La Bete Humaine, La Regle du Jeu - thanks to the Academy cinema (Oxford Circus) and the Everyman, Hampstead for my baptism of fire and grounding in French film as part of my education in world cinema, all now available on DVD for instant access, including the double-bill.
I'm also curious about the start of a BBC4 series, tomorrow- 3 May - BBC Four Goes Slow - 20.00-22.55 hrs - Frederick Wiseman's film, National Gallery; there are no sound effects or voiceover, "in order to enhance unhurried, pleasurable viewing"
Comment