RSC Hamlet (Tennant & Stewart) on DVD - Petition Plea

[osiris]

I hope this is ok to post. I thought I would mention this here, as I know there are bound to be a few David Tennant, Patrick Stewart and Shakespeare fans among us.

A friend of mine, Margret Best, an Overseas Patron of the Royal Shakespeare Company, has set up an online petition regarding the filming and commercial released of a DVD of the recent (and critically acclaimed) production of Hamlet, staring David Tennant and Patrick Stewart.

The petition reads...

"To the Artistic Director of the RSC, Michael Boyd;

We the undersigned would like to respectfully request that the RSC seriously consider the possibility of producing a DVD of the current 2008 production of Hamlet with David Tennant.

We strongly feel that this would be of great benefit, not only to the RSC as a valuable source of funding for future projects, but also an important educational tool for students of English around the world. Also, due to the popularity of this production, many people who would have liked to have seen it were unable to have that pleasure.

A DVD would enable them to enjoy the experience that a privileged few were able to partake in. We hope the expressions of interest below will be instrumental in assisting in the decision to go ahead with this project."

We managed to get 800 signatures, and Margret contacted Michael Boyd, Artistic Director of the RSC, to inform him of the petition. Michael replied and had this to say:

"Thank you for your email and for your enthusiasm for our work and for Hamlet in particular. We have been exploring the possibility of filming Hamlet for some time and will let you and your petitioners know if and when we have created the right circumstances for releasing a filmed version of this production."

Thanks to the support of the admin at David-Tennant.com (and the fact that it was the closing weekend of the play), the numbers jumped by 3000 names in two days alone. The story was picked up by The Telegraph, The Guardian & Whatsonstage.com and all three ran positive stories. Margret has also contacted The Stage newspaper, and an advert for the petition was placed on page 3 of the January 22nd issue. She also took part in an interview on Australian radio station ABC Hobart's breakfast show.

Margret contacted Michael Boyd again, concerning David's unfortunate absence from the stage during December. He replied again, saying that although they were unable to film for a DVD during the run, due to David's absence, they were still pursuing the idea. He also said that he has been reading comments posted on the petition with great interest, and is aware of how much everyone wants a filmed version.

We've just gone over 6000 names. If you would like to sign and add your voice to our campaign, please do so, and pass it along to anyone you think will help (your siblings, cousins, neighbours, friends, local drama groups, highschool English teachers...). Thank you.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/hamlet-dvd.html

There is also a Youtube video you can pass share with all your friends

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=upugMy6OYbs[/youtube]

[Reav]

I sincerely hopes this works out. Hopefully David will have a few days of free time after he's finished shooting The Planet of the Dead.

I've signed the petition in its early days (I'm somewhere around number 600) and also sent it to about 20 of my friends

[Phoebe]

I signed it - good luck, hope it happens!

Phoebe

[TheScarletPimpernel]

Good luck -- it's next to impossible to usually get to be able to release stage-versions of shows, but I'm assuming it's different (and for the better in the UK!).

I really liked who ever put that the RSC can use the money for future projects...! Honestly, that was terriffic because they every so often seem to be running out of funds! (I remember --not that I was aware/HAHAH/there--in 1987 they did "Carrie The Musical" because they were next to bankrupt!).

Best of Luck!!!

[osiris]

I really liked who ever put that the RSC can use the money for future projects...! Honestly, that was terriffic because they every so often seem to be running out of funds!

Not many people realise that the RSC is a charity, nearly all their money comes from benefactors and patrons and donations from the public. They're currently renovating the RST (the theatre they use) and have been working out of The Courtyard Theare for the past few years, which is little more than a corrugated metal shed with a stage inside. The inside walls are made of plywood. If it wasn't for the fact that they need more space, I'd say keep that theatre - it's simply gorgeous, rustic and charming and the wood smells divine in there lol. When the RST is finished, the building will be torn down & all the parts sold for scrap or recycled or (the seats for example) sent to other theatres across the country.

Please pass on the link to everyone you know, email all your friends, post it on other sites you visit

[TheScarletPimpernel]

They don't use the Barbican anymore? Hmmm! And how far away is Stratford-upon-Avon? I take it they don't use that theatre anymore either?!

[osiris]

They don't use the Barbican anymore? Hmmm! And how far away is Stratford-upon-Avon? I take it they don't use that theatre anymore either?!

Of course they use the Stratford theatre! That's the RSC's home, and where the (currently being renovated) RST is. Just down the road (like a few hundred yards) there was another (100-or-so seater) performing space called "The Other Place". The building for that was used as the foyer for The Courtyard and the corrugated iron shed which houses the theatre space itself, was built on to it on (appropriately) the courtyard outside. They did that so they could continue performing while the RST unavailable. They'll return The Other Place to order when The Courtyard is torn down. The RSC usually use the Barbican when they transfer to London yes, though this year they used the Novello (transfering the summer season which ran from July to November in Stratford, to the Novello in December). Not sure why, perhaps it wasn't available?

[Reav]

They have a 3 (or maybe 5, I'm not sure ATM) year deal with Novello to transfer there. They have used Novello last season too, AFAIK.

[TheScarletPimpernel]

I know that Stratford-upon-Avon theatre has a specific house camera that they can film the entire stage in suprisingly pretty good quality (although no zooms!), but the thing I'm refering to is from 1988....!

Does RSC produce any musicals any more? Or was Carrie The Musical the last of these sorts? They always manage to get great casts & creative teams! (Although I'm assuming John Napier is in no way involved with RSC!)

And not to thread jack, but I entirely love how big the theatre is to England! Or atleast it's much more than it is over here in USA. As in it seems like people know who _____ is and they are in ____. The majority people over here have no idea that Cats & Les Miserables have closed, who Patti LuPone is (whom many people know worldwide) or ... anything really. Many of those stars take the subway/walk home and are often left un-noticed unless by a fan...but it seems like in London someone like Elaine Paige or Maria Friedman would get picked out in a moment's notice! Maybe I'm wrong....never been to London but want to sooooo bad!!!

[osiris]

I know that Stratford-upon-Avon theatre has a specific house camera that they can film the entire stage in suprisingly pretty good quality (although no zooms!), but the thing I'm refering to is from 1988....!

Yeah they record every production for archive purposes still, but the sound quality isn't good. You can request to view them if you go down to Stratford. There's a recording of Romeo & Juliet from 2000, where David starred as Romeo. Am dying to see it. It's on the agenda for my next trip.

Does RSC produce any musicals any more? Or was Carrie The Musical the last of these sorts? They always manage to get great casts & creative teams! (Although I'm assuming John Napier is in no way involved with RSC!)

One or two, though usually it's just a bit of music in a show. For instance, there were a few songs in Love's Labour's Lost this year (a rap by Costard, Dumaine sang his letter to Katherine, rather than read it, accompanied on a small guitar, and the whole company sang an ode to the owl & cuckoo at the end).

but it seems like in London someone like Elaine Paige or Maria Friedman would get picked out in a moment's notice! Maybe I'm wrong....never been to London but want to sooooo bad!!!

It's definitely true in London, however mostly the ensemble members get ignored, as few would know their names. Elaine Paige would be recognised, as she's a big star. Maria Friedman I'm not aware of.