h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I can't believe it!

After months of (occasionally) gentle persuasion, I've managed to get Dave to agree to go to the theatre with me....

.... to see a production of The Tempest at the RSC in Stratford....

.... starring PATRICK STEWART (yes, *the* Patrick Stewart!) as Prospero!!!!!

I think I'm going to faint, I'm so excited . I've been a Patrick Stewart fan ever since I was a Trekkie in my teens (reformed now, though ) and never thought I'd ever get the chance to see him perform live. Admittedly, the cost of the tickets probably makes it an early Christmas present (oh, yes - £32 each!) but I think it's going to be worth it .

We go two weeks on Friday and I really can't wait!

I'm so jealous, I really want to go!

Now prepare yourself to be jealous:

I SAW HIM!

I was in Stratford on Saturday with some friends. We were walking down the street outside the theatre and one of my friends turned to us and said "That was William Shatner!" He got them confused, of course. I saw him as we passed out of the corner of my eye but he had a hat on so I didn't recognise him. Apparently he noticed my friend had recognised him but pulled his hat down and kept walking - he was probably busy.

I was gutted I didn't see him properly!

Anyway, have a great time. I want to see Much Ado About Nothing as well, Tamsin Greig's in it and it's one of my favourite plays.

I live so close and I've only been to the RSC twice.

This'll be my first visit to the RSC, and my first visit to the 'proper' theatre, unless you count seeing friends in amateur dramatics stuff. I'm sure we'll have a good time - and I still can't believe I'm actually going!

I'm very that you saw him, however briefly - though I did find it funny your friend calling him William Shatner .

There are some big names participating in the Complete Works festival - even Sir Ian McKellen is going to play King Lear at some point, apparently . I can imagine Tamsin Greig making a fantastic Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, too.

I've looked up our seats on the online seating plan and I think we should have a good view of the stage - I hope so, anyway. Ooh, I can't wait .

I tihnk I'm proibably going to see that with my college - it's on on my birthday, so I'm going to try to get onto the trip.

I forgot to say - 26th of september is when I'm planning on going. So if you go then, we could meet up in the ladies

We're going on Friday 22nd, so we miss you by a couple of days. Pants! A gossip in the ladies would have been fun .

Still, it should be good

I hope you enjoy yourself, Lins.

I too have seen Patrick Stewart in the flesh, just outside Sloane Square tube station in London about two years ago. I whispered to my (now ex)boyfriend "Don't stare, but isn't that Patrick Stewart?" Chris sneaked a subtle peak as Patrick passed us by and agreed that it was indeed him. My Mum, who was still inside the tube station trying to get out (she'd left her ticket on the train ) was a tad miffed to have missed him.

I don't know anything about The Tempest, but I've seen the film of Much Ado About Nothing. I lady Beatrice ("I should rather hear my dog bark at a crow than have a man say he loved me") - Tamsin Greig would be fantastic in that role.

Anyway, I hope you have a fab time at The Tempest - I'm sure Patrick Stewart will be fabulous and I bet Dave enjoys himself too!

Liz
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Oh, the film's great, isn't it?

Except for Keanu Reeves - he can't do Shakespeare.

Keanu Reeves is so wooden that you want to creosote him whatever he is in.

Very true - I can't watch him in any of his 'serious' roles because I just can't take him seriously. Although I did quite like him in the Bill & Ted films.

Keanu was most excellent in Bill & Ted, but I think that is probably the extent of his range.

Last Saturday, inspired by this thread, I finally got around to watching Baz Lurhman’s version of Romeo & Juliet that I taped at least two years ago. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the live open-air version that I saw a few months ago, but I did think it was fast-moving, exciting and sexy. People who think Shakespeare is dull should be forced to watch this film. I didn’t like the girl who played Juliet much, but old baby-face di Caprio was alright and Harold Perrineau was brilliant as Mercutio. I have to be honest and say that I lost interest in it towards the end, but then we all know what is going to happen anyway.

I love that film!

Harold Perrineau is fab in it!

It's so long since I've seen that film - I avoided it for ages as I'm not a huge Leonardo Di Caprio fan (one of the reasons I haven't watched Titanic!), but I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was.

It does slightly annoy me that people write Shakespeare off as dull - when you read synopses of most of his plots, they rival *anything* to be found on prime time TV these days and the vast majority of his themes still have relevance today.

I know, I don't get it either.

If you actually see them - whether a play or a film - they're so much better than just reading them! They're funnier too - things that don't make sense to a modern reader can be brought to life by actors.