The Name of the Doctor: Mini-Review

(Rated 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8.5?!, 9, 10 and 11/5)

OUTSTANDING, HEART-POUNDING high level drama from the pen of Stephen Moffat! This half-series had taken a bit of a dip for me up until this point. It was good, but not great and I struggled to connect with Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman) and felt The Doctor did too. Who IS she?! (Not in the voice of that Big Brother star but maybe in a similar disbelieving vein as to why she is so important!) And then we discover and suddenly her ratings in each of our hearts - and his two hearts - climb universe-high! If you will forgive the use of this word, this episode was orgasmic for fans of Classic Dr Who - as we see - SPOILER alert - Clara save all of them! And for this Nine-fan an extra rush for me as she crosses paths with him! And spoilers OMG!! Dearest loveliest Prof River Song (Alex Kingston) also returns to - well yes spoilers - but has a gorgeous interaction with Sweetie Doctor Matt Smith! Matt put in yet another great performance - he is excellent as the Professor/Public School-Boy Doctor creating toy-boy feelings in this Whovian ;). And then at the end we have the man whose name we still don't know! - played by John Hurt - but have to wait til November 23rd 2013 for our climax! 

I, Claudius - BBC

I, Claudius
(Rated 6/5)
I just wanted to say a few words about this BBC drama series from oh so long ago, that is currently being repeated on BBC4. I was a child, under 10, at the time it was made and now I'm almost a middle-aged woman! The sets creating ancient Rome were a little wobbly - just like good old classic Dr Who - but it didn't matter then, and actually doesn't matter now either! It was expertly written and sensationally performed by the best acting talent of the day and still now in some cases! Derek Jacobi as Claudius - pictured below - was exceptionally natural in Claudius' physical walking disability, uncontrollable twitching and stammer - who could not adore this highly intelligent 'fool' who instilled such empathy that you willed him to get his words out and carry on playing an idiot so as not to be a threat to his crazy family in power who could kill someone at the drop of a toga?! And the best at that - Empress Livia - Sian Phillips - who calmly poisoned all those she perceived as a threat to the Roman Empire and in the way of her quest for power. One of the worst serial killers ever and yet I completely adored her as a child and still now. So much so one of our cats was named after her. In last night's episode she was no longer there to poison the problematic people and all hell broke loose! I missed her so much and yet we have John Hurt as the dreadful Caligula, also putting in a delicious performance. They were all completely mad - except Claudius - and terrible too in many cases, and yet this is like a glorious farce as well as stunning drama. I highly recommend catching up with it if you can...

‘The Hollow Crown: Henry V’ - BBC2 - Saturday 21st July 2012

(Rated 6/5)

And this time...
Better than perfect!!
Glorious, Highly Sensitive, Beautifully Moving, Tingling, Exciting, Inspiring, Uplifting, Heart-Wrenching and Tragically Sad. In fact I am welling up with tears of emotion as I write this. It may seem over-the-top to give it all those adjectives but - here's another one coming up - it really was the most exquisite production of this play that I have seen. And I do think Brannagh and Olivier's versions were excellent.

Hiddleston was convincingly different as now King Harry and gave an electric, yet emotional performance. He hit the mark absolutely, showing us just how much his character was feeling and yet not too much so as not to allow us the empathy to go through it all with him. He really was a King in mind AND heart. 
I had goosebumps galore! Especially in his:-
"We few, we happy few, we merry band of brothers..." speech. I would have willingly fought alongside him and I'm hardly equipped to do so!
Someone close to me commented how hard it was for the kings of that time - expected to constantly go to war and conquer this, that and the other country... as Harry says...
"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more...
Cry God for Harry, England and Saint George!"
In some ways it does seem a little bonkers. Constant conquering does not make a great country - looking to the needs of that country and nation does. Isn't it enough to rule just one? And really focus on looking after the citizens of that nation? 
But still provoked by a load of tennis balls from the Dauphin - harking back to Hal and his playing around - what is a King to do but conquer France? 
Harry V also refers back to Harry IV and wanting to make things right for his father.

Sir Richard Eyre presided over Henry IV and did a very good job. Taking charge and great care this time was theatre director Thea Sharrock. I really don't want to come across as biased, but the understandings and sensitivities of a woman enhanced this production in the extreme. There is no doubt at all this is one of Shakespeare's best plays, but work still has to be done in the interpretation and Sharrock brought out the absolute best in her actors. It is also a truly beautiful film. 
John Hurt lent his voice to the Chorus and truly brought out what seems to be Shakespeare's own feelings triggered as he went through the research and writing of the piece. And there were no weak links at all in the performing armour.

For lovers of Shakespeare and history this is a MUST-SEE! :)

The Hollow Crown: Henry V – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2012

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