[TV] SPOILER ALERT. Upstart crow

[Dave the OAP]

I know this programme isn't everyone's cup of tea, as my lady wife will testify, but I have been watching it on catchup when there has been nothing else's on, and I have got into it!

For a OU course I did I read about the relationship between Marlowe and Shakespeare and the rivalry around that time, so I knew a bit about the characterisations in the show, but I always thought it was a clever adaptation of how Shakespeare would have lived using today's thinking, but his use of language. And personally I thought it was brilliant, especially the bits about travelling from London to the midlands by coach and him explaining the horrors as if it wasn't modern day rail travel.

Anyway, David Mitchell plays WS and Liza Tarbuck his wife and the last episode of series 3 was built around WS failing in the London theatre awards and a dispute around his wife and him attending hamnet, his son's confirmation. Anyway he comes back from the awards and it wa s brilliant comedy to be told, whilst in mid rant about the coach travel that his son Hanlet had died from the plague!

I don't think I have ever seen such a twist in a show ( it was actually real so not really a twist) and the last 10 minutes of the programme was a very difficult watch, but absolutely brilliant acting especially Liza Tarbuck's lines concerning the existence of God and if they will ever see their son again in " heaven"

Seemly in real life, if was the death of his son turned his life and made him turn to writing more tragedies.

It is very blackadderish. Written by ben Elton and I suppose it could have ben compared to the final scene when blackadder and the team went " over the top"

Anyway, if you do watch it I hope you also were moved by it. It was a brilliant series. IMHO.

 

[vegster]

Thanks, have seen some episodes but had forgotten all about it, good fun when I've seen it and a rare mainstream sit-com these days.

 

[catfish]

I've watched it from the start and think it's the funniest thing since Blackadder. And that final episode was very moving.

 

[Klaas]

I haven't watched this but was thinking I might give it a go.

Have you read Bill Bryson's Shakespeare? Brilliant book. Particularly like his evocation of London life at the time.

 

[Brovion]

It is good, easily the best thing Ben Elton's done in years. David Mitchell is brilliant. And yes, working in the death of Shakespeare's only son Hamnet gave it a touch of realism.

Up until quite recently (when I went to Stratford-on-Avon this year in fact) I didn't even know Shakespeare had had a son who had died young, much less his name. When I saw there was a character called Hamnet I wondered if they'd bump him off.

 

[Bakero]

I haven't watched this but was thinking I might give it a go.

Have you read Bill Bryson's Shakespeare? Brilliant book. Particularly like his evocation of London life at the time.

I haven't but I'll check it out. Haven't ready any Bill Bryson in years but have enjoyed his work in the past.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Gave a few episodes a go ages back and it was decent...... might have to try and get back into the series and do more of it. Cheers for the reminder.

 

[Fungus]

Brilliant stuff - each series has got better, this series has really raised the bar, and the final episode was very moving. Definitely worth binge-watching if you haven't seen it all.

 

[Klaas]

I haven't but I'll check it out. Haven't ready any Bill Bryson in years but have enjoyed his work in the past.

It's fantastic. Highly recommend it.

 

[Bakero]

It's fantastic. Highly recommend it.

Read it this weekend. Thanks for the recommendation.