Kenneth Branagh's Ivanov

[sharman]

I have absolutely adored Ken Branagh ever since I've seen him on stage in Hamlet. Now he's doing Ivanov and getting absolute rave reviews by the critics. I'll be seeing it soon and I am totally excited! Btw, it's a new adaptation of Chekhov's play by Tom Stoppard.

[maxx02]

, I'd love to read that. hummm...

be sure to report back, sharman. I'll be interested to hear how it goes.

[sharman]

Will do!

Btw, the admin of the Ken Branagh Compendium still hopes that "the fab Rufus Sewell" will be in "The Yellow Mark" with Ken, although it seems very unlikely. That would be absolutely great.

www.branaghcompendium.com/news.htm

[ukelelehip]

I am SO going to see this but I haven't bought tickets yet because I fool myself into believing I can simply go the box office one night and get a return. We'll see how that goes. Fingers crossed.

Rai and Renata, aren't you two big Ken fans?? Actually, I'm not sure about Rai but Renata, I believe, is.

eta: Rufus and Ken, you guys must do a project together soon, kplzthx.

[rufianren]

Hi Uke and all,

Yep, I'm the Ken-fan. And the "admin" of the Compendium. ;D

And seeing Ivanov in just over 2 weeks. The reviews are excellent. Having been lucky enough to see Branagh on stage in two other plays I can vouch for him always being brilliantly worth the price of admission.

Ken and Rufus.... a permanent dream.

Fun stuff: from a way-back interview of KB with the Advocate (a "how many ways can we ask you if you're gay" thing):

Q: Sir John Gielgud once coached you before a performance for the queen, and you wrote, "I could have kissed him." Is there any other man you thought you might like to kiss?

A: Well, I have actually kissed Gielgud since then. He's in my film of Hamlet. He's 91 years old and just the most extraordinary creature. But let's see: What other male would I like to kiss? I don't know. I think Ralph Fiennes is a good-looking lad. I don't know that I want to kiss him. Rufus Sewell, maybe? Pierce Brosnan? I watched Goldeneye, and the film works partly because the camera and all of us are very happy to look at him. There's something very, very appealing about him.

So Rufus just missed out, hahaha. But you never know what the future might hold...

Renata

[sharman]

! It is a small world! Thanks for doing such a fabulous job with the Compendium, rufianren!

Maybe by the time Rufus is 91 he'll get a kiss from Ken too If we push Ken from one side and Rufus from another, maybe they'll end up working together again...

[ukelelehip]

Eeeeeek, just picked up a standing ticket for tonight!!

[sharman]

Have fun, Uke!!!! Can't wait to hear all about it!

[ukelelehip]

God, I admire Ken for agreeing to play this part 8 times a week! Nikolai Ivanov makes Hamlet seem happy-go-lucky! there's this one scene where he crouches down and starts sobbing, really heart breaking.

Anywayyy... I 'saw' the 1st half from the top row in the balcony but grabbed an open seat in the 1st row of the orch/stalls for the 2nd half. Ken angsting only 3 feet away from me! Classic...

I'm going to see this again. Also, director Joe Wright (Charles II, Atonement, etc) was in the audience!

Eta: I tried the stage door but apparantly Ken had slipped away before any of us crazies even got there. Why am I not surprised? Hehe.

[quoll]

OH ! You lucky girl. I am a long time Ken fan as well and would kill to be able to see him on stage (why was I a month too soon in UK?!) How long a run is it scheduled for? Is this a potential Olivier performance do you think???

[sharman]

Thanks for your report, Uke! I'll have to bring my Kleenex then!

[quoll]

Not quite Ivanov but has anyone seen Ken in Wallander? I think it is great to see him being a policeman (he had a joke about ending up playing a policeman in his autobiography!). I have only seen the first half hour so far but it looks as if this series is going to be worth watching.