Hamlet // Benedict Cumberbatch {Theater}

Quick note on Hamlet, with Benedict Cumberbatch at the Barbican.

First of all, what the hell National Theater, are you allergic to money? This (and most other NT Live film recordings) are only available on limited single-day runs at tiny local theaters; they will never be released on DVD.

My big thing with Shakespeare (not that I'm a connoisseur) is how most performances end up sounding so unnatural -- the feeling might be there, and the words might be well delivered, but they seem disconnected from each other.

Cumberbatch (Hamlet) was actually very natural in most of this production, especially the conversational and comedic sections, although I wish he'd slow down and let us see his conflict during the soliloquies. Sian Brook (Ophelia) actually seemed like she was connecting with her lines, although I didn't like the way she chose to interpret the character. Ciarán Hinds (Claudius) was appropriately dramatic, but he speachified the whole time -- his conversations never felt like he was actually conversing with the other actors. I liked their take on Horatio (Leo Bill). Rosencrantz (Matthew Steer) and Guildenstern (Rudi Dharmalingam) were very natural and heartfelt. Polonius (Jim Norton) stole. the. show.

The Queen's Necklace // Alexandre Dumas

Why I'm reading
After Monte Cristo, I wanted to check out the author’s other works. I picked The Queen’s Necklace at random.

Where I got the book
Project Gutenberg (again!)

Expectations
I’m going into this blind, for once. I'm expecting something like Monte Cristo, maybe a little more mystery - robbery? - and less action. But I must say, the first line… "Our old acquaintance, the Marshal de Richelieu, having with his own hands colored his eyebrows with a perfumed dye." What have I gotten myself into?!

So how was it?

I found out after the fact that this is the second book in a series, so... yeah. I might look into reading Memoirs of a Physician and The Marie Antoinette Romances.

The story has three plots intertwined - and when I say “plots” I do mean “plots”. One, enterprising young Jeanne maneuvers herself into the high life she believes she deserves; two, the mysterious Monsieur de Cagliostro takes interest in a doppelganger to the queen; and three, Beausire, the doppelganger’s seedy boyfriend, plans the elaborate theft of a necklace made for the queen.

Recommendation
For readers who enjoy court intrigue, historical dramas, and mistaken identity. Not for fans of action and adventure. If the slow parts of The Count of Monte Cristo were too slow for you, avoid The Queen’s Necklace.

Feels
Sedate, with sparks of mystery and surprise. Lacks closure.

Favorites
The introduction is extremely engaging; unfortunately, it doesn’t have much to do with the story. M. de Cagliostro was my favorite character - almost like the Count, but we’re not told much about his motivations.

Least favorites
The story was slow, and lacked a lot of the tension that made Monte Cristo such a good read. I’m not a huge fan of the whole doppelganger trope - and, even though the queen figures it out fairly early, she does nothing to avoid the typical doppelganger shenanigans. At least everything falls apart quickly and realistically (if not intelligently) instead of building an improbably web of assumptions and mistakes.

Writing style
This is episodic, just like Monte Cristo. Once again the different perspectives are used to create dramatic irony.

So what did I really think?

Click "read more"... massive spoilers ahead!