Hello everyone!
I hope you are all well. I swear I only passed by to wish good holidays and not to scold, but then I read the news!
In the spirit of the checks and balances I've just written about and since anonsy isn't around anymore for the accuracy part, alas, I'll take it on my almost on the beach shoulders to point out a few things to add to the discussion.
At the beginning of May 2016 TH did an interview at BBC4's Front Row with Kermode and Mayo where when asked:"whether there were any other Shakespeare characters he'd like to take on." he said:"I do have my eyes on something...you'll find out very soon, I think." (the podcast is here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b078x6kx)
So this Hamlet production was that, Branagh was busy with Dunkirk, the Garrick Theatre's season he presented and Murder on the Orient Express, ergo the delay. But TH's commitment to it predates Tay-tay.
As for reviews, of course there'll be reviews by critics, it's Branagh and it's Hamlet, the press will buy a ticket and go watch.
Welcome back, Coach! Enjoy the beach.
>>764 He doesn't seem to say that in this podcast (I only listened to his segment - minus the singing! - so it could be in another part). Maybe he said it in another interview. Without insider info it's hard to say when this was decided. I personally don't think this was seven or 1+ years in the making. They probably have always talked about doing a stage production together but the very unusual nature of this one (utterly stacked in favor of TH: charity, short run, difficult to review, hot ticket in town) makes me think it is a quickly constructed response to Tayto.
No Yours Truly and LW might be explained by the fact that he didn't do any press. I have a feeling (an awful one!) they'll be back come Nov. promo. Is it time for another board prayer circle? Or an exorcism?
>>769 Unknown, we've all disagreed on this board. We're still here. And we can handle the negative. ;)
>>779 We've talked about how he went from hero to zero with Elle. It was somewhat repeated with the Guardian during Tayto. GQ seems to be his go-to now. How fickle is magazine.
>>784,786 Yep. If only TH could have parlayed Tayto like Taffy did that article.