An entirely subjective top ten favourite online Shakespeare videos (undoubtedly subject to change as BardBox uncovers more).
1. Hamlet’s Soliloquy
Bright and engaging rendition of ‘To be or not to be’ performed by ten American sixth-graders (the Hillside Intermediate Players) on a playground.
2. Hamlet
The Derry Film Initiative’s feature-length Hamlet, directed by Stephen Cavanagh in 2005, one of the most creative and successful Shakespeare films in recent years.
3. Fathom
Haunting and unusual animation film which interpets Ariel’s ‘Full fathom five’ song from The Tempest .
4. William Shakespeare
Accomplished 11-minute amateur parody of Forest Gump, telling instead the life of William Shakespeare.
5. Seasons Alter
Promotional film making ingenious use of dialogue between Oberon and Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 2 Scene 1 to highlight the issues of global warming. Cherie Lunghi plays Titania, Lloyd Owen is Oberon, and Keira Knightley is their ‘daughter’ Helena.
6. Cat Head Theatre
Engaging spoof of the Masterpiece Theatre-style of TV theatre presentation (complete with avancular introduction), with cut-out animation of cats performing part of Hamlet, Act 2 Scene 2, where Hamlet meets with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
7. Shakespeare in the Ghetto, Othello
Marcus Sykes gives a fine reading of Othello’s speech “He father loved me, oft invited me” (Act 3 Scene 1). One of a series of video monologues titled onscreen either Shakesphere in the Ghetto or Shakespeer in the Ghetto.
8. My Dinner with André the Giant
A mocking experimental work creatively mashing up Olivier’s Hamlet, the text of Moby Dick, Wallace Shawn, Kurosawa, Apocalypse Now and the Kinks in exuberant fashion.
9. The Passenger
Enigmatic slacker interpretation of Troilus and Cressida, with no easy parallels between action and play.
10. cymbeline
Actor Dominic Kelly’s striking rendition of Posthumus’ speech “Is there no way for men to be but women / Must be half-workers?” while bicycling through London.
