Edward Copeland's Tangents

Beautifully done, Edward.

Peter Brook's King Lear is a fascinating interpretation - I wouldn't consider it great, but it is woth watching just for the directorial flourishes, and, of course, the great Mr Scofield.
 

I think my favorite Scofield performance may be in the darkly absurdist Bartleby, as the flustered bureaucrat brought to the end of his tether by the pesky employee who just won't go away. Since I know you're a big fan of A Delicate Balance, I'd strongly advise against seeing the film version; it's a huge disservice to the play. Remember all the dark humor it had on stage? Remember the laughs Elaine Stritch got for lines like "I am sorry that my nature is such to bring out the full force of your barbarity"? Now imagine those line delievered straight. That's the whole film.
 

I believe it was Brian Blessed who played the ghost in Branagh's Hamlet. Scofield, if I am correct, played the ghost in Mel Gibson/Zeffereli's.
 

You are correct Partisan. My goof. I'll fix it. Thanks.
 

I loved the Peter Brook film with Scofield as Lear. I found it devastating and it occupied my mind for the next 3 days. (let's face it, most films don't last until the next day).

I saw a few of Scofield's live performances and I used to think the reason he turned down a knighthood was because he had so much power on stage, like those historical demagogues that influence masses. I was completely mesmerized. It made me kind of think that those theatrical history classes tracing the roots of theatre back to Dionysian ecstacy weren't completely crap, that with the best, something else is there.

But everything about Scofield made me think. He made me think of how they say in Shakespeare that the grand passions are grounded by the common touches, like Lear's "pray thee undo this button". Maybe to recharge artistry you have to reground in everyday life, like Scofield appeared to do. I don't know what true art is, or what it's practitioners do, but Scofield did.
 

I was lucky enough to be in London for five days in June 1980, going from one theatre performance to the next, or a movie when the theatres were dark. I had bought tickets for a Peter Schaffer play and decided I had enough time to see "The Empire Strikes Back" beforehand. A mistake, as I cut it to close and had to run from Leicester Square to the National Theatre on the Southbank literally reaching my seat as the house light went dark. The play started and what I remember is a very old man seated center stage speaking directly to us about Mozart. This continued as I caught my breath and in the next moment this incredibly old man simply stood up, swept off his stained dressing gown, and was transformed in the blink of an eye into a well-dressed man forty-two years younger. True shock and awe. I was amazed by the performance of the actor playing Salieri and having not received a program beforehand had no idea who it was. I was dumbfounded to find out afterwards that it had been Paul Scofield who I hadn't for a moment recognized, he had so completely transformed himself. It remains to this day one of the finest stage performances that I have been lucky enough to witness.

- Robbie Kendall
 

Thank you for that informative comment. I've heard only the radio play of "Amadeus" and the moment he transforms, his voice goes from a frail scratchy voice becomes a robust deep and forceful one. I could never visualize how it happened but your comment finally unveiled the mystery. thanks!!!!