The BBC Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona was, sadly, a dismal and boring affair. I believe I enjoyed it even less than All's Well That Ends Well, which was my least favorite production up to this point. The young cast seemed to have been directed with the approach that dead earnestness was the only way to handle the material, but this proved an unsatisfactory choice, especially at the perplexing end.
None of the actors were able to distinguish themselves, with Joanne Pearce coming closest to giving a pleasing performance. I found it impossible to care about anyone or anything in the entire production. And what an ugly set! The forest looked like something knocked together by a community theatre with a $50 budget.
It did make me more curious to know the 1971 musical version, with book and lyrics by John Guare. What made them choose this play for adaptation is puzzling.
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