Madness Of King George

[Hells]

I got this today, as an early birthday present! I really enjoyed it actually. There was more Julian in it then I was expecting, and although he's got more make up on then a turkish tart, he played Fred/Duke of York really well. He seemed very pompous, yet endearing...

[chatterbox]

I love Julian in this - it was the first thing I ever saw him in, and I noticed him in every scene he was in - even through all the makeup he was just very...endearing, somehow. Something to do with the way he stands and reacts, even if he is in the background.

[minimarsbar]

I found out by accident that I had this a few weeks ago. My daughter had it in her collection and asked if I fancied watching it with her. When he came on she said isn't that.... ? We both moved closer to the screen! She only started liking him after we had GW fest when I got the dvd She'd never seen GW so we watched all 9 in one go, although the exra scenes etc. were saved until the next day

[Jennifer]

I love the film. Love it.

Like you said, Hells; there is a lot more Julian - not a bad thing! I think he's beautiful in it. Tart or not, I still would.

Its a brilliantly staged, fantastically written and very well shot film. A JOY.

[Hells]

Nigel Hawthorn is fantastic is it. I love Rupert Everett, and he made his char slappable. I have to admit there were a couple of moments I had a tear in my eye, but the way it was made. With the right amount of humour and the right amount of sadness, it wasn't a depressing film.

[Jennifer]

I think, if you're keen to overlook the tragedy of King George's affliction, some of the things he says are really funny - but Charles and Fred were there to provide the Comic Relief of the film.

Fred's like Charles' pet. Funny stuff. He just wants to be just like his big brother.

[faeriequeen]

Ooh, the DVD of this came free with the Guardian a few months ago but may have got lost in my room since then! I did like watching it though, must try to find it...

Wasn't it a play originally?

[Hells]

Yup. And Nigel, and half the directors/producers/scriptwriters were with the play.

[chatterbox]

Yes, by the wonderful Alan Bennett. didn't get to see it on stage though:( Did see History Boys though - wonderful... looking forward to the film. I'd like to see Julian in an Alan Bennett monologue, for artistic as well as aesthetic reasons!

oops took too long to post - hells beat me to it!!

[millefleurs]

Julian played the same role on the stage, didn't he? I seem to remember reading that. It's so hard to adore someone long-distance

[chatterbox]

So I gather Millefleurs, but I didn't see it. Even though I live close to London I've never seen him on stage. If he does ever get back to doing something in the theatre, we'll have to organise a JRT team trip. (I'm sure he'd be worth the journey across the Atlantic!)

[minimarsbar]

Yes he did play The Duke of York on stage at The National. I have a programme from that production.

[chatterbox]

Does that mean you saw it?

[minimarsbar]

Sadly no chatterbox I just collect theatre programmes for particular artists in well known productions.
A lot of my collection has been acquired personally, but not that one. I bought it a few years ago because of Nigel Hawthorne's involvement. It started when I went to see Romeo + Juliet at Stratford with school in the 1970's and Timothy Dalton was playing Romeo!

[chatterbox]

Aww shame, I got all excited there for a moment.

I bet your collection throws up some interesting names though. eg Timothy Dalton - Romeo ( I can't see it somehow, but if it triggered your interest!)

I keep programmes for productions that I have seen, and it is interesting watching people move through the ranks as such, but have never thought to organise them properly .. now you've set off another strand for my obsessive behaviours

[heroverthere]

my mum saw it! she never realised it was JRT till i told her when i found out a few weeks ago

just because of JRT i read more about prince fred- he died before prince whatshisname, otherwise we would have had a king fred and victoria might not have come to the throne

[minimarsbar]

Just looked at my R + J prog chatterbox and found that David Suchet played Tybalt in it!
I have to say though, looking at my Madness of King George prog, I only recognise a few names. Selina Cadell and Anthony Calf being the main 2.

[Hells]

Amanda Donohue who played Lady Pembroke will be in Bad Girls when it's back.

When I sat watching it, one of the actors really bugged me, and then I remembered seeing him in Foyles War... I hate it when I recognise a face, but then can't remember from where I've seen them.

[Hells]

Thanks to Minimarsbar for the scan:

[minimarsbar]

Sorry the above picture isn't very clear - it's not too good in the programme (The Madness of King George lll). But you can just make out Julian in the middle