About Me

My photo
Matthew Freeman is a Brooklyn based playwright with a BFA from Emerson College. His plays include THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR, REASONS FOR MOVING, THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE AMERICANS, THE WHITE SWALLOW, AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR, THE MOST WONDERFUL LOVE, WHEN IS A CLOCK, GLEE CLUB, THAT OLD SOFT SHOE and BRANDYWINE DISTILLERY FIRE. He served as Assistant Producer and Senior Writer for the live webcast from Times Square on New Year's Eve 2010-2012. As a freelance writer, he has contributed to Gamespy, Premiere, Complex Magazine, Maxim Online, and MTV Magazine. His plays have been published by Playscripts, Inc., New York Theatre Experience, and Samuel French.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Question

I would assume that the RSC's Hamlet, featuring too rather large stars, has benefited in every way from the publicity. I'm sure the fans are also a nuisance. But is this ban too much, or a necessary evil?

5 comments:

Miss Banshee said...

As a former backstage worker and someone who has worked shows with "names" I have to agree with the RSC. People go BONKERS in situations like this. It sounds cold, and against my nerd roots, but...it's not a Sci-Fi Con, it's an RSC production. There's a time and a place for Dr.Who fandom, and the RSC stage door is not one of those places. Sorry, geeks!

Anonymous said...

I agree. I've also worked with names, and for the most part they just want to be left alone to do their work.

David D. said...

I know I hate it when the wrong fans turn up for me. How embarrassing!

But, to be serious, I think what the RSC is doing makes sense, especially to thin the eBay autograph speculators out of the crowd, and make it more likely that the fans at the stage door actually attended the production.

I remember a WNYC interview with Ian McDiarmid was in New York for The Faith Healer. He was asked about the Star Wars fans, and he mentioned that he made a point of signing programs, but wouldn't sign Star Wars stuff. I think that is a sensible policy, considering the context. As Miss Banshee said, it would be different if he was making an appearance at a Star Wars event.

That being said, I would dare anyone to try to get Martha Plimpton to sign a Goonies DVD. I triple-dog-dare you.

David Johnston said...

David Tennant is a big star?

Anonymous said...

If Shakespeare gets a new audience, who cares? Fantastic! If a Dr. Who fanboy goes to see his idol in Hamlet, at least he's being exposed to great words and characters, right? And, hopefully, the production is more about bringing the story to life than showcasing celebrities.

Does it mean that I'm a Shakespeare nerd if I didn't know who this Dr. Who guy was until I heard about the production? And it sounds like he has RSC cred, so it should be fine. It's not like it's Zack Efron and William Shatner. (And, hell, I'd probably see them too...)