Moon, take thy flight (see ya, George)

[spatch]

Best Damn Thing All Day Dept: The Beatles in 1964, performing Pyramus & Thisbe from A Midsummer Night's Dream. A little digging tells me it was part of a Granada television special called "Around The World With The Beatles" and this, presumably, was a segment depicting a fine Elizabethan afternoon out at the theater, complete with hecklers in the galleries.

The heckling is intentional, of course, as it drives the actors' reactions in the script (poor Moon having to explain himself in frustration after his speech doesn't pan out is one of my favorite bits of Shakespeare) but I think some of the other kids just joined in for the fun of it. The whole piece is adorable, what with Paul hamming it up as Pyramus, John in hilarious drag as Thisbe, George as a very put-upon Moon, and Ringo as an adorable lion -- but he'd rather be a drummer. Not sure who the comic playing Wall is, but he does look familiar. Don't think he was one of the managers in A Hard Day's Night, but you never know. Perhaps one better versed in British comics of the time can help us out with that.



Adieu, adieu, adieu like to be beside the seaside...

Comments

[maga-dogg.livejournal.com]

Well, the modern Globe reconstruction wasn't completed until the late nineties, so it ain't that.

[spatch]

I'm aware it's a television studio, but I thought maybe the setup was "And now we bring the Beatles back to the days of Shakespeare, while modern lads heckle 'em from the gallery!" or something.

A lot of fun to watch no matter where they set it, that's for sure.

[maga-dogg.livejournal.com]

Ah, sorry - I tripped heavily over an ambiguity there. Should have given you the benefit of the doubt.

[spatch]

No worries! I shouldn't have left that ambiguity lying around where it could cause trouble.

[jmspencer.livejournal.com]

My mother shows that when she teaches Romeo & Juliet. I love it.

[spatch]

Dag, your mom's pretty cool thar. My English teacher just showed us the Zefrelli film and told us to "pay close attention" when a certain scene was coming up. She was in her late 60s and got such a kick out of that.

[samethreechords.livejournal.com]

That's friggin fantastic. Thanks.

P&T is, btw, my all-time favorite Shakespeare scene.

[storme]

Oh, huh *that*'s what that is. huskyscotsman and I saw it playing on the screens in an HMV (with no sound) and were utterly bemused and fascinated. Awesome!

[babs-the-nymph.livejournal.com]

I love the screaming young ladies in the audience that seemed to accompany them everywhere at that time.

I don't think Janric has seen this. Passing this on to him because he is a big Beatles fanboy.

[boggle-e-oggle.livejournal.com]

Things Wal-Mart Is Good For
subtitled: a list comprising one item

1. VHS of various Beatles stuff produced by "Good Times Video" with this clip on it
(scored pre-internet, quite a nugget for a longtime fan)