Antony & Cleopatra

I found the performance disappointing. Anthony was cast as Colin Blakely, who looked like a portly professor. Cleopatra was played as middle aged and very English by Jane Lapotiere. Anthony is supposed to be a swashbuckling general. Cleopatra is supposed to be a dark scheming teen. They were simply wrong. It felt more like a play reading at aunt Hilda's than a real production. I don't think Shakespeare much liked Antony or Cleopatra. They continually repulsed me. The sexual innuendos came across as coarse and inappropriate for such old buzzards. Even murderers like Macbeth and Lady Macbeth had more emotional appeal. There was almost no budget spent on sets, costumes or locations. It all looks rather dusty, like old clothes from an attic trunk. There is very little action, just endless rather bland dialogue. It would probably work better if you turned off the video.