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Sam Mendes Rules for Directors

Posted by: Valalala 10:36 am EDT 03/12/14

There are so many in here that could spawn a separate thread discussion. Excellent list.

Link Sam Mendes' Rules for Directors (Roundabout/Vanity Fair)

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re: Sam Mendes Rules for Directors

Posted by: sf 05:40 pm EDT 03/12/14
In reply to: Sam Mendes Rules for Directors - Valalala 10:36 am EDT 03/12/14

His list of rules doesn't seem to include anything about not giving leading roles in musicals to actors who can't sing.

I'm shocked.


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re: Sam Mendes Rules for Directors

Posted by: singleticket 03:14 pm EDT 03/12/14
In reply to: Sam Mendes Rules for Directors - Valalala 10:36 am EDT 03/12/14

I love "The pursuit of perfection is a mug's game". Mendes sounds like a decent fellow. I wish I liked his work better.


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re: Sam Mendes Rules for Directors

Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 11:27 am EDT 03/12/14
In reply to: Sam Mendes Rules for Directors - Valalala 10:36 am EDT 03/12/14

"If anyone uses the word 'masterpiece,' they don’t know what they’re doing."

Lots of smart things on his list, but I don't agree with this one, unless I misunderstand him. I think there are quite a few plays and musicals that can be rated masterpieces without exaggeration.


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re: Sam Mendes Rules for Directors

Posted by: ryhog 11:55 am EDT 03/12/14
In reply to: re: Sam Mendes Rules for Directors - Michael_Portantiere 11:27 am EDT 03/12/14

I think you misunderstand. He is talking about a director treating a work as a masterpiece (as in handling it reverently), not whether it can be rated as a masterpiece (with or without exaggeration).


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re: Sam Mendes Rules for Directors

Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 11:46 pm EDT 03/12/14
In reply to: re: Sam Mendes Rules for Directors - ryhog 11:55 am EDT 03/12/14

Maybe that's what he meant, but if so, I think one can regard a work as a masterpiece without handling it "reverently" as if it were a museum piece. And I don't think it's right to go to the other extreme and offer a radical staging of a show just for the sake of being "different."

By the way, I hated what Mendes did to CABARET the last time, just in case I haven't already mentioned that...


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re: Sam Mendes Rules for Directors

Posted by: Chromolume 11:54 pm EDT 03/12/14
In reply to: re: Sam Mendes Rules for Directors - Michael_Portantiere 11:46 pm EDT 03/12/14

I think one can regard a work as a masterpiece without handling it "reverently" as if it were a museum piece.

Yes, but he may be simply offering that advice to the many directors who can't. ;-)

And I don't think it's right to go to the other extreme and offer a radical staging of a show just for the sake of being "different."

Absolutely agreed. ;-)


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