Latest news with #Macbeth
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2 Cast Adds The Crown Star & More
has added two new stars to the cast of the David Fincher movie. Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was released in United States theaters in July 2019 from Sony Pictures. It starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton, Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth, and Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Fincher was working on a sequel to the movie, which is believed to be centered around Pitt's character, for Netflix. Production is expected to begin this July in California. Elizabeth Debicki and Scott Caan have both joined the cast of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Debicki is known for playing Diana, Princess of Wales, in Netflix's The Crown. She has starred in movies such as 2013's The Great Gatsby, 2015's Macbeth, 2015's The Man from U.N.C.L.E, 2017's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, 2017's Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, 2018's The Cloverfield Paradox, 2018's Widows, 2020's Tenet, 2024's MaXXXine, and more. Caan, meanwhile, is known for playing Danny 'Danno' Williams in CBS' Hawaii Five-0. He also played Turk Malloy in Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's trilogy (which also starred Pitt), while his filmography further includes 1998's Enemy of the State, 1999's Varsity Blues, 2000's Gone in 60 Seconds, 2008's Meet Dave, 2015's Rock the Kasbah, 2023's One Day as a Lion, and more. Debicki and Caan's character details are being kept under wraps at this time. Not much is known about the plot of Fincher's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2 at this time, other than that it will star Pitt. 'The story's origins lie in a script that Tarantino wrote for himself to direct, but eventually put it aside,' The Hollywood Reporter's article reads. Pitt convinced the filmmaker to let Fincher take a stab at directing it, setting it up earlier this spring.' Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2 does not yet have a release date. The post Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2 Cast Adds The Crown Star & More appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Toronto Star
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
Stratford Festival's much-awaited ‘Macbeth' — with motorcycles and violent gangs — is a feeble letdown
Macbeth 2 stars (out of 4) By William Shakespeare, directed by Robert Lepage. Until Nov. 2 at the Avon Theatre, 99 Downie St., Stratford Ont. or 1800-567-1600 STRATFORD — I shudder when I think about how much money was poured into the Stratford Festival's latest 'Macbeth,' which opened Wednesday at the Avon Theatre. Inside The program of director Robert Lepage's production, created in collaboration with his company Ex Machina, is a four-page insert listing the hundreds of donors who have bankrolled this revival, which will tour to Montreal, Quebec City and Ottawa next year. Indeed, it's an expensive, extravagant and altogether epic endeavour. And yet, this highly anticipated staging amounts to nothing more than a feeble letdown, despite some glimpses of brilliance and its starry cast of Stratford favourites. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Lepage sets his version of the Scottish Play in the context of the Quebec Biker War, a drug-related turf war between two motorcycle gangs that terrorized the city of Montreal for nearly a decade, leaving more than 160 people dead between 1994 and 2002. Ariane Sauvé's set drops the audience into the heart of the action. Its centrepiece is an imposing two-storey motel, frequented by Macbeth (Tom McCamus) and his fellow outlaws, dressed in leather (the costumes are designed by Michael Gianfrancesco) and riding on spiffed-up motorcycles that zoom around the stage. Impressive as this mise-en-scène is, however, Lepage's high-concept and heavily edited treatment feels like it's constantly trying to square a circle. Any attempt to draw parallels between these 'Macbeth' characters and the historical figures involved in the Quebec Biker War only proves futile. Tom McCamus as Macbeth in 'Macbeth.' David Hou/Stratford Festival Is King Duncan (David Collins) supposed to represent former Hells Angels leader Maurice Boucher? Is the story meant to depict the warring factions and hierarchy within a single group — or between two opposing gangs? None of this is entirely clear. Lepage says in his program note that any director leading a production of 'Macbeth' should 'choose a context in which contemporary audiences can better grasp the twists and turns of the intrigue and the psychological complexities of the characters.' But instead of offering clarity, his own concept — as typical of most Shakespeare productions placed in a setting that's based on a real historical event — merely adds more confusion. The most laughably ridiculous moment: when Macduff (Tom Rooney) and his gang of burly biker men start chopping down Birnam Wood to use as 'camouflage' as they stage their final attack on Macbeth. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW If you're able to look past these incongruities, there are bright spots to this production — at times imaginative and cheeky, throwing reverence to the wind. In particular, some of the design elements conceived by Lepage are stunning. Perhaps his greatest coup de theatre comes right at the top of the show: In his prologue, two assassins steer a small boat into the middle of the lake. In it is the traitorous Thane of Cawdor, his head tied up in a gunny sack. The men strap him to a pair of concrete blocks, then push him overboard, setting forth a chain of events that will see Macbeth driven to madness by his own ambition and thirst for power. Later on, Lepage pulls off yet another. I'm loathe to spoil what it is, but it involves a scorching scene transition between Banquo's murder and Macbeth's banquet (depicted here, of course, as a backyard barbecue cookout). There's a cinematic feel to much of this production. (After the prologue, in fact, Lepage projects a series of opening credits onto a screen at the front of the stage.) But in the end, these visual set pieces feel more like self-serving gimmicks, some of which hinder instead of help to serve the story itself. Members of the company in 'Macbeth.' David Hou/Stratford Festival Sauvé's set is so large and unwieldy that the scene transitions, particularly in the first half, take far too long, killing any sense of momentum. Those motorcycles are also so overused that by the fifth or sixth time they're rolled out, I wondered if Lepage was just trying to justify the expense of making them. A poorly conceived production of 'Macbeth' can be redeemed by a strong set of performances. But that's not the case here. Throughout, I rarely got the sense from this ensemble that they're living in a world of hypermasculinity and violence. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW With his deep, sonorous voice, McCamus' rather traditional take on Macbeth is cold and calculating. But though great in the first half of the play, McCamus overdoes his subsequent scenes of madness. Writhing on the floor, like a helpless creature, it feels as though he's playing a caricature of Macbeth rather than the character himself. As Lady Macbeth, Lucy Peacock delivers a performance that's similarly one of diminishing returns. She's terrifyingly domineering and manipulative early on, goading her husband into murdering Duncan and seizing the crown. Peacock's voice, almost maniacal, flirts between complete seriousness and carefree glibness. But Peacock's interpretation of Lady Macbeth's famous sleepwalking scene feels surprisingly dull, with her speech lacking both energy and a coherent through-line on opening night. From front-left: Tom Rooney as Macduff, André Sills as Ross and Austin Eckert as Malcolm with members of the company in 'Macbeth.' David Hou/Stratford Festival Graham Abbey fares far better as Banquo, Macbeth's friend-turned nemesis. But both Collins and Rooney are uncharacteristically stiff and, at times, unintelligible. (The poor sound amplification, and the fact they're all miked, is part of the problem.) Among the bikers, however, it's André Sills and Emilio Vieira who are most convincing, as Ross and Lennox, respectively. Kudos to Maria Vacratsis, as well, who plays the Porter (the motel manager in this version) and milks the laughs with her sexually charged speech in the second act. The witches (played by Aidan deSalaiz, Paul Dunn and Anthony Palermo) are portrayed as a trio of transgender prostitutes and drug addicts, scorned by Macbeth, yet whose prophesies lead to his downfall. This is a fascinating take, but one that I felt could be presented more sensitively. You really could say that about this production as a whole. Brash and bold yet lacking in its finer details, it's proof that no amount of money nor special effects can correct for a misguided vision.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Seven in 10 parents have taken time off work to revise for their kids' GCSEs
A study of 500 parents with children taking exams this year found they actively started getting their own heads GCSE-ready three months ago. An astonishing seven out of 10 parents have taken time away from work to hit the books alongside their children preparing for GCSEs, reveals a study of 500 parents with kids facing exams this year. It turns out they started to revise some of the subjects three months back, in an attempt to get their head around the curriculum. Despite their best efforts to familiarise themselves with the current GCSE syllabus, half of all parents polled have struggled to get their heads round what their children are supposed to be learning. While 69% admitted their kids are stressed about the weeks ahead. In a bid to be supportive, nearly half made up a study schedule, 16% delved into 'An Inspector Calls', and 12% endeavoured to memorise 'Macbeth'. A third have been companions during study sessions, 16% turned to audiobooks, while 12% have pulled all-nighters. This insight comes courtesy of a study conducted by MyEdSpace, an online education portal now offering free 'Exam Cram Courses' complete with live three-hour tutorial sessions, set to prime students ahead of Maths, English and Science exams. Co-founder of MyEdSpace, Sean Hirons, said: "Understandably, parents just want to help their kids when it comes to exam season – especially those intense few days just before a big test. But that doesn't have to mean pulling all-nighters themselves or learning Macbeth off by heart." "Right now, the best thing parents can do for their kids is keep calm, give them some space and make sure they're not forgetting to do the basic things like eating regularly or getting a good night's sleep while they prep." "We don't want any students, or parents, to be feeling overwhelmed or unsupported during this extremely stressful time of year." 'Math-fluencer' Neil Trivedi, who is part of the MyEdSpace team and has streamed revision classes, reaching more than 43,000 students, said: "Bedding in knowledge evenly across the year is obviously the best way to learn. "There are ways to optimise the revision process. One way to try and solidify your knowledge is to try and explain your work to a peer, those who study together, succeed together." Parent's efforts to help manage their kids through this daunting period are welcome for the most part as 65% 'actively' want their mums and dads to help them with revision. Although the research, carried out through OnePoll, found 19% would prefer it if they didn't. Reasons why include wanting to be independent (46%), thinking they can revise better on their own (36%), and 28% wanting to prove themselves (28%). Kharis Yanakidis, co-founder of MyEdSpace which aims to defuse the stress of exam season, understands the pressure, stating: "GCSE season can be overwhelming for students and families, so making revision fun and enjoyable can make all the difference. "That's why our team is made up of expert teachers - many of them previous examiners - who last year helped MyEdSpace students achieve grades 7-9 at more than double the national average." DON'T SPEND HOURS REMEMBERING FORMULAS: I've never used a formula booklet in my life, I was able to learn all the relevant formulas from practicing questions, you too will naturally remember them with practice. Even better, you learn to recognise which problem they should be used for. TEACH TO REMEMBER: Teach a friend, sibling, or even a stuffed animal a concept you're struggling with - it forces you to consolidate your knowledge. EVERSE ENGINEER EXAM PAPERS: Start with the answer, then work backward to understand how to solve the problem. FOCUS ON PAST EXAM PAPER QUESTIONS: Textbooks are fine to practice specific mathematics skills - however, during exam season it is most important to gain exam specific exposure. For written subjects, study mark schemes to see exactly what your exam board is looking for. ADDRESS EVERY MISCONCEPTION: Do not accept incorrect answers without explanation - if you get a question wrong, make sure you fully understand where you made mistakes and what to address. Do the question again to prove to yourself you have understood your mistake.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Music icon uses final lifeline on tough 90s pop question on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire – but would you have got it?
Keep scrolling to find out what happened when they faced the tough question STOP RIGHT NOW Music icon uses final lifeline on tough 90s pop question on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire – but would you have got it? A MUSIC icon was forced to use his final lifeline on a tough 90s pop question on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - but would you have got it? Jeremy Clarkson welcomed Jools Holland to the ITV quiz's famous hotseat. 7 Jools Holland took on the challenge of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Credit: ITV 7 But the musician was stumped on this question Credit: ITV 7 Jools had to use his last lifeline on the question which was 'ask host Jeremy Clarkson' Credit: ITV Jools was in the hotseat for a special celebrity edition of the show, which also featured, Nina Wadia, and Ugo Monye, all aiming to win money for charity. When it was the piano man's time to face Jeremy, he struggled early on. He used both his "ask the audience" and "phone a friend" lifelines by the time he reached the £1,000 question. Jools then used his "50/50" on a question about Joe Wicks. So when he got to the big £16,000 question, he only had one lifeline left. Which was lucky because he was totally stumped when he was asked a question about the Spice Girls - a band he has a close relationship with. Host Jeremy asked: "The maiden name of which Spice Girl was also the name of two US presidents?" The answers to choose from were: A) Emma B) Geri C) Victoria or D) Melanie C. However the music legend, who appeared in the famous girl group's 1997 film SpiceWorld The Movie - was left scratching his head, and had to use his "ask the host" lifeline. Between him and Jeremy, they managed to answer the question correctly, which was, "C) Victoria." Celeb Millionaire contestant forced to use lifeline on tricky Shakespeare question - but could you get it right- After it was revealed he had got the question right, the pianist pretended to wipe his brow and fall off his chair in exasperation. Jools went onto bow out of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? with £16,000, which he donated to The Prince's Trust and Caring Hands charities. ACTRESS STUMPED In the same episode, fellow contestant, actress Nina Wadia, also found herself stumped - this time over a tricky Shakespeare question. The former EastEnders star has already exhausted three lifelines before facing the big £64,000 question. It posed: "The origin of the modern phrase 'there's a method in my madness' can be traced back to which Shakespeare tragedy?" 7 Jules got the question right in the end, after using his last lifeline Credit: ITV 7 Actress and comedian Nina Wadia also took on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? Credit: ITV Nina's available options were A) King Lear, B) Macbeth, C) Othello or D) Hamlet. Having been asked by Jeremy, the star admitted she "loves Shakespeare" but was struggling to work out the correct answer. She believed either B) Macbeth or D) Hamlet was right, although wasn't fully certain on either. 7 The actress was stuck on a difficult Shakespeare question for £64,000 Credit: ITV Nina therefore opted to use her last lifeline - Ask the Audience - to help out. The results showed 43% believed the answer was Macbeth while Hamlet placed second with 32%. Nina selected Macbeth, but the correct answer turned out to be Hamlet. She still walked away with £32,000 for her charity - having set her safety net at that amount - in the episode first aired last year. Who has won the jackpot on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Who Wants to Be a Millionaire has offered hundreds of hopeful contestants the chance to become millionaires, but there has only been a handful of lucky winners. There have only been five real winners so far on the show as Charles Ingram, who was the third winner of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? in 2001, had his claim to the prize thrown out because of cheating allegations. The official winners are... Judith Keppel In 2000, garden designer Judith Keppel made quiz show history as she became the first ever winner of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Judith is also the only woman ever to have won the million-pound prize. David Edwards Former physics teacher David became the second contestant to win the top prize in April 2001. Following his success, Edwards went on to compete in both series of Are You an Egghead? in 2008 and 2009. Robert Brydges Oxford-educated banker Robert became the third Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? champion when he won the quiz show several moths after David in 2001. Robert has stayed out of the limelight since his win. Pat Gibson World champion Irish quiz player Pat won the show in 2004. Amazingly Pat had TWO of his lifelines still available for his final question, something no other winner has managed. Ingram Wilcox Ingram came close to losing on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in 2006 as he had used all his lifelines up at the £32,000 mark, but in a shocking twist he went on to scoop the jackpot. In the end, the right answer ultimately turned out to be B) Serendipity. Nicholas didn't let much disappointment show, as he optimistically said: "Still get £125,000." Speaking afterwards, Jeremy estimated: "We've just seen a contestant lose what we think is the biggest amount of money in Millionaire history." Who Wants To Be A Millionaire airs on ITV1 and ITVX.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Music icon uses final lifeline on tough 90s pop question on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire – but would you have got it?
A MUSIC icon was forced to use his final lifeline on a tough 90s pop question on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - but would you have got it? Jeremy Clarkson welcomed 7 Jools Holland took on the challenge of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Credit: ITV 7 But the musician was stumped on this question Credit: ITV 7 Jools had to use his last lifeline on the question which was 'ask host Jeremy Clarkson' Credit: ITV Jools was in the hotseat for a special celebrity edition of the show, which also featured, money for charity . When it was the piano man's time to face Jeremy, he struggled early on. He used both his Jools then used his "50/50" on a question about Read more on Millionaire So when he got to the big £16,000 question, he only had one lifeline left. Which was lucky because he was totally stumped when he was asked a question about the Spice Girls - a band he has a close relationship with. Host Jeremy asked: "The maiden name of which Spice Girl was also the name of two US presidents?" The answers to choose from were: A) Emma B) Geri C) Victoria or D) Melanie C. Most read in News TV However the music legend, who appeared in the famous girl group's 1997 film SpiceWorld The Movie - was left scratching his head, and had to use his "ask the host" lifeline. Between him and Jeremy, they managed to answer the question correctly, which was, "C) Victoria." Celeb Millionaire contestant forced to use lifeline on tricky Shakespeare question - but could you get it right- After it was revealed he had got the question right, the pianist pretended to wipe his brow and fall off his chair in exasperation. Jools went onto bow out of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire ? with £16,000, which he donated to The Prince 's Trust and Caring Hands charities. ACTRESS STUMPED In the same episode, fellow contestant, actress The former EastEnders star has already exhausted three lifelines before facing the big £64,000 question. It posed: "The origin of the modern phrase 'there's a method in my madness' can be traced back to which Shakespeare tragedy?" 7 Jules got the question right in the end, after using his last lifeline Credit: ITV 7 Actress and comedian Nina Wadia also took on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? Credit: ITV Nina's available options were A) King Lear, B) Macbeth, C) Othello or D) Hamlet. Having been asked by Jeremy, the star admitted she "loves Shakespeare" but was struggling to work out the correct answer. She believed either B) Macbeth or D) Hamlet was right, although wasn't fully certain on either. 7 The actress was stuck on a difficult Shakespeare question for £64,000 Credit: ITV Nina therefore opted to use her last lifeline - Ask the Audience - to help out. The results showed 43% believed the answer was Macbeth while Hamlet placed second with 32%. Nina selected Macbeth, but the correct answer turned out to be Hamlet. She still walked away with £32,000 for her charity - having set her safety net at that amount - in the episode first aired last year. Who has won the jackpot on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Who Wants to Be a Millionaire has offered hundreds of hopeful contestants the chance to become millionaires, but there has only been a handful of lucky winners. There have only been The official winners are... Judith Keppel In 2000, garden designer Judith Keppel made quiz show history as she became the first ever winner of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Judith is also the only woman ever to have won the million-pound prize. David Edwards Former physics teacher David became the second contestant to win the top prize in April 2001. Following his success, Edwards went on to compete in both series of Are You an Egghead? in 2008 and 2009. Robert Brydges Oxford-educated banker Robert became the third Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? champion when he won the quiz show several moths after David in 2001. Robert has stayed out of the limelight since his win. Pat Gibson World champion Ingram Wilcox Ingram came close to losing on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in 2006 as he had used all his lifelines up at the £32,000 mark, but in a shocking twist he went on to scoop the jackpot. In the end, the right answer ultimately turned out to be B) Serendipity. Nicholas didn't let much disappointment show, as he optimistically said: "Still get £125,000." Speaking afterwards, Jeremy estimated: "We've just seen a contestant lose what we think is the biggest amount of money in Millionaire history ." Who Wants To Be A Millionaire airs on ITV1 and ITVX. 7 Nina unfortunately chose the wrong answer Credit: ITV
