Ronan Vibert, Vibertology, Peer Gynt, National Theatre, Michael Sheen
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n. Peer Gynt      (Henrik Ibsen) 1994
National Theatre @ The Barbican: March 1994
Cast includes: Michael Sheen as Peer Gynt with Paola Dionisotti, Julie Byrne,
Vincent Regan, Graham Ingle, Mandy Cheshire, Jonathan Butterell, Ronan Vibert, etc.
Dir: Yukio Ninagawa      Producers: Thelma Holt and Ninagawa Company
Availablity: Performance video-archived by the National: see link for viewing details:
http://theatremuseum.vam.ac.uk/video.htm
  3 hrs 36 mins, 3 cameras 

Highly-acclaimed National Theatre production of  Ibsen's classic, given a virtual-reality twist by infamous director Ninagawa (who once threw an ashtray at one of his actors).
To quote the above link: An international collaboration, which drew Western and 
Eastern theatrical traditions together under Japanese director Ninagawa's concept of a modern-day Gynt plagued by virtual reality fantasies. 
The criteria for archiving at the Theatre Museum include;
artistic excellence , innovation, risk , representative of genre, rarity, reflective of cultural diversity (includes international work) , significant companies, performances of major significance.

  • Although I'm currently unsure which part Ronan played, the following all seem feasible: Dovre-Master (Troll King), Mr Cotton (satire on America), Monsieur Ballon (satire on France), A Strange Passenger (a very polite Death).
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n. Romeo and Juliet  1997
Naxos Audiobooks        171 mins
Cast includes: Michael Sheen Romeo, Kate Beckinsale Juliet, David Bradley Capulet, Frances Barber Lady Capulet, Edward de Souza Montague, Judy Loe Lady de Souza, Fiona Shaw Nurse, Heathcote Williams Friar Lawrence, Anton Lesser Mercutio,
Jasper Britton Tybalt, Ronan Vibert Paris,  Simon Harris Benvolio
Dir: Michael Sheen    Producer: Nicholas Soames
Availablity: 3-CD set available at £14/$16 from Amazon, etc.

REVIEW ADDED UPON ARRIVAL

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The Canterbury Tales 1998
n. Leaving London (vol 1)
n. Arriving at Canterbury (vol 2)
n. The Journey Back (vol 3)
TV S4C/BBC Wales animated 3/6 x 28 mins (Chaucer english/modern)
Cast includes: Sean Bean, Ken Dodd Canon, Tim McInnery Pardoner, Bob Peck Chaucer, David Trougton Friar, Neil Dudgeon Miller, Ronan Vibert Squire
In The Knight's Tale: Ronan Vibert Arcite, Neil Dudgeon Palamon, Richard Griffiths Saturn, Imelda Staunton Princess.
Availablity: PAL: 3 videos sporadically available 

Excellent animated Chaucer adaptation: the films are voiced first in Modern English, then in Chaucer English, making them accessible and invaluable teaching resources for secondary schools. 
 Ronan has several voice parts in these films:  in the ongoing narrative of the Pilgrims, he is the Squire; son of the Knight, he has "killed Frenchman and Infidels, all for his Lady's love...he can dance and versify". Vibert voices him as an archly posh type who would be happy in the London social 'Season'. Get  the second part, Arriving at Canterbury, for the Squire's first lines, and the third, The Journey Back, for the Squire's Tale

The Knight's Tale looks at the cruelty of the Gods, and the inevitablility of Fate. Palamon (Dudgeon) and Arcite (Vibert) are taken prisoner after the fall of Thebes, where they are both struck by Venus-inspired, overpowering love for the Princess. 
   Arcite is freed, but banished, returning on pain of death to work as the Princess' Page so that he can worhsip her from afar. Palamon escapes confinement and fights a duel with Arcite. They are interrupted by the King, who challenges them to each raise a 100-strong army, promising the Princess' hand to the winner of the ensuing battle. 
   Arcite is promisd by Mars that he will be victorious in battle, Palamon is promised by Venus that he will win the Princess' love. Both predictions come true when Arcite is suddenly crushed by his horse during the victory parade, his gasping deathbed wish to his newly-bethrothed being "Remember Palamon -- he is a gentle man".

In The Squire's Tale, you get a self-deprecating introduction to a fantastical tale of flying brass horses, speaking  birds, and invincible swords. Dudgeon pops up again as a bewitched bird, and Vibert reciprocates by turning in a great bumbling, arse-kissing (literally), vain, hapless suitor to the local tart in the Miller's suitably vulgar ending tale.

The voicing of these stories is brilliantly done, with an array of regional/class accents bringing both middle-english, and the tales themselves, to life in a vibrant and accessible form. The middle-english version is voiced very quickly, and it seems that the actors' classically-trained voices revert more to their original accents: Ronan therefore rolls his rrrrs a little more than the other actors. 

RONAN QUOTES

  • In the Knight's Tale (Video 1: Leaving London - 20% content)
  • "I loved her first as a woman. What did you say?--'Is she a woman or divine?'
  • ""Love is the supreme rule -- it's each man for himself"
  • "If I don't win her favour, I am dead"
  • "Now is me shape eternally to dwelle, noght in purgatory, but in helle"
  • During the Pilgrims' progress (Video 2: Arriving at Canterbury - 3% content)
  • "I've had enough gloomy tales. We don't want to hear about established people coming to grief. What abayt [about] when a mayne [man] starts orf [off] in the fields and makes something of himself?"
n.
Neil Dudgeon, who co-voiced with Vibert, worked with him again in the Mrs Bradley Mysteries (PAL VIDEO NEEDED).See What Goes Around Comes Around in Loose Ends for a list of recurring co-stars.

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