versions of these plays to watch online or get from library?

[cintinative]

What is your favorite version of these? I am trying to find versions that are very faithful to the original work.

A Man for all Seasons

The Crucible 

The Merchant of Venice

 

[Farrar]

Miller himself was involved in the 90's version of The Crucible with Winona Rider. It's pretty good and the tweaks to the script make sense for a film version - the key text and famous lines are all in there. There is a filmed stage version that's more recent that's supposed to be excellent, but it's also longer and more expensive to get on streaming.

I can't remember what I didn't like about the 2004 Merchant of Venice... but I'm not aware of any filmed stage versions that are any better. That play is problematic in a lot of places. I'd personally want a pretty recent production to see what take people are doing on it now. I saw it at Shakespeare Theatre Company a few years ago and that version was okay but not amazing either. It's... a tricky one.

[cintinative]

2 hours ago, Farrar said:

Miller himself was involved in the 90's version of The Crucible with Winona Rider. It's pretty good and the tweaks to the script make sense for a film version - the key text and famous lines are all in there. There is a filmed stage version that's more recent that's supposed to be excellent, but it's also longer and more expensive to get on streaming.

Is this the filmed stage version you mean?  https://www.digitaltheatre.com/signup/package?uvid=37632854

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, our local Shakespeare company has not had performances in a theatre for a long time--they did Shakespeare in the Park but Merchant of Venice wasn't one of the titles--and typically the "park" showings have less actors and a slightly truncated version of the plays. 

I will keep looking though.  

[Farrar]

2 hours ago, cintinative said:

Is this the filmed stage version you mean?  https://www.digitaltheatre.com/signup/package?uvid=37632854

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, our local Shakespeare company has not had performances in a theatre for a long time--they did Shakespeare in the Park but Merchant of Venice wasn't one of the titles--and typically the "park" showings have less actors and a slightly truncated version of the plays. 

I will keep looking though.  

Yes. That's one. It's supposed to be really, really good. Though, honestly, I think the the movie is really good. It's based on the script and Miller wrote the screenplay.