Title: Much Ado About Nothing
Directed By: Josie Rourke
Run: Over, but you can purchase a digital download from Digital Theater. I honestly recommend holding out for a dvd; I've had a terrible experience with Digital Theater.
If you liked: fourth series of Doctor Who, Shakespeare

I really hate that poster. Come on, designer, it's a COMEDY! There is absolutely nothing of Beatrice or Benedick's personality in that thing.

But this isn't about that poster. It's about the play. The play, the play. The play's the thing. Overall, I really enjoyed it (I've watched it several times since purchasing), though despite my passionate love for Catherine Tate and my warm feelings for David Tennant, I think overall I prefer the 1993 Emma Thompson version. At some point, I'll probably write a comparison of the two versions, because I think they made some fascinatingly different artistic decisions, but that point is not now.

( Cut for spoilers )

I have big issues with the fannish squee "______ IS FLAWLESS", since nothing is flawless and - hyperbolic or not - it generally sweeps some very big flaws under the table.

But I am so close - SO CLOSE - to saying Catherine Tate is flawless, because damn. Also, icon. I just seriously cannot handle my love for this woman.

Against my better judgement, I've actually gone and bought the SD digital download from Digital Theater, because Catherine Tate and David Tennant in my favorite Shakespeare play is just something that needed to be in my life 500 years ago.

And by "my better judgement", I don't mean shelling out $14 when I'm already over budget for the month on something that, hyperbole aside, I don't need. I mean using my money to support a digital delivery system that is extremely unfriendly to consumers.

For that $14 (which, despite the fact that I told them my preferred currency was USD, they still listed in GBP), I get:
- A file that I can only play using their media player
- That I can only download 3 times

Want to watch it with my family without all four of us having to hunch around my 13'' Macbook screen? I'll have to use one of my downloads to get it on his computer so that it can be hooked up to the tv, instead of putting it in my iTunes library and watching it with Apple TV. Want to watch it on my tv so that I can use my laptop to do other things? Nope, sorry, no can do. Want to put it on my iPod so I can watch my favorite scenes on the bus to work? Hahaha, aren't I adorable?

It also gives no warning regarding file size; I had no idea after clicking "check out" that my standard definition download would be almost 2 1/2 GB. This play that I wanted to watch while doing dishes and playing with Dreamwidth profile layouts? Probably won't be done downloading until almost midnight. I started downloading it an hour ago and it's only at 25% now.

I could get into a rant about this sort of business model, but it's been said before by more knowledgable minds than mine. So I'm just going to keep Firthing at my download progress bar. Possibly read a book. That's what people do, right?