Suwa – the third episod

Again, another episode of Suwa, and, before that, some remarks about the new series of „The Hollow Crown“, and the last, of course, because it ends with „Richard III“. This just because there were some ideas that came into my mind, having now read the three parts of “Henry VI” again. (Yes, I had forgotten that there are THREE parts! I ALSO thought that there were two …) Of course this has nothing at all to do with Suwa but with two others of my fictional worlds, and how they still “proceed”.

First of all, I was extremely pleased to have the opportunity to see the whole story of the War of the Roses (including the Hundred Years’ War reduced to what felt like about as many seconds) in succession and am now looking forward to reading all the plays from “Richard II” to “Richard III” again and then watching the complete series as a proper celebration of the anniversary year. This experience of seeing such a substantial part of English history come to live was, I think, what got me into the “histories” in the first place, so that they, as a corpus of plays, are still my favourite part of “Shakespeare”. It began when I accidentally started on Shakespeare’s plays with “Henry V” because I remembered the Kenneth Branagh film and then remembered having always wanted to read all the “histories” (and, when I did, found out that I already had, twenty-odd years ago …) And I kind of had the same experience, watching them in succession in the old version by the BBC from 1978- . In a way it was even better, though the acting and the productions are mostly mediocre at best, but there is practically ALL that Shakespeare has written. Watching “The Hollow Crown” I was totally pleased to see all these great actors, many of which I knew from other significant roles, but I was disoriented as well. In the beginning I wasn’t even able to “pick up” the text without subtitles which irked me. And I don’t understand that now because it is actually very well and clearly spoken, in most cases. But I suppose it was because especially the beginning of “Henry VI” is totally mangled, and I just never knew where I was until I read the play again. But this is kind of what always happens to Shakespeare’s plays being made into films. There are lots of great fights and battles - and here, I think, the filming is even more extraordinary than in the first series - but the text is virtually missing. For example, I was SO PLEASED to see Philip Glenister as Talbot, and then he just says a few sentences and is dead! It is such a pity, and always appears to me to be a waste of great actors not to “let them lose” on that text! I am always looking forward so much to what might happen. And I cannot help being disappointed WITH THEM for not being “better” where it isn’t at all their fault. It sometimes appears as if they have to leap without being granted neither time nor space for a proper start. 

But I know that there is absolutely no point in lamenting that loss, and that I should be grateful for what is there – which I am! For example for Keeley Hawes playing Queen Elizabeth, giving me the final proof that she really is as good as I thought she could be, the way she dealt with that text! Or for seeing Ben Daniels as Buckingham, who plays one of my least favourite characters in “House of Cards”- as virtually the only British actor I could detect in this series! – playing him very well, of course. And Geoffrey Streatfeild, the only new character who made it worthwhile in my opinion to watch the tenth series of the “Spooks”, as King Edward! Though, disappointingly, he has very little to say … 

Nonetheless I came to think at one point: Had they but made a SERIES! Because, in the same way as in former times the fate of a story was ruled by its being turned into a play, into a novel or into a long poem, it is in fact always the format that determines which content can actually be produced and what it will look like. And, in the case of an adaptation, if it will match the depth and quality of the original. Of course “The Hollow Crown” basically IS a series, but it is not a typical serial format. It is a succession of “cinema format” films, each of them encompassing one play, or even one and a half, in the case of “Henry VI”. And, especially when I am thinking of “House of Cards”, I’d like to take up the cudgels for series. It was about the time when I read the “histories” that I took up watching it, and it reminded me of Shakespeare from the start. And now I finally know “completely” what the real reason was – both for reminding me of Shakespeare and for me becoming so fond of it. And it isn’t even always having to imagine Kevin Spacey as Richard III – even BEFORE I knew he actually played him! (Which might be the one thing in my life I became aware I missed irrevocably and which I kind of cannot accept that I did … shitttt! By the way, it might not have been as great as I imagine it because it depends very much on the production as well, and, judging by the few fotos I have seen, I have my doubts. Still … But now I have Frank Underwood instead – on dvd!) 

The real reason is that now, knowing the series so well and having read “Henry VI” again, having had the occasion to compare the “depth” of the play with the “shallows” it becomes being turned into films, I am sure that I was right about my first impression: that, if Shakespeare lived today, what he would have produced wouldn’t have been for the stage but would be something almost exactly like “House of Cards”. And there is not an ounce of overstatement in this, from my point of view, because the dialog is incredibly well written, and clear and profound – just “twenty-first century style”. And the characters are as complex and manifold and true as Shakespeare’s. Only the style has changed to this incredibly fast “action-based” pace we are used to. (Much too fast if you are not a native speaker …) Though, taking into account that the Elizabethans probably performed the whole text on stage - because, what would have been the point of writing it if they didn’t? - and that the plays couldn’t have taken that much longer than they do today … well, maybe they did, and people just had a longer attention span – respectively took breaks repeatedly to do whatever they felt like doing during the plays. In any case they couldn’t have taken THAT much longer nonetheless, and so the actors must have spoken the text incredibly fast. (Which, by the way, based on self-experiment, is the best way to “swallow and digest” big chunks of it …)

And I don’t just think that Shakespeare wouldn’t probably have bothered with theatre but would have produced films and series – as a typical tragedy, like “Lear” or “Macbeth”, or comedies of course, wouldn’t have been series but films – but that, not outwardly but “intrinsically”, Shakespeare’s “Richard II – Richard III” is a serial format. With the wheel of fortune coming full circle again after so many rounds! To produce them that way was not an option because the format didn’t exist then, but I am sure he would have written them as a series, not as eight films, if he lived today. At least this would have been the ideal way, and in fact the only one, to get all this complexity of action and characters, who are all of them historical entities with rather complex back-stories, onto the screen. And I am sure that the “histories” are what “House of Cards” is based on, and the reason why it is so good, why the writers knew so exactly what they were doing. At least in the beginning - from a certain point onward something like this becomes self-sustaining. (I meant “intrinsically” again – as to plot it is (of course!) based on an old BBC series with the same title – which might have had some “Shakespeare” in it as well, but I am in no position to judge.) There are obvious features as well which link the series to Shakespeare, especially the “aside” speaking which is turned into Frank Underwood speaking directly into the camera (and which they took from the BBC series as well). And it is certainly not coincidence that, watching it, I always think I know what to expect – where this is going. Though they might still surprise me in the end?

I wrote in one of my last blogs something about “Shakespeare” becoming a standard for me – for what I think to be great and what I want to read - which usually nothing can really match. Not even, usually, any production of his plays! And “House of Cards” is probably my best example so far of what this means because this series is the only “text” I have encountered so far that can. It is EVERYTHING Shakespeare has written in “Richard II – Richard III” – within a contemporary context. Of course I realized this from the start but became fully aware of it taking up “Henry VI” again, with all the reading experience I have had in the meantime, and was struck anew by the way Shakespeare could turn historical complexity into “digestible” fiction. Which can be great fun as well, even where it is really gut-wrenching. But, apart from being fiction and not history, “House of Cards” is exactly like this – to the point of being the only production based on “Shakespeare” which matches the expectations reading Shakespeare triggers in me completely. So, I am looking forward to the third (and last!?) series coming out on dvd in December as kind of a crowning experience of the “Shakespeare year”.

Episode 3: Opres und der Blutprinz

Als sich alle Gäste von dem Königreich und den Limaris verabschieden, gibt es noch ein Hurra für Sama und Opres. Danach wird Opres zum König ernannt.

Opres und Sama haben Lust, sich wieder auf ein gefährliches Abenteuer zu begeben. Sie spüren, dass der Blutprinz dort sein wird. Doch sie wissen, dass es dabei noch eine Frage gibt: Wo steckt Ulsoro?

Opres hat sich mit seinem Gold ein Haustier geholt, das daran gewöhnt ist, im Eis zu leben. Deshalb hat er künstliches Eis mit ein bisschen Kraut. Aber er weiß, wenn der kleine Wurm nur ein bisschen zu viel davon frisst, wird er ein 1,56 Meter großes Viech werden. Deshalb füttert Opres ihn nur zweimal am Tag.

Opres und Sama fliegen mit dem Raumschiff nach Blutlas, um dort gegen den Blutprinz zu kämpfen. Sie kriegen bei der Raumschiff-Fahrt noch Nachrichten von anderen Völkern, die ihnen davon berichten, dass der Blutprinz von Blutlas auf den Planeten Ulsora fliegt.

Auf einmal bemerkt Opres, dass hinter ihnen ein Schuss ist, der von dem Raumschiff des Blutprinz kommt. Opres und Sama stürzen mitten auf den Planeten Blutlas. Als sie angekommen sind, nehmen sich Opres und Sama einen Eimer aus Eisen, mit dem man sonst Lava aus dem Feuerplanet herausschöpft. Sie benutzen ihn, um sieben Kilogramm des Sandes von Blutlas mitzunehmen. Sie stellen ihn in ihr Raumschiff.

Sie laufen über Blutlas.

Opres sagt: „Das ist ja ein Planet mit ganz schön viel rotem Sand.“

Sama antwortet: „Da hast du Recht. Dieser Planet besteht aus Sand. Doch hier gibt es auch noch etwas anderes. Wie auf unserem Planeten gibt es hier Leben.“

Auf einmal strömen winzige Würmchen aus einem kleinen Loch auf Blutlas.

Sama sagt: „Das sind Tiüf-Würmer. Sehr intelligente Tiere.“

Opres antwortet: „Die sehen aber nicht so intelligent aus. Mehr süß.“

Sama antwortet: „Ja, die sind tatsächlich so klein wie Regenwürmer.“

Opres fragt: „Kann man die anfassen?“

Sama sagt: „Ja. Die sind ziemlich harmlos.“

Opres nimmt sich einen auf den Finger. Doch mit einem Kriecher ist dieser Wurm sofort wieder auf dem weichen Sand gelandet. Dieses Mal nimmt Opres seine ganze Hand, um den kleine Wurm in die Hand zu nehmen. Dieses Mal klappt es. Opres merkt, dass er vergessen hat, die Tür von seinem Haustier zuzumachen. Gerade will es einen Bissen von dem Futter nehmen, da nimmt es Opres in die andere Hand. Der Tiüf-Wurm freundet sich dann mit dem Haustier von Opres an.

Opres hat gar nicht bemerkt, dass der Blutprinz eingetroffen ist und dass er gegen seinen Vater kämpft. Opres kämpft mit. Zusammen schaffen sie es, dem Blutprinz eine Panzerung an seinem Bein abzuschneiden. Gerade als Opres versucht, dem Blutprinz das Bein abzuschneiden, wackelt der ganze Boden. Der Blutprinz bricht in ein höhnisches Gelächter aus. Sama und Opres bemerken, dass Ulsoro eingetroffen ist.

Sie wollen gerade Ulsoro angreifen, da zeigt Ulsoro ihnen auf einem kleinen runden Bildschirm, dass Arinn und Geen in Gefahr sind. Opres sieht, dass ein Krieger, den Opres noch mitgenommen hat, das Raumschiff repariert hat. Der Blutprinz und Ulsoro haben das nicht gedacht. Dadurch schaffen es Sama und Opres wegzufliegen. Ulsoro und der Blutprinz wollen sie aufhalten, doch sie sind zu schnell.

Als sie auf dem Feuerplaneten, auf dem die beiden Krieger in Gefahr sind, landen, merken sie, dass es auf einmal sehr still ist. Ein Drache liegt tot am Boden. Doch als sie bei dem Drachen sind, bemerken sie, dass der Drache es geschafft hat, Arinn zu töten. Geen schaut mit einem traurigen Blick auf den Boden.

Opres und Sama sind sehr traurig, weil Arinn getötet wurde. Sie versprechen Geen, dass sie ein Trauerfest feiern werden für den besten Freund von Geen, Arinn.

Aus dem steinigen Boden schießt auf einmal ein riesiges Wesen heraus. Es ist der Vater von dem Drachen. Mit einem Brüller schleudert der Drache Geen zurück. Der Drache spuckt Feuer und trifft Opres fast. Doch der weicht aus und nimmt mit einem flinken Griff sein Energieschwert, zündet es an und springt auf den Drachen. Opres sticht ihn in die beiden Augen. Der Drache kann nichts mehr sehen. Er geht in die Richtung, wo Sama war, doch der weicht aus. Der Drache geht weiter und schlägt mit seinen Klauen überall hin, da, wo er Opres spürt. Doch der weicht immer flink aus.

Sama sieht, dass der Blutprinz sich auf dem Drachen befindet und ihm was ins Ohr flüstert. Dadurch weiß der Drache, wo er seine Klauen hinschlagen muss, um Opres zu töten. Doch er weicht so lange aus, bis ihm die Kraft ausgeht, und springt dann mit seiner letzten Kraft auf den Kopf des Monsters und sticht ihm einmal in den Kopf.

Opres springt von dem Monster herunter. Sama und Opres kämpfen gegen den Blutprinz. Es entsteht ein langer Kampf, bis Geen es schafft, eine Luftkraft zu entwickeln, um den Blutprinz zurückzuschleudern. Dann fliehen sie. Der Blutprinz schnellt ihnen hinterher.

Gerade als sie bei dem Raumschiff sind, sehen sie, dass Tirra, eine Hexenfreundin von Opres, gegen den bösen Zauberer Galvoss kämpft.

Galvoss war schwach, weil er so gut wie keine Gestalt mehr hatte. Doch dann wurde er mächtiger und wurde dazu ernannt, Tirra zu töten. Opres will ihr gerade helfen, doch da schwingt der flinke Zauberer seinen Stab und tötet Tirra. Als Galvoss bemerkt, dass Opres und Sama da sind, fliegt er mit seinem Monster mit Flügeln weg.

Opres sagt: „Schnell, ihm hinterher!“

Doch Sama sagt: „Nein, dein Volk macht sich schon Sorgen um Geen, Arinn und uns.“

Geen, Opres und Sama fliegen zurück nach Galnzes, um dort wieder ein Fest zu feiern. Das Trauerfest. Sie stellen das Restliche von Arinn in ein Feuer und verbrennen es. Danach feiern sie ein fröhliches Fest.

(Episode 3: Opres and the Blood Prince

When the guests took their leave of the realm and the Limaris they cheered Sama and Opres. Afterwards Opres was appointed king.

Opres and Sama are getting keen again to set out on a dangerous adventure. They anticipate that the Blood Prince will be there. But one question remains: Where is Ulsoro?

Opres has used his gold to buy a pet which is used to living in the ice. For this purpose he has brought artificial ice with a small amount of herbs. But he knows that, if the little worm only gets a little bit too much food, it will turn into a monster of about 60 inches. Because of this he feeds it only twice a day.

Opres and Sama are travelling in their spaceship to Blutlas in order to fight the Blood Prince. The are getting messages of other peoples during their voyage which relate that the blood Prince is on his way to Ulsora.

Suddenly Opres feels that they have been shot at from the spaceship the Blood Prince is travelling on. Opres and Sama crash onto the planet Blutlas. After having arrived, they pick up a bucket of iron which usually serves to collect lava from the Fire Planet. They use it to collect seven kilos of sand from Blutlas which they put into the spaceship.

They are walking on Blutlas.

Opres says: “There is a lot of red sand on this planet.”

Sama answers: „You are right. This planet is made of sand. But there is also something else. As on our own planet, there is life.”

Suddenly there are tiny worms streeming out of a small hole on Blutlas.

Sama says: “These are tiüf-worms. Very intelligent animals.”

Opres answers: “They don’t look that intelligent. They look sweet.”

Sama answers: „Yes, they are in fact as small as earth-worms.“

Opres asks: „Can I touch them?”

Sama says: „Yes, they are not dangerous.“

Opres gathers one of them on his finger. But with one crawl the worm has again landed on the soft sand. Opres uses his hand to gather up the worm. This time it works. Opres realizes that he has forgotten to close the cage-door on his pet which is just trying to get at the food. Opres gathers it up into his other hand. The tiüf-worm and his pet become friends.

Opres hasn’t realized that the Blood Prince has arrived and is fighting his father. Opres joins the fight. Together they manage to cut some of the armour off the Blood Prince’s leg. Just as Opres is trying to cut the leg off the earth begins to shake. The Blood Prince sneers at him. Sama and Opres realize that Ulsoro has arrived.

They are just about to attack Ulsoro when he shows them on a small, round screen that Arinn and Geen are in danger. Opres sees that one of their men has repaired the spaceship, which came as a surprise to the Blood Prince and Ulsoro. Because of this they are able to escape. Ulsoro and the Blood Prince are trying to stop them, but they are too fast.

Having touched down on the Fire Planet where the two warriors have been fighting, they suddenly realize that it is very quiet. A dragon is lying on the ground dead. As soon as they have reached the spot they can see that the dragon has killed Arinn. Geen is standing there sadly, his eyes fixed on the ground.

Opres and Sama are very sad that Arinn has been killed. They promise Geen to arrange a funeral feast for his best friend Arinn.

Suddenly a giant creature emerges from the rocky ground. It is the father of the dragon. With a roar he pushes Geen off his feet. The dragon is spewing fire and almost hits Opres. But he side-tracks the dragon and, swiftly drawing his energy sword, switches it on and jumps on top of the dragon. He takes out both of his eyes with the sword. The dragon cannot see anything. He approaches Sama who side-tracks him. The dragon marches on, striking in every direction with his claws, wherever he can feel Opres. But Opres side-tracks him swiftly.

Sama beholds the Blood Prince on top of the dragon whispering in his ear. Because of this the dragon knows where to strike to kill Opres. But Opres side-tracks him until his strength is gone. He uses his last energy to jump on top of the dragon and pierce his head with his sword.

Opres jumps off the monster’s back. Then Sama and Opres are fighting the Blood Prince. A long fight ensues until Geen manages to develop an air power to fight back the Blood Prince. They are able to get away. The Blood Prince follows them.

Coming back to their spaceship they see that Tirra, a witch and friend of Opres, is fighting the bad wizard Galvoss.

Galvoss had been weakened because he had lost his shape. But then he grew powerful again and was appointed to kill Tirra. Opres is just about to help her when the wizard suddenly wields his magic wand and kills Tirra. When Galvoss realizes that Opres and Sama are present he escapes on the back of a winged monster.

Opres says: „Let’s follow him!“

But Sama says: “No, your people is already worried about Geen, Arinn, and us.”

Geen, Opres, and Sama return to Galnzes to celebrate Arinn’s funeral. They burn Arinn’s remains. After that they feast.)