Yesterday evening we (that is - Ann, Hilary, Heather and meself) motored over to Rendlesham Forest, in Heather's car, to see the Red Rose's annual Shakespear production. It was King Lear this year. We got there reasonably early, and had our usual picnic.
The production was, as usual, excellent. The ending seemed decidedly odd, with the four survivors of the plot standing together and singing (very well, too) 'There'll be blue birds over the white cliffs of Dover............'. Couldn't make much of that.
Ann has just come in and reminded me that Gloucester tries to chuck himself over the white cliffs of Dover towards the end of the play - so I suppose it has some sort of relevance.
14 comments:
It's extremely unlikely that there will ever be blue birds anywhere near the White Cliffs of Dover - given that they are not indigenous to Great Britain. Guess that makes the ending of the play even more mysterious?
I was familiar with that song when I was a very small child, and I never knew what kind of birds were meant by 'bluebirds'. I think I always assumed that swallows were being referred to.
That, as you say Sir B. makes the whole thing even spoooooookier, as my grandchildren would say.
Robert Earl of Gloucester had a green eagle on a gold field as his coat of arms. (other Gloucesters had red chevrons on a gold field)
The only blue-birds I can find are on the arms of Roger de Brabazon, Lord Chief Justice 1296–1316 born at Mowsley in Leicestershire in or before 1247. He held extensive lands in the county of Leicestershire when he died 14 June 1317. (Gules on a bend Or three martlets Azure). The martlet was officially depicted as a dird with tufts of three feathers where the legs should be as it was a representation of the house martin, a bird thought at the time to have no legs. So full marks for Dover & white cliffs & over... but no gong for blue birds ... unless anyone knows otherwise?
PS
perhaps I should have mentioned that the martlet is more frequently tinctured gules (red)and Brabazon's martlets are the only blue birds I can find in heraldic association with our nobility.
Hope this note from wikipedia might clarify the issue...
The bluebirds are a group of medium-sized, mostly insectivorous or omnivorous birds in the genus Sialia of the thrush family (Turdidae). Bluebirds are one of the few thrush genera in the Americas. They have blue, or blue and red, plumage. Female birds are less brightly colored than males, although color patterns are similar and there is no noticeable difference in size between sexes.
Species:
Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis
Western Bluebird, Sialia mexicana
Mountain Bluebird, Sialia currucoides
Amazing that Shakespeare probably didn't know of them at all & Dame Vera Lynn DBE (Vera Margaret Welch) clearly didn't know their habitat!
The lyricist was a yank (Nat Burton) who knew no better.
It was published in 1941 and became a very popular song in 1942 (good year in many ways -1942).
Thing about Shakespeare is that he can be played about with however a director likes, and he still triumphs. And at least it gives you a different way of thinking about a familiar play.
True Mike, very true indeed...
1942 is still coming to terms with just how lucky it was!... Lordy Mike, that means you're in for a significant celebration next month. 2012 does not know how famous it is going to become for Suffolk celebrations....
Z - That is very true. It reminds me that a few years ago the same company put on a Midsummer Night's Dream twice, about two years apart (three at most), and we were all a bit doubtful about this; but those of us who did go to both 'Dreams' found that the second one seemed to be a completely different play - same company (although mostly the actors had swapped parts around)- basically the same play. But the company had turned it around so that we felt we had watched two different productions - which totally supports your point.
Hi Crowbard. Celebrations already held - in Norway last June.
Crowbard has just emailed me and sent an illustration of a tin of 'Blue Bird toffees' which shows a swallow on the lid. I think (as Crowbard suggests that this is why I tend to see the 'blue birds' of the song as swallows.
Thank you Crowbard - once again you clarify my memories of childhood.
I see Mike, Suffolk too
small and sleepy for your celebrations - lets take Scandinavia out and show it a good time huh? - was it Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland again or did you drag Iceland and Lapland in as well?? I imagine the Dean was scandalised by your shameless flitting from church to church all over the frozen Nordic wastes. Still it gave your local friends a chance to rest-up and recover while you were gallyvanting in foreign parts.
~(;¬o}>
LuvBruv
I saw them as swallows too, and the toffee tins explains everything.
Quite agree Nea. Once I'd seen a picture of that old toffee tin, I realised why I'd always seen those 'bluebirds' as swallows. Must have carried that picture in my subconscious memory for decades.
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