1,936 posts
|
Post by wickedgrin on Aug 31, 2017 14:07:21 GMT
I wouldn't have thought the play needed a star name. I thought the play was very much an ensemble piece and with such good reviews and word of mouth it would extend anyway.
|
|
6,318 posts
|
Post by Jon on Aug 31, 2017 14:07:55 GMT
I did wonder if they will treat this as a test to see if it is re-castable and worth extending past then. It depends if something is already lined for the Gielgud past January.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2017 14:43:57 GMT
Once they announce who it is, let's all come back and discuss if their status means the run is likely to extend, or finish in January as planned. I reckon a bigger name will mean a shuttering, but a less-famous theatre stalwart will mean they're seeing if the play will sell itself with a view to extend. (I might buy a ticket for the Christmas period now, just in case it's someone properly smashing.)
|
|
2,564 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 31, 2017 14:52:04 GMT
Extravagant coups would be the returns to stage of big movie names like Michael Fassbender or Colin Farrell. Solid theatre actors who would probably be very good: Peter McDonald, Jonjo O'Neill or David Caves. If they cast Fassy, I'm gonna buy a season ticket.
|
|
562 posts
|
Post by jadnoop on Aug 31, 2017 15:54:42 GMT
I wonder how much motivation there is for a big name star to take on this role immediately after Paddy Considine.
Quinn Carney is a great role, and there are actors with more star-power who may well give a better performance than Paddy Considine. However, given how unanimous the critical praise has been for the play, anyone stepping in now can surely only see the reviews go down. As an audience member I tend to take the star ratings with a pinch of salt. However, I can imagine for the creative team -both in terms of their egos and their perceived 'value' in the industry- there might be a worry that updated reviews might reappraise The Ferryman, and by implication themselves, as four stars. It would be different if the play was transferring to the US, or if this was a revival.
Putting that aside someone like Michael Fassbender taking on the role would be fantastic, but would surely make finding tickets impossible. For someone in that scale of superstar, my vote would be for Cillian Murphy.
Of course, to some extent, the issue is somewhat moot; the standout turn when I saw it was probably Laura Donnelly, so if she's staying on (and has good chemistry with Considine's replacement), I'll be happy.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2017 16:41:54 GMT
This could be a perfect opportunity for a renowned name with no previous professional stage experience who wants to tread the boards with minimal risk though. It's already a five star production, and if Sonia F decided to hold a third press night for the cast change, I'd be VERY surprised if the critics said no, so you can still get the extra publicity.
|
|
851 posts
|
Post by bordeaux on Aug 31, 2017 17:32:49 GMT
Is Mark Rylance available? He does a brilliant Ulster accent, as those who saw his Benedick 20 years ago can attest.
|
|
748 posts
|
Post by rumbledoll on Aug 31, 2017 18:28:57 GMT
Shame... was aiming to see this in November and heard a lot of praise Paddy's way.. But if it's going to be either McDonald or O'Neill, I'm so up for it!
|
|
3,070 posts
|
Post by Rory on Sept 1, 2017 12:17:27 GMT
William Houston will play Quinn Carney. Sarah Greene takes over from Laura Donnelly and Maureen Beattie takes over from Brid Brennan. There are some other changes.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2017 12:23:59 GMT
William Houston will play Quinn Carney. Sarah Greene takes over from Laura Donnelly and Maureen Beattie takes over from Brid Brennan. There are some other changes. What?? I'd heard Mandy Patinkin was taking over. Don't tell me he's pulled out of another show? Great news about Sarah Greene. I always loved her on 'Going Live'.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2017 13:21:37 GMT
Well he's certainly got the ferocity for it, but I don't know about if he'd be my choice for the first three hours of the play.
I'm putting 50p in the pool for post-January extension then, assuming sales don't drop off around Christmas.
|
|
|
Post by Honoured Guest on Sept 1, 2017 13:23:06 GMT
Great news about Sarah Greene. I always loved her on 'Going Live'. And Maureen, ever treasured in Driving School, the first reality docu-soap-lite.
|
|
6,318 posts
|
Post by Jon on Sept 1, 2017 16:49:27 GMT
Well he's certainly got the ferocity for it, but I don't know about if he'd be my choice for the first three hours of the play. I'm putting 50p in the pool for post-January extension then, assuming sales don't drop off around Christmas. The fact they didn't extend the booking period with this cast announcement makes me think they'll probably close in January
|
|
1,936 posts
|
Post by wickedgrin on Sept 1, 2017 17:22:45 GMT
I'd be amazed if this did not extend. Clearly an expensive play to run but at the moment it is selling out without discounting - highly unusual for a play without a "star" name.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Sept 1, 2017 19:55:41 GMT
I'd be amazed if this did not extend. Clearly an expensive play to run but at the moment it is selling out without discounting - highly unusual for a play without a "star" name. I am pretty sure Marianne Elliott has the Gielgud booked for her season after Ferryman closes. She wanted it for all her shows, but Heisenberg ended up at the Wyndhams after Ferryman extended. The fact that Long Day's Journey has booked in after Heisenberg makes me think Ferryman will close on schedule, or do a very small extension. Unless they've placated Elliott by offering her the Noel Coward after Labour of Love ends, though they might be thinking of extending now with losing two weeks of the run today. Who knows?
|
|
1,868 posts
|
Post by Marwood on Sept 24, 2017 23:35:49 GMT
Glad to see you enjoyed seeing this theatrewithtom - this is still the best thing I've seen at the theatre this year, would like to see it again before Paddy goes but I'm not in a rush to pay the prices they're asking, I fear they're killing the goose that laid the golden egg expecting people to pay these prices once he's gone.
|
|
2,812 posts
|
Post by couldileaveyou on Sept 25, 2017 21:33:20 GMT
I saw the matinee on Saturday and really enjoyed it. It's like a British "Agusut Osage County" with its big family as protagonists, inner conflicts, big cast for today's standards and long running time. I read it a few months ago and I'm glad I did: those Irish accents are thick! It's a bit different from what I imagined reading it - the banshees of the final scene were less literal than I expected - but in the best of all the possible ways. I don't get all the fuss on Paddy Considine, he was fine in a fine cast, but hardly outstanding. The acting honors for me go to Bríd Brennan and Dearbhla Molloy, both great and unique in their very different roles. And it's always a joy to see my future husband Fra Fee on stage. Special mention to Genevieve O'Reilly in the non-showy role of Mary, she brought a lot of heart to the part. Very good John Hodgkinson, but really the whole cast is great, including the baby, the rabbit and - especially - the goose. Very well staged and directed, loved the set, the costumes, the music and the dancing. I'll try to catch it with the new cast, but it won't be the same without Bríd
|
|
1,008 posts
|
Post by talkstageytome on Sept 30, 2017 22:03:43 GMT
I saw The Ferryman this afternoon. At first when it ended I couldn't help but feel a bit meh about it. There were moments of genius throughout, and the ending was explosive, but it felt so long and drawn out, and I wasn't sure it lived up to the hype. However... I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. Everything - the character, events, emotions, felt so utterly real. I want a part two - I need to know what happens next. After a few hours of contemplation I totally recognise this play's genius. The casting for me was spot on, with Paddy Considine (who I've been a fan of for literally years (having seen Rafe Spall earlier in the year in Hedda Gabler, I can now say I've seen both of Hot Fuzz's Andys... brilliant! ) was really likable as the Carney patriarch, whilst Laura Donnelly was excellent as the steadfast Caitlin. All of the lads playing the Carney and Corcoran boys were great as well and their long scene at the top of act 3 was a highlight for me. I think I need to buy the text and read it again knowing how it ends. Really enjoyed this though, and so glad I got to see it with the original cast. It'll be interesting to hear how the new cast do when they start.
|
|
5,588 posts
|
Post by lynette on Oct 5, 2017 22:50:12 GMT
Ok, ok, so nice touch of the Conor McPherson's in the title there. What is it about Irish plays, no I mean plays that purport to be about Ireland, Eire, Northern Ireland...? The blarney, the dancing, the thing with little animals.. I can see you loved them, icouldleaveyou, but I could have done without the baby, the goose, the rabbits, the first half an hour. It was all so well researched wasn’t it? All the nasty details about the Troubles and I did feel as if I was being preached at. And some clunky dialogue - am I wrong but I don’t think people walk into a room and say 'I have to speak to ...on her own now' do they? And the staging a bit tricky: the chair on the extreme right seemed out of place and people kept sitting in it! But having felt a bit 'meh' as did t above, I do think there was some seriously good stuff here- the pure Republicanism of the old aunt which had deteriorated into gangsterism, and she couldn’t see it so thought it was an honour to shakes Muldoon's hand, the chat between the lads which was funny and edgey, the tension between the old ways and the new. All that. And the ending was well earned, the farmer who had forsaken his past was actually a trained killer, fast and ruthless. The past could not be erased. At times I felt that I was being told that the Troubles were all a result of dysfunctional families but getting past that I think this play does have a contemporary resonance in the way it showed how young men can be turned into callous gang members and ultimately violent thugs or worse.
They will love it in New York. They like long, Irish and a bit of dancing.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2017 0:04:13 GMT
Hopefully it will get the tony
|
|
1,868 posts
|
Post by Marwood on Oct 6, 2017 22:43:59 GMT
I agree that it will go down well in NYC, they just need to find a name actor for the lead who wil bring in the crowds, but not an American film/TV star who claims to have Irish heritage putting on an Oirish accent.
|
|
|
Post by orchidman on Oct 7, 2017 3:12:04 GMT
Really enjoyed it, easily one of the plays of the year, better than I was expecting because I thought the reviews likely to be over-generous. I think it's a better drama than Jerusalem, which had a brilliant lead role but not much else, although I'm not totally sold on the ending.
Seriously tempted to go back and see the replacement cast, which is not something I normally do.
|
|
1,102 posts
|
Post by zak97 on Oct 11, 2017 11:39:48 GMT
How has the dayseat line been recently, anyone have any recommendations for what time to arrive on Saturday?
|
|
885 posts
|
Post by lonlad on Oct 11, 2017 12:09:43 GMT
Anyone seen the new cast? Keen to hear how Will Houston and Sarah Greene are in the lead roles.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2017 22:48:29 GMT
Short version (unlike the play) Jez is now on my list that also includes Richard Bean and Peter Gill.
|
|
642 posts
|
Post by Stasia on Oct 15, 2017 7:35:04 GMT
How has the dayseat line been recently, anyone have any recommendations for what time to arrive on Saturday? I dayseated on Thursday, was there at 7:30 and the next person only arrived at 9:30. There were around 6 or 7 people by 10:30 so definitely not busy on a weekday. The box office staff was not nice and refused is entering the theatre till 10:30 so we had to queue in the cold although they were open since 10. At Kinky Boots they allow to wait inside! The new cast is just as brilliant as the previous one and the play looks even more moving from the front row. I love love love it and I am extremely grateful it exists.
|
|
1,102 posts
|
Post by zak97 on Oct 15, 2017 9:34:25 GMT
How has the dayseat line been recently, anyone have any recommendations for what time to arrive on Saturday? I dayseated on Thursday, was there at 7:30 and the next person only arrived at 9:30. There were around 6 or 7 people by 10:30 so definitely not busy on a weekday. The box office staff was not nice and refused is entering the theatre till 10:30 so we had to queue in the cold although they were open since 10. At Kinky Boots they allow to wait inside! The new cast is just as brilliant as the previous one and the play looks even more moving from the front row. I love love love it and I am extremely grateful it exists. Good to know, I might roll up about 9:30/45 on Wednesday, not desperate to see it this week but would like to tick it off the list though. As the tickets go on sale at 10:30 I can kind of see why they may not want people loitering in the box office, probably doesn't fit the company image. I guess they would argue that it goes on sale at 10:30 so there is no need to arrive before then, it is the customer choice.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2017 9:34:38 GMT
I miss out from time to time. I find out about plays I really should have seen, sometimes years after they’ve been on. But it’s my own fault; I’m mean when it comes to forking out to see a play, having seen some real duds in my time, and with limited funds I’d rather go for a musical. I don’t see many dud musicals. Perhaps I’m just better at selecting them.
The Ferryman’s had a lot of attention, and not wanting to feel like I’d missed out again, I took myself along to a matinee. It’s been quite some time since I’d felt that certain buzz in the audience before the show starts. But it was there the afternoon I went, a couple of weeks back.
There was a bit of a bruiser staring at us before the house lights dimmed, and after they did we learned that Seamus Carney disappeared ten years ago, leaving behind his wife and son who had been taken in by Seamus’ brother, Quinn, to live with his family now. It’s what families do, look after each other…
It turns out there’s an awful lot of disappearing- ‘vanishing’- going on here. Mary, Quinn’s wife, vanishes to the confines of her bedroom, nursing her viruses, or it is because she can’t face her husband’s love turning towards the sister-in-law they’ve taken in? Aunt Maggie’s mind vanishes for days, weeks on end to somewhere Faraway only to return momentarily to entertain, to spill the truth, to reveal the secrets of the past. And Tom Kettle, an oversized Englishman, never the sharpest tool on the farm, has vanished from where he once belonged. And no-one really knows how he came to be taken in by this community.
Community. There’s a real sense of community spirit here we rarely see. Old and young live side by side, under the one roof. Caitlin shaves Uncle Pat, while he sits and entertains with his stories of the past; the young cousins take it in turns to move their Aunt from one room to another in her wheelchair; a baby is changed and cared for by everyone in the house. They sing, they dance, they make kites for each other. Even when Michael Carney shows his sister his bumhole you sense it is only in jest! These are troubled people living through The Troubles, but they manage to create a sense of warmth here. But you get the feeling it’s only a matter of time before that bruiser will pay a visit…
And it’s Harvest Time. A time when traditionally the soil will produce fruit, a time of great excitement, for a goose (yes, a real one!) is going to be killed and cooked if only some silly bugger hadn’t inadvertently let it out of its pen. To our relief it’s found. Like the body of Seamus Carney, found now after ten years, buried in the bogs which have preserved him. But it’s the wrong time for the soil to be revealing the secret it’s been holding onto all this time, for it might derail the attention which should be on the plight of the IRA hunger strikers dying out in the Maze. Aunt Pat is following every step of this on the wireless, so she is.
And here is the conflict. Well, one of many. The bruisers want Quinn Carney to keep quiet about his brother’s demise; Mary finally wants rid of her sister-in-law; Shane Corcoran wants his cousins to forget he’s told them he’s been playing with fire.
Over three hours we laugh at Uncle Pat telling Aunt Pat how she’s been reeking of piss from the neck down all these years, we cry listening to Aunt Maggie Farway’s tale of her life-long love for a boy who probably didn’t even know of her existence, and we cringe with embarrassment at Tom Kettle’s ill-timed marriage proposal.
The cast I saw was universally outstanding (there’s a new cast now, I believe) but I must confess my soft spot for Brid Brennan, the host of talented kids at this particular performance, and the stand-out for me, Tom Glynn-Carney as the cocky little sh*t who thinks he’s in with the big boys, not clever enough to realise he’ll be ending up in the same bog as Seamus Carney. A theme particularly resonant today with youngsters crossing dangerous world borders, desperate to fight for a cause they don’t understand themselves, wreaking havoc on innocent bystanders’ lives.
The piece started as a slow burn, but not a word here is wasted, as stories unfold, secrets come out, and the play gradually picks up speed, working towards its unforeseen climax.
I am so glad I forked out for this. It was definitely a chance worth taking. And it’s not often I’ve booked to see a play again, but I have. I’ll always make an exception for something exceptional.
*****+ (+ = for managing to make reference to the Eurovision Song Contest!)
|
|
1,102 posts
|
Post by zak97 on Oct 16, 2017 13:52:32 GMT
Turns out I have no need to day seat, just found a £12 ticket in the centre of row D in the dress circle for the Wednesday matinee.
|
|
642 posts
|
Post by Stasia on Oct 18, 2017 15:40:23 GMT
@caiaphas I think new Shane Corcoran is’t Tom but someone else. Tom was in the original cast (I laughed as with a dozen Carneys in stage the actor whose name is Carney plays Corcoran), and the new cast Shane is someone different. Loved your post!
It’s been a week since I recisited but I am still under its spell. Just as last time, one of the most powerful experiences and emotions.
|
|