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Post by David J on Mar 6, 2016 13:57:43 GMT
Seeing this in a few minutes
The perfect Mothers Day play!
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Post by David J on Mar 3, 2016 13:03:10 GMT
Yeah... The adapters of Madame Bovary, John Nicholson and Javier Marzan (who also stars in this), say that a faithful adaptation of the story will be too depressing. So wanted to created a light-hearted show, where comedy exposes tragedy and tragedy exposes comedy. At one point Emma Fielding breaks out of character and the fourth wall (they do this a lot in this show) to express her view that the show should include the 6 months of isolation and silence that Madame Bovary goes through at one point. To which Javier Marzan argues that that would make the show long and boring The irony is is that the comedy he has tried to inject into this does exactly that. This could have been a light-hearted 2 hour re-telling of the story. Instead the writers have tried to include one too many clever jokes, including some metadrama, that goes on for too long at 2 hours and 35 minutes. The show starts with these travelling ratcatchers which we spend 15 minutes with. During which the cast breaks the fourth wall (and brings the show to halt) to explain that this is pretty unnecessary since they don't appear in the book. They are simply a framing device for Madame Bovary, before she commits suicide at the end, to tell her story to one of them. There's also some metaphors that are so heavy handed. A seducing scene between Bovary and her lover Rodolphe, involves him pulling off magic tricks (get it, he's seducing her), and when they start devouring each other the two supporting actors appear at the back making monkey sounds (GET IT, they're reducing themselves to their primal desires) The show jars between tragedy and comedy. The moment Fielding argues about the 6 weeks silence is just after Madame Bovary, whom she plays with poignancy at times, discovers that her lover, Rodolpe, has left her. At which Emma Fielding, with personal anguish, goes out of character leaves the stage. This is scripted by the way At which point Javier Marzan fills in for her by dressing up as Madame Bovary and continues the show. Before Fielding returns and starts arguing (the third time this happned) with the rest of the cast about how Madame Bovary should be represented. During which supporting actor Jonathan Holmes appears in a dinosaur costume. In this moment the show had become The Madame Bovary That Goes Wrong. There are some good moments, such as one where an unhappy Madame Bovary attends a ball. This chandelier is lowered from above to the floor, shaped like a big dress, into which Bovary is entrapped. When she dances with a Viscount she can only stretch out at arms length whilst he dances around her. But this small moment is enough to give her euphoria. Honestly the more I think about this the most I dislike it. The ending could have been so poignant, and then they pull the rug out from beneath with one more desperate chance at comedy It looked like it had potential, and to be fair it tells the story well. But he result is a bloated show, with too many theatrical devices and ideas we've seen before thrown in, that only received smatterings of laughter.
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Post by David J on Mar 2, 2016 15:41:10 GMT
They're now taking membership bookings
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Post by David J on Mar 2, 2016 13:22:14 GMT
This is an emotional play in the second act.
The first half is a bit dry. The play establishes C.S. Lewis residing in Oxford, giving a lecture on whether God loves us. We watch his University chums espouse their intellect on subjects like the way men are intellectual and women are emotional. And then when Lewis meets Joy Gresham we watch them slowly relate with their interests in literature.
The play gets off to a slow start, and given how reserved Lewis is portrayed here its a while before you see a deep-seated longing for each other.
But when the play gets round to Gresham's cancer in the second act it does become a heart-breaking experience. Stephen Boxer gives an outstanding performance as we see him breaking down, questioning his beliefs, and opening his heart to Joy, played resolutely by Amanda Ryan. I also loved the reserved but brotherly relationship between CS Lewis and Tony Slattery as Major W.H. Lewis
The references to Narnia are beautifully magical.
As I say the first half is slow, but the second half is worth it
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Post by David J on Mar 2, 2016 13:00:46 GMT
Okay I've just been reminded that membership can no longer be used online (so why is the option to do so still available on the 'Discounts' part of the booking process?)
Also you can't use your membership over the phone until later this afternoon. About 3.30pm
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Post by David J on Mar 2, 2016 12:30:47 GMT
Hmm. I've just tried applying my membership to a ticket but the website won't change the price.
Will have to contact the playhouse. Should hopefully be a glitch
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Post by David J on Mar 1, 2016 13:08:29 GMT
This is Paul Hart's first production since taking over as artistic director at the Watermill Theatre, and judging on this and previously Jouney's End, I think the Watermill is in a safe pair of hands. He has worked with Propeller and he did direct The Tempest at the Watermill so he's not a stranger to Shakespeare
The place is fitted out in-the-round within a nightclub setting. You have the usual actors-musicians set up but the music isn't intrusive. Incidentally Johnny Flynn, currently in Hangmen, composed the music and I was tapping along occasionally during the pre-show.
Apart from a few inconsistencies (why send banished Romeo to Guantamino Bay?) Paul Hart has fitted the play nicely into this modern, downtown setting.
The cast consists mainly of young actors recently graduated from drama school and a lot of them do a sterling job. Lauryn Redding and Peter Mooney threatens to steal the show as the Nurse and Mercutio. Mercutio's Mab monologue for one turns into what felt like an acid trip.
The cuts to the text to fit in the music and some well directed choreography doesn't help some of the actors. Rebecca Lee does a good job as Friar Lawrence but her scenes feel rushed at times.
Sadly next to Stuart Wilde's youthful Romeo, Lucy Keirl looks more like his elder sister than Juliet. Also Wilde's enthusiastic delivery of the text makes Keirl's precise delivery sound like she's just reading the text
So the heart of the play isn't quite fulfilled. But ultimately Paul Hart shows great potential as artistic director.
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Post by David J on Feb 28, 2016 0:09:56 GMT
On top of the Birthday weekend I can't wait
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Post by David J on Feb 27, 2016 22:55:45 GMT
This is good, but as an engaging epic fable about society and who deserves their rights it falls short
On the plus side this is a fast moving production. In the small, in-the-round space the cast moves around creating images and scenes with what props are on stage. In a way it follows Brecht's isolation from naturalism technique by keeping the audience on their toes with the pacing and jolting transitions.
There's a good use of striking and flashing lighting. It's interesting to see the cast use all sorts of objects to establish settings, in particular the clear use of fans to briefly (and loudly) create a snow storm. The singing from the cast is enjoyable
Still the production runs at 2 hours, with no interval. And whilst it doesn't feel like a bitesized Caucasian Chalk Circle, in comparison to the Unicorn's 2 hour 40 minute production for youngsters this could do with a couple of breathers.
An interval to start with, but also take a pause from the breakneck speed so that the audience can really soak in what's going on and the play's issues.
Perhaps the best moment was the introductory farmers scene at the beginning, where I could really take in the scene. An official coming with a high-viz jacket and hard hat on top of his suit (isn't that a familiar image) to discuss developing the farmland, whether the locals like it or not.
Otherwise the pacing doesn't even give the lead actors time to flesh out their characters. Ashley Cordery does well to show the hardships she goes through, but not enough for me to share her love for the baby. Rob Peacock should have more time to grasp the comedy behind Azdak's character
A good effort but by the end I was less engaged and more mentally exhausted.
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Post by David J on Feb 27, 2016 19:12:32 GMT
This is a strange but entertaining production
At times it feels like The Midsummer That Goes Wrong with a smattering of One Man Two Guvnors. There are some moments that go on for ages like Quince coming on to introduce the play, with some ramblings about current issues that somehow can be related to this. He then says that Ian McKellan is starring as Bottom, and inevitably we find out that he's not appearing (he's stuck in a lift backstage). An audience member (played by Andrew Buckley) comes on to play Bottom, with no professional acting experience.
The comedy can be very slapstick at times, with the lovers turning their quarrel into a foodfight whilst Oberon and Puck watches on eating and drinking the groceries Bottom had bought.
There's also a very subversive undertone to this production. I know Midsummer is a fairy tale play, but the whole using the flower to make people love others they don't love in the first place doesn't sit well with me.
This production grasps this issue by the nettle. Rather than being the dominant king fairy, Jonathan Broadbent presents Oberon like a tyrannical child, dressed up as what he perceives to be Superman that Cat Simmons as the majestic Titania can only cringe at. He goes about his scheme at times sadistically. The love potion now comes in a squeezable sauce bottle, and when Puck comes on and puts the sleeping (or knocked out I think) Titania in this large sink at the back he squirts the potion vigorously all over her.
The moment when he makes Demetrius love Helena too is (literally) shocking
Also, Puck (now this big bearded giant in maintenance man uniform played by Ferdy Roberts) squirts the love potion over Lysander very suggestively. John Lightbody as Lysander, who a moment ago was willing to try and creep in with Hermia into her tent, becomes a sexual predator.
And by the end when Oberon lifts Titania from her love potion state, she is so guilt ridden by her Donkey fetish that she resigns herself to Oberon's will.
I was very engaged by this production on that level. I just cant quite say the same for the rest of the production.
Its trying to be metaphysical. This is not just a play-within-a-play. It is the drama between the actors-within-the Mechanicals and their play storyline-within-A Midsummer Night's Dream. Sure they bring the pacing to halt twice at the start to establish that but its there
They just don't follow it through.
Initially you wonder whether Andrew Buckley is Bottom in real life, as he takes over the production at times making small additions. He doesn't have asses ears here. What happens is Puck touches his head, the mechanicals take one look at him and rush off, or in other words take a few steps to the musical instruments they play at the back. And they then make sounds like the Monty Python coconut clops as Bottom walks. So when Bottom says "I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me", I thought it was a nice inside joke.
By the half way point though this audience member playing Bottom acts like a professional actor who has miraculously learnt his lines within a short period of time
Other than that this feels like two productions in one. The mechanical scenes, along with the offbeat and slapstick moments is Shakespeare meets The Play That Goes Wrong. The rest of the time this is a subversive Midsummer Nights Dream.
By the end Pyramus and Thisbe is rushed along and is not the humorous play-within-a-play it usually is. Then again after the foodfight it did have tough competition.
I suppose you could say that this production was trying to present itself as amateurish and hap-hazard as the mechanicals play. But in the end it is an non traditional, professional Filter production of Midsummer Night's Dream, that's trying to be metaphysical, slapstick and subversive at the same time.
For about 2/3rds of the play I enjoyed it
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Post by David J on Feb 24, 2016 12:40:53 GMT
Hmm. I'd see Forbes Masson is he was Mephistopheles, giving his Jacques-esque performance
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Post by David J on Feb 22, 2016 23:45:51 GMT
He certainly has a thing about bending forward and brushing aside his jacket to put his hands on his hips like he means business every minute
Perhaps the bending is him preparing for Richard III or something
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Post by David J on Feb 21, 2016 11:28:36 GMT
I had a good time
Okay the play doesn't really know where to take the dark undertone. The family is horrible in that 1950s suburban America way and that's that
Fanella woolgar however becomes a cold hearted seducer in the second half
The family is interesting to follow and see their attitudes to the soldiers condition
A good fun night out that I hope will improve
Well recommended
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Post by David J on Feb 20, 2016 21:08:41 GMT
Well I've got to say I'm enjoying this
Not the funniest. There were definetly laughs here and there that increased as the play went along. Maybe it's just because this is a preview, and a more receptive audience might help
A play about this 1950s American family who lost their son Jack Fox in ww2. After 14 years this soldier who was found a prisoner in east Germany, and was being kept in a mental hospital, is brought them. Merely because the soldier and family seem to be "well bred". The problem is he has lost his memory
Katherine Kinglsey owns the stage for the first 30 minutes. Overshadowing everybody as socialite lady who brings this so called Jack Fox to the family.
The chap playing the so called Jack fills in for Kingsley after she leaves. Trying to find out whether he is Jack
By the interval however things get dark as we discover how terrible this Jack and his family are
I'm looking at a set full of stuffed dead animals right now
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Post by David J on Feb 20, 2016 19:25:28 GMT
Okay I am glad Icke didn't fill the extra time in with nothing but long silences
And I am glad to say I enjoyed this as well.
This show belongs to Jessica Brown Findlay and Vanessa Kirby. Both excellent performances, especially the moment when they put aside their differences and become friends. A very personal moment that they portrayed beautifully and naturalistically
This is the first updated/modernised Chekhov that worked for me. The performances are still naturalistic, and even though the rotating set feels like the show is punching ideas from Streetcar, it was nice to see to see the action from different angles. It was certainly clear that the scenes were choreographed to suit this. I liked the moment when the professor told everyone his intentions to sell the house that is rightfully his daughters. Him standing at the back, whilst Onya remains detached outside the room at the front end
I'll say more later
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Post by David J on Feb 20, 2016 15:15:55 GMT
Seriously Icke, seriously
You're extending the play with silence
Not that I'm complaining too much
But seriously
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Post by David J on Feb 20, 2016 13:42:23 GMT
Just used David J's £18 to rebook myself Er, what?!?!?!?
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Post by David J on Feb 19, 2016 11:46:57 GMT
A thousand thank yous xanderl, I have exchanged my evening ticket for that
Am very conscious about running time too, and there is a show I fancy that's only on in the evening
There's now a £9 ticket in the evening of anyone wants it
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Post by David J on Feb 19, 2016 6:56:37 GMT
The rewritten beginning takes ages to get going and some of the songs lack bounce How does this production start then? I remember the original Palladium version went straight into the Grand Prix before the scene in the junkyard. Then the 2006 tour began with an introduction to Jeremy and Jemima, then Caractacus and Grandpa then Coggins narrating the Grand Prix to the children (which I remember seeing they used for the Broadway production on YouTube - which has since been taken down!). I remember both versions too. I liked the Grand Prix song, but the 2006 tour version got to the point This version starts with two children playing with toy cars, leaves one behind, so that Caractacus Potts comes along picks up and think "I like cars". Then for the rest of the overture that's going on he stands in the middle of the stage watching people walk by Yay The overture even lacks the get go that the original version had. The one you can hear on the CD that has been used in the London and previous touring versions. There's some brief projections of press cuttings of the Grand Prix before anyone mentions that Chitty was a racing car. Couldn't they have used those a few minutes later? We then go into Mr Coggin's junkyard, which is restricted to a strip of the lower part of this wall that acts as the curtain. During which we switch between heaps of exposition and longeurs of filler. The filler being the children pretending to drive in the Grand Prix in the wreck, whilst the ensemble stand at the sides singing the "Never was a car" chorus. All in front of an endless projection loop of bunting flashing by. Not very involving and these moments last for a minute or so. It happens a second time with Caractacus now involved, swinging the wreck round in a circle on it's obvious wheeled truck whilst he sings a bit of Team Work. We then go back to the exposition. Which is exasperated when we have to jump to Bavaria in the middle of all this to establish Bomburst wants the car that he somehow knows about (gone is the detail that he was at the Grand Prix). Then he has a lengthy phone conversation with the spies, who appear a few minutes later to establish that they've found the car I should also mention that Chitty's crash is merely brought up in passing. So what impact that had has gone. It's just 'this once famous racing car is now in a junkyard' The scrap man (also the Childcatcher) has more stage time, which slows down proceedings further. Especially when we have to watch him cycle around the place. We meet Truly and then You Two is sung (still in the Junkyard). We then watch Caractacus and the children walk back home, so we can establish the watermill through projections The projections I must say are average. They do this thing where buildings are objects are drawn in at random. I can't decide whether that was an artistic decision or because of the graphics limitations. They are worse when the show has to establish the countryside flying by when Chitty is driving Anyway once we get into the windmill You Two is then reprised, which makes me wonder why it wasn't sung there in the first place. The thing is, it takes about 10-20 minutes for us to get to the windmill. In the 2006 version, the musical introduces the main characters, goes to the junkyard, Mr Coggins briefly tells children about Chitty's racing life whilst sitting in the wreck, ensemble sings "never was a car" in the background, crash happens, back to present, Bombarst is mentioned, scrap man wants car, spies are introduced, we meet Truly, she takes children back to windmill where we meet Caractacus. Badda-bing, badda-boom. Less than 10 minutes. Gets to the point You could say that this tour is a lesser version of the original, but together with the extra sets and projections it really makes a mountain out of a molehill. Not really helped that it is using the unnecessary alterations made in the 2009/10 tour, which reduced the childcatcher's role by taking out his song. Not that I'm complaining with Martin Kemp's performance
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Post by David J on Feb 18, 2016 12:34:26 GMT
Everyone is joining in the 'transferring other companies' shows' party these days
Not that I'm complaining. It's nice to see productions get an extended life.
Will definitely see This House again. I wonder whether the Minerva will be fitted up with the MP benches like the Cottesloe was. Perhaps that's why there's refurbishments going on. Making the Minerva a more versatile theatre.
I'd like to see LLL and MAAN again, especially whoever is playing Rosaline and Beatrice
Excited for the Ibsen and Rattigan plays
Excited for Drewe and Stiles being involved with two musicals, but I am a bit nervous about Travels with My Aunt and Half a Sixpence. Just looking at the synopsis makes me think these musicals are targeting the elderly audiences Chichester attracts. Not half as exciting as Sweeney Todd, Singin in the Rain, Barnum, Guys and Dolls, and Gypsy. And remember how last year's Damsels in Distress went down.
Would be nice to see Bertie Carvel's directorial debut with Strife.
I was wondering when a Battle of the Somme play was going to turn up
Fracked? Eh. I'll give it a go.
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Post by David J on Feb 18, 2016 12:16:25 GMT
Second act was a 30 minute 'An Evening with Jodi Prenger'.
She sang a little ditty at the start, answered some questions and then sang Another Suitcase in Another Hall with her understudy, Jodi Beth Meyer, and ended the evening with Unexpected Song
Jodi was hilarious, at one point fooling everyone in thinking ALW was in tonight. She told about her time in Oliver, how she tended to feed Bullseye, but had to stop because the dog, rather than sniffing out Sykes, noticed that the woman lying still in the ground was the one giving him treats.
She mentioned the Imelda Staunton Gypsy, and how she'd love to play Mama Rose.
She spoke about all the animals she keeps. Geese, crabs, parrots and so forth. Currently having a "Hotel Excalibur" built for the chickens. No wonder she is attracted to the Watermill Theatre with it's collection of ducks, chickens and geese
Overall, I wouldn't say this was a waste of time, but for a 40 minute drive up to Berkshire and then back in the downpour, feeling like I was the only one in his 20s there, it certainly felt like that
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Post by David J on Feb 17, 2016 20:52:03 GMT
This is quant. Nothing more than a series of relationships this woman goes through. Very repetitive. Some songs sounded very reminiscent of I'd be surprisingly good for you (Evita), the sunset boulevard theme tune, and even the pharoahs story (Joseph)
This is well suited for the elderly audience in tonight
Jodie Prenger does a stirling job, portraying the emotions this woman goes through
Some of the touring venues are complete madness. This show consists of a small apartment lounge with the orchestra behind it. The St James Theatre would make perfect sense. Not the mayflower, new Alexandra, Bristol hippodrome, Manchester palace, new Wimbledon, bird gais.
Yes they're one night performances but still...
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Post by David J on Feb 17, 2016 19:24:56 GMT
Quite enjoyed this
Personally I prefer the Jonathan Church version a decade ago. A larger scale production that had more special effects and was able to show the witches' grotesqueness.
Due to it's limitations this production does take artistic liberties with the book. Here the witches don't have bald heads but outlandish 70s hairdos that they hide under their normal looking wigs. However the Grandmother still says that they have bald heads so it doesn't quite make sense. Did the Roald Dahl estate or David Wood prevented the Curve from changing the script?
Still it is a small scale production at heart and facilities will enjoy it. Sarah Ingram relishes playing the grand high witch
At 1 hour and 40 minutes I can't complain
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Post by David J on Feb 17, 2016 19:11:32 GMT
First time I'm seeing this rare Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. With Jodie Prenger starring.
Hope this is good.
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Post by David J on Feb 16, 2016 15:40:36 GMT
Ray Fearon as Macbeth
Hell yeah
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Post by David J on Feb 16, 2016 15:10:51 GMT
Meow Meow is Titania
Those are two names I never thought I'd see in the same sentance
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Post by David J on Feb 15, 2016 17:39:44 GMT
This is being live streamed on 1st March and will be avaliable until 6th
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Post by David J on Feb 15, 2016 16:12:17 GMT
Mind you at Hand to God in the evening there were so many people going in and out you'd think the Vaudeville was a walk through
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Post by David J on Feb 15, 2016 16:10:41 GMT
Not quite bad behaviour but I just like to applaud the usher at Nell Gwynne last Saturday afternoon, who apparently spotted someone photographing the set
It seems the photographer was unreachable because he shouted "no photography please" in a clear and concise way that left the audience silent for a few seconds
There was certainly no photography after that as far as I could see
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Post by David J on Feb 15, 2016 16:04:40 GMT
2. If you're getting problems adding tickets to your basket, "select best available" works Where was that? I tried finding that option and couldn't find it
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