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Post by David J on Feb 13, 2016 11:19:41 GMT
Ian McKellan was my first Lear back in 2007, then it was 4 years before I saw another King Lear. Now I see 1-2 lears every year.
There was a time where I found Lear an unsympathetic character. Sure what he goes through is horrible, but all I could think was he rather asked for it for the way he treats everyone. It is surprising that he lived for so long without someone opposing his absolute kingship. Richard II and Charles I didn't last to an old age did they.
It was only Derek Jacobi's performance that changed my mind. I recently went to the NT archive to see the broadcast recording again, and loved it all over again. The only King Lear I cried for at the end. He still plays the absolute king but he acts like a little boy, especially during his encounter with the blind Gloucester. Maybe that's who Jacobi perceives Lear, or perhaps it is because of old age. Watching his descent into madness is both mesmerising and heartbreaking. Pacing back and forth, trying to exert authority, ignoring any advice, but breaking down in the most harrowing way.
So I don't think Lear is an unsympathetic character, but a worthy and challenging role for actors to tackle. Making him sympathetic as well as commanding, particularly emphasising what fatherly side there is to him, which Jacobi did brilliantly with a touching reunion scene.
I just like seeing King Lear again and again just to see another well known actor take on the role. More than Hamlet.
My favourite king lears would be Derek Jacobi, Ian McKellan, and Frank Langella. Others were mixed including Brian Blessed, Greg Hicks (still looked too young for the role), Barrie Rutter, Jonathan Pryce. David Haig was less a king/east-end crime lord and more like an accountant, though he vyed towards a more sympathetic Lear like Jacobi
I just hated Simon Russell Beale's interpretation. As the makers in the pre-broadcast interviews said, how do you turn Santa Claus into King Lear. The answer is have him dress up in black leather and act EXTREMELY mean, spitting out the words like he had a grudge against them.
I would like to see the version where Queen Lear's death led to Lear giving up his kingdom. It feels like a better reason than just "because I can do whatever I like". I never really like it when plays/musicals make a fuss about a particular character and keep their motivations and backstory vague
Or even don't build the character up well. Gloucester is a famous character but initially I just find him a foolish man who falls for Edmund's plot, and only comes into his own when he is blinded
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Post by David J on Feb 11, 2016 21:09:41 GMT
Oh dear
The cast is certainly lovely and since this the tours second night? there were some glitches. Chitty's inflatable didn't come out
But this just feels pedestrian. The rewritten beginning takes ages to get going and some of the songs lack bounce
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Post by David J on Feb 8, 2016 21:37:43 GMT
I'm really engrossed by this
A real psychological character study, with so much to listen to
Ralph Fiennes is superb in this
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Cats
Feb 8, 2016 17:23:58 GMT
via mobile
Post by David J on Feb 8, 2016 17:23:58 GMT
I'd prefer an animated film
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Post by David J on Feb 6, 2016 18:31:18 GMT
A Question of Attribution is better. More laughs and it's nice to draw parallels between Anthony Blunts interrogations to see if he know some suspected spies, and his talks on whether paintings are fake or not. Truth or deception and so forth
And there's an appearance from her majesty herself, with a good impersonation from Belinda Bang
Otherwise there's nothing else to it, and that's my problem with the two plays here
They feel like 10-15 short pieces extended to just short of 1 hour, with little to says
My view on Alan Bennet is mixed really. I like it when he's just writing about people, the lady in the van and talking heads for one. When he writes topical plays like the history boys, people, and this, they don't hang together for me
I want to be generous and say this is an average play, but in the end I feel like I've wasted my time. An Englishman abroad even made me consider leaving at the interval for the first time
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Post by David J on Feb 6, 2016 15:35:29 GMT
I'm sorry what was the point of An Englishman Abroad?
I get this is based on a real story where Nicholas Farrell plays a spy who lived in Moscow till his dying day, who met this Australian actress played by Belinda Lang
But it was more or less meaningless chit chat, whilst Farrell asked her for a few items from England. A few moments where we saw other people's thoughts on him, but nothing else
Only a few smatterings of titters from the elderly audience
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Post by David J on Feb 6, 2016 13:51:01 GMT
"Announced 18 February", according to the Festival Theatre marketing team of the future
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Post by David J on Feb 6, 2016 13:29:51 GMT
At the Chichester theatre right now and confirm the same thing. The posters are all up
"Festival 2016 Announced(?) 18 February 2016"
The Minerva theatre is having some refurbishments as well
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Post by David J on Feb 5, 2016 10:30:58 GMT
I prefer Richard III as a stand alone
I love the role itself, and a production excel with an outstanding performance from the lead.
Otherwise I find Richard III the play rather dull. You know Richard is going to kill his victims so there's no tension.
If you put it on next to Henry VI it pales in comparison. Henry VI, and Game of Thrones for that matter, is a blood fest that can be thrilling. It also has that unpredictability in that anyone could get picked off at any moment. Richard III feels dull as a follow up to three plays of bloody fighting
A stand alone Richard also has the freedom to present Richard in a stylistic way. Could you imagine Anthony Sher or Simon Russell Beale's Richards in Henry VI.
For continuity and practicality's sake a production(s) of Henry VI and Richard III would likely keep Richard's presentation simple. A raised shoulder, a slight limp and a gloved hand. It is down to the actors performance to carry Richard III following Henry VI, and only Jonathan Slinger managed that in my opinion
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Post by David J on Feb 3, 2016 11:57:56 GMT
Oh, Lucian Msamati is Toledo in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom! Same guy who was an excellent Iago last year. I knew I recognised him from somewhere
Now I really need to see him in Amadeus
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Post by David J on Feb 1, 2016 16:59:51 GMT
My mum made the decision to pay for the Shakespeare Circle membership for £100 for this year only.
Seriously I didn't put her up to this, she just did it
She fancied the private screening of the birthday celebration broadcast at the new Other Place, and we can try the supporter's lottery which would give us a higher chance of getting seats in the theatre.
After 10 years of going to the RSC year after year, if this shows how mad we are about Shakespeare I don't know what is
At least we got tickets for The Tempest. I wan't to be up close for that show.
Still even the supporter's booking was troublesome. Took ages to get through to choosing seats
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Post by David J on Jan 30, 2016 23:13:36 GMT
I liked this.
I think its biggest strength is the rehearsal room scenes. The conversations between the musicians felt down to earth and amusing. I'd prefer to hang out with them any time, especially the guy playing Tolesa.
Only the ending didn't ring true for me. It just felt rushed. Despite everything that led up to that, I just didn't believe the character concerned would do that
The rest of the play doesn't hang together well for me. The music parts is lovely to hear and it is a pleasure to hear Clarke sing. Beyond that I thought the conversations between the musicians were more fleshed out, and the recording studio scenes just weighed down the play.
The nephew issue just felt like a plot device that is sorted out in the end with no consequence. Theres a good 5-10 minutes of them doing repeat recordings till he gets it right
This just felt like two plays in one. One is Ma Rainey recording her music (whilst being a drama queen). The other is the behind the scenes stuff and the camaraderie between the musicians where we sense how despite Rainey's popularity she and the musicians are being persecuted by racism as much as any other black person. There's more meat to these scenes and I would love to sit through them in small intimate space
And that's the other problem I have with this production, which is the play just doesn't feel suited for the Lyttleton. Sitting in the circle I wished I could enjoy the musician scenes more. It would have been a right ball. But I just felt disconnected.
Perhaps it didn't help that I had trouble following what they were saying at times (listening to accents doesn't come naturally to me). It could help if they spoke up a little.
The musicians also felt hemmed in by the narrow corridor of space they have to act in at the front of the stage. I loved the symbolism of the blacks having to stay put down below whilst the white producers are in the recording space above the stage.
But really its being a while since I've seen something (or at least some scenes) that felt down to earth and natural in the Lyttleton.
Anyone sitting in the front rows will have a great time. It's not bad sitting further back but I know I could have enjoyed it more if I had sat nearer.
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Pink Mist
Jan 30, 2016 15:52:03 GMT
via mobile
Post by David J on Jan 30, 2016 15:52:03 GMT
Damn, just damn...
Seeing this based on the praise its getting and the reviews are certainly not wrong
A nice bit of warmth and bravado from Phil Dunster who leads the production initially but soon the tumult settles in
I mean yeah if you're going to see a play about soldiers experiences in war it is expected to see how messed up there...
...but damn
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Post by David J on Jan 30, 2016 10:39:28 GMT
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Post by David J on Jan 23, 2016 22:11:52 GMT
Quite enjoyed this
This is Richard except delivered by one woman.
Emily Carding to be exact, who has taken this show around the world, and won awards including the Bobby award at the Edinburgh fringe last year
Basically she welcomes us in, giving those at the front labels denoting his victims. I got Rivers.
We all sat around her in a circle and she addressed us, casually but insidiously like we're all in with her devilish plot, including the victims, and there's nothing we can do about it
She speaks a lot of her monologues and conversations with the others, addressing those she has picked and saying the words those characters would normally say. She manages to make the play clear for us, pointing out the different characters she mentions
It's an intimate performance and she plays Richard cold and menacing, but with a dry wit. The audience quickly warmed to her and their reception to her interactions created more humour
An enjoyable 1 hour and 10 minutes Id recommend
I would advise though that the location can be allusive in the Draper Estate near Elephant and Castle. Simply walk down Kennington Park Road on the left side from the big Elephant and Castle roundabout, past the big traffic light junction and a row of shops, and there will be a sign with chalk writing on the pavement pointing you the way
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Post by David J on Jan 23, 2016 19:15:25 GMT
Really enjoyed this.
This isn't just a play about the issue of homosexuality and its persecution in Uganda
It turns into a real moral quandary. There's so much to 6 characters in this that despite them taking the religious high ground, the hypocrisy seeps through.
The main question though is would you give someone up to those who are out for their skin
Not sure it will stick me a month later but it's well worth seeing
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Post by David J on Jan 23, 2016 15:40:21 GMT
Seeing this based on recommendations from the previous forum
Liking this. Took its time to get going, but sh*t is starting to hit the fan
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Post by David J on Jan 22, 2016 19:16:16 GMT
I'm thinking the lottery will be similar to Friday Rush that the National has. What, a first-come-first-serve sale rather than an actual lottery?
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Post by David J on Jan 22, 2016 13:57:50 GMT
This is starting in 2 weeks time. Anyone planning to see it?
This will be my introduction to the play when I go up the week leading up to Shakespeare's birthday weekend. Maria Aberg don't let me down
Actually contrary to what I said in the old forum, Sandy Grierson and Oliver Ryan do not have a set schedule for their alternating performances as Faustus and Mephistopheles.
It's decided by one of those toss of the coin moments on the night of the performance, except the two will come on and light a match together. The one whose match goes out soonest is Faustus.
Personally I'd like to see Grierson as Mephistopheles. I loved his ethereal Ariel next to Jonathan Slinger in The Tempest
By the way I thought I'd try out the poll function. Vote if you have seen this
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Post by David J on Jan 22, 2016 12:51:59 GMT
There's a 2 year old (9 days off the date) discussion about a funny gap in Lynette Theatre's scheduling that still cracks me up
I won't elaborate. I've only just become a member here.
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Post by David J on Jan 20, 2016 21:12:58 GMT
Would you know it Evelyn Hoskins is in this.
Good so far. Perhaps not one of Ayckbourns strongest. Does milk an awkward pause at one point
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Post by David J on Jan 20, 2016 11:47:11 GMT
Apologies but I think I got the names mixed up. I assumed boards were threads, and threads were topics I meant if we could create a 'board' to put the events in (like General Chat, musicals, plays), with 'sub-boards' like Genre, Location, or long-running musical I looked into the event creating menu and it lets you choose which board to put the event in. If we just had a separated board then that would mean the musicals and plays boards won't get clogged up with events rather than discussion topics... ...I mean't threads
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Post by David J on Jan 20, 2016 9:45:01 GMT
I like the idea of creating events to say what productions we are seeing so that there's a chance forum members can meet up.
Can I make the suggestion though that we make another thread to put these events in. We can even have sub threads for musicals, plays, regional and so on within it. Or perhaps location based sub-threads called West End, Fringe, Regional (with sub threads like Chichester, Stratford and so on). Or even sub threads for each long running musical that people are seeing
It's just that I can see a general chat topic for Kinky Boots in the musicals section, and an event for Kinky Boots that Burlybear has created.
Now I'm not saying this will happen, but just imagine if everyone started putting events for every performance of Kinky Boots they are seeing in the musical section.
Or every Wicked performance for that matter!!!
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Post by David J on Jan 19, 2016 15:35:08 GMT
Thought I'd put my thoughts here Okay I've just seen this for a second time, and I have no need to see it again It isn't just bad that the songs are bland, the main character is passive, a lot of the first act taking place in a shack, and the factory tour being grounded by the repetitive nature of the story and sequence of sets. It's just that the one magical scene to be found is now missing the legs to carry it, which is Pure Imagination. I was sitting in the front row on the left side and could clearly hear the loud thumping noises, and I thought "they're not bringing the elevator through the stage are they" And indeed the elevator is trundled on on top of this great big platform that was clearly the new lift. It only levitates a few metres and as mentioned it just goes left and right. At times stopping long enough to get a good view of the outline of the lift. And the elevator still jitters around occasionally. It just looked sad really. On another note I will say that If Your Mother Were Here has slightly been improved. Mr Bucket sings the 1-2 verses before Mrs Buckett returns home. He goes off to find work and then she sings "If your father were here". Then the two sing the rest of the song. Better, and it doesn't make me think that Charlie's mum had died. It just still feels redundant by the fact this song is about the absence of the parents, who are the very ones who are singing this to Charlie. Maybe this was meant to suggest that they don't spend a lot of time at home with Charlie because they are out all day looking for work after Mr Bucket lost his job. But that is let down by the fact that they've been onstage in the Bucket house for the last 20 minutes, and Charlie has never indicated that he misses them. Now Jonathan Slinger He is much better now compared to the audio recording of him a few pages back. He's cut back on delivering the lines with force and he does have a good singing voice, which also has hints of madness and eccentricity *sigh* He's just not Willy Wonka I was worried about this back when he was announced, and my fears were correct. I've seen all his RSC performances 2006 to 2013. None of them spell a lovable, eccentric, man with sparkling eyes and a beaming face. The only one that comes close is his extravagant Richard II, and even then you saw a dour side to him when he took off his curly wig. And that's how I'd describe his Wonka. Dour. With the occasional weird smile. I think he was going for a reclusive man, shut away from society in his factory. Eager to show his work but withdrawn from human interaction. Just not welcoming at all and lacking warmth. It isn't enough to carry the second act If I was Charlie and he offered me the factory, I'd think "uh, uh, I don't want to shut myself up and become you" Of the three, Douglas Hodge and Alex Jennings (based on videos and bootlegs) were way better
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Post by David J on Jan 19, 2016 12:48:55 GMT
Seeing Hero's Welcome at Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford tomorrow
Keeping saturday open
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Post by David J on Jan 19, 2016 12:43:46 GMT
I'm originally David J from the original forum.
Thought after 5 years I may spruce things up a bit
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