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Post by zahidf on Jan 25, 2024 15:43:39 GMT
It's not a first season - It's actually the final season which Tim Sheader has programmed even though he's no longer Artistic Director. Drew McOnie is responsible for programming the 2025 season and beyond. I seem to be alone in thinking it's not a bad season at all. A Shakespeare, a new dramatisation of a classic English novel (they've a long tradition of doing those) and a timely revival of a Broadway musical directed by someone who's worked on two of the most exciting recent musical revivals. Also kudos to them for looking at the pricing structure and making over 33,000 tickets available at £15, and all Monday tickets at £15, £25 and £35. With that pricing, ill have a look at Fiddler. Ive seen 12th Night too many times, so will give that a miss. Secret Garden doesnt sound great, but may revisit it if reviews are good
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Post by zahidf on Jan 25, 2024 14:37:50 GMT
Terry and the rest of the management team should have been better prepared for this sort of reaction. I think the casting is wrong but only because Terry keeps giving herself these high profile roles and I am never comfortable with ADs doing that. As I said earlier, the Globe has a decent track record of inclusive casting. I don't know how Francesca Mills views her achondrophasia but the recent announcement of her casting as the title character in The Duchess of Malfi is a significant milestone for inclusive casting. Arthur Hughes is also in that cast. The casting of three d/Deaf actors in the forthcoming A&C is similarly significant. The Globe should have had better answers ready for why Terry is taking on this role than they have done this far. Its probably something which is going to effect all productions of Richard 3rd going forwards and which will have to be taken into account tbf to Terry, she hasnt taken a lot of major roles at the globe, mainly seems to be supporting parts as part of a ensemble
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Post by zahidf on Jan 25, 2024 11:14:00 GMT
Is this the new Directors first season?
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Post by zahidf on Jan 25, 2024 10:36:21 GMT
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Post by zahidf on Jan 25, 2024 10:10:53 GMT
In terms of early access, ive stopped the NT membership for the reasons above. As a Mastercard holder, you get early access anyway You mean Amex I assume, or have I missed a NT/Mastercard link somewhere? Sorry, Amex i meant
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Post by zahidf on Jan 25, 2024 8:23:41 GMT
Its purely transactional for me these days
Of all the memberships, i like the barbican one. 20% off tickets if bought on date of sale ( sometimes after if available), all the seats being available, and money off their food and occasionally bar.
Non-theatre, but the BFI membership is good value. 2 free tickets, 10% off food/drink/shop, money off seats and all tickets available to membership ( stuff sells out before public sale)
In terms of early access, ive stopped the NT membership for the reasons above. As a Mastercard holder, you get early access anyway
I occasionally become an almeida member because its a lot easier to get the pillar seats for bigger shows. I haven't been a donmar member for a while but given the issues i had with Macbeth, ill bear it in mind for a hot play
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Post by zahidf on Jan 24, 2024 14:01:05 GMT
I am curious as to the pricing of Yard standing tickets. Looking at the currently available production, if I try to buy a Yard ticket it offers two options for me to buy at £5 and £10 (with £2.50 and £5 for under 16s). Last time I went, the Yard was a single open space. Can anybody enlighten me as to why two price options? they are the same tickets, the price stays at £10.00 when the £5 tickets sell out. You can opt to pay £10.00 as a 'gesture'
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Post by zahidf on Jan 24, 2024 10:18:43 GMT
Yeah, they have 2 transfers in the West End now ( 3 if you include Standing on the Skys Edge) and Witches and Bernada Alba big hits.
The new season has potential, but financially things seem good
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Post by zahidf on Jan 23, 2024 11:37:36 GMT
Has the Globe PR team moved to the US? "Center stage", "color" are not conventional UK spellings. Putting that to one side, there isn't much to excite me there. I don't know how well they did in 2023, but this feels quite safe in terms of choice of repertoire. So perhaps they need to be more commercial in the current climate. They said that the 2023 season was a big Success, which is why they are doing more plays this year to include a new play, as their finances are more stable. From Time out "In a break from the doom and gloom that’s gripped the theatre world recently, Shakespeare’s Globe boss Michelle Terry revealed at a launch event this week that the iconic Bankside venue’s somewhat conservative 2023 season – just four shows, all big-name Shakespeare plays – payed off better than expected, stabilising the theatre’s rocky post-pandemic finances and allowing a bigger, riskier 2024 season." Taming of the Shrew and the new play sound most interesting to me
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Post by zahidf on Jan 23, 2024 10:28:02 GMT
Transferring to the National at the Olivier from 22 May
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Post by zahidf on Jan 23, 2024 10:11:27 GMT
From 22 June in the Olivier
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Post by zahidf on Jan 23, 2024 10:08:03 GMT
"Shakespeare’s Globe has unveiled its forthcoming summer season for 2024, featuring a number of Shakespeare productions, returning creatives and a brand-new play.
The season opens on 25 April with associate artistic director Sean Holmes at the helm of Much Ado About Nothing, featuring Ekow Quartey and Amalia Vitale in the roles of Benedick and Beatrice.
Artistic director Michelle Terry will take center stage as the titular character in Richard III, directed by Elle While and scheduled to run from 9 May.
After that, Jude Christian will make a main-stage Globe debut with The Taming of the Shrew, transforming the Globe into an absurd carnival from 6 June. Blanche McIntyre will then return to direct Antony and Cleopatra, with Nadia Nadarajah starring as Cleopatra in a bilingual production. Further cast includes William Grint and Nadeem Islam. Holmes’ well-received 2023 production, The Comedy of Errors, will make a comeback from 21 August before embarking on a tour.
Adding some new writing to the season, a world premiere play titled Princess Essex will run in the autumn, written by and featuring Anne Odeke in the lead role. The comedy, set in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in 1908, recounts the true story of Princess Dinubolu, the first woman of color to enter a beauty pageant in the UK. Robin Belfield will direct the production, scheduled to run from 13 September.
For families, the award-nominated team behind Midsummer Mechanicals will present a new family show, Rough Magic, in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse from 20 July. Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank’s Romeo & Juliet, the next instalment in the flagship project for secondary schools, will be directed by Globe director of education Lucy Cuthbertson and makes its return on 19 March. This production, designed to support the curriculum, offers a gripping 90-minute rendition set in the present day."
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Post by zahidf on Jan 19, 2024 17:41:10 GMT
amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/19/shakespeare-play-theatre-rscHow can their Chief Theatre Critic be so clueless? The last train from Stratford to London was (certainly pre COVID) just after 11pm. Yes now it is 9.33pm. But that is a relatively recent reduction in service. Her lack of depth of knowledge shows through in that alone. Shakespeare does not benefit from being massively cut. It can work (and I have done it myself when I cut H4 into one play) but AYLI at 80 minutes is too short. You lose too much. Most of the comedies can work with a run time of two hours plus interval. And most of the tragedies can work at no more than 2 hours 30 plus interval. So cutting can absolutely be successful. But you need enough text left to get a true sense of the power of the language and the scope of the narrative. And the idea that a massively cut Shakespeare is less stressful for audiences just doesn't stack up for me. The solution to travel/accommodation costs is to work with the rail company to restore a decent service on at least some nights per week. And for the RSC to not have shows that make it impossible to catch the restored last trains I was looking back at recalled reviewing the More d'Arthur which started at 7pm and had a run time of 3hrs 45. I missed the final few minutes in order to get the train. The RSC should have ensured a 10.30pm finish time to avoid such problems. I would never advocate for only ever performing uncut texts. That is not the solution. Theatre should never be that reverential or self indulgent. But cutting AYLI to 80 minutes will lose too much and just panders to the idea that Shakespeare is difficult. Shakespeare done well is captivating and engaging. That is where the focus should be. Tbh, it's not really the case that the railway company can be worked with in that way you suggest to accommodate the RSC. The numbers in question wouldn't justify it the same way a Glastonbury or football match would As to cutting the play to that length, I don't have as much an opinion on that, would be on a case by case basis!
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Post by zahidf on Jan 19, 2024 6:23:01 GMT
RC won’t be announcing until March Cowbois finishes on 10 Feb and nothing is set for upstairs after 25 Jan. Are they going dark for a couple of months? They have stand up comedy 15-24 march
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Post by zahidf on Jan 18, 2024 19:30:14 GMT
A baffling and brilliant night of theatre news. I have so many questions. Did the OV and Sonia Friedman plan this? Is it sheer coincidence? How funny to have two starry productions of the same play announced within minutes of each other. I feel as though Icke's will win in terms of overall production, but this is extremely exciting as well. Ickes will be a more interesting play, but Rami Malek will be the bigger draw
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Post by zahidf on Jan 18, 2024 19:13:57 GMT
Bad timing
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Post by zahidf on Jan 18, 2024 10:33:05 GMT
Well this is being revived in the west end Garrick theatre, 17 March until 28 April, with Bridgerton star Charithra Chandran Hang on a sec. For Black Boys.... is booked in then?
Is this an off day show, once a week?
EDIT: Ah it is, SUNDAYS only
Ah didnt notice that. Makes more sense i guess. More West End theatres should look to doing that i reckon
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Post by zahidf on Jan 18, 2024 9:48:29 GMT
Well this is being revived in the west end
Garrick theatre, 17 March until 28 April, with Bridgerton star Charithra Chandran
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Post by zahidf on Jan 18, 2024 8:28:12 GMT
If Sher directs then the show will be 4 hours long, with 15 minute set changes. With everyone marching towards the audience slowly in the penultimate scene Running time: approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes, including an interval
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Post by zahidf on Jan 18, 2024 0:46:25 GMT
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Post by zahidf on Jan 18, 2024 0:43:28 GMT
They didn’t need to name playwrights or directors. To be fair they didn't. The names are in square brackets showing that it was an addition by The Stage when they quoted the report. If you look at the report itself, helpfully linked to by @daveb you'll see the names don't appear, although the production name does, possibly to remove ambiguity. Feels unfair on the stages part then Naomi Wallace is a young playwright who hasn't done a lot of stuff beforehand on a large scale But the report on Royal court and Young vic seems more 'anonymous' in not specifying particular productions and creatives
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Post by zahidf on Jan 17, 2024 20:30:47 GMT
I might stay over and do a couple of plays. Did it 9 years ago or so, had fun
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Post by zahidf on Jan 17, 2024 19:53:20 GMT
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Post by zahidf on Jan 17, 2024 12:27:19 GMT
TBF, its fun but not exactly something id want to watch twice
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Post by zahidf on Jan 17, 2024 11:58:26 GMT
Kenny Wax puts all his stuff in Nimax venues usually, so my guesss is the Apollo. Correct! Apollo theatre 14th March to 28 April
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Post by zahidf on Jan 17, 2024 8:58:00 GMT
Interesting! It’s an intrigued yes from me with an open mind, will book as soon as I see a deal on. Adrian Dunbar is a great actor. Here he is singing! Mother of God
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Post by zahidf on Jan 17, 2024 8:45:11 GMT
Sounds like 2022/2023 was a disaster for Hampstead
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Post by zahidf on Jan 17, 2024 8:44:21 GMT
On the young vic and Royal court
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Post by zahidf on Jan 17, 2024 8:01:15 GMT
Dunbar is very peculiar casting for this role. “There's only one thing I'm interested in and that is putting on a musical version of Taming of the Shrew”
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Post by zahidf on Jan 16, 2024 23:58:58 GMT
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