404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Mar 20, 2024 12:16:32 GMT
I think the bar is only a lobby now - while they sort out if its a Pub or not.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Mar 4, 2024 22:34:57 GMT
I thought this play was Bonkers :hilarious, harrowing, messy and provocative. Clearly its not for everybody but I loved its audaciousness and I thought the performances were all terrific. Is it perfect? No. But it's a wild ride and totally worth it.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Feb 20, 2024 7:35:59 GMT
I was there as well last night and thought it was pretty terrific. (Although it did take a while for me to get used to the thickness of the accents.) I didn't notice anyone under performing so it was a shock when after the extended interval they told us to go home. What I resented was that the probably could have told us 10 or 15 minutes earlier. To extend the interval , get us all back in the theatre have us settle down and then say: "Sorry" was disrespectful of our time and our effort to get there. What are we supposed to do? Go back and sit through act one again? I'm taking this badly because on Saturday the performance of King Lear at the Almeida was cancelled "due to illness - not COVID" That's two shows in a four day period. I understand that the economics of the subsidized sector are difficult. However, it's a new world and they just have to factor in understudies to their budgets. I am a die hard theatregoer but to have my time and effort disrespected ( as the prices go up and up and up) is forcing me to hesitate in buying tickets in the first place.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Feb 18, 2024 22:46:27 GMT
I saw this last night and loved it - a bit of a slow burn in the first act but it all builds beauifully and it is meticulously designed and directed. Sterling performances all around especially from Ms Duncan, Mr Sinclair and a breakout performance from Bessie Carter. And kudos to the casting decisions which brought in Global Majority actors seamlessly into the fabric of an English family. Realistic? Probably not, but it infused the play with a contemporary context and did so quite convincingly.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Feb 13, 2024 18:47:37 GMT
I saw this as well and thought it was pretty delightful. Smart and funny and a terrific cast. It's goal is to be "Little Shop" and it doesn't quite get there but its a helluva lot better than "Heathers" and others of that ilk.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Feb 8, 2024 5:37:57 GMT
I wasn't bored. I've watched the first two seasons of the show and enjoyed them but haven't felt the need to go back to it. As for the play - it's not much. There is no "there" there. The characters are cardboard and so I didn't invest emotionally in any of them. The jokes fall flat and the performances are at best perfunctory. The effects are good but, this is a theme park ride and not a theatrical one. As a Theme Park Ride its miles ahead of "Back to the Future" as a theatrical one it's way,way behind "Harry Potter". I would say if you're a fan of the show, you'll have a good time. But if you're not? Skip it.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Jan 31, 2024 10:09:35 GMT
A monumental play to stand alongside the great works of the last 15 years. A bit like Gypsy crossed with Hangmen! A hilarious and perfect description!!
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Jan 30, 2024 10:27:32 GMT
This is pretty major. Beautiful performances from the very large cast, and forget being concerned about the running time - it zooms by. While I have questions as to the timeline of the events in the play ( and the characters do as well) it allows all of us something to debate after the show. Jez Butterworth's writing is full humanity , wit and at times poetry that whatever vaguries exist don't really matter . Sam Mendes's fluid and detailed staging is a joy to behold. While it lacks the punch of The Ferryman, it makes up for it in scenes and climaxes of extraordinary quiet power. I cannot wait to see it again.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Jan 29, 2024 9:40:48 GMT
I actually don't understand the venom toward these plays and this production. Yes the ticket prices are outrageous but sadly that's what a free market economy is all about. As for the production, this isn't a cheap as cheese Bill Kenwright (RIP) touring revival - it's a lush starry revival of a good (not great) play that hasn't aged as well in terms of sexual politics. So what? This production honors the tradition of a "boulevard" comedy by faultlessly re-creating the experience of what was once a staple of the West End and Broadway. Would anyone actually want to see a Jamie Lloyd de-construction of a Neil Simon play ? I don't think so. This show is the equivalent of a Fortnum and Mason gift basket. Beautifully presented and full of delights that you didn't know you missed. The two stars are funny and endearing and the production as a whole is never less than glittering and it captures the sexual politics of a moment in time (not that long ago) - when women had certain roles in life which were expected of them. 5 stars from me.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Jan 23, 2024 4:25:23 GMT
So there's bad news and there's bad news.
I had hoped that this least welcoming and claustrophobic of London Theatres would have seized this astonishing opportunity and run with it. But they haven't - from the confusing signage to simply enter the theatre, to the apathetic staff ( the first staff person didn't look up from her Insta when I entered the street level lobby) to the bar staff which happily announced that the house was now open - and it wasn't. When it was pointed out that the rope was still across the entrance, she said: wait a minute and sold two more glasses of wine ( clearly the priority of the venue) and then she left the bar and removed the rope to allow us in. An usher who was on the other side of the rope greeted us and directed us to our seats. ( "It's down there" ) . The seats themselves are relatively comfortable but way too thin. The only aspect of the new space that people were talking about was how tightly squished together the seats are - thus making a seat which on its own might be ok , now becomes a source of irritation. And throughout the performance we were treated ( at least 6 times) to someone kicking over their ( presumably) empty plastic wine glass - something which if the seats were placed differently wouldn't happen. And finally the late Dan Crawford's tradition of begging for money at the end of the performance . Not bloody likely.
Oh but the play? I had hoped that with a new larger and presumably more convivial space and a new artistic staff ( Isn't Mark Ravenhill involved?) that the level of play presented would be lifted a bit. I was wrong. The Exhibitionists is the usual cheap "gay" sex comedy. For which there is clearly an audience ( hey I was there I admit that) but this one was bad and more importantly it was a pathetic rewrite in terms of 85% its structure ( though none of the dialogue) of "Private Lives" . Featuring a cheap set design, lame direction and amateurish performances. I don't think I'll be going back there anytime soon, but I also don't think they'll miss me.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Jan 1, 2024 21:07:36 GMT
Thanks David this is great.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Dec 28, 2023 0:12:07 GMT
Well this was pretty awful. I loved Eureka Day - I found it smart, relevant and the last scene in the first act had me and the rest of the audience screaming with laughter. This play however would've led to a different sort of screaming except it was so boring and unfocused. Badly directed, ridiculously designed and acted in the manner of a sketch show. Hampstead Downstairs is becoming a sort of graveyard of plays clearly rejected by other theatres. We, like so many others fled at the interval.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Dec 26, 2023 6:35:31 GMT
This was a tough list to make - I found 17 shows to be the best of the year, which is damn good. But list making is a ruthless business so here goes.
1.Guys and Dolls 2.Streetcar 3.Motive and Cue 4.Two Strangers 5.Phaedra
honorable mentions to : Next to Normal, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Dancing at Lunghasa, Vanya, A Little Life.
shows that I loathed: The Way Old Friends Do, Lyoneses, Little Big Things, Brokeback Mountain, and The Secret Life of Bees.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Dec 20, 2023 8:03:50 GMT
Saw this last night and found that, for me it missed the mark emotionally . The performers are all fine but ultimately I didn't feel much of anything for any of the characters. The design was evocative, the staging was fluid - though getting some sense of just how much time was passing would've been nice. It felt like a step backward for Conor McPherson from his superb Girl From North Country. Of course there he had great songs from Bob Dylan to work with, here there were Polish folk songs and Elvis Costello's attempts to evoke ... I don't know what; just that they were attempting to be poetic but weren't. It's a worthy effort but one which looks better on paper than live on stage.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Dec 13, 2023 10:57:06 GMT
I saw this last night and at least it was better than Hex. But aside from the central performances of Sally Ann Triplett, Katherine KIngsley, Daniel Rigby and the boy who played Bruno, George Menzies Cutts - it's a slog of an evening. How many workshops have they done? How many years of development? And this is the final result? The sets looked cheap, the lighting by the usually reliable Bruno Poet was of a grammar school quality. And the score was a mess of generic styles. When the big ballad "Stand Up" occurred I thought: really? This is the best you can do? In reading director Lyndsey Turner's bio in the program I noticed that she has seemingly never directed a musical before -and it shows. I'm sure they want an extended life for the show but if they do - they need to get to work with people who know how to make a musical.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Dec 8, 2023 7:55:22 GMT
I saws this last night from a seat not labeled as obstructed C47 (?) but missed most of the action on the far wall due to a very thick pillar and sometimes an actor waiting to go on. Despite that, I found the show deeply disappointing in terms of the performances, the quality of the singing and the overall lacklustre musical direction. Most of the lyrics were garbled by uneven sound design. Making the Narrator act like Jonahtan Pryce in Miss Saigon was a good idea on paper - but in reality it took away from the narrative sweep of the show. This is a huge disappointment.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Dec 7, 2023 9:22:24 GMT
A beautiful play. Annie Baker's world is tiny and more detailed than Chekov's - and often just as affecting. Nothing is wasted and so much is left of unsaid but when a company of great actors commits to her world it's simply wonderful. Clearly not for everyone, the woman next to me ( after the show) asked : why didn't they talk more? and why didn't they speak louder? I tried to explain it to her - but she was having none of it. Having been through a similar situation where one is sharing confidences with strangers whom one will never see again, Ms Baker captured that awkwardness perfectly. There is a quiet profundity to her plays and her people which I adore. A serious play for serious theatergoers.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Dec 7, 2023 1:00:46 GMT
Tonight was the second preview of this laugh out loud show at the Hope Theatre in Islington. I knew nothing about it except that it sounded like it would be funny. It's an hour long and the good news is - it's hilarious. It's clearly an Eburgh show with hopefully a bright future beyond that. The performers are frisky and gung-ho. The audience was sparse but we all had a good time. The tickets are only £10.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Dec 2, 2023 8:22:46 GMT
I saw this two nights ago and thought it is one of the best new musicals I've seen in a long time. A gen Z Last Five Years . The music is charming and melodic and the lyrics are sharp and insightful. And the performances can't be topped. This a 5 star show with an open heart and without being manipulative or derivative. I expect it to have along life here and across the pond.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Nov 23, 2023 7:38:06 GMT
I saw this last night and was astounded at how genuinely awful it was. The writing was sloppy and strictly first draft theatre. Ridiculously awkward exposition, a plot that makes little sense, and boy was it long. There was some joy in seeing KST let loose but I sat there wondering how this managed to get produced in the West End without a tryout anywhere. As someone said on here, if it had been done at Hampstead the critics wouldn't have been so harsh because it would've just been another bad Hampstead play, but at dizzying West End prices and with Sonia Friedman producing one has a reason to expect something much much better.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Nov 22, 2023 9:37:38 GMT
I saw this last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. I smiled more than I laughed which isn't a bad thing, but others were laughing out loud a little too much at stuff that was at best, amusing. However, there's no doubting Sam Barnett's bountiful skill and charm. Totally worthwhile.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Nov 18, 2023 22:22:35 GMT
I saw this at the matinee today and with the exception of Jenna Russell I found everything about it ( except the Red Dior gown) pretty enervating. The first act in particular took forever to get going and though the second act was much better, the whole enterprise lacked "ooomph" The set was dreary and generic and the score was underwhelming - no part of it stood out. I love the source material, I loved the Angela Lansbury TV film of 25 years ago or so and I loved the lesley Manville film from last year - but this was just a dreary show.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Nov 5, 2023 16:11:11 GMT
This is a bold, anarchic, funny , fascinating play about the Cleveland Street Brothel Scandal of 1889 in which members of the Royal Family and the upper echelons of London Society were implicated in not only being regulars of this all-male brothel which employed telegraph boys recruited out of the head office of the Royal Mail , but in fact being it’s owners and were able to keep the legal authorities away thanks to their station in society.
Mr Fritz has intriguingly tied these events together with a dogged police investigator who was responsible for investigating the Jack-the-Ripper murders and more pointedly for not following up one leg of the investigation which it is surmised, would’ve found the murderer. These two scandals are thus presented as what sort of lawlessness prevailed in the British upper classes at the time.
The main thrust of the story though is through the eyes and experiences of one of the Telegraph boys who turns to prostitution to simply be able to pay the rent on the flat he shares with his mother. His father, having been tragically killed by a horse who was irritated by a rat crossing its path in a haphazard manner because a flea was chewing at its back. ( hence the title) .
The scenes are played out in a sort of phantasmagoric way utilizing Panto-like sketches, ,military drills , vaudebille turns and outrageous costumes and effects.
To carry off this audaciousness the play needs a director with vision and a team of five actors to play and juggle the multiple roles with high style, wit, charm and for a couple of characters - vulnerability. Sadly neither of these things are present in this production. I found myself watching a good play being badly produced. This is the sort of play which the National Theatre or the Almeida or the Roayl Court should be doing - a theatre which could rise to the occasional of Mr Fritz’s state-of-the-nation play .
Where is Rupert Goold or Rebecca Frecknall or Dominic Cooke when you need them ? I can only hope that at some point in the near future a director with a clarity of vision and a theatre with the appropriate amount of funding will discover this play and give it the production it deserves.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Nov 4, 2023 7:05:56 GMT
I attended an early preview of this provocative and funny play by Dan Sareen in the Park 90. Unusually for the Park 90, especially in previews, it was sold out. Terrific performances especially from Catherine Cusack, Amy-Leigh Hickman and Kishore Walker. It's a family comedy drama about cultural assimilation and it presents it's arguments well especially in Act Two some serious emotional discussion about casual racism. It's refreshing to see a family play reflecting the South Asian community. Mr Sareen writes with an honesty and pragmatism that actually had the audience last night seriously engaged in post-show discussion.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Nov 1, 2023 16:33:05 GMT
I was happy to see how this scrappy less-than-successful off-bway and very unsuccessful west end musical play to capacity crowd at the Palladium. Unfortunately, the truly awful sound, the under-rehearsed cast and edits to the book were all misjudgments which made the evening more "meh" than it should've beenFrom what I gather the sound is always a problem at these one night things so I'm going to take a pass on the forthcoming events.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Oct 27, 2023 18:55:21 GMT
God what an awful play and production. Unbelievably boring, and dimly lit beyond comprehension. Everyone around me was in some sort of state of slumber. I left at the interval as did many of my fellow audience members. Boring. Competition between this and Lyonesse I think this is probably worse though I haven't booked Lyonesse - but I'm very tempted ( a day seat or something later in the run when people have had time to return their tickets)
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Oct 26, 2023 22:04:27 GMT
God what an awful play and production. Unbelievably boring, and dimly lit beyond comprehension. Everyone around me was in some sort of state of slumber. I left at the interval as did many of my fellow audience members. Boring.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Oct 7, 2023 20:33:29 GMT
A great show from start to finish. Smart, funny, wonderfully constructed fabulously choreographed and a delightful quartet of performers . This show deserves a long and happy life.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Oct 2, 2023 9:23:46 GMT
It all sounds very self-aggrandizing and the idea of paying £90 for a musical about trying to end world hunger seems a bit ...weird. Maybe just send the money to an apprproiate charity instead?
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Oct 2, 2023 9:20:45 GMT
Heard it’s going to Broadway first. Then we can just pray it comes over here That's a dangerous move on their part - the Americans I know who saw it here disliked it intensely, yet most Brits thought it fun. With US democracy currently hanging on by a thread a light-hearted musical about some of those who undermined democracy might not be what the audience over there wants right now.
|
|