361 posts
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Post by lichtie on May 10, 2024 18:57:31 GMT
I often sit in stalls around row P (the behind the pillar seats). They're absolutely fine. For a tenner it's definitely worth it despite its flaws.
That's good to hear. I booked O16/17 a bit spontaneously but after having a look on Seatplan I was a bit deflated. It's easy to move you head around bit then and still see everything?
I've never had any problems - I think it's probably worse further back. My favourite is N7 (bit more space as well for bags!), but I was in O16 for Lyonesse and it was fine.
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581 posts
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Post by lou105 on May 24, 2024 11:30:45 GMT
Lovetheatre.com have a sale for today only: all their available seats for the rest of the run at £24 each. Some good bargains to be had, if anyone is still looking
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214 posts
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Post by frosty on May 24, 2024 14:28:05 GMT
Lovetheatre.com have a sale for today only: all their available seats for the rest of the run at £24 each. Some good bargains to be had, if anyone is still looking Great, thank you, just bagged 2x stalls row M for 8th June for £24 each, £162 saving!
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1,190 posts
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Post by joem on May 24, 2024 22:33:49 GMT
I assume everyone who wants to see it from here already has but just in case there may be spoilers ahead.
The problem I have with Jez Butterworth plays is that I'm always hoping for another "Jerusalem" and ending up with "Not Quite Jerusalem". This is in many ways a solid play; well written, beautifully staged and excellently acted, but it is overlong and at times the story isn't quite interesting enough to match the writing. The cast is far too big, with judicious cutting/doubling you could lose at least four actors and maybe bring the tickets down by ten quid!
So I see the character of Veronica, the matriarch, here and think "Ah! Here's our new Johnny 'Rooster' Byron". Charismatic, lippy, domineering, but tragically flawed. Except the play then drifts away from her and she spends the third act offstage. So who is/are the protagonists? The girls then. Except they are totally dominated by mum in the first act and need perhaps a little bit more finessing to delineate their differences.
My main grouse though is the last act which is to me largely unnecessary, very padded, and only there to justify a three-act structure. Essentially after the drama of Joan's return we have rather too much of Joan's travails and a totally redundant Macguffin in the baby she brings in tow. What's its purpose? To show us Joan's callousness/descent? We already know this. To tie this to the visit to see/not see her dying mum is simply a distraction. Finish the play when Jill is pleading with Joan to see her mum and you end with drama and ambiguity, instead we carry on until we end with some very pretty singing (both the adult and young actresses did a great job in that department) which tells us the play is ended but makes it rather cosier than we had a right to expect.
If some of this sounds petty or even harsh it's because Butterworth set such a high standard, for me, with "Jerusalem" that I am always holding up a glass to it when comparing it to his other works. It's certainly an event when he writes a new play and this is well worth going to - even with the steep prices involved. I just wish he'd pruned it a little more, perhaps given it a trial run outside London for fine tuning.
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1,211 posts
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Post by theatrefan77 on May 27, 2024 0:32:30 GMT
Loved this and will see it again on Saturday. Maybe a bit long but the performances are all excellent.
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Post by jr on May 27, 2024 19:31:21 GMT
Left after the first act. All exposition, no drama. I haven't been that bored in ages.
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182 posts
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Post by sweets7 on May 28, 2024 8:32:12 GMT
Saw it yesterday and found it interesting. I found Gillian the most interesting character. Absolutely truthful and really quite resilient despite everything. However, an obvious codependent. Ruby was avoidant. Gloria almost too addicted to the negative energy, and the mother and Joan total fantasists. There was a lot there that could have been mined. Did they even have a father or did they all have different ones. There only seemed to be a year between each, or had he run off. Was Joan on drugs in the USA? How did she survive at 15? Was the mother really an alcoholic who ran in her knickers in the street . Who was the most accurate of those sisters. Gloria was supremely negative or was Gillian who was more measured. Ruby and Joan didn’t seem to have any opinions.
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