2,389 posts
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Post by peggs on Jan 6, 2017 12:43:27 GMT
Haven't had a chance to post much lately but needed to log on especially for this. Sometimes I hit a bad run of plays where none of them particularly impress, and I start to wonder if it's really worth it, spending all this money booking things that haven't opened, or that aren't obviously my cup of tea. And then just in the nick of time you see something that reminds you why you bother. I haven't seen this production but glad you enjoyed it Andrew as yes I know just what you mean about being on a dry play run and then seeing something that reminds you just how good theatre is when it works well. I can imagine with these two actresses that it could be electric.
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478 posts
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Post by drmaplewood on Jan 6, 2017 14:42:45 GMT
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Post by countryjames on Jan 6, 2017 20:39:44 GMT
Thanks for this. Have managed to get two tickets for the last show.
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Post by alexandra on Jan 11, 2017 14:02:41 GMT
For those who want to see it a particular way round, I've seen that at the beginning of matinees (around 2pm) the Almeida tweets the result of the coin toss (Stevenson as Elizabeth I this afternoon, it seems). That means that the evening show will be the other way round, so you could go and get a return if you wanted to see it that way.
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2,520 posts
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Post by n1david on Jan 11, 2017 16:07:32 GMT
For those who want to see it a particular way round, I've seen that at the beginning of matinees (around 2pm) the Almeida tweets the result of the coin toss (Stevenson as Elizabeth I this afternoon, it seems). That means that the evening show will be the other way round, so you could go and get a return if you wanted to see it that way. Ooh nice tip! It's interesting that most people who have seen either version say they can't imagine it the other way round; I'd love to see Stevenson on as Mary but not sure I can make this work. Thanks!
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152 posts
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Post by alnoor on Jan 14, 2017 21:05:04 GMT
Matinee today Lia was Mary and Juliet was Elizabeth. My first play of 2017 LOVED IT
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Jan 18, 2017 14:43:36 GMT
Bunch of circle tickets for tonight (looks like a group cancelled?) just released. Matinee today was Juliet Stevenson as Mary Stuart so tonight will be Lia Williams as Mary.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2017 18:47:21 GMT
Saw the matinee today and Williams was Elizabeth and Stevenson Mary. In my head I had Juliet as Elizabeth and Lia as Mary so it was I was really happy to have it this way round as it surprised me a but( even though it is 50/50). I really did enjoy this play. the start definitely made me really tense and built the atmosphere of the play.I liked the screens showing the coins toss, the letters and act/time of day. The set is nice and simple but very effective and the revolve isn't very cool. Juliet was very good as Mary and had a vulnerable and emotional side.I liked Lia as Elizabeth as she had a certain swagger about her which was a nice juxtaposition from Juliet. The rest of the cast were very good but I did feel Rudi as Mortimer was a bit lacking. It did definalty not feel like over 3 hours and time flew by. I also did find the song at the end a bit out of context as the music could have just played and that would have been fine. The music and sound was great and built atmosphere and tension. I would highly reckoned you watch this soon before it closes next week.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2017 20:14:25 GMT
Was also just reflecting on things that might be a but spoilery {Spoiler - click to view} I liked how they symbolised his Mary's head was cut off with the back panel dramatically stopping.
It also got very emotional when Mary's was saying goodbye to Hannah ,Melville and the handmaids. I also really liked how at the end Mary was being de-dressed and put into her dress and Elizabeth was being put into her traditional outfit .
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5,582 posts
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Post by lynette on Jan 21, 2017 23:22:11 GMT
We had JS as Elizabeth but we knew beforehand because it had been other way round at matinee so that made the coin toss false. No prob. First half too long, a real bladder buster and an arrogant dismissal of punters' comfort, the queue for the ladies was all round the foyer. Frankly I would have cut quite a lot, all the ins and the outs of servants and so on. Spose they felt they had to give Schiller a fair bash. I liked the modern look but not the revolve so much. I liked it that Eliz looked like the chairperson of the board, then all of a sudden she lost it.. great. I couldn't hear Hannah character clearly which was a shame. The two queens are really classy, really good and they had excellent support on the whole. Leicester truly creepy, a poor man's Toby Stephens I thought. ( poor woman's 😅 ) I was thinking what a pity Shakespeare couldn't have had a go at this story though of course he did deal with murdering monarchs and so on.
One or two last minute tix we saw so worth trying and worth seeing def.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2017 23:28:46 GMT
Well. We had Juliet Stevenson as Betty and Lia Williams as Mary. Which is as it should be I think.
It's a great yarn. No idea why they have the ridiculous idea to start at 7 though. Anyhoo, Juliet was marvellous. She really does have a wonderful voice and there's not many people who can cry like her. For the first half Lia Williams took me back to that dreadful Sarah Snook in 'The Master Builder' at the Old Vic, waving her arms around like a windmill in old Amsterdam. I'd have chopped her head off there and then to be honest. She calmed down in the second half but I did get the impression that she was ACTING DARLING rather a lot.
Dragged a bit towards the end, liked Joshua James as Davison and rather loved John Light as Leicester as he was a bit studly in a strange way. Now I love a revolve but the bits where it sped up make me giggle. I was half hoping people would fly off at various angles but alas. There was also a LOT of walking around and around and around. And when I say walking, I mean stomping. A lot.
Didn't really like the modern look. I'd have preferred a few nice frocks, a couple more ruffs and a codpiece or two. And whoever picked the outfits for the leading ladies should be ashamed. A-SHAMED.
And who knew Robert Icke was a bit of a hottie? Much better looking than his uncle David.
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Post by sondheimhats on Jan 24, 2017 23:50:59 GMT
We had Juliet Stevenson as Betty and Lia Williams as Mary. Which is as it should be I think. It's a great yarn. No idea why they have the ridiculous idea to start at 7 though. Anyhoo, Juliet was marvellous. She really does have a wonderful voice and there's not many people who can cry like her. For the first half Lia Williams took me back to that dreadful Sarah Snook in 'The Master Builder' at the Old Vic, waving her arms around like a windmill in old Amsterdam. I'd have chopped her head off there and then to be honest. She calmed down in the second half but I did get the impression that she was ACTING DARLING rather a lot. Just curious as to why you think that pairing is "as it should be," if you didn't think Williams was very good?
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572 posts
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Post by princeton on Jan 25, 2017 0:02:33 GMT
Oh Joshua James - guessing that he joined for the extension week. Would be interesting to see when Lia Williams is playing Elizabeth. Does anyone know if they have ever appeared in anything together before?
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1,016 posts
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Post by andrew on Jan 25, 2017 0:31:38 GMT
Well. We had Juliet Stevenson as Betty and Lia Williams as Mary. Which is as it should be I think. It's a great yarn. No idea why they have the ridiculous idea to start at 7 though. Anyhoo, Juliet was marvellous. She really does have a wonderful voice and there's not many people who can cry like her. For the first half Lia Williams took me back to that dreadful Sarah Snook in 'The Master Builder' at the Old Vic, waving her arms around like a windmill in old Amsterdam. I'd have chopped her head off there and then to be honest. She calmed down in the second half but I did get the impression that she was ACTING DARLING rather a lot. Dragged a bit towards the end, liked Joshua James as Davison and rather loved John Light as Leicester as he was a bit studly in a strange way. Now I love a revolve but the bits where it sped up make me giggle. I was half hoping people would fly off at various angles but alas. There was also a LOT of walking around and around and around. And when I say walking, I mean stomping. A lot. Didn't really like the modern look. I'd have preferred a few nice frocks, a couple more ruffs and a codpiece or two. And whoever picked the outfits for the leading ladies should be ashamed. A-SHAMED. And who knew Robert Icke was a bit of a hottie? Much better looking than his uncle David. Icke: "We need a bit more energy in these scenes, there's so much talking." Stevenson: "We could spin the revolve a bit?" Icke: "No no no. That's only for some bits." Williams: "How about we move benches up and down more?" Icke: "We can't, we don't have enough WD40 as it is. I know! We can get actors to run around the outside of the revolve for no apparent reason. Movement = energy = drama! Genius! You've done it again Icke, you've bloody done it again."
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371 posts
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Post by popcultureboy on Jan 25, 2017 9:04:56 GMT
I've seen the show 3 times, I've never not once heard the set make a single squeaking sound. Not once.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2017 9:29:21 GMT
Oh Joshua James - guessing that he joined for the extension week. Would be interesting to see when Lia Williams is playing Elizabeth. Does anyone know if they have ever appeared in anything together before? Yes, that's right. He stepped in for the additional week. Didn't miss a beat either, bless him.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2017 9:37:30 GMT
Just curious as to why you think that pairing is "as it should be," if you didn't think Williams was very good? I think it's because that's how I imagined the pairing to be. Juliet just seems more Elizabeth-like to me. Betty is also the better part of the two for my money - there's a bit more complexity to it. Lia Williams often leaves me a little cold so I'd have probably been a bit disappointed if I'd seen her with the meatier part. Granted though, she did seem lovely at the bows and she did improve once she stopped waving her arms around all over the place in the first half.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2017 9:44:35 GMT
I saw it with Juliet as Mary and Lia as Liz, and although I admit to thinking that it was an odd way round because Lia can play younger than Juliet and a lot of fuss was made about Mary being younger, I liked the cold power that Lia brought to Liz and the raw femininity that Juliet brought to Mary.
On the way out, I overheard a woman asking an usher which casting variant he preferred, and his response was "the way you saw it". I'm not the only one who reckons he says that to everyone no matter who won the coin toss, right?
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Post by alexandra on Jan 25, 2017 10:02:45 GMT
I've seen it both ways and I slightly preferred it like that, too.
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Post by Honoured Guest on Jan 25, 2017 11:08:44 GMT
I'm not the only one who reckons he says that to everyone no matter who won the coin toss, right? You're probably right. I don't think I'd be taken on as an Almeida usher. I would always reply every night that the other version had the edge in some ways in my opinion
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Post by Jan on Jan 25, 2017 11:27:03 GMT
I'm not the only one who reckons he says that to everyone no matter who won the coin toss, right? You're probably right. I don't think I'd be taken on as an Almeida usher. I would always reply every night that the other version had the edge in some ways in my opinion You'd be the worst usher since Rupert Everett was an usher at the Warehouse for McKellen's Macbeth.
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Post by Honoured Guest on Jan 25, 2017 11:31:25 GMT
You'd be the worst usher since Rupert Everett was an usher at the Warehouse for McKellen's Macbeth. Flattered to be compared to the young Rupert Everett! What's the story? Or where is it told?
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Post by countryjames on Jan 28, 2017 23:51:14 GMT
Saw this this evening and enjoyed enormously, I went with a soprano friend who is preparing Donizetti's opera based on the play which she is singing in Klagenfurt later this year as Maria Stuarda and she found it hugely useful.
I was very pleased to have Juliet Stevenson as Mary. It wasn't until after the coin toss that I realised that this was the casting I'd been hoping for (and I'd not checked the Almeida twitter feed so didn't know what was going to happen this being a two show day) and I found the beauty of her voice and the emotional honesty and vulnerability of her performance really compelling. The restrained hauteur and anger that arose in the confrontation with Elizabeth was astonishingly vivid and the translation works with the age difference (not historical) by emphasising that Mary's years in prison have aged her. She also captured Mary's relinquishing of the material world with what I can only describe as a spiritual fervour at the end. It was very moving.
Lia Williams was terrific too, increasingly nervy as Elizabeth (why did the screens say Elizabeth 1 at the end? There hadn't been any other Elizabeth on the throne before then as a reigning monarch) and capturing the peevish insecurity as well as an unexpected sensuality.
The supporting cast was mostly excellent. I particularly enjoyed Vincent Franklin as Burleigh and Rhudi Dharmalingam's charismatic turn as Mortimer, although John Light's projection as Leicester came and went and Carmen Munroe's Kennedy was frequently inaudible and seemed to stumble badly at the start. Wasn't over convinced by Melville as female either. "I am a priest" didn't ring true I in this particular historical context (and yes I appreciate the staging was updated).
The play remains a wonder, Schiller using historical events (as did Shakespeare) to explore ideas of political manipulation, historical record (history being written up after the event by the winners) and gender identity that seem extraordinarily modern, although I think there may have been some tweaks in the translation used. I will dig out my old OUP and reread to see how many of the more contemporary resonances are in fact there.
Certainly didn't seem long but was surprised, especially given that this was the last night of an run that was extended, how perfunctory the curtain call was. The audience obviously wished to express further and deeper appreciation to the cast but after one bow that was it. Great evening though :-)
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Post by herculesmulligan on Jan 29, 2017 10:38:36 GMT
Sorry to jump in on this thread, just looking ahead to booking opening for the new season next week for non friends. I know there used to be some good discussion about the restricted view seats. But I can't seem to find any of it. Was wondering if anyone can advise on the best £10 and £18 restricted view seats? Thank you!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2017 21:16:28 GMT
I have never sat in the circle so am only commenting on stalls. There are £10 seats in the side blocks, where the angle can contribute to the visibility (or not), and the central block, where they're behind pillars. If you're in row F, there'll only be one pillar ahead. Further back, you run the risk of multiples. All the pillars are thin enough that they rarely obstruct anything important, and if they do it's not for long. A few of the seats are hardly behind pillars at all, but I don't have a list to hand. The £18 seats, presumably, are the same basic story as the £10 seats but with better visibility?
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Post by herculesmulligan on Jan 30, 2017 14:04:29 GMT
Thanks baemax. I appreciate it. Maybe we should start a list of good and bad pillar seats!
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Post by Jan on Jan 30, 2017 15:03:10 GMT
You'd be the worst usher since Rupert Everett was an usher at the Warehouse for McKellen's Macbeth. Flattered to be compared to the young Rupert Everett! What's the story? Or where is it told? See Everett's first autobiography "Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins". As a jaw-dropper it is rivalled only by the Bob Monkhouse autobiography. There is also a strangely touching I glimpse into the home life of the great man when Everett finally succeeds in getting picked up by McKellen. Everett's efforts as an usher for Macbeth are eclipsed by his contribution to the Alan Howard Coriolanus.
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92 posts
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Post by herculesmulligan on Jan 30, 2017 19:42:54 GMT
Thanks Monkey. What would you suggest for pairs of seats?
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Jan 30, 2017 19:57:49 GMT
I normally go for one of the £18 ones in Row G - the pillar is in view, two rows in front, but at only blocks the very edge of the stage so you don't really miss anything. I'd assume the pairs of £18 seats in H are similar.
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2,389 posts
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Post by peggs on Mar 28, 2017 20:48:29 GMT
Transferring to the westend beginning of next year according to Juliet Stephenson and twitter.
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