1,064 posts
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 6, 2017 9:17:54 GMT
The Oliviers are fixed?
Which Andrew will it be? Which Andrew will it be?
And the award for best actor goes to ....
.....
Jude Law!
WTF?!
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371 posts
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Post by popcultureboy on Aug 6, 2017 10:07:09 GMT
Hi pcb No, I'm not confusing the Oliviers with the Tonys. You seem to be strongly disagreeing with what I've written about future lives of shows via award wins, whilst at the same time agreeing but saying only the Tonys do this? That the Oliviers could never do such a thing? Is this right? You also seem to be wrong about Sonia's involvement. You might want to recheck your lists, not only from last year but other years too. You'll see the pattern I'm speaking of. I don't think I suggested Hamlet was Broadway bound. Only Angels. Which is going there next year. I realise it can be upsetting to realise how awards shows (and not just theatre awards shows) work, but they've nearly always been this way. Let me take this point by point: 1. What I was saying was the Tonys tend to award with one eye on the future touring life of a show, given the way the Olivier hands out awards, that doesn't seem to be their primary concern. There have been many occasions with the Oliviers where winners have been shows already closed that then never see the light of day again. That is a VERY rare thing to happen with the Tonys. 2. At the 2016 Oliviers, the only Sonia Friedman production to take an award was Three Days In The Country, which was a Supporting Perfomance win for Mark Gatiss. I'd like to think that this award was given based on his performance, not on who was producing it, especially since it was at the NT, barely anyone clocked there was anyone else involved from a producer point of view. Even I overlooked it, with my "empty handed" comment. Also, I don't count the Oresteia wins, as they were for the Almeida run, not the commercial West End run. If Sonia Friedman were truly as involved as you seem to think she is, wouldn't Farinelli & The King have cleaned up last year, rather than Hangmen, which she did not produce? 3. You actually said "this show is already NYC bound" in a thread about Hamlet, while talking about both it and Angels, so I'm sure you can understand why I needed to clarify exactly which show you were talking about, especially given that neither show has officially announced any plans to go to Broadway, off-Broadway or indeed anywhere near NYC. 4. It's not upsetting to learn anything about award shows, I'm old enough and cynical enough to realise they're mostly big industry love ins, but they aren't nearly as screwed up as you seem to think they are. So thanks for your concern and everything, but I'll be just fine. Maybe you should try making your points in a more clear fashion before you start to patronise?
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590 posts
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Post by AddisonMizner on Aug 6, 2017 17:40:02 GMT
I saw this on Friday evening (4th August). Whilst I cannot really add to Nicholas' insightful and intelligent review (it has certainly added to my enjoyment of the play), I will add just a few of my own thoughts.
As I have said in previous posts on this thread, I studied HAMLET for A-Level English, but this is actually my first time seeing a physical production of it. Well, what a way to start! This has probably ruined all future HAMLET's I am likely to see. I absolutely ADORED this production. It was modern, inventive, clever and witty, making it seem completely fresh - almost like an entirely new play! It subverts all your expectations, turning them completely on their head, but still coming completely from the text. I won't go into specifics, as I don't want to ruin it for anyone else who is likely to see it who hasn't yet. There were moments that it was absolutely shocking (audibly heard in the audience), and who knew that HAMLET could still be shocking all these years later. Incredible and spine-tingling! This has certainly made me want to see more Robert Icke productions.
The performances were all superb, but special props must be given to Andrew Scott as Hamlet. Without wanting to sound ponce-y or pretentious, it was almost as if he was writing the words himself. It was so spontaneous and alive.
Go if you can!
5 stars.
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Post by rumbledoll on Aug 7, 2017 8:43:22 GMT
I don't know whether it was shared beore but I accidently chanced upon it last night and watched straight through. Another great inteview with many insights!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2017 10:22:11 GMT
PSA I've posted in the Noticeboard section but I'm selling 2 tickets for 18th August, row O/7 £25 each.
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999 posts
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Post by Backdrifter on Aug 7, 2017 11:54:14 GMT
I realise it can be upsetting to realise how awards shows (and not just theatre awards shows) work, but they've nearly always been this way. No they haven't. The SWET Awards and then the Olivier Awards operated for decades with a judging panel of critics supplemented by a Public judging panel, and all the members were requird to see all the eligible productions. Then, very recently, they made these panels advisory (i.e. they can now be completely ignored) and switched to a voting system of industry insiders, with no requirement to have seen anything. So, it's only very recently that the Oliviers have become a total fix. My own experience of being on the Oliviers public panel about 10 years ago was that this was how the system worked then. We weren't very clear on our role and it gradually became apparent the public panel was indeed at most advisory and even then somewhat tenuously. Strong recommendations we made vanished when the industry people got hold of them. So if by 'very recently' you mean more recent than that, then it seems they took the decision to just acknowledge this was how it works.
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31 posts
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Post by Maz on Aug 7, 2017 13:19:23 GMT
Maz Rory was my hands down fave Hamlet before that one, Scott at times excel but Ike's production is just more inventive, accessible and fresh comparing to Hytner's. It's spot on and to the point with remarkable clarity of language. I hope you'll enjoy it! Do let us know afterwards I've thought of little else since Friday night. I was blown away! Pretty early on I found myself thinking, this is incredible and I already want to see it again! For me it was in a different league to any Shakespeare I've seen before. Mainly because I actually enjoyed it! And enjoyed it A LOT. What is was that made it so accessible and easy to understand was probably a combination of things - modern production, front row seat (I don't think being near the back of Olivier circle helped last time), me knowing the plot quite well, possibly my being older(!) - can't believe that Rory one was 7 years ago!, - and of course the actors, in particular Andrew Scott. His slowing down of the text was, I think, one of the best things about it. And not just slowing down, but giving each word and line it's meaning, allowing me to take in and understand it before moving on to the next thought, and all the time without it dragging at all. Early on he has the exchange with his father's spirit, and Hamlet Sr speaks at a quicker (normal?) pace - an appropriate speed for the speech he was making, I think - but it just highlighted to me how much better I could follow Hamlet Jr. All in all what an extraordinary production, and I know I keep saying it, but it was Shakespeare!! Never did I think I'd say these things about a Shakespeare play. Music, set, casting - I'm actually a big Juliet Stevenson fan and try to see her when she's in something in London but I felt glad that I'd seen this Gertrude as she was so right for it and now can't see JS being right for it at all! - all spot on. I very much do hope to go again. I'm not sure how I'd feel about seeing another version. My enjoyment of this will hopefully mean that I would give Shakespeare productions more of a chance now but at the moment it's kind of made me think the opposite (for Hamlet at least); that this cant ever be topped so there's no point in seeing another one lol. So though I have entered the ballot for Hiddlestone, I'm not sure I even want to see that one now! Andrew Scott's Hamlet was/ is something else and will stay with me for a very long time.
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748 posts
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Post by rumbledoll on Aug 7, 2017 18:41:14 GMT
Maz , thank you for taking time to write down your thoughts! So happy you enjoyed it THAT much. It is something else entirely.. I've seen quite a few Shakespearean productions and this one just stands alone.. it's one of the kind in terms of many things. I do urge not only Andrew but Icke as well to continue to take part in Bard's legacy because interpretations like this one give us hope that it'll survive another 400 years and still be relevant.
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2,962 posts
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Post by crowblack on Aug 9, 2017 13:57:55 GMT
Free Hamlet talk Monday afternoon! And I'm in London that day with time to kill - hurrah!
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748 posts
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Post by rumbledoll on Aug 9, 2017 14:53:08 GMT
Free Hamlet talk Monday afternoon! And I'm in London that day with time to kill - hurrah! Wow! Where will that be? Can I have a link? Got friends in town who might be interested.
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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 Aug 9, 2017 14:56:24 GMT
Here you go ...
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748 posts
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Post by rumbledoll on Aug 9, 2017 16:05:33 GMT
Thanks a mil! Got them in, they are pretty excited. In London just for a few days, seeing the actual production the same evening. How lucky it that?
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2,962 posts
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Post by crowblack on Aug 9, 2017 20:45:28 GMT
Brill! I've booked one and hope I can do it too - I'm coming to London to see Road in the evening (I saw Hamlet at the Almeida though fancy seeing it again at some point - wish they'd NT Live it!)
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Post by rumbledoll on Aug 9, 2017 21:54:12 GMT
Brill! I've booked one and hope I can do it too - I'm coming to London to see Road in the evening (I saw Hamlet at the Almeida though fancy seeing it again at some point - wish they'd NT Live it!) Oh YES to your last remark!! 'cause it's really sad that a wider world got stuck with Cumberbath's snooze-Dane-fest.. and this extraordinary production will be buried in V&A Archive.
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2,962 posts
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Post by crowblack on Aug 9, 2017 23:34:17 GMT
this extraordinary production will be buried in V&A Archive Maybe if, as hinted, it goes to Broadway they might do it after that - Yerma's getting a live broadcast this month after getting so much praise last year. I'm really hoping they do Mosquitoes too (or at least film it for the archives, surely?)
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Post by Polly1 on Aug 15, 2017 9:39:16 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2017 9:48:27 GMT
It was only 3 hours 40 when I went a couple of weeks back. If they're screening the play as it is rather than adapting it for the screen (as per Doran's Hamlet) then the only thing they can really uncontroversially cut out is the interval and the pause. And it is BBC 2, so fingers crossed!
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Post by Maz on Aug 15, 2017 10:00:37 GMT
Free Hamlet talk Monday afternoon! And I'm in London that day with time to kill - hurrah! It was a nice, relaxed little chat between Andy and Rob (gosh, he's young! Or looks it anyway). Was pleased to hear it'll be somewhere online to watch/ listen to again as I couldn't hear lots of it due to 1. AS & RI speaking too softly and 2. Tons of giggling girls (yes, it was 90% women under 25 I'd say) finding every.little.thing. so hilarious. Bits I did hear were; AS chose Judy over Richard, Fergie is his favourite royal and they looked at doing The Glass Menagerie before deciding on Hamlet.
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Post by theatremadness on Aug 15, 2017 10:06:36 GMT
Oh my god, that's absolutely amazing news that it's going to be broadcast be on BBC2, thank you so much for sharing, that's really made my morning!!! Hope that means it may also end up on DVD. Shame we have to wait until next year to see it, but I'm already so excited to implore friends and family to watch it. How sad am I?! Oh boy I hope it comes across well on screen. The acting style is very naturalistic so I hope so. They list Juliet Stephenson on the cast list of the press release, so I presume filming is all done and dusted and off for editing now? Or a mistake?
Benedict Cumberbatch must be fuming....
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Post by rumbledoll on Aug 15, 2017 10:43:04 GMT
Amazing news! I only hope they wouldn't dare to cut it like they did with PPGW last year (which, sadly, lost a LOT of charm).
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Post by theatremadness on Aug 15, 2017 10:53:59 GMT
On the other hand, having seen both, if I were Benedict Cumberbatch I'd be pretty relieved... Good point! Never saw BC's Hamlet, but I trust the views of board members! Amazing news! I only hope they wouldn't dare to cut it like they did with PPGW last year (which, sadly, lost a LOT of charm). I'm hoping that because it's a filmed stage performance, as opposed to PPGW which was specifically adapted and filmed as a 'television' performance, the cutting will be minimal, even with a possible 3hr 30min length (that or thereabouts). I know there are many versions of Hamlet about which cut this and that, but the plot matters a smidgen more in Hamlet than it does in PPGW, so for this production to make sense as a whole, surely they couldn't play about with it/remove too much, if anything. One can but hope! I'm sure Robert Icke or anyone involved wouldn't have allowed it to be filmed and broadcast if they were going to butcher it or 'mess it up'. Time will tell!
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Post by Rory on Aug 15, 2017 11:41:41 GMT
The BBC2 broadcast is fabulous news!
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Post by kathryn on Aug 15, 2017 12:50:03 GMT
Benedict Cumberbatch must be fuming.... On the other hand, having seen both, if I were Benedict Cumberbatch I'd be pretty relieved... Given the number his NT Live got he can't be too worried. They're doing an encore soon. I have to say, from the snippet I saw before angels last week it looks a lot better on the cinema screen than it did on the stage.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2017 14:47:38 GMT
On the other hand, having seen both, if I were Benedict Cumberbatch I'd be pretty relieved... Given the number his NT Live got he can't be too worried. They're doing an encore soon. I have to say, from the snippet I saw before angels last week it looks a lot better on the cinema screen than it did on the stage. ahem....not hard? Sorry Cumby (and I did used to be a BIG fan) but when all I can remember is 'I got confetti down my bra' it's not the most ringing endorsement.
However valiantly continuing the tradition, I'm seeing Andrew Scott's Dane for my Birthday, and hopefully showing the Mother how Hamlet should be done.
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Post by kathryn on Aug 15, 2017 15:10:15 GMT
Given the number his NT Live got he can't be too worried. They're doing an encore soon. I have to say, from the snippet I saw before angels last week it looks a lot better on the cinema screen than it did on the stage. ahem....not hard? Sorry Cumby (and I did used to be a BIG fan) but when all I can remember is 'I got confetti down my bra' it's not the most ringing endorsement.
However valiantly continuing the tradition, I'm seeing Andrew Scott's Dane for my Birthday, and hopefully showing the Mother how Hamlet should be done.
Well, yes! But I literally meant in terms of the camera angles they got of that ridiculous set, which it seems was designed to be looked at from a 45 degree angle... *snort* I don't even remember the confetti. What I mainly remember was the iron curtain and how numb my bum got.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2017 15:18:34 GMT
ahem....not hard? Sorry Cumby (and I did used to be a BIG fan) but when all I can remember is 'I got confetti down my bra' it's not the most ringing endorsement.
However valiantly continuing the tradition, I'm seeing Andrew Scott's Dane for my Birthday, and hopefully showing the Mother how Hamlet should be done.
Well, yes! But I literally meant in terms of the camera angles they got of that ridiculous set, which it seems was designed to be looked at from a 45 degree angle... *snort* I don't even remember the confetti. What I mainly remember was the iron curtain and how numb my bum got. The confetti was more whatever sh*te it was they blew off the stage....most of which I couldn't' see from where I was haha.
The second time I saw it I was rudely awoken in Act 5 when some idiot in the circle dropped their water bottle and it nearly hit me!
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Post by kathryn on Aug 15, 2017 15:23:50 GMT
I sold my second ticket to someone in the returns queue (at face value). Couldn't bring myself to sit through it twice.
Rumour has it that it was originally intended to be in a smaller theatre and they switched to the Barbican when they realised how high demand would be.
I have a new appreciation for creating the widest possible access for audiences, but in that respect this Almeida production wins on all fronts! Not only a much better production, but also about as accessible a broadcast as it is possible to get.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2017 15:27:35 GMT
I sold my second ticket to someone in the returns queue (at face value). Couldn't bring myself to sit through it twice. Rumour has it that it was originally intended to be in a smaller theatre and they switched to the Barbican when they realised how high demand would be. Ah I accompanied viserys because I'm a noble friend haha in fairness I didn't object to it more find it all a bit ....meh. As I do The 'Batch himself now.
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Post by kathryn on Aug 15, 2017 15:35:04 GMT
I sold my second ticket to someone in the returns queue (at face value). Couldn't bring myself to sit through it twice. Rumour has it that it was originally intended to be in a smaller theatre and they switched to the Barbican when they realised how high demand would be. Ah I accompanied viserys because I'm a noble friend haha in fairness I didn't object to it more find it all a bit ....meh. As I do The 'Batch himself now. I still like him as an actor generally, but I don't think he's that well-suited to Shakespeare. Andrew's Hamlet is definitely better than his, and Martin Freeman's Richard III was far more compelling, for my money. I did watch an episode of Miss Marple he did way back when last weekend - he was rather good in that!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2017 15:38:34 GMT
I think Cumberbatch is finding himself more pigeon-holed the longer he's around, and I'd like to see him return to the lighter stuff he used to do, 'cos he was probably better at that than he is at being an emotionless brainiac to be honest.
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