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Post by Baemax on Oct 28, 2016 10:15:51 GMT
I suspect a lot of actors who are white and particularly who have been around for a while are so used to having the full canon of roles available to them that they can't quite handle that there is an increasing number of roles that are off-limits to them. Frankly they need to get over that. I'll never be in In The Heights, and I'm a little sad about that, but also I couldn't even begin to guess how many shows I am able to be in. If what you have is "a lot", then you really have no excuse not to focus on what you *do* have, rather than obsessing over what you *can't* have.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2016 13:00:04 GMT
Just returned a £15 dress circle seat for this on Tues night, if anyone wants to keep an eye out for it on the system. Booked too far ahead and, as a result, couldn't go!
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Post by argon on Oct 30, 2016 10:47:44 GMT
Just dire, erratum very dire historical evidence may have suggested Mozart was at times vulgar and adolescent but why was Gillien's portrayal so exaggerated with childishness (voice included). It was so over the top bordering on the farcical. Msamati's Salieri lacked pathos probably hindered by the bizarre staging
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Post by lynette on Oct 30, 2016 20:39:14 GMT
Just dire, erratum very dire historical evidence may have suggested Mozart was at times vulgar and adolescent but why was Gillien's portrayal so exaggerated with childishness (voice included). It was so over the top bordering on the farcical. Msamati's Salieri lacked pathos probably hindered by the bizarre staging He is acting the part as written. Fine, say Mozart was a calm, reserved guy if you like but that isn't the part Schaffer has written. Same Richard III, might have been a lovely chap, loved children, ideal husband but that isn't what Shakespeare wrote.
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Post by Baemax on Oct 31, 2016 0:03:25 GMT
Having now seen this production, I can now fully understand why people are criticising Mozart's performance for being as obnoxious as it is. It really does take that aspect of his personality as written above and beyond the call of duty. He performs the last scenes beautifully, but it doesn't feel like it comes naturally at the end of his character arc.
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Post by bee on Nov 2, 2016 12:54:37 GMT
I liked this. I thought Salieri and Mozart were excellent, less impressed by Constanze, her accent grated more than any of Mozart’s ranting and raving. The orchestra were great, but I’m not sure it’s a good idea to have them continually coming to and from the stage. Presumably the chair shifting and scenery changing has got a lot smoother than it was during the previews but it still seemed pretty clunky to me. The whole thing might have been a bit less frantic had the orchestra been permanently situated on the elevated section at the back of the stage leaving the actors to get on with it at the front – though having said that I liked the effect when they lowered the drum to replicate a proper orchestra pit.
In general though, a quintessential Olivier cast-of-thousands (well, dozens at least) production and a good night out.
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Post by ldm2016 on Nov 2, 2016 14:00:52 GMT
Most dates with limited £15 tickets now....
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Post by stefy69 on Nov 2, 2016 14:17:02 GMT
Anyone know when the next booking period will open please ?
Thanks in advance.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Nov 2, 2016 14:18:23 GMT
Just booked an entry pass ticket for Saturday! I know a lot of people here didn't enjoy it very much, but I adore this play
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Post by ldm2016 on Nov 2, 2016 14:21:45 GMT
Anyone know when the next booking period will open please ? Thanks in advance. Plenty of £15 tickets available.
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Post by duncan on Nov 3, 2016 12:23:14 GMT
Damned by Despair still got three stars! Which I'd agree with, I see from my spreadsheet I rated it 5/10.
That Damned by Despair has become shorthand for a poor production baffles me, in-I is one of the worst things I've ever seen (one of the few productions I've ever rated 1/10) and yet no one seems to mention that as a dreadful National production.
Opinions and all that.
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Post by kathryn on Nov 3, 2016 15:45:32 GMT
Damned by Despair still got three stars! Which I'd agree with, I see from my spreadsheet I rated it 5/10.
That Damned by Despair has become shorthand for a poor production baffles me, in-I is one of the worst things I've ever seen (one of the few productions I've ever rated 1/10) and yet no one seems to mention that as a dreadful National production.
Opinions and all that.
Didn't see in-I. Prior to Damned by Despair Fram was the worse thing I'd seen in the Olivier. I think those of us who rate DbD as terrible saw it during previews - it had changed considerably by press night. Also, it was terrible, but I wouldn't have missed it for the world! Unlike Fram, which was just a snooze-fest.
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Post by Baemax on Nov 3, 2016 22:09:01 GMT
I got a freebie for Damned By Despair, and I went before they cut the flaming skeleton, so I have some fondnesses for it.
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Post by theatremadness on Nov 3, 2016 22:26:07 GMT
I know we're going slightly off-topic about Damned by Despair, but our Voice & Text teacher at drama school recommended that we all go see Damned by Despair at the National, so off a large group of us went, got the £12 travelex tickets on the day, and I was a little excited, knowing Bertie Carvel was going to be in it. I wouldn't necessarily say it was 'bad' (I've seen worse, recently The Entertainer at The Garrick, imho!), but gosh it was sooooo booooooooring. Can't remember much, if anything, about it.
Well we come back next term, and our teacher asks "So, how was Damned by Despair?". We all quietly and tentatively say that we didn't think it was very good, worried that a wonderful play at The National had gone right over our heads, and teacher says "I know. But isn't the voice work good!".
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Post by crabtree on Nov 3, 2016 22:35:07 GMT
anyone remember Square Rounds? Oh my.....
actually, I didn't rate Frankenstein...certainly spectacular but underwhelming at the same time
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5,495 posts
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Post by Baemax on Nov 3, 2016 22:50:00 GMT
I loved the production of Frankenstein - the lighting was stunning, and I still listen to the music - but it's some of the worst writing I've ever paid to see, and some of the performances were flat-out terrible.
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Post by ldm2016 on Nov 4, 2016 9:20:02 GMT
I loved the production of Frankenstein - the lighting was stunning, and I still listen to the music - but it's some of the worst writing I've ever paid to see, and some of the performances were flat-out terrible. Cumberbatch is the most over-rated actor of his generation or, possibly, the last few.
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Post by ctas on Nov 4, 2016 13:26:39 GMT
I had a ticket from a friend who's a patron for a preview of Amadeus and loved it, but didn't imagine the wrath of my jealous mother in going without her. I've been trying to get the Friday rush tickets each week to make it up to her but no luck... does anyone know what the day seat situation is at the national other than the info on their site (9:30, £15 etc etc.) I've never tried to wait/queue for any there. Any experience or info would be welcomed! I've got to get my favourite daughter status back...
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2016 14:10:31 GMT
I had a ticket from a friend who's a patron for a preview of Amadeus and loved it, but didn't imagine the wrath of my jealous mother in going without her. I've been trying to get the Friday rush tickets each week to make it up to her but no luck... does anyone know what the day seat situation is at the national other than the info on their site (9:30, £15 etc etc.) I've never tried to wait/queue for any there. Any experience or info would be welcomed! I've got to get my favourite daughter status back... I did it once a couple of years ago (can't remember for what) and it was all very jolly and nice. I do recall there being people at the front of the queue with little seats and things so I guess they'd been there a fair bit. Not sure I'd particularly like to do it in the middle of November though. It looks like on the website that there will be continuing performances beyond 2nd February and those go on sale late November so you could wait until then and book online.
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Post by Snciole on Nov 4, 2016 15:39:46 GMT
I still talk about Damned by Despair's fiery robot with fondness but it ranged between dull and outrageously camp. It is the sort of thing that if the Arcola or some other smaller theatre had done it there would be no discussion but this was the National Theatre! It was hot mess (literally from my G row stalls seat when the fire appeared, no wonder the drum is busted) and what stands out is how badly it did by the end of the run. They couldn't even give away comps.
I went to see Peter Pan Goes Wrong and there's a scene where the revolve won't stop moving. "I bet the Nash wishes the Drum still did that" I thought to myself.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2016 18:16:03 GMT
Few seats dotted about for tomorrow (matinee and evening) I see.
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Post by mtchairs on Nov 4, 2016 21:20:09 GMT
I have a single front row circle ticket for Amadeus on Monday evening 7 November that I can no longer use. What is my best option for getting my money back? Will NT give me a refund to my credit card if they are able to resell it, or am I able to sell it directly to someone in the day seat/returns queue? I have the hard copy ticket but am not arriving in London until Monday morning from Australia.
Thanks for the advice.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2016 13:11:54 GMT
Well. If there isn't an Olivier Award with Adam Gillen's name on it there is just no justice in the world.
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Post by lynette on Nov 5, 2016 13:44:06 GMT
I have a single front row circle ticket for Amadeus on Monday evening 7 November that I can no longer use. What is my best option for getting my money back? Will NT give me a refund to my credit card if they are able to resell it, or am I able to sell it directly to someone in the day seat/returns queue? I have the hard copy ticket but am not arriving in London until Monday morning from Australia. Thanks for the advice. Phone box office and ask them to sell it. Don't sell to queue at theatre, poor etiquette! Or give/sell it to a friend when you arrive. ( maybe someone on the plane could use it - auction it for charity)
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Post by couldileaveyou on Nov 5, 2016 20:54:59 GMT
I'm here right now, it's interval. I'm absolutely loving it (but agree on what you said on Mozart, he's just too much. But I suspect it's misdirection rather than overacting).
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Post by couldileaveyou on Nov 6, 2016 1:22:46 GMT
I think I liked the first part better. I mean, the second is also very good, but if the first act is a 5*, the second act is "just" a 4* for me. It was probably too long for its own good and maybe the final confrontation between Salieri and Amadeus is not as strong as the image of Salieri helping Mozart to write down the Requiem, like in the movie. I loved how visual the production is, it reminded me of Greenaway's Prospero's Books, Coppola's Marie Antoinette and Raphael's The School of Athens. I loved the tableaux in the scenes where Mozart explains how revolutionary Le Nozze di Figaro is or the image of Salieri in all his glory with people crawling at his feet. I mean, I also felt it was a bit too much, but I loved it all the same.
I loved how they used the singers and the orchestra, they created all those haunting images: the moment when they walk slowly singing and playing Lacrimosa or the nightmarish pastiche of Die Zauberflöte. There was no orchestra in the original production, wasn't it? I'm sure I remember that the stage direction specifies that Katherina sings in play-back, so it's good she sings live here. I mean, they did the best they could to enlarge female roles. In the original version there are only the two silent roles of Katherina and Teresa (Salieri's wife) and then there is Constance who does all the talking. It's good that both Teresa and Katherina sing and it's great that one of the Venticelli is now a woman. They gender-bent (is that even a verb?) Count Johann Kilian von Strack, now played by Alexandra Mathie, which was a bit random since it was the only genderbent role in the show. Still good, tho.
I'd like to mention Tom Edden as Joseph II, he was terrific imo, a true character actor. I remember loathing him in Les Miz, but I really loved him here. I adored Lucian Msamati as Salieri, he should win the Olivier. I'm perplexed about Adam Gillen because I didn't like what he did as Mozart, but there was greatness in it. I don't know if it makes sense, but for me he was doing a "wrong" thing but he was doing it incredibly well.
I feel like the second part was a bit of a let down after the perfect first act, but it's such a fantastic play and production, see it if you can!
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Post by couldileaveyou on Nov 6, 2016 1:23:23 GMT
On a side note, the house version of Symphony 25 was so good it gave me a boner
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2016 9:06:24 GMT
I'd like to mention Tom Edden as Joseph II, he was terrific imo, a true character actor. I remember loathing him in Les Miz, but I really loved him here. I adored Lucian Msamati as Salieri, he should win the Olivier. I'm perplexed about Adam Gillen because I didn't like what he did as Mozart, but there was greatness in it. I don't know if it makes sense, but for me he was doing a "wrong" thing but he was doing it incredibly well. Agree! Tom Edden was great. There's a great interview on WOS with him where he talks about being desperate to be in this production. Don't really agree about Lucian Msamati though. He was the weakest link for me. I don't know what it was but there were some good parts individually but it just didn't add up to a particularly strong performance. I adored the play and loved the music and the staging but for me, the whole thing did sag just a touch whenever Adam Gillen was off stage. And when he was on it, I just thought he was utterly sensational. I know Salieri is usually the award-winner role but in this particular production I think it would be a real shame if Msamati would get the Olivier over Gillen.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2016 10:24:15 GMT
I'd like to mention Tom Edden as Joseph II, he was terrific imo, a true character actor. I remember loathing him in Les Miz, but I really loved him here. I adored Lucian Msamati as Salieri, he should win the Olivier. I'm perplexed about Adam Gillen because I didn't like what he did as Mozart, but there was greatness in it. I don't know if it makes sense, but for me he was doing a "wrong" thing but he was doing it incredibly well. Agree! Tom Edden was great. There's a great interview on WOS with him where he talks about being desperate to be in this production. Don't really agree about Lucian Msamati though. He was the weakest link for me. I don't know what it was but there were some good parts individually but it just didn't add up to a particularly strong performance. I adored the play and loved the music and the staging but for me, the whole thing did sag just a touch whenever Adam Gillen was off stage. And when he was on it, I just thought he was utterly sensational. I know Salieri is usually the award-winner role but in this particular production I think it would be a real shame if Msamati would get the Olivier over Gillen. I don't think either of them will be getting the Olivier...
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Post by kathryn on Nov 7, 2016 12:51:35 GMT
Team 'Damned by Despair wasn't that bad.' The script was awful but Bertie Carvel arse-up in bondage has got to be worth at least half a star, no? I don't think we got him arse-up in bondage during previews. There was a weird scene where he was manacled and, if I remember rightly, the chains kept moving up and down slowly as if he was doing some kind of rhythmic gymnastics routine. And then it took about 5 minutes to clip him into the harness for the hanging scene. It has to be said, over the past few years I've seen lots of perfectly enjoyable but ultimately forgettable productions at the NT. At least Damned by Despair was memorable!
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