227 posts
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Post by barelyathletic on Nov 8, 2016 12:35:30 GMT
Back to the play... And I have to agree with most on here. What a disappointment. The live music is lovely but having the orchestra on stage doesn't really add to the play. If anything, apart from that last glorious moment with the Kyrie at the end of Act One, it's all a bit distracting.
And the acting? Lucian Msamati (who I have loved in everything else at the NT) is underpowered both vocally and dramtically here, only coming into his own in the big defiant speeches. Adam Gillen is just one note, screechy, annoying. Where's the pathos? The child like quality that hides and powers genius? His Mozart is just a farting, spitting, swearing brat. That should be only the first level of the character. Karla Crome's sullen Constanza has no charm or sensuality and the rest of the cast add nothing. They don't even look good. The costumes look cheap, the lighting is muddy and the set is just plain dull.
And yet, and yet, the power of the story still somehow manages to shine through. There are moments when Shaffer's sense of theatre and love of the big theatrical moments still catches at you, 37 years on. But how I wished for Paul Schofield, Simon Callow, Felicity Kendall, Frank Findlay, Richard O' Callaghan, David Suchet, Michael Sheen or F Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce, to give this play the respect and the production it deserves. Sadly, this one isn't it.
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375 posts
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Post by ctas on Nov 23, 2016 23:45:06 GMT
Booked some seats for mid February today (as well as Twelfth Night and Hedda Gabler in the spring), can't wait to go again!
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748 posts
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Post by rumbledoll on Nov 24, 2016 8:03:03 GMT
For those who have seen this or PP - do they use the revolve at Olivier right now? I'm aware of the foundraising project to get it technically maintained/fixed - just wondering do they put it on stand-by for a while. Hard to imagine this theatre without the magical scene changes the revolve is capable of.
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22 posts
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Post by mistertonymac on Nov 29, 2016 10:53:29 GMT
Dramatic scenes at the Olivier last night. A loud crash and a shriek 20 mins into the second half. Play Carried on for 5 mins then was stopped as an actor had fallen and was then trapped or at least injured back of stage.
Was at least a 35 min pause (then I along with scores of others had to leave as was going to finish post 11.30) before it presumably restarted.
Thought it was great till then and am hoping that they can replace tix.
The thrill of live theatre!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2016 11:56:27 GMT
Yikes. Hope the casualty was OK!
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482 posts
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Post by drmaplewood on Nov 29, 2016 13:53:56 GMT
A load of tickets for Feb 2nd (NT Live day) now on sale.
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Post by Coated on Dec 14, 2016 0:23:20 GMT
I couldn't see the point of this unless I wanted to listen to a two hour whine of 'Mozart is better than me'. Really disliked the channeling of Nigel Kennedy as Mozart and thought the play has aged very badly.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2016 0:36:09 GMT
Massive box office success for the NT
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805 posts
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Post by duncan on Dec 14, 2016 5:39:33 GMT
I fell asleep during the first half, it was so dull. Things certainly livened up after the interval but by then it was fighting a lost cause.
...and I'm on the side of Salieri as this Mozart displays nothing to make you feel sorry for him in the slightest.
4/10
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2016 8:04:35 GMT
Saw this last night and LOVED it! Sat Centre at back of circle and think this must have helped for Mozart guys performance as worked well from the back. The girl playing his wife was fab and I'd go and see her read a toilet seat
8/10
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76 posts
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Post by bingomatic on Dec 14, 2016 21:51:39 GMT
Brilliant, even though I normally detest anything over 2 hours. I thought all the performances were top notch and absolutely loved the live music performances. Quick question - I've managed to remember most of the music (Sym 29, Requiem - naturally! and the operas) but can someone please help me with the first piece Salieri hears which he assumes is a one-off. Was it the oboe concerto ? I've completely forgotten :-(
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2,811 posts
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Post by couldileaveyou on Dec 14, 2016 21:54:10 GMT
Serenade no 10
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76 posts
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Post by bingomatic on Dec 14, 2016 22:13:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2017 21:07:13 GMT
It's bloody awful
First production of 2017
Didn't even make it to the interval this time
I am not sure if any of the cast director or production team saw the CFT production of Amadeus
The NT staging is amateur the acting awful
Constant shouting
WTF is Masmati doing with his accent?
It's all very well casting BAEM actors
IF they can act and do justice to the roles they are being given I have never seen so much miscasting in a single show
The role of Amadeus was truly horrific constant shrieking and the grossest case of affected acting we are ever likely to see this century
For all the cast in number and the various musicians
The playing is also laughable with pseudo operatic performances
A massive massive fail
I doubt the CFT staging will be bettered in my lifetime so I shan't bother with this play again Joshua McGuire was truly excellent and Rupert Everett gave the performance of his life Such a shame and so suprising it never transferred
Save your money and go see a properly staged opera instead
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2017 8:40:04 GMT
Did we see the same CFT production? Rupert Everett was barely adequate and the staging was horrifically pedestrian, like Jonathan Church didn't even know what to do with a thrust stage even though he was the artistic director of one of the UK's major thrust theatres.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2017 9:12:24 GMT
Being revived Jan 2018
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3,472 posts
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Post by showgirl on Jan 27, 2017 13:51:06 GMT
Shall stick my neck out and say I quite enjoyed yesterday's matinee. Yes, too long and too much weeping and wailing, particularly towards the end, but for me the operatic + orchestral elements really added something. Doubt there'll be another production on this scale.
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Post by Honoured Guest on Jan 28, 2017 3:10:59 GMT
Doubt there'll be another production on this scale. No. Next time, D flat minor?
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Post by crabtree on Feb 2, 2017 22:45:33 GMT
Hurricane Doris nearly scuppered our live screening, with the voices several frames behind the image, and constant drop outs of the transmission.
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399 posts
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Post by maggiem on Feb 3, 2017 9:11:09 GMT
That's a shame.
At my local cinema, there were a few moments early on when part of the image pixellated for a couple of seconds and then went back to normal. Thankfully the image settled down.
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4,038 posts
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Post by kathryn on Feb 3, 2017 10:08:58 GMT
That's a shame. At my local cinema, there were a few moments early on when part of the image pixellated for a couple of seconds and then went back to normal. Thankfully the image settled down. Same here. We got a free Odeon ticket afterwards in compensation.
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399 posts
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Post by maggiem on Feb 3, 2017 10:09:17 GMT
I mean, we don't *need* to imagine the fuss if a white actor were to play Martin Luther King, someone did actually try that not so very long ago. Of course, the difference is that almost any narrative concerning Martin Luther King will by its very nature be *about* race, whereas Amadeus is a slightly more universal tale that has literally nothing to do with the colour of anybody's skin. If we can colour-blind cast Shakespeare's Histories, we can colour-blind cast Amadeus, after all it's about as based in true historical fact as the Shakespeare. Before the live screening last night, there was a short film about the production, and Lucian basically said in his interview that if anyone had reservations about his casting due to his colour, it was their problem. Well said too! I remember seeing "The Recruiting Officer" at the NT years ago, with Paterson Joseph playing Mr Worthy. It pulled me up short for about a minute and then I forgot the colour of his skin and just enjoyed the performance. If the actor is right for the role and as you say above, the piece isn't specifically about race, where's the problem? Theatre is more colour blind in its casting then film or TV, and long may it continue. I really enjoyed the performance last night. The drum revolve was working perfectly, and I found the use of the musicians to be very effective throughout. Everybody took a good part and I'd like to get a ticket for next year and see it live on stage.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2017 1:05:30 GMT
Not a HUGE announcement, but looks like Adam Gillen is set to return as well as Lucian Msamati for the 2018 run. :-)
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2017 9:51:26 GMT
Not a HUGE announcement, but looks like Adam Gillen is set to return as well as Lucian Msamati for the 2018 run. :-) Hooray! He was the best one in it!!
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723 posts
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Post by Latecomer on Feb 24, 2017 11:53:33 GMT
Note tickets are for sale now...for 2018 return! Go nab a bargain £15 ticket if you want!
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617 posts
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Post by loureviews on Mar 18, 2017 17:52:34 GMT
Just saw this. It's a play I like very much (seen on stage before, at York, and have heard on radio, and of course the film - which introduced me to the glorious music of Mozart and set the bar high for both Salieri and Mozart himself).
This production is large-scale and the music, given it is played by a Sinfonia, is glorious. But sadly not enough of it.
I warmed to the portrayal of Salieri by Lucian Msamati although I found the opening scene problematic. But I HATED Adam Gillen's take on Mozart. His stupid accent and broad comedy playing throughout totally killed the later scenes when he should be more sympathetic.
Rather long at three hours ten minutes including interval, it has some good moments and some bad moments. I wasn't bored, but I was sometimes irritated, and Gillen's posturing and gurning was awful.
I liked the set and lighting design but this wasn't the wow production for me that Twelfth Night and Hedda Gable both were.
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3,760 posts
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Post by anthony40 on Mar 18, 2017 21:54:30 GMT
I am sorry I missed this.
I have always wanted to see a professional production of this play.
(I believe) it is coming back again next year.
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Post by Honoured Guest on Mar 18, 2017 22:00:25 GMT
(I believe) it is coming back again next year. On the NT website, four weeks of performances in early 2018 have been on-sale for a while. Believe!
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530 posts
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Post by jek on Jan 20, 2018 18:59:13 GMT
Went this afternoon. It was absolutely packed out which must be gratifying to the National after some recent poor performers (we were at a rightly very sparsely populated of the St George and the Dragon and of Common). I enjoyed it a lot - I always enjoy the young musicians of the Southbank Sinfonia and have fond memories of the part they played in the National's productions of Every Good Boy Deserves Favour and the St Matthew Passion. I took my daughter who didn't even know there was a film version but knows quite a bit about Mozart because she is doing A Level music. She was very taken with Mozart's Dr Marten's Di Antonio shoes. It was a delight to see something that could take advantage of the size of the Olivier Stage. We're usually in the cheap front row seats at the National but I splashed out on a Row F circle seat this time and think it was worth it both for the comfort factor for a long play (the luxury of arm rests!) and for the view.
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Post by Mr Snow on Jan 28, 2018 10:54:11 GMT
Two more who regret going. I know from the film there's an interesting play in there, but the director is so smug about his "clever" additions, we were totally alienated.
Having read nothing in advance I've now trawled through this thread. Many people have said they don't like the poor characterization from the leads, the incongruous mobile phones, Dr Martens tedious length etc., and still others just stay they loved it? The audience seem to agree but no standing ovation or even prolonged applause. I remain mystified as to how it got put on let alone revived.
Warning if you love Mozart's music, you get Miked voices sometimes dubbed, disco backing, and several times the final note is boomed with echo as if all these years we've needed the Simon Cowell touch to hear it properly.
I' m confused and depressed. Not in a good way.
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