367 posts
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Post by MrBunbury on Feb 13, 2018 10:20:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2018 10:28:35 GMT
Some interesting-looking stuff. I'm very interested in the idea of opening the Samuel French bookshop in the balcony bar. There's not... a *huge* amount of space up there, I do have to wonder where all the shelves will go. Apparently the big red wall is a legitimate art piece in its own right, so I presume they wouldn't want to completely block it off. And I'm not going to lie, I enjoy sitting up there in relative quiet so I will be slightly miffed if the new bookshop interferes with that. And what does it mean for the RC bookshop in the downstairs bar? Is that one going to come under the Sam French banner or is it going to continue as its own separate concern (they do say that when the Sam French shop is closed, there'll be a smaller stall in the downstairs bar area around performance times, so it could go either way)?
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Post by Marwood on Feb 13, 2018 11:56:53 GMT
Looking at whats on offer, nothing really getting excited, but thats possibly (probably) me just being superficial and shallow because there are no casting announcements. I'll wait and see before committing to anything.
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367 posts
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Post by MrBunbury on Feb 13, 2018 12:37:53 GMT
Isn't it a bit odd that there is a gap of almost two months in the program for the Downstairs Theatre (20th May - 12th July)?
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562 posts
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Post by jadnoop on Feb 13, 2018 12:45:43 GMT
Ugh. The blurbs given for these plays must be the most opaque, unhelpful texts I've seen yet. I can't help but think it would take considerable effort to provide less information for a potential audience to make their choices on than the couple of lines given for The Woods .
Apologies; I know I've ranted about this before, but it's so frustrating to hear about a new season, excited to choose something new to see, only to realise that you may as well throw darts at a board. If the hope is to attract people to see new creators (i.e. Not just rely on star-power), then surely they need to give a little more for potential audiences to make decisions on.
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Post by harry on Feb 13, 2018 12:54:49 GMT
Isn't it a bit odd that there is a gap of almost two months in the program for the Downstairs Theatre (20th May - 12th July)? Surely that's where the two LIFT 2018 productions mentioned in the announcement will fit, no? |
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Post by lynette on Feb 13, 2018 13:16:02 GMT
Help me out here, it all looks very grim. Anything I should get excited about? I wonder what the future will make of us when they look at this raft of plays.
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Post by RedRose on Feb 13, 2018 13:17:42 GMT
Waiting till cast announcements before I'll book anything.
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Post by Rory on Feb 13, 2018 15:04:35 GMT
Isn't it a bit odd that there is a gap of almost two months in the program for the Downstairs Theatre (20th May - 12th July)? A big enough gap also between 11th August and 21st Sept. |
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367 posts
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Post by MrBunbury on Feb 13, 2018 16:31:12 GMT
I am actually intrigued by "Instructions for correct assembly", "One for sorrow", and "The woods" (I want to see if there is a real wolf. I will not wear my red hood...)
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Post by crowblack on Feb 13, 2018 17:25:46 GMT
I was hoping for a return of The Children or Hangmen when they've finished in the US (had tickets for The Children but couldn't make it on the day and I'm still annoyed). |
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Post by crowblack on Feb 14, 2018 11:07:51 GMT
Ok, booked cheap Monday stalls seats for the four plays downstairs.
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Post by foxa on Feb 16, 2018 10:25:40 GMT
Public booking is now open - and seems very calm.
I booked for two shows - The Cane (Ravenhill) and Instructions for Correct Assembly and may book later for debbie tucker green's piece.
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367 posts
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Post by MrBunbury on Feb 16, 2018 10:42:25 GMT
I booked Instructions for Correct Assembly and Pity. I wanted to book The cane but I noticed that the cheap tickets have gone up to 14 pounds so I will wait for the Monday tickets when the show is on.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2018 10:55:05 GMT
They're only £14 post-preview, if you can get to the first few performances they're still £12.
I'm holding off on booking The Cane for now. I have very particular seats I like, but even so I figure I can wait a month or two before booking something in December/January!
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1,465 posts
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Post by foxa on Feb 16, 2018 11:58:19 GMT
Help me out here, it all looks very grim. Anything I should get excited about? I wonder what the future will make of us when they look at this raft of plays. I did find booking for season a bit difficult. I always like to see a couple of things in any given Royal Court Season but reading the blurbs for these made it hard to get a sense of what I was letting myself in for - and it was complicated by one or two of the writers or directors being associated in my mind with some pretty grim evenings in the theatre. One of the pieces also sounded like an advanced A level piece (and I've sat through enough of those in my time.) However, once casting is announced or a bit more about the plays, I may be kicking myself that I didn't book for more. |
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Post by lynette on Feb 16, 2018 22:06:12 GMT
Help me out here, it all looks very grim. Anything I should get excited about? I wonder what the future will make of us when they look at this raft of plays. I did find booking for season a bit difficult. I always like to see a couple of things in any given Royal Court Season but reading the blurbs for these made it hard to get a sense of what I was letting myself in for - and it was complicated by one or two of the writers or directors being associated in my mind with some pretty grim evenings in the theatre. One of the pieces also sounded like an advanced A level piece (and I've sat through enough of those in my time.) However, once casting is announced or a bit more about the plays, I may be kicking myself that I didn't book for more. Well we can both kick ourselves in unison, foxa. |
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Post by showgirl on Feb 17, 2018 5:07:04 GMT
Ugh. The blurbs given for these plays must be the most opaque, unhelpful texts I've seen yet. I can't help but think it would take considerable effort to provide less information for a potential audience to make their choices on than the couple of lines given for The Woods . Apologies; I know I've ranted about this before, but it's so frustrating to hear about a new season, excited to choose something new to see, only to realise that you may as well throw darts at a board. If the hope is to attract people to see new creators (i.e. Not just rely on star-power), then surely they need to give a little more for potential audiences to make decisions on. I completely agree and rather than being unintentionally unhelpful, it looks to me as though the blurb-writers have set out to obscure and obfuscate. It might suit some but it deters me from booking anything whatsoever. You'd think it was a competition to see how much they could write without divulging any actual information. Bring back the good old days of telling potential patrons a little about a play or show and giving them some idea of whether they might like it. |
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Post by crowblack on Feb 18, 2018 11:45:39 GMT
have set out to obscure and obfuscate. Maybe the plays aren't finished yet! |
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Post by foxa on Feb 18, 2018 12:20:41 GMT
Yes - that's true. From the description of 'Pity' I rather thought it might not be:
“Two bombs in one day is a foul coincidence”
“Don’t forget the lightning strike”
A normal day.
A person stands in the market square watching the world go by.
What happens next verges on the ridiculous.
There’s ice cream. Sunshine. Shops. Some dogs. A wedding. Bombs. Candles. Blood. Lightning. Sandwiches. Snipers. Looting. Gunshots. Babies. Actors. Azaleas. Famine. Fountains. Statues. Atrocities.
And tanks. (Probably).
Rory Mullarkey’s new play asks whether things really are getting worse. And if we care.
“[Someone screaming]: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH”
* That really is it.
** I think we should have a parody blurb contest.
Mine might end:
'Woman: Huh?'
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Post by wiggymess on Feb 18, 2018 13:11:27 GMT
have set out to obscure and obfuscate. Maybe the plays aren't finished yet! Spot on. |
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Post by showgirl on Feb 18, 2018 15:23:46 GMT
Well, then, maybe theatres who like to post such enigmatic info about their new seasons would care to start taking part-payment only from those who book so far in advance, instead of the full amount upfront? After all, other businesses work on a "deposit only" basis in the first instance. The balance could be paid on publication of full details, at which stage the customer could choose to cancel and receive a refund. Or alternatively, depending on the T & C, forfeit the deposit, which would still be cheaper than having to fork out the whole cost, only to regret it.
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486 posts
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Post by wiggymess on Feb 18, 2018 16:39:19 GMT
Well, then, maybe theatres who like to post such enigmatic info about their new seasons would care to start taking part-payment only from those who book so far in advance, instead of the full amount upfront? After all, other businesses work on a "deposit only" basis in the first instance. The balance could be paid on publication of full details, at which stage the customer could choose to cancel and receive a refund. Or alternatively, depending on the T & C, forfeit the deposit, which would still be cheaper than having to fork out the whole cost, only to regret it. Good grief... |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2018 21:52:55 GMT
Although Mullarkey’s St George didn’t quite work. I am nevertheless looking forward to his play because his first piece at the RC was original and fun. I am hoping that the RC is more suited to his style.
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Post by showgirl on Feb 19, 2018 4:32:50 GMT
Well, then, maybe theatres who like to post such enigmatic info about their new seasons would care to start taking part-payment only from those who book so far in advance, instead of the full amount upfront? After all, other businesses work on a "deposit only" basis in the first instance. The balance could be paid on publication of full details, at which stage the customer could choose to cancel and receive a refund. Or alternatively, depending on the T & C, forfeit the deposit, which would still be cheaper than having to fork out the whole cost, only to regret it. Good grief... I was, of course, joking - but also making a point about the invidious position in which this practice may place theatregoers. |
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Post by jadnoop on Feb 19, 2018 5:40:51 GMT
have set out to obscure and obfuscate. Maybe the plays aren't finished yet! It's completely understandable that the plays aren't yet finished, but that doesn't really explain why some of the blurbs are quite so vague. I mean, even if the text isn't complete presumably they pitched their ideas to potential clients/their agent/directors/actors/their friends. They must have some idea about the intended narrative and tone, even if it might change over time; it's a comedy or a drama or a thriller; it's set in world war 2 or the future; it's... Of course, there are a few creators whose stories truly come out in the improvisation with the actors (Mike Leigh, for instance), but that's the exception rather than the rule. I mean, I presume that the theatres made their decisions based on more than 3 or 4 vague sentences, so it seems ridiculous that audiences have to decide about tickets based on what amounts to the literary equivalent of a perfume advert. |
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Post by dlevi on Feb 19, 2018 7:55:33 GMT
After more than a decade of seeing most of what the RC had to offer I took a break a couple of years ago from going as often as I did. Their idea of "new writing" could be easily translated into "young writing" and the plays I was seeing were almost interchangeable with disaffected youths and council estates always part of the action. I came back a few times The Ferryman(great) , The Kid Stays in the Picture (awful) and coming up "Boys and Girls" ( or is it "Girls and Boys"?) etc. and the results were mixed. However, I found myself thinking: I miss going there. I'll see a few of their attractions when I see the new season offerings. Then they announced it and I wanted to book but I found myself thinking: I really don't care about any of these plays. I'll wait. Judging by their availability chart I'm not alone. They have some serious marketing issues with which they should deal. Everything they've announced feels as if we've seen it there before . It's not helped by the bland clip-art aspect of their overall "look". Something is seriously wrong when one of our major theatres with a strong identity has sunk into this level of blandness.
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Post by Latecomer on Feb 19, 2018 9:03:56 GMT
Also price creep...and the ones I have sometimes booked for, they have had the cheek to send me money off offers...after I have booked! I know thst's the way the cookie crumbles but I hate it when loyal bookers are penalised for booking early!
And they sold my returned ticket for Girls and Boys but I have to have credit to be used within a year (I pointed out I have to travel from afar, and they just refused to budge, places like YV let you have unlimited time to use!)....come on RC, up your game!
I do love those seats, though.....
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Post by Rory on Feb 19, 2018 9:09:15 GMT
I agree with the above post to a large degree. It's a balancing act for the Royal Court between speaking to the moment and not making the audience feel they are being battered over the head with worthy, issues led drama all the time. I miss the seasons programmed by Dominic Cooke where you knew there would be a couple of things (eg Jumpy, Posh, Clybourne Park) which would be entertaining and perhaps also have a social point to make.
Very little in these RC seasons ever really jumps out at me now. Not everything should be a 'Hangmen' or a 'The Ferryman' but a little more drive to entertain as well as illuminate wouldn't go amiss.
And yes, the current penchant in general for oblique play descriptions is a pain when, for me, there are flights, hotels, train tickets to factor in. I want some semblance that I'm going to probably really like the damn show if it's potentially going to cost me serious wonga to see it!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2018 10:36:13 GMT
I should think it's the Royal Court marketing department that are almost wholly responsible for the content in their blurbs; they presumably have developed a "house style" that they believe plays well with their prospective audience. The playwrights will be asked to sign off on it all, but there might not be that much room for amendment.
Trying to judge the quality or content of plays from their blurbs is something of a fool's errand, and yet - when it is might be all we have in terms of information about a production - it can feel like a thoroughly unsatisfying riddle that we feel compelled to fiddle with in the quest for an answer to that perennial question; to book or not to book.
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