152 posts
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Post by alnoor on Mar 9, 2016 17:41:08 GMT
Few weeks ago found out that one of my favourite actresses Josette Simon was in this play.
Today, I have found out she withdrew from the production a couple of weeks ago.
Very disappointed.
Hope all is well.
I hope she is on stage soon as she is fascinating to watch
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Post by d'James on Mar 9, 2016 19:19:03 GMT
I am looking forward to seeing this.
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Post by e888boo on Mar 11, 2016 11:37:41 GMT
Saw this opening night, thought Mel Giedroyc, Martins Imhangbe and Elizabeth Tan were very good.
Nigel Whitmey had a bit of a thankless role really as the husband but was fine and Natasha Gordon was OK too, but maybe being a later replacement meant she didn't gel as well as the other players.
Overall though I really enjoyed it, 90 minutes with no interval meant it didn't outstay its welcome and raised some interesting issues.
Did find it strange that it's set in America, within their school system but has transferred over here, which may mean people don't connect so much with the story setting and politics perhaps.
Audience seemed to enjoy it, although several times people either dropped or knocked over glasses quite audibly which must be very distracting for all concerned, just hold the glass or make sure its out of the way before it starts surely?!
Well worth a visit though I feel.
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923 posts
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Post by Snciole on Mar 11, 2016 13:22:40 GMT
I really liked the performances and tone of the piece but perhaps because of my unfamiliarity with race issues within schools I struggled with the character of Luce. I think it is because the character is highly privileged and behaves like an arsehole.
I really liked Martins Imhangbe (His friends had come to see him and they were making me LOL with their comments about acting and how dreadful the Christopher Darden character was on American Crime Story) I can definitely see him having a mainstream career as he is very good and very gorgeous. I enjoyed Mel Giedroyc as well, she is so striking in real life.
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Post by e888boo on Mar 11, 2016 15:22:02 GMT
I know what you mean... Which is why I was surprised that something so rooted in the politics of a school system few are likely to have knowledge of in the UK transferred here.
With regards his character... I think that it was supposed to be insinuating that the character of Luce became a privileged arsehole from the way everyone kept telling him how great he was and giving him opportunities which it seems were unheard of, which when it finally dawned on him he was becoming something he always thought he wouldn't he then just became an angry arsehole, which then meant... Which then led full circle to him becoming... Again...
Sorry I don't know how to do 'spoilers' on this forum but you've seen it so know hopefully what I mean...
And I agree he was great as was Mel.
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Post by Snciole on Mar 11, 2016 16:45:45 GMT
I keep questioning what I was meant to think. I think the direction of the teacher's resentment towards him confused me. She seemed to be enabling his arsehole privileges and then got angry with him?. I think, as a BME, I get that there were expectations but all the expectations of Luce are positive, not negative. He meets the stereotypes of a privileged arse, which is to be expected with his upbringing whatever his colour!
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Mar 13, 2016 19:20:56 GMT
Um didn't blow me away, but still enjoyed this, who would of thought Mel Giedroyc would have an American accent, she better drop that for the next series of Bake Off, or there be a few letters of complaints from Disgruntled from Tunbridge Wells. Didn't know she could act too, so a bonus. Which gets me thinking, Mel doesn't need to do this for the money, she makes plenty else where, she isn't in the limelight at Southwark, so not a star vehicle, so really scratching my head why she would want to do this?
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Post by d'James on Mar 13, 2016 19:43:33 GMT
Um didn't blow me away, but still enjoyed this, who would of thought Mel Giedroyc would have an American accent, she better drop that for the next series of Bake Off, or there be a few letters of complaints from Disgruntled from Tunbridge Wells. Didn't know she could act too, so a bonus. Which gets me thinking, Mel doesn't need to do this for the money, she makes plenty else where, she isn't in the limelight at Southwark, so not a star vehicle, so really scratching my head why she would want to do this? I saw her interviewed, and she said she doesn't get offered things like this very often, so she jumped at the chance. I LOVE her as a presenter but it's always nice to see her act. This'll be the first time I've seen her in a play though. |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Mar 14, 2016 22:00:51 GMT
Does she reprise any of her Frau comedy staircase acting from The Sound of Music?
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Post by d'James on Apr 3, 2016 1:22:08 GMT
I saw this tonight and loved it.
Regarding Natasha Gordon and e888boo's earlier post, she had completely gelled by now.
A really interesting story and I don't really see why not knowing the American school system would be that much of a barrier.
My one disappointment, maybe, was that on the flyer Luce was called homegrown in regards to his extremism/terrorism. (I'm not bothering with spoilers as it's finished.) I think perhaps the story relied too much on the fact that he wasn't actually homegrown. Maybe fully homegrown extremism is not a topic that would sit well with audiences here or in America. I'm really hoping that I'm making my point here, because I would hate it to be construed otherwise, but we were told a lot that he was not actually born in the US. Yes he's been there ten years now but for seven years he wasn't and although he won't remember a lot from his very early years he must remember some things, including losing his biological parents.
I just felt that they were being very careful to make it clear that he wasn't born and bred fully American.
I felt for all the characters at the start but lost sympathy for Luce when he started calling his mother 'Amy,' and the same with Amy when she started burying her head in the sand concerning Luce.
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Post by Snciole on Apr 3, 2016 11:53:51 GMT
I think that is the issue. At no point, publicly or privately, does Luce express anti-American views. He embraces his adoptive family and his culture. There is no resentment of being taken away. He just seems like a bored teenager!
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