145 posts
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Post by meister on Apr 21, 2018 6:30:26 GMT
First preview yesterday. This is a very unfunny two and a half hours. The play lacks any dramatic tension or even plot and is woefully unfunny, this production relying on prat falls, shouting, caricature and a desperately tacked-on song and dance number at the end to make it to the end of the evening. Rufus Hound lacks any charisma and it is hard to fathom why all these people orbit around his character. I quite enjoyed Sean Foley’s take on ‘The Painkiller’ a few years back but this is just painful.
Not a good start to the season. Don’t know why Daniel Evans thought this worth reviving??!!
(However, some of the (typical Chichester) audience were clearly having a side splitting experience)
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5,597 posts
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Post by lynette on Apr 21, 2018 17:32:45 GMT
This is one that shows up for whom the lead was written ie Mr Coward and it relies on the lead too much but is usually v funny. Some great lines.
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Apr 21, 2018 18:03:36 GMT
Tempted to go and see this next weekend, for no other reason I love a trip out to Chichester and it has been a long winter.
Rufus Hound obviously believes in his ability. Inevitably we (British) get the short end of the stick, by which I mean that if Present Laughter went into the West End say with Kevin Kline’s Tony award winning performance, I be there.
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Post by d'James on Apr 21, 2018 22:14:43 GMT
I enjoyed the version I saw with Robert Bathurst a while back. Wouldn’t rush to see it again, unless there was someone I was keen to see on stage in it.
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Post by orchidman on Apr 22, 2018 2:00:03 GMT
Saw it on Broadway with Kevin Kline and it was crap, so heaven help it with Rufus Hound in the lead.
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294 posts
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Post by dani on Apr 22, 2018 18:36:56 GMT
I like Katherine Kingsley. Rufus Hound isn't my cup of tea, and neither is Lucy Briggs Owen. With Hound I'm at a loss to believe there are many true fans. I have to admit that when I try to picture him I keep thinking of Keith Lemon.
In any case I am allergic to tacked-on song and dance numbers, which always feel like an attempt to bully the audience into imagining they have had a good time.
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Apr 22, 2018 19:51:35 GMT
Anyone considering taking a trip to Chichester next weekend. Note there are no trains from Victoria via Horsham due to engineering works.
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213 posts
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Post by frosty on Apr 23, 2018 10:12:50 GMT
I was at the first preview too - agree with everything meister said...the only saving graces were Tracy Ann Oberman, who steals every scene she is in, plus it was a gorgeous evening, so got to sit outside and drink Pimms in the sun before going in. However, it did seem a very odd choice to open the season with, I do hope it gets better.
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145 posts
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Post by meister on Apr 28, 2018 15:52:54 GMT
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on May 13, 2018 13:20:52 GMT
Please A Present Laughter with doors being slammed.
Liked the female leads, a lot more than the male one. I have never really bought into Sean Foley humour, except for the marvellous Ladykillers.
Usual for me I drove down, as I wouldn’t have made the last train home, which is long and arduous journey and expensive one and the cost is not sweetened by seeing such a leaden production.
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395 posts
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on May 16, 2018 17:47:38 GMT
I totally agree with you Phantom of London. This production was Chichester at its granny pleasing worst! The pensioners were howling around me and I was sat there puzzled and a little annoyed. Sean Foley totally missed the mark with this one and went far to take the humour away.
Rufus Hound is a good stage actor, but in this he was simply miscast. No hint of suave, no sense he was the veteran actor. Why not someone like Charles Dance or Mark Heap?
About 2 stars if I was feeling generous.
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