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Post by Honoured Guest on May 2, 2016 13:04:22 GMT
If it takes this sort of desperation to attract a "new" audience I would rather they stayed at home and didn't go to the theatre at all Furthermore the actor in question and the "director" have( one could argue) a responsibility to offer theatre of the highest quality The girls sitting next to me didn't even understand any of the dialogue in the first act How is that likely to make them go to the theatre again for its intrinsic essence as an art unless the next flavour of the month is appearing in it? - they are better off saving to see Beyonce or Rhianna They at least have a message which resonates with young people and captures their love and imagination If you want true engagement with new audiences see what Almeida are doing with Boy This is meaningful and worthy All I know is that I would not have been impressed with this when I was a teenager And none of my friends with children would take them to such lowly rubbish A parent who thinks this show is suitable for young adults needs to question their taste in art as well as their moral fabric And these same children should not be watching Game Of Thrones either I think talk of "art" is a deflection here. Hopefully, audiences would engage with the energy of the production when they don't understand the language. I assumed the target audience was young adults, not children. Funnily enough, as part of my London theatre visit, I saw Boy as planned after the cancelled Dr Faustus matinee. And Kings of War the night before. Both very different. Both very good. And worthwhile! And, in place of Dr Faustus, Wendy Hoose at the Soho which I'd missed when it toured to Cardiff 18 months ago. And which was also different again and very good, although slight in relation to the rest. I don't think it's fair or sensible to judge Dr Faustus against any of these other worthwhile and successful productions. They are each differently motivated. I regret (?) that I now won't be experiencing Dr Faustus myself ... !!!
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2016 5:59:18 GMT
10am.
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Post by foxa on May 3, 2016 7:53:06 GMT
Nope - you lucked out this time. I think the luckiest audience members were probably the ones who came to the cancelled flood matinee but met Kit Harrington and got signed posters/selfies. I probably wasn't the desired audience for this show, so I have a guest reviewer for my posting , my 22 year old daughter: During interval: Her: Bejeebus, what's going on? After Show: Me: Well, at least you know a bit more about Dr Faustus. Her: I think I know less about Dr Faustus. On bus ride home: Me: Imagine you met Jamie Lloyd and you HAD to say something positive about the performance, what would it be? Her: That's really hard. I think I'd tell him 'You start as you mean to continue. You just keep going.' So, a one star from her and a one and half from me (I give it a half more because there was some entertainment value to a few bits - some of the movement, Jenna Russell singing 'Bat out of Hell,' Kit athletically jumping around.) The whole production had the feeling of a university show that had been given a big budget (though the costumes were not much better than the black bin liners a friend tells me her university group felt were very cutting edge in their long ago Edinburgh show.) I kept Steve's informed and generous review in my mind (I kept thinking Bosch, Bosch) but it started Bosch in dirty underwear and continued Bosch in dirty underwear to its dismal and surprisingly anti-climactic end. Oh - and the American section was the absolute pits, really puerile ( Marilyn singing 'Happy Birthday dear president' - how current!) I am also disappointed to report that if Ryan was there he was very well behaved. A bit of stage invasion would have provided a much needed distraction.
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Post by n1david on May 3, 2016 8:38:05 GMT
My tickets for this aren't until later in the month and I can't decide whether to go along for the sake of a decent disaster or just to write off the ticket cost. I'm assuming given the reviews that returning tickets is unlikely to be productive despite the Mr Harrington's star power. Maybe I should see the first half and escape for a decent dinner at the interval?
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Post by londonmzfitz on May 3, 2016 9:06:59 GMT
I went back again last night. What can I tell ya. I'm a glutton (pun) for punishment ..
I actually liked it even less last night than my initial preview performance. My (26 year old) son couldn't make the it the first time so I exchanged his ticket and got a couple of cheap box seats. I should add I did that before I saw it the first time otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. Tickets bought solely for the Kit Harington name.
Over dinner beforehand I tried to lay a little groundwork in terms of storyline. My kids expression at the interval led me to believe he thought I'd been lying to him because he couldn't see a storyline!
There seems to be less black vom than in previews (or, as I was front row, there just seemed to be a frigging lot of it first time around). Less dribble too.
Empty seats after the interval. I love Jenna Russell, got to blow her a kiss from my box seat during her sit and chatty bit. I think Kit Harington is working really well with some difficult stuff.
Huge crowd outside stage door. Frankly I couldn't wait to get away.
First time around I was still thinking about it days later. Now I'm trying to block the memory.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 3, 2016 9:16:39 GMT
How is it that Admin are happy to ban some of the chats on here like rumours but are not happy to ban the likes of trolling that continue to happen and have done since last year?Also, whatever happened to all bodies are beautiful? Just saying. Because you didn't report it Daniel. We we can't be everywhere all the time. So we rely on members bringing problems to our attention via the "Report" button. Please see the last paragraph here: www.theatreboard.co.uk/thread/126/theatreboard-guidelines-rules
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Post by andrew on May 3, 2016 9:24:09 GMT
With some trepidation I've booked a Monday seat for next week.
OK that's a lie, it was booked with a lot of trepidation.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2016 10:46:53 GMT
This was painful. Really painful. I was actually enjoying it right up until the adaption started. Why? What was wrong with Marlowe's original text? Why is this the only way to get "new" audiences into the theatre? Why replace the original Pope's dinner scene with a bizarre conversation with the Pope in his pants? Why are they naked? Am I missing something? This obviously wasn't made for me.
Jenna Russell and Tom Edden both wonderful.
Kit Harrington was great, and he looks great; I'm not complaining about his nudity.
If this was my first theatre experience, I'd never come back.
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Post by RedRose on May 3, 2016 11:03:26 GMT
There doesn't seem much demand for it. I was in a team meeting when tickets for 15 Pound Mondays went on sale, so I asked my friend to buy us tickets. When I had a look at 11 UK time at our permormance date there were loads of tickets left. So obviously the Kit is not a big draw for new theatregoers (they rather like to hang around stage-door) and the poor reviews prevent a lot of the (regular) theatregoers from booking. To be honest - I am myself not very much interested in the play itself - we Germans have the better Doctor Faustus, Goethe's Faust (the biggest German Play) which even has a second part and an additional 'original version' (Urfaust). I have seen that loads of times and studied it for my German Abitur.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2016 12:08:56 GMT
Is there any merchandise for sale for this? I like the poster art
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Post by ATK on May 3, 2016 12:24:15 GMT
Why didn’t someone involved in the production bother to teach Kit Harrington how to speak Kit Marlowe’s verse? For me, despite all the other well-deserved criticisms of the show, this was the most annoying fault. No one has sung blank verse on an English stage since Gielgud retired, but that was what Harrington did last night.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2016 13:49:58 GMT
Oh dear.
All I can say is thank the lord that Kit-off stripped down to his pants and showed off his (rather delicious) bum.
I had the Rohypnol at the ready for the stage door but decided to keep it for myself as I thought I'd need it for the second act.
He does have lovely hair though.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 3, 2016 13:55:46 GMT
Kit who?
yeah... I know. Never seen Game Of Thrones. Every time someone tells me what I'm missing I go to the box set on Sky, see how many series and episodes there are and beat a hasty retreat.
Is is he good in the series? Because it sounds like he's absolute bobbins on stage.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2016 14:02:54 GMT
Kit who? yeah... I know. Never seen Game Of Thrones. Every time someone tells me what I'm missing I go to the box set on Sky, see how many series and episodes there are and beat a hasty retreat. Is is he good in the series? Because it sounds like he's absolute bobbins on stage. He is good in the series (which I adore btw). He's actually not bad in this either, very good in fact. It's just everything else around him that is not so good.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2016 18:44:50 GMT
Is there any merchandise for sale for this? I like the poster art I know that Kit was signing posters for audience members as compensation last weekend for those booked for the flooded performances. I don't know whether these are standard issue or just for special occasions though.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2016 19:03:32 GMT
Yeah so I saw. Annoying. I was meant to see it Saturday afternoon and obviously it was cancelled, and somehow missed him being in the lobby!
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2016 8:13:49 GMT
Oh dear increasingly it doesn't sound like I missed much...yup for the first time ever I missed a show I'd booked for due to illness. Didn't actually make it to London as planned. More disappointed to miss out on meeting fellow theatreboard folks (and restrain Ryan from getting a Kit-H restraining order)
I see Shenton had some words about it this morning too...
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 4, 2016 13:18:51 GMT
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Post by caa on May 4, 2016 14:59:19 GMT
Jamie is also working with ATG with their extra charges....
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 4, 2016 16:22:41 GMT
Jamie is also working with ATG with their extra charges.... I don't think ATG need any help, they've got extra charges down to a fine art.
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Post by Honoured Guest on May 4, 2016 16:23:47 GMT
Jamie is also working with ATG with their extra charges.... ATG refunded my original booking charges in full, as well as the ticket price, for the cancelled Doctor Faustus. Given their reputation, I had half expected them to charge me a fee for refunding the ticket cost. So on this occasion I was a happy customer.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2016 19:31:07 GMT
Yeah I have go say, I called atg Monday about my cancelled doctor faustus performance and no issue getting a refund, already showing on my card today.
Also, the last couple of bookings I've made the fees have only been about £3.50. Which didn't seem bad to me at all.
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Post by Squire Sullen on May 4, 2016 19:36:29 GMT
Booked a £15 for this. Going with my friend who isn't much of a theatregoer. She's going for Kit Harington's bum and I'm going to hear Jenna Russell sing Bat Out of Hell, so we'll both get at least something out of it.
Also flicking through my theatre book, turns out I saw Harington on a school trip to War Horse yonks ago - always nice to see someone before they become big.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 5, 2016 13:25:26 GMT
Also, the last couple of bookings I've made the fees have only been about £3.50. Which didn't seem bad to me at all. It's about 3 quid usually I think, but that's per ticket not per booking. So if you're a party of four that's £12 for finding your own seats, booking them on line and potentially printing your own tickets. Ok there might be an argument that ATG have to administer and run the booking system but I don't think that sort of charge is justified. Anyway... Off topic!
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Post by popcultureboy on May 6, 2016 22:12:28 GMT
Also, the last couple of bookings I've made the fees have only been about £3.50. Which didn't seem bad to me at all. It's about 3 quid usually I think, but that's per ticket not per booking. So if you're a party of four that's £12 for finding your own seats, booking them on line and potentially printing your own tickets. Ok there might be an argument that ATG have to administer and run the booking system but I don't think that sort of charge is justified. Anyway... Off topic! It's not per ticket. They charge £3.50 per booking, as a general rule. If there are additional per ticket charges, they will be related to the producers of that particular show, which won't be anything to do with ATG, though they'll still get the blame for it, since we all love to shoot the messenger. Also, ATG doesn't offer print at home yet. So are you sure you're talking about them and not another ticket agent?
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 6, 2016 22:21:01 GMT
I stand corrected. But the point I'm making about booking fees stands. And I'm not interested in who the two quid goes to. It's a rip off.
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Post by Honoured Guest on May 6, 2016 22:22:27 GMT
I stand corrected. But the point I'm making about booking fees stands. ... even though it's incorrect? I'm confused now ...
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 6, 2016 22:26:40 GMT
I stand corrected. But the point I'm making about booking fees stands. ... even though it's incorrect? I'm confused now ... Well, no need for confusion. I just don't think we should have to pay for the privelege of buying something off someone. If you think it's ok, that's fine
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 7, 2016 20:10:26 GMT
Well, no need for confusion. I just don't think we should have to pay for the privelege of buying something off someone. If you think it's ok, that's fine I have a theatre card, but I don't mind ATG's bookings fees all that much - they provide a decent platform to buy tickets, which needs to be funded from someone somewhere. Nimax could learn a thing or two. Where I take issue is when places like the o2 charge booking fees, processing fees, handling fees, and even box office collection fees. For some events I've ended up having to pay £20+ per ticket just to buy a ticket in the first place! Yes it needs to be funded by THEM. They're selling a product and we're buying it. I can't believe how numb we've become to bring completely and utterly ripped off in this country. And I totally agree with your point about arena shows.
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2016 21:30:02 GMT
I really didn't get this at all. Not really my cup of tea. Jenna Russell was great, but Kit Harington really is overestimated in my opinion, perfect bum aside.
The Duke of York's really is terribly designed for those in the grand circle I must say. Terrible sight lines and the narrowest leg room I've ever encountered.
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