The Real Thing - Tom Stoppard (Rose Kingston)
Oct 7, 2017 22:21:33 GMT
Nicholas and martin1965 like this
Post by joem on Oct 7, 2017 22:21:33 GMT
One of the disadvantages of growing older is having already seen a lot of the plays you would like to see. One of the advantages is having forgotten what most of them are about.
I saw the original production of this way back in 1983 (I was precocious) and apart from a vague memory of having enjoyed it and that lots of snippets of sixties singles were played I couldn't honestly remember much about it.
Which was great as this is a great revival. It hasn't been updated much, the only issue that dates it somewhat are the references to protesting against American missiles but no doubt there are still people protesting against them or there will be, so it's no great shakes. The play's themes are love, marriage and fidelity which have probably been used in the theatre since ancient Greece and yet Stoppard managed to freshen things up mainly by sparky dialogue which fizzes along in a way reminiscent of a modern Coward at his best. And unlike some Stoppard plays it is not so dense that it cannot be enjoyed on a fairly superficial level. This is about as light as he gets.
Good ensemble acting, with Laurence Fox heading the cast. A great moment when an aural malfunction caused him to stop the play as he traced its source, switch off the offending hiss and, with some ad-libbing and temporary suspension of the fourth wall, got the play back on track.
As Neil Young might say: please take my advice, please take my advice.... if you are contemplating seeing this and haven't done so before and intend buying the programme DO NOT READ THE INTERVIEW WITH TOM STOPPARD until the interview at least.
Only on for another week or so, do hurry if you want to catch it.
I saw the original production of this way back in 1983 (I was precocious) and apart from a vague memory of having enjoyed it and that lots of snippets of sixties singles were played I couldn't honestly remember much about it.
Which was great as this is a great revival. It hasn't been updated much, the only issue that dates it somewhat are the references to protesting against American missiles but no doubt there are still people protesting against them or there will be, so it's no great shakes. The play's themes are love, marriage and fidelity which have probably been used in the theatre since ancient Greece and yet Stoppard managed to freshen things up mainly by sparky dialogue which fizzes along in a way reminiscent of a modern Coward at his best. And unlike some Stoppard plays it is not so dense that it cannot be enjoyed on a fairly superficial level. This is about as light as he gets.
Good ensemble acting, with Laurence Fox heading the cast. A great moment when an aural malfunction caused him to stop the play as he traced its source, switch off the offending hiss and, with some ad-libbing and temporary suspension of the fourth wall, got the play back on track.
As Neil Young might say: please take my advice, please take my advice.... if you are contemplating seeing this and haven't done so before and intend buying the programme DO NOT READ THE INTERVIEW WITH TOM STOPPARD until the interview at least.
Only on for another week or so, do hurry if you want to catch it.
