404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Sept 27, 2019 10:49:42 GMT
I saw this yesterday afternoon and while ( as usual with Ms Churchill) I found some of the writing elusive - I was never bored and more often than not intrigued by what I was watching. Meticulously directed and designed, I think it will prove to be one of the theatrical highlights of the year. And isn't tit thrilling that at 81 Ms Churchill is still experimenting and challenging audiences, rather than resting on her laurels and going from revival to revival of her work.
|
|
1,008 posts
|
Post by andrew on Sept 27, 2019 13:23:22 GMT
Can I ask - did anyone see a show where the juggler does not drop the clubs? A few times?
This isn't criticism of the skill of the performer, but speaking to someone who saw the show on a different night we wondered if this is a rehearsed and scripted part of the performance, rather than an accident...
|
|
1,114 posts
|
Post by Stephen on Sept 27, 2019 13:46:27 GMT
Can I ask - did anyone see a show where the juggler does not drop the clubs? A few times? This isn't criticism of the skill of the performer, but speaking to someone who saw the show on a different night we wondered if this is a rehearsed and scripted part of the performance, rather than an accident... Not rehearsed or scripted as it didn't happen when I saw it on the final preview before press night. Unless of course they were trying different things still. Glad this was so well reviewed. I thought it was a fantastic evening.
|
|
1,465 posts
|
Post by foxa on Sept 27, 2019 14:02:34 GMT
The juggler dropped the clubs a couple of times when we saw it, but handled quite charmingly.
|
|
1,093 posts
|
Post by samuelwhiskers on Sept 27, 2019 14:32:51 GMT
No dropping when I saw it, but I think the second circus act exited prematurely as her act was substantially shorter than the juggler and was followed by about five minutes of staring at an empty stage.
|
|
|
Post by Forrest on Sept 27, 2019 14:35:57 GMT
The juggler dropped the clubs a couple of times when we saw it, but handled quite charmingly. Same, I believe, on the evening when I saw it (which was last Monday). I'll keep an eye on the juggler tomorrow night.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Sept 28, 2019 18:13:28 GMT
The Juggler didn't drop them at my performance. She was great.
|
|
Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
|
Post by Xanderl on Sept 29, 2019 6:46:59 GMT
Great set of plays. I liked the way they were all thematically linked and built on each other. Enjoyed the circus acts too, a couple of dropped bats by the juggler last night. Sat in row A, which is the second row - no problems with the view despite the raised platforms, and the lighting effects and blackouts worked well even close up. Quite stressful watching the acrobat that close up! Excellent cast. I didn't actually realise till the curtain call that Niamh was one of the girls in Glass. Surprised me incidentally that the circus performers didn't get a curtain call. I'd remembered that one of the plays was a suprise addition when Churchill sent a fourth one to the Royal Court - I assumed this was one of the shorter pieces but actually it was "Imp" that was the late addition - royalcourttheatre.com/caryl-churchills-fourth-play-imp-announced/Would have been a very short evening without "Imp" although I remember a few years ago she had two new short plays in quick succession which were done separately rather than as a double bill.
|
|
717 posts
|
Post by Latecomer on Sept 29, 2019 10:36:15 GMT
Loved this. Enjoyed the mesmerising entertainments between the pieces...I could have watched the patterns that juggler made all day! I also liked the plays. Wasn’t the set great? Imaginative and minimalistic all in one. Great lighting. And beautiful acting....in the last piece you had to really believe in the characters or the whole piece would have seemed daft and they completely nailed it. I cannot imagine that this could have been done better by other actors. Atmospheric and intriguing. So glad I went to see it. Was also amused talking to another audience member afterwards that they had not got a single one of the literary references but still loved it, so this works on many levels...when I started watching theatre 10 or so years ago I wouldn’t have either! Churchill at her most playful. Difficult to chose a favourite, they are all quite different and the sum of the whole is lovely!
|
|
|
Post by Forrest on Sept 29, 2019 10:50:24 GMT
Xanderl, we sat quite close last night then, I was B8 (the one who couldn't stop giggling, sat in front of the guy in row C who also couldn't stop giggling/laughing - sorry about that, hope it wasn't annoying). I somehow enjoyed last's night's performance even more than the one I saw on Monday. Perhaps because there was no element of surprise, as I had an idea of what was coming and could relax knowing I wouldn't miss anything, but it also seemed like the cast were more relaxed in their roles. Everyone was excellent, and I'm definitely adding Patrick McNamee to my list of standouts: although short, his was the most endearing performance on both evenings. My friend and I ended up sitting next to all of the younger cast members in the bar after the performance, with Toby Jones constantly walking past our table, and then we bumped into Sule Rimi, Tom Mothersdale (together) and Louisa Harland (alone) on our way out (and there we were, thinking we were the last two people in the bar). Didn't tell anyone how fantastic they were, it seemed a bit silly in the moment, now kind of regretting it because I really thought they should have gotten some praise for the performances. (I seem to have a thing for awkwardly bumping into people at the Royal Court: Caryl Churchill ran straight into me on Monday. Of course, I was quite ladylike and avoided loudly proclaiming how amazing I think she is.
|
|
Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
|
Post by Xanderl on Sept 29, 2019 11:08:01 GMT
Xanderl, we sat quite close last night then, I was B8 (the one who couldn't stop giggling, sat in front of the guy in row C who also couldn't stop giggling/laughing - sorry about that, hope it wasn't annoying). Yes, quite close - I was A15 so further to the left than you were. Only annoying people were the older couple at the end of my row who kept chatting during the scene changes in "Imp"! I do enjoy lurking in the Royal Court bar after the evening performance when the cast wander in!
|
|
|
Post by Forrest on Sept 29, 2019 12:42:28 GMT
Yes, quite close - I was A15 so further to the left than you were. Only annoying people were the older couple at the end of my row who kept chatting during the scene changes in "Imp"! I do enjoy lurking in the Royal Court bar after the evening performance when the cast wander in! A14 was my seat the other night. Great view, although row B was slightly better. I'm pretty short-sighted, so I try to go for the front rows whenever I can. I'm not much of a post-show lurker, to be honest, I'm way too shy for that. Plus, I always think to myself - it's been a long day for them too, and what I consider magic they consider a job, so I'd better not disturb. Clearly I'll never be proper stage door fan material.
|
|
211 posts
|
Post by peelee on Oct 1, 2019 16:11:53 GMT
Looking forward to seeing this programme in a few days. I've not always understood Caryl Churchill plays, though have enjoyed a number of them, so hope I can understand and appreciate these.
|
|
|
Post by londonpostie on Oct 2, 2019 22:12:57 GMT
Juggler Report: not a night to remember.
In other news: can't add anything to the above . Returning next week - the second viewing is always so much more relaxed for me - and look forward to delving deeper. Found Bluebeard the more elusive. Those slips are killing me, though.
|
|
1,178 posts
|
Post by theatrelover123 on Oct 2, 2019 22:41:33 GMT
Juggler Report: not a night to remember. In other news: can't add anything to the above . Returning next week - the second viewing is always so much more relaxed for me - and look forward to delving deeper. Found Bluebeard the more elusive. Those slips are killing me, though. Blimey. You're just wearing a slip when you go to the theatre?! Doesn't seem like suitable attire. Are you not cold?
|
|
1,845 posts
|
Post by NeilVHughes on Oct 5, 2019 21:37:23 GMT
Frailty creates entities defending atrocities normalised as horror ceding impotence to imagination.
Most excellent, mythical storytelling,
|
|
|
Post by londonpostie on Oct 6, 2019 10:01:15 GMT
As mentioned, it was also nice to see Billington working for his stipend
|
|
587 posts
|
Post by Polly1 on Oct 6, 2019 15:01:37 GMT
This would have been a very disappointing evening if it had not included Imp. Deborah Findlay is a National Treasure. Brilliantly naturalistic writing (of course, but it is really difficult to write for older people without cliche).
Juggler dropped clubs 3 times tonight, acrobat was boring. Caryl Churchill was in the bar with a big group but I didn't see her in the audience.
|
|
367 posts
|
Post by MrBunbury on Oct 7, 2019 11:41:39 GMT
I really liked this! Probably the most interesting work from Churchill I have seen (I haven't seen much of hers though). I would struggle to pick a favourite among the four short plays but they work really well together. As usual Deborah Findlay is amazing.
|
|
76 posts
|
Post by bingomatic on Oct 8, 2019 13:58:26 GMT
Did they change juggler ? Reviews I've seen refer to a female in polka dots. Unless my eyesight is failing more than expected last night's (Monday 7th) was a male.
Still considering the play so that's probably a good thing, I definitely didn't get all the references but it was entertaining throughout.
|
|
2,203 posts
|
Post by theglenbucklaird on Oct 13, 2019 8:36:22 GMT
Anybody seen this yet can explain this to me.
I really liked the juggling and circus skills, the lighting and the staging of the play was really good and it was exceptionally acted with lots of highs and lows in mood.
Best part of the play was the four full stops in the title, great writing.
|
|
1,276 posts
|
Post by Dave B on Oct 13, 2019 8:52:11 GMT
|
|
2,203 posts
|
Post by theglenbucklaird on Oct 13, 2019 9:12:11 GMT
Read a few reviews this morning now, my first experience of Caryl Churchill. I was right it is not conventional but has great use of language and is funny and very sad in a switch of the moment. Was right about the four full stops also
|
|
18,697 posts
|
Post by BurlyBeaR on Oct 13, 2019 13:15:57 GMT
Merged
|
|
2,389 posts
|
Post by peggs on Oct 13, 2019 15:37:50 GMT
Read the Telegraph review, I know I should know better, and it seemed to say these plays were not sufficient to meet our bleak times and was only on downstairs due to the Court's history with the author. I've not seen any Churchill before and I suspect I missed something of the nuances but I know what I think to that load of review drivel. There is something very scary about Deborah Findlay being angry.
|
|
2,389 posts
|
Post by peggs on Oct 13, 2019 15:43:31 GMT
Ps I do like the idea that Hamlet would have been okay if he'd only done some running!
|
|