|
Post by theoracle on Jul 24, 2022 20:54:43 GMT
I really enjoyed this too. John Heffernan is probably one of our finest Shakespeare thespians working today and you can see his enthusiasm for the work. I don't know if the chemistry was quite there between him and Katharine Parkinson but I thought they were all uniformly very good. I loved the set design too and thought Simon Godwin's direction was very clever. I would've preferred this in the Olivier though but the wide Lyttleton proscenium was used very cleverly. Plenty of laughs throughout Friday's performance and a sincere warmth from the cast on stage. 4.5 stars from me.
|
|
|
Post by edi on Jul 25, 2022 17:23:28 GMT
For someone who is not british- is Shakespeare's language relatively easy to understand in this one?
Dreading another Under Milk Wood...
|
|
5,596 posts
|
Post by lynette on Jul 25, 2022 17:29:24 GMT
For someone who is not british- is Shakespeare's language relatively easy to understand in this one? Dreading another Under Milk Wood... You should be ok as the big moments are funny, usually done very physically. To be honest I would look up the plot before you see it. The first ten minutes often go misunderstood - the thing is that the soldiers have met the family before and know Hero and Beatrice. And of course Dogberry the clown character misuses language so don't worry too much about that but again, usually well pointed. Any other tips from them as already seen this production?
|
|
180 posts
|
Post by sweets7 on Jul 26, 2022 0:47:20 GMT
For someone who is not british- is Shakespeare's language relatively easy to understand in this one? Dreading another Under Milk Wood... You should be ok as the big moments are funny, usually done very physically. To be honest I would look up the plot before you see it. The first ten minutes often go misunderstood - the thing is that the soldiers have met the family before and know Hero and Beatrice. And of course Dogberry the clown character misuses language so don't worry too much about that but again, usually well pointed. Any other tips from them as already seen this production? it’s really easy to understand. Like you wouldn’t think it was Shakespeare. Then again, I may just have seen the play way too many times.
|
|
4,496 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Jul 26, 2022 9:48:14 GMT
It's the clearest I've ever felt a Shakespeare is - I didn't notice it was in Shakespeare language after a few minutes it's just so fluid and clear.
|
|
|
Post by alessia on Jul 26, 2022 10:35:18 GMT
It's a relief to hear this, as I struggle with Shakespeare and I'm going to see this in a couple of weeks!
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Jul 27, 2022 6:45:57 GMT
It's the clearest I've ever felt a Shakespeare is - I didn't notice it was in Shakespeare language after a few minutes it's just so fluid and clear. I had the same thought while watching the play that the actors were so damned good and the direction so clear that it was simply a fun evening. I sat there thinking maybe the National is back on form of course I realized that by bringing back Hex that was highly unlikely.
|
|
1,365 posts
|
Post by Dave B on Jul 30, 2022 8:36:53 GMT
We saw this last night and had so much fun. Really great cast throughout and everyone looked to be having a blast.
|
|
657 posts
|
Post by theatremiss on Aug 6, 2022 22:55:12 GMT
Saw today’s matinee and thoroughly enjoyed it. Heffernan is one of those actors I automatically book to see and the combination of him and Shakespeare is a no brainier. I really loved the production and the set is wonderful. I thoroughly recommend this one
|
|
2,206 posts
|
Post by theglenbucklaird on Aug 7, 2022 12:55:33 GMT
Saw today’s matinee and thoroughly enjoyed it. Heffernan is one of those actors I automatically book to see and the combination of him and Shakespeare is a no brainier. I really loved the production and the set is wonderful. I thoroughly recommend this one Saw evening performance yesterday. Echo these comments. Really good evening. Took my nieces. Not big theatre goers and they loved it. The youngest, 16, identified with Beatrice and lots of her characteristics was enthralled. Apparently still not stopped talking about performance a day after. She has a trip to RSC in the autumn for Richard III and can not wait
|
|
|
Post by alessia on Aug 24, 2022 4:58:00 GMT
Finally caught up with this- how good it was! I loved it. I am not sure my friend enjoyed it as much as I did, but for me it was the first time I truly enjoyed a Shakespeare without feeling frustrated at not understanding what was happening/what was said. Beautiful costumes and set design, John Heffernan the highlight performance, so natural, funny and believable-much better than Katherine Parkinson who reminded me of her tv character in Here We Go, so all straight up comedy. I'd like to see what she can do with a more serious role.
|
|
|
Post by floorshow on Aug 25, 2022 21:25:13 GMT
Running out of opportunities to see this but have grabbed a front row for the night they're filming. I guess it's potentially going to be quite annoying potentially peering around a camera - how intrusive can they be?
|
|
382 posts
|
Post by stevemar on Aug 25, 2022 22:05:23 GMT
Running out of opportunities to see this but have grabbed a front row for the night they're filming. I guess it's potentially going to be quite annoying potentially peering around a camera - how intrusive can they be? I went to the filmed performance of Book of Dust at the Bridge, sitting in the second row. On that occasion there was just a remote operated camera on a track in front of me, but it was mostly moving and out of the way. Most of the cameras were further back or at the side. Obviously can’t comment on the NT, but it wasn’t an issue for me at all.
|
|
|
Post by raiseitup on Aug 26, 2022 14:38:49 GMT
Running out of opportunities to see this but have grabbed a front row for the night they're filming. I guess it's potentially going to be quite annoying potentially peering around a camera - how intrusive can they be? I did front row for the filming of one of the parts of Angels in America in the Lyttleton and all of the cameras were positioned quite a few rows behind in the mid-stalls with another one high up overhead on a crane. Didn't impact the view at all. Can't promise it'll be the same for Much Ado, but wouldn't be too concerned.
|
|
5,596 posts
|
Post by lynette on Aug 26, 2022 16:46:42 GMT
It is a kid friendly, tourist friendly show. Funny in all the right places. I think they ditched the Dogberry stuff, replaced the word humour with slapstick. Kinda worked.
|
|
501 posts
|
Post by anthony on Aug 26, 2022 23:07:38 GMT
Going to see this tomorrow and I am sooo hyped. By far my favourite Shakespeare play!
|
|
501 posts
|
Post by anthony on Aug 28, 2022 12:09:54 GMT
Oh my God, it is just wonderful, isn't it?
This is possibly the first production I've seen where the Dogsberry scenes aren't unbearable. Just wonderful all round.
Behaviour is becoming more and more shocking, though. Person behind me opened a Peperami the moment the lights went down. The smell. Ugh. The 2 girls next to them then proceeded to talk through the entire thing. I've never understood why people insist on spending so much money to come to the theatre and then talk all the way through it? Utterly baffling. The women next to me asked them to be quiet at one point, but they said that they were explaining what was happening because her friend didn't understand the language... She might have stood a chance if the person had shut up for more than 2 seconds and let her watch.
I actually can't remember the last time I've been to the theatre and there hasn't been constant disruptions.
|
|
|
Post by alessia on Aug 28, 2022 17:40:35 GMT
I'm so sorry you had to endure this behaviour. I'm someone who struggles with Shakespeare, normally- but I had zero issues following this play (for once!) and would have been mortified if my friend had done that. I absolutely cannot stand people chatting during anything. So far I have not come across this level of bad behaviour at plays. I read that it is sadly quite common at musicals, especially the blockbuster ones... I loved Much Ado and am thinking of seeing a recording at the cinema!
|
|
|
Post by ladidah on Aug 30, 2022 10:48:14 GMT
Saw this yesterday, a big Shakespeare fan so was really looking forward to it.
I agree with everything said above, Benedict was perfectly cast and built a real rapport - Beatrice was a little off and it was often hard to hear her. Dogberry was wonderful.
Only issues for me was Don John was a bit pantomime villain in sections and some of the speeches were very rushed.
|
|
394 posts
|
Post by Distant Dreamer... on Sept 1, 2022 22:23:01 GMT
Benedict and Beatrice are so in love in this production it’s adorable.
|
|
893 posts
|
Post by vdcni on Sept 5, 2022 22:09:08 GMT
It's odd partly this production seemed to be the work of a director who thought the Tennant/Tate version was too subtle but at the same time I've never seen a production where Benedick and Beatrice seemed almost incidental.
This production lit up everytime Hero, Leonato, Antonia and Dogberry and the watch were on stage but fell flat whenever they weren't.
Heffernan was excellent but Parkinson was almost invisible. She is a fine screen actress but I've never felt her performances on stage match up and here she was not particularly funny and added nothing to the more dramatic moments. Their lack of chemistry compared to the last few big name pairings to take this play on was painful at times.
That said, like Jack Absolute, it made for a fun evening as they wrung every last laugh they could out of it.
|
|
|
Post by Jan on Sept 7, 2022 6:22:49 GMT
I thought this was OK. 3*. It reminded me of the quite broad productions the RSC used to do, just an entertainment with no added message.
I had never seen Katherine Parkinson before either on stage or TV. I found her unengaging, quite unsympathetic, a bit shouty, and not very funny with surprisingly little rapport with the audience. I have no idea what she was trying to do with the character, if anything. This seems to have been her first Shakespeare play. That was a problem because she was opposite John Heffernan, who I have seen before, who had none of those problems. As a result there was no chemistry between them at all. I'd say she was out of her depth.
I liked Phoebe Horn as Margaret. Didn't much care for Eben Figueiredo as Claudio channelling Stath Lets Flats, no idea what Hero would have seen in him. I thought David Judge as Don John actually toned down the villainy - I've seen productions where the character was literally booed as if it really was a pantomime.
There was a David Farr RSC production that set Twelfth Night also entirely in a hotel. Not sure if there are any of the other comedies they could do in the same way.
|
|
|
Post by cartoonman on Sept 7, 2022 8:25:02 GMT
I saw this a couple of days ago and thought it was great. I have seen Much ado three times before and this was the best. I even understood and followed the story. The onstage swing band was good, the music at NT productions is always good, the 1930's costumes were great and the art deco set design was clever, the girls chatting in a powder room and the men in the showers, excellent. Being set in the 30's I thought that the watchmen might be Mussolini's thugs but they were not. All cast were good. I saw the excellent Jack Absolute a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed that. The NT looks to be on top form. I give it 5*.
|
|
|
Post by floorshow on Sept 7, 2022 17:35:08 GMT
Caught the matinee today.
First off, yep - cameras were no issue at all as everyone above says. They were all back in rows G and H, I imagine they're quite distracting further back but no-one was seated behind them. There's a boom that may even obscure circle views a little.
The production itself is a bit of a mixed pudding, looks lovely and starts very well but as it goes into the second half it becomes very, very broad (the constable for a start, although I may have been in the minority with that). Not enough villainy, bit too much farce and no motivation for Hero's post-jilting behaviour at all. Fun ending but a little pat.
|
|
177 posts
|
Post by tal on Sept 8, 2022 12:12:42 GMT
I was enjoying this until the interval. Some interesting set choices and effective physical comedy. The second act was very boring, I thought - virtually nothing new added to the set (they used all they had in the first act) and the only thing that truly sparked my interest was Katherine Parkinson's dramatic bits.
|
|
|
Post by anxiousoctopus on Sept 8, 2022 21:59:37 GMT
What a day for this to be the live broadcast for National Theatre Live! The broadcast started with a man informing the audience of the Queen’s passing, followed by a minutes silence (much to the surprise of the entire audience!)
|
|
4,496 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Sept 9, 2022 15:54:25 GMT
What a day for this to be the live broadcast for National Theatre Live! The broadcast started with a man informing the audience of the Queen’s passing, followed by a minutes silence (much to the surprise of the entire audience!) The man was Rufus Norris - they were about 8 minutes delayed as they were frantically getting him into a suit and mic-ed up
|
|