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Post by David J on Jan 31, 2024 14:14:08 GMT
As someone on the autism spectrum I am happy that disabled people are getting represented here and there. But there has to come a point where we can't have our cake and eat it.
The danger is if we say only disabled people should be casted as disabled characters, that could in turn pigeonhole them in those roles and nothing else
This is the problem with proclaiming representation and cancel culture (like this demand to cancel Michelle Terry from the role) that has been going on for years now. It opens cans of worms all over the place and as I say you can't please everyone.
Once upon a time you'd cast the best person that can deliver Shakespeare's lines and acts brilliantly. Sure it's not a perfect system. I find Terry's casting a bit nepotistic, but I know she's a capable actress who can play the role well. But casting by how you identify has caused more problems.
It's a good job no one cries fowl when amateur dramatics cast a non-disabled person as Richard III when chances are they don't have anyone of the sort in the company to start with. All they want to do is put on their version of the play.
And can I play Richard as an autistic or will I be blasted down unless I state very clear that I have an invisible disability.
Me and plenty of people are getting tired of all this. And companies of all kinds are starting to notice and are drawing the line.
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Post by David J on Jan 31, 2024 7:40:53 GMT
What I find laughable is that when you advocate for inclusion and representation for so long, eventually you want to do something that upsets a group of people you’ve been advocating for
The Globe Theatre encountered this with I, Joan from women who see Joan as a figure head for them. And now they’re getting it from disabled people who believe a character should only be played by them.
Lesson: you’re not going to please everybody. And companies out there are starting to wake up to that.
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Post by David J on Jan 25, 2024 0:20:44 GMT
I wonder how those people felt about Davros no longer being in a wheelchair in Dr Who because it's bad to represent disabled people as genocidal monsters
Or is murdering a few members of your royal family, including two kids, fine.
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Post by David J on Jan 20, 2024 9:36:57 GMT
I'm thinking of going to watch this in Manchester. I've only ever watched Shakespeare once a long time ago while doing Alevels (King Lear in Stratford) and am really not familiar with any of the texts. Will I be ok not really knowing the text? Where is best to sit for something like this? Stalls or circle? I'll be on my own, so I'm hoping I can get a single seat in a good spot. Difficult to say how easy it will be to follow the story without knowing what Robert Icke has cut, but it’s his job to make the story clear Personally I’ve never had a problem following the story. If I do have a piece of advise to anyone new to the Henry IV plays is to not set your expectations high for part 2, or in this case the second act Part 1 is to me one of Shakespeares best with a nice balance between history and comedy. Falstaff is great, there’s lots of banter between him and Hal, a dysfunctional relationship between Hal and his father and an ongoing sub plot of a rebellion represented by Hal’s rival, Hotspur Part 2 is a more sombre play. Theres reflections of old age and change which if taken in isolation makes part 2 a good play, but coming off part 1 can feel disappointing. There’s less moments where Falstaff and Hal talk to each other, and when they do it’s not on the best of terms especially at the end. The rebellion ends on a whimper with a b-grade antagonist, and there’s this whole sequence of Falstaff in Gloucestershire that has its moments (with a lovely speech from the character Shallow) but one wonders where Shakespeare is going with this. But the resolution between Henry IV and Hal as the latter takes on his responsibilities is touching, certainly the highlight of part 2 The consistent story through these plays is Hal’s coming of age story to becoming the future Henry V
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Post by David J on Jan 20, 2024 0:19:21 GMT
I had trouble with 'Meetings'. Bought ticket and got the link but when I went in and logged in the website said I was not allowed access. And it was the last day with few hours left
Emailed them and they were able to send me the video itself so can't complain too much
Managed to access the video of She Stoops to Conquer but frankly the audio quality lets this down. Sounds too distant. And being in a small in the round theatre using only two or three cameras going between zoomed out and zoomed in with passable editing it isn't NT Live quality. Missed reactions that I could tell were getting laughs. It was fine for Meetings but for a comedy like She Stoops to Conquer it didn't work
And okay I can't really judge this on the small amount I saw but this production felt rather restrained compared to the Northern Broadsides and Bath Theatre Royal productions I saw previously. Isn't it meant to be big and farcical? Not sure the change of time period helped it. Tony Lumpkin stole the show before but here didn't stand out to me.
So I gave up half way through the first act. Just couldn't get into this production. Feel like booking to see Uncle Vanya in person.
It's good Orange Tree screen their shows but they really need to invest in lapel microphones and work on the camerawork/editing if they want to continue doing this
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Post by David J on Jan 16, 2024 12:36:29 GMT
Yeah sorry Alfred Enoch
And to be clear it's not as though we're getting Ian McKellen, Judi Dench and Patrick Stewart back but still actor's known in theatre circles and further afield that hopefully will get people in. And if the productions are great then hopefully good word of mouth will attract more.
But I'm trying not to be too optimistic. Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey still have their work cut out to get the RSC out of the rut it's been in the past few years.
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Post by David J on Jan 16, 2024 12:19:14 GMT
Yeah, that's an announcement all right.
Lots of Shakespeare. Even a ballet production of Romeo and Juliet, I wonder how that's going to look like on the thrust stage. A nice mixture of plays in The Swan. Might have been nice to see some more contemporaries but Daniel Evans heading Edward II is a start. Even a Ukranian language production of King Lear in the The Other Place.
And Daniel Evans has managed to get some names over to Stratford - Luke Thompson, Alfred Molina, Samantha Spiro, Stephen Daldry and Rupert Goold's back directing Luke Thallon as Hamlet.
It's just a question of whether these productions prove to be better than the uninspired output under Doran and Whyman. Only time will tell.
And I hope Evans and Harvey keeps this up in future years. I also hope they keep filming these productions and release on DVD.
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Post by David J on Jan 8, 2024 13:41:04 GMT
Has anyone tried the in person rush for this? Wondering whether I can get there for 6pm on the dot or whether I should get there before? I turned up early than the advertised time for the matinee and they straight up gave me the rush tickets as there were only a few available So I’d say turn up when you can and see what they can offer
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Post by David J on Jan 7, 2024 3:04:26 GMT
In the 2010s I practically gave a lot of things a chance. Went to so many plays and musicals with an open mind.
There are gems I would not have seen if I didn't risk going out of my way to see and spend money on.
I trust people's thoughts on shows on this forum more than the mainstream critics and that has also allowed me to see some great shows. But at the end of the day only you alone can decide whether something is great or not.
Case in point, My Neighbour Totoro, which I finally got to see last weekend, despite my apprehension about the wide variety of reviews one can read on the thread. And I loved it in the end, despite it being 5-10 minutes too long.
Sadly I have given up all that spending to see all kinds of shows and rely on good reviews on this board alone. As everyone has said the prices are going up. There's also the feeling of do I want to go all the way to London to see a production that is just passable. Even a four star production that ticks all the right boxes, but doesn't leave me emotionally enthralled enough to move it up a tier, isn't appealing anymore.
And it does mean I have missed some hidden gems this past year. But that's how it goes sadly.
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Post by David J on Jan 2, 2024 14:11:00 GMT
Updated my list. Doesn't mess up the tallies anyway My top 5 1. My Neighbour Totoro (Barbican) 2. Marjorie Prime (Menier Chocolate Theatre) 3. Accidental Death of an Anarchist (Theatre Royal Hammersmith) 4. A View from the Bridge (Chichester) 5. The Phantom of the Opera with Earl Carpenter (His Majesty's Theatre) Runners up I, Malvolio (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse) Old Friends (Gielgud Theatre) Best of Enemies (NT Live) 4000 Miles (Chichester) Next to Normal (Donmar Warehouse) Mother Goose (Chichester) Guys and Dolls (Bridge Theatre) Meetings (Orange Tree Theatre) Frank and Percy (Other Palace Theatre) Operation Mincemeat (Fortune Theatre) Assassins (Chichester) The House of Bernarda Alba (National Theatre) The Lord of the Rings (Watermill Theatre) Dear England (Prince Edward Theatre) Groundhog Day (Old Vic) Ghosts (Sam Wanamaker) Cymbeline (RSC) Frozen (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) The Motive and the Cue (National Theatre) Newsies (Troubadour Theatre) Ulster American (Riverside Studios) And the worst Aspects of Love (Lyric Theatre) Also left at the interval The Suspicions of Mr Whicher (Watermill Theatre) Edward I (Winchester Great Hall) - an okay production that I wish I could hear from the back of the audience
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Post by David J on Dec 31, 2023 20:36:10 GMT
My top 5
1. My Neighbour Totoro (Barbican) 2. Marjorie Prime (Menier Chocolate Theatre) 3. Accidental Death of an Anarchist (Theatre Royal Hammersmith) 4. A View from the Bridge (Chichester) 5. The Phantom of the Opera with Earl Carpenter (His Majesty's Theatre)
Runners up Old Friends (Gielgud Theatre) Best of Enemies (NT Live) 4000 Miles (Chichester) Next to Normal (Donmar Warehouse) Mother Goose (Chichester) Guys and Dolls (Bridge Theatre) Meetings (Orange Tree Theatre) Frank and Percy (Other Palace Theatre) Operation Mincemeat (Fortune Theatre) Assassins (Chichester) The House of Bernarda Alba (National Theatre) The Lord of the Rings (Watermill Theatre) Dear England (Prince Edward Theatre) Groundhog Day (Old Vic) Ghosts (Sam Wanamaker) Cymbeline (RSC) Frozen (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) The Motive and the Cue (National Theatre) Newsies (Troubadour Theatre) Ulster American (Riverside Studios)
And the worst Aspects of Love (Lyric Theatre)
Also left at the interval The Suspicions of Mr Whicher (Watermill Theatre) Edward I (Winchester Great Hall) - an okay production that I wish I could hear from the back of the audience
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Post by David J on Dec 28, 2023 9:11:14 GMT
Saw Salisbury Playhouse's Dick Whittington on Boxing Day. If you want a pantomime that thinks outside the box visually and storywise in the south then the Playhouse has always been a reliable venue
And this year is no different when you're faced with a sunny, tropical set with summer songs playing pre-show. All pre-empting the second act when usually our heroes are stranded on a tropical island. Except here they are now stranded in Miami, America (somehow, having been on a ferry to the Isle of Wight), before realising they are on a Hollywood set. And cue many film and star references, with the "he's behind you routine" done with the ghost of Jaws, or a man in a shark suit.
All very fun. With a running sub-story with Alice Fitzwarren dreaming of being an actress, and Dick encourages her to sign for the Hollywood director. And in the end she's starring in her Hollywood debut and instead of a wedding at the curtain call it's instead her film premiere. Though I felt the show did go on for 5-10 minutes too long.
And I couldn't help noticing a toy train track running along the front of the stage and sure enough they have a toy train (with a noticeable santa figuring on it) run along it during Dick's journey to London. Although they did set up that he was walking to London, playing the 500 miles song, so having him get the train the remainder of the sequence contradictory. But this is panto, so why should I take it seriously when this show is having a ball throwing so much in.
The cast were good though I did feel that not all the jokes didn't land. Either the audience wasn't the most receptive or the cast needs to tighten up on the timings.
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Post by David J on Dec 27, 2023 15:59:36 GMT
I wouldn't say the set needs to be claustrophobic at all. I think it is the cast that need to bring that claustrophobia with the right amount of tension, as I witnessed in the 2012 RSC production. Unease might be a better word. Granted last years tour set felt too big and seeing this productions photos don't give me a sense of unease.
And a thrust stage is fine and the closeness of the action could add to the tension so long as the director know what he's doing with it. I point to the RSC production again in the Swan Theatre.
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Post by David J on Dec 23, 2023 19:09:43 GMT
So despite my objections I went along yesterday
I’d say this is the better of the shows I’ve seen of joe Hill-Gibbons
What is obvious is that he put so much investment into the scenes between Mrs Alving and Pastor Manders. Hattie Morohan and Paul Hilton excel here. The first half is pretty much devoted to them
There is also an emphasis on the sex underlying this play with the carpet and the sexual tension between Alving and Manders
Consequently what this all does is overbalance the play and makes Osvald and his illness feel like an after thought. Stuart Thompson was the weakest in the cast, and doesn’t delve deep into what the character is going through
Sarah Slimani was good as Regine and it is always a pleasure to see Greg Hicks, who brings a moment of poignancy during Jacob Engstrand’s revelation
The use of the lighting in the Sam Wanamaker helps bring the sense of confinement the characters endure in the Alving House
3.5 stars
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Post by David J on Dec 23, 2023 18:52:44 GMT
This was okay
Like Jr I found this play just went around in circles and you could have cut 20-30 minutes worth from it. I felt it came to its natural conclusion before woody harreslson showed his award. After that it limped along until David Ireland realised he hadn’t come up with a satisfactory ending and went all out instead
Louisa Harland and Woody Harrelson were the highlights. Her playing straight and him playing a character naturally, and the two of them worked off each other
Andy Serkis, I’m sorry to say, is not a great actor when he isn’t cgi’ed up. He pretty much “acting” through this production, telegraphing his reactions and not really working off the other two
So whilst I laughed at times i kept checking the time by the end
3.25 stars
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Post by David J on Dec 7, 2023 19:30:08 GMT
The Old Vic's Christmas Carol is one of the best examples of in the round, or traverse if you were to argue the shape of the stage, in recent memory
These types of staging are best served when the action is all around you and you feel in the thick of the action.
I still remember my first introduction to the 'thrust stage' seeing Michael Boyd's Henry VI trilogy in the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford, and what a production it was! Using all levels of the auditorium and having actors come down from above.
But admittedly if there was a downside to Michael Boyd's time at the RSC it was his insistence of making the main theatre a thrust stage. When Adrian Noble was in charge there was plans to make the theatre what the Bridge Theatre is, a flexible space to do any type of staging. But Boyd shot that down and pushed through the thrust stage when only he and a few other directors knew how to use the staging to great effect.
And since then barely anyone under Gregory Doran or Erica Whyman know how to use that stage whilst thinking about a transfer to the Barbican.
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Post by David J on Dec 6, 2023 10:03:43 GMT
Copied today's performance page and tried refreshing it after 9:50 but the tickets appeared at 10:00 so looks like the Barbican has closed off that loophole. Tickets went quickly so I'd still get the url and keep refreshing it as the time goes 10:00
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Post by David J on Nov 28, 2023 11:09:58 GMT
I thought this was good at the Almeida (3 stars) but it'll lose so much going to a theatre that's almost twice the size I think... Hmm was tempted by the £20-£35 seats at the back of the dress circle. Maybe I’ll wait for possible rush tickets
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Post by David J on Nov 25, 2023 22:43:32 GMT
Had a good time but it was flawed
Enjoyed David Tennant and Catherine Tate back together again.
The exposition to tell what happened to Donna previously could have been added naturally
Liked the Meep sub-plot
That street battle whilst the gang got away went on too long
Some contrivances here and there. Like surely the Doctor would know that Unit set Wilf up with a place to stay. And it looked like they got in an elevator on the ground floor at one point just to open up on the ground floor (?)
Don't like that suddenly the sonic screwdriver can do holograms, bring up ship schematics in an instant, break down mortar, and teleport people in. Better to have restrictions in place. Heck they're going to forget that the doctor can now sonic shields the next time he regenerates from being hit from a laser.
The wheelchair science lady felt like she was just there as a plot device to get the characters out of a situation. The Doctor casually just talks to her like he knows her when this is our introduction to her. And she seemed to move between floors at one point when there is no lift.
Not a fan that they've done away with the threat of Donna dying within the first episode. I wondered how they were going to keep it going for four specials but it would have been a great use of tension as the Doctor tried to prevent her remembering. And the way they do away with it felt contrived as RTD side stepped the rules he set up 15 years ago. Like how J.K. Rowling contrived Harry Potter to have the elder wand.
And the whole binary thing fell flat for me. Like the Doctor won't understand because he's a man when he had only recently been a woman. Or for that matter many women according to the Timeless Child. Seriously? And did anyone believe the daughter was 14-15 years old?
Oh and the Tardis interior looks bland and sanitised now. Slightly beetter than whatever crystallised set up Jodie had, but come on a bit more character.
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Post by David J on Nov 17, 2023 10:54:07 GMT
Hmm. Agree “A-Hole” isn’t exactly Dahl-esque Something like “Stinking little carbuncle” comes to my mind Oh to go through the books for more insults Thinking of a Dahlesque insult how about something antisemitic? Seriously? Ever heard of the phrase 'separating the art from the artist' or 'death of the author' If thousands of people can play Hogwarts Legacy without worrying about what JK Rowling has said, and the children this musical is aiming at have no idea about what Dahl expressed outside the books, then I think we can discuss this musical without worrying about that. Found another quote: "You festering gumboil! You fleabitten fungus! … You bursting blister! You moth-eaten maggot!"
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Post by David J on Nov 16, 2023 22:11:33 GMT
Hmm. Agree “A-Hole” isn’t exactly Dahl-esque
Something like “Stinking little carbuncle” comes to my mind
Oh to go through the books for more insults
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Post by David J on Nov 10, 2023 15:23:12 GMT
The issue I have with "Get Up" is that it threatens to knock on the door of very current empowerment / victim messaging which might feel relatable but it extinguishes the threat and menace somewhat that has gone before. It jars with the underlying narrative which is a bit of a problem as it is the best / only memorable song. This show leans towards and borrows from the book rather than the film. Does the musical use the book ending then? I mean the Boy accepting his fate is touching that he's making that choice if sad, but does that and 'Get up' give mixed messages? I mean the 2020 film touched on the ending but then goes "oh well lets have some fun" and show a lot of other child turned mice preparing to fight witches. I'd go just to see conference scene and the transformations, but I'd wait to hear others' thoughts
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Post by David J on Nov 10, 2023 14:40:19 GMT
The Witches is certainly one of my favourite Roald Dahl stories and I've watched the Angelica Houston film many times.
I'm not expecting this musical to be like the film. If it's not as cringy as the 2020 film then that's a plus. But Roald Dahl was not afraid to write stories that were appealing to children but also scary and didn't talk down to them. The Witches themselves need to be threatening and have that stranger-danger vibe. So I take them seriously and feel helpless for the Boy when he's trapped in the conference.
Tim Minchin at least understood that with Matilda and Miss Trunchball. And the songs were memorable to top it off.
That video of 'Get up' hasn't given me confidence. Some bland, 'empowering', b-version of When I've Grown Up. Where does that even fit in the story if someone can explain? They should have gone with a creepy song to set up the Witches.
Does the Grandma tell the girl trapped in the painting story in this musical? How's Katherine Kingsley as the Grand High Witch. Does she quickly put on a mask in the reveal?
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Post by David J on Nov 9, 2023 22:53:42 GMT
Please tell me this is more akin to the 1990 film in tone than that cartoonishly stupid 2020 film
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Post by David J on Nov 8, 2023 13:37:14 GMT
In years gone by I always went for the standing tickets and got in to stand by the door, because unless its a popular show there was always a seat available that the ushers would move you to
Didn't happen when I saw Next to Normal, though I saw an empty seat right in front in the first row of the dress circle and took it in the interval. Whether the booker didn't turn up or the theatre is not allowing staff to move standees to seats nowadays (last I was at the Donmar was before Covid) I don't know
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Post by David J on Nov 8, 2023 12:42:15 GMT
Is he doing another Poirot? A Haunting in Venice did well at the Box Office compared to how much it cost to make (I think it recouped?) so I'd imagine that Disney will want a fourth one That's not certain. So far it has made more than $120 million and with a supposed budget of $60 million, but that doesn't factor in the share cinemas take from the box office and the marketing. General rule of thumb is a movie has to make 2.5x its budget to break even so Haunting in Venice has to make roughly $150 million. Maybe it will eventually get over the line with streaming but its not a good outlook for the Poirot series. And Disney is a bit strapped for cash at the moment, though they have been making some costly decisions lately It's telling when Haunting in Venice was clearly aiming for a younger demographic who are into horror movies, which probably turned off some of it's key older demographic. And given the strikes it will be a while before we see another Poirot movie.
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Post by David J on Nov 4, 2023 21:07:04 GMT
Am hoping some more £10 preview tickets get released like this time last year. But I realise the Old Vic aren't obligated to do this every year
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Post by David J on Oct 28, 2023 16:39:10 GMT
Finally saw it and thought it was good
The problem was the 2 hour 50 minute running time. Too indulgemt. Similar to This House covering a topic with many personalities except that felt tight and to the point. Here James Graham tries to cover a lot but then spreads himself too thin.
There were entertaining moments I enjoyed. Such as the Russia penalty shootout that managed to gain a some tension when we all know the result
But other times I kept thinking okay we’ve got the point can we move on now. And the second act lost focus for me as it rushed through the tournaments
Great performances from the main leads and some others. Nice choreography.
3.5 stars
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Post by David J on Oct 27, 2023 23:32:57 GMT
But wait, I thought these were the seven dwarfs, as taken on filming. Or should I say 'magical creatures' metro.co.uk/2023/07/15/snow-white-remake-first-look-images-show-diverse-casting-19135409/Or has there been a lot of recent backlash, loss of box office fortunes, and decline in stock market value that Disney has back tracked and rushed together some bad looking cgi dwarves in a post-production shot before the next investors call in 2 weeks time. All they had to do was not listen to Peter Dinklage.
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Post by David J on Oct 23, 2023 18:09:38 GMT
I’ll do you one better “adapted by Joe Hill-Gibbs” 😳
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