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Post by wiggymess on Jun 2, 2023 11:35:13 GMT
That article is so far from the simple facts of the situation as to almost be irrelevant. It explains why a jews-only night would "deny a precious opportunity to celebrate sharing our experiences, our worlds, our lives, with others. Instead, it would stand for the opposite. It would want to keep us ghettoised, ossifying boundaries with a patronising finger wag instead of knocking them down."
It doesn't shut down the audience's ability to engage with another culture, or reduce the capacity for empathy. The only lack of empathy being shown is by those who are upset by this sort of thing, because they seem incapable of considering historical or societal context.
It. Is. One. Performance. Out. Of. Thirty.
Just another way of blowing it all out of proportion. Living with privilege so easily breeds the notion of "oh my god, whatever next?", or "imagine if it was US excluding THEM."
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Post by wiggymess on May 30, 2023 13:59:00 GMT
Do we think front row seats are lined up for day tickets? Can't seem to find any info - or maybe BB is front row..?
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Post by wiggymess on May 16, 2023 15:05:14 GMT
Possibly a daft question this, but if you've a complete tin ear for Shakespeare and never (despite many attempts) managed to develop any sort of interest in it, is it worth seeing this? Everything else sounds right up my street - love the cast, love the themes and it being a true story etc, but it may be a waste of time me trying if I've no interest at all in Shakespeare? I have a limited interest in Shakespeare (more because it's so hard to understand!) - I'd say limited in my case, rather than zero interest, and I loved this play. Perfect, thank you.
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Post by wiggymess on May 16, 2023 12:02:25 GMT
Possibly a daft question this, but if you've a complete tin ear for Shakespeare and never (despite many attempts) managed to develop any sort of interest in it, is it worth seeing this? Everything else sounds right up my street - love the cast, love the themes and it being a true story etc, but it may be a waste of time me trying if I've no interest at all in Shakespeare?
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Post by wiggymess on May 16, 2023 11:56:45 GMT
Never been to the Donmar - could I please ask those in the know, what are seats A9 + A10 like up in the circle, in terms of comfort and view? Is it benches up there, or the high fold down seats?
thanks!
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Post by wiggymess on Apr 28, 2023 11:15:28 GMT
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Post by wiggymess on Apr 11, 2023 11:23:36 GMT
I should say, I’m not suggesting that disabled people are ‘badly behaved’ more that theatres might see that the needs of some disabled people are similar to the behavioural norms of other non-disabled people. So why not market ‘relaxed’ as something for all, rather than a special thing for disability inclusion? Are they marketed as only for disability inclusion? royalcourttheatre.com/your-visit/access/performance-relaxed-environment/"We aim to create a space for everyone, especially people who would benefit from a more informal experience." The RC are clearly getting a lot wrong recently, I'm not suggesting otherwise, but complaining about the performances being on Saturday afternoons seems misguided. I'm fairly sure there would be much more of a backlash if the relaxed performances were of a weekday evening.
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Post by wiggymess on Mar 23, 2023 12:53:48 GMT
I see your point, but still think you're putting too many demands on the audience, and too few on the theatre. A few years ago (before VF) the RC was discussing these issues, and their conclusion was that the only way to sell shows by unknown playwrights in advance was to make a promise of quality, and to keep it, over time. This doesn't exclude the ability to experiment, and the 'right to fail' - there's a big difference between ambitious experimental work that has clear goals, and just doesn't connect with an audience in the way the creators had hoped, and dull, muddled mediocrity - but it does involve working to devise a definition of 'good' playwriting that doesn't inadvertently exclude experiment, or diverse creative traditions, but doesn't, also, include mediocre work just because it's experimental, or part of those traditions. Hopefully, that's what whoever replaces VF will decide to do. I hope so too. I don't want to see fringe artists excluded, I just believe there has to be give and take with the demands. If there is a 'demand' from audiences for this type of work, it isn't unfair to demand that those audiences support the work. That support should come at the stage before anyone is able to make a judgement of the quality of the end result, because that is the same stage at which people complain that it's the 'same old' names when established names are announced. Otherwise this is the result - poor attendance and half-empty theatres, leading to the possibility of certain decisions being made. It's very easy to be outraged at something, harder though to actually take steps to be a part (however small) of the solution and progress. Probably just going round and circles and repeating myself here. I'm actually excited for the new season - it's the first in a while where I will look to book at least 3 shows in advance and it does have a mixture of more fringe-orientated shows and some more well-known names, so I'm very hopeful that balance will serve them well and allow the next AD to hit the ground running. It's encouraging that so many people are waiting for them to turn it around and succeed.
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Post by wiggymess on Mar 23, 2023 10:54:45 GMT
Well, I tend to agree that broadly speaking the current trends in fringe theatre are a certain type of play which may not sell particularly well somewhere like the RC, and plays that as a whole I'm not particularly interested in seeing personally (as others have said, quite didactic and lacking in more traditional theatrical structures) which is why I think a mixture of established names and new talent would be the most beneficial way to spread out a season. But when previous seasons were announced with established names, the debate always rages about RC in particular not meeting its remit, that fringe artists 'can't even get a look in/a meeting' and calls for this exact this type of show - so why aren't those same people booking these up when they're announced? If the complaint at the time is that the RC should be more radical in its programming, braver about who is produced, and not about the actual plays, then personally I think those same people should be putting their money where their mouth is and booking as soon as it's announced, rather than waiting for the reviews or word of mouth, otherwise their argument falls apart. 'They should be commissioning a certain type of play, but I won't go and see it and it won't sell well.' How does that help?.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Not sure why this quote failed, but response below: ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. I think you're perhaps mixing up two different questions here - whether the RC are producing more 'established' names or new talent - and whether the playwriting itself is any good; ie whether it has tension, complexity, economy etc - and whether the playwright is intentional in their decisions about narrative and character and structure and style, and uses those decisions effectively to tell the story they want to tell, even if they're not writing a naturalistic, linear play. Recent plays by 'established' writers at the RC have been just as shaky as those by 'new talent' - so I suspect the issue here is that writing good plays is just really hard - and even 'established' playwrights can benefit from knowledgeable, perceptive, open-minded dramaturgical support - which just hasn't been present in the building, for the past few years. It's more that I'm trying to separate the two. As has been said above, there is a lot of demanding that the RC produces a certain type of season, but very little actual support when those plays are announced (prior to anyone having seen or reviewed the show, which is why I'm saying this is separate to whether the show is actually any good). On the point of the actual quality of the theatre produced, it seems strange that there are complaints that fringe artists are bringing fringe shows in, when fringe shows & artists were demanded. Also agree that some recent plays (with a fair few personal exceptions) by more established artists haven't been up to the usual RC standard, but they have sold better. Is that simply because those who ask for established/recognisable/(fairly) reliable names are more likely to put their money where their mouth is than the people who demand a theatre is programming in a certain way? Possibly, and that's an issue. Damned if you do etc... It doesn't really help anyone when the demanding masks the actual demand. Certainly doesn't help fringe artists either to have a season mainly dominated by them which doesn't sell well, because that will make the future AD less likely to programme them (I expect, although I hope not, as I do respect RC's somewhat fearless vision and the 'right to fail' ideology). All that is essentially a load of words that come down to my hope that future seasons will be more balanced, and that if people are going to express outrage, they damn well had better support what they're asking for, or otherwise it all just seems hollow.
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Post by wiggymess on Mar 22, 2023 10:32:42 GMT
Think it's a real shame that during the discourse surrounding the Lucy Kirkwood play, there were many complaints about theatres programming the same old writers, and that the RC should be commissioning talented female and minority writers who have been working away at fringe theatres for the past few years. Then when they do exactly that, they don't sell well. Easy to claim to be offended and upset, harder to put your money where your mouth is. that's a failure of the theatre. a really good play will end up selling well through word of mouth. the royal court's failure over the past 10 years hasn't been because they've embraced diversity, but because they appear to have no interest at all in the 'craft' of playwriting, or in supporting playwrights in producing the best version of their play. at a guess, they've wrongly identified good writing with conservatively structured 'well made' plays.. and thrown out the baby with the bathwater.. Well, I tend to agree that broadly speaking the current trends in fringe theatre are a certain type of play which may not sell particularly well somewhere like the RC, and plays that as a whole I'm not particularly interested in seeing personally (as others have said, quite didactic and lacking in more traditional theatrical structures) which is why I think a mixture of established names and new talent would be the most beneficial way to spread out a season. But when previous seasons were announced with established names, the debate always rages about RC in particular not meeting its remit, that fringe artists 'can't even get a look in/a meeting' and calls for this exact this type of show - so why aren't those same people booking these up when they're announced? If the complaint at the time is that the RC should be more radical in its programming, braver about who is produced, and not about the actual plays, then personally I think those same people should be putting their money where their mouth is and booking as soon as it's announced, rather than waiting for the reviews or word of mouth, otherwise their argument falls apart. 'They should be commissioning a certain type of play, but I won't go and see it and it won't sell well.' How does that help?
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Post by wiggymess on Mar 21, 2023 12:09:46 GMT
Think it's a real shame that during the discourse surrounding the Lucy Kirkwood play, there were many complaints about theatres programming the same old writers, and that the RC should be commissioning talented female and minority writers who have been working away at fringe theatres for the past few years. Then when they do exactly that, they don't sell well. Easy to claim to be offended and upset, harder to put your money where your mouth is.
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Post by wiggymess on Jan 24, 2023 20:51:46 GMT
whose only experience is improvisational comedy and is unable to actually learn lines. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 This place is embarrassing sometimes.
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Post by wiggymess on Jan 15, 2023 20:45:44 GMT
Samuel Bailey's play Shook is coming back on Sky Arts and Now Tv, 3.15 am 18 Jan (so night of the 17th? Set the video!) . It was due to be on at Trafalgar Studios after its tour but Covid happened. Thanks! HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended!
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Post by wiggymess on Dec 2, 2022 8:45:06 GMT
Thanks both. Not been down there before. Want to see but not sure if I can sit on a bench for the duration
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Post by wiggymess on Dec 1, 2022 22:37:45 GMT
Can I please just ask for those who have seen blackout songs, is it unreserved benches for the seating or a different layout? Thanks
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Post by wiggymess on Nov 11, 2022 13:38:35 GMT
I've never seen Lily Allen act... Who has? Well, all the people who saw her Olivier-nominated performance in 2:22...
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Post by wiggymess on Nov 10, 2022 16:42:54 GMT
Do we know a likely price chart for this?
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Post by wiggymess on Sept 8, 2022 13:00:09 GMT
I'm my opinion, the zoom call is a triumph of form working together with substance. We all know from social media that the most hostile partisan voices drown out anybody trying to mediate, and this scene reflects that perfectly. The scene is arranged so that the hostile partisan messages behind the actors draw your attention away from the actors. Because they are more hostile, and because those messages are so obviously heading for conflict, the actors trying to talk sense in front of those messages cannot hold our attention. The way this mirrors real life (familiar hostile insults, familiar hapless moderators, the inevitability and futility of it all) is what is so funny. We are forced to recognise our own addiction to drama over common sense, when the show demonstrates how instinctive it is to preference the former over the latter. I particularly loved the running thumb-up emoji joke, which times it's payoff perfectly. Interesting about the emoji, as I thought it was really overused and somewhat lost its power as a joke as a result. Think for me it summed up that scene as something that worked at first, then dragged, and ultimately outstayed its welcome a bit. The audience absolutely loved it though.
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Post by wiggymess on Aug 5, 2022 10:54:51 GMT
Tom Cruise was at Jerusalem on Tuesday (I wasn't there).
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Post by wiggymess on Aug 3, 2022 12:01:38 GMT
The theatre doesn't have a dress code. Anyone should be welcome regardless of whether they have the means to don evening wear or not. It's not 'bad behaviour' of any kind to go to a theatre in a t-shirt and shorts in the middle of summer. If they're sitting down and shutting up and not disturbing anyone else, there's no need to judge people. Fully agree with this. Often try and take my reluctant friends to the theatre and had one instance recently where one of them was almost too nervous to go into the theatre after realising not many other people had shorts on, on a boiling hot day. Told him no one cares what you're wearing as long as you don't disturb people. It's a shame that was a lie rather than the actual truth.
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Post by wiggymess on Aug 1, 2022 14:28:54 GMT
Anyone who lives/works near the theatre want to earn a few quid for joining the day queue for one of the shows this week? 🤣 can't get down there early enough as don't live in London.
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Post by wiggymess on Jul 6, 2022 11:06:58 GMT
OV website is an absolute mess.
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Post by wiggymess on Jul 1, 2022 15:08:39 GMT
Was wondering if anyone has sat in the Restricted View seats in row A of the side Dress Circle (seats 27 and 28)… how “restricted” is the view? Thanks! This is your best bet - reviews/photos of the seats. seatplan.com/london/apollo-theatre/seating-plan/
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Post by wiggymess on Jun 13, 2022 21:33:44 GMT
They have commissioned a Jewish writer, and one over 30. He's not a playwright though is he ? Looks like the first thing he's ever written for the theatre. Which is exactly what the RC was being criticised for not doing in the other thread.
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Post by wiggymess on Jun 13, 2022 21:32:45 GMT
Hold on... this is what we're supposed to want isn't it? This is what the RC is "supposed" to be programming. Surely we will all be supporting this new season and proving that there is demand and financial viability in commissioning new writers? Or are we back to wanting only established names? Confused. Perhaps I'm getting old but I do like a couple of familiar names in with the new ones. Sure, appreciate sarcasm doesn't travel work on the internet, I agree with you. It was more aimed at the fact that there are contradictions between this and the other thread about dave d.
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Post by wiggymess on Jun 13, 2022 16:55:25 GMT
Thats a bit of a stretch but we can agree to disagree. Not the best idea to market it that way but honestly I think an overaction, but not an unexpected one in this day & age.
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Post by wiggymess on Jun 13, 2022 16:52:30 GMT
Already causing controversy because none of the Jewish theatre artists who gave up their time for free to have meetings and provide free learning materials to the Court were invited to be involved, and that they’ve programmed the play to have its press night on a Jewish High Holy day. Good for doing something, but the Court really need to commission a Jewish writer to write an actual play, and not someone who’s Vicky’s best mate from school. They have commissioned a Jewish writer, and one over 30. Gasp. Or is it just that it's the wrong Jewish writer? It was her idea, doesn't look like she did write it. Why does it need to be an "actual" play?
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Post by wiggymess on Jun 13, 2022 16:49:27 GMT
Hold on... this is what we're supposed to want isn't it? This is what the RC is "supposed" to be programming. Surely we will all be supporting this new season and proving that there is demand and financial viability in commissioning new writers? Or are we back to wanting only established names? Confused.
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Post by wiggymess on Jun 13, 2022 15:01:22 GMT
Probably worth spoiler tagging that - I think some people will be wanting to go into this one blind. Sorry, I presumed the story was out there now through theatre Twitter and it's too late to edit (I've asked mods if they can do it). It just feels so tin-eared (again). Theatre still has a class problem, an access problem. To promote a play as being by a working-class sounding middle-aged first timer looked like they were trying to address that. As many on here suspected, that was too good to be true and just serves to highlight the problem more. I agree there are issues and you're right it probably was a bit tone deaf but I don't think it was their intention. It says he's worked in the security industry, the working class thing is a bit of a leap other people have taken, it wasnt signposted as LOOK WE ARE COMMISSIONING A WORKING CLASS WRITER. It's a shame people are disappointed & didn't cotton on to the whole point of the play. I tried early on here to warn that it wouldn't be what some people thought it was.
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Post by wiggymess on Jun 13, 2022 13:36:13 GMT
I don’t think anyone seriously expects the Court to programme a completely inexperienced writer who’s never written a play before (although as a matter of fact they have done exactly that, and of course it was a Royal Court employee who was good mates with Vicky Featherstone). There are lots of extremely talented women and minority writers who are burning up the fringe scene, not new writers but people who have been working for 5 years at places like Vault, Edinburgh, Bush, Soho, Pleasance, had TV and film commissions but who unfathomably are yet to have a full length professional production at a major theatre. Those are exactly the kind of promising early career writers the Court should be programming but the Court and theatres of a similar level won’t touch them because they’re not part of the right clique or not from the right background. It’s shocking that they programmed an employee who’d never written a play before but won’t even take meetings with critically acclaimed emerging playwrights who have made their mark on the fringe scene. New season does seem to include the sort of writers you're talking about, no?
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