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Post by tmesis on Mar 27, 2023 9:14:01 GMT
I agree cavocado the hit rate has been much higher of late downstairs compared to upstairs. I’m generally happy with their choices downstairs and think they have a better record than many other similar places at the moment like the Bush. Also, where else can you see a preview performance for £5? I was therefore happy to take a punt on this even though it bored me senseless.
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Post by tmesis on Mar 26, 2023 19:18:30 GMT
Agree @lurker - saw it last night.
An interminable play that goes nowhere. The ‘plot’ strands (it doesn’t really have a plot) are difficult to fathom and the audience looked very bored and bemused throughout with a lot of fidgeting and nodding off. There would definitely have been walkouts if there had been an interval. It reminded me a little of a particularly impenetrable Iris Murdoch style tale but without the intelligence, oh, and what’s with the toy lobster running around that no one comments on? - absolutely bizarre.
It’s a shame as Downstairs has been on a roll of late with Big, big Sky, Folk, The Art of Illusion and Blackout Songs.
Any positives? Great set and wonderful atmospheric lighting.
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Post by tmesis on Mar 18, 2023 10:48:03 GMT
I think this one of Bourne’s best efforts. Over the years I’ve enjoyed his productions less and less but this was really good a few years ago at SW.
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Post by tmesis on Mar 14, 2023 9:40:07 GMT
I thought this was absolutely outstanding when I saw Saturday evening’s performance. The interweaving stories were so skilfully and satisfyingly presented and the music was just fabulous. I didn’t feel it held up the plot in anyway and also I think it’s a bit of a misnomer to think that songs in the best musicals should always drive the plot along.
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Post by tmesis on Mar 2, 2023 17:04:19 GMT
I’m seeing it on 11th matinee. This will be my third time seeing it. Saw it when it premiered, at the revival a few years ago and now in a week’s time. I’m not a massive fan of McGregor’s work but this is definitely the best thing he’s done. In fact Acts 1 and 3 reach almost MacMillan - like levels of intensity. But… Act 2 I hate. He’s back there to his more usual shtick and the relentless light show is tedious and seems to go on forever. Think I’ll stay in the bar for that bit.
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Post by tmesis on Feb 25, 2023 18:52:14 GMT
I too was at the matinee and thought it one of the best things at the Nash in a while. I was seriously hampered at the end by being on the end of row B Stalls and the subtitles were very difficult to read there. Shame because this detracted from the amazing intensity of the ending. Overall, some hilarious moments too and it’s fabulously well acted.
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Post by tmesis on Feb 25, 2023 12:44:05 GMT
Already booked without knowing the cast so that’s a pleasant surprise. Let’s hope it’s as good as Arms and the Man.
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Post by tmesis on Feb 24, 2023 13:08:39 GMT
Hate it. You get it a lot at ROH during Royal Ballet performances. Also hate the applauding of the intro of a song when it's one of the performers greatest hits.
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Post by tmesis on Feb 24, 2023 11:25:23 GMT
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Post by tmesis on Feb 13, 2023 9:46:22 GMT
The 2000 NT Nunn production of The Cherry Orchard had an amazing cast: Vanessa Redgrave, Corin Redgrave, Maxine Peake, Michael Bryant, Roger Allam, Eve Best, William Gaunt and Ben Miles and I was lucky enough to see the original cast of Guys and Dolls with Julia McKenzie, Bob Hoskins, Imelda Staunton, Julie Covington and Ian Charleson on my first ever visit to NT.
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Post by tmesis on Feb 12, 2023 16:22:07 GMT
I still think Kinnear is terrible. Plays everything like a tetchy Geography teacher reprimanding a year 10 class.
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Post by tmesis on Feb 9, 2023 6:09:03 GMT
A few years ago I used to love coming to the Young Vic but nothing remotely appeals in the new season.
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Post by tmesis on Feb 5, 2023 6:40:48 GMT
I too was at the matinee yesterday and totally agree. This is a really first rate musical. It’s very cleverly structured to bring out all the plot points and the music is varied and effective to highlighting the shifting emotions. A very good cast. The ‘children’ were particularly good and the band were quite sumptuous at times with cor anglais and harp to the fore.
This really does deserve wider exposure - it would fit Southwark Playhouse particularly well. Or even, with higher production values, a West End run - it’s that good.
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Post by tmesis on Jan 30, 2023 16:33:59 GMT
Really pleased I caught this Saturday night.
It’s a very enjoyable musical. Act One is definitely stronger than Two but most classic musicals are structured in that way. Act Two is just a bit too wordy with not enough musical highlights. Act One is musically very strong. Unlike some I thought the lead performers were all pretty solid and I really liked Michael Ahomka-Lindsay as Jack: charismatic and a great voice. I saw Ethan Sokontwe as Les and he really stole the show - one of the best child performers I have seen (and amazingly he’s studying cello at the Royal Academy of Music!)
The sound was OK where I sat (middle of Manhattan) maybe a bit too loud from the excellent band. More or less a full house too.
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Post by tmesis on Jan 7, 2023 18:23:04 GMT
Saw this at today’s matinee and was very impressed. I too was sceptical about Ferran but she was amazing and now, totally on top of the part. The rest of the cast are all terrific and I loved the simple, intense staging.
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Post by tmesis on Jan 7, 2023 18:15:05 GMT
Count me in for this. Novello’s music is just wonderful. Sumptuous melodies with a wonderful operatic sweep all adroitly harmonised to bring out their maximum impact. All this at one of the loveliest theatres in Britain (Buxton.)
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Post by tmesis on Jan 5, 2023 17:04:54 GMT
I went to this a year ago with very high expectations and a number of recommendations from friends. It did absolutely nothing for me. I couldn't get remotely involved with the characters and I wasn't touched by the storyline. I really wanted to love it but it just didn't happen.
Contrast that with The Band's Visit, which has a somewhat similar premise - I absolutely loved that and was totally swept up by it.
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Post by tmesis on Dec 23, 2022 21:24:21 GMT
I was meant to see this on Wednesday but the trains stopped early to my patch of leafy Surrey so had to miss it. Will try later in the run..
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Post by tmesis on Dec 17, 2022 23:59:00 GMT
This is p*ss-poor, truly terrible. Unbelievable characters, unbelievable plot, one of the worst things I’ve seen at NT. Makes The Sex Party look subtle.
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Post by tmesis on Dec 15, 2022 15:49:17 GMT
Shame - I was positively quivering with excitement for a second there.
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Post by tmesis on Dec 15, 2022 15:46:35 GMT
Yes the counterpoint between the two tunes is particularly delicious, showing Wilson’s classical training in it’s cleverness.* Pine Cones and Holly Berries is a damn good tune in it’s own right and I love the original Broadway version, although The Osmonds version is pretty good too.
* I’m not suggesting that only the classically trained can write a good counterpoint song as Irving Berlin wrote some of the best examples of this.
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Post by tmesis on Dec 14, 2022 22:10:49 GMT
With the Waitrose Christmas advert 'It's Beginning to Look A lot Like Christmas' is getting much exposure this year. It's a classy song by Meredith Wilson (famous for The Music Man) and there are lots of good versions: Johnny Mathis, Perry Como, Michael Buble but I think the successors to Mr. Waite and Mr. Rose have picked the best version with Bing Crosby's.
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Post by tmesis on Dec 12, 2022 11:24:02 GMT
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Post by tmesis on Dec 12, 2022 11:00:10 GMT
Crazy For You - Chichester The Band's Visit - Donmar Peter Grimes - ROH The P Word - Bush Folk - Hampstead Into the Woods - Bath
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Post by tmesis on Dec 9, 2022 16:37:13 GMT
Unfortunately illness has struck again and tonight’s show is cancelled. Not having much luck with this - tried to see it at the weekend and the same thing happened.
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Post by tmesis on Dec 4, 2022 21:41:02 GMT
I enjoyed this hugely last night. The 3 hours running time absolutely flies by. I was fortunate to be in the middle of the front row, only around three feet away from the actors at times, and the intensity was almost overwhelming. The production was dark, quite stylised but so effective. I found Terera the equal of Hilton in terms of performance with a particularly good Cassio from Rory Fleck Byrne.
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Post by tmesis on Dec 3, 2022 23:03:51 GMT
Sorry AddisonMizner but although I enjoyed the production and the performances were all first rate it failed to move me even slightly and I thought it was musically well below par, really just second rate pastiche Richard Strauss. The whole thing was one continuous arioso that never blossomed into a fully fledged aria - not even at the end where there was a golden opportunity. Lots of operas are mainly/completely arioso but you have to be a seriously good composer to bring this off and Heggie isn’t.
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Post by tmesis on Nov 28, 2022 17:48:36 GMT
I hugely enjoyed this on Saturday. It’s the last of Paul Miller’s Shaw productions that he has specialised in during his tenure in Richmond and the equal of all the others produced there. There’s not a weak link in the cast and at times it’s very funny, particularly because of a gloriously over the top performance from Alex Baht as Sergius.
The only surprise was they stuck with the 3 acts/2 intervals presentation. Since the timings are 35’/35’/50’ they could easily have run acts 1 and 2 straight through, even allowing for the considerable change of scene between the first two acts.
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Post by tmesis on Nov 27, 2022 23:35:55 GMT
D'Angelo was excellent and she has the most to sing - there really wasn't a weak link vocally. Some great, witty choreography too with which all the principals were involved which was executed with great aplomb.
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Post by tmesis on Nov 27, 2022 17:38:14 GMT
The previous new Handel opera productions have been by two of my least favourite directors, namely Barrie Kosky and Katie Mitchell so it was with some trepidation that I attended this yesterday since it was by another of my less favourite directors: Richard Jones. Well I have to report that this was absolutely terrific. A really clever, funny and visually arresting production that actually manages to clarify a confusing, and frankly rather silly, plot.
Vocally it was high calibre. The stand outs were Lisette Oropesa as Alcina. Rich of tone and technically secure (maybe just a tad too much vibrato) she was a commanding presence. Rupert Charlesworth (Oronte) had a lovely Handelian style to his phrasing and, best of all for baroque sensibilities, was Mary Bevan as Morgana - sassy of demeanour but beautifully pure of voice.
It was well played by the ROH orchestra but I think they missed a trick by not hiring a specialist period band.
This production deserves to be revived many times.
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