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Post by Squire Sullen on Apr 20, 2022 10:08:51 GMT
First time posting here in forever but I had to share this! It looks like unsold dayseats are popping up online, I’ve just grabbed a £10 ticket on the end of the front row for this evening. I’m sure the stage is obscenely high but it would be foolish to pass up. Almost the whole row of balcony dayseats are still up for sale.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Mar 5, 2018 13:49:27 GMT
My mum has decided she wants to see this Mother’s Day weekend, despite the subject matter. Does anyone know if the day seats are one or two per person?
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Post by Squire Sullen on Oct 2, 2017 20:14:27 GMT
They've finally emailed. And now the order details page won't load. For anyone.
WHAT IS THIS FARCE.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Sept 12, 2017 21:51:18 GMT
Lovely tribute at the start of Oslo press night tonight. Rufus Norris and Nic Hytner came on at the start to pay tribute and lead one last round of applause and standing ovation at the NT.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Sept 2, 2017 9:44:47 GMT
Many thanks to robadog as without him I wouldn't have seen it (being the lucky recipient on the ticket offered a couple of pages back).
It's a strong Hamlet, classically delivered but in modern dress with a Scandi edge and isn't groundbreaking but it's Branagh directing so it's hardly surprising. Very little set (Gertrude's bedroom consists of a posh silk sheet and some pillows thrown on a desk that is used throughout) but there's some excellent lighting throughout. Zips along at a fast rate, but the first half of 1hr50 became a struggle as I was sat on a chair you'd find in a doctor's waiting room.
The scenes with his father's ghost left me underwhelmed, largely due to some cheap ghosty sound effects, but other than that it's a very strong production. Loved the climatic scene, felt very visceral (despite a lack of blood) and I very much felt part of the action. Great chemistry between Hamlet and Horatia particularly in that last scene and I was thoroughly moved (albeit slightly less than the Scott/Icke one that remains my gold standard for this play).
Hiddleston is a strong Hamlet and very at home with Shakespeare, and I thought he had a much stronger presence here than in Coriolanus (probably cos I was sat closer here and wasn't seeing the third show of a three show day as I did at the Donmar). For the Hiddleston fans, he sings and plays the piano at the start (with slightly strained voice) and dances (to some disco, sadly not to that terrible new TSwift song). One unexpected highlight was Hiddleston delivering the line "what an ass am I" as the guy in front of me clearly mouthed "oh yes he is" to his companion). Strong supporting cast but I wasn't all that convinced by Nicholas Farrell as Claudius until the church scene and Lolita Chakrabati was especially good in the bedroom scene. Sean Foley was a great sycophantic Polonius, and suffers many pratfalls. Some great visual gags as well.
Overall I'm so glad I saw it (thanks again robadog) and I left moved, impressed and once left appreciating the play, what more could I ask for? But I'll have a year off from Hamlet for now or at least until the next must-see one.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Aug 9, 2017 19:11:51 GMT
Saw part one on Friday and turned up to collect my ticket for part two tonight only to be told my ticket was for tomorrow... Looking forward to giving this thread a proper look once I've seen the second part. The wait is KILLING me.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Jul 31, 2017 18:21:25 GMT
I think the chat between me and a colleague that's seen this as well pretty much sums it up: "I saw Gloria on Friday" "And?" "Holy sh*t" "RIGHT?!"
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Post by Squire Sullen on May 5, 2017 7:45:55 GMT
Nice and easy this morning for this - managed to get the last seat in the house on the day I booked my EntryPass ticket for for the mother (because it was heavily implied that if I didn't take her to see the Olivias I would be disinherited).
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Post by Squire Sullen on Feb 25, 2017 15:50:05 GMT
But even given those caveats, I'd still go for 5* for this. Scott tied with Sheen as my favourite Hamlet and this production was more coherent than the Young Vic one, so yes, go, see it and sit close if you can. I was there last night too (first post on here in a while, I had such a dud run of theatre that I took three months off). And Foxa has eloquently summed up pretty much all of my thoughts, although I was more of a fan of Angus Wright, who was threatening enough for me. Plus I'm such a Peep Show fan that seeing the guest star from my favourite eipisode on stage always gives me a thrill. Scott was sensational as expected, he does have a unique charisma, and the cast for me were staggering good, particular Scott, Brown Finlay and Stevenson (on a side note, has she aged a day in the last 25 years?). Granted I've only seen four Hanlets which is paltry compared to most on here, but these easily superseded the Sheen/Young Vic production as my favourite. So well done that I got totally lost in it and forgot I knew how everything turned out. Full five stars from me - and an important step in restoring my faith in theatre.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Feb 25, 2017 15:40:23 GMT
Vanessa Redgrave at Hamlet at the Almeida. Studied her programme like she was going to be tested on it and didn't take her coat off. This theatre and trivia nerd got a kick out of her seeing the play that her birth was announced during.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Jan 19, 2017 13:39:21 GMT
EntryPass booking was rough, and I didn't get the dates I wanted, but it's probably best not to do a two show day in those incredibly uncomfortable seats at the front.
But no complaints, because how can I complain when my age means I get an unbelievable steal like this?
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Post by Squire Sullen on Dec 31, 2016 11:02:34 GMT
Also pleased for Patricia Routledge. I think the whole honours system is tosh, but I'll admit it made me smile thinking how excited Hyacinth Bucket would be to be made a dame.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Dec 18, 2016 21:56:38 GMT
Barely any for me this year - I guess I should try a bit harder to get to some new venues in 2017.
London Found111 (The Dazzle, Bug, Unfaithful, Fool for Love) Soho Theatre (Monster Raving Loony, Bits of Me Are Falling Apart) King's Cross Theatre (Lazarus)
Further afield Abbey Theatre, Dublin (The Plough and the Stars)
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Post by Squire Sullen on Nov 22, 2016 23:12:40 GMT
Shout out to the woman behind me at King Lear for clarifying who was the star when she loudly proclaimed "Oh look, it's Glenda Jackson!" as the cast entered.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Nov 21, 2016 13:58:01 GMT
but Thriller goes on and on and on Not even Brexit will kill it off. Makes me wonder if it will survive a neucelar holocaust The only way to kill off Thriller is to get Trump to say he likes it.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Nov 7, 2016 19:07:20 GMT
I am very tempted by this (thanks to the reviews above and Lydia Wilson being in it) and you can get half price tickets with the code WILMA. Yet maybe I'm being stingy but £17.50 still seems a lot for 70 minutes in that bum numbing auditorium.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Sept 21, 2016 13:04:24 GMT
I don't suppose anyone could tell me the song that Hester kept playing on the record player? I had it in my head all evening after I'd seen this, but now it's completely slipped my mind.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Jul 8, 2016 8:51:31 GMT
They've updated the ATG website. Goes on general sale at 9pm on Saturday (not sure if that's a typo as seems an odd time) with an ATG TheatreCard presale from 10am today.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Jul 2, 2016 18:24:46 GMT
Another Olivier coming her way then.. If this is next season, it is very possible, from what I witnessed last night Helen McCrory has one firm hand on this years one already. That's good to hear, she should already have won for Medea though (no, I'm still not over the panel's decision there).
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Post by Squire Sullen on Jun 23, 2016 16:37:45 GMT
Special reading of David Hare's play at the Lyttelton to commemorate the release of the Chilcot Report on Iraq. Alex Jennings back as George W. Bush, Bill Nighy narrating.
6 July, tickets on sale for just a tenner now.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Jun 17, 2016 11:15:36 GMT
I think McCrory would be a fantastic Cleopatra opposite Fiennes's Antony at the National (whenever that production is actually scheduled for).
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Post by Squire Sullen on Jun 9, 2016 0:05:56 GMT
Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally at Les Blancs last week (as a huge Parks and Rec fan I really struggled to stay cool seeing Ron and Tammy Two queuing to collect their tickets, that god I wasn't wearing my Ron Swanson as the Mona Lisa t-shirt).
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Post by Squire Sullen on Jun 9, 2016 0:03:23 GMT
Saw this last week, and all I can say that while I've enjoyed Jamie Lloyd productions in the past, he really went too far this time. It bordered on Lloyd parodying his own style to the point where rather than 'Jamie Lloyd does Faustus', it felt like 'Jamie Lloyd does Jamie Lloyd does Faustus'.
Jenna Russell fantastic as always though, so it wasn't a total disaster.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Jun 8, 2016 23:59:55 GMT
Seems there was a few of us at today's matinee, thrilled I managed to get a Friday rush ticket.
After this and Circle Mirror Transformation, its clear that Baker is one of the best dramatists working today, and is a master at observing people's desperation. Astonishingly it didn't feel like over three hours, and the silences (as with CMT) were perfectly placed and timed.
Its a struggle to express my admiration for this piece without repeating what has been said, but all the superlatives on this thread rang true.
I was convinced there was a simpler way of doing 'Six Degrees of Separation' between Britney Spears and Michael J. Fox and spent the interval thinking about it, and came up with one that has come up since the play was first performed: Britney Spears in Crossroads with Zoe Saldana Zoe Saldana in Guardians of the Galaxy with Glenn Close Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction with Michael Douglas Michael Douglas in The American President with Michael J. Fox
(Sorry to be a dweeb and post that, but I was impressed with myself and felt the need to share with others who have seen the play).
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Post by Squire Sullen on Jun 7, 2016 21:19:40 GMT
Seeing this tomorrow, feel like the only one excited by this rather than being on the Harry Potter bandwagon.
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Post by Squire Sullen on Jun 7, 2016 18:42:24 GMT
Thank you for the seating information given on the last couple of pages. Had totally forgot this was on sale, but managed to nab a row Q for Lear just now - had to try a few dates but never mind, the fact that I'm seeing Glenda Jackson on stage is absolutely bonkers and brilliant for me.
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Post by Squire Sullen on May 30, 2016 7:22:01 GMT
Finally catching Les Blancs and Elegy on Wednesday, and Springsteen on Sunday (not theatre but I'm just so excited).
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Post by Squire Sullen on May 28, 2016 21:19:32 GMT
Agree with the mighty Foxa on this one - I booked having liked Privacy and having a passing interest in the life of Screaming Lord Sutch, but left disappointed. It just never really got off the ground and was very disjointed. It took me a fair while to get what was actually being attempted here, basically telling Lord Sutch's story through inserting him and his family into dozens of sitcoms, and when I did finally understand what Graham's intention was, I was past caring and couldn't see why he had chosen to format his show like this. Admittedly I did enjoy it a bit more once the comedies being used became more familiar, but overall this is really lacking.
The biggest laugh of the night for me came from Joanna Brooks' Sandi Toksvig impression.
I imagine there is a good play to be made from the life of Lord Sutch, this just isn't it.
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Post by Squire Sullen on May 26, 2016 17:58:13 GMT
At Romeo and Juliet last night: Ken Branagh (unsurprisingly, sat in front of me, usher joked around trying to charge him for a programme) Matt Smith Graham Norton Adrian Lester Anneka Rice Jenni Murray Alan Yentob and Maggie Smith (I feel seeing her in flesh will have to make do rather than seeing her on stage) Plus dozens of 'I know that face, but not sure where from'
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Post by Squire Sullen on May 24, 2016 20:09:33 GMT
Well the casting seems to be having the desired effect. My mum and I walked past the Phoenix recently and she explained that she's not a fan of the show and had no desire to see it. After I texted her about Wilson's casting she immediately responded with a plea to buy tickets.
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