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Post by Sotongal on Nov 7, 2019 20:21:04 GMT
Not exactly bad behaviour but since ATG have allowed drinks glasses rather than plastic into the auditoriums - we were at The Piccadilly, (not yesterday!) and twice during the first act was the sound of breaking glasses, followed by twice in the second act, presumably as people had put them on the floor and then knocked them over, breaking them. (Watch out if you're someone who puts their coats under their seats!)
Then, leaving, one guy on the end of a row had made a pile of his glass bottles next to his seat, partly blocking the aisle and way out!
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Post by Sotongal on Aug 10, 2019 21:02:41 GMT
Was a young girl living with my parents in a thirteenth floor flat during the 'Winter of Discontent' as it was known in 1978/79.
My main memories of this time were the unannounced power cuts, because of striking National Grid workers, which meant walking up/down twenty six flights of stairs (even harder work for mums with kids and buggies); people getting stuck in the lifts, so firemen had to come and winch up the lifts to get them out and being in a flat meant everything was electrical so we had to light candles until the power came on again (not forgetting this was Winter). Also, my uncle died and was left in the undertakers for some weeks (as were others) as the gravediggers were on strike and then seeing images of Leicester Square in the media, which had been turned into one massive rubbish tip as the bin men were on strike. People only had landlines or had to find a telephone box to ring anyone then, too.
This was not a Monty Python sketch, (though I can see it might read like one!😀) but what was actually happening then.
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Post by Sotongal on Jul 17, 2019 11:23:39 GMT
Gunn, Williams and Glover all excellent and a great cameo from Finty Williams, but we thought it showed that Clive Owen hasn't been on the UK stage for eighteen years and is mostly a film and TV actor. Had a look at a YouTube trailer for the film, starring Richard Burton and he does exude the traits you'd expect to find in Shannon, which we didn't feel Owen got to grips with in this stage production.
Have to mention the set which is stunning.
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Post by Sotongal on Jun 22, 2019 9:38:00 GMT
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Post by Sotongal on Jun 22, 2019 9:29:43 GMT
On the WEL site it shows some kind of brochure/magazine along with tote bags,T’s etc with the question ‘WHICH MERCH WILL YOU BUY’? which suggests that they may charge this year.Sure we will find out later today.Last year’s brochure was a lovely keep-sake.
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Post by Sotongal on Jan 30, 2019 12:42:52 GMT
I guess there's an issue that when these areas were originally set up for public access, wifi and laptops didn't exist and (more) public libraries did exist so you were less likely to get people camped out all day in the space? This is a very good point. Thirty years ago you could have a meal, a snack or just a drink and could listen to some music in the foyer with or without seeing a show. Times change, obviously and people can't keep away from the Internet for long! And it is puzzling it looks tattier now four years after a refit than it did before. If, like us, you're someone who lives a long way from London and going to the NT involves a long drive or train and tube journeys, you may just want to sit/eat/drink in the NT rather than then have to go elsewhere and the recent times we've gone there it has been difficult to find a table to sit at because there are so many people with a laptop and one cup of coffee. There last week for Hadestown, at 6pm before the evening performance there was an announcement asking people not going to a show to leave so theatregoers could have seats and some went and some didn't. I guess one thing the NT could do (but probably won't) is do some sort of survey over various days to see how many hang around for hours with one drink (how much does that add to NT profits?) and don't ever see a show and how many go for a coffee and the wifi and then see a show. Do the older theatres have people in their bars all day? Are they public spaces? Maybe the NT could decide if it's a theatre which happens to have a public space attached or a public space which happens to have a theatre attached? And I wonder if Rufus Norris will hang on to the NT as it's title now, having made a statement about dropping the 'Royal' suffix as having put people off going there, now the Duchess of Sussex is its new Patron or put it back? Can't say I've heard of any other 'Royal' theatres around the country planning to drop their 'Royal', or suggesting it puts people off going. P.S. Whoever thought it was a good idea to put the NT box office by the entrance doors should obviously be forced to spend time there. The poor box office staff have to wear coats to work there in the winter.
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Post by Sotongal on Nov 7, 2018 14:42:01 GMT
Lols.
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Post by Sotongal on Nov 6, 2018 20:12:05 GMT
The Times didn’t like this; “At once bombastic and punishingly dull, this is weirdly mechanical and the tone rarely deviates from an onslaught of spittle-flecked shouting” 1* Always a risk with Schiller. I’ve seen this play in the original German. Imagine that. You have my admiration for watching the play in the original German! We saw Don Carlos in Southampton and also went to a Q and A with Tom Burke there. He and presumably the company had only seen the 1* review and appeared mortified by it, and so hadn't read the other reviews and so didn't seem aware the other reviews were 3* (since then a 4* also). They'd obviously had a terrible time in Exeter, for a number of reasons, though Southampton NST had managed to help them sort out the sound,etc, problems. The set is basically the black rear and side walls of the theatre, with a bank of lights on the rear wall. On stage are tables, chairs and moveable lights, which are moved about to emphasise characters or conversations ( and possibly the claustrophobia of Court). The costumes are black, with just a flash of red lining on the Kings jacket, echoed by a red carpet at one point.( Apparently, director Gadi Roll usually wears black. ) The music however, though not very noticeable, does not seem to do anything for the production. Tom plays the enigmatic visionary the Marquis de Posa and the prince, Don Carlos, is played by Sam Valentine. It's a mammoth 3+ hours long, with a massive amount of dialogue ( even after dumping 60 pages of script) and almost Shakespearean - although it's in modern English, you have to spend the first five/ten minutes tuning your ears into the dialogue like you do with Shakespeare ( and Don Carlos opens the production with some exposition, so concentrate!) Would sum it up as a good first stab at a very difficult play by a new production company, which needs encouragement ( as does any new theatrical company). We did wonder if Tom should try a different director for his next production, but this would seem unlikely as ARA is Tom and Gadi's company. Don Carlos is in the Rose Theatre, Kingston, for the next two weeks.
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Post by Sotongal on Oct 21, 2018 15:59:04 GMT
Review of the Stages Cruise here-
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Post by Sotongal on Sept 12, 2018 13:28:59 GMT
Tweet pic from NSTheatres, Southampton.
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Post by Sotongal on Jan 6, 2018 17:30:01 GMT
I liked Dockery in this but Max and Hackett didn't work for me, and Cranston was very good indeed. I still prefer the film which is note perfect in casting and execution (forgive the pun) but I did like the bag of tricks pulled out for this. Has anyone done the foodie experience yet? Doing the foodie experience in a couple of weeks time.
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Post by Sotongal on Dec 30, 2017 22:48:57 GMT
I'm not surprised the NT security is so poor.
We've twice parked in the NT's underground carpark and both times had satnavs stolen from the car (hidden in the glove compartment, so not on view).
The first time the NT fobbed us off with 'it's not run by us, so not our responsilbilty'. The second time they said security had reviewed the CCTV mages and seen no one near the car.
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Post by Sotongal on Dec 28, 2017 20:52:10 GMT
Finally went this afternoon. House opened exactly 30 mins before show time.
All on my site now - I got a pretty good look around.
Just to hit highlights here:
1) Wasn't asked for anything except my card to print the ticket. Bag was searched, but no confirmation, no photo check. They seem not to bother with singles...
2) Royal Circle row A. Paralysingly little legroom. I was in agony throughout until my legs went numb. Sorry.
3) Very high stage, but you can see.
4) Both circles no legroom except a couple of seats in the royal with nothing in front, and row L. Back 3 rows of royal have a bit more. Grand circle, all seats are cramped.
5) Anyone with slips or boxes has a bargain. Yes, you miss stuff, but they are good - all chairs, so not cramped like fixed seats in the main blocks.
6) On leaving, I heard someone at the box office in a panic as husband (card holder) was delayed. Staff spoke to him on the phone, and the woman got in.
7) You can buy in advance at the box office in person.
And that's all. I'm away now, back 3rd Jan, but info is on the site.
Oh, and the show itself? 4.5 stars from me. You don't need to know anything (I didn't), just be open minded. It is a very cool history lesson, is all. Went to see Hamilton this afternoon. Had tickets for a cancelled performance and luckily got row A seats in the Royal Circle. Great view but completely agree about the lack of legroom - I'm 5ft 7ins with a dodgey knee and also succumbed to really bad cramp as there was no room to move my legs anywhere. Son with us is 6ft 4ins and couldn't move either! Guess people were much shorter 100+ years ago, but after all the hype about the refitting, thought all the legroom would have been better. Did CM put all the critics in the seats with the best legroom?! Got into the theatre fairly quickly, but until the house opened many people just sat where they could, even on the floor. Big queues for the Ladies loos, as ever! Thought the show would benefit from 15 mins approximately cut out. Enjoyed the second half more than the first. Programmes is obviously UK cast but colour brochure is US cast.
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Post by Sotongal on Dec 9, 2017 22:06:58 GMT
Jack and the Beanstalk at Salisbury Playhouse is excellent. It feels fresh, the cast are great (no celebs!), as is the choreography. The costumes and sets are bright and colourful and not overly glittery. It's very well written, sound and diction is good - you can hear every word clearly pronounced even when the music is playing.
And The Stage gave it 5*.
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Post by Sotongal on Nov 10, 2017 16:54:26 GMT
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Post by Sotongal on Nov 10, 2017 16:41:23 GMT
From Gary Kemp's twitter feed. The kid is a young Gary Kemp in a Children's Film Foundation film Also ... Interesting Gary Kemp mentioned the 70s as it also reminded me of Noddy Holder and Slade!
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Post by Sotongal on Oct 17, 2017 17:51:49 GMT
When we went to see The Best Man in Richmond Theatre (cracking cast, by the way!) a few weeks ago, we were shocked to find the ice creams on sale for £5 each.
We could only surmise that having queued to buy one, people were too shocked to say no and just paid up?!
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Post by Sotongal on Oct 5, 2017 10:28:57 GMT
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Post by Sotongal on Oct 4, 2017 20:48:11 GMT
Went to see The Best Man in Richmond last night and it looked pretty sold out.
It's got a cracking cast of TV favourites, including the great Jack Shephard(Great on the NT stage many times, too), Honeysuckle Weeks and Anthony Howell (Foyle's War) Gemma Jones (Duchess of Duke Street, anyone?! ) Glynis Barber (Dempsey and Makepeace), Jeff Fahey (Lost) and of course, Martin Shaw, of many TV and stage appearances and who does seem to have a large female fan base!
Enjoyed the play though was slightly distracted at the beginning by having a fan girly moment over the cast!
At one point, someone's phone went went off during an intense conversation between Jack Shepherd and Martin Shaw. They both paused and Martin Shaw asked 'Shall we wait?' before continuing. Well handled and straight back to the script!
Technically, it's a huge set, which looked like it might have caused a bit of bother to fit onto the Richmond stage as it depicts a large, plush hotel room with a bedroom behind it.
The Best Man is a 1960 play by American playwright Gore Vidal. The play premiered on Broadway in 1960 and was nominated for six Tony Awards, including Best Play. Vidal adapted it into a film with the same title in 1964.
Vidal's drama is about two presidential party candidates who are level in the polls for their party's nomination. All that separates an ex-Secretary of State and a populist newcomer is an endorsement from a former President.
Tweet from Monday.
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Post by Sotongal on Sept 28, 2017 19:26:23 GMT
Got lucky in the ballot for Network Foodwork/onstage seats.
Table seats inc meals are £95 and bar stool seats are £75, both prices include a set menu, meat or vegetarian. No single seats are available, only a pair of tickets.
I rang to ask about stage accessibility because I've had a knee op and was told it's fine, it's still in rehearsal/work in progress as far as design is concerned.
Tickets won't be issued for people on stage, we will get an email about what to do in advance,and we have to take photo ID with us when we go to the NT (like Angels in America the box office said?)
Looks like it's pretty booked up until about February.
I don't have any membership of the NT (gave up when it got so expensive!) but am on their mailing list and so got an email asking if we wanted to enter the ballot for tickets.
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Post by Sotongal on Sept 12, 2017 16:23:03 GMT
Every shot of Alan Yentob showed him looking like a silent, surprised dummy. Very odd. Sat behind Yentob in the cinema once, some time ago, at a special screening of the film 'Interstellar' and the woman he was with seemed to be explaining the plot to him all the way through the film.
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Post by Sotongal on Sept 8, 2017 16:57:24 GMT
New NST Theatre opening in Southampton in February 2018 with a Howard Brenton play, The Shadow Factory.
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Post by Sotongal on Aug 8, 2017 18:32:01 GMT
It's a no from me, too. ☹️
Also, both sons (including one who went to RADA, ironically enough) got a no, too.
Just leaves my other half to check his emails....
(I'm not holding my breath....)
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Post by Sotongal on May 27, 2017 15:31:10 GMT
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Post by Sotongal on May 3, 2017 15:03:59 GMT
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Post by Sotongal on Apr 28, 2017 14:46:07 GMT
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Post by Sotongal on Apr 24, 2017 11:33:28 GMT
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Post by Sotongal on Apr 23, 2017 14:38:06 GMT
As a Southampton girl I can confirm that the long, long rivalry is with Portsmouth not Salisbury. Though maybe if the comments were something to do with Salisbury and Southampton A & E departments, maybe that was specifically made in reference to those? As far as the Titanic is concerned, it was said at the time that there wasn't a family in Southampton who didn't either have a relative or knew someone on the ship. '724 - the number of crew members who lived in Southampton.
Out of the 1,517 victims, Southampton was home to 538 crew members who died on the White Star liner’s fateful crossing to New York.
At the time, Southampton’s population was 100,000 and one in every four homes lost a family member. Northam, a suburb on the banks of the River Itchen, was worst hit. In one Southampton school- Northam - around half of the pupils were left fatherless.'So, there are still plenty of Titanic descendents living in Southampton, or elsewhere but who know about it and the 100th anniversary five years ago meant there was a lot of renewed interest in Titanic in Southampton and elsewhere. www.mayflower.org.uk/Whats_On/Titanic2018
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Post by Sotongal on Apr 19, 2017 9:16:21 GMT
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Post by Sotongal on Apr 19, 2017 9:05:54 GMT
Just noticed Julius Caesar is two hours long without an interval !
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