Cold War - Almeida

My daughter always jokes that this film got her good grades in her A Levels both in History and Music as it covered the some of the ground in the relevant syllabuses. The music in the film is by the Polish jazz musician Marcin Mazecki and is quite beautiful. I've seen Mazecki in concert in London a couple of times - once at a church in Leytonstone and once at the historic Leighton House in Holland Park. On the latter occasion the director of the film, Pawel Pawlikowski, was in the audience. I can't imagine how the Almeida are going to transfer the atmosphere of the film to the stage, but I hope to get to see it to find out.

I’d take anything with Luke Thallon in it! Didn’t know he could sing though..
Remember the design for the film looked absolutely stunning on posters but never got a chance to see it.

Very easy booking (for once).

I too got tickets. My chosen date (mid week in December) had fairly limited seats available. Presumably the pedigree of the people involved plus love for the film is selling tickets at something of a lick.

Three previews in. Any initial reactions?

I really liked this. Thought the music was gorgeous and the 2 leads were fantastic (side note, had no idea Luke Thallon could sing? From where I was sat I think some of the piano playing he did was legitimately him and some was the conductor). Keen to see this again post previews.

I thought it was… nice? A bit slow for me personally and it sits in the kind of a play with musical, but definitely still a musical bracket. The singing was lovely though and it did keep me engaged throughout, a very subtle show.

I am in the camp of being disappointed with this. I went in having read reviews ranging from 5 stars (the i paper) to 3 stars (the Guardian). I love the film - my daughter claims that it, and the film Death of Stalin, got her the A Level grades she needed to get into Cambridge - and I love the music of Elvis Costello. In fact I remember playing Costello's I Want You, which features in the musical, on repeat at the time of a romantic break up in the mid 1980s! But somehow, despite excellent performances, this just didn't work for me. I think some of it is to do with scale. The stage felt too small for the dancing bits but somehow too big for the really intimate sections. I was also a bit cross that from row B in the circle (so not a cheap seat) bits of the action were lost as they were played out at the front of the stage. I didn't hate it but I won't be encouraging people to go and see it.

I am enjoying seeing Luke Thallon grow up. I first saw him in the Guildhall production of Crazy for You back in 2017 (so his singing ability was no surprise to me). He was such a ball of energy in that. My eldest son is one year younger than Luke and so I know just how much people mature in their early twenties. It's a real pleasure to watch.

Going next week but though I did see the film, I'm amazed that anyone can even remember it, let alone in sufficient detail as to compare it to this - it was 5 years ago, for goodness' sake! This does sound a bit long (and slow, or "languorous" to put it more politely, as some reviews have), but whatever I think when it comes to it, it has nothing to live up to for me.

I was lucky to see him in Crazy For You, and the fact he could tap dance like a dream, as well as act that well...

Also heard that he has little to no interest in TV/film.  He loves theatre, and wants that to be his home.  So refreshing.  Great actor.

I thought this was wonderful.

Everything worked for me. I loved the pacing, the fluid direction, the ‘distressed’ look of the design, (The Almeida has such great atmosphere for any production.)

Musically it was very evocative - the mixture of Polish folk and Elvis works like a dream.

A really talented cast with great chemistry between Anya Chalotra and Luke Thallon. Luke is such a special actor - he appears to underplay Wiktor but then artfully sucks you into his undemonstrative orbit so you’re hanging on his every word.