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Post by lonlad on Feb 13, 2017 0:12:09 GMT
Interesting that Bordeaux preferred Sher, who played Carr as if reciting the language to a metronome -- as par for the course with this actor, he didn't begin to connect with the part emotionally. Hollander, by contrast, is tremendously moving, as well as verbally deft.
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Post by mallardo on Feb 13, 2017 8:41:06 GMT
Of course there's some authorial showing off in Travesties but in the context of the piece it feels entirely justified. The main characters ARE show-offs, in love with their own ideas, the sound of their own voices. What counts tremendously in Stoppard's favour, with me, is that he gives Tzara (whom he clearly doesn't agree with) arguments every bit as intelligent and lucid and fun as Joyce (whom he does agree with). I'm not sure why anyone would want to resist or even be offended by a play so full of genuine wit.
BTW, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is, to me, a far more too-clever-by-half play than Travesties and not nearly as entertaining. It will be interesting to see the reaction that gets here.
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Post by bordeaux on Feb 13, 2017 10:29:04 GMT
Interesting that Bordeaux preferred Sher, who played Carr as if reciting the language to a metronome -- as par for the course with this actor, he didn't begin to connect with the part emotionally. Hollander, by contrast, is tremendously moving, as well as verbally deft. I thought they were both wonderful in their different ways. It was 20 or so years ago but I don't remember Sher as being metronomic, but I suppose he played up the studied artificiality of the dialogue more. His memories of WWI and the 'in other words we're here because we're here because we're here' moment were very moving to me. |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 28, 2017 9:13:58 GMT
I'm debating whether to see this and obviously the critical raves have piqued my interest BUT I'm rather concerned I'll sit there watching it feeling like I have at other Stoppard plays- that it's actually a bit boring and designed to make me feel stupid.
To go or not to go?
Rather unsure after reading a few "it's so boring" comments on here. I swore I'd never see a Stoppard after Rock N Roll
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Post by couldileaveyou on Feb 28, 2017 10:21:18 GMT
I'm debating whether to see this and obviously the critical raves have piqued my interest BUT I'm rather concerned I'll sit there watching it feeling like I have at other Stoppard plays- that it's actually a bit boring and designed to make me feel stupid. To go or not to go? Rather unsure after reading a few "it's so boring" comments on here. I swore I'd never see a Stoppard after Rock N Roll I absolutely loved it, I have recommended it to everyone  |
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Post by wickedgrin on Feb 28, 2017 13:14:26 GMT
I am old enough to know what I like and don't like, unfortunately. I don't like Stoppard. Always bored and feeling stupid simply not getting the references which everyone around me seem to chuckle at in a knowing way! I will happily give this a miss.
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Post by Snciole on Feb 28, 2017 14:03:19 GMT
I have mixed feeling about Stoppard but this is a lot more fun, once you stop feeling foolish for not knowing all about Lenin, Joyce and Switzerland in the first world war. It helps that Tom Hollander is utterly delightful and I particularly enjoyed Clare Foster as the Cecily the librarian. It flies by but I don't blame anyone for feeling Stoppard is pretentious but this was written before he got even worse and started chucking out poop like The Hard Problem.
I also saw Derek Jacobi (wrong thread-everybody) and he's utterly gorgeous.
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Post by mallardo on Feb 28, 2017 14:54:27 GMT
There is no other "poop" like The Hard Problem in the Stoppard canon. It was bad, admittedly. But it's not as if he'd been in decline before that. He has a body of work that's second to none among living playwrights in the English speaking world. It's not pretentious to pitch your work to an audience with a certain level of intelligence and information. The fact that he never deliberately writes down to an audience is worthy of approval, not disdain.
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1,103 posts
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Post by mallardo on Feb 28, 2017 15:15:24 GMT
The Hard Problem in the Stoppard canon. It was bad, admittedly. I still wonder if it was the play itself, or the direction and staging? The fact it was so wildly over-done as it was the "proper" opening of the Dorfman. A slimmer revival might reveal a little more of the text, perhaps?
Yes, perhaps. It would be interesting to see another production of The Hard Problem. But, having said that, I thought the play was the issue. The complex ideas were just not sufficiently dramatized.
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Post by Dawnstar on Feb 28, 2017 21:13:47 GMT
That depressing feeling when you look up a theatre on @theatremonkey 's website & every seat in your price range is marked red!
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Post by peggs on Feb 28, 2017 21:36:00 GMT
That depressing feeling when you look up a theatre on @theatremonkey 's website & every seat in your price range is marked red! Yeah I too did that last week and decided much as I liked the sound anything I could afford was going to be pretty awful and possibly pointless to buy. |
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Post by Dawnstar on Feb 28, 2017 21:40:05 GMT
I'd like to see it again, having enjoyed it at the Menier, but after seeing it from front row at the Menier I'm not sure if I want to re-see it from a distant & restricted view seat. Before anyone says day seats, I don't live in London & can't get there by 10am unless I buy an expensive train ticket which would rather negate the theatre ticket saving!
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Post by peggs on Feb 28, 2017 21:52:52 GMT
Does anyone know how days seats for this are going please? Am tempted but at the same time in the middle of an ofsted inspection and struggling to imagine a time when i'll ever be fully awake again and wanting to jump out of bed early to get to London to sit outside a theatre in a queue.
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Post by bellboard27 on Feb 28, 2017 22:47:54 GMT
I had a dayseat today. Got there about 10.30 and there was still a choice in the front row. All had gone by tonight and overall the theatre looked quite full.
I loved it, possibly because of the familiarity of the subjects, but also the structure and performances.
Front row requires a little looking up and I don't recommend the seats closest to the centre (the very centre of front row B is gone) as a bit of the set is a permanent obstruction in the sight line.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2017 0:06:35 GMT
I am not-so-secretly annoyed at how well this is selling, given how high the prices are. I'd love to see Hollander on stage but I'm not keen on paying £50 to sit in the back row of the stalls...
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Post by lynette on Mar 1, 2017 13:48:03 GMT
Jean, I'm assuming you missed the Menier announcement because you could have seen it there. To be honest I would miss a lot but for this Board. Just seen the Arcola thing about Greg Hicks. I didn't see that elsewhere. I don't know how far back the £50 seats are but it is a good production and much deepened by TH's performance. Opera glasses?
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Post by Dawnstar on Mar 1, 2017 13:50:27 GMT
Unsurprisingly no day seats remaining for today's matinee when I made it to the theatre at 1.30. I didn't think there would be but thought I'd ask on the off chance. Nabbed the last remaining day seat for Love's Labour's Lost this afternoon instead.
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Post by showgirl on Mar 1, 2017 14:22:19 GMT
Got here too late for day seat but happy with premium stalls one for £35,so worth trying.
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Post by Dawnstar on Mar 1, 2017 14:25:15 GMT
I wasn't offered that, only £20 right at the back & I didn't want to sit so far back.
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Post by showgirl on Mar 1, 2017 14:32:16 GMT
They offered me the same, but also the higher cost, better situated seat. So I figured worth it for a long play. That said, v small auditorium so back row not that distant from the stage.
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Post by bellboard27 on Mar 1, 2017 15:44:14 GMT
The back row at the Apollo isn't bad at all, it's where I usually sit - the end 2 seats have nothing in front, which is even better. Front row requires a little looking up and I don't recommend the seats closest to the centre (the very centre of front row B is gone) as a bit of the set is a permanent obstruction in the sight line. I thought rows A and B were there in full? Have they actually taken seats out, then, bellboard27? Yes. Row B was front row and projected stage means 2-3 central row B seats are gone as well. As a result the more central Row B seats have less legroom as the stage is closer. |
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Post by showgirl on Mar 1, 2017 17:44:56 GMT
This was superb. A lot of money for me, but worth every penny.The first time I've ever wholeheartedly enjoyed anything by Tom Stoppard & I've tried often enough but am glad I didn't give up. I'm unlikely to see it again but this production was so good that I can't imagine it's equal. Straight onto my "Best Of Year" list.
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Post by zahidf on Mar 5, 2017 13:22:11 GMT
This is on todaytix with 20 pounds rush tics
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2017 13:00:25 GMT
I got a TodayTix rush ticket yesterday. Normally £20, but I had £10 credit so front row for a tenner. Very low stage, so didn't miss a thing and was incredibly close.
Tom Hollander steals it and is worthy of the praise. It's a weird play, I imagine at least 60% went completely over my head, but it has it's genuinely 'laugh out loud' moments and watching Hollander and Fox makes it well worth catching.
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Post by cmcphail on Mar 9, 2017 13:30:35 GMT
I also got a rush ticket for the front row yesterday. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this, but I really enjoyed it. I didn't understand all of it, but didn't feel like that took away from the experience in any way.
On a more personal note, I also had a think about how, at this point last year, I would not have been able to sit through this, let alone enjoy it thoroughly. Interesting how tastes can change, isn't it.
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