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Post by Mr Snow on Apr 16, 2024 6:15:42 GMT
Whilst I agree this was another very disaPpointing evening at THE NATIONAL!, like 95% of the audience we stayed for the second act. Things improved (quite a bit from a really low standard) as the need to race through plot lessened.
The music puzzled me. At first I thought how did they find so many poor singers? Why were all the songs mid paced? Why was there no variety in style of singing or song? But the chorus's showed harmony and that the singer's could sing. Every song followed that format, with the only life being the "crowd" coming together. Was the director making some point that escaped me? In the end I was too bored to bother t o try figure it out.
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Post by Steve on Apr 16, 2024 7:04:33 GMT
Phew, glad you liked it Steve as we seem to have similar taste from looking back at history on this board. I’m seeing it on Saturday and had been nervous given initial posts on the board and as I’m taking a friend after constantly singing Ian Rickson’s praises. I’m definitely intrigued and hope to be on your side of the aisle on this but can imagine how this has divided opinion I think PJ Harvey is the crux of it. I've seen her at the Troxy, the Albert Hall, Brixton Academy, and the music in this is, in my opinion, completely of a piece with her other stuff, always trying to meld and contextualise life and land in a folky, sometimes rocky, typically mournful, sometimes angry way. She did an album called "Let England Shake," and this could be the sequel, "Let London Flow," or something like that. This work is 50 percent Dickens, 50 percent PJ Harvey. If you don't like PJ Harvey, this show is an absolute no-no! But even if you like PJ Harvey, you still may not like her work commandeering Dickens's drama, which it does. Her work is the lodestar of this piece, even more than Dickens. It makes sense that a national theatre in a capital city would put on a piece about life in that capital. The primacy of PJ Harvey's vision is why the piece is called "London Tide" instead of "Our Mutual Friend," I imagine. And even if you like the idea of that, you still could conclude that the two pieces, PJ Harvey and Dickens are not sufficiently fused together to be more than the sum of their parts. So the gate is small and the road is narrow that leads to liking this piece lol. Be warned and good luck!  |
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Post by mrnutz on Apr 16, 2024 8:09:32 GMT
I've returned my tickets. I've seen too many average productions recently to risk another one. Life's too short (and expensive).
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Post by Being Alive on Apr 16, 2024 21:59:40 GMT
Speedy this ain't.
What it is, once it settles into itself after about 20 minutes, is actually weirdly charming.
No one in this van really sing (apart from the two young female leads) which makes the choices of having a number of songs...odd, but it weirdly adds to the charm of working class London for me.
It IS too long - someone needs to take some scissors to the beginning and help it get into its stride a bit quicker.
That said, I loved Bunny Christie's design (she never misses) and actually liked Ben Powers adaptation.
It's 3.5 stars for me currently (but as I round up to whole stars as a rule, it's closer to 4 than it is to 3) - I certainly was nowhere closer to leaving at the interval.
Of the three shows playing at the NT at the moment, this is my favourite of them.
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Post by mrnutz on Apr 18, 2024 10:27:10 GMT
Reviews seem to be mostly three stars, some twos and a four (Time Out).
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Post by n1david on Apr 18, 2024 14:51:40 GMT
Reviews seem to be mostly three stars, some twos and a four (Time Out). Which seems to be the rule that when Theatreboard members discover a marmite show that is either loved or hated, the reviews fall solidly in the middle (see also 'Opening Night') |
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Post by theoracle on Apr 21, 2024 21:36:53 GMT
I rather liked this - the 3.25hrs went by rather seamlessly. The songs are a little jarring at points but as they continue, they do heighten the emotion of the moment so aren’t entirely superfluous. The Bella song in Act 2 was probably my favourite if I had to pick The show felt like an ode to London, both past and present and I thought the large ensemble of actors did a terrific job of bringing the story to life against the minimalist set. There’s a lot of plot to cram into the play and by the end, it ties itself up together quite nicely. Of course, I can see this won’t be for everyone but I thought it was a very satisfying way to spend a Saturday evening and the cast got a nice round of applause at the end.
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Post by drmaplewood on Apr 27, 2024 22:32:21 GMT
Another one who left at the interval tonight. Dreary enough to match the London weather and couldn't wait to flee.
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Post by edi on Apr 27, 2024 22:43:32 GMT
Wow so many people leaving at the interval.
People who didn't leave - is there a noticeable drop of audiences? Must be awful for the cast
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Post by aspieandy on Apr 27, 2024 23:16:43 GMT
ouf.
I imagine the source material proved too unwieldy, and that must have been at the end of an absolute shed load of development.
Don't want to criticise artistic choices because we can't know the basis, though I'd loved to have heard several of those conversations.
Unlike others, hope remained at half time but I was shaking my head, staring at the floor, with 40+ minutes left.
They've had such a good run recently at the NT. Bound to happen at some point.
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Post by zahidf on Apr 28, 2024 9:24:25 GMT
I thought this was decent, if overlong.
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Post by mrekko on Apr 28, 2024 11:22:40 GMT
On the fence whether to book this or not.
Our Mutual Friend is my favourite Dickens novel but, like almost all of his work, it would be difficult to adapt on stage due to its length and number of different characters and subplots..
Frankly, I think any Dickens adaptation gets a disservice for that reason, unless it is something very long like the BBC production of Bleak House or the notorious Nicholas Nickleby 9hr play from the 80’s (I imagine). A Christmas Carol is an exception to the rule, being quite short and with one plot line.
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Post by Fleance on Apr 28, 2024 11:54:30 GMT
I love the novel, and the 1998 miniseries with Keeley Hawes as well. I'm looking forward to London Tide.
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Post by theatre2023 on Apr 28, 2024 15:24:51 GMT
Utter waste of time ... seriously low budget show. The use of a giant sheet of plastic bag to mimic a drowning was the cherry on the cake.
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Post by aspieandy on Apr 28, 2024 16:07:14 GMT
LOL. Waving not drowning /stevie smith
Anyone buying the original cast recording ..
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Post by lichtie on May 10, 2024 19:11:31 GMT
I'm glad I ignored the naysayers on here as I rather enjoyed this. There are obviously lots of things not right - having cast members that can't sing being a particular low point (maybe the felt they were being empathatic to PJH's own style with that production choice...), and there's too much exposition (though it's hard to see how to avoid it with Dickens), but the stripped back production and basics of the story worked OK I thought. I actually thought the plastic sheet for the drowning scene was OK - why would you need anything more for such a short thing? It serves the necessary dramatic purpose fine. They'd chopped more time off when I saw it on Wednesday - down to 3 hours including the interval - which may also have helped. There were hardly any departues that I could see at the interval so maybe it's settled down - or maybe I just got an afternoon of people who know the original well (one woman nearby was critiqueing it on the basis that it had simplified Dicken's original convolutions too much...)
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Post by solotheatregoer on May 14, 2024 22:26:55 GMT
I enjoyed this more than I thought. The story itself kept me interested and I stayed until the end (a few people around me left at the interval and it wasn’t sold out to begin with). I was just put off by the singing which was very cringeworthy in places. The production would have been fine without this altogether as the songs didn’t really move the plot along either.
3 stars.
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Post by Dave B on May 24, 2024 9:46:04 GMT
We liked this a lot. A really nice, strong cast across the board. The less strong voices work really well in context and I think they add to the show.
I'm not really familiar with Dickens (outside of theatre adaptions Ive seen ) or PJ Harvey so I can't comment on any changes or influence but I enjoyed the story and the characters. We had our usual front row 'restricted' and they were excellent, a bit of a jump when the first body comes from the river.
Really liked the simple staging, from the boat to the piano doubling as a bar. The tide rising wasn't quite as effective as being so close hobbled the visual a little but I was far from the only person in the front row checking out the space and the lifts below the stage, quite a long drop in some cases!
Had a bit of trepidation going in based on less glowing thoughts here and in the press so perhaps low expectations but honestly, thoroughly enjoyed and very glad we went. A comfortable four stars, while accepting it may well be marmite. I didn't notice anyone leaving at the interval but the only comment I heard on the way out was 'dreary'  Some nice offers around, well worth checking out.
Crystal Condie was indisposed and Georgia Silver was on in place, may have been a last minute change as she was very surprised to get a round of applause from the cast at the end and a load of hugs and support as they walked off. Couldn't tell at all from her performance!
Running time listed now as 3h15 and I think we walked out of the Lyttleton at bang on 22:15
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Post by nancycunard on May 25, 2024 23:36:32 GMT
Saw this tonight and while it sounds like damning with faint praise I was extremely impressed by the lighting design.
Do not expect West End singers if you’re interested in the music. I’m a Harvey fan so I appreciate that there were attempts to sing to her style but the only one who really achieved this was the excellent Bella Maclean. Elsewhere, Ellie-May Sheridan was very good.
My row towards the back of the stalls was mostly empty, and noticed at least one interval departure in the row behind. A 2.5* from me, probably.
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Post by mkb on Jun 2, 2024 14:33:49 GMT
Adaptor Ben Power has a lot to answer for. I presume Dickens' original provides characters with motivations for their actions which have somehow been lost in translation.
I didn't mind the music, and I rather liked that we heard people singing as their characters would, rather than in polished musical-theatre performances.
Sadly, I could not sustain interest in the narrative and found no-one on stage to remotely care about. As a result, the show felt very long.
The various deliberate anachronisms, such as the plastic sheet cover on the mortuary table, had me head-scratching.
Two stars.
Act 1: 19:05-20:31
Act 2: 20:54-22:13
(Seen Friday 24 May)
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Post by duncan on Jun 11, 2024 10:26:25 GMT
Had the understudy Lizzie (Miya James) last night - she can't sing but then again that didn't seem to mark her out from the rest of the cast - who also got a full cast applause at the end.
I can't really add anything beyond whats already been said -
ditch the songs
the songs all sound the same and none of them are memorable
the staging is very cheap looking
the repeated use of the lighting rigs to represent waves was more annoying and eyecatching (in the wrong way) than actually representing the waves as they seemed to be aiming for.
the man two along from me vanished at the interval.
Was in the circle and it was only about a third full, could only see the one walk out from where I was - this was at the interval and then someone else made a break with about 20 minutes to go. Got a very good reception at the end of the show and all of the comments were very positive as we left the theatre and made our away across the foyer.
I'd definitely be in the 3 stars camp - its a very enjoyable play which is well acted BUT its running at least 30 minutes longer than it needs to owing to the songs. The story issues I have come from the original work (dear goodness Charlie D really could drag it out) where things would be over so much quicker if only people talked to one another.
Cast wise I thought Ellie May Sheridan as Jenny Wren was the standout and the two male leads were both wetter than the Thames and I failed to see why either of the two female leads would be interested in them at all. Thankfully Scott Karim is clearly channelling Nick Cave as the villainous Headstone to keep things livened up just when you think the action is faltering.
Also not sure why it needs the band on stage as it does mean that those entering from the audience right at the rear of the stage are either obscured or have to wander round the band before they start delivering.
Entertainingly flawed.
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Post by amyja89 on Jun 11, 2024 10:41:31 GMT
Unsure if this is against board rules, but a certain seat filler site has free tickets for this for today (11th) and tomorrow (12th), with a £6.50 admin fee...
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Post by Dave B on Jun 11, 2024 10:53:51 GMT
Unsure if this is against board rules, but a certain seat filler site has free tickets for this for today (11th) and tomorrow (12th), with a £6.50 admin fee... It has unfortunately been papering for weeks now. |
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Post by lt on Jun 11, 2024 13:00:22 GMT
Unsure if this is against board rules, but a certain seat filler site has free tickets for this for today (11th) and tomorrow (12th), with a £6.50 admin fee... Think it is against board rules? |
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Post by Jan on Jun 11, 2024 13:23:01 GMT
They must be doing a heck of a lot of admin for £6.50 - are they writing out the tickets by hand or something ?
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Some nice offers around, well worth checking out.
