A Tupperware of Ashes - NT Dorfman

I just booked this and it is selling very well - the pit is almost sold out for the 4 or 5 dates I looked at. It looks appealing to me, but I didn’t expect it to be hard to find seats - must be Meera Syal’s tv popularity.

Starts in three weeks

Has sold very well to date

Already a running time on the website

2h and 40m

I suspect will come down in previews

Fingers crossed it’s a good play

Have tickets for this and didn't realize also. Having just gone through this too with both parents, not sure I could sit through it too.

Saw this tonight and thought it was quite excellent. Dorfman doing it again with a play that suits its size.

First thing first, this is about dementia and its quite brutal in its portrayal of it, doesn't really pull any punches. So not surprised Meera found it hard in rehearsals.

Its a well written and well acted portrayal of how dementia affects all around. Its also about family and their spiritual beliefs, but these beliefs don't over shadow the over riding portrayal, just brings more depth to the situation.

It is well balanced, there's both light and dark, tears and laughter, there's a couple of bits which have quite sudden atmosphere changes but they work well and seem right. The ending works very well.

I only brought a ticket for this about 20 mins before the start and very pleased that I did.

I saw it on Saturday (a long weekend of ashes, with "The other place" tonight...). I was quite reluctant to go and see it because of personal experience taking care of someone with dementia, but actually I did not find the play upsetting or difficult to watch. It might because I found Queenie's trajectory quite different from what I have seen as a caregiver (Queenie seems to have much more awareness and agency in the first stages of the disease) or at least in the play her trajectory (and that of her family) is broken down in small scenes that are quite short, preventing too much emotional connection. I found Ameet, the husband, more a nuisance and distraction than a character useful to move the story forward, at least in the first scenes when he intervenes to comment what is happening in real time (and for reasons that I will not mention, it does not make sense that he does that in the middle of the other characters). I liked the second part more and the final scene is beautiful and really brings together the play.

Yes, Meera Syal is very good and also the other actors do well.

They'd managed to get this down to 2hr30 last night - was finished by 10.02.

This is outstanding and the best play I have seen at the National for years. Superbly acted and a devastating performance by Meera Syal, who deserves much praise and recognition for this. Maybe it resonated more with me because I also have experience with this illness in my family and so I did find myself choking up on a few occasions. It's so easy to overact something like this considering the themes of the play but this is very nuanced and perfectly balanced.

I agree that the husband is a little distracting at times, but I will never complain about seeing Zubin Varla on stage so I can let that slide.

5 stars.

I thought it was ok. In their pursuit for an ‘authentic’ dementia experience (something so wildly different for everyone), it turned into a very superficial, melodramatic piece. Cast were good with what they were given. Zubin very underused.

I see the score is by Nitin Sawhney. How is it? Im a big fan. Im guessing its underscore ?

Around half of the remaining run is sold out now

With many performances having the odd ticket left only

Quite a success box office wise at least

I thought this was excellent. Great acting, really emotional and tough to watch in places