830 posts
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Post by rumbledoll on Jul 28, 2016 20:58:52 GMT
Snapped a front row seat for the press-night next week. There were more avail. Some critics might have read posts here and decided against attending  |
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830 posts
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Post by rumbledoll on Jul 28, 2016 21:01:19 GMT
Watching The Seagull tonight. Annoying people being annoying and annoying each other. Can't decide whether to grab the gun from Kostya and put myself out of my misery, or borrow a line from a chap down the road and yell it out loud: 'there are children in Africa starving to death and you don't hear them whinging.' That's Chekhov for you, Jean!  I hope they at least preserved some humour of the original text.. There was humour. Promise!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2016 21:50:22 GMT
I have tickets for Ivanov and Platonov too. Should I just cut my losses now, I wonder?
How did this get raves at Chichester? The dialogue is clunky, a lot of the acting is clunky.
I had to smile at Kostya bemoaning how overwrought his writing was. This whole darn play is overwrought, love.
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830 posts
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Post by rumbledoll on Jul 29, 2016 7:09:09 GMT
I have tickets for Ivanov and Platonov too. Should I just cut my losses now, I wonder? How did this get raves at Chichester? The dialogue is clunky, a lot of the acting is clunky. I had to smile at Kostya bemoaning how overwrought his writing was. This whole darn play is overwrought, love.
If you have this sort of reaction to Seagull, the other two (from the writing point if view) are more uncooked if you let me put in that way. Platonov is Chekhov's first play (written at the age of 18) and is a bit wordy and he gets carried away (I dunno probably David Hare did wonders with the text). And Ivanov is basically about a "whiny Russian chap" as Ryan said - spot on. Though I see some interesting psycological portrait (if played well) and would go for Geoffrey Streatfeild alone. But you might want to skip this one.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2016 7:23:02 GMT
Of the three, I'd say Platonov is strongest (unless something has gone VERY awry since Chichester). If you're dithering about the others, it's worth giving Platonov a go, but if you're feeling quite strongly against them, then at least the NT'll give you credit easily enough. They are all early Chekhov, they do all cover fairly similar ground, after all.
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Post by Jan on Jul 29, 2016 10:55:34 GMT
I have tickets for Ivanov and Platonov too. Should I just cut my losses now, I wonder? How did this get raves at Chichester? The dialogue is clunky, a lot of the acting is clunky. I had to smile at Kostya bemoaning how overwrought his writing was. This whole darn play is overwrought, love. So it wasn't just me who disliked Sir David Hare's dialogue. The plays are set in period but the characters throw in modern Americanisms like "ditsy" and "antsy" which jar. Michael Frayn is the best adapter of Chekov, partly because he speaks Russian. We get to see his version of Platonov at Hamstead later in the year. |
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213 posts
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Post by peelee on Jul 29, 2016 13:35:55 GMT
Tomorrow afternoon, Saturday 30 July at 4.00pm and for a couple of hours thereafter, BBC Radio 4 Extra is to broadcast Chekhov's 'The Seagull' as adapted by Martyn Wade. It features Diana Quick, Alex Jennings, Robert Glenister and Helena Bonham Carter, as well as Edward Petherbridge and Kate Buffery. It was recorded on location and was first broadcast in 1993. Early birds can catch it at 6.00am if they so wish: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07mcn2s |
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5,707 posts
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Post by lynette on Jul 29, 2016 19:39:21 GMT
Watching The Seagull tonight. Annoying people being annoying and annoying each other. Can't decide whether to grab the gun from Kostya and put myself out of my misery, or borrow a line from a chap down the road and yell it out loud: 'there are children in Africa starving to death and you don't hear them whinging.' Ironic post? Well I don't know that Hamlet...honestly, life of privilege and what does he do? His poor mother, not her fault... |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2016 14:12:46 GMT
Three in a day
Loved Platonov
Although bit repetitive
James McArdle FIT
But a bit scrawny
Pip Carter also looking sexy in a suit
You need to have a high Chekhov threshold for sure
The man was a melodramatic bitch
And most of his characters are whining sh*ts
But I love the plays
Self indulgent to the extreme
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2016 14:39:35 GMT
Aha, I need. To Parsley spot! Saw Platonov earlier, which I enjoyed, and seeing Ivanov now (not seeing The Seagull but wanted to pick up the two earlier ones)
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2016 14:52:17 GMT
Aha, I need. To Parsley spot! Saw Platonov earlier, which I enjoyed, and seeing Ivanov now (not seeing The Seagull but wanted to pick up the two earlier ones) I have a lavish backpack |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2016 17:54:26 GMT
God
The south bank is scummy
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2016 18:03:16 GMT
It is good
But the error with this glut is that you see how remarkably narrow minded Chekhov was
He only had about 2 themes and agendas and a limited way of exploring them
There are plenty of merits to this trilogy
But it's a bit like reading Mills and Boon
Or Partricia Cornwell
It's the same over and over again
I have to say having the same actors in fact does not help
It reinforces the repetitive nature of it
Furthermore:
I saw a far superior Platonov at the Barbican a few years back
And this Ivanov is an anaemic shadow of the Branagh triumph as part of the Donmar season
I remain to see how The Seagull fares
But doubt it will match up to the KST version at the RC
Comparisons are always inevitable and David Hare hasn't helped in this situation
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Post by Jan on Jul 30, 2016 18:24:18 GMT
It is good But the error with this glut is that you see how remarkably narrow minded Chekhov was He only had about 2 themes and agendas and a limited way of exploring them There are plenty of merits to this trilogy But it's a bit like reading Mills and Boon Or Partricia Cornwell It's the same over and over again I have to say having the same actors in fact does not help It reinforces the repetitive nature of it Furthermore: I saw a far superior Platonov at the Barbican a few years back And this Ivanov is an anaemic shadow of the Branagh triumph as part of the Donmar season I remain to see how The Seagull fares But doubt it will match up to the KST version at the RC Comparisons are always inevitable and David Hare hasn't helped in this situation Agree Branagh version was better in all respects. His version was by Tom Stoppard, a far superior and sympathetic adapter. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2016 18:35:42 GMT
It is good But the error with this glut is that you see how remarkably narrow minded Chekhov was He only had about 2 themes and agendas and a limited way of exploring them There are plenty of merits to this trilogy But it's a bit like reading Mills and Boon Or Partricia Cornwell It's the same over and over again I have to say having the same actors in fact does not help It reinforces the repetitive nature of it Furthermore: I saw a far superior Platonov at the Barbican a few years back And this Ivanov is an anaemic shadow of the Branagh triumph as part of the Donmar season I remain to see how The Seagull fares But doubt it will match up to the KST version at the RC Comparisons are always inevitable and David Hare hasn't helped in this situation Agree Branagh version was better in all respects. His version was by Tom Stoppard, a far superior and sympathetic adapter. The Donmar Ivanov left me shaken The 2 plays today have hardly been earth shattering But some nice eye candy in them |
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5,707 posts
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Post by lynette on Jul 30, 2016 20:19:05 GMT
The overall view seems to be that this trilogy production is disappointing. I'm going later on.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2016 20:34:01 GMT
The overall view seems to be that this trilogy production is disappointing. I'm going later on. Left at the interval for The Seagull Chekhov doesn't warrant 3 plays in a day Just not good enough a playwright Of note though these plays received rave 5 star reviews at CFT For my liking it's 9 hours of the same stuff over and over again With a decreasing return rate Although Platonov is the silliest of his plays It's the highlight of the 3 and so all downhill after that Even the lovely set with lake seems boring after a whole day |
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1,061 posts
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Post by David J on Jul 30, 2016 21:24:06 GMT
The overall view seems to be that this trilogy production is disappointing. I'm going later on. Left at the interval for The Seagull Chekhov doesn't warrant 3 plays in a day Just not good enough a playwright For my liking it's 9 hours of the same stuff over and over again You think it's simply that? I've tried The Seagull three times already, and I still can't get the fuss about it. I thought maybe it's because the first two I saw, the Anya Reiss version and that Regents Park one with the overhead mirror and Hans Zimmer-esque music blasting out every now and then, just detracted from the play. Having seen this version at Chichester, the most naturalistic of the three, I've come to the conclusion that this is a play about people with problems that is just not for me. Out of interest what people think of Joshua James as Konstantin. The character was so whiney in the first two productions I saw. Here I thought Joshua James didn't resort to that and was more of a resigned Konstantin, and therefore the better for it. I definitely agree Platanov was the better of the three. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2016 21:29:37 GMT
Left at the interval for The Seagull Chekhov doesn't warrant 3 plays in a day Just not good enough a playwright For my liking it's 9 hours of the same stuff over and over again You think it's simply that? I've tried The Seagull three times already, and I still can't get the fuss about it. I thought maybe it's because the first two I saw, the Anya Reiss version and that Regents Park one with the overhead mirror and Hans Zimmer-esque music blasting out every now and then, just detracted from the play. Having seen this version at Chichester, the most naturalistic of the three, I've come to the conclusion that this is a play about people with problems that is just not for me. Out of interest what people think of Joshua James as Konstantin. The character was so whiney in the first two productions I saw. Here I thought Joshua James didn't resort to that and was more of a resigned Konstantin, and therefore the better for it. I definitely agree Platanov was the better of the three. I agree seagull is over rated BUT the RC was the first one I saw and it was a stupendous production I actually also didn't mind the Katie Mitchell "version" I don't think Joshua James is a very good actor |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2016 22:01:47 GMT
Second greatest playwright after Shakespeare. The thing is, though, that he's the Jane Austen of playwrights, brilliant at universalising a very particular society. Vanya, Three Sisters, Seagull and Cherry Orchard are masterpieces but also interesting to see the other two. Not an Ivanov fan, though.
Dudn't find Parsley but did see Miriam Margoyles for the umpteenth time.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2016 22:44:45 GMT
Crucially, Chekhov was also a doctor.
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1,237 posts
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Post by nash16 on Jul 31, 2016 1:14:11 GMT
It is good But the error with this glut is that you see how remarkably narrow minded Chekhov was He only had about 2 themes and agendas and a limited way of exploring them There are plenty of merits to this trilogy But it's a bit like reading Mills and Boon Or Partricia Cornwell It's the same over and over again I have to say having the same actors in fact does not help It reinforces the repetitive nature of it Furthermore: I saw a far superior Platonov at the Barbican a few years back And this Ivanov is an anaemic shadow of the Branagh triumph as part of the Donmar season I remain to see how The Seagull fares But doubt it will match up to the KST version at the RC Comparisons are always inevitable and David Hare hasn't helped in this situation Agree with you on all 3 counts r.e. Maly Theatre Platanov, Branagh's Ivanov, and KST's Seagull. They were all excellent. And had high stakes. Which is what the trilogy at the National unfortunately lack, especially in The Seagull, where nothing seems to be at stake for anyone, apart from Nina in Act 4, but even then it's too late. |
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Post by Jan on Jul 31, 2016 6:19:12 GMT
The overall view seems to be that this trilogy production is disappointing. I'm going later on. Dont worry it is worthwhile for lots of reasons, but there are some flaws. Credit to Chichester for producing it, in ambition and quality it shows the current NT up I'm afraid. |
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Post by Jan on Jul 31, 2016 6:22:49 GMT
Second greatest playwright after Shakespeare. The thing is, though, that he's the Jane Austen of playwrights, brilliant at universalising a very particular society. Vanya, Three Sisters, Seagull and Cherry Orchard are masterpieces but also interesting to see the other two. Not an Ivanov fan, though. Dudn't find Parsley but did see Miriam Margoyles for the umpteenth time. Ibsen is better. I've seen Margiyles several time too in the audience for things. I also used to live next door to her. |
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1,503 posts
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Post by foxa on Jul 31, 2016 8:48:11 GMT
Oooh, I dunno, I've seen some breath-taking Chekhov, but I think it's a bit of a 'you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you meet your prince' situation. Quite a long time ago, I managed to get a single returned ticket to see 'The Seagull' at the RSC and it was one of the best things I've ever seen them do: Penelope Wilton getting the comic absurdity and vanity of Arkadina, while also packing an emotional punch, Justine Waddell exquisite as Nina. BUT I've also seen some grim productions including the one with John Hurt and Natasha Richardson in the West End - he seemed to be struggling with his lines and wandered off stage at one point - then at an important moment, she disappeared into a pile of cushions as she leaned back onto a chaise lounge...Also the Kate Mitchell one was ridiculously hard-going (and I organised a group of colleagues to see this who, as it progressed, kept looking at me as if I was mad, then afterwards trudged silently back to Waterloo Station.) Nina asked for a glass of water and Constantin took about ten minutes getting it (usually it's just in a jug on the sideboard, but obviously KM had researched this wouldn't be the case, so had him unlock various doors, wander down corridors, disappear off stage, time passes, he eventually reappears, unlocks and relocks doors....our lives disappearing by the second.)
The recent Vanya at the Almeida was one of the best Chekhov productions I've ever seen - we were just talking about it again the other day.
I was a bit tempted to book for the NT productions (I've never seen Platonov) but from the description above maybe not.
I've seen Margoyles twice at the theatre in the past few months. She always seems to be having fun.
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