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Post by learfan on Oct 26, 2018 5:23:28 GMT
Wendell Pierce as Willy Loman Who?? |
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Post by Jan on Oct 26, 2018 6:12:15 GMT
I’d much rather see the Royal Exchange production transfer to the West End rather than a new production with an American actor I’ve never heard of. Really, London theatre’s absolute obsession with all things American is very tedious.
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Post by jadnoop on Oct 26, 2018 6:18:29 GMT
Wendell Pierce as Willy Loman Who?? He was fantastic in a couple of David Simon's shows; playing a musician in Treme, and Bunk in the amazing The Wire. Both are definitely recommended if you're a fan of slow, deep dramas. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 7:29:54 GMT
Apparently, when they did Othello in Sheffield a few years back (Dominic West as Iago, Lily James as Desdemona), there was some doubt as to whether Clarke Peters was going to be available, so they drafted in Wendell Pierce as an emergency back up plan. I do still wonder from time to time what his Othello would have been like. Still, delighted to have the chance to see him on stage finally, I've greatly enjoyed his screen work over the years. (I just wish with all my heart it wasn't Death of a Salesman...)
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Post by zahidf on Oct 26, 2018 7:45:48 GMT
He was fantastic in a couple of David Simon's shows; playing a musician in Treme, and Bunk in the amazing The Wire. Both are definitely recommended if you're a fan of slow, deep dramas. He's great in all the stuff I've seen him, so I'm looking forward to this |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 8:34:06 GMT
Black actresses across the country are going to develop a communal twitch every time they hear Sharon D Clarke's name at this rate.
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Post by Jon on Oct 26, 2018 10:03:36 GMT
Sharon D Clarke was meant to be doing Blues in the Night at the Kiln Theatre so I wonder if that’s been delayed or she’s dropped out
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 10:16:53 GMT
Blues in the Night kicks off on 18th July and this is due to start its run in May. If they are planning to start in early May and are only looking at an 8 week run, then she can be rehearsing Blues during the day and performing in this in the evenings. Not completely impossible, though I appreciate that's a lot of heavy lifting for one little "if".
EDIT: although interestingly I have just seen this caveat on the Kiln Theatre website: "IMPORTANT INFORMATION Dates may be subject to change." I guess every theatre has that prerogative, but it's rare for them to state it upfront like that, isn't it?
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Post by Jon on Oct 26, 2018 10:36:26 GMT
Blues in the Night kicks off on 18th July and this is due to start its run in May. If they are planning to start in early May and are only looking at an 8 week run, then she can be rehearsing Blues during the day and performing in this in the evenings. Not completely impossible, though I appreciate that's a lot of heavy lifting for one little "if". EDIT: although interestingly I have just seen this caveat on the Kiln Theatre website: "IMPORTANT INFORMATION Dates may be subject to change." I guess every theatre has that prerogative, but it's rare for them to state it upfront like that, isn't it? I could see Blues in the Night delayed until August because there is a fair bit of flexibility from September onwards |
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Post by maggiem on Oct 26, 2018 10:52:12 GMT
Mixed feelings about this having caught this afternoon's matinee. Not in the same league as Q.Margret Salesman is a real journey of emotion that really resonated with me today due to some ongoing personal circumstances. I was very much in on the plight of all of the principals as it moved along. The set is beautiful and the whole show is lit very well, the use of colour highlighting flashbacks very effectively. I did spend the first 40 minutes or so trying to figure out if Warrington's Willie (oo err) was a successful portrait of the dementia or if he was unsure of his footing and script. Towards the end of the first act my suspicions were confirmed as he fell over (metaphorically) in the heat of an argument and required prompt after unsuccessfully getting back on track. I don't know if this happens often but it's my first experience of witnessing this in professional theatre. Granted Loman is a large, demanding role but it took Warrington quite a while to recover from this; as it did for the audience. The pace suffered along with the atmosphere around the house. The first 45 of Act 2 took some real getting going as Warrington's delivery was broken and he stalled his way through the script which he seemed just to be getting to grips with. However, the piece gained its motion and recovered with a fierce final climax between Biff and Loman completely redeeming Warrington of earlier error. I saw the evening performance. Don did need one prompt in the first half, but got back on track straight away, and there were no further problems.
In a lot of ways it reminded me of the West End "A View from the Bridge" in that the playing space was contained within a surround where the cast sat if they weren't in a scene, watching all the action. Props and scenery were kept to the minimum, placing the emphasis on Miller's wonderful text. Their concentration levels need to be high in order not to miss queues, and no one was off the stage completely for too long. It got very intense and emotional, and I was moved by the whole performance.
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Post by learfan on Oct 26, 2018 17:01:39 GMT
I’d much rather see the Royal Exchange production transfer to the West End rather than a new production with an American actor I’ve never heard of. Really, London theatre’s absolute obsession with all things American is very tedious. Maybe it will, i would like to have gone but the dates didnt fit. Marianne Elliott is brave going for such a well known play in the WE with who he in the main role? |
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Post by Jan on Oct 26, 2018 19:45:55 GMT
I’d much rather see the Royal Exchange production transfer to the West End rather than a new production with an American actor I’ve never heard of. Really, London theatre’s absolute obsession with all things American is very tedious. Maybe it will, i would like to have gone but the dates didnt fit. Marianne Elliott is brave going for such a well known play in the WE with who he in the main role? I imagine it is a try-out for Broadway, so not all that brave. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 19:55:36 GMT
I’m kind of staggered by all the “who he?” about Wendell Pierce.
Given that The Wire is the finest piece of long-form TV drama (don’t @me) ever made, packed-full of Shakespearean-level characters, this seems like a major gap in all y’all canon.
“Fuuuuuuuuuck” (points at the fridge, then the window.)
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Post by Latecomer on Oct 26, 2018 20:42:39 GMT
I’m kind of staggered by all the “who he?” about Wendell Pierce. Given that The Wire is the finest piece of long-form TV drama (don’t @me) ever made, packed-full of Shakespearean-level characters, this seems like a major gap in all y’all canon. “Fuuuuuuuuuck” (points at the fridge, then the window.) I had to watch it with the subtitles on but have to agree it was mighty! 😊 |
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Post by Jan on Oct 26, 2018 20:52:41 GMT
I’m kind of staggered by all the “who he?” about Wendell Pierce. Given that The Wire is the finest piece of long-form TV drama (don’t @me) ever made, packed-full of Shakespearean-level characters, this seems like a major gap in all y’all canon. “Fuuuuuuuuuck” (points at the fridge, then the window.) How do you know it’s the best ever made when you haven’t seen (and I’m staggered you haven’t) Our Friends In The North, The Singing Detective, The Boys From The Black Stuff, and Pennies From Heaven ? The Wire had a smaller audience in UK than all of those. One issue is I’ve never had satellite or pay TV (unlike many of those who profess to hate the evil Murdoch). Another is that as I lived in USA for several years I sort of got over the starry-eyed devotion to American popular culture that afflicts some in UK . |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 21:36:48 GMT
I’m kind of staggered by all the “who he?” about Wendell Pierce. Given that The Wire is the finest piece of long-form TV drama (don’t @me) ever made, packed-full of Shakespearean-level characters, this seems like a major gap in all y’all canon. “Fuuuuuuuuuck” (points at the fridge, then the window.) How do you know it’s the best ever made when you haven’t seen (and I’m staggered you haven’t) Our Friends In The North, The Singing Detective, The Boys From The Black Stuff, and Pennies From Heaven ? The Wire had a smaller audience in UK than all of those. One issue is I’ve never had satellite or pay TV (unlike many of those who profess to hate the evil Murdoch). Another is that as I lived in USA for several years I sort of got over the starry-eyed devotion to American popular culture that afflicts some in UK . Commencing eye-roll sequence in five...four...three...two...one |
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Post by learfan on Oct 26, 2018 22:31:40 GMT
I’m kind of staggered by all the “who he?” about Wendell Pierce. Given that The Wire is the finest piece of long-form TV drama (don’t @me) ever made, packed-full of Shakespearean-level characters, this seems like a major gap in all y’all canon. “Fuuuuuuuuuck” (points at the fridge, then the window.) Never seen it, not bothered. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 22:35:33 GMT
I’m kind of staggered by all the “who he?” about Wendell Pierce. Given that The Wire is the finest piece of long-form TV drama (don’t @me) ever made, packed-full of Shakespearean-level characters, this seems like a major gap in all y’all canon. “Fuuuuuuuuuck” (points at the fridge, then the window.) It's my understanding that at least half the members of this board don't actually have access to Google, so we mustn't be too hard on them when they haven't heard of an actor and must resort to bleating "who?" into the night, in the hopes that someone will save them from their Googleless state and give them a quick precis of what they might have seen an actor in or at least what the actor is most likely to be known for. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 22:42:35 GMT
The impression I’m getting is that a lot of people on here probably asked “who he?” as a rhetorical question. I don’t think they’re bothered about googling him because they’d prefer to see a black British actor in the role and - not meaning to be unkind - I think I agree with them.
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Post by NeilVHughes on Oct 26, 2018 22:48:31 GMT
Dr Jan Brock, as an aside, Our Friends in the North, the first TV series that made me realise how good TV can be, not seen it since it was broadcast but forever the benchmark.
Always tempted to revisit but thankfully not come across it on any streaming sites, therefore not had an opportunity to have my opinion tested.
Back to Death of a Salesman, had not seen the work of Bryan Cranston and Nathan Lane until they took to the London stage so will keep an open mind on Wendell Pierce safe in the knowledge that I will have seen the REX production.
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Post by learfan on Oct 27, 2018 7:28:28 GMT
Dr Jan Brock, as an aside, Our Friends in the North, the first TV series that made me realise how good TV can be, not seen it since it was broadcast but forever the benchmark. Always tempted to revisit but thankfully not come across it on any streaming sites, therefore not had an opportunity to have my opinion tested. Back to Death of a Salesman, had not seen the work of Bryan Cranston and Nathan Lane until they took to the London stage so will keep an open mind on Wendell Pierce safe in the knowledge that I will have seen the REX production. Yes but at least you knew who they were? |
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Post by joem on Oct 27, 2018 8:44:40 GMT
I’m kind of staggered by all the “who he?” about Wendell Pierce. Given that The Wire is the finest piece of long-form TV drama (don’t @me) ever made, packed-full of Shakespearean-level characters, this seems like a major gap in all y’all canon. “Fuuuuuuuuuck” (points at the fridge, then the window.) I am currently watching this. After being thoroughly mystified for the first four episodes or so I got into it and am enjoying it. At this stage wouldn't call it the greatest tv drama ever but will wait till I finish to see where I rank it. Unfortunately in these PC totalitarianist days a fair amount of the best catch-phrases in it cannot be quoted publicly by a white person who wants to avoid being charged or arrested which is kinda sad because half the fun when you're immersed in something is to go around imitating the characters and what they say. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2018 10:40:48 GMT
The impression I’m getting is that a lot of people on here probably asked “who he?” as a rhetorical question. I don’t think they’re bothered about googling him because they’d prefer to see a black British actor in the role and - not meaning to be unkind - I think I agree with them. Maybe part of the casting was to get people who know him from the telly to come to the theatre? But God forbid anyone would try and get people who aren’t typical theatre-goers to go and see something. They might eat popcorn! You might complain that they didn’t cast a black British actor, but you don’t know that they didn’t try, or consider it, and then decided that Wendell was the best bet, given all the things they are trying to achieve. I love this board but crikey, we can be completely insulated from the rest of the world. Long form TV drama is arguably the predominant art form of our time. Yet people on here think that they seem more highbrow by writing off the whole format. It’s cultural snobbery. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2018 10:43:17 GMT
I’m kind of staggered by all the “who he?” about Wendell Pierce. Given that The Wire is the finest piece of long-form TV drama (don’t @me) ever made, packed-full of Shakespearean-level characters, this seems like a major gap in all y’all canon. “Fuuuuuuuuuck” (points at the fridge, then the window.) I am currently watching this. After being thoroughly mystified for the first four episodes or so I got into it and am enjoying it. At this stage wouldn't call it the greatest tv drama ever but will wait till I finish to see where I rank it. Unfortunately in these PC totalitarianist days a fair amount of the best catch-phrases in it cannot be quoted publicly by a white person who wants to avoid being charged or arrested which is kinda sad because half the fun when you're immersed in something is to go around imitating the characters and what they say. I had the same block. Happened again at the start of season three. So glad I stuck with it. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2018 17:23:27 GMT
The impression I’m getting is that a lot of people on here probably asked “who he?” as a rhetorical question. I don’t think they’re bothered about googling him because they’d prefer to see a black British actor in the role and - not meaning to be unkind - I think I agree with them. Maybe part of the casting was to get people who know him from the telly to come to the theatre? But God forbid anyone would try and get people who aren’t typical theatre-goers to go and see something. They might eat popcorn! You might complain that they didn’t cast a black British actor, but you don’t know that they didn’t try, or consider it, and then decided that Wendell was the best bet, given all the things they are trying to achieve. I love this board but crikey, we can be completely insulated from the rest of the world. Long form TV drama is arguably the predominant art form of our time. Yet people on here think that they seem more highbrow by writing off the whole format. It’s cultural snobbery. I’m not sure that cultural snobbery is the reason that I personally am ignorant about various TV programmes. My preference is for Theatre and books. I don’t consider them superior to TV but they bring me more joy and satisfaction. When I watch TV I dip into the results of shows like GBBO and SCD although I don’t watch whole episodes. I consider those allow my brain to relax. I’d like to catch up on all the TV series I have missed, but there just isn’t enough time. |
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