Mosquitoes-National theatre

Finished 10.10

I would have liked to cut it to 9.30

Having just come back from the meandering disappointment of 'Against', even the flawed parts of Mosquitoes had a verve to them which held my attention, but I agree that the Science Bits should have been hacked back or maybe cut altogether - they seemed very much influenced by a similar, more simply achieved device in Escaped Alone, but it was such a shift and barrage of information after the human, emotional scenes, and I'd have preferred it if they'd have let those more engaging scenes sink in. I liked the ambition of it, but felt they were dramatically misplaced (I think I made a comment a while ago that the obvious expense spent may have played against dramatic instinct here, when it came to editing!)

At the risk of being accused of o-level English essay stuff again, I thought the sexting part was very much of a piece with the theme of technology vs human contact and viruses that had been running since the opening scene - Jenny's preference for instinctive childbirth over interventions, Luke born by Caesarian then untouchable in an incubator, his attempts at human contact reduced to the internet and sex via mobile. I liked the shift from awkward and pathetically comic to shocking - I heard people going 'oh no!' and gasping behind me (ditto when he called Jenny a murderer) and thought the play could have had more of those moments - for example, in the messy cafe scene - if they'd stripped it back in places. Tonally, I think they'd upped the comedy since the slightly more naturalistically-played preview I saw, though the version you've seen is 10 mins shorter than it was last week, so maybe it has changed some more.

And yes, Joseph Quinn is excellent - one of the best young actors I've seen recently (the other is is co-star from Wish List, Erin Doherty, who is on at the Young Vic - sold out- and Old Vic soon). If you have Netflix, check out his debut in Dickensian - it's really something.

I think this had more good than bad. I don't think it's a "womans' play" just because the two leads are female.

The mix of science and personal stories was at times awkward but, for me, made the science more palatable than say, Copenhagen, where the supposed drama of the context of the meeting between the two scientists was rather lost amongst the dry science.

Perhaps the difference in tone between the two halves was problematic, the Boson scenes a bit exaggerated which clashed with the realism of the battle of wits between the two sisters and their mum (quite Tennessee Wlliams in a way, that aspect).

I've read comments here that it has "too many ideas", which is perhaps a valid criticism, but on the other hand it is refreshing for a playwright to throw out ideas. Perhaps, I suggest, there were "too mnay stories"?

65% for me. Somewhere between 3 and 3.5 out of 5. I wouldn;t discourage anyone from seeing it.

Very short notice I know but I now have a spare ticket for today’s platform with the two Olivias today at 3pm. No payment necessary as the ticket would otherwise be going to waste. Please message if you’re interested.

A few of you have said this. The average age of stage 'teenagers' seems to be mid-to-late 20s - Luke Treadaway was 27/28 when Curious Incident started, the History Boys mid-to-late 20s, Pitchfork Disney's Tom Rhys-Harries 25/26, The Ferryman's Fra Fee is 30. Most Hamlets are nearer Uncle Monty's age than a student's. In Mosquitoes, Barclay is late 20s and Quinn is just 23.

Kirkwood used to write for TV's teen soap 'Skins', and I thought Jenny and the teenagers were the most well-written characters (maybe that reflects my memories of being a teen and the sort of people I know?) - it was the old mother and the Quaker boyfriend I found least convincing (those two scenes before the interval).

Also, there must surely be some teenagers who don't use that annoying "uptalk"?

I saw it in preview and then again three weeks or so ago. It was more naturalistic and darker in preview, and some lines have been altered and scenes tuned more for comedy after the August break. The second time I was there, Kirkwood was around and I think it may have been cut again (it was 2hrs 50 both times I saw it, but comments here say it now runs 2hrs 40). I think the preview version was a more interesting, jagged play with more of a sense of danger, but the audience definitely enjoyed the smoother, more broadly and physically comic later version more.

(There's a lot of 'mores' in this comment!)

Finally saw it on Tuesday (matinee). Both Olivias were fantastic. They played sisters really well, brilliantly showing the chemistry of siblings. The play itself was a bit 'meh' but I liked how the stage in Dorfman is being used (never seen anything there). As for the teenagers, they were like, totally, like... I can't even like... OMG, WTF, etc... Cringed a lot watching them.

...will regenerate into The Queen on Netflix. Imminent Damehood and Maggie Smith status ahoy. But who'll be her consort? And does that mean I'm going to have to watch it?

Casting just announced for the Channel 4 Chimerica btw, so I presume filming has started - it includes Sophie Okonedo. The new series of Flowers with Olivia Colman starts on Monday.