486 posts
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Post by drmaplewood on Apr 21, 2016 8:19:26 GMT
Well even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day as I agree with Parsley and completely loved this and was pretty much absorbed from the start. Was dreading the lengthy first half but I was completely taken under its spell and the acting was just wonderful. Matthew Maher especially completely broke my heart in the second half.
We also had some minor excitement as a light bulb fell from the ceiling – I assume it wasn’t part of the play as the ushers looked concerned about it in the interval unless someone can tell me otherwise?
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Apr 21, 2016 15:54:48 GMT
A ceiling Tile falls into the movie house auditorium.
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2,536 posts
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Post by n1david on Apr 21, 2016 17:54:58 GMT
Well I have booked for this based on the reviews and comments here, going to a matinee but not until June. Am really not sure about this but I'm thinking an afternoon matinee, treat it like a novel or DVD box set and settle in for the long run without worrying about getting home or hunger pangs. Only concerned that I could only get the high stools at the back of the Pit which might be a bit uncomfortable for that time! Looking forward to it nonetheless (unless I find a new job before then in which case my ticket will have to go back into the pot...)
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1,465 posts
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Post by foxa on Apr 21, 2016 21:36:26 GMT
Well I have booked for this based on the reviews and comments here, going to a matinee but not until June. Am really not sure about this but I'm thinking an afternoon matinee, treat it like a novel or DVD box set and settle in for the long run without worrying about getting home or hunger pangs. Only concerned that I could only get the high stools at the back of the Pit which might be a bit uncomfortable for that time! Looking forward to it nonetheless (unless I find a new job before then in which case my ticket will have to go back into the pot...) I saw the matinee today and loved it. I think your idea of treating it like a novel and not worrying about meals/getting home, etc. is a good one. It didn't feel long to me (except for one scene, a phone call in the first act when my mind wandered.) The dialogue is so fresh, uncliched, I didn't buy a script but I think I may go back to get one. There were moments that reminded me of Chekhov (having seen the excellent Uncle Vanya at the Almeida not long ago, so that's fresh in mind. So think of Sam as Sonya and Rose as Astrov. ) I don't want to give too much away, but one of the character's description of love was so beautiful and true. I highly recommend this, but settle in, give it some time - you will be rewarded. Disclaimer: This may have been of special interest to me as I worked two summers in a cinema - my crazy manager sometimes had us do the tearing tickets and selling both halves thing mentioned in the play - but only he profited. Cinemas are a bit romantic, especially the projection room. The playwright perfectly caught the odd characters who might be thrown together and the sort of camaraderie that can develop in those sort of jobs. Seating note: For a sold out show there were quite a few empty seats. I was mid-way in Row N, the first row of the Circle on the side and all seven seats to my left both in my row and the row behind me were unsold, as they were on the other side as well. It may be that they thought the sightlines weren't good enough, but I thought my seat was a bit of a steal at £25, comfortable, only a few moments of restricted view - and, as no one was to my left, it felt very roomy. There were also a sprinkling of unoccupied seats in the gallery and towards the back of the pit. So if you want to see this, be persistent - it doesn't really seem to be sold out.
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968 posts
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Post by TheatreDust on Apr 21, 2016 22:37:27 GMT
I was also at the matinee of this today and I too loved it. Such excellent use of silence and stillness. The pauses (and the facial expressions that accompanied them) were at times exquisite. I didn't find it dragged - it was just so engrossing.
I do understand your point about that phone call where really we only had words (dimly lit scene) and the silences left us to fill in the other half of the conversation which, although the gaps were undoubtedly realisticly timed, felt slow because we think more quickly than people speak (if that makes sense).
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Apr 22, 2016 0:56:45 GMT
Dose anyone know how the Times reviewed this?
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2,536 posts
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Post by n1david on Apr 22, 2016 5:27:34 GMT
Dose anyone know how the Times reviewed this? 3* hated the pauses, liked the play - just wished it all happened a bit more quickly. Seriously considered leaving at the interval. This odd last para which suggests to me "I didn't really get it but it supposed to be good so I won't slag it off"
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371 posts
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Post by popcultureboy on Apr 22, 2016 7:39:40 GMT
A ceiling Tile falls into the movie house auditorium. This wasn't a ceiling tile, it was a light. It smashed right at the front of the stage during the first scene, several scenes before the ceiling tile is mentioned.
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Post by partytentdown on Apr 22, 2016 9:57:28 GMT
A ceiling Tile falls into the movie house auditorium. This wasn't a ceiling tile, it was a light. It smashed right at the front of the stage during the first scene, several scenes before the ceiling tile is mentioned. Didn't happen when I saw it. Also the ceiling tile doesn't actually fall, it's just removed in the scene change.
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Apr 22, 2016 11:42:59 GMT
A ceiling Tile falls into the movie house auditorium. This wasn't a ceiling tile, it was a light. It smashed right at the front of the stage during the first scene, several scenes before the ceiling tile is mentioned. This didn't happen when I went, seems unplanned. Surprised the National would very much frown on random falling part of lighting or scenery, under a Health and Safety.
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Post by bordeaux on Apr 22, 2016 20:06:17 GMT
Still a handful of seats for many performances (mainly front row, surprisingly cheap). Just bagged one this morning.
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Post by Phantom of London on Apr 22, 2016 22:25:50 GMT
I thought the front row., were for the Friday Rush.
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Post by theinvisiblegirl on May 4, 2016 15:50:08 GMT
I'm going to this on Saturday and I've just received an email saying they've "upgraded" me from row C to row F! Has this happened to anyone else?
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2016 15:59:00 GMT
I
rather
liked
it.
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587 posts
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Post by Polly1 on May 4, 2016 20:56:24 GMT
I'm going to this on Saturday and I've just received an email saying they've "upgraded" me from row C to row F! Has this happened to anyone else? I have a ticket in row C for next Wednesday evening. Online (on the 'my tickets' page) it is telling me that this is a high seat. I queried this with the Box Office and he assured me that it was a normal seat. Bit puzzled now, if you could post an update after you've been on Sat, that would be great!
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Post by perfectspy on May 6, 2016 22:51:53 GMT
I'm seeing this tomorrow evening, wish me luck.
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Post by sanddeep on May 7, 2016 23:06:26 GMT
Loved it. Could have watched 6 hrs of it.
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Post by perfectspy on May 7, 2016 23:10:26 GMT
I enjoyed the play. It got some negative reviews over Act 1 but I thought the time flew past. Glad I got a ticket now, great play.
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1,016 posts
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Post by andrew on May 8, 2016 0:51:51 GMT
I'm off to the Tuesday matinee on the strength of this thread alone. Was surprised to find Friday rush seats available a few hours after it had gone on sale, all the better for me though.
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1,465 posts
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Post by foxa on May 8, 2016 12:08:03 GMT
Hope you enjoy it, Andrew. I saw a mid-week matinee and loved it.
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2016 13:18:38 GMT
Hope you enjoy it, Andrew. I saw a mid-week matinee and loved it. Went in for a midweek matinee and came out on Saturday morning. :-)
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Post by alicechallice on May 10, 2016 22:28:51 GMT
Hello. First-time poster here, long-time snooper!
So managed to scoop a ticket for this from a friend & was hoping it would live up to my expectations and by golly, it did!
I have never felt like I related to something so much as I did this. As a person of a similar age to the characters, as somebody who spent 6 years working in a cinema & as somebody who started their adult life thinking their best attribute was extensive movie knowledge, I just lapped this up.
Superb performances & absolutely gorgeous writing, I think Annie Baker is going to be one of my absolute favourites for many years to come (adored Circle Mirror Transformation a few years back too).
P.s. Met up with 'Andrew' before hand for a bevvy & cake in the National which was lovely. Impressed he went for the Rocky Road slice, I did my usual subdued Carrot Cake routine.
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Post by caa on May 11, 2016 9:06:58 GMT
I saw it yesterday afternoon and really enjoyed it, there were a few empty seats before the show started and a some more after the interval. I reckon its the best play on at the NT at the moment, with Ma Rainy a very close second.
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371 posts
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Post by popcultureboy on May 11, 2016 22:00:00 GMT
Funny. I loved LOVED The Flick so much. Saw Ma Rainey yesterday matinee and hated it with the burning passion of a thousand suns. Considered leaving at the interval and then spent all of second half fervently wishing I had. Whereas I could happily sit through The Flick again. And I might just do that before it finishes.
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on May 12, 2016 19:45:11 GMT
If you enjoyed The Flick this interview with Annie Baker (which is about as long as act 1 of The Flick ) is worth a listen. Starts about 15 minutes in. Nice overview of her work, other playwrights, and her thoughts on the kind of people who complained about the original production of The Flick.
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1,103 posts
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Post by mallardo on May 18, 2016 8:26:47 GMT
I don't think I've ever identified with the characters in a play as much as I did with this one. And I mean all the characters, even though each of the three protagonists is a deeply unique individual played here by deeply unique actors. Playwright Annie Baker has found the perfect setting and the perfect tone for a long look at life as we, or at least I, know it.
The Flick is as contrived and carefully plotted as any other play but it doesn't feel that way. It feels organic. It feels like it moves at the speed of life, real life. And, yes, life often moves slowly and in tiny increments and with long intervals of brooding silences. And they are all here, to the apparent consternation of those who prefer a play that "keeps things hopping".
But what I noticed last night at the Dorfman was the attentiveness of the audience. No coughing, no shifting, no rustling of candy wrappers. People around me were sitting rapt, totally captivated by two guys, Sam and Avery, sweeping the floor of an empty theatre, making small talk (very good small talk), while ever so gradually unpeeling their lives. And, of course, Rose, the projectionist, the only female (and thus the key to everything) who arrives in bursts of manic energy but soon settles into the established rhythm. Watching life unfold at its own pace turns out to be riveting, even thrilling.
There is a story. Characters develop, things change and in a big way. There is a theme - each of the three is a solitary, unable to connect, with each other or with anybody. Hence the movie theatre setting. They love movies but cannot love life. The big emotional outburst of the play is a declaration made to a movie screen, the character never once looking at the person he's talking to. Rose reveals at another point that her sexual fantasies are all about herself. They're all locked up tight. But, as happens, they deal with it, make accommodations, make excuses, move on.
The three main actors are superb, true in every moment. One can understand why Matthew Maher and Louisa Krause were brought over from the original New York cast - they are singular performers who embody the people they're playing. But special kudos to Jaygann Ayeh, the local guy, who steps into the mix so perfectly and so seamlessly. And to director Sam Gold for a pitch perfect production.
This is an utterly original piece of theatre that feels - and is - utterly familiar. It's one of a kind.
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Post by Latecomer on May 18, 2016 8:50:00 GMT
I was at the matinee yesterday and really enjoyed it. I loved how the relationship between the workmates developed...we cannot choose who we work with and sometimes it takes ages to get to know them and then something surprising or just very personal pops out....and it felt very real. I loved the phone conversation....with pauses the real length of time...as the person next to me remarked it felt almost embarrassing to be listening as it felt so real, like eavesdropping on a very personal conversation. I loved how a third person can throw a spanner in the works....relationships between friends never stay the same for ever. Of course it was the same person who did Mirror Circle Transformantion...she's a star!
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Post by foxa on May 18, 2016 10:32:02 GMT
I am so happy people are liking/loving this as much as I did. Mallardo makes a really good point about the importance of the setting. I wonder if this play does have something to say to those of us who spend a lot of time of our time watching.
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1,064 posts
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Post by bellboard27 on May 18, 2016 10:40:25 GMT
Saw this recently having got a £15 ticket for near middle of Row B. Ticket said it was restricted view, but could see nothing restricted about it. So, bargain! The play totally hooked me. Definitely worth catching.
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Post by youngoffender on May 18, 2016 13:30:04 GMT
Any chance of this following People, Places and Things into the Wyndham's, I wonder, now that Lady Day at Emerson's has been postponed? Timing would be perfect - PPT closes on 18 June, three days after the end of The Flick's Dorfman run.
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