Young Marx at the new Bridge theatre

I did but you could argue that I was quoting what the moderator above also said!

I do think there's a difference between comments about someone. "Off the telly" as it were who has made themselves a bit of a public figure vs the kind of bitchy comments Parsley made about FOH staff here and elsewhere- they aren't public figures, and don't deserve that kind of talk.

And don't worry me and Andrew only bitch about people who bitch about his hair. We've got a whole forum dedicated to it in fact.

Agree with all this............apart from that last sentence, oooer!  I'm happy to leave him safely ensconced in my imagination........

1) "..you have called Michaela Strachan a “bitch” and Chris Packham a “tosser”.""

There is a fascinating programme on Chris Packham available on BBC iPlayer:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b09b1zbb/chris-packham-aspergers-and-me?suggid=b09b1zbb

2) Over the years I've used theatres, I've found box office staff, ticket-checkers, programme sellers, bookshop staff and bar staff to be welcoming and helpful. It's been as positive an experience as dealing with cinema staff and people keeping us safe and well served at football stadiums like Wembley. Starting by being positive helps greatly.

I was there too this afternoon. I thought the theatre itself was impressive, comfortable seats, plenty of leg room. I got there early to have a snack before the play, the bar had a disappointing range of cold food on offer, rather dreary baguette type sandwiches and expensive small salads. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. One chap took me all the way down to the front stalls via a very nice lift and showed me to my seat, that was impressive. The play was great, good to see all the NT regulars back on stage! I found it amusing and the double act of Rory Kinnear and Oliver Chris was excellent. 100% better than the awful St George I'd seen on Monday just up the road. By the way, where is good to eat around there? I note it is close to More London, is that a fruitful area for restaurants? Any recommendations?

Eating around here - depends if you want a toasted sandwich or a tablecloth and cutlery ...

If you leave London Bridge by the Tooley Street exit you will walk past a Pret. Further on is Hays Galleria; there is a little deli place on the corner with seats. Walk into the Galleria and there is a Café Rouge and a Costa. Walk further and you pass Leons (it’s tiny, and chilly though). Another coffee place (Café Nero?). At the square in front of More London is a Jamies Italian, across the road on the corner of Bermondsey Street is Chilango Mexican (never tried it, sorry). On the same side as Chilango is Shad Indian Restaurant, eaten there twice and enjoyed it. Back towards Jamies Italian and walk down towards the River Thames is Gaucho’s, and next door is somewhere I had very good Chinese dumplings. If you are early, I’d recommend visiting Bermondsey Street which has many bars serving food.
Alternately, walk over Tower Bridge to St Katherines Dock (5 minutes from The Bridge Theatre), where there is a Slug & Lettuce serving food, another Café Rouge (sign up for excellent deals, 30% off all food, etc); and other places to eat in the shadow of The Tower of London and overlooking the pretty dock with fancy boats.

Lovely theatre. So easy to find and so central.

Very relaxing foyer space - I’m guessing they are open during the day to catch all passing trade?

But god the play was tedious. Not informative, moving or political. RK was brilliant (he always is) but the production was like time travelling back 10 years to ‘glory days’ of the Travelex Season.

I can’t believe they chose to open a brand new spanking theatre with this dud ... I not sure when I will visit this theatre again

Indeed! 

I was thinking about this and Heisenberg as choices to open new companies/theatres with. And I think there's something to be said for playing it safe in some respects. While it might look good to go in guns blazing (So Company for Elliott Harper and perhaps Julius for The Bridge) actually if you're 'testing the water' going in quietly is possibly a better option. If Young Marx doesn't set the world on fire, or sell out the run- it probably won't- it doesn't matter in the scheme of things, it lets Hytner open the theatre, bed in all that stuff with a solid decent play doing solid business. Likewise for Elliott Harper, they got decent if not rave reviews but weren't trashed. And if they can limp on to the end of the run they've lost a limited amount- conversely Company is a big show and a big gamble (it could get utterly trashed in the reviews lets face it). So I think for both companies they're going for a 'play it safe (and cheaper) and build on it'

Anyhoo all to say Marx is a fun, entertaining evening out. I saw someone rip it to shreds on Twitter and frankly I can't imagine having that strong a feeling about it either way - it's a well acted, decently written piece of theatre and sometimes that's ok. 

Guys and Dolls?

I rather enjoyed it!However egg mayonnaise sandwich was frankly pathetic. Plus if you had rearranged the small bite sized pieces it would only have made 3/4 of a round. Poor bread, no garnish £6. Coffee,filter only,small cups from an urn. Cakes looked splendid but didn't try. Need to improve this catering!

What, were there 3 of you at yesterday's matinee, Latecomer, peggs and Polly1? I wish I'd known since so far as I can see, I was the only one who posted (in the "This Week I Am Going To See" thread, which is after all optional) that I'd be seeing this - though of course, you might not have wanted to meet me!

I quite liked the new theatre but it was frustrating to get there an hour early (over-allowing for rail engineering work and finding a venue new to me) to discover that there was already nowhere whatsoever to sit, as though there was ample seating, it was all fully occupied, so I had to skulk about like a lost soul until the downstairs foyer opened. However, it's obviously good that there is so much seating for those who arrive early enough, and that the theatre seems so popular already with patrons.

The setting was really attractive, even on a rather cold, wet and windy November day when you don't want to linger outside: set back from the Thames and at an angle, so with a beautiful view of the north bank and the landscaped gardens; I can imagine the area being thronged in better weather and it's so much more spacious and appealing than the equivalent further west by the NT/South Bank, which is cramped and now horribly overcrowded, as not designed for the numbers now visiting or passing through.

Once in the auditorium, I could see why people were comparing it to the Dorfman and my visit provided useful intel for any future bookings, as I'd aim to pay less and sit somewhere else. I had one of those cheaper, tip-up, end-of-row stalls seats, which was still expensive by my usual standards and not worth it; also unexpectedly precarious, as at one point I must have shifted my weight slightly (probably trying in vain to get comfortable!), only for the whole contraption to start to fold up and tip me off.

Obviously I don't expect the same comfort as offered by the adjacent seats for a lower price and I had no problem with the seat width, but the seat instability was an unexpected drawback (I have sat in this type of seat in the Dorfman and it felt far more secure) and as for the seat depth - aargh! I suppose the designer(s) had to compromise somewhere to balance cost, comfort and view, but the seat depth is hellishly inadequate and I'm not even tall. Moreover, so far as I could see, it was no better in the more expensive seats alongside, so if I were to return, I'd have to be really keen, rather than booking on spec as I was for this first visit. I'd also aim for something cheaper, as if the view was no worse and the seat no less uncomfortable, I might as well at least save unnecessary expense.

As for the play, I agree with Polly1's 6/10: it was fun at times and we were out by 4.40 pm (so sooner than advertised), but it felt under-powered to me and not entirely sure of what it wanted to be or was trying to do.

Aw, showgirl, of course we would have wanted to meet you, and could have saved you a seat in the foyer too! Sorry, don't read the 'I'm going to...' thread much.

I agree that the depth of the theatre seats wasn't great, the extra legroom in the front row meant I didn't notice but it may be an issue for other rows.

Also I was wondering in an idle sleepless moment, how differently would this play and St. George have been received if they'd been in the other's theatre? Did Marx get an easier ride as it was the Bridge's first production? If it had been in the Olivier I think a few more critical knives would have come out, whereas if George had been at the Bridge, I believe more allowance would have been made (plus it may well have benefited from Hytner's wisdom before it got to the stage!)