45 posts
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Post by publius on Jun 17, 2017 1:26:14 GMT
Well. This is a HOT MESS. It's hilarious! It's sort of like Wurzel Gummidge as written by Russell Brand. Anne-Marie Duff is a game gal and gives it some wellie even when she switches to playing Alexis Colby in a corset and she's such a watchable actress. Set looks good (although it's much too big for lots of the two-hander or solo scenes) and the revolve is on form. Great end of act one and beginning of act two as well. Not sure I thought it was as bad as it's been made out to be but have to admit I didn't have a clue what was going on for half of it though. Did you read the programme prior to the performance? It really did assist the understanding of what was happening in my opinion. |
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406 posts
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Post by MrBunbury on Jun 17, 2017 7:45:02 GMT
Well. This is a HOT MESS. It's hilarious! It's sort of like Wurzel Gummidge as written by Russell Brand. Anne-Marie Duff is a game gal and gives it some wellie even when she switches to playing Alexis Colby in a corset and she's such a watchable actress. Set looks good (although it's much too big for lots of the two-hander or solo scenes) and the revolve is on form. Great end of act one and beginning of act two as well. Not sure I thought it was as bad as it's been made out to be but have to admit I didn't have a clue what was going on for half of it though. Did you read the programme prior to the performance? It really did assist the understanding of what was happening in my opinion. What does the program me say? I saw it without reading it and I am still wondering what was the plot. |
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1,260 posts
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Post by theatrelover123 on Jun 17, 2017 7:47:10 GMT
Isn't it a sad state of affairs when you have to read the programme in advance to understand what is happening in the play? And how many people would know that their experience would be better if that was done?  |
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1,103 posts
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Post by mallardo on Jun 17, 2017 7:50:10 GMT
You don't have to read the programme to get the play - just the social and political background to the play. Like any other historically based NT production.
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3,040 posts
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Post by crowblack on Jun 17, 2017 8:50:54 GMT
Isn't it a sad state of affairs when you have to read the programme in advance to understand what is happening in the play? Surely you could say the same for Shakespeare's histories? It probably says a lot about our education system that children are taught more about Romans and medieval kings than they are about more recent and relevant working class social movements and actions. |
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45 posts
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Post by publius on Jun 17, 2017 11:06:58 GMT
You don't have to read the programme to get the play - just the social and political background to the play. Like any other historically based NT production. Yes, but it's a neglected period of our history and many attending will be unaware of the historical context. |
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45 posts
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Post by publius on Jun 17, 2017 11:08:10 GMT
Did you read the programme prior to the performance? It really did assist the understanding of what was happening in my opinion. What does the program me say? I saw it without reading it and I am still wondering what was the plot. The programme has a number of articles which explains the historical context and the superstitious belief system in vogue at the time. |
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716 posts
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Post by theatre-turtle on Jun 17, 2017 12:10:45 GMT
From the Spectator:
'The Olivier’s auditorium looked like an empurpled jaw following multiple extractions. Local schoolchildren may be recruited to fill the voids. An awful prospect. Youngsters forced to experience this bolus of drivel will probably shun the theatre for decades afterwards. The production highlights a key difference between subsidised and commercial art. Bad commercial art gets ignored and forgotten. Bad subsidised art enjoys a life-support system, also subsidised, that can lure the innocent into its toxic embrace. Please, National Theatre, spare the kids this one. It could take a generation to repair the damage.'
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3,040 posts
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Post by crowblack on Jun 17, 2017 12:35:47 GMT
Funny that the right-wing press should pour so much bile on a play with this particular topic. That review reminds me of the sort of OTT thing they used to write about gay-themed stuff decades ago: "I would rather give a healthy boy or a healthy girl a phial of prussic acid than this novel."
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Post by crabtree on Jun 17, 2017 20:46:13 GMT
I resent that a programme is needed to understand the play, and really you don't need a synopsis for a Shakespeare play. He's rather good and provides all the detail if the audience concentrate. Programme notes fill in the gaps or allusions, but should never be there to be used as a prologue. In my small opinion.
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1,347 posts
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Post by tmesis on Jun 17, 2017 21:29:16 GMT
Well it's a load of b*llocks really but still way more entertaining b*llocks than Salome. Duff gives a really classy performance. Shame it's wasted on such a perplexing play.
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1,249 posts
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Post by joem on Jun 17, 2017 21:46:19 GMT
Dire.
Informative programme notes are to be welcomed and can be educational but the playwright has to provide the information necessary in the text.
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1,119 posts
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Post by martin1965 on Jun 18, 2017 11:28:43 GMT
I resent that a programme is needed to understand the play, and really you don't need a synopsis for a Shakespeare play. He's rather good and provides all the detail if the audience concentrate. Programme notes fill in the gaps or allusions, but should never be there to be used as a prologue. In my small opinion. Wholeheartedly agree with you! |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2017 15:43:43 GMT
Did you read the programme prior to the performance? It really did assist the understanding of what was happening in my opinion. Alas, I did not. I was too busy ordering vast quantities of gin for the interval. |
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247 posts
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Post by barelyathletic on Jun 20, 2017 10:59:36 GMT
Well. This is a HOT MESS. It's hilarious! It's sort of like Wurzel Gummidge as written by Russell Brand. Anne-Marie Duff is a game gal and gives it some wellie even when she switches to playing Alexis Colby in a corset and she's such a watchable actress. Set looks good (although it's much too big for lots of the two-hander or solo scenes) and the revolve is on form. Great end of act one and beginning of act two as well. Not sure I thought it was as bad as it's been made out to be but have to admit I didn't have a clue what was going on for half of it though. Sounds marvellous. Can't wait to see it on Saturday. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2017 11:01:06 GMT
Well. This is a HOT MESS. It's hilarious! It's sort of like Wurzel Gummidge as written by Russell Brand. Anne-Marie Duff is a game gal and gives it some wellie even when she switches to playing Alexis Colby in a corset and she's such a watchable actress. Set looks good (although it's much too big for lots of the two-hander or solo scenes) and the revolve is on form. Great end of act one and beginning of act two as well. Not sure I thought it was as bad as it's been made out to be but have to admit I didn't have a clue what was going on for half of it though. Sounds marvellous. Can't wait to see it on Saturday. There's a lot of fruity language in it though so if that's not your thing, take some earplugs. |
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1,119 posts
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Post by martin1965 on Jun 20, 2017 13:01:40 GMT
Well. This is a HOT MESS. It's hilarious! It's sort of like Wurzel Gummidge as written by Russell Brand. Anne-Marie Duff is a game gal and gives it some wellie even when she switches to playing Alexis Colby in a corset and she's such a watchable actress. Set looks good (although it's much too big for lots of the two-hander or solo scenes) and the revolve is on form. Great end of act one and beginning of act two as well. Not sure I thought it was as bad as it's been made out to be but have to admit I didn't have a clue what was going on for half of it though. Sounds marvellous. Can't wait to see it on Saturday. Ooh im there saturday! Are you mat or eve? |
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520 posts
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Post by theatreliker on Jun 20, 2017 13:08:22 GMT
I'm there on Saturday as well and am strangely looking forward to it.
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247 posts
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Post by barelyathletic on Jun 20, 2017 15:40:20 GMT
Sounds marvellous. Can't wait to see it on Saturday. Ooh im there saturday! Are you mat or eve? Matinee. Thought I might need to recover after, rather than get well oiled before. |
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5,707 posts
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Post by lynette on Jun 22, 2017 15:48:58 GMT
Ryan, are you aware that there must be a PR job going for you at the NT? Your description of this production makes it sound ok. I'm not joking, they need you.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2017 16:37:01 GMT
Ryan, are you aware that there must be a PR job going for you at the NT? Your description of this production makes it sound ok. I'm not joking, they need you. Ha! They'd be lucky to have this mincing into the Nash every day! Contacting Rufus as I type. |
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3,577 posts
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Post by showgirl on Jun 22, 2017 17:52:45 GMT
Hold on - we don't want Ryan's deserved advancement to cost us his entertaining contributions here - the NT may only have him if they'll promise to play nicely & share.
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1,119 posts
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Post by martin1965 on Jun 24, 2017 17:10:51 GMT
Saw this today. Bloody hell, what an unholy mess! A-M Duff does her best but its a real stinker😱.
Running time was down to barely 150 mins and that includes an interval.
How did this get past the various checks necessary for a World Premiere at the Olivier?
Lost count of the c*nts and f*cks plus the word "country" is bandied about with ahem gay abandon!!!
Angels next month so that will be better and then Oslo in Sept, after that who knows? Norris needs to get his sh*t together sharpish.
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Post by crabtree on Jun 25, 2017 12:06:27 GMT
Why don't they just put on The Wicker man...if ever a stage was designed for that piece, it's the Olivier. can you imagine the Wicker Man rising slowly out of the drum. I am surprised The wicker man has never been adapted for the stage, and I for one, but be straight there to adapt it. There would be the difficulty of finding a fresh, virginal policeman for each performance.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2017 14:11:03 GMT
Why don't they just put on The Wicker man...if ever a stage was designed for that piece, it's the Olivier. can you imagine the Wicker Man rising slowly out of the drum. I am surprised The wicker man has never been adapted for the stage, and I for one, but be straight there to adapt it. There would be the difficulty of finding a fresh, virginal policeman for each performance. Agreed. If done well I'd be very interested in seeing it. The Olivier would actually work well for it...someone write a script 😂 |
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