1,064 posts
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Post by bellboard27 on Jun 1, 2017 21:46:39 GMT
Can't see a thread on this. Practical: run time is 1.45 as advertised (although this performance started 10 minutes late). The £15 pit seating is great as the set up is in the round.
A barber shop is in full swing as you enter. Some of the audience take turns in the barber's chairs (don't worry there is no audience participation in the play itself).
The play is set in a number of barber shops across Africa and in London. These places are linked by characters and events. The cast is 12 men. I suppose the justification for such a gender bias is that the main topics of discussion were about father/son relationships and wider issues of masculinity as a black man. This was well done. There were odd digressions into different aspects of African politics, colonialism and race but this I felt was a bit less well done.
Overall it was very well acted with very varied characters and loads of humour. I enjoyed it.
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1,347 posts
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Post by tmesis on Jun 2, 2017 9:53:59 GMT
I thought this looked worth a punt and now, thanks to your review, I'm really looking forward to it. Quite a while though, not going until July.
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716 posts
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Post by theatre-turtle on Jun 10, 2017 15:07:32 GMT
Loved this. It's in my top 5 favourite shows of the year so far. Will post a more thorough review when I'm back.
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38 posts
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Post by quine on Jun 10, 2017 16:47:59 GMT
I saw this on Thursday with a friend and we have both been recommending to everyone we know. This bounced straight to my top show of the year. I floated out of the show. Now planning when I can go again. Wonderful cast and I especially liked Hammed Animashaun. An absolute joy.
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1,347 posts
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Post by tmesis on Jun 10, 2017 16:53:10 GMT
Loving the positive reviews (seeing it in 3 weeks.) This restores my faith in NT after enduring the stultifying, pretentious Salome this afternoon.
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38 posts
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Post by quine on Jun 10, 2017 16:59:26 GMT
Loving the positive reviews (seeing it in 3 weeks.) This restores my faith in NT after enduring the stultifying, pretentious Salome this afternoon. I returned my Common and Salome tickets and have used credit for Barber Shop ticket this Thursday - cannot wait. |
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716 posts
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Post by theatre-turtle on Jun 10, 2017 17:42:06 GMT
Can't see a thread on this. Practical: run time is 1.45 as advertised (although this performance started 10 minutes late). The £15 pit seating is great as the set up is in the round. A barber shop is in full swing as you enter. Some of the audience take turns in the barber's chairs (don't worry there is no audience participation in the play itself). The play is set in a number of barber shops across Africa and in London. These places are linked by characters and events. The cast is 12 men. I suppose the justification for such a gender bias is that the main topics of discussion were about father/son relationships and wider issues of masculinity as a black man. This was well done. There were odd digressions into different aspects of African politics, colonialism and race but this I felt was a bit less well done. Overall it was very well acted with very varied characters and loads of humour. I enjoyed it. I agree with most of this. The more intimate/tender moments regarding family and masculinity were the strongest in my opinion and are highly relatable to all men I suspect. However, regarding the discussion about Mandela I have witnessed a 90% congruent discussion among some black friends/colleagues before - it was uncannily spot on. It is interesting how most white people love and admire him so much yet he can be a divisive figure among some black people - it's almost an unspeakable topic in the mainstream media here. It highlighted also an interesting point about the different directions Zimbabwe and South Africa took - in the former actively punishing whites, in the latter going for a more harmonious/integrated approach - neither of which worked out perfectly and both remain highly controversial. I think given that it's set in various barber shops with characters that are meant to be lay men it's not intending to make any kind of grand philosophical point, merely highlighting various opinions that may be politically incorrect but many do hold. Having had a few hours to think of it, I actually would give this play 4.5 stars out of 5. It can be a bit rough around the edges in places, but it has a lot of heart and makes a lot of fascinating insights into a plethora of salient topics. |
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716 posts
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Post by theatre-turtle on Jun 10, 2017 17:45:17 GMT
Loving the positive reviews (seeing it in 3 weeks.) This restores my faith in NT after enduring the stultifying, pretentious Salome this afternoon. It's basically the exact opposite of Salome. This is how they should market it to attract audiences. |
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330 posts
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Post by charliec on Jun 14, 2017 9:49:58 GMT
Anyone sat up in the gallery for this? I don't know the Dorfmann well, have R1 &2 in my basket for tonight's show at the moment but no idea if they are any good?
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2,496 posts
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Post by zahidf on Jun 14, 2017 10:12:45 GMT
Anyone sat up in the gallery for this? I don't know the Dorfmann well, have R1 &2 in my basket for tonight's show at the moment but no idea if they are any good? Gallery is always a pain in IMO. it's in the round though, so for once, you won't miss as much being on the side. I echo the consensus of this being excellent. Funny and interesting. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2017 10:21:08 GMT
I think they'd be fine? The show being in the round means you shouldn't be peering round trying desperately to see the stage, and as you're at the end of the row, you've a little more scope for comfort than the people in the middle. I can't guarantee there aren't any lights or anything hanging in the eye lines, and there's the possibility of losing any action that happens immediately beneath you, but it's such a wonderful show that I think better to see it from a less-than-ideal seat than to not see it at all.
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330 posts
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Post by charliec on Jun 14, 2017 10:25:17 GMT
Thanks! That's super helpful!
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Post by quine on Jun 15, 2017 10:33:39 GMT
Just had email from National with new Season Announcement and this exciting line
We are also pleased to announce that extra dates will be released for the critically acclaimed Barber Shop Chronicles. Members can book on Monday 19 June, 9.30am online (public booking opens at 1pm).
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117 posts
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Post by bramble on Jun 20, 2017 16:48:59 GMT
An energetic entertaining piece. Directed with panache. Sat in one corner of the pit and sometimes found the dialects hard to understand. But very thought provoking and wonderfully acted and sung
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547 posts
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Post by drmaplewood on Jul 7, 2017 9:11:55 GMT
Sad there isn't more love for this, I adored it. A thought provoking and brilliantly acted piece. Thrilled for all involved that its getting a second run, hugely deserved.
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330 posts
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Post by RedRose on Jul 7, 2017 12:32:14 GMT
What are the 15£ high seats in the pit like for this. Nt side says slightly restricted view?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2017 12:43:28 GMT
If you're in the Pit, visibility is basically fine. It's in the round, and everything and everyone moves around a lot, so occasionally your view may be impeded for a little while, but it's honestly the best visibility I've ever had in the Dorfman. (I hate the Dorfman.)
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3,578 posts
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Post by showgirl on Jul 7, 2017 14:16:40 GMT
Oh I don't know; the possible perils and pitfalls seem to me numerous: vertigo; needing medical treatment afterwards for having to lean forward (and from some seats, sideways at the same time), thereby damaging your back; accidental loss of items which fall to the lower levels and so on.
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3,578 posts
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Post by showgirl on Jul 7, 2017 15:13:28 GMT
Yes, well, there's always that, but they are cheap and priced to reflect chiropractic needs  What as fiendish thought, @theatremonkey.com - are you suggesting that the Dorfmam designers were in league with the health care professionals? Would explain a lot, though.. |
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1,347 posts
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Post by tmesis on Jul 8, 2017 20:58:33 GMT
I thought I was going to love this, in the end I didn't enjoy it much at all. I think it's been extravagantly over-praised by most of th critics and I was frankly quite bored for most of the (nearly) 2 hours. The heavy 'patois' didn't help - I would say I missed 40 percent of the dialogue.
On the positive side, it's very well acted with an extremely likeable cast.
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3,578 posts
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Post by showgirl on Jul 8, 2017 21:40:41 GMT
I was at the matinee today and quite liked it, though agree that it wasn't the knockout the reviews had led me to expect and it seemed to have expanded a bit as I certainly felt the 2 hours (still advertised as 1 hour 50), which is too long without an interval. I did enjoy the performances, music and dancing and the scenes set in Accra, Lagos and London; it was the Harare section which seemed awkward and, towards the end, far too long and meandering. Just a little tweaking and tightening up would make all the difference.
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2,761 posts
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Post by n1david on Aug 30, 2017 11:13:02 GMT
More dates announced for the second run. Entire cast returning for new run. I see quite a lot of the already-announced shows are Sold Out or Limited Availability already.
NationalTheatre: The new dates are 20 November to 9 January. Tickets go on sale at midday tomorrow. #BarberShopChronicles
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2017 19:27:51 GMT
Yes, there are a few new performances, Off-Sale until tomorrow, added within that period, as n1david says.
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2,761 posts
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Post by n1david on Aug 30, 2017 23:19:50 GMT
Are you sure, n1david, I already have tickets in that period, and bought them a fair while ago? Yes as HG says they have filled in some of the gaps so have added more nights - for example the 'new run' was previously announced to start 29 Nov, but will now start 20 Nov. Two things come to mind here: - was there something else pencilled in for the Dorfman, for this to run in rep, which is now not going to be ready, so they have filled with more performances of BSC? - or is it just that BSC is selling well (which it is) and they have persuaded the cast to do more shows...? |
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Post by jadnoop on Aug 30, 2017 23:37:42 GMT
Two things come to mind here: - was there something else pencilled in for the Dorfman, for this to run in rep, which is now not going to be ready, so they have filled with more performances of BSC? - or is it just that BSC is selling well (which it is) and they have persuaded the cast to do more shows...? I'm pretty sure that the only other thing that's been explicitly mentioned to be coming up soon in the Dorfman is Annie Baker's new play John. Given that Network has been announced through to the end of March, it seems odd that nothing has come out about it. However, I think John was always meant to be in early 2018, although I might be mistaken and this might have originally been pencilled in for earlier on. |
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