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Post by lynette on Jul 5, 2017 15:16:24 GMT
You are right. They need to sustain the political idea throughout. I think this director will learn from this.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2017 17:39:42 GMT
The beginning bits (not the dance off, that was WEIRD) was very similar to the people's theatre part of the Sheffield Julius Caesar recently, except that in Sheffield it was much better done and it worked, and it was sustained through the play and was part of it. When Titus started and there were random ordinary people wandering around in hoodies, pushing prams, watching the politicians doing stuff, my friend and I both said 'ooh, they saw JC in Sheffield then!'. But then I think the whole selfie taking/filming the politicians thing just went on far too long with no purpose. But then after the play got going, they seemed to forget all about them! The whole point in Sheffield is that the ordinary people were initially there observing, then getting sucked up into cheering for Caesar, and then manipulated into a terrifying mob who became a major character in their own right.
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Post by crabtree on Jul 5, 2017 21:53:39 GMT
I still remember John Hopkins, in the swan production 3 or 4 years ago, rising splendidly naked from the bath, save for his gold laurel crown on his head. A touch of genius. And yes, those last five violently choreographed minutes.
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Post by zahidf on Jul 6, 2017 9:04:33 GMT
Seems to have been getting very good reviews so far
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Post by lynette on Jul 6, 2017 14:11:39 GMT
Telegraph a bit sniffy saying it is as if Troughton is trapped in a student production. Guardian more appreciative. There is a temptation to dwell on he gore and the story about people fainting and being sick.
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Post by martin1965 on Jul 6, 2017 14:37:18 GMT
Telegraph cant have it both ways! They put the production on the front page and then inside give it a sniffy review. Times is good. Surely Troughton will play Lear soon?
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Post by Honoured Guest on Jul 6, 2017 15:45:51 GMT
Mansplain Warning
The front page is News
The review inside is Arts
Different editors, different agendas.
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Post by lynette on Jul 7, 2017 21:17:45 GMT
Telegraph cant have it both ways! They put the production on the front page and then inside give it a sniffy review. Times is good. Surely Troughton will play Lear soon? ''Twas indeed an audition for Lear. Can't wait.
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Post by Honoured Guest on Jul 8, 2017 10:32:25 GMT
David Troughton is already playing Lear (Tony Archer) with his Fool (Pat) on the verge of dividing their realm (Bridge Farm) between surviving children (Helen and Tom) and favoured grandchild (Johnny).
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Post by cirque on Jul 10, 2017 8:25:53 GMT
Best of Romans.......why spoil this with naff opening movement sequence where RSC once again try to be street kids in hoodies etc.Just nonsense and in a show like this not needed.Central core is very strong and whole show is full on. Thought Coriolanus was going to be pre Rome but now seems to be post Rome in future society.......clearly the contemporary Titus has influenced others.
Any news on new Globe AD......would have thought announcement due.
I agree Troughton would make excellent Lear but possibly missed the boat if RSC continue to do full canon over the years.......maybe best rethought to allow casting to reflect timely readiness.Cant see the idea continuing without bringing in Swan.......with empty houses for Romans imagine Timon and Percles .......unless very reduced runs are planned.
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Post by lynette on Jul 10, 2017 14:58:44 GMT
He doesn't have to give us his Lear at the RSC.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2017 15:04:47 GMT
I wouldn't mind if he didn't give us his Lear at all, surely there are better roles for this brilliant actor.
The RSC have just done it, the Globe are doing it this year, the National did it in 2014, the Almeida and Tobacco Factory in 2012 (along with the previous RSC production), so it's probably the Donmar's turn to bring it out again next. Otherwise we could ask the Bridge Theatre very nicely, or we can just give it another three years or so before the RSC is ready to do it yet again.
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Post by martin1965 on Jul 10, 2017 17:32:59 GMT
He doesn't have to give us his Lear at the RSC. Exactly, indeed cant see it being done again at SUA under Doran unless they get someone amazing.
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Post by Honoured Guest on Jul 10, 2017 17:37:49 GMT
Is Gregory Doran likely to stay long beyond his Complete Shakespeare Cycle?
That would seem a natural departure point.
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Post by fossil on Aug 27, 2017 18:26:11 GMT
A bit naughty of Troughton this. Captioned performance last week. David Troughton hesitates over the last word of a line, does this again. Looks up at the captioning and then repeats the line with the correct word.
The production was disappointing. It just did not seem to work as modern dress and some of the directors ideas just jarred. For example, what was the point of the opening sequence having a hoodies fight scene choreographed to music? Ok for West Side Story but not for this play.
Before the performance I checked and could see plenty of unsold seats in the stalls. In the theatre the stalls were quite full but the upper level was empty so I guess some lucky people got their seats upgraded.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2017 9:35:22 GMT
Saw this last night. First part of the first act not at all good but once the blood and gore started it picked up. The second act was riveting with worthy performances from some of the supporting cast. David Troughton was way above the general cast - almost like a real actor playing in an amateur production at times. On the whole a very satisfactory evening at the theatre.
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Post by martin1965 on Sept 3, 2017 12:17:57 GMT
Saw matinee yesterday. Troughton excellent. They played up the black humour and lots of satisfying gore! Martin Hutson follows up his Cassius with good performance as Saturninus. Underpowered Aaron only iffy point. Odd moment in second half when audience member refused to hand back baby to Lucius and cast had to ad lib😵
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Post by lynette on Sept 3, 2017 21:43:02 GMT
Saw matinee yesterday. Troughton excellent. They played up the black humour and lots of satisfying gore! Martin Hutson follows up his Cassius with good performance as Saturninus. Underpowered Aaron only iffy point. Odd moment in second half when audience member refused to hand back baby to Lucius and cast had to ad lib😵 How interesting. I've often wondered why the audiences are so compliant.
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Post by Jan on Sept 4, 2017 7:14:36 GMT
Saw matinee yesterday. Troughton excellent. They played up the black humour and lots of satisfying gore! Martin Hutson follows up his Cassius with good performance as Saturninus. Underpowered Aaron only iffy point. Odd moment in second half when audience member refused to hand back baby to Lucius and cast had to ad lib😵 Ha ha - well done - first strike in a campaign to get the RSC to stop involving the front row of the audience in feeble bits of business.
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Post by Honoured Guest on Sept 4, 2017 9:47:07 GMT
In the early years of the Swan,I attended a jolly, raucous show in which, early on, Guy Henry's character chased another through the audience at Ground level. I decided to take the side of the person being chased, so I pressed my feet firmly on the back of the seat in front and blocked Guy Henry's path. I hadn't yet oriented myself in the play and I didn't have much clue who either character was. Guy Henry looked a bit bemused and tried to charm his way past me but I didn't relent so he had to give up his chase and return to the stage where he pointed at me and sneered that I thought he was a "baddie". Actually, I thought he was a posh git, but there we are...
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Post by Jan on Sept 4, 2017 12:48:10 GMT
In the early years of the Swan,I attended a jolly, raucous show in which, early on, Guy Henry's character chased another through the audience at Ground level. I decided to take the side of the person being chased, so I pressed my feet firmly on the back of the seat in front and blocked Guy Henry's path. I hadn't yet oriented myself in the play and I didn't have much clue who either character was. Guy Henry looked a bit bemused and tried to charm his way past me but I didn't relent so he had to give up his chase and return to the stage where he pointed at me and sneered that I thought he was a "baddie". Actually, I thought he was a posh git, but there we are... Well done. Anything that inconveniences Guy Henry has my full support - Guy .............. Henry, as I call him
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Post by couldileaveyou on Dec 8, 2017 23:17:25 GMT
Back from the second preview. The first act is monstrously dull, a masterclass in boredom and wasted occasions. It takes a genius to make some thrilling scenes so bland and inconsistent and Ms. McIntyre really is your woman for this businesses. The second act is significantly better, especially the last 15 minutes (apart from a very confusing final moment), but the first was really at the level of the last Coriolanus. Acting is average, with the exception of Martin Hutson's brilliant Saturninus. The weakest link is Stefan Adebgola, whose Aaron doesn't have a drop of the fierceness that his speeches suggest.
Absolutely hated the West Side Story like prologue, it went on for centuries.
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Post by blacksheep on Dec 17, 2017 15:16:11 GMT
I saw this last week and thought it was absolutely frightful; summed up by Titus's line: "When will this fearful slumber have an end?"
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Post by martin1965 on Dec 17, 2017 15:57:45 GMT
I saw this last week and thought it was absolutely frightful; summed up by Titus's line: "When will this fearful slumber have an end?" Obvs saw a different show to me. First production?
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Post by blacksheep on Dec 20, 2017 18:30:34 GMT
Obvs saw a different show to me. First production? No. You?
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Post by crabtree on Dec 20, 2017 18:40:24 GMT
It's a shame as I have a great fondness for this barmy play, and the RSC's last production, in the swan, was superb and delivered on all levels.
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Post by Jan on Jan 9, 2018 7:54:13 GMT
I've seen this play four times (plus the film) and this one was the least satisfactory of the four but it was still head and shoulders above the other three offerings in this dismal RSC Romans season. At least the director had a go here with some evidence of imagination. The whole was a bit of a rag-bag of good things and bad things with a lack of a single vision for the play.
Good were the overall pacing and momentum of the production, and some of the characterisations like Tamora's sons.
Bad were the absurd West Side Story opening and the totally pointless interactions with the front row of the audience, charitably we could call it Brechtian but like a few things in the production it just happened once and was not sustained - having Titus drop out of character and indulge in 1970's light entertainment banter with the audience is just foolish. As noted above the initial scenes with the Roman crowd were also forgotten later. Also I agree that the final image presented to us was puzzling.
The worst scene of the lot was Tamora appearing as Revenge, audience members who didn't know the play must have been baffled. There is only one approach to this scene (brilliantly done in the Deborah Warner production) - you first have to establish beyond doubt that all the characters in the play think that Titus has gone mad and it helps if the audience believe this too. Then you can believe he could be swayed by the pantomime Tamora arranges.
The best thing about this Roman season was that I paid £10 for a top price centre stalls seat for each of the four productions - the RSC's fall from grace has some compensations.
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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 Jan 9, 2018 9:10:57 GMT
I sat in the front row for this. My top tip for directors: if you are planning audience interaction, don't expect the audience to interact in a baby strangling scene.
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Post by romeo94 on Jan 14, 2018 11:38:53 GMT
For someone unfamiliar with the play, is this production worth seeing?
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Post by skullion on Jan 14, 2018 11:51:30 GMT
I saw this yesterday afternoon, I didn't realise until I'd got home that we'd had an understudy playing the role of Aaron. I'm not use he was any stronger in the role than the main actor apparently was.
I don't have any history with this play, never seen it before on stage or screen and aside from a bare bones knowledge of the plot didn't know much more about it. On that basis I quite enjoyed it, I liked David Troughton's performance, and across this season I thought Martin Hutson has been good. The play itself seems a bit mad but that is what it is.
I didn't care for the dance fighting at the start, added nothing to the story and just looked a bit rubbish, I can't say I'm ever a fan of audience participation either.
So, having seen some less than glowing comments about this production, I'm curious to know what a good production of this play does look like, and what else should have been changed in this to make it better?
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