Brief Encounter - Watermill 2021

Thanks for the heads up about them dynamically adding more. I didn't do quite as well as you but have rear of the front block at the side for £10 on the 17th which can't be sniffed at.

Still showing for me- you have to hover over the seats. On the date I'm going it is K&L 1-5 and the same the other side as well as what is left of the rear block

Couldnt agree more...quite magical...bravo!

Not much I can say, except to add to the chorus of praise. This probably won't be to everyone's taste, but I loved it. Asolutely wonderful.

Big thanks to those who posted about the £10 deal.

We used the £10 deal and were in Row P, so quite far back but very clear view and particularly good for the film sections.

As soon as you arrive at the Empire Haymarket, the mood is set. Roses frame the doorways, mirrors and box office. 1930s ushers guide you in, then pick up instruments and begin singing. It is a perfect Valentine of an evening.

The two leads, Isobel Pollen and Jim Sturgeon, play it absolutely straight, and Emma Rice (who we caught sight of before the play began) underscores their relationship with water imagery to express their underlying and overwhelming passion. As Steve mentioned, Jos Slovick (Stanley) raises every scene in which he sings. There are some incredible effects and one or two that don't quite come off (the flying looked awkward last night - hardly matching their poster image.) But I would highly recommend. It's an evening to which you could confidently take anyone, your mum, your lover, a school group. All would find something to enjoy.

Theatrebass- I think front row might be fun as there are some bits of action that take place down there. You will be looking up a bit - particularly for the sections that take place on the bridge.

I had high hopes of this but less of everything would have added up to more: too much business, too many similar scenes and too long a running time for the material. Everything was fine at first, but before too long I developed a fidgety sense of deja vu and was sorely tempted to check my watch. Yes, the performers were great and multi-talented and the staging was inventive but with hindsight, I prefer the straightforward story without the frills and furbelows.

I feel compelled to mentioned that the source for The Lord Of The Rings wasn't a film.

And the photos, filming, checking phones, continually on Snapchat type behaviour is becoming a big problem. I think people are understanding they shouldn't have conversations on their phone, but have no clue the phone screen lights up and everyone behind them can see it (and I won't even get into a rant that people have no idea their screen doesn't have to be on maximum brightness all of the time).

There are some on this Board who, when they don’t like a production, get quite wound up about it. Most of the time, when a production does not click for me, I tend to feel bored and disengaged – deflated more than anything else.

Very rarely I have a different reaction. I saw this yesterday afternoon and gave myself time before posting to allow a bit of space to check my reaction.

After quiet reflection I have concluded that I hated it. I mean I really hated it. Viscerally hated it. I physically reacted to it - muscles clenching, heart rate rising. At some points I had to close my eyes and do breathing exercises to calm down (I could not leave without disturbing people).

Is it meant as a parody (only Jim Sturgeon managed an accent that was not a caricature)? A poor man’s 39 Steps? If so, even that doesn’t work. If it is not a parody, then it is a travesty.

I went in in a good mood and liked the build up before curtain up, so all was set for an enjoyable afternoon. But it was not to be. I think the initial trigger was when Beverly Rudd first opened her mouth as Beryl. Everything about her performance made me want to vomit. By the end, with her last scene, I ended up closing my eyes and putting my fingers in my ears to try to blot her out. But it is not just her.

Clearly, my reaction is different to many others (both in the audience and on this Board). And I am happy for that. Maybe I'm the only one!

Afterwards I wandered through the snow to The Great Wave. Not the greatest production, but at least I had a positive end to the day.

I saw this last time it was on in London and I don't remember anything about it other than cucumber sandwiches. I think if that's all I remember I can't have enjoyed it that much!

I really enjoyed this show, felt like something unique and different with the staging in the beautiful empire cinema! it really is gorgeous!

I loved all the performances and really liked how t piece was put together, not 100% sure with them sometimes sitting in the audience before joining the action, didn't quite get the link or framing device behind that but it didn't detract (in fact I was sat right behind the two seats the actors use for that!)

speaking of seats I did the todatix rush (which wasn't a rush at all you could get tickets for the evening show at 6pm) and they are all in row B I think and if you get the centre block then its a fine view. Close but not too close.

TheatreMonkey, if there's an award for the worst ushering job this year it has to be for the poor girl who basically has to reseat the first three rows because "during the refurbishment, they put the seats back in the wrong place and haven't sorted it out so the numbers aren't in the right order" bless her!!

The front row seats are good as the stage is a bit high but they are further back so you can see everything very well and feel very much part of it with actors walking around.Sometimes however you may not get the whole spectacle of the show and how they interweave the film for some scenesbut it did bit distract from my enjoyment at all.