Macbeth ( NT 2018)

For once we agree! Why would I use a valuable theatre slot in London for something I know to be not very good when there are 100s of other possibilities?

Likewise why would I travel 2-4 hours to see that very same thing.

I wouldn't normally drop out of something BUT I see the ticket price as a sort of deposit. If I'm going to go, I now need to spend another 60 quid and the tube fare and food cost and spend two hours travelling each way, and the parking cost at the station. In most circumstances I'd say this was a risk worth taking, and obviously on a law of averages you're going to end up seeing some stinkers over the year, but the reviews have been so universally awful for this, so now I'm not sure.

Snicole hated it too - she's my friend on Twitter and I've agreed with her about quite a few productions so far.


Lots of points made above that I agree with - if it was hard to find a Macbeth production, or if I'd never seen Rory Kinnear on stage, or if this was just down the road, or if I had a bigger budget, then I think it would be worth trying. But I've seen a Macbeth and will most likely see the RSC one this year too. And I really really want to see the French Tartuffe, so I might save my money for that.

I understand the reservations about shelling out for a production that has had poor reviews, but flops are sometimes as interesting to see as successes.  They both create a buzz and it's quite interesting to be part of that and to witness for yourself what everybody else is talking about. I really wanted to see the Macbeth with Horrocks that others have mentioned, but couldn't get a ticket because the word of mouth on that one was that it was so bad it was good and you couldn't get a ticket for it for love or money.  I saw both St George and Common...both were interesting failures.  I missed Salome, but really wanted to see that too.  I suppose the thing to weigh up is whether you mind paying for a production where you might only want to watch the first half.  I must admit that I'm looking forward to seeing this after all the furore - not least the hysteria that it has engendered on this discussion board.

There will be people who don't realise the NT will accept returns-for-credit. There will be people booking tickets for theatres that will not take your ticket back under any circumstances. There have always been people who book tickets but decide not to go after hearing bad reviews. There will always be these people. From a business perspective, the theatres don't give a single solitary hoot whether you turn up once you've bought a ticket, as they already have your money, and this is as true for when a person returns a ticket for credit as it is for when a person just decides to stay at home. Giving you credit for a ticket is better, in fact, as they *still have your money*, but also have the possibility of selling the seat again, and they've squeezed an extra £2 out of you into the bargain. Yeah, you'll spend the credit in the future, but they have your money *now*, so it'll all come out in the wash. Bums on seats are nice, but ticket money keeps the world spinning round.

Chill, Martin. It's fine. Like, really, really fine.

In the tiny minority who really liked this (with some reservations), so I am biased, but the intensity of the backlash is still disappointing.

Can’t help but feel some critics wanted a more straightforward setting with heavily signposted contemporary tie-ins about the evils of populism.

Norris took a risk by taking different track. That seems to have backfired, but it was taken for the right reasons, IMO.

As far as the NT is concerned I argue from a very fortunate position : I live in London and travel free on the tube and I get credit for returned tickets. So it is no problem for me to decide to miss a show I have booked for. If I had to pay for a train ticket, wouldn’t get a refund and even had to stay over, I would probably go for it and use the ticket or make sure it went to a good home , to a pal in London. It would be a decision I would have to make whereas as I am , there isn’t a much of a decision to be made. Hence I have dumped tickets for the NT more than any other Theatre.

This is a mess of a Macbeth but Rory says the words well, albeit in a funny accent, and it adds to the run of Macbeths for future discussion. Just to say the pleasure I have had from discussing the uproariously terrible NT Ant and Cleo (Alan Rickman and Helen Mirren ) has well repaid the pain of the night. Not to mention the Paul Schofield Macbeth at the RSC, the one where the swords were too heavy for the actors to actually lift...anyone else see that one? A classic.

Not seen it yet but I do hope I can say for the first time in my life, I agree with the Spectator

I decided he isn’t worthy of
Any sort of acronym

Won’t bestow it in him

Unworthy

2 stars from The Observer as well

I think that’s all the reviews in now..

www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/mar/11/summer-and-smoke-patsy-ferran-macbeth-rory-kinnear-review