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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2018 11:46:40 GMT
There was supposedly a walk-out by one cast member of Resurrection Blues at the Old Vic - www.playbill.com/article/jane-adams-walks-out-on-altmans-resurrection-blues-com-131916At one point years ago there was supposed to be a Katie Mitchell production of it which seems like a potentially good fit (or a disaster, one of the two). "Is this a dagger I see before me?" "No, it's a chair being carried by someone walking slowly backwards"
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Post by jasper on Mar 8, 2018 11:53:35 GMT
This is not the first time a production of Macbeth has failed to live up expectations. I remember the O'Toole at the Old Vic, there was Guinness and Signoet production in 1966 at the Royal Court. However, unlike the O'Toole one which sold out on the basis of watching a car crash this does not sound like it is in that league. Anyway if needs must they can always give any unsold tickets to schools and claim a full house.
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Post by victoriantheatre on Mar 8, 2018 12:22:11 GMT
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Post by lynette on Mar 8, 2018 12:23:30 GMT
Going tonight. Seen reviews. Do I go simply to allow a nice rant here? Or cuddle up with Civilisations?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2018 12:26:53 GMT
Please go lynette - I want to hear your rant! As an esteemed moderator, it's your job to take one for the team.
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Post by alnoor on Mar 8, 2018 12:42:31 GMT
Before reviews--tickets restricted to 4 per customer
After reviews--minimum number of tickets you can buy--4
Just joking!
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Post by bob2010 on Mar 8, 2018 12:46:06 GMT
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Post by bob2010 on Mar 8, 2018 12:50:15 GMT
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Post by Phantom of London on Mar 8, 2018 13:33:11 GMT
The reviews not better in the Evening Standard 2 Stars.
So who did murder Macbeth?
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Post by bordeaux on Mar 8, 2018 13:46:42 GMT
Something tells me they'll be reconsidering their very generous ticket-return policy soon...I'll hope to get mine in the post tonight.
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Post by Jan on Mar 8, 2018 13:48:56 GMT
There have, I guess, been occasions where it has been mutually agreed between the company and the actor that an actor may be released from the contract, but I reckon those were under extenuating circumstances where it was mutually beneficial. There have been plenty of cases where an actor (or director) just walked out of a production. In practice what is the theatre going to do about it ? There can be various reasons but being offered a higher-paid higher-status job (in film normally, which ranks above theatre) is one of them. With Juliet Stevenson revealing she was only paid £250 per week after tax at the Almeida for Mary Stuart I suppose most in the industry might be sympathetic and reputational damage might be small. As directors both Kenneth Branagh (Hamlet) and Rupert Goold (Troilus and Cressida) pulled out of theatre productions to direct a film instead. There was an actor playing one of the bigger parts in the NT Troilus and Cressida (Achilles or Ajax, something like that) who just walked out mid-run because he'd landed a role in the film Moulin Rouge - when it was released his contribution amounted to a couple of seconds of screen time catching Nicole Kidman when she jumped off a trapeze.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2018 14:00:07 GMT
Summary of reviews:
4 Stars: Metro Reviews Hub
3 Stars: Radio Times Independent FT London Theatre
2 Stars: Guardian Broadway World Telegraph ES Daily Mail Time Out The Arts Desk The Times The Stage The Upcoming
1 Star: WOS
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Post by lynette on Mar 8, 2018 14:18:51 GMT
Please go lynette - I want to hear your rant! As an esteemed moderator, it's your job to take one for the team. Ok, I will take one for the team. But if it is bad and as they say, you all owe me a bag of jelly babies.
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Post by foxa on Mar 8, 2018 15:12:20 GMT
Oh dear.
Somehow I'd missed this topic until today. I thought this was a pretty safe bet after the excerpt that was done at the Gala a while back....
My tickets are for 21st March, so I could return them....I dunno.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2018 15:22:43 GMT
Please go lynette - I want to hear your rant! As an esteemed moderator, it's your job to take one for the team. Ok, I will take one for the team. But if it is bad and as they say, you all owe me a bag of jelly babies. How about we just give you their heads?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2018 15:47:48 GMT
Summary of reviews: 4 Stars: Metro Reviews Hub 3 Stars: Radio Times Independent FT London Theatre 2 Stars: Guardian Broadway World Telegraph ES Daily Mail Time Out The Arts Desk The Times The Stage The Upcoming 1 Star: WOS So a 2.4 star average (sorry, can't see a table of figures without messing around with them!).
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Post by Snciole on Mar 8, 2018 17:31:02 GMT
I am surprised the mainstream press have been so harsh on the Nash. As a paying punter I am often angry about what I see there, often feeling at odds with the mainstream critics (even Damned by Despair wasn't as panned as this) but oddly the reaction from some has been "Well if the press hate it I am bound to love it" Not necessarily, firstly it's biggest crime isn't that it is too radical or too hot to handle but dull and nonsensical. I am now angry that RuNo didn't see that during previews and it sounds as bad as ever but much shorter. It is a real disservice to Kinnear and Duff as well as good actors like Kevin Harvey and Stephen Boxer to not improve this production for them. Duff, in particular, needs to really think about her choices before she is considered theatre poison. There can only be so much goodwill from performances a decade ago.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Mar 8, 2018 17:38:36 GMT
Was it a case that everyone in the building was too scared to challenge Norris over the progress of the production?
Most theatre people know when things are going well and when they aren't. This sort of critical reaction can't have come as a complete surprise to many involved.
It is always difficult when the boss is directing a show - where do you go to raise concerns?
It was certainly clear from reports from the early previews that all was not well. The response seems to have been to cut text - probably because there wasn't much rehearsal time to change much else. But surely someone must have thought 'this isn't great - what can we do to save it?'
When someone writes their memoirs about this production, it will make for fascinating reading.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2018 17:41:20 GMT
I’ve returned my tickets based on the reviews. Also, I did not know you could do that, until I saw it on here today!
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Post by martin1965 on Mar 8, 2018 17:47:41 GMT
Wonder why Norris directed this at all, maybe no-one else would. At one point years ago there was supposed to be a Katie Mitchell production of it which seems like a potentially good fit (or a disaster, one of the two). On paper the upcoming RSC one looks much stronger and if so the critics will get a second opportunity to rubbish the NT one. Am going to RSC one on 5 May then the NT on 23 June. Looks like its going to be ahem interesting to compare!
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Post by Rory on Mar 8, 2018 17:47:57 GMT
Not that I would blame anyone for returning their tickets - in these austere days, cash is hard earned - but I do feel really really sorry for the National and the cast and crew of this production in particular. There seems to be a creative crisis of confidence in terms of programming the Olivier at the moment. Hopefully with a bit of support from its patrons, the NT will get itself out of the doldrums and into a golden period again before long. Peaks and troughs.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2018 17:49:14 GMT
Probably a stupid question, but when returning tickets do you need to physically give back the printed tickets?
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Post by Jan on Mar 8, 2018 18:09:11 GMT
Probably a stupid question, but when returning tickets do you need to physically give back the printed tickets? Yes. You can post them back.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2018 18:15:42 GMT
Probably a stupid question, but when returning tickets do you need to physically give back the printed tickets? Yes. You can post them back. Thanks.
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Post by martin1965 on Mar 8, 2018 19:09:35 GMT
Whilst i would never return tix. You book in advance you should go. I do think these reviews do out pressure on the NT board not to renew Norris' contract for another five years in 2020.
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