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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2018 9:06:06 GMT
I shall think deeply about what I am saying, oh Great One of Theatreboard! I was indeed an arrogant fool, not just in questioning the impartiality of professional critics, but also in questioning your mighty, irrefutable theatrical proclamation. Thank you for putting me firmly in my place. So you haven't got any valid argument then? Have you any evidence that critics are not saying what they feel on this production?
I may disagree with pretty much anything that Quentin Letts writes, for example, but I believe that he's putting down his honest feelings, however disagreeable.
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Post by alexandra on Apr 25, 2018 9:22:38 GMT
5 stars in the Standard. Ah, I see xanderl has already said so.
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Post by dani on Apr 25, 2018 9:25:15 GMT
From the ES review by Fiona Mountford, "I do hope that the Almeida is planning a special performance of The Writer for all the male artistic directors and producers in this country. Wouldn’t that be something?"
I don't think this is likely to happen!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2018 9:44:59 GMT
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Post by zahidf on Apr 25, 2018 10:00:30 GMT
bloody hell, all these reviewers pretending to like the play just to be WOKE. That clearly is what is going on, rather than then actually liking the play I'm seeing it tonight. I imagine I will give it 5 stars regardless |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2018 10:13:40 GMT
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Post by altamont on Apr 25, 2018 11:21:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2018 11:26:10 GMT
Oh I'm so glad to have seen the review in The Guardian. It reminded me of how much I recall that I liked Samuel West's cardigan in the first scene.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2018 11:26:56 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2018 12:14:08 GMT
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Post by bordeaux on Apr 25, 2018 12:20:06 GMT
And failing him there's always that guy in the Spectator, Lloyd Evans, forever baffled by anything remotely demanding. Come to think of it, he's presumably angling for Letts' job if ever retires. |
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Post by chameleon on Apr 25, 2018 14:45:01 GMT
Did anyone see 'Caught' by Christopher Chen at the Almeida a couple of years back - used a similar technique of rug-pulling to look at issues of race...
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Post by foxa on Apr 28, 2018 16:23:30 GMT
Bracing myself to see this tonight - I'm equally curious and worried. Gave Mr Foxa the night off - felt he'd done his theatre-going duty this week - but, in a bizarre turnaround, he read some reviews and says he might come after all... Will report back if he does and if marriage remains intact.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 28, 2018 17:03:21 GMT
I rather enjoyed this, this afternoon. A couple of scenes drag a bit, but overall I liked the twists and turns. Believable performances and interesting mixes of design. Came in at 1 hour 55.
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Post by crowblack on Apr 28, 2018 21:02:57 GMT
I rather enjoyed this, this afternoon. Same here - the woman next to me clearly didn't, though, kept looking at her watch, which was really annoying - person in front had a talking watch so didn't need to, argh. I do think the Almeida should either raise the stage or rake their seats, especially if you're going to have actors performing key speeches sitting down on the floor. Even when they were on chairs, one actor was completely blocked from view by the person sitting in front of me, and he wasn't a giant and I'm 5'6", and in row C. |
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 28, 2018 21:12:39 GMT
I rather enjoyed this, this afternoon. Same here - the woman next to me clearly didn't, though, kept looking at her watch, which was really annoying - person in front had a talking watch so didn't need to, argh. I do think the Almeida should either raise the stage or rake their seats, especially if you're going to have actors performing key speeches sitting down on the floor. Even when they were on chairs, one actor was completely blocked from view by the person sitting in front of me, and he wasn't a giant and I'm 5'6", and in row C. I can see about the seating. I was in row C also (far to one side) but a woman in front of me had trouble seeing round a rather tall guy sat in front. |
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Post by foxa on Apr 28, 2018 21:41:21 GMT
Breaking news: Despite my initial misgivings, Mr Foxa and I liked this!!! All the actors were good (Lara Rossi was new to me and excellent. Sam West was impressive and varied. Baby was sweet baby.) Some interesting writing and ideas. Some maddening aspects, but I was interested throughout. Loved the lines about Guernica. There were some thematic similarities with 'Mood Music' (powerful man manipulating young female creative) but we much preferred this play. Go figure.
BTW: Did anyone understand why there were two seats in the front row that faced away from the stage and no one sat in them?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2018 22:32:36 GMT
Breaking news: Despite my initial misgivings, Mr Foxa and I liked this!!! All the actors were good (Lara Rossi was new to me and excellent. Sam West was impressive and varied. Baby was sweet baby.) Some interesting writing and ideas. Some maddening aspects, but I was interested throughout. Loved the lines about Guernica. There were some thematic similarities with 'Mood Music' (powerful man manipulating young female creative) but we much preferred this play. Go figure. BTW: Did anyone understand why there were two seats in the front row that faced away from the stage and no one sat in them? I thought the two seats represented the (an) audience- or the suggestion of one. |
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Post by foxa on Apr 28, 2018 22:44:55 GMT
Could be, but why face away from the stage? (Mr Foxa said we should warn Theatremonkey about the poor view from those seats ;-))
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Post by crowblack on Apr 29, 2018 12:35:46 GMT
Thinking back, for a play partly about representation and equality, I was surprised how 'niche' it was, from the jokes about Posh and The Ferryman to the appearance of cassoulet on the table. This is the first time I've set eyes on this dish, previously only known to me as the subject of a Posy Simmonds cartoon about, yes, the North London literary set, and I suppose it's just the place I'd expect to encounter it, mashed into a beautiful, slim ibook on an Islington stage, having walked past the Le Creuset shop and an Ottolenghi caff on the way. The appearance of an umbrella and a former Leonard Bast - played by stage aristocracy - in the same scene added another layer of thoughts about social mobility, though that may have been accidental. I also thought, seeing a black woman picking up a bag, that she must be one of the cast because in most London theatres - including the Guardianista ones - there's more diversity on stage than off, and we're again back to that line about Posh.
I don't know if that's a criticism, but - well, still thinking about it.
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Post by dani on Apr 29, 2018 12:58:34 GMT
Did anyone see 'Caught' by Christopher Chen at the Almeida a couple of years back - used a similar technique of rug-pulling to look at issues of race... Wasn't it at the Arcola rather than the Almeida? I didn't see it, but I remember it being on, I think as part of a short festival of international new writing. |
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Post by NeilVHughes on May 5, 2018 10:43:27 GMT
Caught up with this last night, found it perplexing at times and needed my subconscious to digest it overnight before commenting
The first scene, patriachy at work is the strongest and worked well, Sam West was the perfect foil, lots of people including myself wondering if we needed to participate at the finale. The finding myself scene was well weird, reminded me of Bakkhai from a few years ago, felt like someone dropped in a different play half way through.
Overall glad I saw it, strong performances in a play that added to the confusion of the theme.
The ending seemed to imply the masculine will always be in power as The Writer progresses through the play. (made sense of the sofa scenes and the ownership of the P)
Despite the rhetoric in the first scene We/The Writer are no closer to how we can resolve masculine control and the power/advantages it gives, except accept it and join the status quo.
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Post by n1david on May 5, 2018 13:47:11 GMT
A couple of snippets from the Q&A with the cast after Thursday's performance, with particular relevance to @neilvhughes ' post: The cast are never sure whether people are going to participate in the Q&A during the play - apparently the Wednesday matinee audience was particularly lively. The first draft did not have scripted questions, and the intention was to rely on the audience (and allow for audience discomfort if necessary)
In the first draft, in the last scene The Writer was using masculine pronouns, but it was felt that this might be a bit obvious There's a talk/Q&A with Ella Hickson on Tuesday I'm going to as well - I thought it was fascinating and made me think, in part about how the play was structured (and hence how other plays are structured). Ultimately I thought it was trying to say too much, or provoke too much, but there was enough in it for me to find it really stimulating. |
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Post by foxa on May 5, 2018 14:13:33 GMT
I had an interesting discussion with a female writer friend about this yesterday. In my take on the piece, I felt that Hickson was consciously using humour, self-parody, exaggeration in the piece and was, in addition to the ideas about male power, etc., making a point about the essential (necessary?) selfishness (perhaps even absurdity) of the artist (the Picasso bit.)
My friend took away an entirely different message - she felt it was all very serious, that Hickson really thought the odd woods scene was an idealised form of theatre and that she believes that theatre can bring down the patriarchy/capitalism.
So I liked it quite a bit more than my friend (who thought it was in such rough shape that it shouldn't have been put on.) Whereas like n1david says above, I found it stimulating, if uneasy. My friend thinks that I endowed the piece with my own sense of humour and irony, which wasn't the playwright's design - which could be true.
I've consciously avoided reading any interviews with Hickson, for fear that I'll discover my friend is right.
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Post by NeilVHughes on May 5, 2018 14:22:27 GMT
Surprised how little discussion there has been about this play in the site, had to go to the second page to find the thread.
Since last night have thought about this more than all the plays I have seen this year, may not be the best play I’ve seen but may become one of the most stimulating and may consider seeing it again, will look into seeing the availability for the Q&A when I get home.
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