202 posts
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Post by harry on Oct 11, 2018 12:10:13 GMT
Sorry to be that bore, but seeing this tonight and having read the gunshot warning (and being a wuss) would anyone be able to give me something a little more specific so I know when to brace myself. Thanks in advance.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2018 12:22:22 GMT
Sorry to be that bore, but seeing this tonight and having read the gunshot warning (and being a wuss) would anyone be able to give me something a little more specific so I know when to brace myself. Thanks in advance. Oh goodness, there's rather a lot during the battle scene in the second act from what I remember. Plus some explosions. It does go on for quite a bit. |
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202 posts
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Post by harry on Oct 11, 2018 13:01:04 GMT
Sorry to be that bore, but seeing this tonight and having read the gunshot warning (and being a wuss) would anyone be able to give me something a little more specific so I know when to brace myself. Thanks in advance. Oh goodness, there's rather a lot during the battle scene in the second act from what I remember. Plus some explosions. It does go on for quite a bit. Thanks and that's ok, forewarned if forearmed. Are there lots of blank rounds and pyrotechnic explosions, or is it more pre-recorded sound effects? Weirdly I never seem to jump as much at one as the other. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2018 13:08:20 GMT
Oh goodness, there's rather a lot during the battle scene in the second act from what I remember. Plus some explosions. It does go on for quite a bit. Thanks and that's ok, forewarned if forearmed. Are there lots of blank rounds and pyrotechnic explosions, or is it more pre-recorded sound effects? Weirdly I never seem to jump as much at one as the other. Oh I'm not sure. There are some pyrotechnics going on though. You'd think I'd have been able to remember that because I once went out with someone who always used to fire lots of blanks. It didn't bother me really but apparently it really used to annoy his wife. Ba-dum Tsh. |
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2,389 posts
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Post by peggs on Oct 11, 2018 16:43:58 GMT
Hmmmm blanks maybe and some explosions as noted but it's fairly obvious that battle is about to occur.
@ryan the outfit sounds Devine, sorry to have missed you but also somewhat relieved as not sure my woolly hat fleece combo would have impressed you. I was a £15 lucky return at the front with a little old lady who must def did not want to chat and next to the girl who insisted on draping herself on the stage, can't have been comfy.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2018 17:19:51 GMT
next to the girl who insisted on draping herself on the stage, can't have been comfy. Oh gosh I think I saw her! Were you on the curvy bit of stage right? She seemed to be leaning right on the stage, I thought perhaps she thought she was a groundling at the Globe! |
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2,389 posts
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Post by peggs on Oct 11, 2018 17:57:02 GMT
next to the girl who insisted on draping herself on the stage, can't have been comfy. Oh gosh I think I saw her! Were you on the curvy bit of stage right? She seemed to be leaning right on the stage, I thought perhaps she thought she was a groundling at the Globe! I was sat on the left as you enter so yes that would be stage right wouldn't it? She was end of row A (I was in one of those 2 seats to the side) and it looked very much I am going to do this cos I can, unless she was actually trying to get onto the stage, the angle to watch must have impractical, I unkindly thought she was trying to make a statement and being unnecessary. When she desisted mad laughing very loudly lady took over, she found Ralph hilarious and did clap randomly in a sort i'm clapping I have seen what no one else has seen sort of way. What's with the slightly altered ending {Spoiler - click to view}
Octavia confirming Caesar's real plans for Cleopatra, was this meant to be some female solidarity? Seemed unlikely since Antony had up and left her. I kept wondering why Caesar and his lot didn't wear socks, was it very hot in Rome? Yes Fisayo Akinade is a joy isn't he whenever he turns up and i'm always happy to see Tim McMullan. I liked Ralph Fiennes take on Antony once he'd got rid of that alarming first outfit (there were some funny outfits all round, what was with the big shouldered suit or very obviously stuck on plastic military ribbons? I could believe he'd been a rather successful brawler now gone a bit hunched over and to seed. Sophie Okonedo just wasn't what I expected of a Cleopatra, I rather thought Antony was putting up with a lot and could she not pipe down and calm down. Good death though. And yes kudos for pulling off those outfits. |
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Post by MrsCondomine on Oct 12, 2018 7:53:59 GMT
Sorry to be that bore, but seeing this tonight and having read the gunshot warning (and being a wuss) would anyone be able to give me something a little t more specific so I know when to brace myself. Thanks in advance. Gosh I am muffing up this spoiler business something awful... let's try again...
During the big battle scene (second half) Ralph fires off about four shots ("real" not pre-recorded) then there are two big flashbangs that go off one after the other (either side of the stage). It's after they come on with machine guns, which they don't fire, then they run off to swap them for handguns.
From memory I think it's after Enobarbus says, "No: I will go seek
some ditch wherein to die; the foul'st best fits
my latter part of life." |
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425 posts
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Post by dlevi on Oct 12, 2018 7:54:19 GMT
I saw this last night and thought it was smashing! Maybe a bit too long but who cares, it's one of the most clear-headed productions of the play I've seen and all the acting was terrific. Simon Godwin can be great ( Strange Interlude) or downright awful ( Cherry Orchard in New York) but when he hits it right, it's something to celebrate. The physical production was also wonderful and great to see the Oliver drum being put to good use. This is the kind of production for which people go to the National from all over the world. Totally satisfying. Let's hope Rufus and the powers that be take note. So many of their other choices have been downright lousy.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2018 7:15:13 GMT
We're you there last night @ryan and I missed you?! I wonder if you were one of the people I stared at near the beginning whilst I wondered if I was going to be as bored as parsley. Damn. Yes those trousers were particularly bad, what a lot of outfits Cleo had and people do laugh at odd things. I warmed into it but it took quite a time to get there. The trousers reminded me of MC Hammer’s in the “Can’t Touch This” video all those years ago. |
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Post by youngoffender on Oct 16, 2018 14:00:19 GMT
Very much a play of two halves for me. The first was tight, lucid, and visually inventive; the second baggy, static and tedious, to the point where any impact from Cleopatra's death is blunted by exhaustion. Much of the blame for this must lie with the text, and the inevitability in these weaker tragedies that just makes you long for everyone to hurry up and die, but for the production too it felt to me that 75% of the creative energy was expended on the first 90 minutes, and after the break it was more 'OK, let's just get through the rest of it word for word'.
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5,707 posts
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Post by lynette on Oct 16, 2018 18:22:43 GMT
I think that Shakespeare himself was making fun of this ‘die please now’ thing with the end of Midsummer Night’s Dream and Pyramus.
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5 posts
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Post by another100ppl on Oct 18, 2018 2:53:17 GMT
Very much a play of two halves for me. The first was tight, lucid, and visually inventive; the second baggy, static and tedious, to the point where any impact from Cleopatra's death is blunted by exhaustion. Much of the blame for this must lie with the text, and the inevitability in these weaker tragedies that just makes you long for everyone to hurry up and die, but for the production too it felt to me that 75% of the creative energy was expended on the first 90 minutes, and after the break it was more 'OK, let's just get through the rest of it word for word'. I agree with this entirely. Saw it Wednesday afternoon and thought Act one was brilliant, but Act two was painted with far too broad strokes. Sophie was amazing, Ralph I was less taken by (but I’m not his biggest fan anyway). Overall for me, a solid and sensical production of a play that naturally has a few teething problems. |
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1,287 posts
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Post by theatrefan77 on Oct 18, 2018 7:42:56 GMT
Earlier this week the Nash twited about a free understudy performance of Antony and Cleopatra, but I can't find the twit anymore. I know it's tomorrow but forgot the details. Does anybody know? Thanks
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1,287 posts
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Post by theatrefan77 on Oct 18, 2018 8:40:28 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2018 9:11:59 GMT
Well, I really like this play, but this production never managed to take off. The two leads are excellent actors but had zero chemistry so the relationship never felt remotely real or established and Ralph F in particular was a charisma black hole - he just seemed to get sucked into the background.
Both performances felt phoned-in and one-note to me - they basically shouted in the same tone throughout the play. The whole thing was pedestrian and oddly rushed, despite the length - for eg, when A tells C about the death of Fulvia neither react and they just gabble through the scene.
A real shame - ok but absolutely not memorable. I can't really put my finger on why - there's nothing terrible I can point to, but it just never got going.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2018 9:13:14 GMT
PS - the snake at the end was very pretty - probably my favourite character.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2018 9:16:04 GMT
They should let you know which snake it is. Just signs on the doors or something, "tonight the role of aspic will be played by Mr Jangles" or whathaveyou.
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3,320 posts
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Post by david on Oct 24, 2018 9:44:22 GMT
Hopefully the snake is RADA (Reptilian Academy for the Dramatic Arts) trained.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 21:40:36 GMT
I’m hoping all of the snakes are ‘indisposed’ the night I have tickets and they have to use a rubber snake understudy.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 22:31:50 GMT
The snakes they use are milk snakes, they're very beautifully coloured and larger than the usual snake you'll find in a production of Antony & Cleopatra (they wanted them to be visible to every audience member). I tell you this not to tease you but so you can prepare yourself for the sight of a decently-sized red stripey snake. But rest assured, even acting dead, Okonedo has a pretty good grip on the snake until someone else takes it off a few minutes later, so even if you get a wiggly one, there's an extremely low risk of escape and it'll be gone before very long.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2018 10:50:08 GMT
The snakes they use are milk snakes, they're very beautifully coloured and larger than the usual snake you'll find in a production of Antony & Cleopatra (they wanted them to be visible to every audience member). I tell you this not to tease you but so you can prepare yourself for the sight of a decently-sized red stripey snake. But rest assured, even acting dead, Okonedo has a pretty good grip on the snake until someone else takes it off a few minutes later, so even if you get a wiggly one, there's an extremely low risk of escape and it'll be gone before very long. I am utterly petrified about the use of snakes but I am determined to overcome my fear and see this. Just wish I had booked circle seats for this. |
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2,389 posts
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Post by peggs on Oct 27, 2018 13:18:46 GMT
The snakes they use are milk snakes, they're very beautifully coloured and larger than the usual snake you'll find in a production of Antony & Cleopatra (they wanted them to be visible to every audience member). I tell you this not to tease you but so you can prepare yourself for the sight of a decently-sized red stripey snake. But rest assured, even acting dead, Okonedo has a pretty good grip on the snake until someone else takes it off a few minutes later, so even if you get a wiggly one, there's an extremely low risk of escape and it'll be gone before very long. I am utterly petrified about the use of snakes but I am determined to overcome my fear and see this. Just wish I had booked circle seats for this. Good on you for giving it a go, hope it's not too terrifying. |
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Post by lynette on Oct 27, 2018 23:31:43 GMT
'Larger than usual' Er? I’m beginning to feel a little queasy
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2018 9:20:36 GMT
When I've seen live snakes used previously, they've usually used wee snakes that aren't much bigger than a slow worm, but milk snakes are a little bigger than the corn snakes you see in pet shops (which I assume are all juveniles and will get bigger). It's not "bigger" like "large enough to constrict a child to death", just bigger like "you should probably hold this baby with two hands but it's not the end of the world if you need to let go with one hand to open a door".
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