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Post by zahidf on Oct 9, 2018 21:25:18 GMT
Saw the second preview
I... liked it overall, but it's very odd in places. It's very similar to her other stuff, so whether you like it depends on how you feel about Emma prices productions.
Came in time at 2 hours 40 minutes as well.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Oct 9, 2018 22:28:59 GMT
A lot of theatres have put a lot of public money into this.
I still don't quite understand why she could continue to do her work through Kneehigh
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Post by theatrelover123 on Oct 9, 2018 22:30:57 GMT
Saw this tonight and thought it was a mess which was tonally all over the place, should lose at least 20 minutes and doesn’t half half the charm, wit or magic of previous Emma Rice productions. I’m sure the book is much better and more interesting as many people I know love it but this production has not done it justice. 5/10. Maybe 6 at a push. Shame.
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Post by Dr Tom on Oct 9, 2018 22:42:34 GMT
I also saw the second preview.
Good view from the second view (purchased with one of the many discounts around, expecting front, so don’t rely on the seating plans - excellent view anyway and I didn’t have to get involved with the audience interaction).
Seemed full.
This is highly stylised. I arrived knowing little about the piece which is two people looking back at their lives. And their lives (and those of the people around them) are played by a selection of members of the cast and puppets, with exactly who is playing who changing regularly to keep you on your toes. The roles are all gender and ethnicity blind.
And yes, there are cute puppets and terrible jokes.
The main cast is 12. There’s also a 3 person band playing songs from the 1900s to the 1980s to show the passing of time. It is a play with music.
No real twists, but there is a reveal at the end and very take away messages, such as the cyclic nature of life.
Loud noise warnings. Two to prepare for. A recorded gunshot in the first half (no messing about, it’s over almost when you see the gun) and a recorded sound of a bomb in the second half. I hate bangs, but both were okay.
Not too sure what I thought of it in the end. It was performed well and in good shape for a preview, but the whole production tried to be more clever than it needed to be. The style rather reminded me of The Grinning Man.
I had a pleasant chat with the lady next to me, a stage actor who I won’t name. She couldn’t get into this and didn’t stay for the second half. I suspect a lot of people struggled to follow the swapping around of roles and I’ll be interested to see what the verdict is when more people have attended and reported back.
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Post by zahidf on Oct 9, 2018 23:10:46 GMT
Reading about the book, that sounds EVEN weirder, with a lot more incest.
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Post by partytentdown on Oct 10, 2018 8:09:44 GMT
Is there neon lighting? Lots and lots of lighting?
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Post by kathryn on Oct 10, 2018 8:39:54 GMT
I'm curious - since this production was going to go into the Globe, had Emma Rice continued there - how do you guys think it would have worked in that space?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2018 8:46:40 GMT
Reading about the book, that sounds EVEN weirder, with a lot more incest. The book is a thing of absolute beauty; the sort you really wish you could read for the first time over and over again. |
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Post by zahidf on Oct 10, 2018 9:02:27 GMT
I'm curious - since this production was going to go into the Globe, had Emma Rice continued there - how do you guys think it would have worked in that space? I think it would have worked the same as her other stuff did. There is a revolving set, which would have been different, but I think there may have been more crowd interaction anyway
Certainly lighting in it!
I liked it , but I think it will be somewhat of a marmite production. its very stylistic. If you liked the book, they do cut a LOT out of it, but the weirdness would be the same
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Post by zahidf on Oct 10, 2018 9:05:29 GMT
A lot of people were made uncomfortable by the ending
Oh, the music and songs are wonderful as well, and I liked the cross casting and role changing
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Post by barelyathletic on Oct 10, 2018 12:30:55 GMT
Reading about the book, that sounds EVEN weirder, with a lot more incest. The book is a thing of absolute beauty; the sort you really wish you could read for the first time over and over again. Agreed. The book is fabulous. Going on Thursday expecting this, at best, to be an entertaining mess though. Hoping to be pleasantly surprised. |
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Post by Dr Tom on Oct 10, 2018 12:36:41 GMT
Assume you mean second row, LOL. Row A (at second price) only went in just before the first preview. The perils of writing on a phone. Second row, yes! I only had half a seat in front of me, so it was absolutely fine (and the seat at the end of Row B had no one in front). |
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Post by showgirl on Oct 10, 2018 16:00:28 GMT
Reading about the book, that sounds EVEN weirder, with a lot more incest. The book is a thing of absolute beauty; the sort you really wish you could read for the first time over and over again. That is however a matter of opinion; having tried and failed with a few famous works by various authors, I have absolutely no patience with magic realism and cannot see the point of it. It simply makes me angry precisely because it is so unrealistic and there's nothing magical or realistic about it for me. Still, at least that means I wasn't planning to see this so am not too concerned about mixed reports... |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2018 19:20:02 GMT
A musical about incest. That is a niche.
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Post by westendcub on Oct 10, 2018 21:48:24 GMT
I attended this show this evening on £10 PEC preview with a great seat in row B Dress Circle.
So I have never read or even heard about the book so went into this knowing nothing and I did spend the first 20-30 mins feeling I was watching a surreal end of pier show but with neat flushes of theatre but it sucked me in when more story took shape & the gender/diversity fluid nature of character playing different characters.
There’s some charm to this & it is definitely a very different show.
I wasn’t completely spellbound but enjoyed it!!
Many many people they know the book & lots of excited buzz when leaving the theatre.
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Post by crowblack on Oct 10, 2018 22:00:29 GMT
Any more news on the tour? I saw several southern venues mentioned but nowhere north apart from York. I have issues with Angela Carter's work (a woman writer who doesn't come across as particularly feminist) but would still like to see it. I have an OV ticket but not in much of a travelling mood at the mo.
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Post by Cardinal Pirelli on Oct 10, 2018 22:02:33 GMT
Any more news on the tour? I saw several southern venues mentioned but nowhere north apart from York. Home, Manchester, last week in February. |
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Post by david on Oct 10, 2018 22:03:20 GMT
Any more news on the tour? I saw several southern venues mentioned but nowhere north apart from York. It’s at the Chester story house next march 19th to the 23rd. |
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Post by crowblack on Oct 10, 2018 22:05:51 GMT
Great, thanks - I wonder if I can swap my OV ticket for that? (Thinks - probably not!) |
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Post by artea on Oct 11, 2018 8:36:21 GMT
The book is a thing of absolute beauty; the sort you really wish you could read for the first time over and over again. That is however a matter of opinion; having tried and failed with a few famous works by various authors, I have absolutely no patience with magic realism and cannot see the point of it. It simply makes me angry precisely because it is so unrealistic and there's nothing magical or realistic about it for me. Still, at least that means I wasn't planning to see this so am not too concerned about mixed reports... I'm generally with Showgirl on "magic realism" but recommend Radio 4's new production of Angela Carter's <A href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bkqcqh">Nights at the Circus</a>. "The fantastical story of Sophie Fevvers - aerialist extraordinaire and star of the music hall. Hatched from an egg, Fevvers is part woman, part bird - if you believe her." 2 hours long in 2 parts. I've only listed to part 1 so far but it is a really good, convincing telling of a fascinating story. Only 11 days left to listen on iPlayer. For a different side of Angela Carter also on Radio 4 iPlayer for 11 more days: <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bknc4b">The Christchurch Murder.</a> "The world premiere of Angela Carter's unmade screenplay, based on the real life murder that took place in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1954". It has a fantastical side in the sense that you can't quite believe it's happening - it really shouldn't but does and the logic is faultless. It's quietly gripping, unsettling. Superb. 2 hours. The term magic realism was apparently "first used by German art critic Franz Roh in 1925" and helpfully a free exhibition of some of the paintings for which the term was coined has just opened at Tate Modern. This is also excellent. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2018 8:46:37 GMT
It's interesting, I never thought of Wise Children as magic realism.
I've tried three times to get through Satanic Verses based on the extent that people rave about it and I've now decided that life is too short!
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Post by bellboard27 on Oct 11, 2018 11:01:22 GMT
A musical about incest. That is a niche No, that is a niece. And at least it keeps things in the family. About time. Others have been a disappointment. For example, I found Sister Act did not live up to expectations in this regard. |
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Post by Cardinal Pirelli on Oct 11, 2018 11:06:22 GMT
That is however a matter of opinion; having tried and failed with a few famous works by various authors, I have absolutely no patience with magic realism and cannot see the point of it. It simply makes me angry precisely because it is so unrealistic and there's nothing magical or realistic about it for me. Still, at least that means I wasn't planning to see this so am not too concerned about mixed reports... I'm generally with Showgirl on "magic realism" but recommend Radio 4's new production of Angela Carter's <A href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bkqcqh">Nights at the Circus</a>. "The fantastical story of Sophie Fevvers - aerialist extraordinaire and star of the music hall. Hatched from an egg, Fevvers is part woman, part bird - if you believe her." 2 hours long in 2 parts. I've only listed to part 1 so far but it is a really good, convincing telling of a fascinating story. Only 11 days left to listen on iPlayer. For a different side of Angela Carter also on Radio 4 iPlayer for 11 more days: <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bknc4b">The Christchurch Murder.</a> "The world premiere of Angela Carter's unmade screenplay, based on the real life murder that took place in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1954". It has a fantastical side in the sense that you can't quite believe it's happening - it really shouldn't but does and the logic is faultless. It's quietly gripping, unsettling. Superb. 2 hours. The term magic realism was apparently "first used by German art critic Franz Roh in 1925" and helpfully a free exhibition of some of the paintings for which the term was coined has just opened at Tate Modern. This is also excellent. Nights at the Circus was another great adaptation by Emma Rice (with Tom Morris) over a decade ago, she clearly finds an affinity with Carter.
As for Magic Realism, I'm a fan; my own stuff tend to drift towards that particular genre as well. Given the state of our actual reality, I can always do with a bit of magic.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2018 19:57:10 GMT
I have been a fan of Emma Rices other shows so was quite excited to see this and wasn’t too familiar with the book. Overall I was just a bit underwhelmed with it. Compared to her other shows something just fell flat with it and it didn’t have the same magic or charm as her other shows that I have seen. I enjoyed the first half more and it was enjoyable but not her best work. I didn’t feel for any of the characters. Didn’t really like all the send and incest parts either and the swearing felt a bit jarring. I liked the music and all the performances were sold as well as some nice comedy moments, the end of the pier show part being quite fun. And also that pitterpat stuff got very annoying. Despite my comments it was a fun night out but not the best.
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Post by foxa on Oct 11, 2018 20:59:27 GMT
I was excited for this and loved Romantics Anonymous, but like robadog, I was a bit underwhelmed too. It had all the ingredients but the souffle didn't rise.
For me, there were problems with some of the performances. I thought Gareth Snook was miscast as the older Dora Chance. While some of the other unconventional casting worked, that role was so important, and he was never engaging enough. There was no sisterly chemistry between him and Etta Murfitt and he didn't establish a real rapport with the audience - which given the amount of narration he had was an issue. Some of the jokes in the piece were well-worn (the end of the pier comedian's were meant to be old - but were everyone else's?) Some very dark themes (including incest, miscarriage, child abuse, disability) sat uneasily with some of the frothier elements. There were some charming performances, particularly Melissa James and Omari Douglas as the Showgirl twins and Sam Archer as Young Peregrine, but others sections felt messy, not in a good way. (It was a preview so that may improve - certainly things like the red wig that fell off will be sorted!) You could feel the piece straining for magic, with an excellent use of projections at one point and a gorgeous acoustic version of 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' but it didn't quite make it.
However - it may well lift off. This is a passion project of Emma Rice's (she writes about it brilliantly in the programme) and I would love for this to work.
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Post by pochard on Oct 12, 2018 17:50:45 GMT
Totally agree with robadog and foxa . I read the book very recently, having somehow missed out on Angela Carter probably because I too associated her with magic realism although Wise Children really isn't. I approached this feeling really curious because I just couldn't think how you could make a play out of such a packed novel (as opposed to a tv series which I could see really working.) It feels to me like a story that if you can't get it all in, there doesn't seem to be a point of just doing *some* of it - the glory is in all the detail. On the other hand, all the Shakespearian themes would obviously work really well. I felt optimistic after the first half (and loved the showgirls) but then it fell flat for me in the second part and seemed like a bit of a succession of events. There were a couple of good renditions of songs but I would have liked more of a feeling of time passing. I preferred Gareth Snooks to his sister but agree that they didn't feel like a pair. I saw the second preview so it may well have a bit of a journey ahead & it would be good to see it again much further down the line.
And also I think I may have misread the book in one particular plot point unless the production has changed it significantly (though I would bet money on me getting things wrong..)
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Oct 14, 2018 9:16:11 GMT
£5 tickets for press night on Wednesday
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Post by showgirl on Oct 14, 2018 9:34:57 GMT
Hah, was just going to post that - desperation or what? As they don't normally do this.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Oct 14, 2018 10:02:36 GMT
Hah, was just going to post that - desperation or what? As they don't normally do this. Many theatre managers are looking very nervously at this. The co-producers have invested heavily and need it to sell. Otherwise ACE and lots of regional theatres have put their money behind a project that will not have succeeded in attracting the crowds. Lots of regional theatres could have a significant gap in their revenue streams if this does not generate audiences. Angela Carter has fans. But this does not have the immediate market appeal of Brief Encounter. Worried faces all around |
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Oct 14, 2018 10:07:37 GMT
Hah, was just going to post that - desperation or what? As they don't normally do this. Actually I’ve seen them do this for press nights of other shows to get a full house - it’s just the upper circle and dress circle slips they have on offer |
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