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Post by oxfordsimon on Dec 18, 2023 22:26:45 GMT
Her track record at the RSC is hardly stellar.
The Empress is the only production to have been well received.
Her Don John didn't land well and the version of Cymbeline was a failure.
There is a place for her style of theatre. But the RSC hasn't been a natural fit for her in the past and I don't see any reason why this return would be any different.
I hope she isn't doing a main house Shakespeare production.
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Post by Jan on Dec 19, 2023 7:32:49 GMT
Her track record at the RSC is hardly stellar. The Empress is the only production to have been well received. Her Don John didn't land well and the version of Cymbeline was a failure. There is a place for her style of theatre. But the RSC hasn't been a natural fit for her in the past and I don't see any reason why this return would be any different. I hope she isn't doing a main house Shakespeare production. She's one of those innovative small company directors who build up a cult following amongst some of her contemporaries when they are all young and then gets work on the back of that when they are in positions of influence. There are other examples like Nancy Meckler, Mike Alfreds, Peter Gill. I 'd forgotten that Cymbeline played at the RSC. It was quite something. Every single line of Shakespeare replaced by lines of doggerel written by Rice and co. However, I think some of her achingly middle class adaptations of old films and the like might do well at the RST. Let's see. |
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Post by kate8 on Dec 20, 2023 8:32:11 GMT
I wonder if she’s doing a Christmas show along the lines of Baghdad Cafe or Wise Children. I don’t understand her style, it feels all surface spectacle and visual jokes, at the expense of deep understanding of the original text or characters. But I saw those two shows with friends who loved the spectacle, so obviously just not my style. I can imagine her doing an adaptation/rewrite of a Jacobethan play that would fit the Swan for Christmas, as Fair Maid is doing.
If that’s the case, I hope we’ll also have some actual Shakespeare contemporary plays from the new regime. I enjoyed Fair Maid - it was fun and well-performed. But it’s sad that the RSC’s first Shakespeare contemporary play post-Covid is an almost complete rewrite.
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Post by Jan on Dec 20, 2023 9:00:45 GMT
If that’s the case, I hope we’ll also have some actual Shakespeare contemporary plays from the new regime. I enjoyed Fair Maid - it was fun and well-performed. But it’s sad that the RSC’s first Shakespeare contemporary play post-Covid is an almost complete rewrite. oxfordsimon - Did you see the Trevor Nunn production of Fair Maid that opened the Swan ? It was one of the best things I have ever seen. It showed that you don't necessarily have to rewrite plays like that (although he combined the two plays into one with his normal massively long running time). |
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Post by barelyathletic on Dec 20, 2023 10:24:50 GMT
If that’s the case, I hope we’ll also have some actual Shakespeare contemporary plays from the new regime. I enjoyed Fair Maid - it was fun and well-performed. But it’s sad that the RSC’s first Shakespeare contemporary play post-Covid is an almost complete rewrite. oxfordsimon - Did you see the Trevor Nunn production of Fair Maid that opened the Swan ? It was one of the best things I have ever seen. It showed that you don't necessarily have to rewrite plays like that (although he combined the two plays into one with his normal massively long running time). I saw it and remember it still as a fantastic evening of theatre. Imelda Staunton and Sean Bean in a brilliant, buccaneering romp of a play. It was great fun in its original form. Not sure what updating would add to it but possibly, if it's done well, it will be different but still fun. Her last play. The Grand Old Opera House Hotel. left me cold however. |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Dec 20, 2023 13:50:12 GMT
If that’s the case, I hope we’ll also have some actual Shakespeare contemporary plays from the new regime. I enjoyed Fair Maid - it was fun and well-performed. But it’s sad that the RSC’s first Shakespeare contemporary play post-Covid is an almost complete rewrite. oxfordsimon - Did you see the Trevor Nunn production of Fair Maid that opened the Swan ? It was one of the best things I have ever seen. It showed that you don't necessarily have to rewrite plays like that (although he combined the two plays into one with his normal massively long running time). That was before I was attending plays under my own steam so missed it. I know the current production is far removed from the original but they are not claiming that it is anything other than a complete reimagining. There is space for both approaches assuming they are done well |
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Post by kate8 on Dec 20, 2023 18:03:21 GMT
I agree there’s space for both, but I wish the RSC was doing both. I believe the new ADs’ first season is being announced in January, so am keeping my fingers crossed.
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Post by cirque on Jan 14, 2024 23:07:18 GMT
Tuesday
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Post by zahidf on Jan 15, 2024 9:01:45 GMT
Fair Maid of the West transfer news?
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Post by showgirl on Jan 15, 2024 12:36:31 GMT
Fair Maid of the West transfer news? If only, as tube strikes caused me to cancel my Stratford-upon-Avon trip & Cowbois, which I did see there, then transferred. But for 2 consecutive Swan productions to transfer would be unusual, surely? |
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Post by cirque on Jan 15, 2024 12:48:11 GMT
New season
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Post by kate8 on Jan 15, 2024 19:13:32 GMT
Looking forward to hearing what the new ADs have planned. They sent a video to members last month saying something like how excited they are by the people and places involved in the new season. So I hope that means one or two big names and either The Other Place reopening or a London season. Hopefully we’ll find out tomorrow 🤞🤞
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Post by theatrenerd on Jan 15, 2024 20:36:01 GMT
9.30am tomorrow according to their IG and Twitter/X
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Post by zahidf on Jan 16, 2024 9:48:50 GMT
Emma Rice adaptation of Buddha of Suburbia
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Post by theatrenerd on Jan 16, 2024 10:29:03 GMT
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Post by crabtree on Jan 16, 2024 10:42:05 GMT
Like any interesting should be there are a combination of 'heck, I must rush to book that' and'no thanks, but thanks anyway'. Good to have a rollicking 18th century comedy again.
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Post by lichtie on Jan 16, 2024 11:02:59 GMT
Interesting that they've resurrected the outside theatre for a brief run. And that they are continuing the trend of using the Other Place for the somewhat leftfield material in short runs.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jan 16, 2024 11:15:42 GMT
Pleasantly surprised at the quantity of Shakespeare. An encouraging start.
Dead chuffed for Joe and Joe getting a high profile commission.
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Post by Mark on Jan 16, 2024 12:03:40 GMT
English is an absolutely fantastic play. Hope it eventually makes it to London.
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Post by alicechallice on Jan 16, 2024 12:12:04 GMT
English is an absolutely fantastic play. Hope it eventually makes it to London. It's announced as a co-production with the Kiln, where it will transfer straight afterwards. |
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Post by sweets7 on Jan 16, 2024 12:12:16 GMT
Looks really interesting. A lot on. I went to see The Comedy of Errors outdoors a couple of Septembers ago but before that I was really uninspired by a lot at the RSC for a number of years. Did enjoy Love Labourers duo when it was on there some 9 years ago now.? So I will go to see Loves Labour and maybe Scandal.
They have let go of course casting then? Or maybe just bigger names do one. Hamlet though. I mean I’ve seen it so much it’s white noise now. Goold back though.
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Post by David J on Jan 16, 2024 12:19:14 GMT
Yeah, that's an announcement all right.
Lots of Shakespeare. Even a ballet production of Romeo and Juliet, I wonder how that's going to look like on the thrust stage. A nice mixture of plays in The Swan. Might have been nice to see some more contemporaries but Daniel Evans heading Edward II is a start. Even a Ukranian language production of King Lear in the The Other Place.
And Daniel Evans has managed to get some names over to Stratford - Luke Thompson, Alfred Molina, Samantha Spiro, Stephen Daldry and Rupert Goold's back directing Luke Thallon as Hamlet.
It's just a question of whether these productions prove to be better than the uninspired output under Doran and Whyman. Only time will tell.
And I hope Evans and Harvey keeps this up in future years. I also hope they keep filming these productions and release on DVD.
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Post by Dave B on Jan 16, 2024 12:31:57 GMT
And Daniel Evans has managed to get some names over to Stratford - Luke Thompson, Alfred Molina, Samantha Spiro, Stephen Daldry and Rupert Goold's back directing Luke Thallon as Hamlet. What have I missed in here, what is Alfred Molina doing? Ta! |
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Post by alicechallice on Jan 16, 2024 12:32:50 GMT
And Daniel Evans has managed to get some names over to Stratford - Luke Thompson, Alfred Molina, Samantha Spiro, Stephen Daldry and Rupert Goold's back directing Luke Thallon as Hamlet. What have I missed in here, what is Alfred Molina doing? Ta! I think poster has confused with Alfred Enoch... |
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Post by David J on Jan 16, 2024 12:36:29 GMT
Yeah sorry Alfred Enoch
And to be clear it's not as though we're getting Ian McKellen, Judi Dench and Patrick Stewart back but still actor's known in theatre circles and further afield that hopefully will get people in. And if the productions are great then hopefully good word of mouth will attract more.
But I'm trying not to be too optimistic. Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey still have their work cut out to get the RSC out of the rut it's been in the past few years.
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