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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2019 8:01:38 GMT
I didn't think she was forgetting her lines - that was the character she is playing, an old slightly rambling lady looking back on difficult events, not quite looking at them squarely, not quite telling the truth and justifying herself and what she did and didn't do. It starts off by talking about difficulties with memory. And striking that at the end, when she talks about only telling the truth up to a point to the Russians, the not quite truth she told them about how close she was to Goebbels is now what she is telling herself. A very interesting, subtle piece, very similar to the whole German narrative in the first couple of decades after the war (nobody knew, nobody could have done anything, when contempory accounts show overwhelmingly that the first at least is untrue). Quite pedestrianly written in the main though, which is a shame. Being charitable, maybe that's deliberate - to reinforce that she is a run of the mill person and it's average people like all of us that keeps bad things and bad people going. What would you have done in her place, can you really judge her, etc.
I was front row and it was amazing to watch such an incredible performance so close up. She was completely natural and fully in character, and the minute changes of expression conveyed huge amounts. She also looked completely in control and relaxed, which is why I don't think she was struggling with her lines- she looked all over it like a rash to me.
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Post by tmesis on Apr 7, 2019 8:25:15 GMT
I so totally agree @abby - she was on top of the script. It was actually quite funny how she teases the audience in this regard, saying something like 'I've lost the thread there' and the delivery is so naturalistic that to begin with you're not sure if she is asking for a prompt but you realise it's all in character - the character of a very old lady reminiscing with some bits recalled with pin sharp clarity and others bits forgetful and a bit confused.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2019 9:02:49 GMT
Can anyone comment on her accent?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2019 9:19:40 GMT
Can anyone comment on her accent? Just her normal voice, thank God - no Allo Allo style accents! |
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Post by Snciole on Apr 7, 2019 9:44:24 GMT
It wasn't the work of a woman who had been off stage for 12 years and has forgotten what to do. She was in command of her lines and her character but it is just a shame there isn't a but more oomf to it. Smith is an actress that finds gold amongst the muck. Hampton may have been suggesting that just a normal, boring young woman got caught in this and her revelation at the end made me wonder what else she was hiding from us.
There were some interesting sections, like losing her thread and going off topic when fancy aspects of her life she didn't want to consider, like what happened to Jewish friends in her life but my partner felt the whole "This COULD never happen again" felt a bit contrived.
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Post by londonpostie on Apr 7, 2019 11:01:48 GMT
I've just booked for tomorrow night - a view of the side of DMS in the Stalls for £15. Seems to be the only performance with tickets, about 20 remaining all at £15.
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Post by talkingheads on Apr 7, 2019 12:17:35 GMT
Out of interest is anybody here considering stage dooring for this one? (Just to be clear I'm not, all I want to do is see her act and be part of the inevitable standing ovation at the end).
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Post by couldileaveyou on Apr 7, 2019 12:56:03 GMT
I saw it last night as well, and I can only second all the praises for DMS, who really delivers a great, formidable, matter-of-fact performance with no self-indulgence nor histrionism. She just sat there for 100 minutes and talked and talked and talked, and I never wanted her to stop. If I could I'd go see every single performance of the run, it's a mammoth task and she goes through it wonderfully without ever falling in the pathos or bathos that a topic like this could evoke.
The staging is interesting and clever, but frankly with such a storyteller you don't really need that sort of gimmick to make it work, and I suspect that people with the lowest and highest seat numbers will end up seeing only the back of her head as the evening progresses. She also tends to talk a lot to the left side of the stalls (good for me I was there!), so I wonder if people sitting on higher levels might feel cut out a bit. The front row seats look like a true bargain, especially in the central block.
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Post by tmesis on Apr 7, 2019 13:13:49 GMT
I was surprised to see a fair number of empty seats in the stalls last night - I would guesstimate around 20 - 30.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2019 14:07:09 GMT
I was surprised to see a fair number of empty seats in the stalls last night - I would guesstimate around 20 - 30. Well, much of the Bridge Theatre's core audience is of an age where booking too far in advance is a bit of a leap of faith. |
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Post by Fleance on Apr 7, 2019 14:34:00 GMT
I was surprised to see a fair number of empty seats in the stalls last night - I would guesstimate around 20 - 30. Well, much of the Bridge Theatre's core audience is of an age where booking too far in advance is a bit of a leap of faith. I've been to the Bridge four times and have found the audience to be quite diverse, age-wise. The neighbourhood is in fact quite youthful, and that helps populate the audience. (Although I live in the neighbourhood when I'm in London, and I'm not so youthful.) |
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Post by d'James on Apr 7, 2019 16:21:50 GMT
I was surprised to see a fair number of empty seats in the stalls last night - I would guesstimate around 20 - 30. Well, much of the Bridge Theatre's core audience is of an age where booking too far in advance is a bit of a leap of faith.  |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2019 22:13:58 GMT
Can anyone comment on her accent? Just her normal voice, thank God - no Allo Allo style accents! I’m so glad you knew exactly what I was getting at! |
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on Apr 8, 2019 13:37:57 GMT
Let's hope Maggie is available to sign programmes at the stage door.
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Post by gmoneyoutlaw on Apr 8, 2019 13:44:44 GMT
Let's hope Maggie is available to sign programmes at the stage door. From what I heard DMS does not do the stage door. I've also heard that she does not understand why anyone would want to meet her. I've also heard that meeting her is not a pleasant experience as she will belittle you. If any of this is true please let me know. I've only had one opportunity to meet her and because of the comments above, I chose not too. |
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Post by alicechallice on Apr 8, 2019 13:52:27 GMT
Let's hope Maggie is available to sign programmes at the stage door. I didn't know Richard E. Can't was on this forum! I bet her bark is worse than her bite. |
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on Apr 8, 2019 14:00:49 GMT
I've also heard that meeting her is not a pleasant experience as she will belittle you. I didn't know Richard E. Can't was on this forum! I bet her bark is worse than her bite. Well i'll try later in the week anyway. I consider myself to be a nice person so unlikely to cause much offence! |
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Post by n1david on Apr 8, 2019 14:20:13 GMT
Let's hope Maggie is available to sign programmes at the stage door. From what I heard DMS does not do the stage door. I've also heard that she does not understand why anyone would want to meet her. I've also heard that meeting her is not a pleasant experience as she will belittle you. If any of this is true please let me know. I've only had one opportunity to meet her and because of the comments above, I chose not too. I sat next to her at the NT watching her son in Oslo. I was too scared to even say how much I respected her work. |
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Post by alicechallice on Apr 8, 2019 14:41:24 GMT
From what I heard DMS does not do the stage door. I've also heard that she does not understand why anyone would want to meet her. I've also heard that meeting her is not a pleasant experience as she will belittle you. If any of this is true please let me know. I've only had one opportunity to meet her and because of the comments above, I chose not too. I sat next to her at the NT watching her son in Oslo. I was too scared to even say how much I respected her work. I know where you're coming from. I could have spoken to Patricia Routledge last year but lost my nerve for the same reason, even though you could tell she was in quite a jolly mood. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2019 14:59:17 GMT
She's 85! Let her go home and put her feet up. I can't imagine how anyone could think hassling her at the stage door is acceptable. Let her keep her energy for the next audience not fending you off.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2019 15:18:11 GMT
Quite a few £15 (restricted view) seats added for 10th April.
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Post by Snciole on Apr 8, 2019 17:04:11 GMT
Let's hope Maggie is available to sign programmes at the stage door. From what I heard DMS does not do the stage door. I've also heard that she does not understand why anyone would want to meet her. I've also heard that meeting her is not a pleasant experience as she will belittle you. If any of this is true please let me know. I've only had one opportunity to meet her and because of the comments above, I chose not too. In my mind it is Patrica Quinn spreading these rumours. They are (literally a) Pat and Peggy from Eastenders. |
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Post by londonpostie on Apr 8, 2019 21:23:11 GMT
I'd say at least 95 minutes this evening, possibly 100. Not much history here you wouldn't understand better from an old episode of ATV's World At War (Olivier narrating) so perhaps a question might be how does it work as a vehicle. It's pretty folksy - a lot of 'you knows' - but there are sections where DMS gets into her stride and that is impressive to see.
It struck me tonight this format probably isn't my cup of tea (felt similarly after Sea Wall) so if I sound slightly underwhelmed it's no reflection on DMS or the production.
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Post by mrbluesky on Apr 9, 2019 17:26:01 GMT
I too was there last night. It's a long one, considering it's a monologue, but DMS holds the audience in the palm of her hand. Despite her brilliance, the play could do with a lot of work. As has been echoed upthread, if DMS were not involved, I doubt it would have been programmed.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2019 19:05:14 GMT
I too was there last night. It's a long one, considering it's a monologue, but DMS holds the audience in the palm of her hand. Despite her brilliance, the play could do with a lot of work. As has been echoed upthread, if DMS were not involved, I doubt it would have been programmed. It’s a shame the material isn’t stronger... but let’s be honest: we’re going to see DMS. She could read the yellow pages from 1971 for all I care. |
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