491 posts
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Post by djdan14 on Apr 25, 2019 13:58:14 GMT
Anyone know the warnings for this show? Gunshots etc
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630 posts
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Post by jamb0r on Apr 26, 2019 9:22:44 GMT
Just noticed row A are available for £15 direct from ATG for tonight. Maybe putting unsold day seats online? Also TodayTix rush offered me row B for £15.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2019 10:09:22 GMT
Looking at the booking site I reckon they've closed the circle for tonight - loads of seats in the stalls suddenly unavailable and you can't select the circle from the seating plan.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2019 10:11:43 GMT
Row F stalls (not the restricted edge seats) for £15 in the TodayTix rush today!
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Post by joem on Apr 27, 2019 10:15:33 GMT
Last saw this with Corin Redgrave. Definitely going to see my mate Gilez.
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Post by jamb0r on Apr 27, 2019 12:49:49 GMT
Row F stalls (not the restricted edge seats) for £15 in the TodayTix rush today! I got row B for the matinee today. Looking forward to it! |
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Post by wannabedirector on Apr 27, 2019 17:08:22 GMT
Saw the matinee today, was quite empty, the circle was closed and there were empty seats in the stalls. I was in the back row, I got my tickets through that todaytix offer, but could’ve easily moved forward, but the view and the legroom were fine from where I was. It’s a shame it was pretty empty, as the play is actually quite good. At 2 hours 20 minutes, it didn’t really drag and there are some good performances, notably from Hayley Atwell. I’d not seen nor read the play so I didn’t know what to expect, but I was surprised. It’s not too heavy, and the politics of it really speaks for our time. It’s not the best thing I’ve seen recently, but nonetheless I’m happy I saw it.
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Post by Snciole on Apr 27, 2019 18:13:31 GMT
I wonder why it is struggling. I thought this would be a must see. Full of names? Is it is a lack of familiarity with the source material? Too many must-see shows.
Personally, I have seen offers and been offered free tickets but I wasn't willing to cancel my night in for it. I thought I was just over my FOMO.
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3,578 posts
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Post by Rory on Apr 27, 2019 19:23:28 GMT
The set and lighting alone are sublime - like scenes from an Old Master. Just gorgeous.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Apr 27, 2019 19:47:35 GMT
Ibsen is often a tough sell in the commercial sector. Obscure Ibsen even more so.
If this had been done at the National, it probably would have found an audience more easily. But the ticket prices certainly didn't help this from the outset - further compounding the challenge of the title itself
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630 posts
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Post by jamb0r on Apr 27, 2019 19:58:06 GMT
I was also there this afternoon and thought this was brilliant. I’d never heard of this play before and decided to book based on the cast, and I wasn’t disappointed. Excellent performances all round (Hayley and Giles especially), amazing lighting and design an I was gripped by the story.
Definitely feel like I got my £15 worth, perfect view from row B too.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Apr 27, 2019 20:34:44 GMT
This has had so little advertising.. which is a shame as the poster is rather good.
The cast are not famous enough to excite anyone . Atwell is good but she’s done lots of theatre so it’s not an event.
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Post by Rory on Apr 27, 2019 21:23:17 GMT
I love the poster too.
I thought that the Strike series would generate a lot of interest as would the fact that Hayley Atwell is in the new Avengers movie and has her own Avengers series. Hopefully the reviews will be good and it will do well. Hats off to SFP for bringing Ibsen straight into the West End.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2019 22:04:39 GMT
I agree the prices for this were silly. They convinced me to hold off and wait for deals, and I was interested in several of the ‘names’ in it - goodness knows what effect it had on those who weren’t so fussed about the casting. Then again, I also thought Strike/Musketeers fandom would descend - but maybe not for Ibsen...?
Looks like it’s going to need good reviews to carry it through. Though that shouldn’t be a problem, based on what I saw today. I thought the acting was great. And while I never pay much attention to lighting etc, I liked the cool thing they did with the set at the end.
Seats wise, I pitched up 30 mins before the matinee and got F1 stalls for £30. (Could’ve got it cheaper still at Tkts, but the queue there was enormous so there would have been no chance of me getting the purchase made in time.) It’s sold as slightly restricted view - but I reckon I probably only missed one to two minutes of the whole show, and nothing important, so this is a bargain if you can get it at a reduced price. I don’t know if the high numbered seats have the same benefit - I’d say most of the action happens centre or right of stage (as you sit in the audience).
However I must admit to giggling slightly because a few times the characters spoke about family portraits on a wall I couldn’t see. All I could think of was The Play That Goes Wrong, where what’s meant to be a family portrait is actually a painting of a dog. Damn you Mischief Theatre! ;-)
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Post by bgarde on Apr 28, 2019 6:14:05 GMT
Yes, I'd really like to see this because it's an Ibsen I'm unfamiliar with but will take your tip and try for a day ticket instead - the online prices are ridiculous. Surely the discounts will start soon.
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Post by learfan on Apr 28, 2019 6:37:30 GMT
I wonder why it is struggling. I thought this would be a must see. Full of names? Is it is a lack of familiarity with the source material? Too many must-see shows. Personally, I have seen offers and been offered free tickets but I wasn't willing to cancel my night in for it. I thought I was just over my FOMO. Sadly im not surprised, its lesser known Ibsen and the cast while good isnt full of commercial names. I agree with other posters that if this had been at the National or Donmar it would be doing fine. Im going on 25 May, got a reasonable circle seat, sounds like i might be bumped. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2019 7:50:09 GMT
Agree this is excellent. Not a play I knew anything about and found it absolutely gripping! The political arguments seemed so topical it made me want to read the text to check how the original was.
Interesting to see a straightforward "traditional" version of a classic play - surpisingly rare these days I think. As others have said a bold move opening this straight in the West End. I think starting in a smaller theatre or outside London to get word of mouth going would have helped. Plus the ticket prices were originally crazy.
I got a band A seat for £15 in the TodayTix rush which was a bargain! Person picking up tickets in front of me had been upgraded to the stalls.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2019 12:15:30 GMT
I've read the text of Rosmersholm on Project Gutenberg - not sure when this dates from but it's translated by Robert Farquharson who died in 1945. Anyway, the core political / religious / moral argument of the play is all there in this version as in the new production. There are some differences though ... The fact that there's an election seems to have been invented by Duncan Macmillan - in the earlier version its more of a general political debate without the sense of urgency. This isn't a major point in the new version but it is a bit irritating that you get the impression the Ibsen play is more topical than it actually is! Act 2 (the scene in Rosmer's room) takes place in Rosmer's study rather than his bedroom, and it's early the following morning rather than late that night. The bit with the editor of The Lighthouse (or Searchlight in this version) is different - he's hinting he's aware of the situation with Rosmer and Rebecca and it feels close to blackmail. The bit about him deciding to not use Rosmer's endorsement when he finds he's lost his faith isn't there. Act 3 is very similar, but in the end scene (extra spoiler tag - I'm alluding to the ending!) it's the housekeeper rather than Kroll who observes what happens. And she stands there describing what's happening in detail, which is less effective than what we get in the current version Of course since the "original" I read is already a translation that may already have tweaked Ibsen, and MacMillan may have gone back to a literal translation and undone some of these tweaks. Fun fact - once they mentioned the full name of Rebecca West, I was thinking "Ooh, like the novelist!". In fact the novelist named herself after the Ibsen character! |
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Post by jamb0r on Apr 28, 2019 15:18:17 GMT
Thank you @xanderl - I was about to spend my Sunday afternoon doing the same research, but you've done it already!
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Post by kjb on Apr 29, 2019 10:26:50 GMT
I saw this on Saturday. It wasn't a play I was familiar with (or even aware of until it was announced to be honest!) I really enjoyed it. Great performances and set, and oh, so relevant to today.
It has to be said that the FOH staff now seem to allow glass into the auditorium. I get that it reduces the use of single use plastic and I am totally in support of that. However, is it REALLY necessary to take a bottle of wine in too, and so be subject to the scratching/scraping noise of the cap being screwed off, then the glug of wine being poured and the clink of glasses. 3 couples around me brought bottles of wine in from the bar. It was so distracting. I assumed that there was some sort of offer (buy 2 large glasses of wine and get the rest of the bottle for free) or something. But really? It's an hour until the interval when you can go and get a top up if needed. I hope this isn't encouraged elsewhere as it was really bloody annoying.
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Post by missthelma on May 1, 2019 18:25:34 GMT
Ah, there's nothing like a dose of Nordic melancholy for a Wednesday afternoon is there? I really liked this, obviously I am very biased towards Mr I as I'd rather watch his plays than say Chekov or Shakespeare, for some reason I find they speak to me far more. Even more than some contemporary writers. Go figure. This is very well staged production which felt a little bit rushed (2 hrs 20 min today) Someone was talking about it being 'abridged' on the way out. It felt very modern whilst still clearly being set in the 19th Century. It's quite depressing how so little has changed despite the 'progress' we have made. Perhaps crucially I wanted to know more about the characters and the events of the play (and the before events frequently alluded to). The lighting as mentioned by others is sublime especially in the last act where it's quite beautiful. The acting was all sound without perhaps being stellar, Tom Burke (who is not Tom Bateman as I only discovered last night) still seems a little unsure but that could be an acting choice as the character is quite torn. Hayley Atwell was impressive except in bits of Act 2 when she seemed to have occasional attacks of bobble head syndrome. Giles Terera etched out his character very well. I am actually tempted to see it again, a rare feeling from me. The stalls appeared almost full today, no idea about the rest.
{Spoiler - click to view}
My only issue, was with the incest reference, which was trampled all over today. Not knowing the play i had to look it up at home to see if that's what they had actually meant!! Any similar experiences of that scene? |
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Post by crowblack on May 1, 2019 18:44:16 GMT
I also thought Strike/Musketeers fandom would descend I wonder how much that kind of fandom (younger, more used to consuming stuff online at home or the local world of cine) translates to ticket sales, especially at these prices? For me, the prices were offputting. If it had been at the NT or YV I'd have booked. |
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Post by theatrefan77 on May 1, 2019 20:29:20 GMT
One other note for those there this afternoon - that dodgy lantern hanging upper circle stage left was a pain in the backside. Needs thumping. I was there this afternoon but didn't notice the lantern hanging upper circle stage left! Maybe it depends on where you sit. I was in the Dress Circle. Loved the play and the production. Giles Terera was excellent. Atwell and Burke also great. The reviews should be very good. |
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Post by david on May 1, 2019 20:36:13 GMT
Go high numbers not low first - slightly, very slightly, more view, and about row D or E is best bet. It's all played centrally anyway and it's all good. I was waiting for special offers for this so when you put the TicketMaster offer up on your site, I opted for stalls D16 a few days ago. Seems to be getting positive reviews so hopefully a nice evening at the theatre for my 40th birthday awaits. |
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Post by peggs on May 1, 2019 20:49:49 GMT
@theatremonkey that's twice in 5 days you have illuded me! I thought at first that light was lightening for the storm but no just iffy light. We had a mad laugher slowly driving me nuts. Didn't know the play but like Ibsen and find Hayley Atwell utterly captivating, neither disappointed.
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