4,159 posts
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Post by HereForTheatre on Oct 14, 2019 20:49:40 GMT
On the two above posts, i agree that the intimate and physical moments between the two leads were quite chaste and with regards to the scene of the characters having sex, i rather expected that the window would light up or whatever and we actually see what the characters were doing behind there but unless i was just sitting in the wring angle and didn't see it, it didnt. Surely that was an obvious thing to do. But apparently not.
I also agree that some of the dialogue was plain weird and very much so seemed to just often be directionless pronouncements. I mean i never saw the film so i assumed that was just what the film was like?
That said i still really enjoyed it and think i'm going to see it again in Birmingham. Funnily enough one of the reasons i want to do this is to have another go without the audience spoiling it, so it seems it's a bit a theme with this show that the audience are a bit too audible with their reactions!
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3,102 posts
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Post by david on Oct 19, 2019 21:33:09 GMT
Had a visit to the now refurbished Leeds Playhouse for today’s matinee performance. The newly refurbished theatre looks great with plenty of bar and cafe space to rest up pre and post show. Having been to the Playhouse a fair few times when I was living in West Yorkshire, ironically, today was my first visit to the Courtyard Theatre within the Playhouse.
Having purchased a row B stalls seat for £14, I have to say this was excellent value for money (being up close to the stage without any sightline restrictions and having a brand new seat as part of the refurbishment was a bonus). I certainly I would sit here again for future productions.
As for the production itself, I loved the staging and lighting used and the use of the music by the Pet Shop Boys and the performances of Jonny Fines and Omar Malik were ones I really bought into this afternoon as Johnny and Omar. Thankfully we didn’t have anybody ruin the more intimate moments between the two guys or when they took their shirts off.
Certainly it was a worthwhile trip across the Pennines to see this production (even if they didn’t have any or had run out of programmes today 😡. Though we did get a free cast list).
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Post by Deleted on Oct 19, 2019 23:05:51 GMT
I went this afternoon too. I didn't enjoy it at all, felt it was really dull and soulless, and there was zero chemistry between the leads. Quite a lot of the dialogue was really clunky, and apart from the daughter, I had no idea why any of the characters were doing and saying what they did.
I was sitting in the side circle and hated the new seats. They're all diagonally placed with hardly any leg room and are really awkward to manoeuvre into. My friend is slim and found it awkward, I'm fatter and was really uncomfortable. Also you end up sitting behind each other. I found the stalls audience really distracting too as they were really quite lit up and were very visible from above throughout. The ushers were up and down constantly in the stalls, no idea what was going on but it was really distracting.
Overall I was very disappointed. Oh well.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 19, 2019 23:09:02 GMT
I've sat in these seats before, and they used to be in a long line next to each other and were far better spaced. Much too cramped now, I wouldn't sit there again (especially as apparently stalls front is cheaper! We paid £19!)
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3,102 posts
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Post by david on Oct 19, 2019 23:16:50 GMT
I've sat in these seats before, and they used to be in a long line next to each other and were far better spaced. Much too cramped now, I wouldn't sit there again (especially as apparently stalls front is cheaper! We paid £19!) I was going to book one of those £19 seats for Piaf next year. Based on your info, I might spend a bit more and get a stalls seat instead.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2019 9:39:27 GMT
I've sat in these seats before, and they used to be in a long line next to each other and were far better spaced. Much too cramped now, I wouldn't sit there again (especially as apparently stalls front is cheaper! We paid £19!) I was going to book one of those £19 seats for Piaf next year. Based on your info, I might spend a bit more and get a stalls seat instead.
I'd add that I'm 5'2 and my friend is maybe 5'4, and we both found the seats really tricky. If you're any taller than us then I imagine you'll have to fight to get your legs in.
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3,102 posts
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Post by david on Oct 20, 2019 14:25:12 GMT
I was going to book one of those £19 seats for Piaf next year. Based on your info, I might spend a bit more and get a stalls seat instead.
I'd add that I'm 5'2 and my friend is maybe 5'4, and we both found the seats really tricky. If you're any taller than us then I imagine you'll have to fight to get your legs in.
I’m 5’7 so I’ll think I’ll splash the cash and get a stalls seat.
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3,080 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Nov 2, 2019 12:10:21 GMT
Saw this last night in Coventry. I've no recollection of ever having seen the film.
This was performed well, perhaps a bit dated now, but it is of its time. The audience was excellent, all behaved. The only real "oooh" moment was people reaction to the spit scene. It seemed fairly full.
The Belgrade isn't that big a theatre and is well-designed, so decent views all around. I was on the front row (excellent value at under £10, but this is also one of the cheapest regional theatres). The stage is low, although you are inches away from it and the stage is wide, so some people may prefer to sit further back. It does also mean a lot of the front row get wet at the end when the cast channel their Singin' In The Rain style enthusiasm.
I didn't spot any programmes (they may have been there somewhere), but we did get a cast list on entry, which is always appreciated. All the leads were on and I didn't spot a weak link in the company.
Afterwards, there was a Q&A. Lots of questions. A huge amount centred on the relevance of the play today and how, although the word "Paki" is less likely to be shouted in the street, there are still cultural barriers and challenges in the wider world. The audience reaction was discussed, with the different ways audience respond to two men kissing etc. A lot of school groups have been to see the play. Neither Jonny nor Omar (the leads) had seen the film before workshopping and Jonny still hasn't seen it (Gordon has of course, as he starred in it). They consider the play better developed than the film. In the film, the female characters were afterthoughts, here they are more rounded, as a result of the cast workshopping the play and being actively involved sharing ideas during its development. Most of the dialogue and the scenes from the film are still there, but they have been rearranged a bit.
The only slight downside of staying for the Q&A was chaos on the railway afterwards, but I got home eventually.
This comes recommended. It isn't perfect, but works as it can with the source material. You can well imagine what the reaction to the film would have been like in the 1980s. Coventry is a perfect venue, but if you miss it, the tour concludes in Birmingham next week (no idea why they chose two venues so close together). And, as a bonus, both Jonny and Omar have been working out and look good with their tops off, if that's your sort of thing!
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474 posts
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Post by Deal J on Nov 4, 2019 12:39:33 GMT
I was at the Saturday matinee in Coventry. I was impressed with the scenery and lighting given it was in the B2 studio rather than the main house.
I asked the staff and it seems they aren't selling programmes, just giving out the cast lists. A shame really, as I like to collect the programmes and there weren't any biogs of the cast.
I really thought I'd enjoy this, but I too found a lot of the dialogue rather clunky. I thought there was a believable chemistry between the leads, but I was surprised there wasn't any major showdown - I thought the family found out about the relationship and disapproved, although maybe that's me wrongly remembering the film.
The new Tennant/Lowe material was great and they used quite a lot of the PSB back catalogue too. Nice little nod having a little poster of PSB in the background of the set.
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2,277 posts
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Post by theatreian on Nov 7, 2019 19:41:13 GMT
Enjoyed this when I saw it this afternoon at the Birmingham Rep. Thought it was well produced and some of the themes seem to be unfortunately familiar in todays Britain. Still a well acted and performed piece enhanced by the Pet Shop Boys snippets.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2019 2:10:11 GMT
Saw it tonight at Birmingham Rep, not having seen the film in many years it was an interesting story to revisit. The two leads were excellent and to see Gordon Warnecke as Papa was a great bit of casting. The prolific use of the P-Word may have been a bit uncomfortable for some audience members but it was to highlight the racism of some of the characters and the time.
Having Asian Actress Balvinder Sopal playing a far right Neo Nazi female was certainly colour blind casting and a stretch although she was excellent in the role and also in her other role as Omar's Aunt. Cathy Tyson playing an Asian in a headscarf and glasses kept reminding me of one of Meera Syal's many comedy characters.
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4,159 posts
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Post by HereForTheatre on Aug 29, 2020 17:13:38 GMT
Excited to be able to see this again. I've since familiarised myself with the film a bit more and so it will be interesting to see this again having now watched bits of the film.
Though having seen that I instantly know the play was far more chaste than the film, which was a surprise to me.
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