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Post by Deleted on Aug 24, 2019 17:39:38 GMT
Coincidentally I just looked in the script in the NT bookshop, the spoiler is meant to be (according to the stage directions) neither what it was, nor the alternative obvious option. (Hopefully that's vague enough not to need tags, but makes sense to you!)
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Post by Deleted on Aug 24, 2019 17:55:56 GMT
Coincidentally I just looked in the script in the NT bookshop, the spoiler is meant to be (according to the stage directions) neither what it was, nor the alternative obvious option. (Hopefully that's vague enough not to need tags, but makes sense to you!) I just managed to get a look at it. Interestingly, it does raise the issue (so it’s clearly important to the writer), yet the choice made here is not what is written....... |
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Post by edi on Aug 24, 2019 19:13:20 GMT
I've just booked a £10 seat for 21st September. Perhaps other dates also have seats at that price .. Thanks for this. I've just booked £10 tickets for the 23rd Sept. This is my first time in the Donmar, I hope the circle side row C view is good, the price is too good so I am a bit worried it will be restricted. |
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Post by david on Aug 24, 2019 19:28:15 GMT
I've just booked a £10 seat for 21st September. Perhaps other dates also have seats at that price .. Thanks for this. I've just booked £10 tickets for the 23rd Sept. This is my first time in the Donmar, I hope the circle side row C view is good, the price is too good so I am a bit worried it will be restricted. I’ve always booked in the side circle row C and have found them to be great value for a tenner. I generally go low numbers side. You might miss a bit in the left hand corner at times but generally I haven’t found this to be a major issue. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 24, 2019 20:09:12 GMT
Thanks for this. I've just booked £10 tickets for the 23rd Sept. This is my first time in the Donmar, I hope the circle side row C view is good, the price is too good so I am a bit worried it will be restricted. Normally fine as long as the director and set designer have done their jobs properly! You will miss the edge of the stage immediately below you but normally the action will be staged mainly in the middle of the stage. The seats are high (bar stool height) so you have a good view over the rows in front as long as people don't lean too far forward. Great for £10 and far better than that price would imply! |
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Post by jadnoop on Aug 25, 2019 0:48:09 GMT
Wow. This was an thought-provoking, funny and very dense piece and well worth a watch.
Set in the estate of an ex-plantation in Southern USA, the play was about family relationships, secrets & lies, the stories we tell ourselves and, most of all, how much our past defines who we are. Add to this a smidge of the gothic/supernatural and, in less capable hands, the play might easily have crumbled under the weight of the subject matters. However, this piece just flew along, propelled by a well-balanced sense of humour, universally excellent performances and a wonderful design. In many ways this felt like an interesting counterpoint to Annie Baker’s excellent John at the NT a couple of years ago.
If I have one reservation about the play it was the choice & treatment of Frank’s secret past. No spoilers but, for me, the topic was just too big to be pushed into a play already bulging at the seams. And, frankly, the way that it finally came to light (through a misunderstanding straight from a bawdy comedy) felt like a tonal misstep. However, this was a minor niggle in an otherwise great play.
All in all this was very good. For me, it didn’t quite reach the inventive and exciting heights of An Octoroon, but still very highly recommended. You’ll walk out with lots to discuss.
A final comment on seating. The stage is framed by two large-ish columns on either side. The people seated in the leftmost seats in the stalls (41/42) clearly missed important bits (when actors were towards the back of the stage you could see them trying & failing to look around the column on their side).
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Post by Stephen on Aug 26, 2019 13:41:50 GMT
I have now booked which means I'm asking my usual spolier tag worthy loud noises question. What have we got in this one?
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 26, 2019 14:03:11 GMT
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Post by Fleance on Aug 26, 2019 15:22:01 GMT
There seems to be a lot of flames at the Donmar this season. The whole set went up in flames at the end of Europe. I was sitting in the front row and could feel the heat. And there are a lot of lit candles in Appropriate.
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Post by londonpostie on Aug 27, 2019 18:11:28 GMT
I dunno. Been pondering this for almost 24-hours. I've got a £10 seat for later in the run, it might be an idea to go back. Fwiw, Act 1 felt pretty tremendous; a powerful 50-minues or so flew past, excellent pace, great introductions, contemporary relevant set up. Some great ideas here.
the idea of a unmarked slave cemetery bringing down the sale value of inherited wealth is the most hilarious example of white privilege.
Also, the thought that a KKK leader needed to have better social skills (than their father demonstrated) killed me.
There were certainly others.
I was a little disappointed with the pivot into 'Sins of the Father' territory .. And tbh, personally I'm now less interested in the insanity of US-scale racism - have things altered very much in decades? - than some newer socio-political developments in Europe. Also, I doubt too many in the audience were shaken by the revelation much of the friction in families is caused by money and 'victimhood' status.
I guess I missed a lot. I shall return! |
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Post by Fleance on Aug 27, 2019 19:34:03 GMT
I dunno. Been pondering this for almost 24-hours. I've got a £10 seat for later in the run, it might be an idea to go back. I liked the play, though not as much as the author's Gloria, which was on at the Hampstead not too long ago. {Spoiler - click to view}
Regarding the cemetery affecting the price, I assumed that it was because it would be considered hallowed ground, which would restrict development of the property. |
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Post by londonpostie on Aug 27, 2019 19:42:00 GMT
The cost of removal? I *think* that was mentioned. It felt like a wry observation of broader matters. |
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Post by jvoom on Aug 27, 2019 20:49:25 GMT
Are there a lot of jump scares? Sounds like a very interesting play but I'm an awfully big baby so I thought it best to ask before I book
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Post by zahidf on Aug 27, 2019 21:10:42 GMT
I thought this was great. Very funny, and had some real bite and vitriol with the family dysfunction, which was good to see. Very subtle with the racism stuff I thought as well in terms of leaving it obvious but open ended.
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Post by n1david on Aug 29, 2019 23:01:18 GMT
I thought this was pretty exceptional tonight. Monica Dolan gave a bravura performance, but all the actors were strong. I believed that all these characters were real people rather than stereotypes.
Lots to talk about afterwards, I understand some of the concerns about one of the big plot reveals but I do think it was signalled earlier.
I'll be surprised if this isn't in my Top 10 at the end of the year.
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Post by lichtie on Aug 31, 2019 9:33:19 GMT
I did enjoy this, but do wonder if we'd be paying it so much attention if it wasn't for the race angle. Otherwise, it's a fairly typical US dysfunctional family drama...
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Post by David J on Aug 31, 2019 21:51:16 GMT
Really enjoyed this. The racism angle was not forced but left to hang over this well written dysfunctional family drama with top notch performances
A few drawbacks. Franks big reveal was hinted at so I saw it coming, but I agree it was a bigger issue that didn’t fit in with the play. Also Ive seen the whole “character does something he thinks will heal everybody but unknowingly screws them” plot thread enough that i saw it telegraphed. It almost turned too comical as I listened to Franks long speech in the second act wanting him to get to the big kicker already. All that was missing was a “wa wa waaaa” when it came
Oh and the ending snapshots didn’t add much for me. Thought Jaimi Barbakoff and Steven Mackintosh’s moment in the last scene was an appropriate moment rather than further supernatursl stuff
Otherwise another great new play. Hope the Donmar keeps up the good work
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Post by londonpostie on Aug 31, 2019 22:05:01 GMT
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Post by David J on Aug 31, 2019 23:39:06 GMT
Anything that started elsewhere but premieres here I consider new. Same for how the oliviers awards give musicals and plays like come from away the best new award I mean you’ve got to give some leeway to some of the finest new work of the decade that we brits haven’t have the privilege of seeing until now The only rule I personally apply is if a piece is over 10 years old when it finally arrives here, it’s not new. And 10 years is stretching it. So I am consider say Falsettos at the other palace a revival |
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Post by Phantom of London on Sept 1, 2019 0:54:10 GMT
Are there a lot of jump scares? Sounds like a very interesting play but I'm an awfully big baby so I thought it best to ask before I book The end of this you might feel a bit jumpy. {Spoiler - click to view}
At end frequent black outs, with part of the ceiling falling in and chandelier coming down. |
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Post by foxa on Sept 6, 2019 22:59:23 GMT
I really enjoyed this. Aspects of the set-up are familiar: family gathering of siblings; settling of old scores; memories and secrets - but some brutally funny scenes (one which will stick with me for a long time) and terrific performances.
That two of Brandon-Jenkins' plays - this and the very different but also very powerful Octoroon - premiered in the same year is pretty amazing.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2019 7:07:12 GMT
Agree with all the positivity above, this is excellent. Great start by Longhurst in his first two plays Also agree with this... A final comment on seating. The stage is framed by two large-ish columns on either side. The people seated in the leftmost seats in the stalls (41/42) clearly missed important bits (when actors were towards the back of the stage you could see them trying & failing to look around the column on their side). I was 3 seats from the edge which was fine, but the two people to the side of me had problems. Really careless set design and staging, unnecessarily creating a restricted view both with the pillars and Monica Dolan delivering her big final speech standing up the stairs. Similar problems with the design of "Europe". |
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Post by londonpostie on Sept 15, 2019 7:53:23 GMT
For those who have also seen it, would you think about answering a question I can't: Is there something about this production that prevents it from being written at any point in the last 40 years?
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Post by andrew on Sept 15, 2019 20:44:36 GMT
For those who have also seen it, would you think about answering a question I can't: Is there something about this production that prevents it from being written at any point in the last 40 years? Depends what you mean, the characters reference and use modern technology, so probably not? |
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Post by londonpostie on Sept 15, 2019 21:13:25 GMT
Ah, good point. Thanks andrew From what I can recall there could be workarounds, though how female cousin reconnected with black sheep brother would need serious *re-imagining*. I was thinking about racism, family, anything about identity politics I missed/forgot, those broader themes. The structural stuff, if you will ... |
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