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Post by Mark on Sept 21, 2022 11:57:57 GMT
Brilliant! Will book to see it again ASAP. Nice to see the prices aren't extortionate, £51 for front row. theunfriend.com/Is that all performances? Wondering whether to book this now or whether there might be cheaper tickets in the new year. Worth waiting for sure. If nothing else will likely be a part of the New Year sale. |
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Post by jm25 on Sept 21, 2022 18:15:05 GMT
Let’s hope so. It’s a bit pricier than I think I’m willing to pay at the moment! Quite interested in this, though.
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Post by talkingheads on Sept 23, 2022 13:31:07 GMT
Brilliant! Will book to see it again ASAP. Nice to see the prices aren't extortionate, £51 for front row. theunfriend.com/Is that all performances? Wondering whether to book this now or whether there might be cheaper tickets in the new year. Ah, that does only seem to be for the first few, previews I imagine. Then up to £71. I'm going to wait for offers, there's bound to be some. |
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Post by Marwood on Sept 24, 2022 15:23:33 GMT
Brilliant! Will book to see it again ASAP. Nice to see the prices aren't extortionate, £51 for front row. theunfriend.com/Thanks, got a £16 ticket for the first Sunday afternoon show: didn’t feel eager enough to see it that I would pay £51 but something to look forward to. |
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Post by squidward on Sept 26, 2022 0:33:50 GMT
Wow. Those post-preview tickets are a ridiculous price. Even though the show has a great pedigree in both the cast and creatives, there are no ‘star’ names as such to attract a wide audience and I’d even go as far as saying that there are probably quite a few people out there that wouldn’t be familiar with the names in the cast at all.
The Criterion is one of the smaller WE theatres and the reasonably priced seats really are the worst seats in the house ( I’ve worked at the theatre so know the layout quite well).
I could be wrong, but in this current economic climate, however well reviewed the show may be, I think whoever is producing this may struggle to get bums on seats for four months at those over-inflated prices.
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Post by drmaplewood on Sept 26, 2022 8:18:00 GMT
Was looking forward to this but the inclusion of Frances Barber means I’m out.
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Post by talkingheads on Sept 26, 2022 14:11:57 GMT
Was looking forward to this but the inclusion of Frances Barber means I’m out. Out of interest what's wrong with Frances Barber? She's a great actress as far as I've seen in other things. |
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Post by Deal J on Sept 26, 2022 16:53:46 GMT
Take a look at her Twitter account and I’m sure you’ll get the gist. I used to love her too but her public comments have caused me to block her as I find them very uncomfortable reading.
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Post by Being Alive on Sept 28, 2022 14:03:59 GMT
Amen, I'd like to see this, but the inclusion of Barber means I'll be staying clear.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2022 21:46:02 GMT
Was looking forward to this but the inclusion of Frances Barber means I’m out. Out of interest what's wrong with Frances Barber? She's a great actress as far as I've seen in other things. She speaks out on women’s issues. (Or as others may feel, she speaks out on trans issues.) I totally understand if people aren’t comfortable going to see someone they disagree with, of course. Personally I’m boycotting anywhere/anyone pushing a radical trans agenda. Given the way things are in the arts at the moment, I bet I’m saving WAY more than those not seeing The Unfriend or Harry Potter… ;-) |
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Post by Deal J on Sept 29, 2022 2:07:58 GMT
My personal interpretation of her public tweets is that she speaks actively for one minority, and actively against another. I don’t agree that she speaks out on both, I feel she speaks for one and against another - even though in my opinion they don’t need to be mutually exclusive.
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Post by bordeaux on Sept 29, 2022 13:43:08 GMT
Was looking forward to this but the inclusion of Frances Barber means I’m out. Out of interest what's wrong with Frances Barber? She's a great actress as far as I've seen in other things. She doesn't believe male swimmers should be on women's swimming teams. She doesn't believe male rapists should be in women's prisons. She doesn't believe 15 year old girls with autism and mental health issues should be having double mastectomies because they think they're really boys, as happens in the US. Some people find those views offensive. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 29, 2022 14:56:38 GMT
People can go to her socials and find out for themselves what Frances Barber believes. I don’t think it’s necessary to read it here as interpreted by other people. Let’s get back to discussing the play please.
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Post by floorshow on Jan 15, 2023 17:29:25 GMT
Saw the matinee this afternoon, it's one set of french doors or maybe a reverend away from a farce but it's an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon.
Everyone on stage was on great form, it's got a pretty good laugh rate and the audience (bar the lazy front row) were on their feet at the end. Very refreshing after a run of Ibsen's, Chekov's etc.
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Post by david on Jan 15, 2023 22:42:42 GMT
After 2 heavy-going plays yesterday, it was great to end my London weekend with a nice relaxing comedy at the Criterion this afternoon. Overall, I really enjoyed this one from the pen of Steve Moffat (It was certainly better written than some of his Dr Who stuff). It was well written and acted by the cast with plenty of laughs to keep myself and the rest of today's audience thoroughly entertained for 2 hrs and with a well-deserved SO at the end.
Director Mark Gatiss got the pacing right to keep the humour flowing and I really enjoyed the entire cast. Watching it, it certainly had a sit-com feel to it and if had been on TV, it would have been something I would have watched. If any criticism is to be made, personally, I would of maybe of liked a little darker humour in the writing. Though what was written was very funny, particularly that scene in Act 2 that has been mentioned in an earlier post. There really isn't anything deep here, just a chance to have a great couple of hours in the theatre and a chance to switch your brain off.
I was sat in the stalls in M6, and despite being sat near the back under the DC, I really couldn't fault the view and didn't miss anything.
Talking of Mr M, he was kept busy this afternoon signing programmes in the interval alongside his note taking during the show.
A definite recommendation from me to get a ticket. Rating 4 stars.
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Post by hadeswasking on Jan 15, 2023 23:00:34 GMT
This sounds fun with a great cast (i dont know about any of the controversies). Going to try see more plays this year and might start off with this one when I'm down for my trip. Thanks for those who have shared their thoughts!
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7,179 posts
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Post by Jon on Jan 15, 2023 23:01:32 GMT
After 2 heavy-going plays yesterday, it was great to end my London weekend with a nice relaxing comedy at the Criterion this afternoon. Overall, I really enjoyed this one from the pen of Steve Moffatt (It was certainly better written than some of his Dr Who stuff). It was well written and acted by the cast with plenty of laughs to keep myself and the rest of today's audience thoroughly entertained for 2 hrs and with a well-deserved SO at the end. Director Mark Gatiss got the pacing right to keep the humour flowing and I really enjoyed the entire cast. Watching it, it certainly had a sit-com feel to it and if had been on TV, it would have been something I would have watched. If any criticism is to be made, personally, I would of maybe of liked a little darker humour in the writing. Though what was written was very funny, particularly that scene in Act 2 that has been mentioned in an earlier post. There really isn't anything deep here, just a chance to have a great couple of hours in the theatre and a chance to switch your brain off. I was sat in the stalls in M6, and despite being sat near the back under the DC, I really couldn't fault the view and didn't miss anything. Talking of Mr M, he was kept busy this afternoon signing programmes in the interval alongside his note taking during the show. A definite recommendation from me to get a ticket. Rating 4 stars. I'm not too surprised that The Unfriend has a sitcom feel given Steven Moffat created and wrote three sitcoms before he was involved in Doctor Who and Sherlock. |
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Post by Dr Tom on Jan 17, 2023 22:50:33 GMT
Booked for this on the day today with one of the cheap £11.50 seats in the back row of the Upper Circle. Apart from the odd leaner getting in the way, it’s an excellent view. Sound is clear too. Normally I hate being at the back, but for such a small theatre, it wasn’t a problem.
A much funnier play than I expected. Not everything hit, but there were more than enough laugh out loud moments. Definitely echoes of so many great British sitcoms and a lot of this felt like an extended episode of One Foot in the Grave. I loved that the house was #9. Acted well too. It’s not a classic play by any means, but it’s still the best play I’ve seen so far this year. Over in a snappy two hours too.
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Post by mkb on Jan 18, 2023 23:29:14 GMT
Plenty not laughing at tonight's show, which has me completely bamboozled. Fortunately, more were, including me. This was right on my wavelength, and I was laughing out loud from beginning to end, and had tears streaming down my face at points because it was so funny.
The comparison earlier with One Foot in the Grave is spot on. The humour, borne of ridiculous situations in everyday life, is very similar. It's also what might arise if Ayckbourn wrote an extended episode of Inside No. 9.
Frances Barber is superb as the unwelcome guest, which is not to detract from anyone else. It's a good all-round ensemble performance. Mark Gatiss's direction has the timings and positioning fine-tuned to perfection. The difference between a gag working and not is in those details, and Gatiss is masterful here.
I can't praise this enough. Two hours left me wanting more. A perfect tonic. My only complaint was that the interval was short and rushed.
Five stars.
Act 1: 19:31-20:31
Act 2: 20:47-21:27
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5,895 posts
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jan 19, 2023 22:46:33 GMT
Well I loved this. I laughed throughout and really enjoyed all of the performances. Frances Barber is genius in this, likewise Reese Shearsmith.
Can definitely see this becoming a real hit. I hope the reviews agree with me!
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Post by talkingheads on Jan 20, 2023 12:09:45 GMT
I loved this in Chichester, balked a little at the London prices but went for a £31 seat in the stalls in February. It says restricted view, but from what I can see it's right next to an £81 seat and the only loss is a tiny bit of the left wall.
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1,482 posts
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Post by mkb on Jan 20, 2023 13:10:28 GMT
Beware the reviews for this. As usual, the critics cannot help themselves but reveal key plot points. You will enjoy this so much more if you don't know anything. Sarah Crompton even reveals one of the best gags concerning the nickname for the titular character. I really do not understand this mindset where people set out to spoil things for others. It such lazy writing too, simply regurgitating material from the show.
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Post by Jon on Jan 20, 2023 14:21:44 GMT
Most of the reviews are positive apart from 1 or 2 but TBH I think it's going to sell based on the pedigree of everyone involved.
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Post by Marwood on Jan 20, 2023 21:48:55 GMT
Saw this tonight and have to say I just didn’t find it funny(unlike a lot of the people who seemed to be clapping and cheering for God knows what reason: maybe they’d been at the gin before it started): it was like an episode of 2point4 Children or My Family with a little bit of added swearing and a bit where a policeman has to take a dump (with ‘hilarious’ consequences) I was really disappointed with this, and can see why so few West End theatres try putting on comedies these days.
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Post by jamb0r on Jan 20, 2023 22:53:45 GMT
Looks like this is one of those rare shows that doesn't offer any kind of day seats/rush/lottery? Unless I'm missing something somewhere?
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