Yerma - Young Vic / Cinema

Just got back from seeing this today and - unusually - I agree with Parsley's comments from last year but not his recent ones. It was a tour de force from Billie Piper and I jumped to my feet for her at the end but as for the play... Bloody hell, what awful people! A lifestyle blogger and her globetrotting husband desperate for a baby to complete their scandi-chic lifestyle in a posh London postcode. Sorry, but they lost me within the first few minutes as they discussed the quality of the champers in their local shops. Their relationship did not convince, and potentially interesting threads - the abortion, the blog about her sister's miscarriage - were not really explored. I just didn't have any empathy with the characters or their mileu - they are not the sort of people I'd want to spend 5 minutes with socially (and I daresay they'd feel the same about me) and I didn't find them interesting enough to care whether they managed to breed or not.

The staging didn't help matters - the fish tank was too seamlessly chic and clinical, creating a disconnect between actors and audience. I felt I might as well have been watching it on TV as live. At the curtain call, from the actors' expressions, I wondered whether they could see us at all, or were they like performers in one of those mirrored sex booths?

This was the last of the shows I saw of my London trip, having seen the matinee yesterday (5th August). I thoroughly enjoyed it, and have none of the issues mentioned above. In fact, I found that the 1 hour 40 minutes absolutely flew by, and I was completely engaged throughout. In fact, it could have been longer for me. I wanted to spend more time in that world.

Bilie Piper's central performance is indeed stunning. I know she has turned into a very successful actress, but who knew she could act like that. I am neither a woman, nor particularly want children, but completely empathised with her plight. I was shocked and emotional, and there were moments I had shivers running down my spine at what she was doing on stage. The rest of the cast complemented her perfectly.

It was a very stylish production, and I loved the use of sudden lighting and blackouts. The episodic nature and use of chapters worked well for me, even though I usually prefer something more "continuous". I liked the use of the "fish tank", even if I didn't understand what it was trying to say.

All that being said, something was still missing for me. I don't know what it was, but I was expecting to be more bowled over than I ultimately was. Whether it was just I went in with unattainable expectations based on most of the reviews on here and elsewhere, I don't know.

Still, a four star production.

Glass walls integral to the production so they'll have to do it with them, am sure they can work that.
I think from past conversations on here it was thought/known that the productions they are going to screen are decided to advance and announced so they couldn't just be dropped due to poor reviews. I assume there must be some sort of balance to what they choose rather than just what they think will be popular although yes that must be part of it. Equally I assume those involved have to agree to the live screening? Or the leads anyway so that could be another reason. 

You can see the ntlives at the nt archives and of course the quality is great unlike the usual static videos of all other productions.

For me just as good second time around with the added bonus that this time round no one ate their evening meal next to me. And play text for £4, what's not to like!

Well. I wonder how they change the scenes in the dark so quickly without tripping over something. It was marvellous. Don't think I'd like to be the person responsible for cleaning those windows every night though. The amount of Windolene they must go through.

Other than that, I hated it. Billie Piper was very good and she certainly Rose to the occasion (I thank you) but oh, the character. I couldn't muster any sympathy for her in the slightest and therefore, I couldn't wait for the tale to end. No wonder Galileo buggered off on trips abroad as much as he did. Brendan Cowell was smashing I thought, in what was probably the more difficult part.

The baby stole the show for me though.

Just returned a ticket for tomorrow evening -stalls A46.
Someone will get lucky!

6:45 start at the cinema tonight, I assume there must be preamble?

Does the actual play start at 7 then?

I know what you mean about the music. The scene changes were ingenious but I grew slightly impatient with the blackouts and the music after a while. Still, Billie played a blinder with a tricky part and I really believed her gradual descent into madness (maybe the final scene apart). I wonder if that is the end of the road for this production?

I don't think it is. Isn't there talk of it doing a limited run next year at St Ann's Warehouse? It's the end of the road for it in London as it's not possible to transfer it due to the set and the staging, plus the fact Billie Piper puts her family ahead of her career (and good for her), so doesn't want to do long runs in theatre. Not that I think you could do long runs of a performance this intense without it taking a toll. 

I swore, having seen it last year, I wouldn't go back and see it again as once was enough for a performance and a play like this. But a friend offered me his spare ticket and I thought "oh who am I kidding?" so I went the night before the NT Live and it was every bit as phenomenal as the first time around. And even knowing where it was headed didn't make it any easier to watch. The final scenes are just gut punch after gut punch. Really astonishing. 

Yes, too few whippets in the production for it to achieve a wider success.