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Post by jaggy on Jun 20, 2022 11:53:34 GMT
Reading over this thread while trying to decide whether or not to book a ticket. TGM is my favourite Tennessee Williams play, and the John Tiffany production we had in London a few years ago is still one of my favourite things I've ever seen, which imo really captured the memory play vibe and emotion. I seem to remember that it was filmed for archival purposes, but no idea if it can actually be viewed anywhere now. Interesting decision to use separate actors for Tom in this production, can anyone (in spoilers) go into a bit more detail about how they do it? It was archived by the V&A. The theatre archives are currently unavailable to the public until 2024 when the V&A archives reopen at a new location. Real shame. I’m desperate to see it. This production has the older actor playing Tom during the times the character breaks the fourth wall. The younger actor plays Tom during the scenes set in the past. They also have the older actor playing Tom linger around the stage, interacting with the other characters and reacting to what is going on.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Jun 20, 2022 11:59:55 GMT
Interesting decision to use separate actors for Tom in this production, can anyone (in spoilers) go into a bit more detail about how they do it? There isn't much to say tbh, there is the older Tom (Hilton) pacing around the stage and commenting like a reminiscening narrator while the younger Tom (Glynn-Carney) lives in the memory and interacts with the other characters. An audience that is not familiar with TGM wouldn't even notice that this is not how the play is usually done and it doesn't detract from the text as much as I feared it would. It also doesn't add anything. I saw it ten days ago from the front row and liked Amy Adams quite a bit, but I agree with what others have said, her performance is just too small for a West End theatre. If she had done it at the Donmar it would be much more succesfull and I'm sure she'd come actross very well if they National-Theatre-Lived it. Great actress, wrong medium. The staging is meh and Hilton was a bit embarassing. Considering that he's in a memory play he's extremely literal (eg, he says "Superman" and he makes a superman pose, he mentions a lightning and mimes a lightning hitting the stage). I don't know what went wrong, he could have just recycled his performance from The Inheritance. John Tiffany's production was superior in every single way.
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Post by inthenose on Jun 20, 2022 12:49:41 GMT
Interesting decision to use separate actors for Tom in this production, can anyone (in spoilers) go into a bit more detail about how they do it? There isn't much to say tbh, there is the older Tom (Hilton) pacing around the stage and commenting like a reminiscening narrator while the younger Tom (Glynn-Carney) lives in the memory and interacts with the other characters. An audience that is not familiar with TGM wouldn't even notice that this is not how the play is usually done and it doesn't detract from the text as much as I feared it would. It also doesn't add anything. I saw it ten days ago from the front row and liked Amy Adams quite a bit, but I agree with what others have said, her performance is just too small for a West End theatre. If she had done it at the Donmar it would be much more succesfull and I'm sure she'd come actross very well if they National-Theatre-Lived it. Great actress, wrong medium. The staging is meh and Hilton was a bit embarassing. Considering that he's in a memory play he's extremely literal (eg, he says "Superman" and he makes a superman pose, he mentions a lightning and mimes a lightning hitting the stage). I don't know what went wrong, he could have just recycled his performance from The Inheritance. John Tiffany's production was superior in every single way. That sounds rather like Jude Law's Hamlet (dir. Grandage) by the Donmar some years back. Polonius (I think? I'm not too hot on Shakespeare!) says something like "if like a crab you could walk backward" - I remember Law literally scuttling at one point. Sadly, no bright red costume with claws made an appearance. Miming out a metaphor or simile in literal terms surely destroys the very purpose of the bloody thing I was offered a very cheap ticket for this, but had to pass. I didn't enjoy it too much with Cherry Jones a few years back either - I just find the play a bit underwhelming and slight.
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Post by Mark on Jun 28, 2022 22:15:23 GMT
Went in with fairly low expectations after reading the reviews on here but came out pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it as much as last time, and in particular I thought act two was much stronger.
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Post by vdcni on Jun 29, 2022 12:25:42 GMT
Yeah I enjoyed it all in all. Thought Adams was good.
The main issue was the production. The older Tom just wasn't needed and I felt more distanced from the play as a result and I thought it weakened the role of Tom. Paul Hilton was left hanging around being a distraction.
The set was horrific, one of the worst I've ever seen.
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Post by joem on Jul 4, 2022 21:35:25 GMT
It was all right, made the play feel quite lightweight somehow. The two Toms conceit is unnecessary.
Much of the action seems to happen stage right so if you're in a box or side seat on the left you will have a restricted view for much of the play. And some of the spotlights, especially the huge one on the stage, cast a very off-putting light on the side of your vision. I didn't think the set looked bad, although it was rather cluttered, but the use of space was rather poor I thought with all the action concentrated on two or three smallish areas of the stage.
Haven't checked what theatre pedigree Amy Adams may have but she certainly put in a professional and quite impressive performance.
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Post by sph on Jul 5, 2022 21:57:05 GMT
For a well known play with a big star name I forgot this was even on! I haven't seen any advertising and I travel into central London daily. I haven't even heard any major buzz about it. It must just be ticking over nicely on its own.
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Post by greenswan on Jul 20, 2022 7:42:08 GMT
Watched this last night - lured by the aircon. Continues my recent run of mildly disappointing shows. Can recommend seats in the Royal Circle though (via rush).
Stage design is terrible - it feels like they put random clutter on the edges because they didn't know how to fill the space. Nothing is done with it thematically re the poverty. Videos are completely pointless.
Acting was ok - haven't seen Amy Adams in much, wouldn't go back to see her on stage. The first 20 minutes or so are especially quiet.
Didn't evoke any particular feeling re being a memory play, and weirdly, didn't transport any impression of heat or claustrophobia as would be expected. Rather than building to some inevitable climax it was all a bit of a damp squib.
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Post by tal on Jul 28, 2022 13:06:13 GMT
Watched this last night - lured by the aircon. Continues my recent run of mildly disappointing shows. Can recommend seats in the Royal Circle though (via rush). Stage design is terrible - it feels like they put random clutter on the edges because they didn't know how to fill the space. Nothing is done with it thematically re the poverty. Videos are completely pointless. Acting was ok - haven't seen Amy Adams in much, wouldn't go back to see her on stage. The first 20 minutes or so are especially quiet. Didn't evoke any particular feeling re being a memory play, and weirdly, didn't transport any impression of heat or claustrophobia as would be expected. Rather than building to some inevitable climax it was all a bit of a damp squib. Do you know how difficult the rush for this has been on TodayTix? I’m gonna try it next week.
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Post by Mark on Jul 28, 2022 13:18:51 GMT
When I went last month, I didn't get one in my basket initially, but it seems there was a second release around half an hour later and I got one midway back in the stalls.
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Post by tal on Jul 28, 2022 13:31:01 GMT
When I went last month, I didn't get one in my basket initially, but it seems there was a second release around half an hour later and I got one midway back in the stalls. That’s quite helpful. Thanks!
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Post by frauleinsallybowles on Jul 28, 2022 20:40:02 GMT
Watched this last night - lured by the aircon. Continues my recent run of mildly disappointing shows. Can recommend seats in the Royal Circle though (via rush). Stage design is terrible - it feels like they put random clutter on the edges because they didn't know how to fill the space. Nothing is done with it thematically re the poverty. Videos are completely pointless. Acting was ok - haven't seen Amy Adams in much, wouldn't go back to see her on stage. The first 20 minutes or so are especially quiet. Didn't evoke any particular feeling re being a memory play, and weirdly, didn't transport any impression of heat or claustrophobia as would be expected. Rather than building to some inevitable climax it was all a bit of a damp squib. Do you know how difficult the rush for this has been on TodayTix? I’m gonna try it next week. Got a ticket in the centre of F in the stalls a few weeks ago. It was a Saturday matinee and initially was offered a seat in the stalls that wasn't as desirable - when I checked 1.5 hours before curtain I was able to snag the better seat. I think for performances that aren't selling as well they are releasing some great rush tickets close to the time of the performance. Really enjoyed this one on a side note. I'd never seen or read Glass Menagerie before, but I did read Williams's work in school. Not sure if it was a mix of reading mixed reviews or shelling out a low amount for a fab seat, but thought there were some very solid performances and, contrary to a lot of what was written on here, thought the design of the show worked really well. Loved the central modern space surrounded by the period decor, and thought the touches of neon and projection made for a very engaging visual experience.
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Post by Dave B on Jul 31, 2022 7:37:04 GMT
Rushed this yesterday for the matinee, very easy to get tickets and far from a full house.
We both enjoyed it, really liked a lot of the performances. Two understudies were both great, Brydie Service as Laura and in particular Phillip Olagoke as younger Tom. Very much agree with above thoughts on cluttered staging, found the view from front row right to be less than ideal, not sure why there was such a raised section of the stage - it took a while to realise that Hilton's Tom was around the stages and still taking part. I like that a lot actually, emphasises this is his memory when he is echoing the lines from his mother.
A large SO at the end but really just for the casting as while they were all good and we both enjoyed it a lot... not really that worthy - or maybe I'm a grumpy git.
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Post by ilovewemusicals on Aug 7, 2022 9:17:20 GMT
Last night I saw Hollywood star Amy Adams as Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie. Before the show starts, Amy and her fellow cast members sit at the side of the stage. Amy removes her coat to reveal her first costume and speaks to her fellow cast members. The play is a “memory” play, for it recounts the memories of Amanda’s son who remembers having to try and get his “crippled” sister married under the command of his mother. The crippled sister is played by Lizzie Annis who has cerebral palsy in real-life. For her professional stage debut, Lizzie oozed confidence and was moving to watch.
There are only five actors in the show. Amanda, her son (as the old man recounting what happened and the young man at the time of the events), her daughter and a gentleman caller. Everyone gets lots of stage time and dialogue to deliver. One entire scene is just between the daughter and the gentleman caller. Another between Amanda and her son when he was young. The older version of the son is like a puppeteer, keeping everything moving along.
Although the play was written in 1944, it tells of a mother’s desire to get her children good jobs and marriages; so is extremely relatable to both parents and children in the audience today.
I previously saw Cherry Jones as Amanda and Cherry got more laughs out of the script but Amy really got to the emotional heart of it. Her confidence and projection grew as the show progressed. Enchanted fans will be delighted when Adams says “Enchanted” and dances around in a flouncy dress whilst singing a few lines. The gentleman caller also refers to himself as “Superman”, other famous Adams films.
A great cast, a great play, I was transfixed.
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Post by floorshow on Aug 17, 2022 12:10:49 GMT
Saw this last night. Byrdie Service was on for Lizzie Annis, deserved her solo applause at the end.
Can't really see why this has been so marmitey. The casting is good with no obvious weak links. The production design isn't great though - so many opportunities to use light and sound missed and the few projections we got were pretty limp. Lots of laughs and appreciation for both Amy Adams and Tom Glynn-Carney, Amanda really coming to life once she's put on her old frock.
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Post by ruperto on Aug 18, 2022 7:27:44 GMT
I saw the matinee a few days ago - we had Byrdie Service on too, and she was great. I went in with fairly low expectations due to many of the reviews, but I really rather liked it. I thought the scenes between Amy Adams and Tom Glynn-Carney worked particularly well.
Maybe it was partly that it’s not a play I know at all, and it’s such a great piece of writing!
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