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Post by craig on Nov 25, 2021 11:02:41 GMT
The reviews have made me think I might quite like it tbh! Sounds like a hoot.
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Post by Forrest on Nov 25, 2021 11:50:06 GMT
I cancelled my ticket for this and got credit back (no questions asked). If I feel like seeing it, might still go for the cheapest rush tickets.
Kind of disappointed by the bad reviews, though: was looking forward to seeing Shaun Evans on stage.
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Post by Boob on Nov 25, 2021 18:02:48 GMT
It’s definitely better than Damned by Despair, if only by being weird enough (or even possibly bad enough) to avoid total boredom. I honestly wish I'd seen Damned by Despair, sounds like a complete car crash of a play! Sadly, when I saw it, they had cut the running time by over an hour and all the special effects (fire, I think). It really wasn’t a case of so bad it’s good. |
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Post by dlevi on Nov 26, 2021 10:07:23 GMT
My perspective may still be pandemic-skewed, but I liked this a lot more than the following at the NT: Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, Exit the King, I’m Not Running, When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other, etc. I think that says more about Rufus's track record than anything else. He's seriously in over his head there, he can't be having a good time and the Board can't be too pleased either. I think they should just call Indhu and get her over there as soon as possible. |
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Post by bordeaux on Nov 26, 2021 11:34:41 GMT
My perspective may still be pandemic-skewed, but I liked this a lot more than the following at the NT: Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, Exit the King, I’m Not Running, When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other, etc. I think that says more about Rufus's track record than anything else. He's seriously in over his head there, he can't be having a good time and the Board can't be too pleased either. I think they should just call Indhu and get her over there as soon as possible. Marianne Elliott would be my choice. You need more of a track record of big productions at big theatres than Indhu has. |
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Post by youngoffender on Nov 26, 2021 20:33:19 GMT
Sam Mendes wouldn't be cheap, but his record of artistic and commercial success is what the NT needs right now.
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Post by dlevi on Nov 26, 2021 22:47:32 GMT
I think that says more about Rufus's track record than anything else. He's seriously in over his head there, he can't be having a good time and the Board can't be too pleased either. I think they should just call Indhu and get her over there as soon as possible. Marianne Elliott would be my choice. You need more of a track record of big productions at big theatres than Indhu has. You're absolutely right - but she's formed her own production company with significant backing and might be enjoying that - and I think they'll be an uproar if they don't choose a woman for the job. Since Indhu has really done wonders with turning the Kiln around as opposed to someone such as Josie O'Rourke who drove audiences away from the Donmar or Vicky Featherstone who seems far more interested in doing the "right" thing as opposed to a "good" thing - I think Indhu has a shot. But Marinanne Elliott would be the first choice. |
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Post by bordeaux on Nov 27, 2021 10:23:05 GMT
Sam Mendes wouldn't be cheap, but his record of artistic and commercial success is what the NT needs right now. True, but his film career is probably his priority, with the occasional prestige theatre engagement once every two or three years. Which is a shame. |
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Post by craig on Nov 27, 2021 12:42:58 GMT
The Nash really is in a right old MESS under Norris.
That said, Small Island was a big old hit, Follies was one to remember, and Hex is selling very well.
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Post by tmesis on Nov 28, 2021 21:33:59 GMT
Saw this yesterday - a nice set and some good performances (particularly Shaun Evans) but the play is absolute rubbish. Another duff evening at NT.
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Post by partytentdown on Nov 28, 2021 23:10:09 GMT
I've decided. I'm going to stop booking here until I hear what people think. I keep booking shows when they are announced only to go through the rigmarole of hearing how bad they and having to get a credit voucher. When I was younger I'd take a punt on most things even if word of mouth wasn't great, now I have a 'life's too short' policy.
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Post by showgirl on Nov 29, 2021 4:42:50 GMT
I do know what you mean, partytentdown . As it is I think I'm very selective and only book for new NT productions which sound like my sort of thing - so a single play only from the latest season - but even so, this is looking like my 3rd return in as many months and at this rate it won't be worth continuing to fork out for membership. I'll wait a bit longer with this one but am due to see it in about 10 days so need to decide soon; also to find a replacement matinee if I do cancel as I have other bookings around it now. |
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Post by david on Dec 1, 2021 16:34:57 GMT
I’ll admit I was in two minds after reading the online reviews about whether to watch this or not, but out of sheer curiosity I decided to keep my £20 stalls ticket and give this a watch to see if the reviews were fair or not. It seems talking to a few people around me had a similar idea to myself. Ok, after the 2.5 hours, it’s no theatrical masterpiece but certainly it kept me entertained. It’s a great set design with some nice performances, but with plenty of cringeworthy moments and jokes that are so bad you can’t help but laugh at. It’s not the car crash I was expecting but had wished it had dealt with the subject issue of extremism in more depth than how it was handled here.
I’d say it’s a 2⭐️ show.
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Post by kathryn on Dec 2, 2021 14:02:49 GMT
Agreed, it is not nearly as bad as the reviews made out.
I mean, it’s not good - it doesn’t live up to its ‘darkly comedic’ description, it doesn’t really have dramatic tension, and the preaching is heavy-handed - but it’s no Damned By Despair. You can see what it is trying to do, it just doesn’t do it very well.
Set and lighting are lovely, performances are fine-to-meh.
I didn’t lose the will to live.
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Post by zahidf on Dec 2, 2021 14:13:12 GMT
Its the length really. 2.5 hours is too long for a badly review play. If it was 90 minutes or under, I may have given it a chance for the £10 Friday rush!
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Post by partytentdown on Dec 2, 2021 17:11:06 GMT
I was surprised to see this play {Spoiler - click to view}
listed on a popular papering site. Has the NT ever done that before? Sales must be dire. |
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Post by jgblunners on Dec 2, 2021 17:24:40 GMT
I was surprised to see this play {Spoiler - click to view}
listed on a popular papering site. Has the NT ever done that before? Sales must be dire. Yes it has happened before - most recently for The Normal Heart. |
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Post by rosencrantz on Dec 2, 2021 19:04:00 GMT
I was surprised to see this play {Spoiler - click to view}
listed on a popular papering site. Has the NT ever done that before? Sales must be dire. What’s the website? |
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Post by Dave B on Dec 3, 2021 0:08:36 GMT
I was surprised to see this play {Spoiler - click to view}
listed on a popular papering site. Has the NT ever done that before? Sales must be dire. Several of the recent NT plays have been listed and/or on the top member/private listing emails.
Then again, there is very little that hasn't been on such a listing for the past few months.
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Post by jgblunners on Dec 3, 2021 11:55:51 GMT
I saw the play last night and agree with the reviews - it is really very bad. I feel sorry for the cast, who are trying very hard to find some depth to their characters despite the woeful text that they have to work with. It's mind-boggling that this made it all the way to the stage at the NT without someone flagging up a concern. Perhaps I'm over-estimating the bureaucracy at the NT, but I imagine there must be a whole chain of people who had to read this play prior to it being programmed, and who then had to check in on rehearsals and report back to Norris or the board. How did they not see the problems with this play?!
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Post by lynette on Dec 3, 2021 13:44:56 GMT
I saw the play last night and agree with the reviews - it is really very bad. I feel sorry for the cast, who are trying very hard to find some depth to their characters despite the woeful text that they have to work with. It's mind-boggling that this made it all the way to the stage at the NT without someone flagging up a concern. Perhaps I'm over-estimating the bureaucracy at the NT, but I imagine there must be a whole chain of people who had to read this play prior to it being programmed, and who then had to check in on rehearsals and report back to Norris or the board. How did they not see the problems with this play?! Happens a lot. I often wonder why nobody sits at the back early on and just delivers the truth. I remember that wonderfully bad Antony and Cleopatra. One sitting at the back of the stalls would have revealed all. And that’s a good play! |
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Post by cavocado on Dec 4, 2021 11:30:06 GMT
I saw the play last night and agree with the reviews - it is really very bad. I feel sorry for the cast, who are trying very hard to find some depth to their characters despite the woeful text that they have to work with. It's mind-boggling that this made it all the way to the stage at the NT without someone flagging up a concern. Perhaps I'm over-estimating the bureaucracy at the NT, but I imagine there must be a whole chain of people who had to read this play prior to it being programmed, and who then had to check in on rehearsals and report back to Norris or the board. How did they not see the problems with this play?! Happens a lot. I often wonder why nobody sits at the back early on and just delivers the truth. I remember that wonderfully bad Antony and Cleopatra. One sitting at the back of the stalls would have revealed all. And that’s a good play! It's directed by Moira Buffini's sister, and maybe Norris was too busy working on his wife's musical. I dunno, maybe working with relatives isn't always a great idea... |
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Post by londonpostie on Dec 4, 2021 11:43:00 GMT
They've had some time to get this right; NT press release of Nov 2019 had this originally sceduled for early April 2020.
If Hex goes south, Rufus may well find he has more time to spend with his lyrics.
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Post by Jan on Dec 5, 2021 15:39:30 GMT
I saw the play last night and agree with the reviews - it is really very bad. I feel sorry for the cast, who are trying very hard to find some depth to their characters despite the woeful text that they have to work with. It's mind-boggling that this made it all the way to the stage at the NT without someone flagging up a concern. Perhaps I'm over-estimating the bureaucracy at the NT, but I imagine there must be a whole chain of people who had to read this play prior to it being programmed, and who then had to check in on rehearsals and report back to Norris or the board. How did they not see the problems with this play?! Happens a lot. I often wonder why nobody sits at the back early on and just delivers the truth. I remember that wonderfully bad Antony and Cleopatra. One sitting at the back of the stalls would have revealed all. And that’s a good play! I can think of occasions where all of the previous NT directors intervened during rehearsals to try to avert a disaster. Also situations like Nicholas Hytner stopping employing Katie Mitchell after she failed to follow his guidance to stage things that people in the circle could actually see and hear. But I’ve never heard of any similar situation with Norris - maybe he’s too nice and/or reluctant to offend. |
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Post by lynette on Dec 6, 2021 18:50:39 GMT
Happens a lot. I often wonder why nobody sits at the back early on and just delivers the truth. I remember that wonderfully bad Antony and Cleopatra. One sitting at the back of the stalls would have revealed all. And that’s a good play! I can think of occasions where all of the previous NT directors intervened during rehearsals to try to avert a disaster. Also situations like Nicholas Hytner stopping employing Katie Mitchell after she failed to follow his guidance to stage things that people in the circle could actually see and hear. But I’ve never heard of any similar situation with Norris - maybe he’s too nice and/or reluctant to offend. Made me laugh. I couldn’t see or hear her stuff from the front stalls. |
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