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Post by Mark on Jan 17, 2022 12:54:37 GMT
www.parktheatre.co.uk/whats-on/clybourne-parkRuns 16th Mark to 23rd April Initial casting announced: JIM/ TOM - MICHAEL FOX KARL/ STEVE - ANDREW LANGTREE RUSS/ DAN - RICHARD LINTERN BEV/ KATHY - IMOGEN STUBBS ALBERT/ KEVIN - ERIC UNDERWOOD I saw this twice in the run back in 2011 at Wyndham's Theatre. An absolutely brilliant play. Winner of the Tony, Olivier and Pulitzer Prize.
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Post by craig on Jan 17, 2022 14:51:40 GMT
This was exceptional at the Wyndham's. I hope this production can scale the same heights!
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Post by youngoffender on Jan 18, 2022 15:03:49 GMT
Yes, I was thinking recently this was due a revival - the Wyndham's production was one of the best nights I have ever had in a theatre. I did wonder whether it might be seen as 'problematic' now, in the sense of a white playwright presuming to write about race, so kudos to the Park for seeing past this.
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Post by bordeaux on Jan 18, 2022 15:37:59 GMT
Yes, I was thinking recently this was due a revival - the Wyndham's production was one of the best nights I have ever had in a theatre. I did wonder whether it might be seen as 'problematic' now, in the sense of a white playwright presuming to write about race, so kudos to the Park for seeing past this. I remember really enjoying the piece - it is very funny among other things - but was fascinated to read Kwame Kwei-Armah's criticism of it in an interview with the Guardian a few years back (which I've just found again). For him the problem is that in the first scene people are saying that if you let black people in, it will ruin the neighbourhood, and of course then you see that years later the neighbourhood has been ruined. White flight leads to black blight. That is part of the message of the play, he claims. www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/feb/02/kwame-kwei-armah-center-stage |
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Post by lynette on Jan 18, 2022 20:29:08 GMT
Park did a play just recently about how communities move into a neighbourhood and then move out to be replaced by another community. So this is very much on same theme and if I remember correctly a very well written piece Did it win an Olivier? Kwame probably sorry he didn’t write it though he has written good stuff himself.
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Post by anthony40 on Jan 22, 2022 19:52:04 GMT
I love musicals, I really do and most of the time, primarily, this is what I see but sometimes (every now and then) I go and see a play and that's exactly what I did with Clybourne Par when it played at The Wyndams.
Wow! What a play! So powerful! I have never forgotten it!
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Post by matty on Mar 17, 2022 19:48:14 GMT
I saw the first preview of this last night and thought it was a great play. Not as funny as the marketing on the website made it out to be, but very powerful. One of the cast was off in Covid isolation, so the assistant director stepped in. She had a script with her, but she did really well. Had the director not announced it, she could have passed as a member of the company.
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Post by lonlad on Mar 18, 2022 1:05:23 GMT
Sounds great -- can you please report at all on the running time? Such a terrific play!
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Post by lonlad on Mar 18, 2022 17:02:19 GMT
Press night delayed due to COVID
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Post by tmesis on Mar 19, 2022 18:48:36 GMT
Despite Imogen Stubbs being off with Covid this was terrifically well played this afternoon. I never saw the original London run so have nothing to compare with but the audience were loving this today. Really tightly played for a preview. I was particularly impressed by Eric Underwood whom I have seen several times at the Royal Ballet but never in an acting role (is this his first?) Anyway he more than held his own and I look forward to seeing him in other acting roles (he's also incredibly handsome.)
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Post by Phantom of London on Mar 20, 2022 2:02:41 GMT
I saw this last night.
There is a reason why this became a Pulitzer, Tony and Olivier Award winning play and that is because the level of playwright is exceptional. I love theatre that takes me out of my comfort zone, this play certainly does that, by giving it to the white American middle class with both barrels subtlety and at times brazen, but still manages to get laugh out loud moments. This play has the best insult ever to be written for the stage.
When I saw this 11 years ago, it was one of the first plays I ever saw.
5 stars.
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Post by showgirl on Mar 20, 2022 5:52:17 GMT
Wondering whether I can justify a 3rd trip as I saw the original London production, then a touring version which I thought even better - or which at least I enjoyed more - but this new one sounds so good and I could certainly do with a safe theatrical bet atm after 2 duds on Thursday.
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Post by Dave B on Mar 30, 2022 9:04:11 GMT
I saw this on Monday evening and thought it was great. Funny, bitingly funny in places. Real intensity from the cast, sat in the front row felt like a bit of a powder keg at points. Certainly worth catching before it ends soon.
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Post by Mark on Mar 31, 2022 21:54:42 GMT
Very good this afternoon! I saw the original production twice at the Wyndhams and it was a joy to rediscover 10 years later. It didn’t quite have the impact of the original, although as we approached it I had remembered “that” punchline and it hit as well as ever.
I was at the side and was blocked quite a bit so I’d definitely go for a forward facing seat if possible. This play doesn’t really lend itself to anything other than head on blocking.
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Post by showgirl on Apr 1, 2022 4:37:38 GMT
Once I could see that all the reviews were very positive, I caved in and booked to see this for what will be my 3rd time (once for the original and a second time for the excellent tour) but am always too parsimonious to pay for anything other than a side stalls seat in the main house at the Park. So it's a shame to hear about the blocking and view. Do you think it would be the same on both sides, please, Mark? |
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Post by schuttep on Apr 1, 2022 13:00:36 GMT
The original production was, of course, at the Royal Court with Martin Freeman, Lucian Msamati and Sophie Thompson.
It was so brilliant I've booked to see it again at the Park.
I was in Chicage in 2019 and even visited Clybourne Street and the small Clybourne Park.
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Post by Dave B on Apr 1, 2022 13:16:44 GMT
I was sat at the side in A5 on Monday night and while yes, a forward seat would be best, I really didn't find much issue with the blocking and was quite happy with my seat/view.
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Post by jr on Apr 5, 2022 11:47:56 GMT
Having seen Downstate at the National and A raisin in the sun years ago at the Lyric (https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2005/feb/28/theatre), I was looking forward to this. Really enjoyed it. I found the first half more serious, though some people were laughing (far too much for my taste); the second half is funnier and faster. All the actors are fantastic. I had never seen Imogen Stubbs before, really impressed by her.
Will be seeing more plays by Bruce Norris for sure.
And it would be great to have a new production of A Raisin in the sun, even better at the same time with this one.
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Post by craig on Apr 14, 2022 17:21:06 GMT
Treated myself to a matinee ticket today and it’s well worth the trip up to Finsbury Park, which is unrecognisable from when I used to go there for Mardi Gras festivals every summer!
Lovely theatre and a very good production of this fantastic play. I thought it was played a little broad for such a small space but it’s a minor gripe. The whole cast were very good but Imogen Stubbs in particular was excellent.
The audience of mostly older white folk lapped it up, and there were laughs in places I found a bit uncomfortable during the first act, but it was good to see such an appreciative audience.
I thought the staging was very effective.
It wasn’t a patch on the West End production I saw, but a very worthwhile revival nonetheless.
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Post by david on Apr 21, 2022 17:20:36 GMT
My first time seeing CP this afternoon at the Park Theatre. Having booked it based on seeing Downstate at the NT, CP was a great watch. I’m glad I booked a head on stalls seat as the staging of it appears that the side stalls seat patrons do suffer with a lot of blocking in both acts. The cast of 7 did a great job and with plenty of biting humour present kept us all entertained. A great start to my London theatre trip.
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Post by kate8 on Apr 22, 2022 7:16:19 GMT
I was in a side seat for this and didn’t have any issues - felt like any seat in the theatre would have had a good view. I wasn’t familiar with the play before seeing it and enjoyed it a lot. Very well performed, and lots to think about.
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Post by thistimetomorrow on Apr 22, 2022 8:37:09 GMT
I saw in a side stalls seat and definitely suffered from actors blocking other actors. The lady in front of me was genuinely leaning about 90 degrees into her partner to see around the actors lol. Would definitely recommend a front facing seat.
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Post by theatrescribe on Apr 22, 2022 17:55:36 GMT
Saw this last night and I thought it was superb - best thing I've seen for ages. Andrew Langtree's characters were enjoyably hateable - really good performance from him
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Post by craig on Apr 22, 2022 22:50:07 GMT
Saw this last night and I thought it was superb - best thing I've seen for ages. Andrew Langtree's characters were enjoyably hateable - really good performance from him Yes, he was excellent. |
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Post by vickyg on Apr 23, 2022 17:52:29 GMT
Saw the matinee this afternoon. First time seeing the play and my first time at Park Theatre even though I’ve lived in Finsbury Park for 18 months now.
A great first experience of both! Lovely bar and the upstairs bar was not crowded, great seat for £22.50 (side view, closest to the wall in the circle, excellent view of everything happening) and brilliant, hilarious, upsetting, thought provoking production.
I went with my housemates who are infrequent theatre goers and they loved it too. All in all an excellent afternoon!
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