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Post by jamb0r on Jun 22, 2022 7:06:00 GMT
Really enjoyed this last night! The cast all uniformly excellent and I really enjoyed the story and fell in love with the characters.
Pretty tight for a preview, the only issues were quite a lot of props flying around all over the place and I’m not sure if the very end needs some rework? There was quite a long time before applause because it wasn’t overly clear that it was the end.
They’re doing some heavy discounting with dynamic pricing for this. Seats that are £125 later in the run were showing as £20 about an hour before the show last night.
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Post by alessia on Jun 22, 2022 9:56:05 GMT
Really? I don't understand dynamic pricing at all. I want to see this but will probably try Today Tix rush.
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1,407 posts
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Post by Dave B on Jun 22, 2022 10:05:57 GMT
They’re doing some heavy discounting with dynamic pricing for this. Seats that are £125 later in the run were showing as £20 about an hour before the show last night. Was this direct on the ATG website? I had hoped to get Rush tickets at some point but this would work nicely for us too. Thanks!
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615 posts
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Post by jamb0r on Jun 22, 2022 10:22:20 GMT
They’re doing some heavy discounting with dynamic pricing for this. Seats that are £125 later in the run were showing as £20 about an hour before the show last night. Was this direct on the ATG website? I had hoped to get Rush tickets at some point but this would work nicely for us too. Thanks! Yes it was! Row C in the circle was £20 at 6:30pm yesterday. Some others dotted around for £20 and £35 too.
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Post by lookingatthestars on Jun 22, 2022 14:39:33 GMT
Does anybody know if they will be offering day seats for this? Thanks.
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4,603 posts
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Post by Mark on Jun 22, 2022 14:46:41 GMT
Does anybody know if they will be offering day seats for this? Thanks. There is TodayTix rush for £25
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Post by alessia on Jun 22, 2022 15:16:34 GMT
BTW speaking of Rush Today Tix, what seats do you get, are they stalls? I noticed from the Theatremonkey pages that the front row isn't on sale, I was wondering if those are the rush seats?
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3,111 posts
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Post by david on Jun 23, 2022 16:57:13 GMT
After this afternoon’s viewing, I’m in the absolutely loved it camp. After my disappointing last visit to the Ambassadors to watch the Bartlett play, this was by far a more worthwhile afternoon spent here (despite getting a little leg cramp in the proces). I certainly got far more out of this play than the Bartlett one and thanks to dynamic pricing got a £35 ticket in row D of the circle which was great value seeing this fantastic cast on stage. Act 1 was just great seeing Pullman and Harbour’s verbal comic sparring and was just such a fun watch. Both actors for me nailed it in the line delivery and Pullman’s comedic acting is just worth the ticket price alone. There is plenty of dark humour present in this play (the ending to the first Act was top quality stuff) which if like me you enjoy then you will get a lot of this play Act 2 shifts in tone to a more serious one as we examine the relationship between the 3 siblings and their relationship with their dad and battles over money, property and their father. Thankfully there was still some comedy here to lighten the mood. For me the tonal shift worked well and the scenes with the siblings here is really powerful stuff, particularly between Pam and Michael. Steve noted that he thought that there where too many issues thrown into this play without any being fully explored. I’d certainly agree with that assessment. With strong performances across the board and a nice set, overall I’d definitely recommend getting a ticket for this if you can get one with dynamic pricing. It was great to see a near full auditorium this afternoon with plenty of U.S. visitors in attendance. Rating - 4⭐️
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Post by Mark on Jun 23, 2022 21:49:48 GMT
Glad to see so many forum members enjoying this one! The more I think about it the more I think how good it was.
I have a friend staying with me in August who is a huge Bill Pullman fab and I may be tempted to take her and see it again.
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Post by helso1 on Jun 24, 2022 10:11:12 GMT
Hi!
Just after people's thoughts on seating. I can get stalls row M seat 4 or circle row F seat 7 for the same price. Which do you think would offer the best view?
Many thanks :-)
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3,114 posts
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Post by Rory on Jun 24, 2022 10:18:01 GMT
In my past experience at this theatre, the stage is very high so I always book circle here.
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3,111 posts
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Post by david on Jun 24, 2022 10:22:15 GMT
Sat in the circle row D and was a great view. I sat in row F for the Bartlett play and also had a great view as well. Definitely circle seats for me.
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106 posts
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Post by helso1 on Jun 24, 2022 11:12:56 GMT
Excellent, thanks so much! Circle it is :-)
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Post by mkb on Jun 24, 2022 11:20:00 GMT
In my past experience at this theatre, the stage is very high so I always book circle here. Stage was low for The Shark is Broken, and front row Stalls offered an excellent view, so it varies from production to production.
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3,114 posts
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Post by Rory on Jun 24, 2022 11:36:02 GMT
In my past experience at this theatre, the stage is very high so I always book circle here. Stage was low for The Shark is Broken, and front row Stalls offered an excellent view, so it varies from production to production. Handy to know. I saw The Twilight Zone and it was the highest stage I'd ever seen!
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Post by karen13 on Jun 25, 2022 16:40:23 GMT
BTW speaking of Rush Today Tix, what seats do you get, are they stalls? I noticed from the Theatremonkey pages that the front row isn't on sale, I was wondering if those are the rush seats? I got a rush ticket in row G for the matinee today. It did offer me a seat in row A first but I cancelled and tried again to see if there was anything better and there was (the stage is quite high for this production).
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Post by edi on Jun 25, 2022 18:19:50 GMT
Anyone has report back on the stage hight from front row? Shark is broken wasn't that bad at all.
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Post by ncbears on Jun 26, 2022 17:16:36 GMT
Will post thoughts later, but I didnt look at cast board and wondered if that was truly Sinead Matthews as Pam for today’s gala/premiere because my issues with the play were how Pam was performed. I think it is a better play than she performed it. Pullman and Harbour and Henry were in top form
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Post by alessia on Jun 27, 2022 5:26:59 GMT
BTW speaking of Rush Today Tix, what seats do you get, are they stalls? I noticed from the Theatremonkey pages that the front row isn't on sale, I was wondering if those are the rush seats? I got a rush ticket in row G for the matinee today. It did offer me a seat in row A first but I cancelled and tried again to see if there was anything better and there was (the stage is quite high for this production). Thank you, very good to know. I usually prefer front row to be as close as poss, but I still recall years ago sitting there for The starry messenger, and the stage was so high I could not see the bottom half of the actors lol. That's when I understood why my seat was only £15
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3,114 posts
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Post by Rory on Jun 27, 2022 8:40:34 GMT
I got a rush ticket in row G for the matinee today. It did offer me a seat in row A first but I cancelled and tried again to see if there was anything better and there was (the stage is quite high for this production). Thank you, very good to know. I usually prefer front row to be as close as poss, but I still recall years ago sitting there for The starry messenger, and the stage was so high I could not see the bottom half of the actors lol. That's when I understood why my seat was only £15 I think The Starry Messenger was at Wyndhams but don't go for front row stalls at the Ambassadors would be my advice if there is a high stage production.
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Post by alessia on Jun 27, 2022 10:01:22 GMT
Yes I don't think I have ever been at the Ambassador before, the Starry M was not there. Thank you for the tip
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589 posts
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Post by ncbears on Jun 27, 2022 10:25:37 GMT
Seeing mostly 3 Star reviews - and I can't really disagree. Harbour and Pullman and Henry are exceptional. The set is excellent. The revolve to start Act 2 was unexpected but welcome. Acts I and II are really separate plays. And I missed having Pullman for most of Act II. It's hard to write about the show without spoilers. This is not so much a "comedy" as a play with laugh lines. And I spent much of Act I wondering where the show was going. Rebeck's refusal to explain much - and willingness to obscure things - detracts. There are some very funny moments in Act I - and the build-up to the insanity of the end of Act I is welcome and a delight. But, both my bride and I really did not like Sinead Matthews as Pam. She just sucked the life out of Act II. I felt like she put everything into keeping an accent going (an accent, by the way, that is different than her brothers and father, so I don't know where she got it) and just had some exceedingly painful flat line readings. Everything was one note of near screaming and vileness. Pam does get a speech in Act II that is meant to, if not humanize her, at least provide some explanation for the venom. But, the moment doesn't hit. And since Act II revolves around Pam and her actions, Act II, to me, just doesn't work very well for the most part - whenever it is about her. Henry gets her emotional moments in Act II and the final Pullman/Harbour sequence work, but little worked for me with Pam. The play does seem to end abruptly, with almost every element of conflict left unresolved. But it really wouldn't take much, in my opinion, to make it a little more meaningful/logical. It still wouldn't fully resolve anything. {My Version of Final Moments} At the end, as Michael walks away, Pam just quickly shouts at Michael "you're not going to get away with this" but what "this" is, is left vague. After Michael leaves, it seems to me that Pam should go to Daniel's body and find the deed that has been talked about throughout, read it, see that the property belongs to Michael and then with the deed in hand, deliver that last line. And in much angrier, resentful tone and a little sad as she realizes her machinations are too little and too late for her purposes And, Daniel's desires in Act II seem out of line with his actions in Act I. {Daniel Motivation} He goes from denying he is dying throughout Act I to not only accepting he is dying but to want an immediate death? I didn't really get a sense of what changed for him. I wished Michael asked "why" and Daniel responded "I'm old, I'm sick, I have all of my kids back at home for once. What else do I have to live for?" or "Seeing all of my kids at home for once - what better reason to want to die?" or something like that. Pullman would have delivered such a line with intense sarcasm. Anyways, we are not sorry to have seen this, but can't really recommend it. There were some excellent and memorable performances, but the one key performance of Pam just sunk the show for me (and my bride). It was fun to be there for the "gala" opening performance, although being from the States, we didn't recognize any "celebrities" on the red carpet having their photos taken. Oh, yes, we were in Row H in the circle. Wouldn't not have wanted to be much higher as the rake is significant. But view was unimpeded and clear. Close enough to the stage to have clear view of faces and emotions. We had asked at the Box Office about rush ticket policies and the very nice gentleman told us that Sunday seats had opened up and offered us the Circle seats for 40 pounds each. Last row in the circle was priced at 25 pounds. From our vantage point, the stage did seem very high for the first few rows and there are actions at the back of the stage particular on the stairs that might be missed from being that close in Act I.
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Post by orchidman on Jun 30, 2022 18:21:42 GMT
Very average play, don't even think about paying premium prices to see this
The characters are far too one-note and two-dimensional, just generally unambitious fare. Mildly amusing in places. Repetitive with a weak ending
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Post by alessia on Jul 3, 2022 5:23:10 GMT
I took advantage of TodayTix yesterday and got a Row B seat in the circle for the matinee, feeling quite lucky after reading comments here about best views. It was a near perfect seat except for the very narrow space for your legs. Thankfully I'm short so wasn't a problem for me. I enjoyed the play very much, as everyone else has noted, the two main actors are both brilliant. the interview with Rebeck in the programme says that she pretty much wrote this with David Harbour's in mind and it really shows, he is so natural in it, completely in his element in every line he delivers. Bill Pullman is hilarious, and equally excellent. In terms of the play itself: the first act was brilliant, entertaining, funny- the second act slows down and becomes darker. Some elements (main one being how the letter was brought into the story) didn't work for me, but overall it is very entertaining, not an amazing piece of theatre/writing, but because of the excellent performances, I'd definitely recommend it & the rush tickets are great value. Shame for the lady sat next to me, who slept all the way through, waking up for the interval and the final applause. I hope she didn't pay top price for her seat...
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Post by nevervane on Jul 3, 2022 11:49:58 GMT
I actually really liked Mad House, I thought the writing in the opening scene was a bit OTT, like you can really tell an American wrote it if that makes sense. But, once that settled down, the acting was incredible and I got really into it. I didn't mind the change of pace in the second half as much as others seem to, the play is about the family dynamic and how that's impacted Michael so it makes sense to explore the sibling relationships. I found myself really emotionally invested by the end.
I sat in row F of the dress, the first row of the "back half" of the circle and it's fast becoming my favourite place to sit in the Ambassadors. Great view, extra leg room, and those seats are often a lot cheaper than a few rows further forward.
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Post by alessia on Jul 3, 2022 17:24:37 GMT
I know what you mean (like an American wrote it). For me this play was a bit like watching a good American film- very entertaining, not nuanced but never boring, with good pace and funny dialogue. I had forgotten I'd been at the Ambassadors once before, to see Kunene and the King. I was in the stalls then. I had forgotten how tiny this theatre is!
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Post by jm25 on Jul 7, 2022 22:09:04 GMT
Pretty unremarkable. The humour in the first half didn’t do much for me and on balance I preferred the second half. However, any hint at nuance felt drowned out by all the shouting. Wasn’t the level I’d have pitched the performance at.
Harbour and Pullman definitely the two standouts (hardly a surprise); wasn’t hugely impressed by the rest of the cast.
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Post by andrew on Jul 14, 2022 17:06:49 GMT
Fairly disappointing I thought. It's just a comedy, it has nothing more to say. There are opportunities for things to be explored, but as others point out there just ends up being a lot of shouting. The sister character was awful, and really symbolised how lacking in nuance or interestingness this play is. It's sort of funny at points, but not funny enough, it's well-acted, but not well-acted enough. I would skip this.
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Post by mattnyc on Jul 17, 2022 19:39:17 GMT
I saw this today and mostly really enjoyed it. The actress playing Pam is just one of the most unlikable characters I’ve ever seen on stage me not in a way where you can enjoy watching her nastiness. I just felt “gross” watching her. As for her accent, it was…not very good. I just could hear her trying to be American and she tried so hard that it didn’t come across at all. It was very very strange. As for the play itself, Harbour is perfection as is Pullman and Akiya Henry especially. Lots of laughs and even a few tears.
As for the ending, though. It was a tad predictable to me until the very last second and when the lights went out someone very loudly said “WHAT?” and I completely agree. I’m going to need someone to really explain to me how that’s a good way to end this play.
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Post by hadeswasking on Jul 19, 2022 19:58:09 GMT
Saw this not too long ago. I feel like I have to split this up into the 2 acts as they are so dramatically different.
Act 1 - More comedic than I was expecting. I didn't know a lot going into this but it felt really well-written and I started to grow an attachment to some of the characters. The set looks great and love the way it transforms in Act 2. David Harbour does an excellent job in this Act, with the main standout being Bill Pullman.
Act 2 - This is where I started to like things less. I felt the shift in tone wasn't too jarring but this act felt a little too long. Things start to get repetitive. The Pam character ends up hindering the story the most. She felt more like a cartoon character, which is fine but this didn't fit the tone whatsoever. I still enjoyed the dynamic between the other characters, so whenever Pam is not in the scene I feel like it picks up where Act 1 left off.
If you can get a rush ticket, It's definitely worth spending your time paying this show a visit.
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