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Post by crabtree on Mar 24, 2022 8:49:25 GMT
ah thank you, yes it was brand that I was thinking of. I loved Lady from the sea at the Royal exchange with Vanessa Redgrave coming in on a boat only wearing a towel.
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Post by floorshow on Mar 24, 2022 11:52:18 GMT
Haven't seen Brand. Ralph Fiennes did it years ago but I think it was at the Haymarket so subject to my sanctions policy for that venue. The main Ibsen mountain ascent is in When We Dead Awaken but fjords feature heavily in many of the other plays. There's a bit of important mountain chat in John Gabriel Borkman but no real ascent into the high mountains, only a brisk walk in the woods. There is significant non-mountain climbing in The Master Builder. Fiennes made his entrance from the stalls seat next to me, I had to sit there for 15mins not acknowledging him. It was vaguely exciting but very stifling for small talk! They did the march as a company marching on the spot, my first laugh in an Ibsen  |
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Post by bordeaux on Mar 24, 2022 11:56:46 GMT
Haven't seen Brand. Ralph Fiennes did it years ago but I think it was at the Haymarket so subject to my sanctions policy for that venue. The main Ibsen mountain ascent is in When We Dead Awaken but fjords feature heavily in many of the other plays. There's a bit of important mountain chat in John Gabriel Borkman but no real ascent into the high mountains, only a brisk walk in the woods. There is significant non-mountain climbing in The Master Builder. Fiennes made his entrance from the stalls seat next to me, I had to sit there for 15mins not acknowledging him. It was vaguely exciting but very stifling for small talk! They did the march as a company marching on the spot, my first laugh in an Ibsen  I was lucky enough to see it at the Swan. Much better place for it. It didn't feel like a long-lost masterpiece to me, but certainly an interesting play by a writer who'd go on to write better stuff. |
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Post by Jan on Mar 24, 2022 12:59:41 GMT
Haven't seen Brand. Ralph Fiennes did it years ago but I think it was at the Haymarket so subject to my sanctions policy for that venue. The main Ibsen mountain ascent is in When We Dead Awaken but fjords feature heavily in many of the other plays. There's a bit of important mountain chat in John Gabriel Borkman but no real ascent into the high mountains, only a brisk walk in the woods. There is significant non-mountain climbing in The Master Builder. Fiennes made his entrance from the stalls seat next to me, I had to sit there for 15mins not acknowledging him. It was vaguely exciting but very stifling for small talk! They did the march as a company marching on the spot, my first laugh in an Ibsen You should have asked for his autograph then said "I really liked Rising Damp". The Orange Tree did Ibsen's "Love's Comedy" a few years ago and it was genuinely quite funny. |
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Post by TallPaul on Mar 24, 2022 16:48:11 GMT
Why do you boycott the Theatre Royal Haymarket, Jan? |
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Post by Jan on Mar 24, 2022 17:24:19 GMT
Why do you boycott the Theatre Royal Haymarket, Jan ? There's hardly any seats in it which have a decent view of the stage and the prices of all seats are absurdly high, and that's before you consider the appalling foyer facilities. A terrible old flea pit - the worst theatre in London I'd say. I think the last time I was there I saw the top of Donald Sinden's head play Uncle Vanya (with Frances de la Tour). I've missed a few things there on principle that I would normally have seen: Trevor Nunn's "Tempest" with Fiennes and the same director's "Heartbreak House" with Paul Scofield. Fiennes in Brandt, Harriet Walter in Much Ado, there have been a few. |
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Post by TallPaul on Mar 25, 2022 11:48:10 GMT
All very valid reasons, Jan. I applaud you for sticking to your principles. |
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Post by Rory on Jun 24, 2022 10:23:56 GMT
Clare Higgins and Lia Williams join SRB.
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Post by vickyg on Jun 24, 2022 11:16:44 GMT
Clare Higgins and Lia Williams join SRB. I just saw this too and will be booking based on Lia Williams who has always been excellent in everything I’ve seen her in. |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jun 25, 2022 10:09:02 GMT
Clare Higgins and Lia Williams join SRB. I just saw this too and will be booking based on Lia Williams who has always been excellent in everything I’ve seen her in. This casting has made me want to see it. Claire Higgins SHOULD be one of our greatest actresses- sadly she’s so unreliable, it’s massively affected her career. I will never forget her in Vincent in Brixton. Astonishing. |
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Post by Rory on Jun 25, 2022 10:44:54 GMT
I just saw this too and will be booking based on Lia Williams who has always been excellent in everything I’ve seen her in. This casting has made me want to see it. Claire Higgins SHOULD be one of our greatest actresses- sadly she’s so unreliable, it’s massively affected her career. I will never forget her in Vincent in Brixton. Astonishing. I don't remember ever hearing of her missing performances. I saw the Abbey Dublin production of this with Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw and Lindsay Duncan, which was terrific. This cast should be equally good. |
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Post by Jan on Jun 25, 2022 11:59:04 GMT
I just saw this too and will be booking based on Lia Williams who has always been excellent in everything I’ve seen her in. This casting has made me want to see it. Claire Higgins SHOULD be one of our greatest actresses- sadly she’s so unreliable, it’s massively affected her career. I will never forget her in Vincent in Brixton. Astonishing. I've seen her in loads of things, NT, RSC, West End - never seemed like she was short of work. 6x Olivier nominee (3x winner), 1x Tony nominee - I think that *does* make her one of our greatest actresses ? |
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Post by Rory on Jun 25, 2022 12:25:58 GMT
I've seen her in Death of a Salesman and Vincent in Brixton and thought she was phenomenal in both.
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Post by adolphus on Jun 25, 2022 12:36:49 GMT
A great cast. Claire Higgins - she was simply astonishing as Martha in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" several years ago in Malvern
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Post by frappuccino on Jun 26, 2022 5:12:13 GMT
I would have liked to see the Alan Rickman version:
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Post by barrowside on Jun 27, 2022 12:24:09 GMT
It was stunning. Fiona Shaw and Lindsay Duncan were fabulous as well. I've never understood why it didn't come to London afterwards. The set design was extraordinary with houses made of ice and a most spectacular blizzard at the end that seemed to extend to infinity. It did go to BAM in Brooklyn for a week after the Abbey.
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Post by joem on Jun 27, 2022 13:05:07 GMT
Looking forward to this. Hope SRB will play this straight, he sometimes gets a laugh with a look or a gesture which is great when appropriate but I think it would be hard, and kind of pointless, to get a laugh out of this grimmest of Ibsen plays.
I think I saw the Paul Scofield/Eileen Atkins production but I have little recollection of it, need to sift through programmes. Finding it difficult to remember everything I've seen now.
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Post by lookingatthestars on Jun 27, 2022 16:28:15 GMT
Ah, I remember being in Dublin for 2 days and really wanting to see that production but it was sold out. I did get a ticket to a day time Q and A/interview with the actors. I was front row and was captivated by Alan Rickman, he was charming and funny and seemed really down to earth. He had a relaxed knowingness. At the time I didn't know who Lindsy Duncan was (I was young and had not experienced much theatre) but she was so lovely. Fiona Shaw arrived late, I think she was at a Francis Bacon exhibition and lost track of time. Anyway, I cherish that experience particularly as Alan Rickman passed away a few years later.
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Post by ceebee on Jun 27, 2022 17:12:50 GMT
Why do you boycott the Theatre Royal Haymarket, Jan ? There's hardly any seats in it which have a decent view of the stage and the prices of all seats are absurdly high, and that's before you consider the appalling foyer facilities. A terrible old flea pit - the worst theatre in London I'd say. I think the last time I was there I saw the top of Donald Sinden's head play Uncle Vanya (with Frances de la Tour). I've missed a few things there on principle that I would normally have seen: Trevor Nunn's "Tempest" with Fiennes and the same director's "Heartbreak House" with Paul Scofield. Fiennes in Brandt, Harriet Walter in Much Ado, there have been a few. So you've not seen "Only Fools and Horses - The Musical" then... |
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Post by Rory on Jun 27, 2022 17:25:40 GMT
It was stunning. Fiona Shaw and Lindsay Duncan were fabulous as well. I've never understood why it didn't come to London afterwards. The set design was extraordinary with houses made of ice and a most spectacular blizzard at the end that seemed to extend to infinity. It did go to BAM in Brooklyn for a week after the Abbey. I know, I couldn't believe it didn't go to London. Such a missed opportunity. |
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Post by Jan on Jun 27, 2022 17:45:20 GMT
Looking forward to this. Hope SRB will play this straight, he sometimes gets a laugh with a look or a gesture which is great when appropriate but I think it would be hard, and kind of pointless, to get a laugh out of this grimmest of Ibsen plays. I think I saw the Paul Scofield/Eileen Atkins production but I have little recollection of it, need to sift through programmes. Finding it difficult to remember everything I've seen now. SRB. That's the problem. I don't think he can play entirely unsympathetic characters, or at least his audience won't let him - he got laughs as Leontes. I saw the Paul Scofield/Eileen Atkins/Vanessa Redgrave one a couple of times - Michael Bryant was also really great as Foldal. Also good was the Donmar Michael Grandage production with Iain McDiarmid/Deborah Findlay/Penelope Wilton. |
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Post by barrowside on Jun 27, 2022 18:53:13 GMT
It never ceases to amaze me that London producers always seem to be looking the other way when something extraordinary happens in Dublin. Lia Williams's Blanche has only been seen in Dublin as has Sinead Cusack and Ciarán Hinds in an amazing Abbey play called Our Few and Evil Days. Sonia Friedman used to have some kind of arrangement with The Gate for Friel and Pinter plays but I don't think it happens anymore.
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Post by Dave B on Jun 27, 2022 21:54:12 GMT
It never ceases to amaze me that London producers always seem to be looking the other way when something extraordinary happens in Dublin. Lia Williams's Blanche has only been seen in Dublin as has Sinead Cusack and Ciarán Hinds in an amazing Abbey play called Our Few and Evil Days. Sonia Friedman used to have some kind of arrangement with The Gate for Friel and Pinter plays but I don't think it happens anymore. Going way off topic but Kiln has a new agreement with Abbey in place, they just started with Girl On An Alter, there is a thread here somewhere. |
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Post by Jan on Jun 28, 2022 6:27:16 GMT
It never ceases to amaze me that London producers always seem to be looking the other way when something extraordinary happens in Dublin. Not just Dublin though is it, Sheffield, Leicester, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Mold, Glasgow etc. etc. etc. |
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Post by nottobe on Aug 22, 2022 9:39:23 GMT
Full casting has been announced. The production also has a new poster which seems to imply the production will be modern dress. I have to say this is one of my most anticipated plays of the autumn.  |
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