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Post by lynette on Jun 15, 2019 17:38:15 GMT
What they say above. Excellent. Rufus back on form. Good choice of script. Was it commissioned? And without wanting to sound patronising how wonderful to see a diverse audience.
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Post by Being Alive on Jun 15, 2019 21:46:39 GMT
At the interval my first thought was ‘Rufus FINALLY has a hit on his hands’ and I agreed with that even more by the end.
3+ hours flew by and I’d have stayed for another hour or two to see it go on further.
Excellent cast, beautiful design, proving that if theatre is good, it won’t feel any length at all.
Get in and see this on NT Live if you can’t get in - I can’t recommend it enough - 5 stars from me.
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Post by theatre241 on Jul 6, 2019 16:00:47 GMT
Ive just booked tickets for the second run of this in early august. I got my entry pass ticket but its my first time using this scheme. if anyones used this please could you tell me the process of your ticket collection
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Jul 6, 2019 16:50:58 GMT
Ive just booked tickets for the second run of this in early august. I got my entry pass ticket but its my first time using this scheme. if anyones used this please could you tell me the process of your ticket collection You need photo ID to prove your age is below the limit but that's all I think you need, other than that it's the same as regular ticket collection. |
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Post by Phantom of London on Jul 31, 2019 14:29:25 GMT
With everyone loving this on here and have heard other people say how fabulous this is combined with a 5 star reviews.
The run is virtually sold out and positive reviews don't sell out the National alone, so word of mouth has to be great also.
So wondering now if this will transfer or come back to the National next year?
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Post by theatre241 on Jul 31, 2019 14:39:05 GMT
With everyone loving this on here and have heard other people say how fabulous this is combined with a 5 star reviews. The run is virtually sold out and positive reviews don't sell out the National alone, so word of mouth has to be great also. So wondering now if this will transfer or come back to the National next year? I was thinking that, similar to Follies |
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Post by Jon on Jul 31, 2019 14:46:38 GMT
It'd be very difficult to transfer unless it's the Gillian Lynne and even then I'd think it wouldn't do as well in the West End. A return to the Olivier is more likely.
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Post by latefortheoverture on Jul 31, 2019 15:58:10 GMT
So gutted I missed this!
It seems me and the national haven't much luck. Everything crossed for a return at some stage.
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Post by Phantom of London on Jul 31, 2019 16:37:57 GMT
It'd be very difficult to transfer unless it's the Gillian Lynne and even then I'd think it wouldn't do as well in the West End. A return to the Olivier is more likely. Seeing this Friday.
So Jo are you saying it is hard to transfer to a conventional theatre?
School of Rock could close soon, but more than likely it will be back in the Olivier next summer. Translations is returning and this has sold much better than that.
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Post by zahidf on Jul 31, 2019 16:42:29 GMT
It'd be very difficult to transfer unless it's the Gillian Lynne and even then I'd think it wouldn't do as well in the West End. A return to the Olivier is more likely. Seeing this Friday.
So Jo are you saying it is hard to transfer to a conventional theatre?
School of Rock could close soon, but more than likely it will be back in the Olivier next summer. Translations is returning and this has sold much better than that.
I'd be amazed if it isn't back at the national . Doesn't have any stars per se, it's popular and they own the rights. |
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Jul 31, 2019 18:32:14 GMT
Saw this and loved it by the way. Had a big cry at the end and it was brilliant to see all the intricacies of the performances from the second row since I'm rarely that close in the Olivier. It was a bargain for £15! Definitely will have to try and sit there again.
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Post by peggs on Jul 31, 2019 20:23:39 GMT
You did lucky to get a seat there, I couldn't get a seat I could afford and see from for this, bit gutted so hope it comes back round again.
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Post by lynette on Aug 1, 2019 18:11:55 GMT
Has to return, best thing at NT for yonks
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Post by showgirl on Aug 2, 2019 3:40:52 GMT
You did lucky to get a seat there, I couldn't get a seat I could afford and see from for this, bit gutted so hope it comes back round again. Is Friday rush no use to you, peggs? Not convenient for me but today should be the last chance (of the current run) to book seats for this next week. |
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Post by TallPaul on Aug 2, 2019 13:07:26 GMT
There was a programme on the World Service just this week about the creation of Small Island. It has 'unique access' to the rehearsal room. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3csz1ys |
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Post by jadnoop on Aug 2, 2019 14:56:05 GMT
Managed to snag a couple of Friday Rush tickets, so really excited to see this next week. For anyone still looking there are a couple of seats still available.
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Post by peggs on Aug 2, 2019 18:39:46 GMT
You did lucky to get a seat there, I couldn't get a seat I could afford and see from for this, bit gutted so hope it comes back round again. Is Friday rush no use to you, peggs? Not convenient for me but today should be the last chance (of the current run) to book seats for this next week. Thanks for the thought, sadly now work in a signal dead zone so ticket buying during work hours isn't an option. I did look at the options this evening and wondered about the circle ones but I've not done well sat up there in the past, I feel rather remote and tend to disengage, I considered it might still be worth it but the production is so long and i'm in a new job and just can't afford to be half asleep at it the next day, trying to absorb all the new information is sending me home like a zombie as it is. I'll have to hope it comes back and somehow that I can get cheap tickets near the front though not seeing how this will be doable, it'll always be in the archive I suppose. |
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Post by theatre241 on Aug 4, 2019 22:06:48 GMT
I saw this yesterday and it was fantastic. Very cinematic and fluid! I loved the style and the projection! It didn’t feel like 3 hours at all and these stories just built and built. The cast were brilliant and in the final scenes they were actually crying, I was sat on row C so I could see everything. I loved the house scenes with the revolve and I loved the lifts that got people on stage quickly.
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Post by jadnoop on Aug 7, 2019 10:33:18 GMT
Wow. This was really rather special.
Great acting, an interesting, engaging (and hugely timely) story, and it excellently balanced the seriousness of the story with a sense of humour. I also loved the visuals (beautiful moving paintings and echoes of Emma Rice’s Brief Encounter) and use of music.
I’ve read a lot about plays not working in the Olivier but this really felt like a perfect fit to me. It might not have been as wildly exciting or unpredictable as some of what’s shown on the Dorfman, but it felt brilliantly suited to a big stage and a wide audience. Like a big prestige film by Steven Spielberg.
I really hope this gets a longer life.
A solid 4 and a half stars.
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Post by showgirl on Aug 9, 2019 3:54:16 GMT
Eventually I enjoyed this at the matinee yesterday and think it was worth having splashed out on a more expensive seat for once, given the length of the performance. It was great to be in the Olivier, too, which is my favourite of the NT's spaces but seems rarely to have productions I want to see. Disappointing to find that what I'd thought was an aisle seat was actually the inner end of the row, against one of those silly walls, and that as usual, everyone else in my row took an age to shift at the interval and end.
I found the first 30 minutes or so really slow and tedious (I actually nodded off), but once it got going I became more engaged and at the end, felt the cast deserved the enthusiastic applause and standing ovation (from many but not all). I haven't read the book and felt the narrative suffered from jumping about and being unable to go into more detail but that's inevitable with adaptations of long novels.
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Post by londonpostie on Aug 9, 2019 14:51:43 GMT
I finally went last night. tbh, I struggled. Not my cup of tea. Generally happier with something in the Dorfman.
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Post by musicalmarge on Aug 9, 2019 23:43:15 GMT
Does anyone else think it strange that this Windrush story is being adapted and directed by white creatives? Isn’t that a tad insensitive? In this anniversary year when the Windrush generation were treated so appallingly, they now have to experience the appropriation of their stories by the National Theatre. Has RN become so up himself that he can’t see this? Next you’ll say only gay people can direct LGBTQI+ source material. Zzzzzzzzz Aren’t we all human beings and storytellers? Attitudes like that divide us all. Peace x |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2019 16:24:53 GMT
I think Cleo has a point. But not sure why you are picking a fight with someone who has left the forum and can’t answer back over a 10 month old post
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2019 7:23:54 GMT
Finally saw this on the last night. Staging and performances were amazing but I found it all a bit disappointing. It's FAR too long - could have dropped most of the early childhood stuff for Hortense which had no real bearing on what came next, and also most of Queenie's back-story about pig-farming in Lincolnshire and working in a sweetshop. That would have shaved a good half hour off. And also if it's 3 hours 20 minutes, start the evening show at 7 not 7:30.
And as noted above I have reservations about the fact that a story about black experiences of immigration written by a black novelist has been filtered through a white playwright. Presumably Andrea Levy was OK with the choice (although not sure at what point her health problems started so she may not have been particularly involved)
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Aug 11, 2019 7:35:41 GMT
Finally saw this on the last night. Staging and performances were amazing but I found it all a bit disappointing. It's FAR too long - could have dropped most of the early childhood stuff for Hortense which had no real bearing on what came next, and also most of Queenie's back-story about pig-farming in Lincolnshire and working in a sweetshop. That would have shaved a good half hour off. And also if it's 3 hours 20 minutes, start the evening show at 7 not 7:30. And as noted above I have reservations about the fact that a story about black experiences of immigration written by a black novelist has been filtered through a white playwright. Presumably Andrea Levy was OK with the choice (although not sure at what point her health problems started so she may not have been particularly involved) I don't know about cutting the backstory I think it's pretty important character stuff and cutting it down to just saying essentially "Hortense was in love with this guy" and "Queenie really wanted to move away from home" wouldn't be enough to fully understand their motivations or perhaps fully appreciate would be the better term since they're very simple motivations. I don't think that simply saying would be enough to show why Hortense has grown up so prim and proper and pretty rude (and her unrequited love would be less tragic) or why Queenie would be so desperate to marry. |
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