Post by mkb on May 19, 2022 10:01:01 GMT
I'm surprised there isn't already a thread on Private Peaceful -- at least not one that Search finds. It's been touring since February, is at the Coventry Belgrade currently, before moving on to Guildford, Norwich, Richmond, High Wycombe and Cheltenham.
One of my bugbears with theatre/cinema marketing is that, in order to attract as wide an audience as possible, they never like to make it clear who a show/film is really aimed at. This can lead to disappointment and ultimately turn off casual punters for good. So it is with shows that are aimed at children. Are they going to be enjoyed by the whole family, or just the youngsters?
A case in point was the musical Honk! This was written for kids, was marketed for kids, and, when I saw it in 2019, had a 19:00 start time, a sure sign that adults should stay away unless accompanying their kids. Yet it was a hugely enjoyable piece of work that had lyrics and other content that would have gone over the heads of the target audience and was most definitely for everyone.
I faced the same dilemma when booking for Private Peaceful. It too had a 19:00 start time, but the marketing drew comparisons with War Horse, Morpurgo's more famous work, and implied it was a for-all-the-family offering. Good reviews compounded this notion. I decided to give it a go. This would turn out to be a mistake.
In a Stalls less than a third full (and Circle closed), I watched what was a superb production, but, sadly, the script was aimed squarely at, I would say, 6-to-14 year olds. It had a simplicity and condescension that would leave anyone older distinctly unfulfilled.
A cast of six -- one less than the seven listed on the tour website -- executed their parts flawlessly. Four actors each played multiple roles, and there was never any confusion as to who they were, such was their chameleon-like abilities. A very effective lighting design, some stunning sound effects, and a clever, uncomplicated set added to the mix.
Amusingly, the microphone of one of the cast was left up on several occasions when off-stage, and we could hear whispering, coughing, shuffling and other noises from the wings through the stage speaker directly ahead of the front row.
Do encourage any budding theatregoers from the next generation to catch this. For them, this will be a five-star experience. For me, it was three stars.
Act 1: 19:02-19:52
Act 2: 20:22-21:00
(I was disappointed too, that, once again, the Belgrade had chosen not to produce a programme.)
One of my bugbears with theatre/cinema marketing is that, in order to attract as wide an audience as possible, they never like to make it clear who a show/film is really aimed at. This can lead to disappointment and ultimately turn off casual punters for good. So it is with shows that are aimed at children. Are they going to be enjoyed by the whole family, or just the youngsters?
A case in point was the musical Honk! This was written for kids, was marketed for kids, and, when I saw it in 2019, had a 19:00 start time, a sure sign that adults should stay away unless accompanying their kids. Yet it was a hugely enjoyable piece of work that had lyrics and other content that would have gone over the heads of the target audience and was most definitely for everyone.
I faced the same dilemma when booking for Private Peaceful. It too had a 19:00 start time, but the marketing drew comparisons with War Horse, Morpurgo's more famous work, and implied it was a for-all-the-family offering. Good reviews compounded this notion. I decided to give it a go. This would turn out to be a mistake.
In a Stalls less than a third full (and Circle closed), I watched what was a superb production, but, sadly, the script was aimed squarely at, I would say, 6-to-14 year olds. It had a simplicity and condescension that would leave anyone older distinctly unfulfilled.
A cast of six -- one less than the seven listed on the tour website -- executed their parts flawlessly. Four actors each played multiple roles, and there was never any confusion as to who they were, such was their chameleon-like abilities. A very effective lighting design, some stunning sound effects, and a clever, uncomplicated set added to the mix.
Amusingly, the microphone of one of the cast was left up on several occasions when off-stage, and we could hear whispering, coughing, shuffling and other noises from the wings through the stage speaker directly ahead of the front row.
Do encourage any budding theatregoers from the next generation to catch this. For them, this will be a five-star experience. For me, it was three stars.
Act 1: 19:02-19:52
Act 2: 20:22-21:00
(I was disappointed too, that, once again, the Belgrade had chosen not to produce a programme.)