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Post by crowblack on Nov 16, 2019 13:11:27 GMT
I doubt more than a small minority of it would regard Richard III being played by a non-disabled actor as being in the slightest bit controversial That's just the point. 30 years ago they wouldn't have been bothered about a 'blackface' Othello either. Also colourblind casting isn’t really the norm now It is at many theatres unless the play is very specifically about a certain racial/cultural experience (as with YV Salesman or The Ferryman), and increasingly in TV (the BBC Les Mis for example, and the new David Copperfield).
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Post by crowblack on Nov 16, 2019 11:57:43 GMT
Shakespeare, Shaw, Ibsen, Chekhov, Moliere and the like But there's plenty of that elsewhere - Ibsen and Chekhov seem to be on constantly at the moment (I recently saw two at the RX Manchester the same day - a 'straight', touring Cherry Orchard in the main house and Rashdash's Three Sisters in the studio). I think it's good our National Theatre is supporting and bringing on living writers rather than just the illustrious dead.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 16, 2019 11:25:27 GMT
the historical Richard was not massively affected by his scoliosis - being very able in battle - there is not much risk of a major casting backlash (and if there is, it will be from people who are intent on being outraged rather than understanding what is really important) The play's character isn't the historical version though, and I do think there is strong feeling now that 'cripping up' is becoming as unacceptable as 'blacking up', given that there are a lot of actors with disabilities who face discrimination in the industry (I know a writer who wasn't even able to see the play they'd written because the theatre wasn't physically accessible! Many theatres, esp. studio theatres and festivals, where young actors, writers, directors get started don't have access). The Donmar's Teenage Dick has cast actors with disabilities. Yes, I don't want a scenario where actors are only allowed to play what they are, e.g. a straight actor isn't allowed to play gay and vice versa, but the aim and hope is to have the disability equivalent of colourblind casting, which is now the norm in theatre. Until that's achieved though, I think giving one of the most famous disabled roles to a non-disabled actor would be controversial.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 16, 2019 10:08:46 GMT
They’re doing Romeo and Juliet, not one of my favourite Shakespeare. It's popular with teachers / schools though, isn't it (it was in my day) and has actors who are popular from TV/film so I can totally see the logic here: here's already a buzz around it. As for Richard III that may be more controversial if it involves an able-bodied actor 'cripping up'.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 15, 2019 19:51:50 GMT
1968 film of The Birthday Party BBC2 starting to take a leaf out of TPTV's book - Look Back in Anger on late tonight.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 15, 2019 19:33:05 GMT
Good timing for this announcement Yes, I guess timed for it as the tickets won't be on sale till next year. Film 4 screened O'Connor's breakthough film God's Own Country this week too. Btw, I wonder if that second series of Taboo will ever happen? Given the cast commitments generally it doesn't look like it.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 15, 2019 17:28:18 GMT
If The Florida Projects is still on there, it's lovely, well worth a watch.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 15, 2019 17:25:47 GMT
Not that I can' afford any seats I can see from any more in the Olivier of course, hopeful website haunting for me. Same here - crap eyesight so I'm going to have to try for the £15 - £20 front rows. Whatsonstage says it'll be NT Lived but I really want to see this lot on stage.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 15, 2019 17:17:09 GMT
I did like Jessie Buckley's Juliet I've only seen her on TV / film thus far but she's excellent, one of my must-book-for actors. .
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Post by crowblack on Nov 15, 2019 16:37:35 GMT
Patrick Freyne's review in the Irish Times is rather fun.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 15, 2019 13:12:00 GMT
ARGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. NOT ANOTHETR BLOOMING ROMEO AND JULIET!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Yeah but what a cast - defo one that will draw in a film and TV audience. They do look a bit old for teenagers though: I thought at 6-foot-something and nearly 30, Josh O'Connor was physically miscast as moping lovesick Marius in the BBC Les Miserables. But yes, I'll defo be booking for this.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 13, 2019 16:00:39 GMT
I've just returned some £10 stalls seats, one for the 2nd and two for the 6th in preview week if anyone's interested (I can't make it to London for either date) - I think they're those good pillar seats, F11 etc. Anyway, I've just called the theatre so hopefully they'll be on the website soon.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 13, 2019 15:47:52 GMT
I think a London transfer is unlikely given both productions have had London runs already. Besides the big age difference, Lawther has a very different energy, and the earlier Hamlet felt built around Andrew Scott - I can't really see how this would be the same show. A transfer back here seems unlikely but I'm still hoping it happens!
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Post by crowblack on Nov 12, 2019 21:43:34 GMT
Trevor Nunn one with Ben Whishaw (he was 24 at the time - same age as Lawther) Yes, I missed that and will always regret it and unless this transfers back here I doubt I'll get to see this either (argh!). Recent Hamlets have been the same age as Richard Griffiths when he played Uncle Monty! (Monty might go to New York but I can't.)
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Post by crowblack on Nov 12, 2019 20:45:19 GMT
I'm sure Alex Lawther will be good but I'm assuming Andrew Scott had other commitments. I'd love to see this and hope it comes to London afterwards (might it?) though it'll be a very different thing with Lawther, I'd have thought.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 11, 2019 14:43:54 GMT
I’m not a fan of Ruth Wilson I think she's great here, really playing it with relish. On the other hand, the presence of Jeremy Irons (foxhunting git and always wooden with it) has put me off Watchmen.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 10, 2019 23:05:14 GMT
I though the pace was off until the last few minutes - the Gyptians' raid and search didn't feel very dynamic, nor did the Magisterium's, and the stolen children didn't come across as particularly distressed (are they meant to be doped?). People slag off the film, but it did feel more like an adventure: this, in its peculiar 8pm timeslot, seems to be going at 'Downton/Call the Midwife' speed when maybe it would be better shown an hour earlier and with the directing/editing pace of Doctor Who or Harry Potter.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 8, 2019 19:07:29 GMT
Conleth Hill will be on Sunday Brunch on Sunday (obvs!). It's worth checking their line-up because they often have actors on talking about their current stage show - actors from The Son and Appropriate have been featured recently.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 7, 2019 19:23:16 GMT
I won't be able to make it but it's an interesting subject - Manchester's RX is my favourite theatre space. Btw, in the light of the ceiling collapse at Death of a Salesman in London, they're having a feature on R4's Front Row on whether Victorian theatres are still fit for purpose.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 7, 2019 19:04:51 GMT
The second series of this is now available on All 4 and I'm glad to say it's excellent. I was a bit sceptical about a follow-up (the comic it's based on is a self-contained story) but they pull it off superbly.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 7, 2019 17:51:15 GMT
it'd be heartbreaking to see it re-imagined or done badly.. I know, and the TV/Film is never the book in your head (though LOTR was close), but if an adaptation brings the comic to a wider audience then I'm for it. It's arguably Moore's finest work but feels rather neglected.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 7, 2019 16:25:31 GMT
Hi - does the Lieutenant of Inishmore count? Very dark but the gory violence and use of props feels quite slapsticky.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 7, 2019 9:22:08 GMT
This probably isn't the same kind of situation but I lived in a Victorian-era mansion block flat when the living room ceiling fell down one night without warning. The plaster wasn't particularly heavy. Whole floor was covered in horse hair! Same in our mid-Victorian student house - the ceiling fell down in the room next to mine - luckily the girl was out, but she was a music student and it wrecked her stuff. A few days later the whole ceiling in my room fell down, destroying most of my stuff too. Had either of been in we would have been seriously injured or worse. Victorian theatres are beautiful but they scare me. Today, there's 100mm of rain predicted in Manchester. 2 weeks ago all the West Coast mainline trains were cancelled due to flooding - unprecedented in our train driver's 25 year career. Without massive investment - which is unlikely - I don't think these already creaky Victorian buildings are going to stand up to our changing climate.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 6, 2019 23:19:33 GMT
Yellow wet floor signs were in the bar and auditorium before the start If there was a leak problem they shouldn't have opened.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 6, 2019 22:16:48 GMT
According to the Instagram account of the estimable stills photographer Robert Viglasky, John Heffernan will be playing Jonathan Harker in the upcoming BBC Dracula.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 5, 2019 23:37:35 GMT
I wish they'd do Halo Jones.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 5, 2019 16:32:37 GMT
they didn't have confidence in the first episode holding a crowd? It looked like it - it's the longest and most spoilery 'coming next' I can remember! Then again, this must be one of the BBC's most expensive co-productions and with the next series already being filmed there's a lot riding on this.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 5, 2019 13:12:56 GMT
Wow. For a talk? I couple of years ago I saw new pieces by David Rudkin performed by Toby Jones, Juliet Stevenson and some musicians, plus a short Q&A with David Rudkin for a FIVER. And that was after a stunning performance of Deathwatch. The whole evening cost about £30, including the playtext. And that was at tiny venue the Coronet, which I suspect is run on a shoestring. I hope this is going to charity!
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Post by crowblack on Nov 5, 2019 11:37:13 GMT
the original actor dropped out. Who was it?
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Post by crowblack on Nov 5, 2019 11:06:49 GMT
The "coming up" bit seemed to reveal a bit too much, but looked fantastic. Yes - why reveal so much? If you've read the books you'll probably watch anyway, but if you haven't it signals pretty clearly how things will turn out, who is bad etc. . Even within the episode we didn't get many mysteries - for example, we're told, before we meet her, that Mrs Coulter is a baddie. Given the very generous series length, why not let that unfold naturally? Too many things here are signalled in advance.
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