6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 13, 2023 15:36:48 GMT
Did I say it was a failure? No 3 star reviews are not a sign of a hit. But at no point did I describe it as a failure. I have been perfectly consistent in my approach to this. A hit and a success are the same thing. It's kind of sad that Hamnet is a success but yet we have people claiming it's not. Likewise with My Neighbour Totoro.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 13, 2023 13:22:23 GMT
Reviews are coming in for Hamnet. Stage, Times and Telegraph all give it 3 stars So yes, it is selling well. But it isn't blowing critics away. Shows don't need 5 stars to be deemed a success. And this will sell ok in London But it isn't what I would term a hit in all respects. Les Miserables got panned back in the day but yet is still running today and that is considered a hit, likewise with Wicked which got mixed reviews. Typical goal post moving from the anti RSC brigade that anything less than a rave is deemed a failure.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 12, 2023 22:24:30 GMT
Sonia Friedman always looks terrifying so I doubt anyone would stop her unless it's to stroke one of her doggies. I think Sonia is quite shy which is probably why she avoids the limelight. Tom Schumacher of Disney Theatrical would be a fun one to meet as well.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 12, 2023 13:07:09 GMT
I think the roles of Dougal and to an extent Jack Mooney typecast Ardal O'Hanlan as a comedy actor but he's a very good drama actor.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 12, 2023 13:05:00 GMT
I have to admit when I see creatives like say Nick Hytner, I do wonder if I should approach them to say I enjoyed the performance but always decide against it.
Do producers ever get stop by people? I'm sure Cameron Mackintosh does but I imagine Sonia Friedman doesn't.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 12, 2023 12:05:45 GMT
If you've booked the 8pm performance, you're not going to make it to Paddington for 2245.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 12, 2023 1:24:12 GMT
Parade would die a very quick death at the Coliseum. It needs a playhouse.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 10, 2023 12:57:06 GMT
Fan conventions are a business, I'm not surprised that they've so lucrative. There was an article on THR saying that an actor could make more in a weekend at a convention than a guest spot on a TV show.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 10, 2023 11:38:42 GMT
I genuinely hate ATG and I think it’s a shame the pandemic didn’t put them out of business. Making thousands of people unemployed and hundreds of dark theatres isn't exactly a good thing...
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 10, 2023 11:35:28 GMT
Hannah Waddingham tweeted supporting Alison, that's very disappointing. Plenty of replies under Alison tweets saying it's OK to sing along and 'just they try and stop me' I do think Alison is being piled on, she's apologised and therefore we should move on.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 10, 2023 10:46:22 GMT
In regards to singing along, I think shows should be clear that it's not allowed unless specified like at Tina.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Air
Apr 9, 2023 22:13:55 GMT
Post by Jon on Apr 9, 2023 22:13:55 GMT
It was great seeing Chris Tucker in a film, think he only does a film every few years.
Was amusing to find out that the actor who played Michael Jordan's dad is Viola Davis' husband.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 9, 2023 21:13:13 GMT
I'm a bit confused about Private Lives being a comedy, I mean it has funny dialogue and scenes but it's not Noises Off!
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 9, 2023 21:03:31 GMT
To be fair, bad behaviour is getting worse everywhere and is certainly not exclusive to jukebox musicals. I wonder if the rise of ticket sites like TodayTix, where people who normally wouldn't go to the theatre, can get reasonably priced seats has contributed to this? Cultural capital is a real thing. Theatre being more accessible is great, but perhaps theatres need to be thinking about how they combat this. Perhaps it should be "if you sing even once, you are ejected", for example. I went to see Phantom last week and was genuinely shocked at the amount of people mid row getting up to go to the toilet, etc, mid-act. They may as well have had a revolving door. I agree, people want theatre to be accessible to everyone but I think people need to learn to behave and it's not just a theatre issue, it's anywhere with a communal experience like cinemas, concerts, sport etc.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 9, 2023 20:50:26 GMT
This Morning has to address this given how prominent the reaction has been. The pressure is going to go away because of the Twitter comments. Indeed O'Leary's ill advised attempt to distance himself has made it worse The theatre community is going to carry on raising the issues and that is only right. Wishing won't make this go away. Each week we are seeing disruption in theatres round the country. The press will keep linking back to ITV I doubt ITV or This Morning will do anything about it. They're unlikely to fire Alison and Dermot for the comments or stop using Vanessa.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 9, 2023 20:24:50 GMT
I think people are getting carried away with suggesting Alison and Dermot should be forced to do a segment on theatre, it's not going to happen especially since they're off next week.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 9, 2023 19:04:17 GMT
The solution for bad behaviour in general is tasers, tasers and lots of tasers.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 9, 2023 18:44:50 GMT
I don't claim to know the full, full story (two sides and all that) but from what I have been told, my sympathy is entirely with Danny. Seems like most people in the industry are siding with Danny. I have to admit I'm biased because I had a play on at the Court quite a few years ago (early in Vicky's reign) and certain aspects of their behaviour was not acceptable and quite shocking. The Court has the worst reputation in theatre (maybe joint with the Young Vic) for treating writers badly and being borderline abusive, and they have a racism problem which is the elephant in the room. There's a WhatsApp group that has probably at least half all the famous and working playwrights in Britain on it, and the Court is the one name that pops up again and again when people are discussing bad experiences. Whoever replaces Vicky Featherstone is going to have to do a lot of repairing of relationships. Not to be nosey but could you tell us the play you put on? No worries if you can't.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 9, 2023 18:42:40 GMT
Anyone thinks that This Morning will do a segment on how to behave in the theatre is kidding themselves, it's not that sort of programme.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 8, 2023 22:52:28 GMT
I was there as well and enjoyed it. I've not seen Private Lives before so was going in cold but it's interesting how this 93 year old play was ahead of its time in exploring toxic relationships.
I think Rachael Stirling was the strongest of the cast as Amanda but they all on form.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 7, 2023 22:01:16 GMT
It's very similar to the Cameron Mackintosh logos like Cats, My Fair Lady and Oliver!
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 7, 2023 21:17:19 GMT
It plainly wasn't a failure, and I haven't made it out to be (another of your straw man arguments) but it wasn't a big success in the way Les Mis and Matilda were. That's all. I also object to them using their entire 2023-24 Barbican residency, along with their subsidy, to revive it apparently because no commercial theatre either in the West End or on Broadway or anywhere else want it. Like Hamnet this production had commercial producers attached so it should be up to them to organise and pay for unsubsidised revivals. It is also not acceptable for them to not have had a single Shakespeare production in London for a period of three years and counting (assuming they bring one in Winter 2024). #DefundTheRSC 'it wasn't a big success in the way Les Mis and Matilda were.' Feels like an odd one to compare seeing as a) those are musicals and b) they're a lot further through their respective lifespans. Six Olivier Awards, the most of any show this year, is pretty wild a success for the RSC and capitalising on it is a pretty natural thing to do. "It is also not acceptable for them to not have had a single Shakespeare production in London" – is London meant to be the ultimate end-point for RSC shows? They are touring Julius Caesar and will likely do more with other shows in 2024. Plus Hamnet is a play about Shakespeare, even if it isn't a Shakespeare play. So feel like all these bees (or not to bees) are unnecessarily in the bonnet. It's honestly pointless debating Jan, cirque and the usual suspects. You try pointing out the RSC's successes and they shoot them down or ignore them. I imagine theatre owners want Totoro but there isn't a suitable venue available at the moment.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 7, 2023 19:23:43 GMT
The blood oddly didn't bother me because from the stage, it looked very fake!
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 7, 2023 18:33:26 GMT
Bringing suitcases isn't bad behaviour but I do think it's good practice to perhaps not bring him heavy items. I wonder what people do if a theatre doesn't have a cloakroom.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 7, 2023 17:59:02 GMT
It's not super obvious that it's meant to be Hitler, I think the logo with the writing need to be placed higher to make a face.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 7, 2023 16:41:20 GMT
I normally don't like Nick Ferrari but he had the right reaction to Vanessa's comments!
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 7, 2023 15:55:57 GMT
I find it strange that this case hasn't made it to any of the trades. The Stage is normally all over this sort of news.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 6, 2023 23:18:48 GMT
I understand Chocolate Factory Productions Limited have filed an 'Accelerated possession claim' against 'Persons Unknown' at the High Court. There is a short hearing this afternoon at 4pm in Court 73 at the RCJ. What does this mean? It means that the Menier is in dispute with their landlord, my guess is that the landlord wants to redevelop the entire block and the Menier isn't budging.
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 6, 2023 12:43:13 GMT
I wonder if the closure last year was due to this?
|
|
6,334 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 5, 2023 22:02:48 GMT
Biggins at Shirley Valentine. Noticed him from across the stalls as he was hovering in the aisle with an usher right before the show started, before being led off to the rear stalls. Then he was back again, usher in tow, at the end of the interval this time having blagged himself an upgrade to about the fifth row. Biggins is such a cheap skate!
|
|