371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Jun 28, 2017 23:13:07 GMT
And that is exactly why it isn't selling. Broadway stars don't really mean much to a lot of people here, so they aren't much of a selling point. The show really needed across the board 5 star raves saying things like "kill to get a ticket" to boost its profile. The majority of them boil down to "the play's not up to much but Audra is fabulous". That's not going to pull people in.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Jun 28, 2017 23:07:15 GMT
Yes. They have six of them for the show.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Jun 28, 2017 7:31:29 GMT
Quite a few 3 star reviews today taking issue with the play, which can't have been what they were hoping for.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Jun 28, 2017 7:20:03 GMT
It was their press night last night, same day as Lady Day which is a bit of an awkward fight for review space... Will be interested to read reviews today, am going next week.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Jun 27, 2017 7:29:13 GMT
Which, had you queued up for it in the morning, is a £12 day seat. DMT love a dynamic price up don't they?
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Jun 26, 2017 7:07:33 GMT
Aaaaaaaaaanyway Is there any news on the extension / ticket details? Given that press night is this Thursday, I imagine any planned extension will be announced if the reviews are a repeat of the Court ones on Friday.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Jun 25, 2017 7:50:22 GMT
Some idiot on Twitter is saying she has reported the show to RSPCA due to the "clearly terrified" animals on the stage. Insert *eye roll* here.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Jun 23, 2017 7:07:50 GMT
The Old Vic is considered West End, I thought.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Jun 22, 2017 7:32:55 GMT
Really? Brooding young man, heavily symbolic dead white bird, highly implausible 'Lennie' type simpleton, Chekhov's gun etc...? I thought it was baggy - too indulgent, every character having their crowd-pleasing, pop-culture-referencing turn to the detriment of plot, tension, a sense of the real sickening menace of the historical period. Scenes I wanted to see were taken offstage, the dynamic with the sick wife underdeveloped, and instead we had lots of stuff like Aunt Maggie Far Away and more cute sweary children. I didn't get to see Jerusalem (this is the first Butterworth play I've managed to see on stage) - I booked last year with great anticipation given the writer and director's reputations, and was delighted when I saw the cast list. I suppose I was expecting more subtlety, more originality, a finer-tuned plot. This was like a West-End musical without the songs Sometimes a bird is just a bird. To repeat, I think it helps that I went in to it with zero expectation of what I was going to see. And one man's baggy is another man's character development. I could have watched scenes with Aunt Maggie for even longer. I loved the whole opening to act three as well. There were some other beautiful moments with Tom early in the play too. It's epic in scope and length and achievement. That some people take that to be "indulgent" and "crowd pleasing" and at a detriment to plot and tension, well, like I said earlier, I fundamentally can't agree. It's a bit like criticising Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf because George isn't very nice and Martha doesn't half bang on.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Jun 21, 2017 7:08:52 GMT
Obviously you can't please all of the people all of the time, but I 10000000% disagree with Nash16. To me, nothing felt signposted or easily predictable in this. And just like Jerusalem, this really worked as a sprawling slice of that world. The final act is the most finely calibrated increasing of tension I've ever experienced in a theatre. Maybe it helps that I went in with zero expectations of my evening though.
|
|
371 posts
|
Evita
Jun 20, 2017 20:55:53 GMT
Post by popcultureboy on Jun 20, 2017 20:55:53 GMT
I think this is why the people of Argentina didn't take to the show, as it depicts their beloved as little more than a social climbing slut. Has it ever been on in Argentina? I remember Elena Roger being interviewed about her time as Evita when she was in Passion. If I remember rightly she said something along the lines of "I would love to perform Evita back home. I just wouldn't want to be in the theatre when they burn it down".
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Jun 16, 2017 8:41:05 GMT
If they use the same set design as the Broadway run, it was two tables and two pillows on an otherwise bare stage.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on May 20, 2017 21:53:15 GMT
The first half is crass, dull, shallow, blighted by ugly design, unconvincing performances and zero chemistry among the cast. The second half is ten minutes shorter but it felt about 8 hours longer and made act one seem like The Godfather by comparison. There is a dream sequence where Steffan Rhodri sings a dance song. There is a scene where Darrell D'Silva speaks German, none of which is translated for the audience. John Boyega pours washing powder into his mouth. It got even more ludicrous than that too, but I can't even be bothered to try and explain how. I couldn't bring myself to applaud it this afternoon, and when it was greeted so rapturously, I was sorely tempted to boo.
I wonder whether the reviews will come down on the side of the handful of people that gave this an ovation or on the side of the likes of me, who loudly exclaimed "why? they were f***ing TERRIBLE" when John Boyega and Sarah Greene came on for a separate curtain call. They want to hope for great reviews since this really isn't selling. You can drive a truck through the upcoming bank holiday Monday performance....
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Apr 21, 2017 23:37:34 GMT
I know its a way off but looking forward to this, seemed a bit odd to premiere a play set in London with English characters in NY? Hope the cast is good. She would have been my choice to take over at the national but she obv wasnt a candidate. Mary Louise Parker's character in Heisenberg is American, they travel to America as part of the play. They could cast an American name in the MLP role here.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Apr 9, 2017 21:38:45 GMT
We're really going to start taking this to task for a 15 second scene in a bath tub where you don't see anything explicit? Let's not forget that Angus Wright paraded around buck naked in Oresteia as well, so Icke is relatively equal opportunities on the exposed flesh front.
Has anyone else noticed that Brown Findlay has a really bruised leg in the post bath scene though? Can only assume she's really not holding back when she's punching herself in the mad scene....
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Apr 7, 2017 22:08:43 GMT
"but it could be good as it is directed by ivo van hove."
Funnily enough, that's exactly why I think it won't be good and am giving it the widest of wide berths.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Apr 2, 2017 16:24:09 GMT
Still no email as promised from SFP. ATG Tickets over the phone also have no matinee showing up for Sat 24th June even though it's showing up on their website, but you can't use theatre tokens on the website. Very frustrating! 24th June matinee also doesn't show if you follow the Almeida priority link, so assume it's being held off sale for some reason?
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Mar 10, 2017 10:50:36 GMT
Well, I did sign the petition about Trump, so my opinion has been debated at least once in Parliament.
At least my opinion of shows I see varies and isn't expressed in such an unpleasant and reductive way though, eh?
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Mar 10, 2017 10:23:41 GMT
Whilst the Imelda arse lickers Are out in force From the reviews in I think the 3 star WOS posting Is a reflection of what I thought A very good play somewhat amiss in acting terms Tempted to go again though Just to eat a curry in the front row And I agree Imogen Poots was the best of the 4 The 3* WOS posting reads like a 5* review and misses the point of how the show and Imelda has been directed (and indeed of the play they claim to love). And Parsley, since you only seem to be arguing this just to be obtuse (and harping tiresomely on about being asked not to eat), your opinion is once again worth absolutely zero.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Mar 6, 2017 23:12:04 GMT
I imagine the two alternates was a decision based on Amber's unproven ability to do the 8 shows. Ive said all along she wouldn't be able to do it. That's not a criticism of her but a simple recognition of the fact that she's never done it before so why would she be able to? I still maintain she won't stay for the entire run. Or the holidays will get longer and longer. Shout me down if you like I imagine the alternates was a decision based on the proven ability of the role of Effie White to murder the vocal chords of anyone who plays it. Amber was really ill over Christmas, as were a lot of performers in both this and other shows across the West End. She probably came back before she was fully ready, and that will mean she's more susceptible to getting sick again. Which is what seems to have happened. I still maintain you're looking for a scandal where there isn't one, so pipe down.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Mar 6, 2017 23:05:41 GMT
Yep, 100% sold out, nothing held back for public booking. "Watch the website for returns" they say, like a trip to Chichester can be easily slotted in on a whim with only a few days notice for the majority of people in the UK. BOOOOOOOOO. There is a ticket on there now for May 13th evening, if you want to bag it? I'm going to check daily for matinee returns, since getting back from Chichester in the evening is not an option.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Mar 6, 2017 23:03:32 GMT
John Tiffany also used the movement elements beautifully in his production of Let The Right One In, so when you watched the Harry Potter play, did you think everyone was going to turn into a vampire?
Really pleased with the big showing this got in the Olivier nominations today.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Mar 4, 2017 9:26:54 GMT
F1-2 are always sold as restricted view at the Duke of York's, as they are outside the proscenium.
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Mar 3, 2017 23:24:31 GMT
Trouble is if a show is only achieving a certain attendance percentage per week,the theatre owners can give notice to the Producers to quit. This only comes into effect when there are other shows hovering to come into that particular theatre. Two shows which appeal to The Girls' demographic, American in Paris and 42nd St are about to start performances so it will be interesting to see how it does. That's not quite accurate about attendance there. It's if a show loses money for 3 consecutive weeks, the theatre owners have the right to serve notice to the show's producers. Or at least that's how it used to be. You aren't wrong about the notice being served only when there's a better option knocking on the door though :-)
|
|
371 posts
|
Post by popcultureboy on Mar 2, 2017 23:39:44 GMT
Agree with not eating and drinking during a performance (except water) and preferably not eating in the auditorium at all, but it's hypocritical for theatres to say, as do cinemas, that it's OK to eat food purchased there. Obviously they want the extra income - though most sell only over-priced, unhealthy and usually noisy, messy, pungent items - but it undermines their assumed argument about showing respect for the cast and ones fell audience members. Turns out, surprise surprise, that respect for theatres' bank balances trumps any other consideration. The pre-show email being so heavily quoted in the news about it states that you can enjoy any food sold in the venue before the show starts and during the interval, but you're asked not to eat in the auditorium during the show. So it's showing respect to bank balances, audience members and cast, all at the same time, surely?
|
|