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Post by Jan on Jun 10, 2023 7:17:27 GMT
So... having never seen one of these types of shows, how does it work. Do they actually play every character in the play? Jumping between voices/mannerisms etc? I've seen one-person shows, but only when they were written to be for one person. If it's clearly supposed to be a number of characters played by a full cast like Macbeth for example I think I'd find myself just sitting there wishing I was watching a full production. When Tommy Cooper used to do them he’d put on a different hat for each character.
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Post by Rory on Jun 10, 2023 7:34:54 GMT
So... having never seen one of these types of shows, how does it work. Do they actually play every character in the play? Jumping between voices/mannerisms etc? I've seen one-person shows, but only when they were written to be for one person. If it's clearly supposed to be a number of characters played by a full cast like Macbeth for example I think I'd find myself just sitting there wishing I was watching a full production. Andrew Scott is a superb actor and he will be great, no doubt, but this type of show just doesn't appeal to me greatly. I too would likely sit watching it wishing it was a fully cast production. I have seen some great one person shows- Scaramouche Jones with the late, great Pete Postlethwaite always springs to mind- but they are not generally my favourite type of show.
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Post by Steve on Jun 10, 2023 16:48:30 GMT
So... having never seen one of these types of shows, how does it work. Do they actually play every character in the play? Jumping between voices/mannerisms etc? I've seen one-person shows, but only when they were written to be for one person. If it's clearly supposed to be a number of characters played by a full cast like Macbeth for example I think I'd find myself just sitting there wishing I was watching a full production. Andrew Scott is a superb actor and he will be great, no doubt, but this type of show just doesn't appeal to me greatly. I too would likely sit watching it wishing it was a fully cast production. I have seen some great one person shows- Scaramouche Jones with the late, great Pete Postlethwaite always springs to mind- but they are not generally my favourite type of show. I completely understand this point of view. But having seen a few "Uncle Vanyas," for me, it's precisely having the one actor playing all the parts that is intriguing to me. Especially since Andrew Scott is one of the best stage actors there is, able to convey emotion like almost noone else. In particular, having one person embody three such different types of masculinity that are Vanya (defeated caustic childlike whiner), Astrov (romantic wise alpha male) and the Professor (pedantic insensitive father figure) stands to be fascinating and revealing. For me, my main concern about this is how difficult it will be to maintain the tragicomic tone throughout, so that we can laugh and cry and be enlightened all at once: It would be easy to get alienated from the real horrors at the heart of the play and laugh raucously at everything from a distance, and it would be equally easy to get overly serious, to avert the above criticism, and miss laughing at ourselves, which for me, is a great deal of the point of the play: you laugh morbidly so you can survive the horrors. If anyone can get this right, it will be Andrew Scott, who can find the heart of characters so well, and reveal everything that is funny and everything that is tragic about the human condition simultaneously. This could easily be a season highlight, I feel, precisely because one person stands in for the whole human condition, as we all do in our own lives. Fingers crossed.
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Post by Jan on Jun 10, 2023 17:07:43 GMT
In particular, having one person embody three such different types of masculinity that are Vanya (defeated caustic childlike whiner), Astro (romantic wise alpha male) and the Professor (pedantic insensitive father figure) stands to be fascinating and revealing. No comment from anyone that he's also playing three of the more significant women's roles in classic drama ? Where's the justification for that ? Making it a two-hander with him and an actress playing all the female roles would have been better for all sorts of reasons.
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Post by londonpostie on Jun 10, 2023 17:52:39 GMT
I don't know he is playing the full cast, or script. The title is just 'Vanya'. My thought was it might be chiefly an exploration of the character.
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Post by Steve on Jun 10, 2023 18:06:57 GMT
In particular, having one person embody three such different types of masculinity that are Vanya (defeated caustic childlike whiner), Astro (romantic wise alpha male) and the Professor (pedantic insensitive father figure) stands to be fascinating and revealing. No comment from anyone that he's also playing three of the more significant women's roles in classic drama ? Where's the justification for that ? Making it a two-hander with him and an actress playing all the female roles would have been better for all sorts of reasons. I think there is something of the feminine in every man, and something of the masculine in every woman, and having a man play female parts can be just as revelatory as having a woman play male parts. Jodie Comer's males in "Prima Facie" were every shade of masculine, and every shade of human too, for example. There have been, and will be, so many iterations of this play that I don't begrudge this one production for depicting all of human nature in one actor. If Jodie Comer cares to play all the parts of "Uncle Vanya," I'd book that too, in a heartbeat.
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Post by Rory on Jun 10, 2023 19:44:51 GMT
Andrew Scott is a superb actor and he will be great, no doubt, but this type of show just doesn't appeal to me greatly. I too would likely sit watching it wishing it was a fully cast production. I have seen some great one person shows- Scaramouche Jones with the late, great Pete Postlethwaite always springs to mind- but they are not generally my favourite type of show. I completely understand this point of view. But having seen a few "Uncle Vanyas," for me, it's precisely having the one actor playing all the parts that is intriguing to me. Especially since Andrew Scott is one of the best stage actors there is, able to convey emotion like almost noone else. In particular, having one person embody three such different types of masculinity that are Vanya (defeated caustic childlike whiner), Astrov (romantic wise alpha male) and the Professor (pedantic insensitive father figure) stands to be fascinating and revealing. For me, my main concern about this is how difficult it will be to maintain the tragicomic tone throughout, so that we can laugh and cry and be enlightened all at once: It would be easy to get alienated from the real horrors at the heart of the play and laugh raucously at everything from a distance, and it would be equally easy to get overly serious, to avert the above criticism, and miss laughing at ourselves, which for me, is a great deal of the point of the play: you laugh morbidly so you can survive the horrors. If anyone can get this right, it will be Andrew Scott, who can find the heart of characters so well, and reveal everything that is funny and everything that is tragic about the human condition simultaneously. This could easily be a season highlight, I feel, precisely because one person stands in for the whole human condition, as we all do in our own lives. Fingers crossed. You have made me want to see it now, Steve!
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Post by Jan on Jun 10, 2023 19:57:42 GMT
No comment from anyone that he's also playing three of the more significant women's roles in classic drama ? Where's the justification for that ? Making it a two-hander with him and an actress playing all the female roles would have been better for all sorts of reasons. I think there is something of the feminine in every man, and something of the masculine in every woman, and having a man play female parts can be just as revelatory as having a woman play male parts. Jodie Comer's males in "Prima Facie" were every shade of masculine, and every shade of human too, for example. There have been, and will be, so many iterations of this play that I don't begrudge this one production for depicting all of human nature in one actor. If Jodie Comer cares to play all the parts of "Uncle Vanya," I'd book that too, in a heartbeat. He’s taking parts away from actresses when there are fewer good parts for women in classic drama anyway. So far all we’ve heard to justify a one-man approach is that they think there are similarities between Vanya and Astrov. Actually the more interesting parallels are between Vanya and the Professor.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2023 12:57:20 GMT
He's not taking parts away from anyone since this is intentionally a one-person show built around Scott's talents and celebrity. It is not as if he was cast over women for the female roles.
No one is being stopped from mounting Uncle Vanya in any other form and casting it as they see fit. A commitment to equity and inclusion does not automatically mean shows like this should not be produced.
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Post by stevesometime on Aug 2, 2023 15:29:17 GMT
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Post by cavocado on Aug 2, 2023 15:44:54 GMT
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Post by stevesometime on Aug 3, 2023 11:35:24 GMT
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Post by rumbledoll on Aug 4, 2023 10:37:48 GMT
One front stalls ticket is for sale at Noticeboard if anyone's interested, Richmond run.
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Post by rumbledoll on Aug 6, 2023 14:45:33 GMT
Vanya ticket now sold. Does anyone know how can I delete the post from the noticeboard or edit it? Thanks!
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Post by TallPaul on Aug 6, 2023 14:51:30 GMT
Vanya ticket now sold. Does anyone know how can I delete the post from the noticeboard or edit it? Thanks! I happened to be online, so I've deleted it for you.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 6, 2023 15:55:12 GMT
Vanya ticket now sold. Does anyone know how can I delete the post from the noticeboard or edit it? Thanks! I happened to be online, so I've deleted it for you. But if he hadn’t been on line, the way to get a notice deleted us to PM one of us.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Aug 25, 2023 13:08:38 GMT
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Post by rumtom on Aug 25, 2023 18:20:51 GMT
Thanks for that! Got in there to sneak the last ticket available.
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Post by rumtom on Aug 26, 2023 21:48:31 GMT
I have just been to see this tonight. Andrew Scott is clearly very talented and this is an interesting take - and was the first attempt, so I don't intend to be overly critical, because there were many positives.. but I thought this stayed on the surface. It's partly the fact that half the audience were in hysterics at inappropriate parts and because I suppose the amount of characters he played meant that no real depth was reached for any of them. But it still was enjoyable and had a lot of potential, presumably they will review and cut a few bits and build on character development a bit more.
It reminded me of Ian M and Patrick S doing Waiting for Godot, which took one of the great plays/my favourite and turned it into pantomime. And who can blame them when you have an audience that just wants to see actors they love and want to have a fun night out.
If, in Vanya, they lost some of the purposeful gags early on it might temper it slightly and earth one of the great plays on the subject of the human condition.
But Andrew Scott definitely drew a younger audience and that is a good thing. I love the way he distinguished characters with various mannerisms and objects, and will see it again when it's further down the run. A very impressive performance overall.
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Post by drmaplewood on Aug 26, 2023 21:57:30 GMT
I was there too, found it quite hard work unfortunately. Partly down to how uncomfortable the seats in the upper circle are (I'm 6ft 6) but also just couldn't get into the rhythm of it and by the halfway mark was quite bored. Scott is still great to watch but at the moment feels he's performing to the stalls as there were several points where I couldn't hear him. Points where he's literally whispering need to be projected more but sure that will be ironed out, I won't be revisiting though.
1hr 50mins straight through, a few walkouts.
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Post by Being Alive on Aug 26, 2023 22:23:20 GMT
Oh I thought this was riveting tonight.
I think this is going to divide people - if you don't know Vanya at all, this is going to be a slog, but I'd argue that's true of a lot of one person versions of meaty plays. Within 10 minutes I was completely in, and my mind was fully focused for the next hour and and 40, and that's a key thing with this. You have to concentrate. If you let your mind wander, you will have lost where Scott is, who he is, and where we are and it'll be almost impossible to get back in. It's a test, for both actor and audience, and I loved that.
I'd watch Andrew Scott read the phone book, and he is brilliantly captivating here. A lot of the things he did got laughs where there aren't any (and I truly believe that's because half the audience had no idea what was happening), but the half that knew, loved it.
For a dress rehearsal, it's in really good shape. It'll tighten up and Scott will get more comfortable as it goes along because it's MAMMOTH, but an easy 4 stars for me.
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Post by rumtom on Aug 26, 2023 23:10:02 GMT
Oh I thought this was riveting tonight. I think this is going to divide people - if you don't know Vanya at all, this is going to be a slog, but I'd argue that's true of a lot of one person versions of meaty plays. Within 10 minutes I was completely in, and my mind was fully focused for the next hour and and 40, and that's a key thing with this. You have to concentrate. If you let your mind wander, you will have lost where Scott is, who he is, and where we are and it'll be almost impossible to get back in. It's a test, for both actor and audience, and I loved that. I'd watch Andrew Scott read the phone book, and he is brilliantly captivating here. A lot of the things he did got laughs where there aren't any (and I truly believe that's because half the audience had no idea what was happening), but the half that knew, loved it. For a dress rehearsal, it's in really good shape. It'll tighten up and Scott will get more comfortable as it goes along because it's MAMMOTH, but an easy 4 stars for me. I'm glad you enjoyed it and as you say, Scott is excellent and will only get better, but it wasn't a lack of knowing Uncle Vanya that did it for me. I am a big fan of Chekhov but I thought that was probably the problem. I love a meaty play and that's what I wanted but this, for me, didn't have that at all. There was no depth and although it was an enjoyable play, it didn't captivate me. I did enjoy following which characters he was but I'm sure this will continue to improve.
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Post by mkb on Aug 28, 2023 22:12:11 GMT
I'm a fan of Uncle Vanya, have enjoyed some of Simon Stephens' previous work, and rated Andrew Scott very highly in Hamlet, Present Laughter and Design for Living. I expected tonight to be event theatre that I'd talk about for years.
It's more in sorrow than anger that I found myself absolutely loathing Vanya. The clue was there in the programme, with its letter As pretentiously rendered as upside-down Vs, i.e. without the crossbar. The show was stupefyingly dull. Two hours felt like four. No wonder they were too cowardly to allow us a toilet break; many would never have returned.
The incessant giggling at things not remotely funny from an excitable and predominantly female audience -- presumably Scott's fanclub -- did not help.
The piece is unbelievably self-indulgent. I don't think there is much to enjoy here for Chekhov fans. This is solely for Scott groupies. If you'd enjoy watching an actor rehearse a range of Irish caricatures and some stereotypes -- often not being sure which one he's currently doing -- then you might get something out of this. I didn't.
One star.
19:34-21:25
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Post by rumtom on Aug 29, 2023 15:59:04 GMT
I'm a fan of Uncle Vanya, have enjoyed some of Simon Stephens' previous work, and rated Andrew Scott very highly in Hamlet, Present Laughter and Design for Living. I expected tonight to be event theatre that I'd talk about for years. It's more in sorrow than anger that I found myself absolutely loathing Vanya. The clue was there in the programme, with its letter As pretentiously rendered as upside-down Vs, i.e. without the crossbar. The show was stupefyingly dull. Two hours felt like four. No wonder they were too cowardly to allow us a toilet break; many would never have returned. The incessant giggling at things not remotely funny from an excitable and predominantly female audience -- presumably Scott's fanclub -- did not help. The piece is unbelievably self-indulgent. I don't think there is much to enjoy here for Chekhov fans. This is solely for Scott groupies. If you'd enjoy watching an actor rehearse a range of Irish caricatures and some stereotypes -- often not being sure which one he's currently doing -- then you might get something out of this. I didn't. One star. 19:34-21:25 Do you think it's recoverable? I thought there was still potential but needs a few changes to make it a success, in my opinion. What did you make of the sound effects??
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Post by c4ndyc4ne on Aug 29, 2023 16:40:06 GMT
I'm a fan of Uncle Vanya, have enjoyed some of Simon Stephens' previous work, and rated Andrew Scott very highly in Hamlet, Present Laughter and Design for Living. I expected tonight to be event theatre that I'd talk about for years. It's more in sorrow than anger that I found myself absolutely loathing Vanya. The clue was there in the programme, with its letter As pretentiously rendered as upside-down Vs, i.e. without the crossbar. The show was stupefyingly dull. Two hours felt like four. No wonder they were too cowardly to allow us a toilet break; many would never have returned. The incessant giggling at things not remotely funny from an excitable and predominantly female audience -- presumably Scott's fanclub -- did not help. The piece is unbelievably self-indulgent. I don't think there is much to enjoy here for Chekhov fans. This is solely for Scott groupies. If you'd enjoy watching an actor rehearse a range of Irish caricatures and some stereotypes -- often not being sure which one he's currently doing -- then you might get something out of this. I didn't. One star. 19:34-21:25 getting the sense that this one is going to be divisive! time for a poll?
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Post by Being Alive on Aug 29, 2023 16:57:02 GMT
I do get why people didn't like this (and I rather simplistically said it won't appear to people who don't know Vanya - that's not true, I can see why this will not be some peoples cup of tea) but would argue it's too early to add a star as we saw a dress rehearsal (and this won't be put in front of a paying audience til Thursday)
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Post by TallPaul on Aug 29, 2023 17:03:27 GMT
There is a poll all ready to roll. In the circumstances, BurlyBeaR and I will wait until Thursday.
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Post by lynette on Aug 29, 2023 17:17:24 GMT
Are the dress rehearsal tix to try it out? So they may make a few changes. Reading the comments above, ‘you have to concentrate’ and ‘hard work’ I think not for me. Uncle Vanya is a peach of a play though
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 29, 2023 18:38:24 GMT
There is a poll all ready to roll. In the circumstances, BurlyBeaR and I will wait until Thursday. Over to you! 🤓
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Post by mkb on Aug 29, 2023 19:15:09 GMT
I do get why people didn't like this (and I rather simplistically said it won't appear to people who don't know Vanya - that's not true, I can see why this will not be some peoples cup of tea) but would argue it's too early to add a star as we saw a dress rehearsal (and this won't be put in front of a paying audience til Thursday) What's this about a dress rehearsal? I understood I attended a preview last night. It was definitely a paying audience. Wasn't Saturday night the dress?
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