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Post by MrBunbury on Feb 13, 2024 10:05:38 GMT
New plays announced:
The comeuppance (https://almeida.co.uk/whats-on/the-comeuppance/)
Alma Mater (https://almeida.co.uk/whats-on/alma-mater/)
The years (https://almeida.co.uk/whats-on/the-years/)
Roots (https://almeida.co.uk/whats-on/roots/)
Look back in anger (https://almeida.co.uk/whats-on/look-back-in-anger/)
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Post by mrnutz on Feb 13, 2024 10:09:03 GMT
I'm not sure there's anything I want to see in that line-up! All seems a bit dull.
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Post by dr on Feb 13, 2024 10:20:16 GMT
"The Years" is very exciting, and will no doubt be like nothing else playing in London at the moment. I agree the others seem a little drab though, particularly the absence of any truly exciting talent - Rebecca Frecknall must be busy with Cabaret on Broadway and Miss Julie in Amsterdam, as her name would spark up the season. I'll hold out hope though... Goold knows what he's doing, and must have a sneak-hit in "Alma Mater" or "The Comeuppance."
Curious to see a rep season for the first time - but potentially the start of quite a promising idea?
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Post by zahidf on Feb 13, 2024 10:25:03 GMT
Ill see most of those: theyve got my trust after how good theyve been over the last 2 years, esp with the cheap pillar tickets. I dont feel the need to renew membership though, nothing there seems massively likely to sell quickly.
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Post by MrBunbury on Feb 13, 2024 10:30:29 GMT
I will see for sure "The comeuppance", "Alma mater" and "The years". Not overkeen about "Roots" (I saw it at the Donmar) or " Look back in anger" but maybe the casting will make me change my mind.
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Post by Jon on Feb 13, 2024 10:53:11 GMT
Look Back in Anger is one I wonder if it'll have a name for Jimmy.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Feb 13, 2024 11:01:29 GMT
I wonder if the rep system is a way of saving money by using one set? I can't see a designer listed though. Times are hard even in N1
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Post by Rory on Feb 13, 2024 11:20:05 GMT
No Ben Whishaw?!
Wonder what he is doing then
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Post by foxa on Feb 13, 2024 11:23:41 GMT
Not inclined to book for Roots or, especially, Look Back in Anger (though wonder if they have some big star names lined up for those to rejustify reviving them), but the others look interesting. Lia Williams in Alma Mater could possibly be like her returning to themes explored decades ago in Oleanna, also set in a university. The playwright of Comeuppance is usually interesting.
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Post by Jan on Feb 13, 2024 11:26:00 GMT
Roots and Look Back in Anger have the potential to be horribly dated - it all rests on the direction and casting and running them in rep should add interest.
They are historically important plays and should be done occasionally but I’m a bit surprised the Almeida rather than the NT (who have some sort of duty to put on stuff like that) are having a go. Maybe they were part of Goold’s pitch for the NT job.
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Post by zahidf on Feb 13, 2024 11:31:59 GMT
No Ben Whishaw?! Wonder what he is doing then No cast for Primary trust at the donmar announced yet? |
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Post by n1david on Feb 13, 2024 11:32:38 GMT
I saw the last revival of Look Back in Anger, in 1989 with Ken Branagh and Emma Thompson, directed by Judi Dench and it all felt fairly pedestrian. Intrigued to see if the Almeida can bring it back to life or if it's stuck in the category of 'significant but very much of its time'. More interested in seeing the Wesker again, I think it may have aged better. I see the press performances for both shows is on the same day, Roots as a matinee and Anger in the evening, so the Almeida is clearly expecting audiences to look for parallels and echoes.
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Post by bordeaux on Feb 13, 2024 13:15:51 GMT
The sheer dullness of the choice of revivals leads me to suspect they must be intending to do something else with them? I’d be interested to learn what they do with the self-pitying misogynist nastiness of Jimmy Porter. Learn as in read about rather than go and see.
When you think of all the wonders of works drama there are, why would you go for these? I’m sure both these playwrights too have other plays more worthy of revival.
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Post by theatremiss on Feb 13, 2024 13:30:27 GMT
No Ben Whishaw?! Wonder what he is doing then Isn't he going to be in Waiting for Godot? |
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Post by Rory on Feb 13, 2024 13:36:48 GMT
No Ben Whishaw?! Wonder what he is doing then Isn't he going to be in Waiting for Godot? Yes but Baz Bamigboye said he was doing something on stage in London before it, and a lot of people assumed it would be one of the new Almeida shows. |
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Post by zahidf on Feb 13, 2024 13:40:06 GMT
The sheer dullness of the choice of revivals leads me to suspect they must be intending to do something else with them? I’d be interested to learn what they do with the self-pitying misogynist nastiness of Jimmy Porter. Learn as in read about rather than go and see. When you think of all the wonders of works drama there are, why would you go for these? I’m sure both these playwrights too have other plays more worthy of revival. Has been a while since either revival hasnt it? Could be also that a 'name' really wants to try Jimmy Porter |
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Post by theatremiss on Feb 13, 2024 13:59:10 GMT
Isn't he going to be in Waiting for Godot? Yes but Baz Bamigboye said he was doing something on stage in London before it, and a lot of people assumed it would be one of the new Almeida shows. Ah thanks Rory, I didnt know that. I wonder if it's the Almeida then? I'd like to see Wishaw on stage again. I may then have a choice of making the goddawful schlep to the Almeida OR sitting through Waiting for Godot. |
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Post by MrBunbury on Feb 13, 2024 14:02:07 GMT
Yes but Baz Bamigboye said he was doing something on stage in London before it, and a lot of people assumed it would be one of the new Almeida shows. Ah thanks Rory, I didnt know that. I wonder if it's the Almeida then? I'd like to see Wishaw on stage again. I may then have a choice of making the goddawful schlep to the Almeida OR sitting through Waiting for Godot. Maybe it will be something in another theatre (Old Vic? Hampstead Theatre?) |
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Post by theatremiss on Feb 13, 2024 14:19:41 GMT
Ah thanks Rory, I didnt know that. I wonder if it's the Almeida then? I'd like to see Wishaw on stage again. I may then have a choice of making the goddawful schlep to the Almeida OR sitting through Waiting for Godot. Maybe it will be something in another theatre (Old Vic? Hampstead Theatre?) I think the OV are announcing their next season about now, if I recall rightly |
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Post by aspieandy on Feb 13, 2024 18:07:13 GMT
That's a funny thing; was chatting the other day about The Homecoming and someone was a friend of the Wesker family. They said his work doesn't get put on much now, and here we are ..
Well, I'm certainly up for LBiA / Roots (Osborne / Wesker), and The Years (from the French adaptation of a Nobel winner's "masterpiece").
The Comeuppance might be too culturally USA for me (overloaded) but it's by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (An Octoroon) so let's see what reviewers say ..
Alma Mater: don't know much atm, although I see Polly Findlay and Lia Williams are up for it.
So, 1950s working class, and a bit French and USA. All in the execution now ..
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Post by theatreliker on Feb 13, 2024 20:38:17 GMT
The Comeuppnance was well received in NY last year, one of NYT's picks of the year.
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Post by showtoones on Feb 13, 2024 23:12:33 GMT
They will likely have a musical over Christmas as they usually do though, right?
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Post by Rory on Feb 14, 2024 6:48:30 GMT
Very excited about The Comeuppance and Alma Mater, less so about the rest.
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Post by Jan on Feb 14, 2024 8:44:03 GMT
I’m sure both these playwrights too have other plays more worthy of revival. Like Wesker's "The Merchant". |
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Post by bordeaux on Feb 14, 2024 10:17:53 GMT
This is from the ITA website - gives more information in English about the original production of The Years and has a one-minute video which will give you a good idea of what it looks and feels like. ita.nl/en/shows/de-jaren/3505599/ |
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Post by mrnutz on Feb 14, 2024 10:22:59 GMT
They will likely have a musical over Christmas as they usually do though, right? Christmas '22 was Streetcar, so not necessarily. |
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Post by lynette on Feb 14, 2024 16:37:48 GMT
Roots and Look Back in Anger certainly good plays. Will they both be ‘dated’? Or will they get a new life? Answers on a postcard..
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Post by showtoones on Feb 14, 2024 16:43:24 GMT
They will likely have a musical over Christmas as they usually do though, right? Christmas '22 was Streetcar, so not necessarily. Wasn't Tammy Faye right before that? I guess that isn't considered Christmas, but it was the festive season. |
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Post by alicechallice on Feb 14, 2024 16:44:59 GMT
They will likely have a musical over Christmas as they usually do though, right? Christmas '22 was Streetcar, so not necessarily. You're confusing them with Sheffield Crucible, dear. |
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Post by alicechallice on Feb 14, 2024 16:55:46 GMT
Christmas '22 was Streetcar, so not necessarily. You're confusing them with Sheffield Crucible, dear. Sorry, I was meant to be quoting showtoones there. |
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