Pack of Lies - Menier Chocolate Factory

Finity Williams to play Barbara.

Since both her parents were in the original run, it's going to be an emotional one for Finty Williams.

I suppose the play is being revived now because of Trump's ongoing efforts to discredit the idea of objective truth.

Loved this when I saw it on tour with Lorna Luft. Also I’ve got the DVD with Ellen Burtstyn. Always wanted to mount my own version. Sadly don’t think I’ll get to see this production.

Maybe they will do some of those £19.50 seats that they have done for their last 2 productions.

Didn't they do that because the productions didn't do that well though? Better hope they don't do that so frequently or there might not be a Menier to go to after a while.

It's a flexible space so the layout varies by production: looking at the seating plan this is in a standard forward facing layout - so generally all seats are fine - more central is better but there's not a lot in it! On oddity for this theatre is the "meal deal" tickets which are assigned to certain seats - these include a 3 course set meal in the restaurant attached to the theatre. 

Full cast:

Jasper Britton previously appeared at the Menier in Little Shop of Horrors. His theatre work includes Jerusalem (The Watermill Theatre), The Libertine (Theatre Royal Bath and Theatre Royal Haymarket), Richard II, Henry IV, The Jew of Malta, Marat/Sade (RSC), Race, Private Lives (Hampstead Theatre) & The Last Cigarette (Chichester Festival Theatre and West End).

Sia Dauda is making her London debut. Her theatre work includes Flashdance (UK tour).

Alasdair Harvey previously appeared at the Menier in Forbidden Broadway and Sunday in the Park with George (also Wyndham’s Theatre). His other theatre work includes Mamma Mia! (Novello Theatre), We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre) & Come Dancing (Theatre Royal Stratford East).

Chris Larkin's theatre credits include Again (Trafalgar Studios), Stevie (Chichester Festival Theatre, Hampstead Theatre), Noises Off (The Old Vic), Yes, Prime Minister (Apollo Theatre), The Whisky Taster (Bush Theatre), The Lady from Dubuque (Haymarket Theatre), His Dark Materials (National Theatre), When We Are Married (Chichester Festival Theatre & Savoy Theatre).

Macy Nyman's theatre work includes The Stepmother (Minerva Theatre) & Posh (Pleasance Theatre).

Tracy-Ann Oberman's theatre work includes Present Laughter, Fiddler on the Roof (Chichester Festival Theatre), Stepping Out (Vaudeville Theatre and UK tour), McQueen (Theatre Royal Haymarket Theatre), Earthquakes in London (National Theatre and UK tour) & Boeing Boeing (Comedy Theatre).

Natalie Walter previously appeared at the Menier in Smash. For theatre her work includes Jerusalem (The Watermill Theatre), A Little Hotel on the Side (Theatre Royal Bath), Lingua Franca (Finborough Theatre), Hay Fever (Chichester Festival Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Love’s Labour’s Lost (RSC), Whipping It Up (UK tour), Habeas Corpus (Donmar Warehouse) and Piano/Forte (Royal Court Theatre).

Finty Williams' theatre work includes The Divide (The Old Vic), Blithe Spirit (The Mill at Sonning), Dinner with Friends (Park Theatre), The Vote (Donmar Warehouse – also More4), The Armour (Defibrillator Theatre), The Lightning Child, Macbeth, Bedlam (Shakespeare’s Globe), Luise Miller (Donmar Warehouse) and Twelfth Night (National Theatre).

Timely post, reminded me to book, plenty of tickets available on the dates I was looking at, Jasper Britton the draw for me.

Entertaining enough cloak-and-dagger play, doesn't say anything new about theatre or any particular genre or life indeed. At times a bit Simon Grayish, the odd Pinteresque moment and even Bennett in Cambridge-spy mode.

Never seen the Menier stage quite as wide as this, to encompass three different settings with no need to change sets. Clever. Good performances from the entire cast. Extremely hot and stuffy in the auditorium with tangible evidence of the obesity crisis in how everyone is crammed against their neighbours.

I do worry about what would happen in this theatre if an emergency evacuation was ever needed.

If the emergency exits are not thought to be good enough for a normal exit why should they be effective in a panic? And the fact they are not opened regularly can lead to their being blocked or otherwise compromised if they are ever needed. 

I haven't forensically examined where the fire exits are there, but it's usually about the exit route and where they open up onto that determines whether they can be an 'extra' exit. For example one venue I used to work at had a fire exit that went via the roof of an adjacent building, and the other into an alleyway...neither ideal for turfing regular audience out onto. But yes, any organisation worth it's salt will have staff who know this, and get get everyone out very quickly in a hurry.

There seem to be two emergency exits. The one on the top right hand side may well take you to the wings/backstage area. The one on the left, I am almost certain, just takes you to the area leading to the steps which lead to the bar which, in turn, are a funnel until you get to the restaurant area. If I am right, this exit is not very useful in an emergency..

How weird that anyone's commentary about this production, so far anyway, seems to me a lot of pointless chat about how quickly they can exit the theatre in case of an emergency (or a dud show). Is the production really THAT bad? Finty has some formidable footsteps to follow in - her mum on the West End, Rosemary Harris on Broadway, and Ellen Burstyn of all people in the Americanised film.

“I found it difficult to be sympathetic towards her because she was so pathetic.”

Those are words I heard from another theatre goer when leaving the uncomfortable Menier tonight. The room seemed pretty full and it was a warm night.

They seem to have made the room wider, put in more seats, lost the central aisle and left with a full aisle on only one side. The seats are as cramped and uncomfortable as ever, where you easily get acquainted with your neighbours. On the plus, they opened the fire exit at the back (leading into the bar area) to help with the exit.

I was on the back row, discounted tickets, disappointed as the site I used to book showed an aisle in front. Instead, I had two tall men who kept leaning forward. I could see most of the unnecessarily wide set and sound projection was excellent. You’d miss a lot at the front as the stage is so wide. Voice projection was excellent and all the cast were easy to hear.

The plot?

Set in the 1960s and based on a true story, this is a slow affair. I was waiting for a twist that never happened. Running time 2 hours 35 minutes. Strange breaking the third wall monologues.

How far do you trust your neighbours?

Would you still trust them if they gave you this show as a recommendation?