156 posts
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Post by meister on Jan 15, 2020 11:34:08 GMT
Anyone going to 1st preview tonight. Intrigued to hear what this one is like. Sounds a bit 'Crucible-ish'!!
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Jan 15, 2020 12:11:11 GMT
I really want to see it! Seems like the Crucible like you said crossed with 12 Angry Men and I love Ria Zmitrowicz who I didn't realise was in this until recently so that's made me even more determined to go. I think I'm going to try to get rush tickets on Friday for next Saturday matinee hopefully.
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Post by Forrest on Jan 15, 2020 20:00:22 GMT
Other than one director-based but otherwise (admittedly) odd personal choice, and Katie Mitchell's Orlando at the Barbican, this is my most anticipated play of the year so far. I loved Ria Zmitrowicz in The Doctor, and the story sounds very interesting, but most of all I am intrigued by the fact that James Macdonald is directing it.
Got a ticket for press night, but I am hoping it will be good enough that I will want to catch the rush tickets and go back again.
The NT are also doing a series of events around the play, and I wish I could go to if not all, than most of them. Among other things, they will be discussing British justice and women, which is an incredibly interesting topic but I am even more delighted to see that a theatre is including it on its agenda. (I am a bit broke, though, and end of January is still far away, so I've only booked for the talk with James Macdonald, for now...)
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Jan 15, 2020 23:06:11 GMT
Other than one director-based but otherwise (admittedly) odd personal choice, and Katie Mitchell's Orlando at the Barbican, this is my most anticipated play of the year so far. I loved Ria Zmitrowicz in The Doctor, and the story sounds very interesting, but most of all I am intrigued by the fact that James Macdonald is directing it. Got a ticket for press night, but I am hoping it will be good enough that I will want to catch the rush tickets and go back again. The NT are also doing a series of events around the play, and I wish I could go to if not all, than most of them. Among other things, they will be discussing British justice and women, which is an incredibly interesting topic but I am even more delighted to see that a theatre is including it on its agenda. (I am a bit broke, though, and end of January is still far away, so I've only booked for the talk with James Macdonald, for now...) Oh I didn't realise I've seen the director's work before but I've loved everything of his I've seen (The Father, Virginia Woolf and John) so that's another reason to go! |
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116 posts
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Post by alexandra on Jan 15, 2020 23:35:16 GMT
He’s a brilliant director, and there’s lots to love in this, but **** ** it’s long (at the first preview).
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Jan 15, 2020 23:48:27 GMT
He’s a brilliant director, and there’s lots to love in this, but **** ** it’s long (at the first preview). Oh no really? That was kind of how I felt about Duchess of Malfi so I hope if that's true then they tighten things up by the end of previews! |
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116 posts
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Post by alexandra on Jan 15, 2020 23:51:58 GMT
They will, I’m sure. I did really like it apart from some of the pacing.
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Post by westendgurl on Jan 16, 2020 8:33:36 GMT
They will, I’m sure. I did really like it apart from some of the pacing. How long is the current running time? I'm seeing it tomorrow and psyching myself up for a long one! |
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116 posts
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Post by alexandra on Jan 16, 2020 9:13:08 GMT
3 hours 10 mins at first preview.
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Post by audrey on Jan 17, 2020 9:45:45 GMT
Went to the second preview last night which came in at just under three hours. Its got a brilliant cast and amazing performances but the play itself is way too long, muddled and confused. It needs some very sharp editing and reworking to make it hang together. The theme - no justice for women - is powerful and at times the writing is so sharp and funny. But the play gets lost in itself. The opening scene is beautifully staged - but then theres a long bit of preamble with a half stage and lighting device - which looks amazing but feels excessive and unconnected to the main part of the play. It felt as if we were watching the second or third draft of the play rather than something that had been properly thought out and tested. Its a shame as am a huge Lucy Kirkwood fan but The Welkin as we saw it isn't up to the standard of her other plays.
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Post by zackpolanski on Jan 17, 2020 11:33:37 GMT
I've actually been going to the NT for years to go and see pretty much everything but this is my first time posting. New Year thought i'd get involved!
I went to see the preview last night and overall really enjoyed the piece. It was a little too long but after Brilliant Friend and Three Sisters (which incidentally I adored the latter), it didn't feel hugely long.
The main bulk of the play I felt moves on at a pace but then the final 'act'/coda was when I felt people around me start checking watches.
The performances are generally brilliant. Really enjoyed Maxine Peake and Cecelia Noble in particular. I saw the latter recently in Faith, Hope and Charity - two very different characters but both equally scene stealing.
The plays themes this morning have popped in and out of my head and I think it's a play with a lot of important things to say and in my mind with a little bit of tightening, there's a really enjoyable and thoughtful evenings theatre here.
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116 posts
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Post by alexandra on Jan 17, 2020 14:43:49 GMT
The plays themes this morning have popped in and out of my head and I think it's a play with a lot of important things to say and in my mind with a little bit of tightening, there's a really enjoyable and thoughtful evenings theatre here. Welcome zackpolanski. Yes, it's stayed with me too. The lighting and design are gorgeous; it looks like a Vermeer painting at times. Some smart ideas: for example the voiceless man, and the fact that one of the two main characters is so unlikeable. Now that the pacing has become a little less...luxurious (I'm guessing they've shortened the interminable opening scene, and yes I know that's a paradox but that's how it felt), I would love to see it again. Beautiful show. |
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54 posts
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Post by theatrescribe on Jan 22, 2020 22:58:37 GMT
Was there tonight, man that was hard work! Needs a judicious editor who can trim it back a bit
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1,120 posts
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Post by samuelwhiskers on Jan 23, 2020 9:33:35 GMT
Agreed.
The middle section (basically everything with the 12 women in the room debating) is fantastic, a few lines a little on the nose but some of the strongest writing I've seen in years. And the end of the first half is incredible.
The first scene and even the second scene with the comedy lineup are unnecessary (and the first is painfully boring) and don't add anything to the play. The second scene has some good if tonally misplaced one-liners but we don't need such a massive scene just to introduce the characters, Ocean's 11 style. Is Kirkwood so insecure about her own writing ability that she feels the characters won't become clear and distinct through the writing, so forces us to sit through ten minutes of each character popping up in turn to say, " I am Mrs Smith, I have 5 children and a layabout husband, and I [insert pained anecdote showing they are the 'feisty' one, or the 'naive' one, or the 'menopausal' one]"?
Cut both scenes. Maybe keep the silent prologue. Otherwise cold open with all the women entering the debating room. Closed space, closed time. Ramp up the claustrophobia and the tension. Don't delay it with a bunch of one-liners about kissing books, or needless exposition.
The indeterminable ending or I should say endings dribble and blather and weaken all that went on before. I would end the play the second the guard does the thing at the end. Or possibly have Peake's character re-enter and a brief conversation before she accedes to the request. Bringing back one of the random women to monologue on and on and ON about some dog and nutmeg. Who cares?
It's a shame, because there's a phenomenal play there if it had only been cut a little.
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3,557 posts
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Post by showgirl on Jan 24, 2020 18:22:28 GMT
Some £15 front stalls tix (probably left over from today's Friday Rush or returns) available for tomorrow's matinee.
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423 posts
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Post by dlevi on Jan 25, 2020 9:35:28 GMT
I saw it last night ( Friday) and never found it boring or too talky ( well when some of the accents got too thick, then it was too talky) but by and large I found the production stunning ( a special shout out to the sound design) and the performances forceful and with one obvious exception - sympathetic. I had lunch with a friend earlier in the day who had seen the first half of it two nights earlier and hated it, so y expectations were lowered. However, last night when the interval was over I noticed that a lot of people didn't return for the second act. They should've stayed, Ms Kirkwood's play has plenty of rewards to offer and she keeps proving herself to be one of our most exciting playwrights.
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Jan 25, 2020 18:24:48 GMT
I really enjoyed this. We had an understudy for Cecelia Noble's role which is a shame as I like her a lot but the understudy was great as well and I had no idea she was one until I got a programme in the interval. Loved the design of the set and the acting was great all round. The play was definitely 10 or 20 minutes too long but I only really felt that towards the end. I thought some of the reveals in the second act were a little bit clunky and some of the comments, especially from the doctor, were a little too on-the-nose but other than that I enjoyed the writing. Overall I'm very glad I saw it and would sit somewhere around 4 stars like many of the reviews.
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1,120 posts
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Post by samuelwhiskers on Jan 25, 2020 18:37:00 GMT
I liked the {Spoiler - click to view}
aeroplane bit. |
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1,276 posts
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Post by theatrefan77 on Jan 25, 2020 19:17:47 GMT
I was there this afternoon too. Great view from the front row. Disappointed that Cecilia Noble was off but her understudy did a decent enough job. Overall I enjoyed it but it is around 20 minutes too long, a couple of times the play seems to go round in circles getting nowhere, but then it gets better again. It's very well acted. Great set, costumes and sound designed. It's still in previews and with a little bit of trimming before the opening night this has the potential to become a great play. Just my two cents
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Jan 25, 2020 19:23:09 GMT
I was there this afternoon too. Great view from the front row. Disappointed that Cecilia Noble was off but her understudy did a decent enough job. Overall I enjoyed it but it is around 20 minutes too long, a couple of times the play seems to go round in circles getting nowhere, but then it gets better again. It's very well acted. Great set, costumes and sound designed. It's still in previews and with a little bit of trimming before the opening night this has the potential to become a great play. Just my two cents It's out of previews now I think. Press night was a couple of days ago I believe. |
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4,153 posts
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Post by kathryn on Jan 25, 2020 19:26:22 GMT
We enjoyed it a lot. Did feel that one of the pre-room scenes could have been cut - not sure we needed all of them - but to be honest it flew by, didn’t feel like nearly 3 hours.
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Post by intoanewlife on Jan 25, 2020 19:36:36 GMT
Is there any absurd puppetry in this production?
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Post by Forrest on Jan 25, 2020 19:44:10 GMT
juicy_but_terribly_drab , I'm so glad you enjoyed it, because we were eagerly anticipating it in this thread together. :) I've managed to mix-up my dates and it turns out I am not seeing it until the 10th. Needless to sat that I'm incredibly impatient already. But I am happy to see that the impressions here are overwhelmingly positive.
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1,861 posts
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Post by NeilVHughes on Jan 25, 2020 22:40:08 GMT
Most Excellent.
The hill remains to be run.
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Jan 25, 2020 22:52:41 GMT
Is there any absurd puppetry in this production? Not unless a child on wires counts. |
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