2,349 posts
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Post by zahidf on Jan 16, 2019 11:13:02 GMT
I enjoyed the acting and script, and enjoyed it overall
I just went along with the premise, having heard about it beforehand. It was silly, but I just assumed it was a parallel universe where caning is seen as being a horrendous thing.
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Jan 16, 2019 11:33:35 GMT
Yes, the acting was fine (though Maggie Steed seemed rather too old and quavery to convince as Alun Armstrong's wife) but the script didn't do it justice. I think they're the same age . . . Yes, both are 72 - he's the older of the two.
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3,088 posts
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Post by david on Jan 19, 2019 16:58:26 GMT
Having watched today’s matinee performance, overall I’ve got mixed feelings about the play. While the acting from the cast was great with plenty of comedic moments to counter the darker elements, plotwise it really was a bit of a slog to get to the end which I thought was actually a great ending with plenty of drama.
While there were plenty of ideas explored in the script about the use and impact of canning in schools and the use of more modern punishment techniques in schools, for me personally none were fully explored enough during the play. The idea of the mob outside really didn’t do much for me unfortunately. I would of liked to have had a character who had been canned included to examine the impact of canning on a personal level. The most interesting aspect for me was the broken family relationship and it’s impact on the individual characters.
This was my time to the Royal Court, and despite the mixed feelings about the play, I really like the theatre as a whole. Plenty of space in the downstairs bar area to have a preshow coffee and I was able to have a look around the bookshop upstairs which was nice. Being sat in row L of the stalls, I was very impressed with the view from my seat and would definitely sit there again in future visits.
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1,465 posts
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Post by foxa on Jan 19, 2019 19:31:03 GMT
I think they're the same age . . . Yes, both are 72 - he's the older of the two. Maggie Steed is one of those actors I'm always happy to see in something. I just like her.
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2,389 posts
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Post by peggs on Jan 19, 2019 20:35:44 GMT
Booked for the actors, what a cast, and they didn't disappoint, really impressive but the play as previously noted is a bit iffy. From the first few lines I was thinking, people don't really talk like this, is this meant to be real? Since it had what appeared to be half eaten stairs I should probably have figured not but still thoughts like, why hasn't a neighbour rung the police, or should you stand in front of a window if someone is about to throw a brick through it, kept passing through my mind. I work in education so that was quite interesting, things I went yeah, that's familiar but others I wasn't convinced by and yes the overarching why would people now care so much about this issue in the past? And I think as I wanted to enjoy the cast I then wanted to find something likeable, redeemable in their characters in spite of them being more than a little messed up. Sat in front row had oodles of room, I guess if the stage had come out further the front people would have lost sight of the attic? I'd forgotten where the seat numbers are, why are they in such an impossible place to spot in semi light? The kind lady in my row already identified her seat so I could find mine and then I, and the next person and the next then repaid on the favour, seemed bit mad though. I think as david and others have probably said for me there was a more interesting play in there though I didn't see the ending coming and was shocked by how it would have presumably played out if it had lasted another few minutes, guess that axe should have been my hint huh. So interesting but ultimately bit dissatisfying, but yeah a pleasure to see the cast.
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