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Post by foxa on Mar 11, 2024 13:03:57 GMT
Did eventually get 2 tix for Giant but lost my first choice ones and it wouldn't let me look at anything else. For that play at least the availability seems good.
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Post by foxa on Mar 11, 2024 12:51:38 GMT
No good for me - tried on two different laptops. Just emptied my basket and keeps asking me to confirm cookies every 2 seconds. Perhaps it's a sign...
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Post by foxa on Mar 4, 2024 15:49:29 GMT
The RSC became known as the 'divorce-maker' because actors would commit to two years in Stratford while their families often remained at home (particularly if there were children in school,etc.) so lots of time separated and ripe for mischief.
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Post by foxa on Feb 28, 2024 14:15:34 GMT
Seeing this on Saturday.
Reviews that I've seen range from 2 to 4 stars - but at least doesn't sound boring.
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Post by foxa on Feb 27, 2024 13:33:43 GMT
I got in about 1.20 and got 2 Row C Dress Circle tix. On the dates I was looking at didn't see anything in the stalls, but considering how far back in the queue I was pleased to get something decent AND to remember to use my credit voucher!!!
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Post by foxa on Feb 16, 2024 12:59:49 GMT
Signed on a little late for Friends booking,but all quick and straightforward. Booked for both Comeuppance and Alma Mater.
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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 foxa on Feb 12, 2024 17:24:55 GMT
That sounds pretty horrible. Statement from the Soho Theatre
And this comment from someone else:
The comedian apparently singled out a guy who was Jewish who did not join in the enforced standing ovation and when he was ordered to leave (and a few others left in sympathy) they were shouted at.
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Post by foxa on Feb 11, 2024 14:19:24 GMT
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Post by foxa on Feb 11, 2024 13:06:11 GMT
I like Beth Steel's work, but was hesitating about this. However based on all the positive comments have booked a single matinee seat in March (when they are filming) First row, pit - hope that will be okay. There are still some tix available but not a lot.
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Post by foxa on Feb 9, 2024 13:03:12 GMT
I suppose it depends on how you define success. I don't think transfers (and they had some of those) are the only way to define it. A play like The Convert, a flawed but interesting play by a writer new to me at least, got mainly 4 and 5 star reviews, had a great cast and I was glad I saw it. My daughter and I both thought Jesus Hopped the A Train was a theatre-going highlight of that year - beautifully directed and performed, with a richness of language you don't always see on the stage. I thought both of those were more interesting plays than Best of Enemies, which did transfer.
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Post by foxa on Feb 9, 2024 11:22:04 GMT
I always thought of the Young Vic as doing a mix of new writing, revivals and classics, regardless of what it's founding mission was. During (I think) Lan's regime there were very good classic productions like The Glass Menagerie and Faustus, with a mix of American plays and new writing. He was apparently particularly proud of bringing more dance, opera and music to the programming. During the recent leadership there were successful reworked classics like Twelfth Night, Death of a Salesman and the American transferred Oklahoma. I am not sure a theatre could run solely on the brief of classics to young audiences - also something that other theatres like the NT and Orange Tree do as part of their remit.
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Post by foxa on Feb 8, 2024 20:58:27 GMT
Pre-covid I thought he did a pretty good job and the programming was strong,for example, Twelfth Night, Jesus Hopped the A' Train, Death of a Salesman.They also kept the ticket prices down so that you felt like you could take a punt on something you weren't sure about. I didn't begrudge my visit to see Collaboration for a tenner.
I recently watched the NT at 50 on NT live and at the end of it, if I did my counting right, there was an excerpt from one play by a woman, Alecky Blythe's London Road, and one by a black playwright, Kwame's Elmina's Kitchen. There were THREE excepts from plays by David Hare, which IMO were the lowlights of the evening. Seeing it, it was hard notto think that there were certainly must be more interesting voices out there, so it's worth theatres trying to find those voices - something that I think Lynette Linton has done very well at the Bush. I also thought her direction of Blues for an Alabama Sky at the NT was very good and shows she can handle a big stage. Whether she would want the headache of the Young Vic is another question.
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Post by foxa on Feb 2, 2024 14:17:59 GMT
In addition to the successful productions mentioned by Dave B (and I absolutely loved that Death of a Salesman), Twelfth Night was good and The Second Woman was a remarkable piece of event theatre. There have been some mistteps - I don't know why Further from the Furthest Thing was scheduled and Mandela, which on paper probably looked like a surefire hit, didn't work. With (I think) 41% of performances cancelled, that must have cost them a fortune. Howeer, as just an audience member with absolutely no insider knowledge, I think he's done a pretty good job at what must be an incredibly hard time to be an AD.
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Post by foxa on Jan 30, 2024 16:11:03 GMT
Marber directed Myer- Bennet in Leopoldstadt so he must rate her. In that Guardian inteview, Garai said she really wanted to do a movie so perhaps one came through? Quite strange to drop out at this stage,
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Post by foxa on Jan 26, 2024 16:40:18 GMT
Its purely transactional for me these days Of all the memberships, i like the barbican one. 20% off tickets if bought on date of sale ( sometimes after if available), all the seats being available, and money off their food and occasionally bar. Non-theatre, but the BFI membership is good value. 2 free tickets, 10% off food/drink/shop, money off seats and all tickets available to membership ( stuff sells out before public sale) In terms of early access, ive stopped the NT membership for the reasons above. As a Mastercard holder, you get early access anyway I occasionally become an almeida member because its a lot easier to get the pillar seats for bigger shows. I haven't been a donmar member for a while but given the issues i had with Macbeth, ill bear it in mind for a hot play Agree about BFI - even though I don't go that often the 2 free tix, plus the early access to the London Film Festival make it worth it. Also, don't know if they are still doing it, but there was a good discount on the BFI player. The Almeida membership is the one I keep most active - I also lke to get the cheap pillar seats - and it meant I didn't have a problem getting the tickets I wanted for very populaar shows like Streetcar.
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Post by foxa on Jan 20, 2024 12:14:57 GMT
Gotta admit, we put the captions on for this.
It was my first time seeing the play so have nothing to compare it with (my husband who knows it better had more criticisms.)However we did enjoy it and liked the intimacy of the production. Agree Lumpkin wasn't a standout, but Horovich and Fox were excellent.
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Post by foxa on Jan 20, 2024 12:08:55 GMT
Yes, you always wonder if it's a blip or a slippery slope - but they have some big names lined up for this next season, so if that goes well...
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Post by foxa on Jan 19, 2024 22:39:03 GMT
How odd! Seems like there have been lots of glitches with this one.
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Post by foxa on Jan 19, 2024 18:06:57 GMT
I am not a particular Arifa fan as I don't feel guided or inspired by most of her reviews (WAY too many on the fence 3 stars) BUT I think a shortened outdoor show aimed at tourists isn't a bad idea. As Jan mentioned other companies have been doing this, particularly for school groups, and it can work very well (the Orange Tree brought their one hour four person A Midsummer Night's Dream to a school where I worked and it was delightful.) I didn't get the impression this would be the RSC's main offering, but a chance for tourists/younger audiences/whateer to have a taste of Shakespeare in a unique location and then perhaps be enticed back to a longer show.
In terms of trains from Stratford to London for tonight, Trainline is showing a 9.33 p.m. train that gets into London at 11.56 and a 11.15 train that gets into London the next day at 7 a.m.! So doesn't sound ideal for evening shows.
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Post by foxa on Jan 19, 2024 16:09:15 GMT
And having said the above, I think the next season looks promising, I would particularly like to see Between Riverside and Crazy (the playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis is great) and the other two look interesting as well. Certainly more likely to appeal to a lot of the Hampstead usual audience (when they had one.) Downstairs a world premiere of a Richard Nelson play should be a winner.
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Post by foxa on Jan 19, 2024 12:13:23 GMT
I hope the Hampstead finds its way back - I've had some good evenings there (particularly Downstairs, but also much liked Cost of Living and Blackout Songs upstairs) and really like the space. Some of the programming has just seemed perverse. With almost any theatre that I have a loyalty to, I can put up with a dud or two, but a string of duds, not so much. Post-pandemic, I think more than ever, audiences were looking for some combination of star names, good times, special event, sense of connection and community....and the Hampstead roster of productions for the most part didn't offer any of those. It's only a very certain sort of theatregoer than will go to the trouble/risk/expense of going to the theatre to have dour time of it.
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Post by foxa on Jan 16, 2024 23:05:11 GMT
Thanks stevejohnson678 They said there was a problem with the website. Got on after about an hour. It is good, but the hassle took a little of the gloss of it. Freddie Fox is excellent, as is David Horovitch.
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Post by foxa on Jan 16, 2024 19:24:21 GMT
Bought a ticket forthe online screening but getting a 'Sorry Can't Find That' message despite following all the directions. Anyone else get in?
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Post by foxa on Jan 1, 2024 17:00:53 GMT
I am glad to read this jr as I couldn't go, so gave my tickets to my daughter who said she liked it, but after all the negative write ups here I wondered if she was humouring me. She said she liked the performances, said it was challenging, but she was really engaged.
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Post by foxa on Dec 30, 2023 14:27:06 GMT
No particular order:
The Motive and the Cue (NT) A Streetcar Named Desire (Almeida) The Circle (Orange Tree) Guys & Dolls (Bridge) Standing at the Sky's Edge (NT)
Honourable mentions: Watch on the Rhine (Donmar) A Mirror (Almeida) Blackout Songs (Hampstead) All of It (Royal Court)
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Post by foxa on Nov 21, 2023 10:05:36 GMT
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Post by foxa on Nov 10, 2023 12:38:08 GMT
Oof - mainly one and two stars with an outlier 4 stars from the Telegraph so far.
I thought this was an interesting quote from the Time Out review: 'This comedy about the idle rich threatens you with a good time, but ultimately doesn’t have anything to say Rory Mullarkey is one of those playwrights who theatre artistic directors clearly see something in that the rest of us haven’t.'
I wonder if he is absolutely brilliant at pitching ideas/first drafts and then something goes awry. I remember being really interested in the concept of Wolf from the Door, but then so disappointed in the play itself. And George and the Dragon sounded bold and like it might have something to say but then didn't (that was a long tedious watch.) Not sure what Pity was meant to be (I thought maybe sort of an Ionesco style absurd play possibly) - that was a confusing watch.
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Post by foxa on Nov 6, 2023 13:45:16 GMT
Two JSO protestors smashed the protective glass on the Rokeby Venus at the National Gallery this morning and then gave (GCSE Drama-style) declarations (video is online) connecting their actions with the suffragettes.
I actively support green efforts but I think these actions are counter-productive.
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Post by foxa on Nov 5, 2023 9:46:48 GMT
A friend of mine who is a Branagh fan and was excited about this production snuck out halfway through despite there not being an interval - I have never known her to leave a show before, so very uncharacteristic. Since she went in well-inclined to the production, I asked what made it unbearable. She said there was no drama or ideas, just a rush of words. She did hear from others the second half was better, so admitted she may have missed the good bits.
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