185 posts
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Post by MoreLife on Nov 30, 2023 15:43:52 GMT
Interesting! 30 mins cut and yet new scenes added! Please share more details in the spoilers thread? I was there last night, too, but since it was my first time seeing the play I couldn't guess what has been cut and/or what it's been slotted into. Daldry referred specifically to new pieces of set being used, and warned us that because of that something might have gone wrong and required the show to be stopped (that wasn't the case). Again, as I'd not seen it before I can't make comparisons, but especially Act One was beautifully fast-paced, and almost all the transitions from one scene to the next were so seamless and quick (even when they involve quite a few changes on stage), so some of the time gained may also be a consequence of an improved pace and the cast beginning to settle into their tracks. As someone who has watched all four seasons on Netflix and loved them, and therefore already has a certain connection with the characters and the world they inhabit, my general comment can only be that this was oh so engrossing and enjoyable. I found myself grinning at how well put together it is several times throughout! Of course there's plenty of references that are meant to delight the fans, and going in with a certain knowledge of what will happen to certain characters some twenty years later will make a difference. However, I believe those who go and see it without knowing a thing are equally in for a treat. Performances are really good across the board, and Louis Mc Cartney who plays Henry is a joy to watch (assuming that joy is a suitable term!) and it's hard to believe this is his professional stage debut. I'll definitely want to go back after opening night to see if anything changes and to experience the whole thing again once everything's been finalised and they all have had some time to further fine-tune their performances. |
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Post by Boob on Nov 30, 2023 17:02:28 GMT
Agree with the above, and I’ve watched barely any of the series and still found plenty to enjoy. Act Two needs work though…
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183 posts
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Post by bee on Dec 1, 2023 7:42:29 GMT
I saw this last night and thought it was excellent. I'm a relative latecomer to the TV show, I've only just started Season 2, so I dare say there were references in this that went over my head, but the story stands on its own and I don't think you have to be especially knowledgeable about the TV show to follow and get involved in it.
The effects are really impressive and the cast act their socks off. It's a really great show. The audience seemed to love it, lots of people standing to applaud at the end. Thoroughly recommended.
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Post by ntherooh on Dec 2, 2023 0:34:08 GMT
How is most if the show staged? Is it centered? Or are they more creative with the use of space?
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52 posts
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Post by althea on Dec 2, 2023 7:10:28 GMT
Saw this on Friday night. Big fan of the TV show and enjoy a prequel that adds more to the overall story. However I felt this whole production was incredibly mediocre. Some nice effects - the first wow scene is impressive but after that it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. The closest thing to compare it to is Ocean at the End of the Lane which blew me away at the Dorfman and again at the Garrick. This just felt quite numb and lacking in emotional depth. Even comparing it to Harry Potter which is a terrible play but the production was 10/10 wow this was just meh…. Really wanted to love it but no demogorgans and no great ties to the show it felt like a poor idea executed at a mid level. If you hadn’t seen the TV show I don’t know how you would follow it but 3 hours of this was overkill and by the end I wasn’t sad for it to end. Glad we only paid £57 for front row of the dress because these seats are now £250 each and £500 for this night at the theatre would be much better spent on seeing 10 x £50 shows.
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52 posts
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Post by althea on Dec 2, 2023 7:11:22 GMT
How is most if the show staged? Is it centered? Or are they more creative with the use of space? It’s all on a revolve - lots of people pushing on the set pieces. Apart from the opening WOW it’s all quite dull. |
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Post by hinge on Dec 2, 2023 8:42:43 GMT
There’s a triple revolve which is used really effectively. {Spoiler - click to view}
There are also huge scenic piece that fly in for the end of Act 1 and also Act 2 which then flip between staging up there and an onstage. Then in Act 2 there are various large laboratory trucks that track downstage and also a huge mini-theatre that comes on that is played on too. This is addition to various set pieces coming on and off |
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5,886 posts
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Post by mrbarnaby on Dec 2, 2023 20:20:23 GMT
How is most if the show staged? Is it centered? Or are they more creative with the use of space? Everyone stands in the upstage left corner for the whole show.. |
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Post by alessia on Dec 3, 2023 8:10:07 GMT
I really enjoyed this yesterday afternoon- despite the near nightmare journey to get there due to various train strikes and engineering works. loved the special effects and to me it felt like watching a 3 hour long episode on tv, but live in front of you, complete with the music- I expect this was what they are going for, and they do achieve it. The staging and effects were mindblowing. The young man playing Henry Creel is incredible and all the other actors are also perfect in their role- Joyce, Bob and Hopper all acting and physically looking like the older versions of themselves we see in the show. I need to double check who everyone else is supposed to be as it's been a while since I've seen the show...
I loved Patrick Vail as Dr Brenner in the second half. Speaking of the second half I do agree with others that it is slower paced than the first, maybe a tiny bit too long?
Overall I came out of it feeling like I'd had a really good time.
Lots of tempting merchandise but I only got the programme in the end (which is very large, expensive, but..)
I feel that this is going to be one of those shows that goes on and on, with cast changing regularly.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Dec 4, 2023 10:51:20 GMT
no demogorgons anymore? Interesting. The first preview had some but I have to say you're not missing much - they just looked like people in demogorgon Halloween costumes. |
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3,040 posts
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Post by crowblack on Dec 4, 2023 12:37:45 GMT
I wonder if they read this thread?
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Post by alessia on Dec 4, 2023 12:39:15 GMT
I wonder if they read this thread? If they don't they should, ahah. Not only for Stranger Things... |
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Post by mrnutz on Dec 4, 2023 16:29:04 GMT
When I was in a week or so ago there were numerous people in the audience making notes, including a lady sat across the aisle from me rather distractingly scribbling on an iPad at numerous points, so I have no doubt they are changing things regularly during this period.
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Post by alessia on Dec 4, 2023 17:56:28 GMT
When I was in a week or so ago there were numerous people in the audience making notes, including a lady sat across the aisle from me rather distractingly scribbling on an iPad at numerous points, so I have no doubt they are changing things regularly during this period. If - as I think - this will be kept for a long time, I wouldn't mind going back in a few months to see if it is any different. |
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Post by vd3548 on Dec 5, 2023 10:39:42 GMT
I went to see the show on the weekend- really enjoyed!
I was in the stalls towards the back. Looking at going again at some point but was just wondering if it’s as immersive with the cast in the circles as in the stalls? Trying not to give any spoilers but thought that what we saw in the stalls added to the experience but not sure if something similar was happening upstairs too.
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Post by ntherooh on Dec 5, 2023 13:47:26 GMT
How is most if the show staged? Is it centered? Or are they more creative with the use of space? Everyone stands in the upstage left corner for the whole show.. There are shows where most of the staging takes place at the front, or they stage different scenes on either sides, far to the sides, making it more crucial to sit somewhere center. Maybe important reveals and tricks are missed because of their placement. You know, those kind of things. I don't think it's that dumb of a question. I remember Plaza Suite on Broadway where the whole of the third act was staged in a room stage left and if you had a seat at the end of the row to that side, you'd miss it all! |
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Post by maycontaincats on Dec 8, 2023 8:13:07 GMT
Saw this last weekend, sat in the upper circle in seats I got for £15 in the pre sale. Wasn't sure how good it would be so I didn't want to spend too much.
I actually ended up really enjoying it. There are flaws and a bit of me never fully relaxed into the story because I'd never placed the adult characters into the HC story like that. I kept wondering if the timelines added up.
I've not seen many effect heavy plays recently so I thought the effects were great. Some real wow moments for me. Loved the little extra touches too (trying to stay spoiler free there). Missed a tiny bit of stage action from our end of row position but nothing that really impacted our enjoyment. I'd recommend the seats were it not for the awful leg room.
I think the challenge for me was that it didn't feel like the HC origin story and the Joyce et al story really did gel very well. I know they shouldn't because of the established story lines. But it just jarred a little. I was there with a 13 year old who absolutely loved it.
Surprised how good the audience was, I was expecting a lot more phone action even accounting for the stickers. The security staff are on it though. They were stern.
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271 posts
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Post by gmoneyoutlaw on Dec 8, 2023 13:57:57 GMT
Saw this last weekend, sat in the upper circle in seats I got for £15 in the pre sale. Wasn't sure how good it would be so I didn't want to spend too much. I actually ended up really enjoying it. There are flaws and a bit of me never fully relaxed into the story because I'd never placed the adult characters into the HC story like that. I kept wondering if the timelines added up. I've not seen many effect heavy plays recently so I thought the effects were great. Some real wow moments for me. Loved the little extra touches too (trying to stay spoiler free there). Missed a tiny bit of stage action from our end of row position but nothing that really impacted our enjoyment. I'd recommend the seats were it not for the awful leg room. I think the challenge for me was that it didn't feel like the HC origin story and the Joyce et al story really did gel very well. I know they shouldn't because of the established story lines. But it just jarred a little. I was there with a 13 year old who absolutely loved it. Surprised how good the audience was, I was expecting a lot more phone action even accounting for the stickers. The security staff are on it though. They were stern. I saw an early preview and have heard that there's been changes made. The press night is soon approaching and Id imagine they would have to freeze the show at this point. Or is that not the custom anymore. There is a spoiler thread for Stranger Things you can post there as well. |
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Post by criticalprole on Dec 8, 2023 20:55:27 GMT
Seeing it on Tuesday as part of the press views. *fingers crossed*
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Post by darvsplanet on Dec 9, 2023 1:53:21 GMT
How is most if the show staged? Is it centered? Or are they more creative with the use of space? Because of the size of some of the set pieces they have to be careful with how they light the stage resulting in a lot of scenes being played right at the front of the stage. Other than that it’s quite centred but with a few scenes on elevated set pieces. |
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Dec 12, 2023 11:07:09 GMT
Seeing the matinee today (got J stalls for £15!!?? just now). Never seen the show so wish me luck…
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Post by marob on Dec 12, 2023 11:29:15 GMT
Seeing the matinee today (got J stalls for £15!!?? just now). Never seen the show so wish me luck… I’m also going to the matinee, and am only halfway through season 2, so will probably be bewildered by elements of it. |
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385 posts
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Post by Ade on Dec 12, 2023 11:48:40 GMT
Also at the matinee today. I’ve made it to the penultimate episode of the latest series. I’ve been more of a casual watcher and really struggle with the fact that the episodes seriously needed a good edit and nobody was bold enough to do it. So sitting watching a lengthy play might also be a challenge…
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Post by mrnutz on Dec 12, 2023 12:42:52 GMT
Also at the matinee today. I’ve made it to the penultimate episode of the latest series. I’ve been more of a casual watcher and really struggle with the fact that the episodes seriously needed a good edit and nobody was bold enough to do it. So sitting watching a lengthy play might also be a challenge… It's the Netflix way - everything is longer than it should be! |
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Dec 12, 2023 17:03:13 GMT
Saw the matinee today. Never watched the TV show.
Pros: wow wow wow the EFFECTS. Never experienced that before. Bangs, crashes, smoke. The lot. Uber impressive even though I did get a head ache by the end.
- the acting is 10/10. Everybody embodied their characters. Henry Creel was so so great. Need to look into what other stuff he’s done. Joyce’s delivery of all her lines were very entertaining.
-It felt like I was watching an American TV show on stage. I really enjoyed the characters. I think if you don’t know the show like me, you sort of have to take it in on a micro level. That means being invested on each scene, the relationships between the characters in any given moment etc rather than the overall story. Because I had no idea in hell what was ACTUALLY going on. In the first half I was hanging on, by the second I was just enjoying the acting.
- the play is just too long but nothing wrong with the pacing. The pace was actually super duper quick and it was so impressive. It was very snappy from the word go.
Cons:
I drifted off to sleep 3 or 4 times. I’m a believer that all theatre should not be more than 2.5 hours. But sleeping during this was again probably because I couldn’t be invested as I had no idea what it was about. The girls next to me were fans and were
saying at one point ‘I need to know what’s going to happen
Next, I’m nervous’. So obviously I could not engage in this ‘suspense’.
- the width of the chairs at the Phoenix is terrible. Not even leg room but my shoulders have never been so uncomfortable in a theatre.
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there was a guy by me who was making notes with a notepad. Couldn’t tell if he was part of the team or a critic. He bought some
Merch and a program at the interval so I assume he was a critic.
I do wonder how the critics will mark this if they have watched the show vs if they haven’t? How do you be objective?
I would only recommend this to fans or theatre nerds like us, who just want to see and experience the effects.
Somewhere between 3.5-4.5/5.
10/10 for vision and the atmosphere created!!!
I also wonder what the weekly running cost is for a show like this? Must be EXTREMELY EXTREMELY expensive. But it’s that Netflix budget I guess/
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