An Enemy of the People - Duke of York's Theatre

I guess it really depends how much you want to see something- because what if they don't do offers and then you're stuck and it's sold out? So for me, the new Jez Butterworth play is the unmissable one and I bought an expensive ticket immediately, but for anything I'm not dying to see, I wait for offers.Sometimes it pays off, sometimes I miss out.

I much prefer the Delfont Mackintosh approach to sales than the ATG approach used on this show and many others (and I know this is not an ATG production). With DMT the full range of tickets is released with a range of prices and you can decide what to do. They don't really change.

ATG in contrast hold many seats off sale, and dynamically price to the extent that prices can change on a daily basis. Prices are often exorbitant. Later they release swathes of tickets, and sometimes a great deal appears late on, like the £40 tickets for this show. However it's not really fair on those who paid over inflated prices when this went on-sale and must surely damage consumer confidence in the long term.

I suppose in a show that relies on audience participation it is in their interest not to have the expensive stalls seats half empty every night so this was probably part of their decision to discount so heavily. 

Yes, in the public meeting scene. I’m just going by Billington’s review of the original production and comments in this thread. You wouldn’t get much diversity of opinion if it was confined to the people who’d paid £180 for the stalls seats within shouting range of the stage. You won’t get much diversity of opinion anyway of course …

Saw the first preview last night. A producer announced from the stage that one of the actors had taken ill, so the understudy was going on without having had a rehearsal. But props to him because I had no idea who it was untill the end when he got his own bow. He blended right in.

I know it was the first preview, but overall I don't think the production worked for me. I think this was in large part to do with the music, but also the setting. I have seen a modern version before, but something about this didn't ring true for me. I just couldn't get into it fully. I did see huge potential with all the mordrn day references. I don't know of it's the right word but it felt gimmicky as if a lot of the text/story was rushed over to get to the big moment of the town hall, and to be fair it was worth going for that alone, Matt Smith was particularly great here, especially as it was the first show. But over all I just could not get invested, I didn't care enough.

I did enjoy it, as it is a good play and the acting is really good. I particularly like the dynamic between Dr stockman and his brother (Paul Hilton I believe). I just felt the production did the text a disservice in that it could have been a fantastic commentary on where we are at as a society, but apart from Matt's speech, I felt I didn't get that.

I may eat my words when the production settles into the run and I hope I do. The music was a big no no from me, but I did see people bopping their heads, so it might be just me.

Apologies,  for some reason I can't get the spoiler button, to work. I'll try again. 

Oh dear, my spoiler disappeared. I'm sure by the time I figure out what's going on with my technical issues, somebody who has seen it will provide the spoiler for the town hall scene. I liked what they did, high point of the evening for me.

Ostermeier was on Radio 4 with Matt Smith this morning, and commented that ticket prices were 5 times as much here as they had been in Germany. The producers can’t have been too delighted with him for that. The only thing I remember about it is the town hall scene, which went on for ages and was certainly remarkable.

Saw this last night.

It’s a confusing piece (or at least was for me!) - parts of it really work - Stockmann’s speech, the dynamics between Smith and Paul Hilton for example, but there are bits of it that REALLY didn’t work for me - the town hall scene goes on for too long, and, in my opinion, doesn’t add anything to the show for a start.

It’s a shame, as I wanted to love this, but it just left me cold. I’d say it’s a 2 star production, pushed up to 3 by some really great performances, particularly from Smith and Hilton.

I want to know:

I’m shuddering; it sounds like BBC Question Time. 

I have a feeling the town hall scene