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Post by creakingstool on Jan 20, 2024 18:03:47 GMT
I'm thinking of going to watch this in Manchester. I've only ever watched Shakespeare once a long time ago while doing Alevels (King Lear in Stratford) and am really not familiar with any of the texts. Will I be ok not really knowing the text? Where is best to sit for something like this? Stalls or circle? I'll be on my own, so I'm hoping I can get a single seat in a good spot. Difficult to say how easy it will be to follow the story without knowing what Robert Icke has cut, but it’s his job to make the story clear Personally I’ve never had a problem following the story. If I do have a piece of advise to anyone new to the Henry IV plays is to not set your expectations high for part 2, or in this case the second act Part 1 is to me one of Shakespeares best with a nice balance between history and comedy. Falstaff is great, there’s lots of banter between him and Hal, a dysfunctional relationship between Hal and his father and an ongoing sub plot of a rebellion represented by Hal’s rival, Hotspur Part 2 is a more sombre play. Theres reflections of old age and change which if taken in isolation makes part 2 a good play, but coming off part 1 can feel disappointing. There’s less moments where Falstaff and Hal talk to each other, and when they do it’s not on the best of terms especially at the end. The rebellion ends on a whimper with a b-grade antagonist, and there’s this whole sequence of Falstaff in Gloucestershire that has its moments (with a lovely speech from the character Shallow) but one wonders where Shakespeare is going with this. But the resolution between Henry IV and Hal as the latter takes on his responsibilities is touching, certainly the highlight of part 2 The consistent story through these plays is Hal’s coming of age story to becoming the future Henry V Appreciate the reply and the breakdown. This is really useful. |
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Post by creakingstool on Jan 20, 2024 18:07:09 GMT
I'm thinking of going to watch this in Manchester. I've only ever watched Shakespeare once a long time ago while doing Alevels (King Lear in Stratford) and am really not familiar with any of the texts. Will I be ok not really knowing the text? Where is best to sit for something like this? Stalls or circle? I'll be on my own, so I'm hoping I can get a single seat in a good spot. Everyone will have their own view on this, but I would recommend reading a synopsis, not the whole text. I'd read the text afterwards. Seating again is a personal choice. I always like to be as close as possible because I don't to strain to hear the words - I felt that even in my 20s. But these days most productions seem to mike the actors so audibility should not be a problem. And of course if you're an early booker, some theatres have tickets that are cheaper than the top price right up by the stage. Thanks for your reply. I'll definately read a synopsis, if only to understand who the characters are. I was edging towards a stalls seat, just need to decide on which date now. |
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Post by hotspur on Feb 21, 2024 11:17:22 GMT
Incredibly excited to see Player Kings! I only wish they would have taken it a step further and included Henry V in this production
Although the promotion material still confuses me. I wonder what sort of approach they'll be taking with adapting the two plays: modern or true to the play?
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Post by Jan on Feb 22, 2024 14:13:13 GMT
So no one playing Owen Glendower ? That indicates one of the ways the plays have been cut.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Feb 22, 2024 16:40:08 GMT
May well be a lot of doubling beyond the announced roles. The Welsh scenes are great and should be retained.
I recall I had Glendower double with at least two bishops and a rogue or two
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Post by Jan on Feb 22, 2024 17:40:13 GMT
May well be a lot of doubling beyond the announced roles. The Welsh scenes are great and should be retained. I recall I had Glendower double with at least two bishops and a rogue or two Maybe, but some doubling is already indicated in the casting announcement. I quite like the Welsh scenes in Part I but as this is something of a star vehicle for McKellen I'm assuming it will focus mostly on the Falstaff/Hal relationship and dispense with some of the scenes peripheral to that. Nice to see Geoffrey Freshwater in the cast. |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Feb 22, 2024 18:51:11 GMT
With a 4 hour run time, you don't need to cut that much.
In my 2.5 hour cut, I still found space for the Welsh sequence. It is good to have some female characters!
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Post by Jon on Feb 22, 2024 20:21:59 GMT
The Wimbledon run seems to have sold heavily. It is interesting that they decided to go to Wimbledon for the tryout but I believe it's because the New Wimbledon Theatre was where he did the pre West End run for a play called A Scent of Flowers 60 years ago.
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Post by Jan on Feb 23, 2024 6:55:12 GMT
The Wimbledon run seems to have sold heavily. It is interesting that they decided to go to Wimbledon for the tryout but I believe it's because the New Wimbledon Theatre was where he did the pre West End run for a play called A Scent of Flowers 60 years ago. How did this production come about ? Was it going to happen anyway and McKellen was cast in the normal way, or was it specifically assembled around McKellen because he wanted to do it ? Or to put it another way did Robert Icke have a role in initiating it or was he simply hired to work on it ? |
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Post by parsley1 on Mar 1, 2024 20:50:13 GMT
Although this is a lucid interpretation and the verse speaking is universally excellent
The running time got the better of me
And I left after 2 hrs this evening
I did notice the WE run has hardly caused a box office stampede
Loads tickets available
The intentions are perhaps honourable
Probably pretentious too given the director
But I just think 4 hrs of this is way too much
The rush at the interval to empty bladders and wolf down overpriced nutritionally devoid rubbish was horrible
I prefer to be at home
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Post by matty on Mar 1, 2024 20:59:08 GMT
I was the same Parsley1! I couldn't face another hour and a hour in there.
I can't remember seeing the New Wimbledon so busy, but it was quite chaotic before it started.
I was in the dress circle and was struggling to hear it at times and had a rather tall, bulky person in front of me blocking a lot of my view.
I was put off by the fact it gave the setting as the year 1403, yet everyone was in modern dress and using guns. And at times they had music playing over the dialogue, which drowned it out.
I'm glad I saw Ian McKellen on stage, but even he didn't blow me away tonight.
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Post by parsley1 on Mar 1, 2024 21:03:12 GMT
I was the same Parsley1! I couldn't face another hour and a hour in there. I can't remember seeing the New Wimbledon so busy, but it was quite chaotic before it started. I was in the dress circle and was struggling to hear it at times and had a rather tall, bulky person in front of me blocking a lot of my view. I was put off by the fact it gave the setting as the year 1403, yet everyone was in modern dress and using guns. And at times they had music playing over the dialogue, which drowned it out. I'm glad I saw Ian McKellen on stage, but even he didn't blow me away tonight. I am a hardcore theatre goer Happy to sit through and have done Plenty of Ivo Van Hove 5 hr extravaganzas At least in the comfort of the Barbican To have something of this duration in a normal cramped venue Common sense and dignity have to dictate |
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Post by parsley1 on Mar 1, 2024 21:07:56 GMT
They also sell buckets of popcorn at this venue
Classy to the max
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Post by zahidf on Mar 1, 2024 21:30:03 GMT
What was the advertised run time? 4 hours?
2 intervals?
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Post by parsley1 on Mar 1, 2024 21:38:42 GMT
What was the advertised run time? 4 hours? 2 intervals? One interval First part is 2 hrs straight |
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Post by Jon on Mar 2, 2024 1:24:33 GMT
What are the other actors like and also is the set any good, it looked fairly basic from the Instagram stories and does it use all of the New Wimbledon stage or only part of it?
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Post by marob on Mar 2, 2024 7:31:44 GMT
I was quite interested to see this when it was announced, but not so sure anymore. I did buy a ticket for Manchester but much like with Branagh’s Lear I was somewhat underwhelmed by the casting announcement. I have to be in the right mood for Shakespeare, so four hours squashed into the Opera House’s horrible seats bookended by a couple of hours on trains that may or may not turn up is really putting me off.
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Post by stevemar on Mar 2, 2024 11:24:00 GMT
Other than the lack of comfort, how was the actual production? Any unusual “take” from Robert Icke? I really enjoyed his versions of Oresteia and Hamlet at the Almeida.
I’m front row, so hoping I don’t need to sit on a bucket of popcorn 🍿 to avoid neckache (is the stage high at Wimbledon)?
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Post by theatrefan62 on Mar 2, 2024 12:27:39 GMT
From the official photo released it looks like Shakespeare as done by Guy Ritchie
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Post by alessia on Mar 2, 2024 15:49:47 GMT
Due to see this tonight and now worried I’ll also leave at the interval! I don’t know if I can sit through 4 hours of anything. On the other hand I have just been called by box office telling me they are giving me a better seat because the director needs to sit on my front row seat 🤣 apparently I now have a premium seat.
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Post by parsley1 on Mar 2, 2024 16:08:15 GMT
The acting is patchy
Better than most other Shakespeare productions of late
By a mile
But still some of the supporting roles have poor diction
Samuel edward Cook is remarkable though
McKellen is always a pleasure to watch as Shakespeare comes to him so naturally and is spoken with ease
Claire Perkins seems to thinks she is in Birds of a Feather
Staging is serviceable
Nothing spectacular though
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Post by altamont on Mar 2, 2024 17:47:16 GMT
For anyone daunted by the running time, there is a short pause in the middle of the second half. That may offer a tiny crumb of comfort - it is still a very long night though
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Post by parsley1 on Mar 2, 2024 18:12:12 GMT
For anyone daunted by the running time, there is a short pause in the middle of the second half. That may offer a tiny crumb of comfort - it is still a very long night though The issue is the first “half” is 2 hours I don’t know how long the main interval was last night But the rush to get out of the auditorium was palpable and horrible |
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Post by altamont on Mar 2, 2024 19:06:35 GMT
For anyone daunted by the running time, there is a short pause in the middle of the second half. That may offer a tiny crumb of comfort - it is still a very long night though The issue is the first “half” is 2 hours I don’t know how long the main interval was last night But the rush to get out of the auditorium was palpable and horrible The main interval was 20 minutes - barely enough to get to the loo and back, in a venue with apparently 1,600 or so seats. I wonder will major changes be made before the production moves to Manchester and the Noel Coward theatre. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 2, 2024 19:11:41 GMT
I suppose the argument might be if McKellen can manage four hours five times a week then what are audience members complaining about?
I jest of course but the fact that an 84 year old is doing this has to be commended
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