241 posts
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Post by justafan on Feb 9, 2017 1:18:02 GMT
Saw this tonight and loved it .... totally stunning
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524 posts
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Post by callum on Feb 9, 2017 1:44:26 GMT
Anyone heard how Sally Field's first preview on Broadway went? Hope that production transfers to London too. Was reading a bit on broadwayworld boards and they were a bit mixed - sounded very minimalist with only table and chair and modern dress. Something about the house lights not even going down and cast enter from the back of the theatre down the aisles too. V intriguing. Though sounds as if people were able to pick up day seats well in to the afternoon so business mightn't be booming enough to get a transfer but you never know... maybe in five years like this production! |
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324 posts
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Post by ilovewemusicals on Feb 9, 2017 6:54:48 GMT
sounded very minimalist with only table and chair and modern dress. Something about the house lights not even going down and cast enter from the back of the theatre down the aisles too. V intriguing! V intriguing indeed. Thanks mate. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2017 7:01:35 GMT
That description sounds a bit reminiscent of the current National Theatre Hedda Gabler, and I see that although this isn't Ivo van Hove, "Sam Gold first directed this production of Menagerie with a Dutch cast at Toneelgroep Amsterdam in an engagement that garnered rave reviews." There's a review of the Amsterdam production here - mildlybitter.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/the-glass-menagerie-ugly-truth.html |
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1,936 posts
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Post by wickedgrin on Feb 9, 2017 12:43:31 GMT
I thought this was wonderful. The play stolen for me by the women. Cherry Jones just amazing and an outstanding performance from Kate O'Flynn as the fragile Laura - as fragile as her glass menagerie. She was completely heart breaking.
The scene in the second act between Laura and her Gentleman caller - another wonderful performance from Brian J. Smith - was just perfection, tragic, sad and touching.
Like others less happy with Michael Esper's Tom. I did not get the sense of frustration, unhappiness and entrapment from the character - he seemed to be enjoying himself too much. I thought it might be the direction but the other characters were so spot on.
Beautifully staged, I see what others have mentioned - it might be interesting to see the production from above which would give a whole new perspective to the experience.
Highly recommended.
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183 posts
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Post by bee on Feb 13, 2017 15:43:47 GMT
I also thought this was great. It’s all good, but the Laura – Gentleman Caller scene is spellbinding, heart-rending stuff, one of those moments that reminds you why you go to the theatre, and how special it can be.
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11 posts
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Post by theatrewithtom on Feb 13, 2017 16:07:14 GMT
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1,013 posts
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Post by talkstageytome on Feb 13, 2017 16:09:59 GMT
Need to book this again at some point. I've been recommending it to everyone... my sister, people next to me in lectures at uni, randoms at bus stops.  |
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901 posts
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Post by bordeaux on Feb 13, 2017 16:26:00 GMT
I saw this on Saturday afternoon (Beware of Pity in the evening, so an unintended double-bill of disabled young women) and loved it too. The whole cast wonderful, though I agree with Susannah Clapp in the Observer that Cherry Jones needs to rein in her arms a bit. I managed to get an ATC ticket for £20 in row D a couple of days before the show. Perfect view, though it's said to be restricted. Certainly, the people next to me in D1 and 2 left at the interval, probably because they could see so little of the action, much of which takes place at a table stage right.
My only previous encounter with the play was the Sam Mendes one at the Donmar, mid-90s with Zoe Wannamaker, Claire Skinner and Ben Chaplin, which was also wonderful. Interesting to note, having just read a review of that production, that a fire escape also featured there at the back of the set, that time used every time a character entered and exited.
It's been ages since I've seen any Tennessee Williams and it was good to be reminded what a great writer he is. I know I've missed a couple of major Streetcar revivals in the past decade or so and the all-black Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, but it seems like an age since a big national company did something by him whereas when I started going to the theatre in the late 80s, early 90s there was a lot of him about.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2017 23:21:37 GMT
Really disappointed when I saw this. Just don't get the raves. It felt almost embarrassingly stagey in the musical interludes/dangerously-close-to-miming scenes, which really took me out of the story.
And whose idea was it to block out about a quarter of the stage on the left and stick a fire escape on the far right hand side, thus ensuring a bunch of aisle seat high numbers in the stalls are reduced to listening to a radio play for several scenes?
Also I'm guessing something clever happens on stage that you can see from the dress circle, if interval chat was anything to go by, but in the stalls I wondered just how much a menagerie deserves the name when it appears to consist of only one unicorn...
And then there's Laura. Never mind a physical disability - this Laura came across as having a reasonably severe learning disability. In past productions the character has always come across as just incredibly shy - an interpretation that seems to fit the script better than this one, I'd suggest, and one that makes the story more tragic (in my opinion).
Michael Esper struggled valiantly on, despite what appeared to be a streaming cold. I spent more time wondering why stage management hadn't provided him with more than one tissue than I did pondering the play. It's really not very pleasant watching poor actors reduced to using the back of their hand to wipe their noses on stage. He's not the first I've seen forced to do that this year. Show wise, I rather liked the lighter scenes between him and Amanda.
Cherry Jones is amazing though, she was just about the only thing that meant my evening wasn't an entire waste. She actually made me feel sympathy for her character, which is a first for me with this play.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2017 17:18:47 GMT
Kind of enjoyed it but not rethinking the staging for this theatre was stupid! The pool effect is invisible from most of the stalls and I kept wondering why a shark kept appearing at random intervals until they started pointing at it saying look at the moon
From H2 the view was fine, but the person in H1 told me she couldn't see one of the people at the table. Had a nosey in the interval and from row F forwards you can't see the table at all from seats 1 and 2 so would spend about half the play looking at an empty sofa and an abstract and pointless fire escape
They do seem to have realised the problem - apparently the person in F1 was upgraded when they picked their ticket up and all of the affected seats were empty. So if you're in one of them I suggest checking at the box office. (Theatremonkey- feel free to quote on the website if useful!)
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385 posts
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Post by Ade on Feb 19, 2017 8:29:49 GMT
Kind of enjoyed it but not rethinking the staging for this theatre was stupid! The pool effect is invisible from most of the stalls and I kept wondering why a shark kept appearing at random intervals until they started pointing at it saying look at the moon From H2 the view was fine, but the person in H1 told me she couldn't see one of the people at the table. Had a nosey in the interval and from row F forwards you can't see the table at all from seats 1 and 2 so would spend about half the play looking at an empty sofa and an abstract and pointless fire escape They do seem to have realised the problem - apparently the person in F1 was upgraded when they picked their ticket up and all of the affected seats were empty. So if you're in one of them I suggest checking at the box office. (Theatremonkey- feel free to quote on the website if useful!) Interesting if they are moving people. I've paid £20 each for F 1 and 2 for when I go, but seeing the above I nipped on to see if the seats are still on sale and found a date where F2 was down as £49... |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2017 8:58:50 GMT
That's interesting. F2 may be ok but F1 will be awful.
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Post by popcultureboy on Feb 19, 2017 9:28:10 GMT
That's why F1 is sold as restricted view and £20.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2017 9:51:46 GMT
They weren't originally sold as restricted view I think - that's the problem. My unrestricted seat h2 was £20
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2017 11:40:40 GMT
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2017 11:55:29 GMT
Welcome back to an exclusive club with three people in it  |
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Post by altamont on Feb 19, 2017 12:05:30 GMT
We were in F20 and F21 yesterday - you can't see the fire escape area at all but the other end of row F looked worse. No one offered to move us but I expect they would if we'd asked.
Oh and sorry for boring you HG, you could always leave one of your hilarious comments to brighten up the thread
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2017 12:16:30 GMT
I was in B3 (thanks for the various tips, it only cost me £20 and was definitely an acceptable option). I was juuust far enough back to see that there was water in which I could occasionally see fairy lights reflecting (though not the moon), and I didn't lose either side of the stage like you would in the edge seats further back. The box at the front of the stage did impede the centre of the sofa, which meant I couldn't really see Laura's entrance, though tbh that just added to the magic of her sudden appearance. The rake also doesn't start until row C so if the tall man in front of me hadn't been a sloucher, I'd've lost a lot more. Losing the reflections in the water was a small price to pay for being close enough to REALLY see faces though, and I'm damn glad I did crack and book this one in the end. I thought it was beautifully done by all.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2017 12:17:14 GMT
Isn't it illegal to conceal the fire escape in a theatre?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2017 11:26:46 GMT
Well. Brian J Smith is rather good isn't he? One of the most delightful performances you'll see in London's glitzy West End at the moment I'd say.
The rest is a bit hit and miss to be honest. Cherry Jones clearly a world leader in arm-waving-acting. I thought she was going to take off for a bit.
I rather liked Michael Esper as Tom. Struggled manfully with a cold. Pitched his accent somewhere between Mississippi and East Croydon. But rather endearing.
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219 posts
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Post by PalelyLaura on Feb 21, 2017 10:42:21 GMT
I studied this play for A Level and hated it, so I wasn't expecting to enjoy this, but I loved it - all the performances were great but as others have said, that scene with Laura and the 'Gentleman Caller' was one of the most incredible things I've seen on stage.
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Post by theatre-turtle on Feb 25, 2017 17:49:13 GMT
I was in Row D in the Dress and had a perfect view. I would classify all of the Stalls as restricted view . The reflections in the water are crucial to the experience.
Although the staging was simple, it was very effective. I enjoyed all the cast, though I thought the guy playing Tom was the weakest. It's a hit for me.
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2,339 posts
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Feb 26, 2017 9:10:08 GMT
Saw this yesterday. I like this play a lot and this was a good production.
Got last minute TodayTix tickets for £20. Warning!! We was on the front row AA. I am six foot three and could see everything on stage apart from water reflections but you can see the shark. My wife is five foot and not much more and could just about see the top of the hat stand and the fire escape scenes. So be careful with those seats if you are short.
Michael Esper was standout for me. Still struggling with his cold but he was very good.
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2,339 posts
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Feb 26, 2017 13:56:54 GMT
Well. Brian J Smith is rather good isn't he? One of the most delightful performances you'll see in London's glitzy West End at the moment I'd say. The rest is a bit hit and miss to be honest. Cherry Jones clearly a world leader in arm-waving-acting. I thought she was going to take off for a bit. I rather liked Michael Esper as Tom. Struggled manfully with a cold. Pitched his accent somewhere between Mississippi and East Croydon. But rather endearing. I thought Cherry Jones had the worst accent. Just googled and she comes from Tennessee. Ooops. Found an interview on youtube about 24 and her accent normal talk is nowhere near as deep south as in The Glass Menagerie. Thought it really clichéd, perhaps that is a deep south accent? |
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