1,227 posts
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Post by Steve on May 10, 2016 19:01:34 GMT
I found myself getting very defensive of it on Sunday when a 'friend' on Facebook was essentially campaigning to get all advertising for it stopped because of the title. Apparently the mere mention of the word suicide shouldn't be allowed...She was also ready to get the whole thing taken from the stage if it wasn't a "sensitive portrayal" and no amount of 'it's not that kind of play' /'Please google this for some context' was stopping her. So while I'm not about to defend this as a work of art, I'm damn well defending it against idiots like that... Your facebook friend will probably be campaigning against "Romeo and Juliet" next. Demanding a happy ending lol.
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2016 7:15:36 GMT
Haha yes! clearly the lover's tragedy will scar everyone for life...(well I've seen some pretty terrible productions that did scar me for life in other ways...)
I had to bite my virtual tongue yesterday and not send her the audience responses and video clips the NT put out just to prove the 'comedy' point...
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Post by Coated on May 12, 2016 0:05:09 GMT
Tell your friend that by stigmatising the word Suicide she is perpetuating the perception that it is a taboo, thereby putting unnecessary harsh pressure on anyone affected, making them feel that they will be judged and found wanting. Ooh, got a bit ranty there, but I'm related to a rather suicidal bunch and get fed up with self declared spokes people making assumptions - seeking out art and stories (particularly darkish comedy ones) about suicide is a fairly common way of getting to grips with the aftermath.
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2016 12:45:08 GMT
Yes yes to all that! she tried to tell me it was out of 'professional concern' as she works in railway safety. I wanted to point out that a) the play doesn't have anything to do with railway related suicide, and b) that as you've said the need to discuss, show and confront issues like suicide via theatre or other mediums is VITAL for people affected and shouldn't be halted to 'protect' them.
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923 posts
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Post by Snciole on May 13, 2016 14:56:43 GMT
I wish I gave that much of an eff about my job...
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2016 10:14:07 GMT
Well whatever turns you on Monkey (just make sure you use protection...) Seriously though, I see why people hate it. I wasn't that vehemently against it but I wouldn't want to sit through it again. I'm only defending it because of certain idiots I know...
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2016 11:15:13 GMT
I got that...perhaps my levels of sarcasm were so high on a Monday morning it didn't translate...
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1,465 posts
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Post by foxa on May 23, 2016 15:21:26 GMT
;-) I'm super literal so I appreciate any and all translations. I was like 'Gee, I know he's a monkey of the world, but how did he have that particular experience.'
I mean, you ARE a monkey aren't you?
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486 posts
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Post by drmaplewood on May 24, 2016 8:23:32 GMT
Saw this in a very sparsely attended Lyttelton last night (circle barely a third full, emptiest I’ve seen it ever).
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2016 9:12:43 GMT
Oh I forgot my favourite part of seeing this (before the show started) was sitting down in front of a large group of 'ladies of a certain age' when the pack leader loudly declared "If it's not good I'm never booking anything again"
Needless to say I fear for that group's theatre-going future!
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2016 11:15:12 GMT
Oh I forgot my favourite part of seeing this (before the show started) was sitting down in front of a large group of 'ladies of a certain age' when the pack leader loudly declared "If it's not good I'm never booking anything again" Needless to say I fear for that group's theatre-going future! That's quite a reflection on how bad things are at the NT, isn't it - well, for certain elements of the audience, anyway. There were, at least, SOME things to admire in Everyman and Waste, but for me The Suicide was a complete waste of time. And it's unusual for me to say that - I can generally find something to praise...
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Post by perfectspy on May 24, 2016 23:05:18 GMT
Your facebook friend will probably be campaigning against "Romeo and Juliet" next. Demanding a happy ending lol. I thought it was a happy ending.......
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 7:49:48 GMT
Me too. I even tried hard to like the set, as a chance to praise something; but even that was badly designed for those of us near the front - and I mean far worse designed than usual. Carelessly lit, too, with a light in everyone in row A and B's face from that underground corridor. No end of problems with it as well-show stopped for 15 minutes due to a fault when we saw it, and apparently this has been a consistent issue.
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 10:14:44 GMT
We did get an amusing stage manager for a moment "the actor whose leg got trapped wants to carry on with the show. You've only missed a scene change so we're going to carry on"
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 10:43:03 GMT
Let's all believe that's what happened...
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1,874 posts
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Post by Marwood on May 25, 2016 19:51:53 GMT
The NT posted pictures from this on their Facebook page this afternoon with the line 'When you take photos from a phone during a performance, here's what you end up with at the end of the night.' so I'm guessing they're not bothered about the 'normal' theatre goer that goes to see a show more than once in a blue moon and as such might expect to get a semi-decent show for their money turning up to see this, and are more bothered about getting the type of person who sits arsing about on a phone for the duration of a show, rather than paying attention to what is going on. I'm even gladder now that I took my ticket for this back for a credit.
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 21:15:19 GMT
To be fair, when I saw it not a single phone went off; which is probably reflective of the fact that young people all snapchat naked selfies rather than actually calling, but it was still refreshing.
I didn't think this was bad necessarily, it was just clearly not aimed at me, which is fine. Though the fact that it's papering constantly might suggest that designing a show with a particular audience in mind rather than just doing something because you think it's good doesn't really work.
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1,064 posts
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Post by bellboard27 on May 27, 2016 9:07:03 GMT
I quite enjoyed this, but I can see it is definitely a marmite play. Listening to the audience at the interval I heard one elderly couple saying that they only understood some of it and had heard nothing worth laughing at. In contrast a couple of women behind me who did not normally go to the theatre praised the set and said they hadn't laughed so much in ages. Further, if this is the sort of thing going on at the National, they would book again (hopefully they don't do this randomly or they might get a shock!).
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Post by Nicholas on Jun 2, 2016 3:18:55 GMT
Anyone under 25 fancy a free ticket on the 10th? Bought an Entry Pass one but frankly I can’t be arsed anymore, so would rather someone who wanted it had it for free. Send me a message if you do – I’ll post it out free of charge, or I’m in London enough to just hand it over (and if this doesn’t meet board standards, apologies to mods, do let me know!).
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Post by Coated on Jun 2, 2016 23:07:30 GMT
I went to see it with very low expectations, and thought that people were a bit harsh on it after the first half. I left after the second half fully agreeing with every critical comment I'd read about the play. And then some. The hippy cafe woman was one of the worst characters I have seen on stage so far.
Still like the dairy joke though.
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