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Post by Marwood on Dec 11, 2016 10:15:01 GMT
Well, I was not there as an 'unaccompanied grumpy old man' thank you very much, but lets just start with:
A level of acting I'd have been embarrassed to witness in a school play seeing family members performing, let alone in a London theatre with an audience that had paid for their tickets. Mr. Darling and his two sons being the worst culprits.
Nana - OK so they did'nt want to have someone in a dog suit, but having a man in some frilly Victorian underwear was just rubbish, and if you weren't that aware of Peter Pan, you wouldn't have known Nana is supposed to be a dog. The 'wolves' were similarly rubbish.
A Peter Pan who (A) seemed to have based their whole performance on a mixture of Pete Doherty and Drop Dead Fred without any of the appeal of either, and (B) looking at him, had all too obviously HAD grown up and should not be hanging round with the Lost Boys (and that whole thing about sewing his shadow back was a complete waste of time too).
Tinkerbell, who as other people on here have said, was just terrible, whoevers idea it was to have him/her/it speaking that mangled whatever should have been ashamed to cash their paycheque.
The music/songs - a distinctly pub level band playing reggae when the pirates amble on, some totally forgettable songs and worst of all, a cast that couldn't bring anything to the songs to make you think they were listening to/enduring (and didn't have particularly good singing voices either).
The mermaids - OK, so it is the same cast members in a change of costume, but for characters that we are meant to believe could tempt men into the sea and then drown them, they should at least look slightly alluring, not a throwback to the Roly Polys.
The sets - no effort (or money either, by the look of things) whatsoever (just a bed for the Darlings house, and people should have something to be a bit excited about or impressed when the 'action' switches to Never Never Land, not what looked a low budget version of Rent.
I'm not going to waste any more time or effort thinking about this and digging up painful memories, why not buy yourself a ticket and prove me wrong?
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Post by Jan on Dec 11, 2016 10:40:29 GMT
Well, I was not there as an 'unaccompanied grumpy old man' thank you very much, but lets just start with: A level of acting I'd have been embarrassed to witness in a school play seeing family members performing, let alone in a London theatre with an audience that had paid for their tickets. Mr. Darling and his two sons being the worst culprits. Nana - OK so they did'nt want to have someone in a dog suit, but having a man in some frilly Victorian underwear was just rubbish, and if you weren't that aware of Peter Pan, you wouldn't have known Nana is supposed to be a dog. The 'wolves' were similarly rubbish. A Peter Pan who (A) seemed to have based their whole performance on a mixture of Pete Doherty and Drop Dead Fred without any of the appeal of either, and (B) looking at him, had all too obviously HAD grown up and should not be hanging round with the Lost Boys (and that whole thing about sewing his shadow back was a complete waste of time too). Tinkerbell, who as other people on here have said, was just terrible, whoevers idea it was to have him/her/it speaking that mangled whatever should have been ashamed to cash their paycheque. The music/songs - a distinctly pub level band playing reggae when the pirates amble on, some totally forgettable songs and worst of all, a cast that couldn't bring anything to the songs to make you think they were listening to/enduring (and didn't have particularly good singing voices either). The mermaids - OK, so it is the same cast members in a change of costume, but for characters that we are meant to believe could tempt men into the sea and then drown them, they should at least look slightly alluring, not a throwback to the Roly Polys. The sets - no effort (or money either, by the look of things) whatsoever (just a bed for the Darlings house, and people should have something to be a bit excited about or impressed when the 'action' switches to Never Never Land, not what looked a low budget version of Rent. I'm not going to waste any more time or effort thinking about this and digging up painful memories, why not buy yourself a ticket and prove me wrong? HG is always very protective of shows and directors who originated out West - Bristol Old Vic in this case. Not bothering with this one myself, the NT Xmas shows have been so boring for the past several years I've used up all the goodwill of the family in forcing them to go. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2016 10:44:32 GMT
HG is always very protective of shows and directors who originated out West - Bristol Old Vic in this case. Although Cymbeline (RSC) in the West Midlands was my dud of the year. I didn't see Peter Pan in Bristol, or any other Sally Cookson show yet. But 2017 is her year with Peter Pan at the NT, Cinderella in its fourth Xmas presentation, Jane Eyre touring everywhere and the new La Strada also touring extensively and coming into The Other Palace. It's fairly obvious that Marwood is totally unsympathetic to the approach here, so it was a bit silly of him to even consider seeing it as the NT show is based on the BOV original and so he should have known that it wasn't his thing. |
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Post by Jan on Dec 11, 2016 10:48:26 GMT
HG is always very protective of shows and directors who originated out West - Bristol Old Vic in this case. Although Cymbeline (RSC) in the West Midlands was my dud of the year. Because it gave a distorted picture of the delights of Milford Haven ? |
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Post by profquatermass on Dec 11, 2016 11:24:14 GMT
Could you perhaps give us just the slightest clue about which aspects were not to your personal taste? And have you considered that this is a family show, and not intended for unaccompanied grumpy old men? I spotted about six kids in the stalls when I saw it. At the NT's new prices, it really isn't getting many families in. As for what people might not enjoy - awful tuneless unnecessary songs, charmless uncharismatic Peter, galumphing un-fairylike Tinkerbell, bland Captain Hook, dreary set, annoying Lost Boys... that enough for you? |
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Post by kathryn on Dec 11, 2016 12:29:57 GMT
There were floods of kids coming out of Peter Pan when we were at the NT last night.
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Post by Marwood on Dec 11, 2016 12:39:58 GMT
There were lots of children in attendance at yesterday afternoons performance as well, all impeccably behaved - if it wasn't for the children sat behind me, I would have told the buffoon sat next to me, in less than polite words, to behave or bugger off back to the bar but I didn't want to have an argument.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2016 15:41:06 GMT
Oh God, Tinkerbell! Well, to be charitable, they tried something different... I think the worse thing is that s/he didn't make much impact. In the book she is a really strong character, in this she pops up once to shoot Wendy (to no consequences that I recall) then again to drink poison, which just felt random as I'd forgotten she existed by that point. Bit of a lost opportunity.
Lots of kids in when I saw it, they seemed to react well to it.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2016 15:53:30 GMT
At the NT's new prices, it really isn't getting many families in. Half-price for under-18s at all performances. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2016 15:56:10 GMT
Lots of kids in when I saw it, they seemed to react well to it. You've probably hit the nail on the head there. |
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Post by profquatermass on Dec 11, 2016 16:16:29 GMT
At the NT's new prices, it really isn't getting many families in. Half-price for under-18s at all performances. Children tend not to attend the theatre on their own though |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2016 16:20:00 GMT
Tight git
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2016 16:32:46 GMT
Well, I guess kids who don't go to the theatre very often will be inherently excited by the fact that stuff is happening live in front of them - I was, and it's still essentially what keeps me going to the theatre. Doesn't mean there's anything wrong with adults looking at the same production and being a bit more critical.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2016 16:38:32 GMT
Children are the most critical audience you can get, for that reason Brook likes to try out ideas first to school audiences about two thirds of the way through rehearsals.
Jaded, cynical, older audiences are a factor but that's not the same as critical.
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Post by duncan on Dec 11, 2016 17:20:39 GMT
I spotted about six kids in the stalls when I saw it. At the NT's new prices, it really isn't getting many families in. As for what people might not enjoy - awful tuneless unnecessary songs, charmless uncharismatic Peter, galumphing un-fairylike Tinkerbell, bland Captain Hook, dreary set, annoying Lost Boys... that enough for you? If it hadnt been for the 5 or 6 school groups there on Thursday it would have been very quiet in the circle. |
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Post by duncan on Dec 11, 2016 17:24:21 GMT
A level of acting I'd have been embarrassed to witness in a school play seeing family members performing, let alone in a London theatre with an audience that had paid for their tickets. Mr. Darling and his two sons being the worst culprits. Nana - OK so they did'nt want to have someone in a dog suit, but having a man in some frilly Victorian underwear was just rubbish, and if you weren't that aware of Peter Pan, you wouldn't have known Nana is supposed to be a dog. The 'wolves' were similarly rubbish. Tinkerbell, who as other people on here have said, was just terrible, whoevers idea it was to have him/her/it speaking that mangled whatever should have been ashamed to cash their paycheque. The sets - no effort (or money either, by the look of things) whatsoever (just a bed for the Darlings house, and people should have something to be a bit excited about or impressed when the 'action' switches to Never Never Land, not what looked a low budget version of Rent. I only had problems with Mr Darling when he was playing Mr Darling, his other roles were perfectly fine so it must have either been an actor or director decision to play it in such a mannered fashion. I didnt know Nana was a dog when it started but its set out very very clearly in the dialogue that Nana is actually a dog, I dont understand how anyone could miss that plot point its spelled out at least twice. Tinkerbell was indeed a disaster, As you left at half time you missed the money shot in terms of set design. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2016 11:17:29 GMT
Saw this last week. The kids in the audience certainly enjoyed it as did my inner child. Didn't like Peter very much though, he just seemed far to bitter to have never grown up. I had no problem with Tinkerbell and thought the invented language was quite effective. Nana appealed to me in a very pantomime dame dog sort of way. The rest of the actors were all enthusiastic in their various parts while Wendy and Captain Hook both did justice to their roles. I do think the latter needed some hiss boo from the audience though.The staging was very clever especially in the second half. All in all I felt happy and almost feeling quite lost boyish at the end.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2019 10:24:07 GMT
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Post by TallPaul on Jun 5, 2019 10:41:18 GMT
Sally Cookson productions of much loved classics, in new London theatres, are like buses! You wait ages for one...
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Post by FrontrowverPaul on Jul 31, 2019 13:18:37 GMT
I'm seeing this tomorrow afternoon with 20 year old daughter. We already have an evening show booked and yesterday I received one of those hush hush offers just too good to turn down.
Good opportunity to visit a new-to-me theatre and hopefully an enjoyable experience.
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Post by Stephen on Jul 31, 2019 22:52:39 GMT
I'm seeing this tomorrow afternoon with 20 year old daughter. We already have an evening show booked and yesterday I received one of those hush hush offers just too good to turn down. Good opportunity to visit a new-to-me theatre and hopefully an enjoyable experience. Please let us know what you think of the venue! |
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Post by FrontrowverPaul on Aug 2, 2019 11:29:19 GMT
Troubadour Theatre, opened just a week or so ago, is located a couple of minutes walk from White City tube station and 10 - 15 minutes from the massive Westfield White City Shopping Centre.
Very striking building, internally nothing special but nicely tiered and big comfy seats. No armrests though. Front row definitely to be avoided as well below stage level. We were among the first to collect our tickets and got row E which gave a perfect view. Friendly helpful staff. There are two separate theatres under one roof.
There were loads of kids there for Peter Pan, including under 5s (obviously the deal which we used had added hugely to the audience) and they seemed to enjoy it as did we. Certainly there were no sounds of restless/bored kids near us though I'd say ideal minimum age around 7. Found parts of it a bit "odd" to be honest (as someone who normally only attends mainstream musicals) and very different to pantomime Peter Pan. This is a play with a small band and music and I'd say the songs are the weakest link. The cast performed well, the flying was impressive-ish. If offered the deal we had it's well worth a visit. From reading previous posts I'd say largely unchanged from previous productions.
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Post by andrew on Aug 3, 2019 11:10:28 GMT
I'm disappointed to not find my review from this when it was in the Olivier, I must not have bothered to comment. I remember hating the songs but liking the show, and thought it needed another round of workshopping/rehearsals/rewriting. I'd be interested to hear if anythings changed for the Troubadour production, I don't really feel the need to go back. I also think that weirdly I'd miss John Hilton in the lead, such bizarre casting the first time round but he ended up being very compelling as Peter Pan.
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Post by fiyero on Aug 9, 2019 18:41:41 GMT
Any thoughts on what front row would be like for this?
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Post by dontdreamit on Aug 9, 2019 21:40:40 GMT
So for anyone going to this, the theatres location on google maps is wrong! Like many others tonight, we were walking up and down Wood Lane trying to find it. Got there eventually, but it was a little late starting.
For anyone going there over the next few months, head towards the junction of Wood Lane and South Africa Road, and avoid the 20 mins of futile searching that we did this evening! 🙂
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