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Post by couldileaveyou on Feb 15, 2017 21:13:55 GMT
First preview! It began with a discouraging speech by the director saying they had no dress rehearsal, so we should be indulgent... But there is no need for that, it's in fine form. Nice set and even nicer cast with a hilarious performance by Tamsin. She's playing Malvolia as a lesbian housekeeper a la Mrs Deven from Rebecca and her letter scene got a huge applause at the end. Sir Andrew is quite sensational as well, I'm really enjoying this so far.
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Post by David J on Feb 15, 2017 21:17:53 GMT
Who is Tim McMullan playing?
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Post by couldileaveyou on Feb 15, 2017 21:20:20 GMT
Sir Toby
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Post by David J on Feb 15, 2017 21:27:14 GMT
Ah. I kinda imagine him as Feste but Sir Toby is also ideal
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Post by couldileaveyou on Feb 15, 2017 21:31:52 GMT
There's also a female Feste and "Fabia"
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2017 22:32:14 GMT
Would it be possible to share the whole cast list please? There's a lot of good folk in the cast and the NT website is extraordinarily unhelpful when it comes to who is playing who in things.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Feb 16, 2017 0:01:37 GMT
So, it ended at 10.45, it was 3 hours and 15 minutes but it will get shorter during previews and the interval lasted 30 minutes tonight.
Emma Rice would love this production, it's bizarre and very gender-focused even for Twelfth Night's standards (the Elephant is a gay club, etc). I loved the set, it was very imaginative and for once the revolve was used cleverly. Nice performances all around, especially Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, Feste and Malvolia.
I think that having a female Malvolio really focused the attention on how the character is abused by Toby, Andrew, Fabio and Feste: Tamsin wasn't playing for laughters, she was shivering and was scared. Similarly, the finale was very focused on this aspect of Malvolia's humiliation: people don't laugh her out of the stage, but there is a sincere concern for her and Olivia is clearly mad at Maria & co. Actually, the finale is quite low-key and melancholic, there is the joy of found love and weddings, but there is a particular attention for the losers as well: Sir Andrew waiting for the bus, Malvolia alone with the traumas of the abuse. I found it quite touching.
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Post by lonlad on Feb 16, 2017 0:49:41 GMT
How is the wonderful Oliver Chris?
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Post by couldileaveyou on Feb 16, 2017 8:43:14 GMT
Would it be possible to share the whole cast list please? There's a lot of good folk in the cast and the NT website is extraordinarily unhelpful when it comes to who is playing who in things. Tamara Lawrence (Viola), Daniel Ezra (Sebastian), Oliver Chris (Orsino), Emmanuel Kojo (Cuio), Brad Morrison (Valentine), James Wallace (Captain/Priest), Tim McMullan (Sir Toby), Daniel Rigby (Sir Andrew), Niky Wardley (Maria), Adam Best (Antonio), Doon Mackichan (Feste), Phoebe Fox (Olivia), Tamsin Greig (Malvolia), Imogen Doel (Fabia) |
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Post by couldileaveyou on Feb 16, 2017 8:43:51 GMT
How is the wonderful Oliver Chris? He was an adorably goofy Orsino |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2017 8:54:00 GMT
Thanks very much!  |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2017 9:07:21 GMT
So, it ended at 10.45, it was 3 hours and 15 minutes but it will get shorter during previews and the interval lasted 30 minutes tonight. Emma Rice would love this production, it's bizarre and very gender-focused even for Twelfth Night's standards (the Elephant is a gay club, etc). I loved the set, it was very imaginative and for once the revolve was used cleverly. Nice performances all around, especially Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, Feste and Malvolia. I think that having a female Malvolio really focused the attention on how the character is abused by Toby, Andrew, Fabio and Feste: Tamsin wasn't playing for laughters, she was shivering and was scared. Similarly, the finale was very focused on this aspect of Malvolia's humiliation: people don't laugh her out of the stage, but there is a sincere concern for her and Olivia is clearly mad at Maria & co. Actually, the finale is quite low-key and melancholic, there is the joy of found love and weddings, but there is a particular attention for the losers as well: Sir Andrew waiting for the bus, Malvolia alone with the traumas of the abuse. I found it quite touching. Am very excited about this - seeing it this weekend. I always find the laughter at Malvolio jarring by the end - he/she is being horribly abused and I've seen great actors play it in a very moving way; but audiences always seem determined to find it unrelentingly comedic regardless. |
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Post by MrBunbury on Feb 16, 2017 11:20:55 GMT
So, it ended at 10.45, it was 3 hours and 15 minutes but it will get shorter during previews and the interval lasted 30 minutes tonight. Emma Rice would love this production, it's bizarre and very gender-focused even for Twelfth Night's standards (the Elephant is a gay club, etc). I loved the set, it was very imaginative and for once the revolve was used cleverly. Nice performances all around, especially Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, Feste and Malvolia. I think that having a female Malvolio really focused the attention on how the character is abused by Toby, Andrew, Fabio and Feste: Tamsin wasn't playing for laughters, she was shivering and was scared. Similarly, the finale was very focused on this aspect of Malvolia's humiliation: people don't laugh her out of the stage, but there is a sincere concern for her and Olivia is clearly mad at Maria & co. Actually, the finale is quite low-key and melancholic, there is the joy of found love and weddings, but there is a particular attention for the losers as well: Sir Andrew waiting for the bus, Malvolia alone with the traumas of the abuse. I found it quite touching. Very excited about this now, although I have still more than one month before seeing it! |
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Post by peggs on Feb 16, 2017 12:23:38 GMT
~Yes thanks couldileaveyou, had been trying to work out the cast, why does the NT feel the need to keep it a secret on their website now?
Looked at some photos the other day and only then realised Tim McMullan was in it, mmmm heaven for the ears.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2017 21:28:41 GMT
1h 40m first half
But started almost 10 mins late
And best ever drum/ revolve problems with priceless corpsing
The play is sh*t
Hate Twelfth Night and generally find his comedies feeble and pathetic with lame sexual innudeno
As a result they usually get over earnest staging like a Carry on film
I LOVE the tragedies and find them dramatically more convincing
Anyway
Tamsin Greig will get awards nominations for this
She is fantastic
Phoebe Fox also excellent
And Tim McMullan wonderful
These three make the show sparkle with life
Doon Mackichan plays the same character she did in Jumpy
Anyway see it for Tamsin Greig
Wonderful sardonic funny and made me laugh
I thought the set is cumbersome
Supposed to be lavish but it requires too much fiddling about from stage hands
And is hardly a Chanel show staging
As for the cross gendering
Altering
Whatever
It's just an excuse to be "modern"
I ignored it
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2017 21:32:35 GMT
The play itself is a bit of a mess
And too long
And the comedies are quite dramatically inert
That's what annoys me about them
Comedy has become more sophisticated now
Whereas tragedy hasn't really dated in any way
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Post by bellboard27 on Feb 17, 2017 21:53:06 GMT
The play itself is a bit of a mess And too long And the comedies are quite dramatically inert That's what annoys me about them Comedy has become more sophisticated now Whereas tragedy hasn't really dated in any way I still bet, parsley, even so, underneath your sartorial outfit, you had on a pair of yellow stockings. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2017 22:40:52 GMT
The cast are fantastic
And Greig amazing
But I still don't really like the play
Why not pick a better play
Rather than wasting talent
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Post by mallardo on Feb 18, 2017 9:05:57 GMT
430 years ago it would have worked so much better - boy actor playing a girl playing a boy, etc. The mistaken identity thing might just have been plausible.
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Post by martin1965 on Feb 18, 2017 9:09:53 GMT
The cast are fantastic And Greig amazing But I still don't really like the play Why not pick a better play Rather than wasting talent Same argument as i have with Jan, why did you bother going? |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2017 9:56:58 GMT
The cast are fantastic And Greig amazing But I still don't really like the play Why not pick a better play Rather than wasting talent Same argument as i have with Jan, why did you bother going? Free night out Life is sh*t And we carry on living |
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Post by martin1965 on Feb 18, 2017 11:41:01 GMT
Same argument as i have with Jan, why did you bother going? Free night out Life is sh*t And we carry on living Lucky old you! |
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Post by crabtree on Feb 18, 2017 12:18:18 GMT
personally, I adore this play. It is perfect, and for a play four centuries old to be addressing fluid sexuality with such joyous tolerance and acceptance is amazing, and now so relevant.....'what you will' seems to be a perfect way to live. It is, simply, a masterpiece, and I for one will stand up for it, and see it every year.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2017 12:58:48 GMT
personally, I adore this play. It is perfect, and for a play four centuries old to be addressing fluid sexuality with such joyous tolerance and acceptance is amazing, and now so relevant.....'what you will' seems to be a perfect way to live. It is, simply, a masterpiece, and I for one will stand up for it, and see it every year. It's a superb production overall |
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Post by sondheimhats on Feb 19, 2017 0:47:06 GMT
LOVED this production! So clever, creative and elegant. Oliver Chris, Tamara Lawrence, Phoebe Fox, Tamsin Grieg, and really the whole cast are just excellent. Like in the best of Shakespeare productions, Godwin has a clear sense of what story he's telling, and finds his own hilarious directorial touches that rise so effortlessly from the text. Easily the best Twelfth Night I've seen. Lovely design and excellent use of space and NT's budget.
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