A Tale of Two Cities - Open Air Theatre

Yes I hope it could be far far better than we dare to expect....

The eternal casting problem when "The Comedy of Errors" is produced.

Has anyone been to this yet? I'll be there tomorrow (well tonight now).

Oh FFS - that is not what anyone (other than the director) wants.

Not good, not good at all.

Publicity says 'adapted from the novel' and 'a new play' rather than 'an adaptation of'. I suppose some might not appreciate the difference but it' is made clear.

Given the divide made so clear recently in London, it seems ripe for updating.

EDIT: Just done a twitter search and not too much comment so far, apart from the usual 'well done's'.

However....

A pretty vile screed from someone who really wanted to spread their hate. Called it left wing and Corbynite and - the - worst - thing - ever. I mean, this is based on Dickens, are they so insular and closed minded that they think it might turn out to be a nice jolly UKIP style romp about those funny Foreigners? What planet exists where a Dickens adaptation isn't a polemical piece decrying the evils of conservative society and its worldview? So it appears likely to anger people politically or theatrically or maybe both. Should be fun.

Also, it really is depressing to see confusion over mixed eras, costume, theatrical rather than literal casting etc. Is it that Dickens is Victorian so the style of theatre has to be too? My best regional show of the year so far, Persuasion at the Royal Exchange, did exactly the same thing.

I see. So we can expect in the near future the two sets of twins in Comedy of Errors to be cast as above. There is a difference between blind casting and daft casting.

I got an e-mail today from the theatre warning me about the swearing and violence, and asking me to give them a call if I have any issues with the "age suitability" of my party. Presumably they've some negative feedback from folks who assumed a Dickens adaptation would be a good night out for all the family.

Since my party is, well, me, then I don't think there will be a problem, but I have to confess I'd rather dreading it now.

Some of the strong language and a sex scene have been removed: A Tale of No Titties?

www.thestage.co.uk/news/2017/regents-park-removes-sex-scene-tale-two-cities/

I find it very hard to agree that it has been made clear.  Just looking at the text on their website:

A new play by MATTHEW DUNSTER

Adapted from the novel by CHARLES DICKENS



It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us.


Sound familiar? How much more do those in power think Europe’s poor can take? When will the people take to the streets of the cities and roar enough is enough?



--------

They are clearly leading with the most famous line from the novel.  The rest of it does not give you any clue as to significant changes to the narrative or setting and seems to be missing the fact that the novel uses the events surrounding the French Revolution as the backdrop to the story of Carlton, Darnay and the Manettes - all very much middle class and above.  It isn't the story of Europe's poor.

If Dunster wanted to take a classic 19th Century novel that does deal more directly with the life of the poor in France, he would have been far better advised to look at Hugo rather than distorting Dickens.  

Clearly they are using Dickens to sell this and it comes as no surprise that some will object to seeing something other than an adaptation of a well-loved novel.  Calling it a 'new play' doesn't cover it.  If they wanted to be clear it should have been given a different title and reference made to it being inspired by or as a response to the Dickens tale.  But that would have lacked the marketing clout necessary for it to sell tickets.

It feels slightly similar to the production of The Beggar's Opera that opened the new theatre space in Chester recently - where they kept the title and dumped most of the plot and the original tunes.

There is certainly space in our theatres for a new play tackling the issues of social dislocation brought about by world events but forcing a political agenda onto a classic novel adaptation does just feel - well - forced.

And you don't like what you consider forced, so you think they shouldn't do it? There are other people in the world than you who are happy with the concept of this adaptation. Just don't go if you're not.

No.  I was making the point that the production has not been described accurately in the marketing and thus setting up expectations from an audience who book to see an adaptation of the original novel and actually seeing something rather different.

I do not set limits as to what theatre-makers can or can't do (within the realms of legality, of course) - but I do think it is incumbent on theatres to ensure that the productions they present are marketed as clearly as possible.

If this production had been described as a re-imagining or a re-working then I would have no issue.  But that has not happened.  Calling it a 'new play' 'adapted from' is not sufficient when it has been altered significantly.

I have to say I thought it was a straightforward adaptation of the novel.