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Post by showgirl on Sept 28, 2017 4:11:26 GMT
Getting off-topic but in my experience theatres (etc) fail even respond if you reply to their tweets, challenging them or asking for information, but you could try it. At least then your interest would be on record and they might just word their tweets more carefully in future or even - who knows - respond helpfully. I have no interest in The Real Thing myself but as the reviews have been good, maybe the tour will extend or transfer?
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Post by lynette on Oct 16, 2017 9:06:47 GMT
At the Park 28 march to 28 April
Hurrah!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2017 12:53:09 GMT
At the Park 28 march to 28 April Hurrah! Extraordinary venue - so small after a UK tour of midscale theatres, including Richmond.
The same applies to A Passage to India.
Is this a cunning plan to generate unsatisfied demand in London and follow the Park with a limited West End run?
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Post by showgirl on Oct 16, 2017 14:02:09 GMT
Had I known, I'd've waited for the Park dates, but I'll still enjoy seeing this in Guildford.
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Post by lynette on Oct 16, 2017 15:30:29 GMT
I nearly booked Richmond but couldn’t get thru on phone and it wasn’t showing up on the website.
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Post by showgirl on Oct 16, 2017 18:21:27 GMT
I nearly booked Richmond but couldn’t get thru on phone and it wasn’t showing up on the website. I've had the same issue, intermittently, with ATG venues. Fortunately Guildford's system is simple, user-friendly and members get top-price seats at 50% discount for Saturday matinees, which is impressive in itself and more so given that most patrons there tend anyway to be seniors and to prefer matinees. |
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Post by duncan on Feb 18, 2018 11:51:49 GMT
Friday June 2nd 1944 and the South Coast of England basks in a long heatwave, however James Stagg that thinks come Monday there will be a massive storm that will cause low visibility and high waves in the Channel. Stagg is the Chief Meteorologist for the Allied forces and Eisenhower is wanting an answer as to whether (ho ho) he should launch D-Day on Monday. The problem for Stagg is that his American colleagues don't agree with his forecast
Written by and starring David Haig this was a lovely little drama set in one room and played out over the period from the 2nd to the morning of the 6th. Haig plays Stagg with a Scottish accent (what with Stagg being Scottish) and his accent isn't very convincing, its a generic Englishmans take on what he thinks a Scotsman sounds like and up here it sounds awfully forced and fake but on the plus side its better than the attempt that Malcom Sinclair makes of the Eisenhower American accent - or lack of attempt, who knew Ike was seemingly from the Home Counties. Both are giving good performances of the lines, just not good attempts at the relevant accents.
A cast of 11 round this out playing various parts but its essentially a 4 hander - Stagg and Eisenhower, Stagg and Krick (the other meteorologist convinced the 5th will be fine) and Stagg and Kay Summersby (Ikes UK female chauffer and maybe lover) whilst the remaining actors flit in and out with the latest reports or cameo as the likes of Leigh-Mallory. At the heart of a 2 hour play about the weather is the love of a father for his children - Stagg spending all of the time worrying about his pregnant wife who he isn't allowed to see whilst Ike sees himself as a father figure to all of the children he is about to send out to die.
Some nicely restrained direction and an amazing bit of sound design - when during a speech by Ike about sending young boys off to die all of the background noise is shut off to leave him in an eerie silence. Its not perfect, Haig doesn't know when to end the play and runs it on 10 minutes beyond its natural ending in a coda set on the 6th and the comedy telephone engineer is an odd choice of character in a play about making a decision that is going to see people being killed, whilst everyone else is playing restrained Michael MacKenzie is playing panto.
So whilst not perfect, its still an absorbing evening.
8/10
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Post by showgirl on Mar 3, 2018 20:37:29 GMT
I saw the matinee in Guildford today and having missed the 2014 Chichester production, I felt as though I'd been waiting nearly 4 years to see this, meaning it had a lot to live up to, but it was indeed a very solid, satisfying and traditional play - and all the better for it. No surprises, obviously, since we all know when the Normandy landings did actually take place; instead the interest is in the characters, their interaction and the battle behind the scenes to choose the most suitable date.
The only slight flaw for me is that David Haig is unnecessarily sentimental, both as a writer and actor, and I'd have preferred it without the mawkish moments, but this is nevertheless a very effective work which should prove popular.
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Post by wiggymess on Mar 24, 2018 23:38:25 GMT
What's the situation with swearing in this please?
Think my dad would like but he's funny about bad language.
Ta
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Post by Phantom of London on Mar 25, 2018 0:37:17 GMT
Didn’t really take much notice of the subject, before going today, A very poignant play for personal reason - as my grandfather drowned in the Second World War in the English Channel on a Minesweeper*, in a violent storm, his body was washed up on Deal beach. The boat should have never have gone out, but it did, due to wrong weather forecasts.
* A minesweeperwas essentially a converted fishing boat, they were vey effective because of the wooden hull, as mines are attracted to any boat with a metal hull through magnetism, however being small they are vulnerable to bad weather.
Now the play, which for me is a mixed bag, with some questionable Scottish/American accents, also thought the play was too much of a slow burner to get up to speed, which is of course is the storm which occurs in the second part, however even though I am grumbling it is a valiant effort to write a enjoyable and an important script, which serves as a great reminder of another person who maintained our liberty. I also thought Laura Rogers was pretty fantastic.
Ironically watching this played the thought crossed by mind several times, that we wouldn’t have Brexit, as we would be under Nazi facist totaliltarium control, if we didn’t have James Stagg forecasting the weather but Michael Fish instead.
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Post by deadyankee on Mar 25, 2018 9:04:47 GMT
What's the situation with swearing in this please? Think my dad would like but he's funny about bad language. Ta I really can’t recall any excessive use of ‘bad’ language but there may conceivably have been a little effing and jeffing from the yanks in the heat of the moment. I certainly wouldn’t let it cause you to miss what I found to be a very enjoyable and surprisingly tense play. |
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Post by wiggymess on Mar 25, 2018 9:35:36 GMT
What's the situation with swearing in this please? Think my dad would like but he's funny about bad language. Ta I really can’t recall any excessive use of ‘bad’ language but there may conceivably have been a little effing and jeffing from the yanks in the heat of the moment. I certainly wouldn’t let it cause you to miss what I found to be a very enjoyable and surprisingly tense play. Thanks |
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Post by Polly1 on Apr 3, 2018 15:42:57 GMT
Transferring to the Ambassadors from 6th June (74th anniversary of D-Day) to 1st Sept.
Bit annoying as I'm booked in to the Park for this Thurs matinee and never been to the Ambassadors;still I suppose it will be a lot cheaper at the Park. Pleased it is getting a transfer at last.
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Post by Rory on Apr 3, 2018 16:23:27 GMT
Really pleased to see this play finally make it to the West End and it's also a real pleasure to see the Ambassadors back on the map again as a venue for things you'd actually want to go and watch.
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Post by Phantom of London on Apr 3, 2018 16:36:09 GMT
MMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Baffled why this is going into the West End, it isn't sold out at the Park Theatre yet. I would have thought and banking on Summer and Smoke transferring to the Ambassadors.
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Post by Rory on Apr 3, 2018 16:53:39 GMT
Must confess that I had hoped beyond hope that The York Realist might go to the Ambassadors in June despite having been told by the ever reliable mrbarnaby that no transfer is currently planned. I would imagine Summer and Smoke will transfer to either Trafalgar Studio 1 at the end of August or to the Duke of York's in November. Or even the Piccadilly if Strictly Ballroom doesn't take off (it's currently booking until late July). I can't see S&S going to the Haymarket which is free for 4 months after 28th July. Not sure what's going in there then. |
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Post by showgirl on Apr 3, 2018 18:53:25 GMT
Transferring to the Ambassadors from 6th June (74th anniversary of D-Day) to 1st Sept. Bit annoying as I'm booked in to the Park for this Thurs matinee and never been to the Ambassadors;still I suppose it will be a lot cheaper at the Park. Pleased it is getting a transfer at last. Given the choice I would much prefer the Park and you will be far closer to the action and probably less uncomfortable (note I don't say "more comfortable" as I wouldn't go that far!) Indeed, I'd have opted for the Park myself had the opportunity not arisen first to see this in Guildford. But I agree with rory that it's good to see it getting a West End transfer and, I hope, the wider audience it deserves. |
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Post by lynette on Apr 3, 2018 22:26:57 GMT
Seeing this on Saturday evening. Nice for David Haig to get into West End again and with his own play. How cool is that?
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Post by stefy69 on Apr 4, 2018 7:40:58 GMT
Excellent news so pleased and a chance to revisit the lovely Ambassadors after so many years !
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Post by david on Apr 5, 2018 17:43:01 GMT
Saw this at today’s matinee. How would have thought that a 2hr play about meteorology could be so engaging?
What David Haig has written is in my opinion a very slick piece of drama about one man’s decision that would change the Second World War.
From the writing you got a real sense of the pressure that the man (both from himself and the military command) was under to give the green light to the D day landings. It was certainly a bit of history about D Day not many people will know, and to bring it alive was a great decision by DH.
It’s great that it’s getting a transfer to the WE later on this year and hopefully it will be well received as it has been by the audience that I was with this afternoon.
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Post by Polly1 on Apr 5, 2018 20:44:33 GMT
Saw this at today’s matinee. How would have thought that a 2hr play about meteorology could be so engaging? What David Haig has written is in my opinion a very slick piece of drama about one man’s decision that would change the Second World War. From the writing you got a real sense of the pressure that the man (both from himself and the military command) was under to give the green light to the D day landings. It was certainly a bit of history about D Day not many people will know, and to bring it alive was a great decision by DH. It’s great that it’s getting a transfer to the WE later on this year and hopefully it will be well received as it has been by the audience that I was with this afternoon. Was also there this afternoon and agree with this. Very engrossing and poignant too, in the second half. I love Malcolm Sinclair! david if you were the nice man who swapped seats so i could sit next to my husband, thank you so much! Script is for sale in lieu of a programme, a bargain at £5. Despite my earlier comment, happy to have seen this at the Park, very intense atmosphere in the small auditorium and probably a third of the price of WE tickets. |
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Post by lynette on Apr 5, 2018 20:58:38 GMT
Excited, seeing this on Sat. Anyone else?
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Post by joem on Apr 5, 2018 21:57:47 GMT
I was there this afternoon too and it was quite a triumph. Well-written, absorbing, nicely-staged and acted. Happy for David Haig, he seems like a nice, engaging guy.
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Post by david on Apr 5, 2018 22:06:14 GMT
Hi Lynette
Yes it was me you talked to at Pressure this afternoon. A small world isn’t it?!
I’m glad I was able to help you out. I managed to pick up a script in the foyer prior to the show. Definitely agree, £5 was a bargain.
Like you, I really enjoyed MS’s portrayal as IKE, though having seen him in Showboat and THIS HOUSE, I think he’s a great actor. As for David Haig, he has never disappointed me in anything I’ve seen him in either live or on tv. I’m glad he’s having a success with this play as it is well deserved.
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Post by Phantom of London on Apr 5, 2018 23:36:31 GMT
Saw this at today’s matinee. How would have thought that a 2hr play about meteorology could be so engaging? What David Haig has written is in my opinion a very slick piece of drama about one man’s decision that would change the Second World War. From the writing you got a real sense of the pressure that the man (both from himself and the military command) was under to give the green light to the D day landings. It was certainly a bit of history about D Day not many people will know, and to bring it alive was a great decision by DH. It’s great that it’s getting a transfer to the WE later on this year and hopefully it will be well received as it has been by the audience that I was with this afternoon. I agree it is good to have a play by James Stagg, who saved many men’s lives with his correct weather prediction. So on this premise it would also be great to have a play on Alan Turing, who contribution in the Second World War was significant. |
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