816 posts
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Post by stefy69 on May 18, 2017 10:45:07 GMT
F Murray Abraham play seen at the Theatre Royal Bath is to transfer to the Vaudeville Theatre on the 24th June.
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Post by altamont on May 18, 2017 13:29:17 GMT
It's worth seeing for FMA, and is a very enjoyable way to spend 80 minutes. The play itself is a little unsubstantial, being primarily about the relationship between a writer with his reputation resting on a play he wrote many decades before, and a new, up and coming writer.
In Bath it was in the Ustinov Studio which is a tiny venue.
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1,119 posts
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Post by martin1965 on May 18, 2017 18:27:21 GMT
Def going to this! Wanted to see it in Bath but had too much else on in April.
Really good supporting cast. FMA is proper broadway royalty, saw him as Shylock at Stratford ten years ago, electrifying!
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2,058 posts
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Post by Marwood on Jun 16, 2017 11:10:21 GMT
Got myself a second row stalls ticket for this through Lovetheatre for £29.50 this morning, more for the appearance of F. Murray Abraham in the cast than anything (or anyone else in the cast).
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2017 18:32:26 GMT
Got rear stalls for the same price (but hoping for a sneaky upgrade on the day, so collecting from box office). Couldn't miss FMA!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2017 13:01:50 GMT
Got myself a second row stalls ticket for this through Lovetheatre for £29.50 this morning, more for the appearance of F. Murray Abraham in the cast than anything (or anyone else in the cast). The top price in Bath was £19.50 plus a booking fee of £2.50 per transaction (not per ticket). This is why I resent West End theatre ticket prices! |
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1,064 posts
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Post by bellboard27 on Jun 24, 2017 15:44:08 GMT
Went to first preview. Run time was just under 1hr 20mins. Nice performances and JMA was good. However, as remarked previously, it is not a substantial piece. Some laughs, but as a piece about two writers it doesn't say a lot about writing.
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2,058 posts
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Post by Marwood on Jul 1, 2017 16:33:30 GMT
Saw this on Friday and can't say I was that impressed - a nice performance from F. Murray Abraham but the ''hero' of this play (the younger writer, not the mentor) is such a berk, I couldn't care less what happened to his career. (or his marriage). Glad I saw Abraham, and also glad I didn't pay full price - even though the running time is 'only' 80 minutes, the final stretch still seemed like a slog.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2017 16:49:14 GMT
It's being papered left right and centre
WHY
Do they bring these crappy plays to town ?
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Post by Rory on Jul 1, 2017 17:01:45 GMT
WHY Do they bring these crappy plays to town ? What exactly DO you want to see in these theatres? A friend of mine saw this the other night and said it was witty and enjoyable with a good cast. Good luck to Nica Burns - at least her theatre isn't dark over the summer. |
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Post by Snciole on Jul 2, 2017 12:01:25 GMT
It's being papered left right and centre WHY Do they bring these crappy plays to town ? I think the name of F Murray Abraham is probably attracting audiences of a certain age (er...sorry Jean Hunt!) because Amadeus is an iconic film and production (See NT's insistence of bringing back the 2016 production in 2018) plus Christopher Hampton is a name for theatre people but we are living in an age where big names do not equal sell out (see Damian Lewis in The Goat, for example). It is just too big and expensive a theatre for shows like this to sell out but that doesn't mean there isn't demand, just not as much as Harry Potter... |
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Post by bordeaux on Jul 2, 2017 12:22:35 GMT
It's being papered left right and centre WHY Do they bring these crappy plays to town ? I think the name of F Murray Abraham is probably attracting audiences of a certain age (er...sorry Jean Hunt!) because Amadeus is an iconic film and production (See NT's insistence of bringing back the 2016 production in 2018) plus Christopher Hampton is a name for theatre people but we are living in an age where big names do not equal sell out (see Damian Lewis in The Goat, for example). It is just too big and expensive a theatre for shows like this to sell out but that doesn't mean there isn't demand, just not as much as Harry Potter... Yes, they were presumably hoping for another Zeller-like success, but the play isn't as funny as The Truth or as moving as The Father. Enjoyable enough, but it's a Bush/Donmar sized play, probably lost in even a middle-sized West End theatre. |
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Post by Snciole on Jul 2, 2017 12:54:53 GMT
I think this is the problem with city to city transfers. I don't think any of us are necessarily begging for something that was on at Bath, Chichester or Manchester (to name a select few) to come to the west end but just for an opportunity to see it in London or other cities as part of a tour. Park Theatre, for example, are bringing the Enoch Powell play that was at Birmingham to their 200 seat theatre. There are plenty of good sized theatres in London for interesting, but ultimatley niche interest, productions.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 14:28:24 GMT
F Murray Abraham probably wouldn't sign up to a minimum-wage run at the Park. The production has already been created and tested in Bath, so the two options for now are a star-rate run in the West End or nothing.
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901 posts
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Post by bordeaux on Jul 3, 2017 17:13:22 GMT
F Murray Abraham probably wouldn't sign up to a minimum-wage run at the Park. The production has already been created and tested in Bath, so the two options for now are a star-rate run in the West End or nothing. It is a surprisingly choice of role, though, given that someone of Abraham's reputation could probably come over here and have his pick of Shakespeare, Chekhov, Ibsen or American roles at a major theatre? |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 17:20:35 GMT
It is a surprisingly choice of role, though, given that someone of Abraham's reputation could probably come over here and have his pick of Shakespeare, Chekhov, Ibsen or American roles at a major theatre? Major theatres don't pay West End rates. The big stars are usually seen in small-cast plays in the West End. Most people will go to see F Murray Abraham, not to see the play. |
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Post by TallPaul on Jul 6, 2017 12:41:48 GMT
Anne Treneman - The Times
"Sit back and admire Homeland star in smart literary satire."
****
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Post by bingomatic on Jul 7, 2017 16:18:39 GMT
There isn't much to the play, but it is enjoyable. I've very little exposure to Abraham but he was very good in this role and didn't put a foot wrong.
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Post by lonlad on Jul 7, 2017 17:53:54 GMT
It's pitifully thin gruel and totally preposterous- virtually nothing about it makes sense. That said, Abraham is very good in it. Less so any of the others.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2017 15:39:23 GMT
Fairly amusing but I agree very slight. All the cast other than Father Abraham talk in that slightly odd stilted way people often do for no apparent reason in translated plays
Upper circle closed, guy with a clipboard upgrading people. Stalls about two thirds full.
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2,058 posts
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Post by Marwood on Jul 9, 2017 19:54:47 GMT
Walked along The Strand to get to Somerset House for Goldfrapp tonight - Salieri restaurant just up the road from the Vaudeville- do we reckon that was the clincher for Abraham signing up for this? 😝
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Post by japhun on Jul 11, 2017 12:48:16 GMT
Watching tonight. Anyone around?  |
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Post by loureviews on Jul 11, 2017 13:08:36 GMT
Fairly amusing but I agree very slight. All the cast other than Father Abraham talk in that slightly odd stilted way people often do for no apparent reason in translated plays Upper circle closed, guy with a clipboard upgrading people. Stalls about two thirds full. Father Abraham. The Smurfy Mentor is back in town. |
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Post by Phantom of London on Jul 13, 2017 17:40:25 GMT
The Jornalists done a good job here, the place was empty this afternoon.
I enjoyed F. Murray Abraham, even though his role was very self indulgent, he played it well to the hundred or so people in the theatre. However this play on the most part is forgettable, except it provided a couple of half smiles on the rare occasion.
2 Stars
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183 posts
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Post by bee on Aug 6, 2017 13:17:36 GMT
I saw this last night. It's pleasant and enjoyable, but as others have said, insubstantial. Cast was fine but the play didn't exactly ask a great deal from them.
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