2,859 posts
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Post by couldileaveyou on Jan 21, 2018 0:01:32 GMT
Saw the matinee today and loved it. I can't say I understood everything, but this didn't take anything away from my enjoyment. Superb cast, especially Zoe Wanamaker and Stephen Mangan. Excellent lighting as well.
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Post by bellboard27 on Jan 22, 2018 23:27:55 GMT
I forgot to ask others who have been in the front row. In the party scene copious amounts of whisky are consumed. Obviously this is not real. However, I got a very distinct whisky aroma for some time. Anyone else? I have not rejected the possibility that it was simply my mind playing tricks!
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1,133 posts
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Post by Stephen on Jan 23, 2018 3:04:41 GMT
I forgot to ask others who have been in the front row. In the party scene copious amounts of whisky are consumed. Obviously this is not real. However, I got a very distinct whisky aroma for some time. Anyone else? I have not rejected the possibility that it was simply my mind playing tricks! I was in the front row and didn't notice this. Probably because all I could smell was my own lovely gin... |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2018 15:37:56 GMT
Oh dear... I don’t understand all the love for this production at all.
Lots of misses, in my opinion: the casting, the direction, the design, the music... Thought Zoe Wanamaker and Stephen Mangan were completely wrong for the roles. Their voices weren’t right at all, something we take for granted usually. ZW was lacking the mumsiness (too hard and brittle) and SM far too nasal to be threatening. Overall it was far too stylised, with overchoreographed movement, especially for McCann. It was all so heightened we lost any sense of reality of these mysterious forces from outside coming to destroy Stanley’s safeness and security in his nest, however miserable it looks to us. Disliked the rouched gauze cloth and the moody music.
Had high expectations, especially after the Old Vic’s excellent Caretaker last year, but was underwhelmed.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2018 18:42:37 GMT
Well. I trundled off to the Antonia Fraser's Husband Theatre to see this. And then I went back home again. It was all mildly diverting but I can't say I really knew what was going on half the time. I liked the beginning when Toby Jones was there and then he wasn't with a swish of the curtain. Some of it was funny enough but I just don't think I cared for it in the end. Zoe Wanamaker was woefully miscast, although God love her, I did admire some of her Boadicea Overall acting choices. I also found Stephen Mangan about as menacing as a rhubarb crumble. One bit I wasn't sure about though . . {Call it a party without some cheese and pineapple on sticks?}
Did they cut out Toby Jones' tongue after the party? Whatever happened to a nice bunch of flowers or some chocolates? Although it did give me a little fancy for some Corn Flakes when I got home. Sadly all I had were some Frosties and a couple of Weetabix. It wasn't the same. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2018 19:08:42 GMT
Well. I trundled off to the Antonia Fraser's Husband Theatre to see this. And then I went back home again. It was all mildly diverting but I can't say I really knew what was going on half the time. I liked the beginning when Toby Jones was there and then he wasn't with a swish of the curtain. Some of it was funny enough but I just don't think I cared for it in the end. Zoe Wanamaker was woefully miscast, although God love her, I did admire some of her Boadicea Overall acting choices. I also found Stephen Mangan about as menacing as a rhubarb crumble. One bit I wasn't sure about though . . {Call it a party without some cheese and pineapple on sticks?}
Did they cut out Toby Jones' tongue after the party? Whatever happened to a nice bunch of flowers or some chocolates? Although it did give me a little fancy for some Corn Flakes when I got home. Sadly all I had were some Frosties and a couple of Weetabix. It wasn't the same. 😂 🤣😂 🤣😂 |
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1,260 posts
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Post by theatrelover123 on Feb 7, 2018 19:09:49 GMT
I think Ryan wins my favourite funny Theatreboard poster award  |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2018 20:24:15 GMT
I think Ryan wins my favourite funny Theatreboard poster award Oh theatrelover123, me too. May The Lord bless you for your kind words. That's Andrew Lloyd Webber not the Big G for any avoidance of doubt. |
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3,578 posts
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Post by showgirl on Feb 8, 2018 5:04:15 GMT
I think Ryan wins my favourite funny Theatreboard poster award Oh theatrelover123 , me too. May The Lord bless you for your kind words. That's Andrew Lloyd Webber not the Big G for any avoidance of doubt. Thirded! |
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Post by Dr Tom on Feb 9, 2018 16:58:56 GMT
I saw this last weekend, not knowing too much about it and thought it was really good.
TodayTix front row, pretty central so a good view and easy to get a ticket. Also gave me a sense of satisfaction of saving money over the well spoken group behind, who I presume were bankers treating their significant others, trying to pretend they were cultured and making the most ridiculous observations during the interval.
The main thing I picked up on was Stephen Mangan trying his best to make the rest of the cast corpse, succeeding at least twice with Pearl Mackie. Although that may be a standard part of the show.
Worth seeing.
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Post by dlevi on Feb 27, 2018 6:20:23 GMT
I went to this last night ( thank you Todays Tix lottery) M20 in the stalls. I've now seen 4 productions of this play ( as well as the film) and I'm done with it. I don't hate it, I think that unlike other Pinter plays which continue to fascinate me time and again ( Old Times, No Man's Land, The Homecoming) I feel that I've seen what great directors and actors have gotten out of it and I'm no longer as fascinated by it as I once was. I thought tonight's performances were across the board fascinating. But what didn't happen for me was that despite the first class production all around the ensemble never fused together for me, each performance seemed independent of the other - unlike current productions such as The York Realist, Long Day's Journey or Beginning. That certain spark seemed to be missing. I still gave it 4 stars like most everyone else here on the board , it is very worthwhile it's just not "that" production which illuminates something new for me.
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3,320 posts
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Post by david on Feb 27, 2018 20:19:07 GMT
How easy has it been to get a day seat for this. I’m in London the week 3rd -6th April and am looking to day seat for this on the wed eve performance. How easy was it to get a day seat? I’m tempted to also try the TodayTix option. Which option would people suggest?
Thanks in advance for any advice!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2018 22:16:20 GMT
I did TodayTix on a Saturday, I found it achievable enough. No idea on the day seat situation so couldn't say which is better.  |
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3,320 posts
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Post by david on Feb 27, 2018 22:30:21 GMT
I did TodayTix on a Saturday, I found it achievable enough. No idea on the day seat situation so couldn't say which is better. Thanks for the info. Much appreciated. |
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3,320 posts
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Post by david on Feb 28, 2018 12:29:30 GMT
Thanks for the info TM. I’ll probably try day seating as it will be a new experience for me! I’ve also got a a few SOLT vouchers to use up. I can always use the today tix option as a plan B if the box office option doesn’t work.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 13:50:33 GMT
There seriously can't be people queueing up for day seats in weather like this can there?
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5,159 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Feb 28, 2018 14:16:20 GMT
There seriously can't be people queueing up for day seats in weather like this can there? Of course not @ryan. Like you, they send 'the help'! The more benevolent employers get James to drop them at the theatre first thing. |
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Post by Jan on Mar 17, 2018 9:29:48 GMT
Saw this with an excellent £25 TodayTix front row seat. An exemplary production of this modern classic with good cast, acting, set and excellent direction from Ian Rickson. The NT used to do productions like this long long ago.
Only problem was an unappreciative West End audience - it’s over 10 years since I went to a West End play and the contrast with the audiences I’m used to was striking. The (of necessity) rich “theatre as a social event” middle-classes proudly wearing their philistinism as a badge. Also the theatre itself is appalling of course, it takes quite some doing to build a theatre where so few seats have a good view.
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Post by Jan on Mar 17, 2018 20:56:46 GMT
Finally got to it this afternoon. Lovely, well-behaved audience. Loved the set and staging, did get a very strong feeling Pinter was talking about the hold religion has on people most of the time. Mangan, I'm afraid, I had a problem with. I don't know if it was him, the movement or dialect coach, but I'm afraid he made a total hash of being Jewish. He couldn't pronounce words familiar to all Jews, and his rhythm and body movement were utterly, utterly wrong. Don't know if it was his fault or one of the team, and I refuse to apportion blame, but I'm afraid it did rather wreck the play for me. One possible blooper, if anyone can help? Act Two Goldberg sits on a chair and invites Lulu to sit on his knee. This afternoon, he tells her after a moment, to "please assist me by sitting on the table for a moment." She seemed surprised to be asked, and he then played with her leg and she did a line about being tickled. I got the idea something went wrong and they were covering? Or is it how it is always? No that is the same as when I saw it - Rickson directs every second and it is all calculated. I quite liked Mangan, he has a comic’s sense of timing. However I was a bit unsettled by his teeth, looks like he’s had extensive work done. |
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Post by firefingers on Mar 17, 2018 21:37:32 GMT
Finally got to it this afternoon. Lovely, well-behaved audience. Loved the set and staging, did get a very strong feeling Pinter was talking about the hold religion has on people most of the time. Mangan, I'm afraid, I had a problem with. I don't know if it was him, the movement or dialect coach, but I'm afraid he made a total hash of being Jewish. He couldn't pronounce words familiar to all Jews, and his rhythm and body movement were utterly, utterly wrong. Don't know if it was his fault or one of the team, and I refuse to apportion blame, but I'm afraid it did rather wreck the play for me. One possible blooper, if anyone can help? Act Two Goldberg sits on a chair and invites Lulu to sit on his knee. This afternoon, he tells her after a moment, to "please assist me by sitting on the table for a moment." She seemed surprised to be asked, and he then played with her leg and she did a line about being tickled. I got the idea something went wrong and they were covering? Or is it how it is always? Could Mangan's mispronunciation be a typical bit of Pinter's misdirection? I thought one of his trairs was you can't trust the characters, what they say, what is real etc? Goldberg says he's Jewish but his mannerisms say his isn't? And Lulu on the table happened when I was there too. |
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Post by Jan on Mar 18, 2018 9:31:48 GMT
Finally got to it this afternoon. Lovely, well-behaved audience. Loved the set and staging, did get a very strong feeling Pinter was talking about the hold religion has on people most of the time. Mangan, I'm afraid, I had a problem with. I don't know if it was him, the movement or dialect coach, but I'm afraid he made a total hash of being Jewish. He couldn't pronounce words familiar to all Jews, and his rhythm and body movement were utterly, utterly wrong. Don't know if it was his fault or one of the team, and I refuse to apportion blame, but I'm afraid it did rather wreck the play for me. One possible blooper, if anyone can help? Act Two Goldberg sits on a chair and invites Lulu to sit on his knee. This afternoon, he tells her after a moment, to "please assist me by sitting on the table for a moment." She seemed surprised to be asked, and he then played with her leg and she did a line about being tickled. I got the idea something went wrong and they were covering? Or is it how it is always? Could Mangan's mispronunciation be a typical bit of Pinter's misdirection? I thought one of his trairs was you can't trust the characters, what they say, what is real etc? Goldberg says he's Jewish but his mannerisms say his isn't? And Lulu on the table happened when I was there too. I saw a review of this in the Jewish press which noted that Pinter had written the character to be an exaggerated parody of a type of Jewish person - they were not bothered by Mangan’s performance, it was not meant to be naturalistic |
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Post by Jan on Mar 19, 2018 12:33:19 GMT
Thanks on both. It was just that the audience was laughing so much that I thought I'd missed something there. OK on the non-naturalistic, but even in parody I'm not sure he'd get the actual pronunciation wrong. The mis-direction that he isn't actually Jewish, now that I would buy, that's really interesting, firefingers . Hard to say on the pronunciation - Zoe Wanamaker is Jewish of course so if it was not intended I might have expected him to have asked and her to have corrected him during rehearsals. |
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Post by Jan on Mar 19, 2018 15:21:00 GMT
Good point, she would have said something for sure. It was the way he was treating them as such obviously alien words and the whole rhythm was off. If he was in parody, he'd heighten, perhaps, but not actually mis-time? Faking, though, he'd get it wrong in the way he did, I'd feel. Supporting your view is the fact Pinter confirmed he’d made those two characters Jewish and Irish as representatives of historically persecuted minorities who had had to assimilate to life in UK. So there is no doubt the character IS Jewish. |
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Post by lynette on Mar 19, 2018 16:24:50 GMT
What were the words mispronounced?
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Post by lynette on Mar 19, 2018 19:46:57 GMT
I don’t think Pinter used it, but it usually 'chutzpah' that is mispronounced. Ironic really. I don’t see what you can do wrong with 'Gefilte fish' 😳
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