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Post by danielwhit on Dec 9, 2017 15:53:11 GMT
As it turns out Diana Rigg is playing herself as Sandra's aunt - and is the true definition of phoning it in.
There are some excellent gags in the piece - Dennis' latest way to cope with learning lines, Robert's determination to be the lead, Trevor trying to stay out of shot as much as possible, Chris' scrooge overall and Lucy still not managing to get through a Cornley production without being injured by her uncle..
The concept (which gives away the first 2 minutes but no more) is that after last year's disastrous Christmas production, this year the BBC have handed it back to the professionals for this year's live drama. However, Cornley have been rehearsing their own identical production and manage to bundle all the professional cast/crew out of the way to stage their own version. It's a bit of a peculiar concept which I'm not entirely sure works in itself - but serves to get the action underway neatly.
There's also an entire subplot going on about the love lives of Max/Sandra which will be liked by those of us who have seen this progress through Play and Peter Pan, but will probably go over the heads of many casual viewers.
Without giving much away, they've done a splendid job - I just hope it gets a decent slot in the Christmas schedules!
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Post by Dawnstar on Dec 9, 2017 17:23:02 GMT
There's also an entire subplot going on about the love lives of Max/Sandra which will be liked by those of us who have seen this progress through Play and Peter Pan, but will probably go over the heads of many casual viewers. Good, that's what I want. I've been waiting nearly 4 years to see if their romance works out! It's scheduled for 7.10pm Saturday 30th, per the Radio Times website. (Which I'm hacked off at because I'm at Mischief Movie Nights then so won't be able to see it till the next day.) |
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Post by danielwhit on Dec 9, 2017 22:09:52 GMT
That's almost the same slot Peter Pan Goes Wrong got last year, right?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2017 16:18:16 GMT
I had thought this was full length, but according to my TV guide It's only 50 minutes long - seems rather a waste!
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Post by Dawnstar on Dec 26, 2017 12:54:32 GMT
Just leaving my own tweet here in case anyone is interested.
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Post by Dawnstar on Dec 30, 2017 15:02:31 GMT
Bump to remind everyone that it's on this evening, 7.10pm. Ironically I can't watch it because I'm at Mischief Movie Night (again) but as soon as I've iPlayered it tomorrow morning I'll be checking this thread & hope there'll be plenty of comments.
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Post by No. on Dec 30, 2017 15:03:39 GMT
Really looking forward to this, loved Peter Pan last year so I hope this lives up to that
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Post by lynette on Dec 30, 2017 15:30:01 GMT
Thanks for the reminder, Dawnstar.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2017 20:03:33 GMT
Doesn’t work a studio drama. God only knows what the laughter track audience were watching, because it wasn’t this. Two minutes in and I thought the same. You don’t get the ‘whoops!’ feeling that you get with a live production. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2017 20:13:10 GMT
I thought it worked well enough at the start but when they went to the green-screen section it seemed to lose its way and once they left the set completely it was well into trying-too-hard territory. If they'd maintained the style that was used at the beginning then it would have been great.
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Post by wickedgrin on Dec 30, 2017 20:18:59 GMT
A huge fan of The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan in the theatre! Hugely funny.
However, I thought this was dire! Perhaps it simply does not work on TV or that we have seen the jokes before. I am afraid I didn't laugh once! Bah Humbug!
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Post by musicalfloozie on Dec 30, 2017 20:22:15 GMT
I've seen the Play that Goes Wrong live and enjoyed it, I absolutely loved last year's Peter Pan Goes Wrong but for some reason couldn't get into this one. It had me laughing a couple of times but just don't feel it worked as well and was not as funny as the other goes wrong. Was really looking forward to this but didn't live up to my expectations. Arh well least was 1000 times better than Tim Vine Travels Through Time!!
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Post by itsemily on Dec 30, 2017 20:28:16 GMT
I did enjoy it but I prefer the Play That Goes Wrong which I saw in the Summer and Peter Pan which I saw last on the bbc last year, haven't seen Comedy About A Bank Robbery yet but that is on my plans for next year. I think I would have liked this better if it had been done as a filmed stage show!
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Post by lynette on Dec 30, 2017 20:29:17 GMT
Yes going off piste didn’t work v well. But I laughed out loud..
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Post by johartuk on Dec 30, 2017 20:51:42 GMT
The line about sleeping on a bed of warts had me laughing, as did the "Welcome to Green Screen 1-2-3..." bit! I was amused by quite a bit of it, but leaving the studio was a big mistake, I think.
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Post by jaqs on Dec 30, 2017 21:05:24 GMT
I really enjoyed Pan but gave up half way through this one. I think it would have been better on christmas eve and yes not bothering with the green screen stuff.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2017 21:14:55 GMT
I quite enjoyed watching it. Some of the jokes where's quite humorous but others did fall a bit more flat but it was a nice laugh. I have seen the play that goes wrong and agree with that being more funny.
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Post by hulmeman on Dec 30, 2017 21:24:08 GMT
It didn't do it for me I'm afraid, but I don't think it's the fault of the company , script or actors. To point the joke the TV camera focuses on an element - just too soon. On stage we are drawn to the visual gag automatically. The camera anticipates it an the focus spoils it. The example I would give was the chain on Marley dragging him through the window. The camera went to the chain and trlegraphed what was going to happen. On stage, you would pick it up as it happened amid all the other mayhem.
Just my opinion though.
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Post by wickedgrin on Dec 30, 2017 21:28:51 GMT
Yes, I would agree completely with the above. It is one reason why it does not work on TV as well as it does onstage.
Plus the conceit does not work for TV, in that if anything went "wrong" on the TV you would simply do a retake, but on stage it is "live" and the show has to carry on!
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Post by zak97 on Dec 30, 2017 21:58:12 GMT
Was too busy watching Mrs Henderson Presents that I recorded from the other to watch this. Sounds like I didn’t miss out and made the right choice.
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Post by theatreian on Dec 30, 2017 22:16:23 GMT
Switched off after 5 minutes, it was dire and unfunny. Although that is MY pinion and senses of humour differ widely!
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Post by Tibidabo on Dec 30, 2017 22:19:29 GMT
I thought it was dreadful, agree it was definitely not right for TV. I did raise a smile at Bob Cratchit reading his lines off the props, though they missed a trick with the grapes by not having him read the words in the wrong order.
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Post by martin1965 on Dec 30, 2017 22:20:11 GMT
Yes going off piste didn’t work v well. But I laughed out loud.. I laughed loads, thought it v clever and funny. |
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Post by haz23 on Dec 30, 2017 22:56:50 GMT
Peter Pan Goes Wrong is one of the funniest things I've ever seen so was looking forward to this but was quite disappointed, I agree with what has already been said - it works better on-stage!
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Post by drowseychap on Dec 31, 2017 1:28:33 GMT
Utter rubbish just didn’t work on tv much better in the theatre 🎭
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