The Inheritance - YV

Todaytix are doing Rush tickets, if that helps?

Part 1 justed seemed more focused, the ending in part 2

So I've bought a part one ticket and will hope for rush success......................

Absolutely loved this yesterday and judging by the audience reaction at the end, so did everyone else. I was puzzled by one part of the plot though (which I will spoiler)

I think a fair number of Theatre Board members were in attendance yesterday, along a few friends and colleagues that I ran into at the YV's cafe and Ian McKellan who was spotted downstairs.

I thought it was an extraordinary play and I'm very glad I saw it, but I don't have a very coherent response to it, so here are a few random thoughts:

My very favourite section was the first act of Part 2, which was so fast-paced and fascinating - I was totally engrossed. The ending of Part 1 was also very moving.

I thought Andrew Burnap was extraordinary - I take the point above that he might have been a little young for the role, but that didn't bother me. He was so quick, funny, flawed, brave and beautiful. I would imagine he would be brilliant in Restoration Comedy or anything that required a really deft, quick-witted actor - watch him at work in the book shop scene - just great.


Liked the doppelganger idea but was less certain about the Adam/Leo performance.

Jury's out on the little house. Otherwise thought the set was great.

IMO the last act of Part 2, particularly the Redgrave section, was less strong - I would have been tempted to cut it - it was awfully late in the evening to introduce not only a new character, but that character's son.

Thought the brunch/meal scenes all worked well - there was a real attempt to give a more nuanced perspective on how current politics can be discussed and gave the rest of the supporting cast a chance to shine.

Kyle Stoller did splendidly as the heart of the play.

Thought the E.M.Forster idea which could have been pretentious worked really well. You don't have to know the novel, but it's fun to spot little connections.

The cast works really hard. I also got worried about them - there isn't an ounce of fat on them - they must have all been working out and dieting like crazy. I felt a bit of maternal concern that they were driving themselves too hard.

It's worth buying the programme - a short piece by the playwright about how Forster influenced him is worth reading. I'd like to read the script.

We were upstairs in Row N on the aisle and the view was fine from there and not particularly uncomfortable. For £20 a ticket to see both parts, they were a real bargain.

I don't think it will be easy to get tickets for this, but I highly recommend it if you get the chance.

I'm still mulling it over. I thought it was a simply splendid piece of theatre - though in some ways a rather narrow piece of writing - with fantastic performances and well worth giving over an entire day to.

I do think it's worth knowing that Ruth Coker Burks is a real woman who actually exists (she's not a character in the play or anything, but don't google to find out what she's known for if you don't want any Inheritance spoilers whatsoever), and I do wonder if the presence of Vanessa Redgrave's character is a nod to her. Indeed, I hope it is, otherwise we might be looking at an unfortunate piece of erasure, whether accidental or no.

There are some part 2 lucky dips available on the site now if anyone was still trying to get a ticket.

I did the Lucky Dip last Saturday. Terrific play, only slightly spoiled by overly sentimental musical cues, at the end, trying to force emotions everyone was already feeling anyway. Might say more later, but back to the Lucky Dip.

There are no seats formally allocated to the Lucky Dip, so in a sellout show, you are looking to sit in sold-but-unoccupied seats. If you don't get one, you are standing.

This is a formalised version of what happens informally at the Donmar, where standing punters fill all the empty seats after they close the doors.

So DO queue! I got there twenty minutes before showtime, and was third in the queue. I got a seat no problem, as did the other 6 people lucky dipping.

But the Usher told me that a couple of times each week, some people do find themselves standing. It's a crapshoot.

Now, for this show, people are buying Show 2 just to see Vanessa Redgrave, so for the second show, I was tossed out of my seat by punters who had no interest in Part 1, and had to go back to the front to wait to see if any other seats freed up. It turned out some people did indeed not return for part 2, so I got a new seat.

FYI, it was MUCH harder to spot empty seats in Part 2. For evidence about Part 2's popularity, you will see it is sold out for all dates, whereas Part 1 has plenty of availability.

My advice, get there half an hour before the show, which is when they open the doors, and join the lucky dip queue, so that you get first dibs on no-show seats, and just pray that the person who owns the seat doesn't show up for part 2.

Good luck. 😊

I lucky dipped as well. Definitely get there early.

Beware, you might be moved during the show if the seat occupiers turn up (which happened to another pair of people when I was there, although they kept the seats until the first break).

With people just wanting to see Vanessa Redgrave, I wouldn’t be shocked if they only turned up after the second interval in part 2, which would be a frustrating time to be moved to a standing position.

I’d also suggest booking separate part 1 and part 2 performances if you’re lucky dipping.

Oh is that how it works? I've done in once before but guess I must have been given an unsold seat as it was printed on my ticket when I collected and since it was the far end of the balcony they'd have struggled to move us. Worth knowing, will try and go with minimal coats etc.