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Post by bellboard27 on May 1, 2018 20:10:53 GMT
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Post by shabbytigs on May 4, 2018 8:10:44 GMT
I saw it last night and it was my first time in the Dorfman, sitting right at the back in the Pit as it was one of the last tickets available. I loved it, one of the best nights I've spent in the theatre. The play was a thing of joy. I laughed, I cried and recognised a lot of the situations. Not going to repeat much of what was said here, but agree all the performances were first class. The rest of the audience was also in good voice with their reactions, particularly the people I was sitting near! At first I did have trouble hearing, but my hearing is not that great at the moment. Also I did wonder how it would play out without the interval, but my fears were unfounded. Afterwards I wandered to the bookshop and after thinking about it, I bought a copy of the text. When I'm passing by the National next time, I'll remember to have a look at the photographic exhibition on African Caribbean funerals which I didn't have time to. , hope it does come back as did The Barbershop Chronicles, which I missed out on both times! I would definitely see it again and hopefully encourage others. I agree that an NT Live would be great, especially to encourage those who don't attend the theatre. Doesn't the National and many other theatres record performances for posterity? If not screened live on the night it could be done as one of those "recorded live"? |
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Post by Mark on May 4, 2018 14:43:47 GMT
Missed out on Friday rush, completely forgot and then 300+ in queue and the notice it had sold out.
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Post by shabbytigs on May 4, 2018 19:52:16 GMT
I really hope that this will come back in some form later on as I know plenty of people would be interested. I don't care about a West End run. if it came back at the National, I would encourage many of my friends and peers to attend as possible. Why I didn't on this occasion was because it was pretty much sold out and just managed to get a ticket for myself.
Also as particularly as 2018 is an important year for many occasions,
100 years since women got the vote 70th year since the Windrush docked at Tilbury docks 60th year since the Notting Hill riots and the murder of Kelso Cochrane which has never been solved
50th year since Martin Luther King's assassination in April 1968 50th year since Enoch Powell's Rivers of Blood speech 25th years since the murder of Stephen Lawrence
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Post by Phantom of London on May 8, 2018 21:08:08 GMT
Fasten your seatbelts sisters, as Cecilia Noble gives an Olivier Award worthy performance, who delivered a subtle but enchanting piece of theatre.
I missed several of the cultural reference, but the audience around me didn’t who were delirious from belly laughs, the one I didn’t miss were hilarious. The National Theatre has found out now why a diverse audience attended, now it has to find out how they came, how did the National speak and communicate to a BAM audience? Because when people are enjoying themselves the odds are they came back, so if this play is a gateway for people to sample another theatre experience it can only be a force for good.
I found this play to be both enjoyable and intelligent but the set design was frustrating as the if you are sitting in the Circle stage right, the stage is angled away from you. Cannot see this being nominated for a best play at the Oliviers, as I would be tempted to enter this for best entertainment/comedy where this will surely smash it.
Will this transfer, well it’s sold out!! I expect this to tour as well, it is ripe production wise to tour and will equally do well.
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Post by showgirl on May 10, 2018 4:30:49 GMT
I'm going to need a virtual flak jacket but I really didn't like this last night; I was very disappointed, given the comments here and reviews, and had there been an interval or even a respectable opportunity to leave discreetly without one, I'd have done so - and my seat did have a small gap next to it and there was a staircase just behind so I was sorely tempted...
I found it slow, soapy and at times uncomfortably as though we were laughing at (and being set up to do so) the family rather than with them. I did also find the lack of interval difficult as those seats are SO uncomfortable though as above, had there been an interval, I'd have used it to leave rather than to give my back a break. It wasn't the length per se as earlier I had sat through part 2 of The Inheritance with no difficulty - and that really is long and slow but appropriately so - followed by a film. This was meant to end my day on a high and failed but still, as the song almost says, two out of three isn't bad!
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2018 17:37:56 GMT
A few tickets for Friday evening and Saturday matinee have just popped up on the National website
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Post by tmesis on May 12, 2018 20:58:20 GMT
I enjoyed this very much but I thought the melodramatic last ten minutes spoilt it a bit. Really up 'til then it hadn't put a foot wrong.
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Post by Mark on May 12, 2018 21:59:34 GMT
Really enjoyed this! Laugh out loud funny, great dialogue and engaging characters. I’ll agree with the post above that the last 10 minutes let it down slightly.
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Post by Boob on May 16, 2018 21:29:05 GMT
My review would go So far as to say The biggest landmark in black theatre For a decade Since Elminas kitchen Oooh, I was going to book until you mentioned Elmina's Kitchen. Thought this was much better than Elmina's Kitchen. Soapy, but enjoyable with some terrific performances. |
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Post by Steve on May 16, 2018 22:14:48 GMT
I suppose some of the plotlines are soapy, but the problem with soaps for me is when characters behave inconsistently, because a different writer or showrunner took over, and that definitely does not happen here. All the fun of soap without the drawbacks.  |
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Post by caa on May 20, 2018 9:23:50 GMT
I gather this is looking to go into the West End, has anyone else heard this, I wonder where it might go?
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Post by nash16 on May 20, 2018 10:19:31 GMT
I gather this is looking to go into the West End, has anyone else heard this, I wonder where it might go? Trafalgar Studios would be obvs home for it. Or the Ambassadors. |
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Post by bramble on May 20, 2018 15:43:57 GMT
Great fun and very entertaining.And educational too!
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Post by Snciole on May 22, 2018 12:03:29 GMT
Coming from a Jamaican family on my mum's side a lot of this resonated with me (however I don't think my nan's death involved a Nine Night mourning and the relations between my mother and her siblings were so bad that she refused to attend the wake). The ambiguous relationships with married 'uncles', the sibling rivalry, the constant mystery about Gloria, particuarly her relationship with her eldest daughter and crucially the humour. I am not sure this play would be what it is without Natasha Gordon's sense of humour, her development of Aunt Maggie and her real understanding of Anglo-Jamaican relations.
I couldn't help but think of Windrush when watching this, many speak of the sacrifices that generation made for the mother country but nobody ever speaks of the fact that I am sure so many were delighted to get away from the skeletons in their closet. A lot is left unexplained; Robert's reluctance to have children and his choice of white wife, Lorraine's relationship with the deceased Gloria and her own relatioship with her daughter (which I felt was severely underdeveloped, the unseen granddaughter's purpose seems to be for one point of conflict) and whether Maggie knew she had one the battle but never the war when it came to her husband's relationship with Gloria.
I agree this felt like the episode where a well-loved matriarch dies in a soap, the audience is assumed to know the background and then be all shocked when the secrets and lies come out. Eldest daughter Trudie revealing that Gloria never came for her would have had more of an impact if we know why Gloria lied.
Still this is an excellent work and if this what people think of as soapy then get Gordon on Eastenders ASAP, God knows it needs improving
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Post by Rory on Jun 1, 2018 5:23:13 GMT
In talks to transfer to the West End, according to Baz. No surprise given it sold out and won raves. Hope it happens.
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Post by nash16 on Jun 1, 2018 9:48:29 GMT
It's heading to Trafalgar Studios 1. A very well deserved move.
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Post by Rory on Jun 1, 2018 11:09:17 GMT
That would be a great fit. But I wonder how that will work with Jagged Little Pill also rumoured to be going there?
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Post by jbevans1234 on Jun 1, 2018 12:45:45 GMT
So glad this will transfer as I didn't get a chance to see it at the Dorfman. Do you know when tickets will go on sale, couldn't find anything on ATG website.
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Post by zahidf on Jun 19, 2018 10:21:39 GMT
Trafalgar studios Dec 1st-Feb 9th
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Post by Mark on Jun 19, 2018 11:20:47 GMT
Fabulous!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2018 13:06:36 GMT
Great news. I was gutted to miss this.
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Post by littlesally on Jul 5, 2018 22:16:10 GMT
What time will tickets be available online?
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Post by littlesally on Jul 6, 2018 10:33:10 GMT
On sale now. Front row may be AA, but that and the sides BB and CC are not on sale. A is £18, B £25, C £35. If they keep the layout of the current show and A is the second row without a raised stage, then beware. For £18 you won't see much. Wish I’d waited to hear your views before booking! Have booked A1-4 and B9-13!! We do have 4 very tall friends joining us so hope they’ll be ok in row A? Fingers crossed. How about row B? Will they be awful too? |
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Post by david on Jul 6, 2018 14:09:07 GMT
If they are tall, they will be OK in A - may have to get creative with leg space in A2 as the seat support is in exactly the wrong place. They shouldn't expect to see the floor or anything happening on the floor close to them, though. B is far better as it is raised up a step. Not brilliant, but way better than A. Thanks for the advice @theatremonkey. Ive managed to book a Row B for the first preview for £25 |
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