Post by tmesis on Aug 9, 2018 13:18:18 GMT
I very much enjoyed Pitman Painters at NT many years ago. The stand out performance for me was Chris Conell as Oliver Kilborn. I thought 'I'd really like to see this guy in other stuff.'
Anyway, a year or so later Pitman Painters was on tour and came to the Windsor Theatre Royal. My father, who was then 85, was coming down to stay with me and I thought he would enjoy this. I booked tickets but was a little apprehensive as he is hard of hearing. Nevertheless there we were on the second row of the stalls and the cast were projecting like they were at the Royal Albert Hall so there were no audiblity issues. My father was loving it! Forty minutes in Chris Conell collapses on stage and they have to bring the performance to a temporary halt. Apparently he's OK but they did ask if there was a doctor in the house. We all adjourned to the bar but half an hour later were told that the performance would have to be cancelled - full refunds etc...
About two years later my father was in Surrey again and I discovered that Alan Plater's Close the Coal House Door was being done at Yvonne Arnaud in Guildford. Not only that but Chris Conell was in it. I booked two seats and my father and I joked that we hoped this wouldn't be cancelled also. The house lights dimmed and Sam West (the director) came ominously to the front saying that Chis Conell had badly injured himself in the matinee and was now recovering in hospital. Mr. West himself would take the part, with script, and the performance went on as normal. I have to say he was magnificent - and played it with a superb Geordie accent.
So, with incredible bad luck, I've only seen him one and a quarter times out of a potential three and my father has only seen him for 40 minutes!
Anyone else had better luck?
Anyway, a year or so later Pitman Painters was on tour and came to the Windsor Theatre Royal. My father, who was then 85, was coming down to stay with me and I thought he would enjoy this. I booked tickets but was a little apprehensive as he is hard of hearing. Nevertheless there we were on the second row of the stalls and the cast were projecting like they were at the Royal Albert Hall so there were no audiblity issues. My father was loving it! Forty minutes in Chris Conell collapses on stage and they have to bring the performance to a temporary halt. Apparently he's OK but they did ask if there was a doctor in the house. We all adjourned to the bar but half an hour later were told that the performance would have to be cancelled - full refunds etc...
About two years later my father was in Surrey again and I discovered that Alan Plater's Close the Coal House Door was being done at Yvonne Arnaud in Guildford. Not only that but Chris Conell was in it. I booked two seats and my father and I joked that we hoped this wouldn't be cancelled also. The house lights dimmed and Sam West (the director) came ominously to the front saying that Chis Conell had badly injured himself in the matinee and was now recovering in hospital. Mr. West himself would take the part, with script, and the performance went on as normal. I have to say he was magnificent - and played it with a superb Geordie accent.
So, with incredible bad luck, I've only seen him one and a quarter times out of a potential three and my father has only seen him for 40 minutes!
Anyone else had better luck?
