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Post by foxa on Aug 30, 2018 16:59:11 GMT
Where's Parsley?
I'm dying to hear his reaction to this.
Mini-report:
Running time: One hour fifty, no interval.
Set: Some of the set fell down when we saw it (second preview). Which left a toilet cubicle (also part of the set but usually hidden) exposed upstage centre for a long time. And an actor tried to walk out a door that didn't work. He had to back up and walk out another door.
What it's about: Young teens in a competitive dance group (played by actors from 20s to ...late 50s?) Coming of age; competitive friendships.
Surprising: Not as much great dancing as you might hope.
TW: There is blood.
Prediction: This will divide people.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2018 17:09:10 GMT
Is it like 'Dance Moms'?
"She said we were going to blow the competition away. I really hope she doesn't mean literally... cause we could get disqualified."
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Post by showgirl on Aug 30, 2018 17:09:28 GMT
Seems odd programming for the Almeida - more what you'd expect from the Peacock Theatre. I hadn't booked as I was awaiting reports/reviews, and I'm no longer an Almeida regular anyway, but I do wonder what the take-up has been from those who are?
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Post by foxa on Aug 30, 2018 18:55:14 GMT
I had thought (because I wasn't really paying attention) that it would be a bit like 'Pitch Perfect' but about dance - and also I had it a bit confused with Zoo Nation who are a wonderful dance company.
It's a raw American (kinda) feminist play. Clare Barron, the playwright, has won some big awards and writes messy big plays. Brendan Cowell who was so good in 'Yerma' plays the (unlikely) dance teacher. I was a bit WTF when I was watching it (as was my daughter who said a one point she really wanted to escape) but when I described it at breakfast to Mr Foxa (thank god I hadn't dragged him - really not his sort of thing) it became clear that I had got a lot from it It was less pretty than 'Pity' but had more character and substance. It has stuck with me.
But I want to talk about it to someone else who has seen it!!
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Post by ruperto on Aug 30, 2018 22:21:43 GMT
I went to see this earlier this week and really enjoyed it (though I felt it ended rather abruptly).
I knew in advance that its USP was to have women aged in their 20s upwards playing girls aged around 11-13, but what I liked about this play was that it really subverted my expectations. I was expecting a fairly standard story of a plucky team of kids trying to battle their way to the top of the dance tournament tree, and to start with that’s what you get - but fairly quickly things swerve off that slightly predictable path.
There’s often a heightened, surreal feel to the proceedings, and there’s a particularly thrilling scene that involves some blood which might make some of those of a nervous disposition wince slightly. And there are some great monologues, including a fabulously in-your-face and filthy one from one of the girls. (When it finished, the older man next to me turned to his partner to ask what she thought, and the first things she commented on was the “choice language”...)
There’s also some partial nudity. I merely throw that out there.
Anyway, it’s a thumbs up from me - when it rather suddenly ended, I thought it had only been going for about an hour, only to discover it was 9.24pm and nearly two hours had elapsed. Like foxa, I’ll be interested to hear what others think!
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Post by bluetoothpick on Sept 1, 2018 23:07:08 GMT
Caught this last night and have to say - I hated it.
For me it was the worst thing I've seen at the Almeida and possibly one of the worst things I've seen EVER.
The script was senseless, the production on the whole was boring, the accents were sloppy and it all felt around 4days long.
I considered walking out but was trying to convince myself I was missing "something" and perhaps it would become apparent at some point.
It never did.
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Post by audrey on Sept 2, 2018 8:50:45 GMT
I saw this last night too and really enjoyed it. Its bold, challenging, raw and joyful. I
It captures brilliantly the messy turmoil and tangle of emotions of being a 13 year old girl - dealing with floods of hormones, hopes and dreams , friendship, love, ambition and finding your place in the world. It challenges traditional stereotypes well - if it makes people feel uncomfortable isn't it because we are uncomfortable talking about periods, female fantasy etc and why is that?
Also really liked the cast of different ages too.- a clever device.
Felt very empowered on leaving .
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2018 19:37:29 GMT
Weirdly I’m distinctly in the middle on this. On one hand it felt longer than it was (I looked at my watch and an hour had gone by, the remaining 40 felt longer)
But I’d be lying if I said I outright hated it or got nothing from it. I found it interesting in both the writing and the staging. The performances I couldn’t fault at all.
I did find it a wee bit if not pretentious then full of its own importance beyond the substance of what it actually offered. Though again it did give me things to think about, so again for me falls distinctly in the middle.
I loved some of the really feminist strands in it some of which were really strong choices. However for me things like shouting “pussy” a lot don’t fall into that. So again win one hand lose another.
I think there’s a lot in it to think about. And if you have time and a cheap ticket it’s worth a punt to see where you fall. Would I tell anyone to see it at the expense of something else? No.
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Post by crowblack on Sept 2, 2018 19:44:11 GMT
Seeing this next week so won't read reviews yet, though I loved the same director's Circle, Mirror, Transformation in Manchester a few months ago.
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Post by emmahilsea on Sept 3, 2018 23:48:43 GMT
Ruperto
Thinking of taking my 16 year old nephew. Can I check re partial nudity in advance -is it underwear or topless or more? Would be helpful to discuss
Thanks
Emma
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2018 6:53:00 GMT
I loved some of the really feminist strands in it some of which were really strong choices. However for me things like shouting “pussy” a lot don’t fall into that. Unless you're Mrs Slocombe of course. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2018 8:49:32 GMT
Ruperto Thinking of taking my 16 year old nephew. Can I check re partial nudity in advance -is it underwear or topless or more? Would be helpful to discuss Thanks Emma {Spoiler - click to view}
The girls get changed at one point after dance and one takes her bra off so breasts are on show briefly.
A few times when they take tops off just to bras too I think?
There's also a moment when one girl pulls her tights up and you see she has (period) blood around her crotch. Popped it in spoiler tags! Depending on his maturity/interests I'd ask if in general this is the play for him. While 100% 16 year old boys should see theatre about women/girls and what they go through I wonder if this is the type of thing that is worth it though/the right sort of thing! (feel free to DM for more specifics!!) |
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Post by foxa on Sept 4, 2018 10:14:06 GMT
{Spoiler - click to view}
Unless there have been changes, in addition to seeing a large amount of menstrual blood down one girl's legs, she also swiped the blood across her forehead and it was running down her face as she performed a long dance. There was A LOT of 'pussy' talk. There was mimed masturbation. But all that aside - my daughter (in her 20s) didn't enjoy it - I think its appeal is limited. With Emicardiff on this. If I had brought my son he would never have forgiven me. (We can debate the rights or wrongs of this, but for me, this play wasn't worthy of the difficult discussions and possible reluctance to ever go to the theatre with me again that this would entail.) |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2018 10:25:11 GMT
I think foxa is right- there's plays worthy of the 'difficult discussions' about issues raised, and/or exposing (literally!) younger people to things like nudity and the other spoiler stuff above. And there's ones that aren't, and I think this is an 'arent' As I said in my 'review' it's interesting enough, for us seasoned theatre goers to pick out and discuss- and I'm of the opinion few plays are a true 'waste of time' but I probably wouldn't in all honesty take a teen to see it just because I don't think they'd find it that interesting either? |
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Post by ruperto on Sept 4, 2018 11:20:47 GMT
Sorry, only just spotted the question - thanks so much to foxa and emicardiff for answering it!
I'm with them on this - I'm not sure, what with the aforementioned content, plus a few C U Next Tuesdays being thrown about, whether this is the best play to take a 16-year-old boy to. I'm trying to think back to what I would have made of it when I was 16. I certainly think that I'd have found it memorable!
Press night must be any day now. I'll be intrigued to see the reviews. As I said before, I liked it a lot - it's far from perfect, but it's one I've been thinking about quite a lot since seeing it...
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Post by n1david on Sept 5, 2018 14:13:40 GMT
Reviews so far are on the positive side:
Standard 4*
Whatsonstage 4*
The Stage 4*
Time Out 4*
Guardian 4*
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2018 8:56:46 GMT
I don't know about anyone else but my enjoyment has been retrospectively upped at the thought of old Quentin squirming in his seat.
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Post by lonlad on Sept 6, 2018 9:03:55 GMT
Yes, only pans so far have been from The Times (inevitably) and, more surprisingly, The Arts Desk. I was at press night and didn't see Quentin there so maybe he sent a deputy - but he may have been on the other side of the house.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2018 9:16:10 GMT
Yes, only pans so far have been from The Times (inevitably) and, more surprisingly, The Arts Desk. I was at press night and didn't see Quentin there so maybe he sent a deputy - but he may have been on the other side of the house. Maybe he'd squirmed under his seat by then? I mean honestly I did complain a bit about the amount of shouting Pussy and see you next Tuesday....but mine was in a bit of a 'been there seen that' (not like THAT, well...) rather than disgust. Honestly ladies if shouting Pussy upsets old conservatives, have at it. |
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Post by Rory on Sept 6, 2018 16:24:49 GMT
Yes, only pans so far have been from The Times (inevitably) and, more surprisingly, The Arts Desk. I was at press night and didn't see Quentin there so maybe he sent a deputy - but he may have been on the other side of the house. He was there alright. Brace, brace! |
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Post by dani on Sept 6, 2018 16:35:34 GMT
The Arts Desk review does something that really grates on me, concluding "you leave the theatre feeling tantalised yet empty". The reviewer means "I left the theatre feeling tantalised but empty". Contrary to what I for one was taught in school English Lit lessons, that's a perfectly acceptable thing to say. By putting it in the second person she makes it sound as though her response is universal. It isn't.
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Post by dani on Sept 6, 2018 16:39:08 GMT
One of the most laughable comments I've seen about this is "The dancing itself was poor". Completely misses the point.
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Post by tmesis on Sept 8, 2018 16:37:06 GMT
I too have mixed feelings on this one but I'm definitely pleased I've seen it. The beginning is relatively light and quite funny but then it darkens considerably and, I think loses its way and ends abruptly.
It may be an obvious thing to say that it reminded me of A Chorus Line - the dancers have similar 'confessionals' to the audience and the excellent set had a similar feel.
It took me a time to realise it was meant to be entirely a group of teenagers, I thought at first they were playing their actual ages but this 'age-blind' casting actually worked really well.
Quentin's reaction is entirely predictable, although I was surprised to read in the Waitrose magazine (where else) that he thought Fun Home was the best thing he'd seen all year!
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Post by foxa on Sept 8, 2018 20:37:39 GMT
In the original NYC production they were played by actors of mixed ages, so I think it is the concept. From Ben Brantley's NY Times review of that production:
'By the production’s end you are almost guaranteed to agree with the writer Lorrie Moore’s assertion “I sometimes think of female adolescence as the most powerful life force that human nature has to offer.”
This is where I tell you that none of the “Dance Nation” actresses, who offer such vivid confirmation of Ms. Moore’s theory, are anywhere near the age of 13. They range from their 20s to their 60s, yet I never doubted that they were bona fide adolescents. Their performances have no hint of condescension or preciousness. But that’s not to say that their interpretations are entirely naturalistic.'
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Post by stevemar on Sept 9, 2018 11:14:05 GMT
I was there on Saturday afternoon also Theatremonkey.
I’m afraid this was very poor for me. Was Brendan Cowell supposed to be so laughable as a dance teacher (maybe that was the point) and what was the guy doing there (seemed more comic, or again, was that the point). The acting was fine, and some of the sequences ok to keep attention for 1hour 40m, but I didn’t feel as if I got to know any of the characters other than they were going through teenage angst and pressure of growing up. Maybe casting older actors was meant to reflect on how they would turn out - there were a few references to their future lives, but I just didn’t care for any of the characters. I got the feral element, but really didn’t need all the chanting about “pussy”.
I went as I have Almeida membership, but for once wish I hadn’t and this was another dud for me with the Writer and Twilight Zone. Only Machinal and Summer and Smoke have been good this year. They say “arrive brave” for the Almeida and I am pleased they take chances, but I really need a hit (for me) along the lines of Albion, Orestiea or Hamlet from them. Great hopes for the Wild Duck!
4/10.
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