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Post by wickedgrin on Apr 8, 2016 8:52:15 GMT
I still think his best play was his first success, Relatively Speaking. It's genuinely funny in a way few of his other plays are. This is touring later this year with Liza Goddard and Robert Powell - playing Brighton, Richmond and Milton Keynes announced so far. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 17, 2016 15:32:47 GMT
Tamsin Outhwaite was on to this morning talking about this (Sunday Brunch Ch4). She described the plot but I could understand what on earth she was talking about. Sounded highly confusing.
I don't watch Eastenders, and I've never seen anything she's been in subsequently but I really can't take to her. Hardfaced as my old mum would say, and a bit full f herself. Wasn't she in a production of Sweet Charity after she left the soap?
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Post by anita on Apr 18, 2016 10:03:37 GMT
Yes Burly Bear. She was also in the final & pretty awful lineup for "New Tricks".- [The original cast were great & it should have finished when James Bolam quit.]
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1,249 posts
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Post by joem on Apr 28, 2016 17:16:32 GMT
This was pleasant but undemanding. Some easy laughs but it drags on a bit. Far less texture to ir than later Ayckbourn plays although, as usual, it is very clever and inventive in how he uses the medium.
May I say I don't understand all the hate directed at Ayckbourn. Is it because he is successful? Or prolific? There is often praise on this forum for work which is decidedly inferior to his. Perhaps it is beause he doesn't play the fame game.
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Post by easilypleased on Apr 30, 2016 21:45:21 GMT
I went to see this on a whim this afternoon and for what it's worth I thought it was really good. Now, I have to admit that my only criterion is whether I enjoyed it (hence my board name!). I don't go looking to evaluate its political correctness (it is a bit sexist, but after all it is set in 1969), I don't spend any time agonising over whether this should/should not be in the West End and I'm not usually looking for mind expanding experiences. Plus, they actually do smoke on stage - if this is likely to offend, don't go. So, I pay my money and expect/hope to leave the world outside for a couple of hours, which by and large I did in this case.
The staging is really clever and the whole thing works well, IMHO. My favourite was Gillian Wright - the late great Dora Bryan came to mind (and yes, that is most definitely a compliment). I never realised there was so much comic potential in trying to resist answering a ringing phone.
One or two niggles - Jenny Seagrove is a bit wooden and sounds posher than the Queen. Plus, the liaison that is the central premise seems rather implausible. I've never watched East Enders so Tamsin Outhwaite was new to me and I thought she was good - but why/whether her character would be writing letters to the Guardian isn't clear. But that's a detail.
The place was more or less full and my fellow punters seemed to like it too. Go see it, relax, chill out, there are much worse ways of spending a couple of hours in the theatre.
By the way, the sixties music they play for scene changes and in the interval is brilliant.
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5,707 posts
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Post by lynette on May 6, 2016 22:21:18 GMT
Yep the music is great! And the audience is of the generation to know all
the words.
I enjoyed this. It was performed with conviction and skill. These aren't the Denches and McKellens of this world but they know what to do and I appreciated their efforts. Typical Ayckbourne with its parallels and glorious misunderstandings. You can take grandma for her birthday, she lived in this world. ( And if anything like me is only too pleased to have left it behind)
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2016 22:30:10 GMT
Love how Tasmin Outhwaite is coming back onto the theatre scene! Would love to see her stay around in plays for longer
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Post by perfectspy on May 7, 2016 23:14:55 GMT
I saw this play a while ago and thought it was quite good. A little dated, but reminds me how houses looked with old fashioned telephones which some kids today will never see.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2016 18:44:21 GMT
Rumour/text I got sent earlier has it this will be transferring to Duke of Yorks
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Post by theatreliker on Jun 10, 2016 19:53:57 GMT
Must be selling well...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2016 12:18:29 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2016 12:25:09 GMT
Will Mark Shenton feel it essential to attend the press night at the Andy?
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Post by Snciole on Jun 16, 2016 12:34:48 GMT
This is the biggest shock of the year. Was there some sort of Stockhom Syndrome towards the end and people just paid up all of a suddent because there were a lot of comp offers from various sources. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2016 12:39:13 GMT
This is the biggest shock of the year. Was there some sort of Stockhom Syndrome towards the end and people just paid up all of a suddent because there were a lot of comp offers from various sources. I'm guessing it is cheap to run, easy to move in and can be a suitable filler? |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2016 12:45:39 GMT
I'd have thought this play would be a popular safe choice for many UK visitors of a certain age to London. Obviously it isn't event theatre but this sort of play and production is a staple in touring theatres all over the country because it's gently entertaining and doesn't scare the horses.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2016 15:39:36 GMT
Gutted Tazmin is leaving the show!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2016 16:14:05 GMT
To be honest , I'm quite surprised that Tasmin is leaving? Surely this is good work for her?!
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7,176 posts
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Post by Jon on Jun 16, 2016 16:23:28 GMT
Gutted Tazmin is leaving the show! She likely has other commitments so couldn't extend when it transferred |
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Post by showgirl on Jun 16, 2016 17:00:19 GMT
Tenner off premium and top price for ATG card members. For non-members, booking opens 10am tomorrow and the front row is only £27.25. That was me sorted, as I haven't got round to it at the Haymarket, and if I don't book, I know I won't. Theatremonkey, would you please mind telling me where you found this info? I'm also an ATG member and yet to see this, but they haven't emailed me any promotional details and when I log into the site, I'm not seeing any special offer info, either - picking a random matinee shows me the usual ridiculously high prices, even for 2nd and 3rd price levels. |
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Post by wickedgrin on Jun 17, 2016 11:35:23 GMT
I find this astounding that this is transferring. It must be so cheap to run I suppose plus the fact it keeps Jenny Seagrove off the streets!
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3,575 posts
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Post by showgirl on Jun 18, 2016 15:29:05 GMT
I got sent an email from them yesterday, showgirl, giving 24 hours priority booking and stating that discount - £10 off band A and premium seats. Just tried logging in now, and it looks like the offer has gone, though, so it may have only been on in that period. Try phoning the number on the back of the card and check. The cheap front row is still there, though. Thank you, Theatremonkey - annoying not to receive any promotional info AND to be too late for the offer now that I do know - but I can't face complaining to ATG again as they've only just finished dealing with my December complaint re ongoing booking issues. I confess to being too mean to ring a premium number (and I object to members having to use this, too) so will just have to wait for day seats/further offers... |
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Post by showgirl on Jul 17, 2016 14:16:31 GMT
Well, I know Alan Ayckbourn has his detractors and some here have seen, though not enjoyed this, but having at last managed to catch up with it last week, it was a total tonic for me and everything I'd hoped for. I must now have seen this play at least 3 times and I've definitely seen Nicholas Le Prevost play that part before, but he is one of my favourite actors and this is just such a good production. Yes, the play itself is dated; all the actors were too old for their roles and there are certain types who crop up in Ayckbourn plays whom I've never encountered in real life, but the payoff for overlooking that was an afternoon of simple, straightforward, undemanding entertainment. It probably helps that, age-wise, I'm in what I assume to be the target audience but the final scene had me crying with laughter.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2016 17:46:05 GMT
Does anybody else find it quite funny how they don't advertise how Andrea Lowe is in it? They used to advertise all the names when Tamzin was in it - now they just don't advertise that character? Tamzin was definitely the bigger star, has anybody seen Andrea? What's she like?
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3,575 posts
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Post by showgirl on Jul 25, 2016 18:47:27 GMT
Does anybody else find it quite funny how they don't advertise how Andrea Lowe is in it? They used to advertise all the names when Tamzin was in it - now they just don't advertise that character? Tamzin was definitely the bigger star, has anybody seen Andrea? What's she like? If they had advertised her, the name would have meant nothing to me, as I'd never heard of her or knowingly seen her in anything. Mind you, though I have heard of Tamzin Outhwaite, when she was still playing the part, it would have made no difference to me either way. Maybe for once it is the older cast members who are considered the draw? |
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Post by Phantom of London on Jul 25, 2016 18:58:28 GMT
Really, really enjoyed this on Saturday afternoon. Bit of a slow build in the first couple of scenes, but lovely interesting set design, nice energy from the company and the second half was a hoot. Strong advice, though, don't sit in the centre of the front two rows. A badly placed coffee table wipes out the view when anyone sits down. Guess where I was sitting, when I saw it at the Haymarket? |
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