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Post by harrietcraig on Nov 12, 2019 18:22:34 GMT
The Park Avenue Armory in New York has just announced that Robert Icke’s productions of Hamlet and Oresteia will play in repertory next summer, from June 2 to August 15: armoryonpark.org/programs_events/detail/hamletarmoryonpark.org/programs_events/detail/oresteiaLia Williams will play Klytemnestra in Oresteia; no casting announced yet for Hamlet. I’m somewhat interested in the Hamlet, but I’ll wait for a casting announcement before forking over the Armory’s high ticket prices. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2019 19:26:07 GMT
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Post by Jon on Nov 12, 2019 19:27:42 GMT
I'm sure Alex Lawther will be good but I'm assuming Andrew Scott had other commitments.
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Post by harrietcraig on Nov 12, 2019 20:25:16 GMT
We know that Juliet Stevenson has another commitment, since The Doctor is running in the West End until mid-July, so they’ll have to find another Gertrude. (Note to casting director: check Meryl Streep’s availability.)
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Post by crowblack on Nov 12, 2019 20:45:19 GMT
I'm sure Alex Lawther will be good but I'm assuming Andrew Scott had other commitments. I'd love to see this and hope it comes to London afterwards (might it?) though it'll be a very different thing with Lawther, I'd have thought. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2019 21:26:45 GMT
I think it's interesting casting - unusual for a production to have such a Hamlet who looks young enough to actually be a student. Other than the Trevor Nunn one with Ben Whishaw (he was 24 at the time - same age as Lawther) I can't think of any high profile productions that have done this.
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Post by Jon on Nov 12, 2019 21:43:18 GMT
I'd love to see this and hope it comes to London afterwards (might it?) though it'll be a very different thing with Lawther, I'd have thought. I think a London transfer is unlikely given both productions have had London runs already. |
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Post by crowblack on Nov 12, 2019 21:43:34 GMT
Trevor Nunn one with Ben Whishaw (he was 24 at the time - same age as Lawther) Yes, I missed that and will always regret it and unless this transfers back here I doubt I'll get to see this either (argh!). Recent Hamlets have been the same age as Richard Griffiths when he played Uncle Monty! (Monty might go to New York but I can't.) |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2019 22:04:53 GMT
I didn't see the Whishaw one either - One I'd forgotten about when I posted the above, which I did see was the excellent RSC one with Pappa Essiedu who was 25 at the time.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 13, 2019 15:47:52 GMT
I think a London transfer is unlikely given both productions have had London runs already. Besides the big age difference, Lawther has a very different energy, and the earlier Hamlet felt built around Andrew Scott - I can't really see how this would be the same show. A transfer back here seems unlikely but I'm still hoping it happens! |
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Post by harrietcraig on Nov 30, 2021 16:31:46 GMT
Both productions are now scheduled to play in repertory at the Park Avenue Armory from May 31 to August 13, 2022. (Mods, can title of thread be changed to reflect changed dates?)
Other than Lawther as Hamlet and Williams as Klytemnestra, no casting has been announced (as far as I can see).
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Post by crowblack on Nov 30, 2021 16:51:54 GMT
I hope these get streamed at some point.
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Post by harrietcraig on Jun 3, 2022 1:19:26 GMT
Lia Williams has withdrawn from both plays at the Park Avenue Armory because of an Achilles tendon injury. Gertrude will now be played by Jennifer Ehle, and Klytemnestra will be played by Anastasia Hille.
The start of previews has been delayed as a result. Hamlet will now start previews on June 10, and Oresteia will start previews on July 8. In the case of Oresteia, that’s a delay of almost a month, and cuts its scheduled two-month run in half, but Klytemnestra is obviously a big role to learn.
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Post by jaggy on Jun 7, 2022 22:19:13 GMT
I am beyond desperate to see Oresteia. I was so tempted to book a trip to NY this Summer and see both productions, and other shows. The fact Lia Williams has dropped out has made me change my mind.
I am seriously hoping the producers bring both of these productions back to London with Lia. Probably won't happen but I'm manifesting it.
If anyone sees either of these productions. Please drop a review!
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Post by harrietcraig on Jul 2, 2022 23:32:35 GMT
If anyone sees either of these productions. Please drop a review! As requested … I saw Hamlet today. I found it a good, relatively straightforward production of the play, with a few modern touches that mostly worked: I liked the use of video, but didn’t think the Bob Dylan songs added much. I have to give Alex Lawther a mixed review as Hamlet. He handled the soliloquies well, but he spoke many of his other lines so quickly, and with such muddy diction, I wouldn’t have understood much of what he was saying if I hadn’t already known Hamlet’s lines. I was in the third row, so it wasn’t a question of not being able to hear him, and I didn’t have trouble understanding any of the other actors, so it wasn’t a case of this American having trouble with English accents. On balance, not the best Hamlet I have ever seen, but certainly not the worst (I won’t name names). An understudy went on for Jennifer Ehle as Gertrude at today’s matinee. The understudy (Lisa Bruneau) was fine, but I had been looking forward to seeing Jennifer Ehle, so that was a disappointment. I overheard someone say that Jennifer Ehle — who was a last-minute replacement for the injured Lia Williams — was also out of last night’s performance. I don’t know what’s going on there (hopefully nothing serious), but they’re having trouble keeping their Gertrude. |
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Post by jaggy on Jul 3, 2022 0:56:27 GMT
If anyone sees either of these productions. Please drop a review! As requested … I saw Hamlet today. I found it a good, relatively straightforward production of the play, with a few modern touches that mostly worked: I liked the use of video, but didn’t think the Bob Dylan songs added much. I have to give Alex Lawther a mixed review as Hamlet. He handled the soliloquies well, but he spoke many of his other lines so quickly, and with such muddy diction, I wouldn’t have understood much of what he was saying if I hadn’t already known Hamlet’s lines. I was in the third row, so it wasn’t a question of not being able to hear him, and I didn’t have trouble understanding any of the other actors, so it wasn’t a case of this American having trouble with English accents. On balance, not the best Hamlet I have ever seen, but certainly not the worst (I won’t name names). An understudy went on for Jennifer Ehle as Gertrude at today’s matinee. The understudy (Lisa Bruneau) was fine, but I had been looking forward to seeing Jennifer Ehle, so that was a disappointment. I overheard someone say that Jennifer Ehle — who was a last-minute replacement for the injured Lia Williams — was also out of last night’s performance. I don’t know what’s going on there (hopefully nothing serious), but they’re having trouble keeping their Gertrude. Thank you! I read the Vulture review which was quite vicious. Although, I'm sure certain critiques were accurate. Your observation of Lawther aligns with the reviewers. I'm not a fan of his (only seen him in Black Mirror) but had hoped he could have brought something interesting to the role. Seems like he's out of his depth. If you plan on seeing Oresteia please come back and give a review. |
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Post by harrietcraig on Jul 3, 2022 1:06:26 GMT
I think I liked the production a bit better than the Vulture reviewer did, although I agree with some of her points, especially about the bizarre staging of the Claudius prayer scene.
Sorry, but I don’t plan to see Oresteia. Hopefully someone else here will chime in with a review of that.
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