100 posts
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Post by noboiscout on Jan 30, 2020 9:33:32 GMT
Just saw this on the NT site: Running Time: Approx 4 hours, including 2 intervals Wow. Just randomly checked a production currently running here in Germany: 2 hours 30 incl. interval. Absurd. I'm not sure who'll be more horrified: my 15-year-old daughter or my 85-year-old mother-in-law... As you say, two and a half hours is about right. Perhaps they're going to go over the top with the resources of the Oliver...really more of a Lyttelton play, I would have thought. I think I'll get a credit note. It may be stunning, but that's too much of a (possibly) good thing. I could go see up to 4 shows at the Vaults festival in the same running time! |
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781 posts
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Post by latefortheoverture on Jan 30, 2020 20:23:26 GMT
I was looking into this, but after finding out the run time I doubt I'll be paying it a Visit....
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Post by Jan on Jan 31, 2020 7:36:49 GMT
It's Tony Kushner - I'm not sure what y'all were expecting! However it is a version of an existing play, subject (as explained up the thread) to various restrictions by the author's literary executors, which probably preclude the introduction of new characters and plot, which in its original translation apparently runs less than three hours. This raises the grim possibility that episodes of dance have been interpolated into it. I did not know that Peter Brook had directed this play in UK and USA in the late 50s. |
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5,910 posts
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jan 31, 2020 7:50:08 GMT
4 HOURS?
Poor Lesley.
Pass.
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4,993 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jan 31, 2020 7:55:23 GMT
I wish they were doing the Kander & Ebb version but they won't as it may be popular
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318 posts
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Post by MrBraithwaite on Jan 31, 2020 8:02:49 GMT
Anyone going tonight or this weekend? Looking forward to first reports.  |
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548 posts
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Post by drmaplewood on Jan 31, 2020 9:27:43 GMT
It has a 7pm start and Kushner always gonna Kushner - not sure why people are surprised. Doesn't matter so long as its good! I'm going next Thursday.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2020 10:48:50 GMT
Hugo does a lot theatre in Australia
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Post by Jan on Jan 31, 2020 12:43:09 GMT
It has a 7pm start and Kushner always gonna Kushner - not sure why people are surprised. Because it isn’t a Kushner play, it is his version of a much shorter play. Of course we are assuming the length is due to Kushner, it might not be, it might be the director - I mean Katie Mitchell made a routine version of Three Sisters run almost 4 hours. |
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Post by intoanewlife on Jan 31, 2020 14:47:00 GMT
It's Tony Kushner - I'm not sure what y'all were expecting! However it is a version of an existing play, subject (as explained up the thread) to various restrictions by the author's literary executors, which probably preclude the introduction of new characters and plot, which in its original translation apparently runs less than three hours. This raises the grim possibility that episodes of dance have been interpolated into it.
I did not know that Peter Brook had directed this play in UK and USA in the late 50s. As long as there are no puppets I don't care how often they break into a dance-off x |
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Post by Jan on Jan 31, 2020 16:31:58 GMT
However it is a version of an existing play, subject (as explained up the thread) to various restrictions by the author's literary executors, which probably preclude the introduction of new characters and plot, which in its original translation apparently runs less than three hours. This raises the grim possibility that episodes of dance have been interpolated into it.
I did not know that Peter Brook had directed this play in UK and USA in the late 50s. As long as there are no puppets I don't care how often they break into a dance-off x I quite like a puppet - I remember the Greg Doran Midsummer Nights Dream where they did the Indian boy as a life-sized puppet and it was quite striking. On the other hand about 40 years ago I saw a production of Dr Faustus where all the devils and associated visions were hand-puppets. That was pretty bad. It was in some strange Jacobean-style theatre space on the South Bank somewhere, don’t think it’s there any more. |
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Post by Fleance on Jan 31, 2020 16:38:17 GMT
As long as there are no puppets I don't care how often they break into a dance-off x I quite like a puppet - I remember the Greg Doran Midsummer Nights Dream where they did the Indian boy as a life-sized puppet and it was quite striking. On the other hand about 40 years ago I saw a production of Dr Faustus where all the devils and associated visions were hand-puppets. That was pretty bad. It was in some strange Jacobean-style theatre space on the South Bank somewhere, don’t think it’s there any more. I thought I didn't like puppets, until I saw The James Plays II: Day of the Innocents. |
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Post by intoanewlife on Jan 31, 2020 16:50:19 GMT
As long as there are no puppets I don't care how often they break into a dance-off x I quite like a puppet - I remember the Greg Doran Midsummer Nights Dream where they did the Indian boy as a life-sized puppet and it was quite striking. On the other hand about 40 years ago I saw a production of Dr Faustus where all the devils and associated visions were hand-puppets. That was pretty bad. It was in some strange Jacobean-style theatre space on the South Bank somewhere, don’t think it’s there any more. I take it you missed My Brilliant Friend... |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2020 16:55:47 GMT
Puppetry has been much more central to other theatre cultures, especially Asia and Africa. As such, it’s long been seen as ‘other’ and un-British and that visual theatricality was relegated to being secondary to imagery via the spoken word. I think the globalisation of the British theatre culture has been a real strength of ours in the last forty/fifty years or so, though. Puppets shouldn’t just be thought of as ‘for kids’, there is profundity amidst the playfulness.
Anyway, regarding the length, maybe Kushner’s kept what he was obligated to and then added to it. There is no way that the original stretches to four hours on its own.
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Post by intoanewlife on Jan 31, 2020 17:07:26 GMT
Puppetry has been much more central to other theatre cultures, especially Asia and Africa. As such, it’s long been seen as ‘other’ and un-British and that visual theatricality was relegated to being secondary to imagery via the spoken word. I think the globalisation of the British theatre culture has been a real strength of ours in the last forty/fifty years or so, though. Puppets shouldn’t just be thought of as ‘for kids’, there is profundity amidst the playfulness. Anyway, regarding the length, maybe Kushner’s kept what he was obligated to and then added to it. There is no way that the original stretches to four hours on its own. I don't mind it when it is well done, but this yellow thing is apparently a baby with a fully grown man attached to its head via a handle...  |
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247 posts
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Post by barelyathletic on Jan 31, 2020 17:16:48 GMT
As long as there are no puppets I don't care how often they break into a dance-off x I quite like a puppet - I remember the Greg Doran Midsummer Nights Dream where they did the Indian boy as a life-sized puppet and it was quite striking. On the other hand about 40 years ago I saw a production of Dr Faustus where all the devils and associated visions were hand-puppets. That was pretty bad. It was in some strange Jacobean-style theatre space on the South Bank somewhere, don’t think it’s there any more. Possibly The Bear Gardens Museum, Sam Wanamaker's base for his Globe project. I directed a show there about forty years ago. Luckily, not Dr Faustus. |
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1,127 posts
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Post by samuelwhiskers on Jan 31, 2020 19:24:53 GMT
I saw an incredibly moving play about two South African gay men in the Cottesloe years ago that was performed entirely by puppets.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2020 8:32:23 GMT
As long as there are no puppets I don't care how often they break into a dance-off x I quite like a puppet - I remember the Greg Doran Midsummer Nights Dream where they did the Indian boy as a life-sized puppet and it was quite striking. On the other hand about 40 years ago I saw a production of Dr Faustus where all the devils and associated visions were hand-puppets. That was pretty bad. It was in some strange Jacobean-style theatre space on the South Bank somewhere, don’t think it’s there any more. I saw a hand puppet version of Doctor Faustus around that time too, in Chesterfield. Wonder if it was the same one. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2020 9:01:27 GMT
Slightly concerning the usual first preview Twitter gush fest hasn’t materialised.....praise for Lesley and the sets and costumes but that’s about it.........
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36 posts
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Post by johnnyutah on Feb 1, 2020 10:21:18 GMT
Slightly concerning the usual first preview Twitter gush fest hasn’t materialised.....praise for Lesley and the sets and costumes but that’s about it......... |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2020 10:30:55 GMT
Thank you for illustrating my point 😁😁
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Post by crabtree on Feb 1, 2020 10:32:07 GMT
Someone please, please do the Kander and ebb masterpiece version of this - short, surreal, and utterly heartbreaking
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Post by partytentdown on Feb 1, 2020 10:55:52 GMT
Standing by to cancel ticket unless someone quickly convinces me otherwise...
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Post by efox1989 on Feb 1, 2020 14:10:45 GMT
Also saw some good feedback on Instagram. I did see someone tweet that although they liked it, it was long and they felt things could be cut and the ending was anticlimatic they would be interested to see it with cuts after Previews.
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Post by Jan on Feb 1, 2020 15:43:42 GMT
Possibly The Bear Gardens Museum, Sam Wanamaker's base for his Globe project. I directed a show there about forty years ago. Luckily, not Dr Faustus. Yes that’s exactly where it was - thanks for jogging my memory. |
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