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Post by learfan on Mar 1, 2020 0:55:51 GMT
Couldn't see a thread for this, surprised noone has gone? I saw the matinee today, its superb. Such a brilliantly bonkers play. Its been updated to the 1980s. Tara Fitzgerald is brilliant in the lead and she is superbly supported by Olivia Vinall amongst others. I loved it. Billington was sat not far from me.
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Post by Jan on Mar 2, 2020 7:08:16 GMT
Couldn't see a thread for this, surprised noone has gone? I saw the matinee today, its superb. Such a brilliantly bonkers play. Its been updated to the 1980s. Tara Fitzgerald is brilliant in the lead and she is superbly supported by Olivia Vinall amongst others. I loved it. Billington was sat not far from me. I would have gone but their seats are far too expensive given how uncomfortable they are. Was it full ?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2020 7:47:02 GMT
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Post by Jan on Mar 2, 2020 7:59:36 GMT
Agree with you on the seats and prices, now the novelty of the space has worn off it needs to be something pretty special to entice me back. If they are happy to update the play itself to the 1980s in this supposedly "authentic" space why not the seats too ?
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Post by learfan on Mar 2, 2020 8:07:09 GMT
Couldn't see a thread for this, surprised noone has gone? I saw the matinee today, its superb. Such a brilliantly bonkers play. Its been updated to the 1980s. Tara Fitzgerald is brilliant in the lead and she is superbly supported by Olivia Vinall amongst others. I loved it. Billington was sat not far from me. I would have gone but their seats are far too expensive given how uncomfortable they are. Was it full ? It seemed full from what i could see. They get a lot of last minute bookings from the tourists on Saturdays of course, you only have to hear the accents. (i still hold that they think the Globe is the original) I had a semi restricted seat for 38. I agree they are expensive. Def recommended.
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Post by learfan on Mar 2, 2020 8:08:33 GMT
This is the odd one out, the other reviews ive seen have been good.
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Post by Jan on Mar 2, 2020 10:43:21 GMT
I saw the Marianne Elliot production at NT in 2010 - Harriet Walter and Harry Melling very good. Not really drawn by the play itself to pay SWP prices.
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Post by vickyg on Mar 2, 2020 10:44:06 GMT
The Times gave a 2* review as well saying that it was 'bloody mess' or something to that effect I seem to remember. Glad that someone on here enjoyed it as I am booked for about 3 weeks' time and having only seen the Times and Guardian reviews was beginning to think I'd made a huge mistake!
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Post by partytentdown on Mar 2, 2020 11:25:48 GMT
Would we be able to make the title of this thread slightly more understandable? Thanks
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Post by learfan on Mar 2, 2020 16:45:21 GMT
Would we be able to make the title of this thread slightly more understandable? Thanks ?
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Post by learfan on Mar 2, 2020 16:46:14 GMT
The Times gave a 2* review as well saying that it was 'bloody mess' or something to that effect I seem to remember. Glad that someone on here enjoyed it as I am booked for about 3 weeks' time and having only seen the Times and Guardian reviews was beginning to think I'd made a huge mistake! Not for the first time they seemed to be at a different show.
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Post by learfan on Mar 2, 2020 16:49:45 GMT
I saw the Marianne Elliot production at NT in 2010 - Harriet Walter and Harry Melling very good. Not really drawn by the play itself to pay SWP prices. I saw that and the earlier RSC Swan production with Penelope Wilton, Tim Pigott-Smith, Hayley Attwell and Rob Edwards which was exceptional.
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Post by peggs on Mar 2, 2020 17:57:06 GMT
I too saw the last nt production (clearly in my early days of theatre going before I understood the faint risk) and whilst with this cast was tempted I still can't reconcile my head to the difference in price to being stood outdoors, completely different I know but I think Globe and think fiver. My back has been bad last few weeks so probably lucky miss there though I'm due at the panned shrew next month.
I went on the outside tour there once and seemed to be the only person not shocked to be told it wasn't the original and didn't have a roof.
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Post by foxa on Mar 2, 2020 19:03:38 GMT
I haven't seen this but know two people who did: one left at the interval, the other loved it. So genuinely dividing people.
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Post by samuelwhiskers on Mar 3, 2020 12:26:29 GMT
Because they disliked it, or because they needed emergency spinal reconstruction surgery?
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Post by foxa on Mar 3, 2020 12:57:49 GMT
Because they disliked it, or because they needed emergency spinal reconstruction surgery? Both! But they are very rare walker-outers (we need a term) so I was surprised.
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Post by dave72 on Mar 3, 2020 23:18:38 GMT
Saw this last night--it's a very strong production. Jacobean revenge tragedy will never be everyone's cup of tea, but I thought this production got the balance between absurdist camp and ruthless violence right. You're laughing one minute and feeling your stomach turn the next. Sublime stuff.
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Post by ruperto on Mar 4, 2020 11:19:59 GMT
Yes, I'm 100% with learfan and dave72 on this - I saw this last night and thought it was superb. I've seen a lot of things at the Sam Wanamaker since it opened (and I have the chiropractor bills to prove it!) and for me, this was the most entertaining thing I've seen there. It seemed to mainly get 2-star reviews from the critics, which I can't understand at all. I totally agree with dave72 that the balance between camp/laughs and horror/violence (this play has some of the best-ever deaths!) was perfect. The cast is very strong - I didn't feel there were any weak links - with very clear line delivery, plus fab costumes and great music. It's a full-bore production, which suits the material.
The play's final masque scene where (spoiler alert!) quite a lot of people die is batsh*t crazy and borderline unstageable IMHO, but I thought they did a really good job of it here. It includes a mini-coup de theatre involving the main female character.
It made me wonder why this play isn't put on more often...
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Post by learfan on Mar 4, 2020 13:31:48 GMT
Yes, I'm 100% with learfan and dave72 on this - I saw this last night and thought it was superb. I've seen a lot of things at the Sam Wanamaker since it opened (and I have the chiropractor bills to prove it!) and for me, this was the most entertaining thing I've seen there. It seemed to mainly get 2-star reviews from the critics, which I can't understand at all. I totally agree with dave72 that the balance between camp/laughs and horror/violence (this play has some of the best-ever deaths!) was perfect. The cast is very strong - I didn't feel there were any weak links - with very clear line delivery, plus fab costumes and great music. It's a full-bore production, which suits the material. The play's final masque scene where (spoiler alert!) quite a lot of people die is batsh*t crazy and borderline unstageable IMHO, but I thought they did a really good job of it here. It includes a mini-coup de theatre involving the main female character. It made me wonder why this play isn't put on more often... So glad you liked it too! Ive been lucky to see three productions now. 😏
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Post by Jan on Mar 4, 2020 15:10:14 GMT
It made me wonder why this play isn't put on more often... Apart from The Changeling we don't get much Middleton. Revenger's Tragedy is occasionally produced. Years ago I saw a production of The Second Maiden's Tragedy which also has a quite crazy plot and is well worth a revival - I see it was on at Hackney Empire as recently as 2006 but I did not see it then, did you Learfan ?
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Post by learfan on Mar 4, 2020 18:18:57 GMT
I did not, odd venue? Ive seen a few Middleton plays, mostly at the RSC. The Rose around the corner from the Globe used to put on quite a few rare revivals but they seem to have shut up shop in the last 2-3 years.
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