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Post by David J on May 10, 2016 12:19:09 GMT
As a fan of the film and book I'm really looking forward to this.
Just the fact that this is being staged in the tiny Watermill Theatre, near to the real down itself has me buzzing with excitement.
The imagination they put into fitting plays into that space is amazing.
The casting announcement has just been released. Edward Bennett (recently in the RSC's Love's Labours Lost and Much Ado About Nothing) will be starring as General Woundwort.
I like him as an actor, and am always keen to see range in performers. I'm just struggling to see him in the role. Even when you take Harry Andrews and John Hurt's voice acting from the film and TV series out of the equation, he's not monstrous dictator material.
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Post by David J on May 10, 2016 22:10:32 GMT
It was done at the Lyric, Hammersmith a few years ago, wasn't it? They wanted to revive it a year later, too, but found half the original cast were on maternity leave, as I recall. Well the rabbits were desperate for some does so... And yes this is the Lyric Hammersmith play. Written by Rona Munro, who also did the King James Plays |
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Post by Phantom of London on May 10, 2016 23:17:26 GMT
I notice you have been to the Watermill a couple of times, is that your neck of the woods? A couple of times I have been there, it has been a pain to get to.
I thought this would of done better in the US.
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Post by David J on Jun 22, 2016 17:45:09 GMT
Well I had a good time.
Inevitably it is aimed towards the kids (or at least the older kids) so the darker moments are blunted a bit. This is your typical small scale folksy production with a small cast playing multiple roles, using puppetry and music to move the show along.
There are still a few dark moments. A scary moment comes when the rabbits have left Sandleford warren and have to brave a forest, where the cast make sounds of animals lurking somewhere in the dark. Reminded me of a similar sequence in the film.
For what it is it works, and the story still delights, frightens and pulls at your heart strings by the end. The energy of the cast is what makes this production
The show is 2 hours and 5 minutes, and I was impressed how they cut the story. They don't leave Efrafa to the second act, they start introducing it through visions Fiver sees during the first act. They even found time to tell one of the stories of el-ahrairah. Personally I would have preferred if they added another 25 minutes to flesh out the story, but the show keeps moving and is on point the whole time
Despite my reservations, Edward Bennett's General Woundwort fits in with this light version of the story. Personally I thought he was a more convincing as Captain Holly recounting the destruction of Sandleford warren.
A few moments made me marvel of the imagination put into this. Not just the forest bit but the moment when the rabbits reach watership down which was a joy to watch
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