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Post by Jon on Aug 7, 2021 18:23:37 GMT
I've booked for Tovey and Douglas but would be interested in seeing Anna Maxwell Martin and Chris O'Dowd.
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Post by Mark on Aug 7, 2021 20:05:33 GMT
Saw Tovey and Douglas at the 5:30 matinee today and they were both great. The play I wasn’t too taken with if I’m honest though.
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Post by theoracle on Aug 7, 2021 21:55:54 GMT
Was also at the show today with Russel and Omari and agree they were both wonderful with great chemistry. Good diverse mix in the audience too and they got plenty of laughs as well.
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Post by MrBraithwaite on Aug 9, 2021 6:39:56 GMT
Already decided to see this combination, but then read the play and was very disappointed by it after hearing about the stellar reviews of the original production. Found very little in it, scientific or emotional and doubt, even two great actors could bring this to life for me. Sometimes happens, I'll just give it a pass.
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Post by Jon on Aug 13, 2021 22:55:56 GMT
Who'd thought a two person play at just over 70 minutes could pack so much in that timeframe. I admit that I only really booked Constellations because I'm a fan of Russell Tovey and enjoyed Omari Douglas in It's A Sin but I'm glad I did because I enjoyed seeing how Nick Payne's concept of the multiple universes unfold even if it does take a few minutes to get used to.
The theatre was full with only a handful of empty seats which was good to see with a diverse crowd.
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Post by mrnutz on Aug 16, 2021 11:21:07 GMT
I saw this last night with Anna Maxwell Martin and Chris O'Dowd, and thought it (and they!) were fantastic.
I haven't seen it before and went in knowing very little about it, but now I wish I'd booked for an additional pairing to see how differently they played it.
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Post by Dave B on Aug 18, 2021 10:51:26 GMT
We saw this with Anna Maxwell Martin and Chris O'Dowd last night.
We had been just over a month ago to see Peter Capaldi and Zoë Wanamaker. We both enjoyed the play but felt there was a distance between the characters, both actors were individually great but between them there was such a gap that we had no investment at all. It was still funny and the BSL scene hit hard and we enjoyed it but walking towards the train we both agreed that we had never been brought into the play, we had watched PC and ZW acting for an hour and a bit. I don't want to be harsh on PC and ZW as we really did enjoy the play and that evening.... but last night wow.
Within seconds, we weren't watching AMM and CO'D, we were watching Roland and Marianne. They were funny, they were connected, it was almost like seeing a different play. They had such engagement with each other, much more physical - just with casual touches or reaching towards each other. It was funny, it was touching. Even knowing it was coming, the BSL scene hit (tho a balloon making an unplanned escape could have picked a better moment!). Much amusement from AMM and CO'D during the curtain call as they spotted the escaped balloon now tied to a chair in the front row.
I have no idea what if anything goes on between cast members, so it is not even speculation but it felt like one version was two actors doing a job with someone they just had to work with and maybe didn't get on with and another version with two actors who genuinely liked each other and were having some fun working together. The contrast was stark.
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Post by Jon on Aug 18, 2021 11:03:55 GMT
I wonder if the fact that the play is written for a younger pairing in mind means that it's not quite as effective with an older pairing.
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Post by floorshow on Aug 18, 2021 18:36:45 GMT
Saw the matinee today, not seen any of the other casts but thought they were a great pairing, loads of chemistry. Strange structure to set up the sliding doors first half and then narrow the focus so much in the second half. No misbehaved balloons, sadly.
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Post by Steve on Aug 21, 2021 12:55:54 GMT
Saw this with Russell Tovey and Omari Douglas, and thought it was fantastic! Some spoilers follow. . . I would have loved to have seen every version of this, but time and money have dictated that the Tovey-Douglas version is the first time I have seen this since I was wowed by this at the Royal Court. Omari Douglas is wonderful, bringing a sleek dynamism to the part of Manuel, infusing him with tremendous brio but also with surprising sensitivity. But it is Russell Tovey who makes this version incredibly special. While Douglas plays one character tossed and turned sideways by a multiverse of possibilities, Tovey plays the entire multiverse of characters that one man might become with different backstories. This makes the play exciting, more surprising scene to scene, and consequently funnier, since surprise is the keystone of laughter. Leaping between dull and intelligent, slow and quick-witted, thuggish and gentle, thoughtful and ditsy versions of himself, Tovey embodies all the possibility of life that is the central theme of the play, illuminating our sense of all the different versions of ourselves we could have been and still might be. It is funny to think how different we could have been, and moving to contemplate who we actually are, while we continue to morph with each and every experience. A great play made greater by casting an actor who embodies it's humour, it's possibilities and it's depth. For me, 5 stars.
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Post by lynette on Aug 21, 2021 17:23:31 GMT
I have not managed to see this in real life, hoping for filmed /tv manifestation sometime but I am happy you guys have enjoyed it and am delighted that they did the different combos. I said yonks ago that this was excellent theatre and kept going on about it to certain others but I feared it would just disappear like so much good stuff does. Anyway, great, carry on!
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Post by Jon on Aug 21, 2021 17:26:09 GMT
I admit the bit where Tovey as Roland does the Bee speech in very different ways was fantastic to watch, I was crying with laughter when he did the rap/grime version
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Post by sophie92 on Aug 21, 2021 17:57:24 GMT
I admit the bit where Tovey as Roland does the Bee speech in very different ways was fantastic to watch, I was crying with laughter when he did the rap/grime version
Same!
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Post by Jon on Aug 21, 2021 18:04:54 GMT
Out of interest, does the bit I've mentioned in the spoilers happen in the same way with the other pairings.
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Post by sophie92 on Aug 21, 2021 22:06:32 GMT
Out of interest, does the bit I've mentioned in the spoilers happen in the same way with the other pairings. Under a spoiler just in case: Not with Anna Maxwell Martin and Chris O’Dowd. I didn’t see the other two pairings.
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Post by floorshow on Aug 21, 2021 23:41:27 GMT
Out of interest, does the bit I've mentioned in the spoilers happen in the same way with the other pairings. Chris O'Dowd - Lots of variations, all funny but not that!
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Post by Jon on Aug 21, 2021 23:49:15 GMT
Chris O'Dowd - Lots of variations, all funny but not that TBF the way Russell Tovey does it in the way I described probably wouldn't be anywhere near as effective or funny with Chris O'Dowd's accent.
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Post by poster J on Aug 21, 2021 23:54:16 GMT
Out of interest, does the bit I've mentioned in the spoilers happen in the same way with the other pairings. Not with the other two pairings either.
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Post by Dr Tom on Aug 24, 2021 9:38:10 GMT
I saw this on Sunday with Russell Tovey and Omari Douglas. All I can say is it comes across as a much better play when you have two actors who want to be there. Engaging, witty and moving in all the right places. And Omari has a really long tongue.
This is perfectly placed to watch the 2pm matinee, then go straight on for a 4pm show if you like a double show day (you can even do a triple show day, but the 7pm options are quite limited on a Sunday).
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Post by happytobehere on Aug 26, 2021 13:25:41 GMT
Would this still be worth seeing from all the way up in the Grand Circle? I’m guessing I wouldn’t be able to see faces very well? I want to go but I’m needing to be extra stingy with the costs right now!
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Post by theatrefan77 on Aug 26, 2021 13:38:39 GMT
The Upper Circle at the Vaudeville is awful. It’s miles away from the the stage but also there is no leg room. Stalls front row seats are only £20 and the view is great. If that’s sold out, they also do day seats.
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Post by thelornabee on Aug 26, 2021 19:54:19 GMT
Would this still be worth seeing from all the way up in the Grand Circle? I’m guessing I wouldn’t be able to see faces very well? I want to go but I’m needing to be extra stingy with the costs right now! Having seen it from both the £20 stalls seats and the very back row, if you can get cheap seats further forward do it. It's ok from the back but you do lose a lot of the nuance as it's a two hander. The leg room up there is pretty awful, I'm 5'4 and was just about comfortable...
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Post by n1david on Aug 28, 2021 11:12:05 GMT
Anna Maxwell Martin is out sick, so Tovey and Douglas are doing the 5.30 today as well. The 2pm show is the intriguing combination of Chris O'Dowd and Omari Douglas..
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Post by cavocado on Aug 28, 2021 11:41:37 GMT
Wow, that will be interesting - hope someone on here will give a report.
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Post by Jon on Aug 28, 2021 13:12:29 GMT
As interesting as it would be to see Omari with Chris O’Dowd, I’m surprised they’ve chosen that option as I’m sure they have understudies although I assume that the protocols means that the understudies only are used if the pairings were somehow indisposed
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Post by Mark on Aug 28, 2021 13:17:58 GMT
Anna Maxwell Martin is out sick, so Tovey and Douglas are doing the 5.30 today as well. The 2pm show is the intriguing combination of Chris O'Dowd and Omari Douglas.. I did wonder if a combo like this would ever happen! It will be a very unique experience for the audience, and I'm sure an exciting one for the two actors involved!
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6,312 posts
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Post by Jon on Aug 28, 2021 13:22:56 GMT
I wonder if any of the previous pairings are on standby if the other actors were unavailable or indisposed?
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Post by Jon on Aug 28, 2021 19:20:43 GMT
I've just seen on the Donmar Instagram that both AMM and the female understudy were off sick which is why they had to use Omari Douglas.
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Post by Steve on Aug 29, 2021 10:49:20 GMT
From the Donmar Twitter Feed:
"At 2pm Omari Douglas and Russell Tovey will perform as Manuel and Roland. Anna Maxwell Martin and Chris O’Dowd will perform as scheduled at 5.30pm."
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Post by Marwood on Sept 12, 2021 13:15:39 GMT
Saw this again yesterday with Chris O’Dowd and Anna Maxwell Martin this time: I still don’t think the actual play is that amazing but both actors seemed to have a better grasp of the material and a lightness of touch that was missing in the Capaldi/Wanamaker version I saw previously (and did I miss something or was the line about the age difference of Marianne and her lover omitted from this?)
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