The Alchemist (Swan and Barbican Theatre, Polly Findlay)

Okay, the cast are in fine form now, even though the show had to be stopped for a couple of minutes when Mark Lockyer fell ill. Gregory Doran came on to explain that he will be able to continue, and he was seen with a walking stick for a little while.

The audience was more receptive and there were a couple more laughs in the first act. But its not laugh-a-minute, and the second act is still the funniest where all the con artists' plots collide together and they have to overcome these set backs.

Now that I come to think of it, the problem really is the text. Anybody seeing this should read up on the plot because it is difficult to know what exactly is going on and who's who.

That was the consensus I got from people who saw it last Tuesday, and I thought that it was because the cast needed to settle down. But even I had a vague understanding of what was going on the first time I saw this, and tonight I had to reaquint myself with wikipedia during the interval.

Jonson's language just didn't stand out to me really, which was a similar problem I had with the RSC's production of Volpone last year. Now I am not going to say which early 17th century writer had a better command of language. Jonson may show a deep knowledge of alchemy in this play, but the text lacks that special something that has you engaged with what's going on from the start.

I mean think about those theme tunes the band plays at the beginning like the 'A Team'. They get you hooked from the get go and you know what you're getting into. For the first act at least the play never matched that.

That's just me anyway. It's still an enjoyable show worth seeing. Just take along a print out of the plot.

Anyone have a better knowledge of Jonson to elaborate or contradict me? I'm genuinely interested.

The ending sort of felt like a very lo fi version of the ending of Wild. I liked this better.

Didn't enjoy this much. I suppose it is the duty or the NT and RSC to stage this play every decade or so and it is our duty to watch it but it is hard work - the first half here is dismal. I have seen it a few times including versions directed by Nicholas Hytner and Sam Mendes and they weren't any better than this. Part of the problem with this (and all the other Jonson plays) is they are satirical and a lot of the contemporary references are just lost to us - what is left here is just a thin farce.

What an odd question. I don't think much of Hamlet either. But everyone else says it's a great play. So I kept going to see it in the hope a new director might convince me, and the 10th production I saw was a work of absolute total genius that made seeing the preceding lesser productions worthwhile.

This Alchemist is literally a glass half empty production. The first half doesn't have a single laugh in it based on the audience reaction (not just mine).

Depends how much time and money you have I suppose. I like to give plays a fair chance. I have now given up on King Lear after 15 which seems about right.

Very good productions of Jonson are very rare. Richard Griffiths as Volpone was brilliantly funny, Danny Boyle's production of The Silent Woman was excellent. That's about it.

OK, I'll bite, Jan - which Hamlet? (Sorry if you've told us before and I don't remember).