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Post by crowblack on May 5, 2023 19:59:00 GMT
I wonder if they'll do a film / TV drama of this?
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Post by Marwood on May 6, 2023 22:21:02 GMT
Saw it tonight and while I enjoyed it, it didn’t really take off for me so I would give it three out of five (and from my post previously when tickets went on sale, it wasn’t a rush ticket I had, it was only cheap because there’s no rake in the front few rows so I spent a lot of it trying to peer around some blokes fat head) I can understand Shakespeare lovers going ape for it, and it is very much aimed at theatre lovers but apart from a couple of the Gatiss/Gielgud moments it didn’t do much to keep me engaged in a play with such a long running time (nothing ‘wrong’ with Flynns performance but his accent seemed to slip all over the place and apart from his scene where he buys everyone a Scotch, I didn’t find much to engage me)
Sam Mendes producing this makes me think this is aimed at a transfer to Broadway somewhere down the line, my biggest plus point was the ‘hip, hip, hooray!’ moment near the end wasn’t forced on the audience at the beginning or end because of something that happened across the river earlier in the day.
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Post by nash16 on May 6, 2023 22:36:19 GMT
Agree with Marwood (and, shock horror, The Guardian review). Went tonight as well and it’s fine, but nothing more. It lacks stakes and real excitement because there seemingly weren’t many actual fireworks or battle of wills in the first place, reading the programme.
Thought Gattis was excellent; Flynn fine; but Middleton woefully miscast (or not directed) with no attempt to bring Liz Taylor truly to the stage.
Was Zadok the Priest just to finish off the old school NT audience who were there in droves and will froth with joy for this?
3*. A nice curio, and Gattis giving a beautiful performance, but a waste beyond that. (All the “supporting” characters too! And none of them needed. The NT must be flush at the moment.)
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Post by londonpostie on May 7, 2023 6:07:20 GMT
I was also there. Out of letters and Richard L Sterne's journal of the day, Jack Thorne has whittled a tidy 3-act drama out of rehearsals for a NYC production of, well, Hamlet. Along the way we touch on quite a bit. In particular, I liked the insight into what the advent of working-class leads - in the late 50s and early 60s - brought newly to the stage in general and classic works in particular. Film as well, I suppose (Zulu's! Fousands of em!). There was also a warming humanity about the piece; a lot of wrestling to serve the common - theatrical - goal, with Gielgud's gentle redemption arc quietly shaping much. If you designed a piece to appeal to the NT faithful, it could easily look like this (last time I felt that was, I believe, Hansard (Autumn 2019)). It's what you#d expect from a group of top professionals - let loose with the facilities on the Southbank - that includes Thorne, Mendes, Gattiss, Flynn.
Tuppence Middleton played a supportive Liz Taylor (to her husband) in what struggled to be more than a supporting role (turned out to be a big day in London for Middleton women supporting menfolk). I always liked Liz.
A pleasant enough entertainment, expertly crafted. An enthusiastic full standing ovation was had by all. It could go far - at least across the Thames. |
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Post by Being Alive on May 7, 2023 10:59:52 GMT
Also there last night (thank you Friday Rush) and actually thought this was 5 stars for me.
It's so brilliantly theatrical, and a really interesting dramatisation of what that production must have been like.
Thought Johnny Flynn was excellent, and really inhabited Burton well. Tuppence Middleton was good too, in a lot smaller role that I'd assume Taylor would play in this. Mark Gatiss giving a hugely moving performance though, which is one of my favourites I've seen an far in London this year.
Would go again. Was completely absorbed for the whole running time. Great script, nice set, great acting.
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Post by orchidman on May 7, 2023 11:47:23 GMT
It's doing good box office with some big names but is predictably one of those things in which a second rate writer leans on a first rate writer in an attempt to elevate themselves.
At least people paying the top prices are getting a big cast, high class production of the sort the National should be able to deliver more often.
The actors in the smaller roles have an easier time of it with less to compare themselves against. In the leads, Mark Gatiss is irritating because that's all he knows. Tuppence Middleton isn't Elizabeth Taylor because that's impossible. Johnny Flynn makes it worth watching because he's Johnny Flynn.
If you can't tell the difference between the first rate of the second rate and the actual first rate then you will have a first rate evening. Just remember to forget that Jack Thorne is Jack Thorne, a writer of no genuine depth or insight.
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Post by foxa on May 7, 2023 11:48:29 GMT
A lot of us there - I caught the matinee yesterday and really enjoyed it. I feared my cheap seats, in the circle slips, would spoil it for me, but actually the front of circle slips were better than I expected.
Loved Johnny Flynn and the exploration of ego and shame. Some strong supporting performances, such as Allan Corduner as Hume Cronyn and, as mentioned above, Janie Dee as Eileen Herlie. It takes a little while to warm up and I wondered how it would go down if you didn't know or care who the characters were and/or aren't keen on Shakespeare. (It made me want to read the books the play was based on.) At least one before curtain scene seemed stuck on and was transparently used to cover a set change. But overall, it was an elegant production and I was happy to have seen it.
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Post by jek on May 7, 2023 14:37:09 GMT
I'm in the camp of people who didn't enjoy this very much (I saw it last week). I can see that there is much to admire in it but it just didn't engage me and neither did it my partner. The couple sitting next to us left at the interval, and while I'm glad we stayed the course I could certainly understand someone making the decision that it wasn't for them. It probably requires audience members to have more of an interest in Shakespeare that I do. I thought the Guardian review was pretty fair. But happy to have spent money on tickets for this as I know that something else will come along at the National soon that I will enjoy. And supporting quality productions has got to be a good thing.
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Post by jampot on May 7, 2023 16:05:01 GMT
Also there last night (thank you Friday Rush) and actually thought this was 5 stars for me. It's so brilliantly theatrical, and a really interesting dramatisation of what that production must have been like. Thought Johnny Flynn was excellent, and really inhabited Burton well. Tuppence Middleton was good too, in a lot smaller role that I'd assume Taylor would play in this. Mark Gatiss giving a hugely moving performance though, which is one of my favourites I've seen an far in London this year. Would go again. Was completely absorbed for the whole running time. Great script, nice set, great acting. Couldn't say it better myself! Was at yesterday's matinee and its 5 stars from me ...I have no major love of Uncle Will either.... |
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Post by mattnyc on May 8, 2023 22:24:17 GMT
Saw this tonight and I was absolutely blown away. Definite 5 stars for me and what I'm positive will be two of the best performances of the entire year.
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Post by alexandra on May 9, 2023 11:56:35 GMT
"If you can't tell the difference between the first rate of the second rate and the actual first rate then you will have a first rate evening."
How patronising. It couldn't possibly be because reactions to art are subjective.
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Post by londonpostie on May 9, 2023 13:00:04 GMT
It looks like peak 'Jack Thorne' occurs in the first 2 weeks of July when the sold out Donmar production (Winston .. Radio) overlaps with a similar to-do at the NT's Lyttleton. Attracting quite the casts, as well.
Venn diagrams available from the bookshop. |
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Post by alessia on May 10, 2023 5:42:59 GMT
Went last night, unsure how I'd like it as I find Shakespeare so hard to understand. For context, I have seen Hamlet performed live once before (the Young Vic one with Cush Jumbo) so at least I knew the story. I also tried to prepare a little by watching the youtube recording of the Broadway show but fell asleep lol. Glad I did that though as at least I understood some of the passages from the play regarding the staging and costumes. Even with all the caveats, I absolutely loved the play and was engaged all the way through. As others have already said, Mark Gatiss is amazing in this (I have no clue how close he is to the original Sir John btw) a masterclass in performing the aging actor with all his feelings of nostalgia and longing, and his complete devotion to the craft. Johnny Flynn is also very good, he really managed to convey that Hollywood star persona who has not forgotten where he came from and wants to be a respected actor - the dialogues with Sir John are incredibly well written, and acted. The two together made me think they should do a Shakespeare play for real! I enjoyed T. Middleton also. I could not work out why she looked familiar and then realised she was one of the main characters in Sense8. Shame she doesn't have more lines in this. I did fail to understand a lot of the Hamlet passages as expected, but I decided not to worry about following every word and to just enjoy the acting. The last scene was beautiful and very powerful. As I was leaving, I bumped into Emilia Clarke in the ladies.
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Post by mattnyc on May 10, 2023 9:24:46 GMT
Can’t get the scene with Gatiss and the young man at his apartment out of my head. Just some of the best acting I’ve seen in so long.
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Post by alessia on May 10, 2023 9:38:42 GMT
Can’t get the scene with Gatiss and the young man at his apartment out of my head. Just some of the best acting I’ve seen in so long. I also loved that scene, very touching. |
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Post by londonpostie on May 10, 2023 10:17:20 GMT
Do we know if that scene is artistic license, or based on something known to have happened?
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Post by couldileaveyou on May 10, 2023 11:46:28 GMT
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Post by Rory on May 10, 2023 17:24:27 GMT
Great news but if it's September then Janie Dee will have to be replaced as she's in Old Friends at the Gielgud.
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Post by Latecomer on May 11, 2023 20:10:29 GMT
Really enjoyed this. Interesting for it’s take on how different actors find different things to bring to a production and the role of a director. Also enjoyed the visual creation of the piece and thought all the actors were great. Enjoyed chatting over with forum member afterwards and am delighted to see that the two books from 60s mentioned in the Spectator article (earlier in the thread) are in our library stack still at our local authority, ready for me to borrow and see what some of the actors in the production chronicled about rehearsals! Thanks also for posting the video of the production.
Fun time out was had.
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Post by mrbarnaby on May 11, 2023 23:03:14 GMT
Great news but if it's September then Janie Dee will have to be replaced as she's in Old Friends at the Gielgud. No huge loss for her I’m sure. She’s absolutely wasted in this role. |
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Post by chadexx on May 12, 2023 13:17:45 GMT
As has been said very marks for the spot-on performances from Mark Gatiss and Johnny Flynn but the plotline was so predictable. We knew from that opening scene which exuded bonhomie from the assembled lovies that things would fall apart into disharmony and by the end all would return with mutual warmth and love..
So a mere 3* from me
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Post by zahidf on May 12, 2023 13:36:49 GMT
More of the National shows seem to be West End bound now. |
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Post by londonpostie on May 12, 2023 15:54:32 GMT
As has been said very marks for the spot-on performances from Mark Gatiss and Johnny Flynn but the plotline was so predictable. We knew from that opening scene which exuded bonhomie from the assembled lovies that things would fall apart into disharmony and by the end all would return with mutual warmth and love.. So a mere 3* from me Like almost everything in theatre we see, it's part of the European/Western tradition - basically a prescribed framework. Difficult to criticise it for that!
Generally, we all understand the shape subconsciously (because we've been exposed to it since infancy), it's just that sometimes - different times to different people - it feels more obvious than others. Also, chances are you have hardly/never seen a Hollywood film that deviates >>
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Post by clarefh on May 13, 2023 17:01:40 GMT
I saw this last week. As others have noted Mark Gatiss’ performance is very moving at points and his reading of Shakespeare alone probably worth the ticket for me.
Having said that whilst I liked this, I didn’t love it and have been trying to put my finger on why as objectively I can see it’s well written and acted. I wonder if it was partly my expectations, but I found it a bit shallow overall. Have seen so much theatre the last few months that has either moved me or at least challenged me and made me think that perhaps I just need to recalibrate!
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Post by sfsusan on May 13, 2023 18:14:08 GMT
We knew from that opening scene which exuded bonhomie from the assembled lovies that things would fall apart into disharmony and by the end all would return with mutual warmth and love.. But isn't what happens in between the whole point? Why and how it falls apart and how and why it all comes back together? |
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