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Post by theatrescribe on Sept 28, 2022 10:01:36 GMT
Terry Johnson writing a play about sex - well I never!  |
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Post by alicechallice on Oct 2, 2022 17:39:43 GMT
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Oct 2, 2022 17:51:20 GMT
Sounds like Abigail’s Party crashed together with The Boys In The Band. In a bad way.
Is “swinger” something people still say?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2022 10:45:35 GMT
Once upon a time I would have loved to be a a sex party with Timothy Hutton. That time is long past.
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Post by alicechallice on Oct 3, 2022 11:23:19 GMT
Once upon a time I would have loved to be a a sex party with Timothy Hutton. That time is long past. I'm definitely game for going to one with Jason Merrells and whoever John Hopkins is. And I'd expect Amanda Donohoe would be a right laugh too. The only thing with group sex is it's always quite difficult to know whose leg it is your sat on!* *which the poster captures perfectly, incidentally. |
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Post by theoracle on Oct 3, 2022 21:06:39 GMT
Booked a preview ticket for this. Very much looking forward to returning to one of my favourite theatres. I'm glad the rehearsal space is still there and I hope we see a return of the restaurant as well in some form. I used to love going to the gallery as well during lunch breaks so I hope we see a full return of the Menier building. I did see someone walking out of the building last week just before the season was announced too, and a light switched on upstairs so hope it's a sign for good times ahead for MCF
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Post by Someone in a tree on Nov 3, 2022 17:57:53 GMT
Good to see the name Amanda is getting well represented
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Post by mkb on Nov 3, 2022 18:03:49 GMT
We were due to go Saturday night: now swapped to later in the run at no additional charge.
Calling home and telling my other half "The Sex Party" on Saturday night has been cancelled probably wasn't a good idea in the middle of an open-plan office.
Just need to find an alternative show. I fancied Upstart Crow or Cabaret but the very few seats left are at crazy prices (or way back in the auditorium which I've learnt from experience is a false economy).
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Post by alessia on Nov 4, 2022 10:41:59 GMT
The prices are a bit high for me at the moment, do Menier ever have offers?
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Post by Steve on Nov 4, 2022 13:14:52 GMT
The prices are a bit high for me at the moment, do Menier ever have offers? They do, if the production isn't selling well, so you can't rely on it. For example, I don't recall seeing any offers for "Funny Girl" with Sheridan Smith, or anything by Sondheim, as those shows sold well. On the other hand, I got tickets to "Brian & Roger" on TodayTix for £10 and tickets to "Indecent" and "Habeas Corpus" on TodayTix for £15. It was just a question of waiting with those shows. Then there are those seat-filling things, that must never be talked about, of which I am no expert lol. |
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Post by londonpostie on Nov 4, 2022 18:15:44 GMT
Timely *cough* *cough*.
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Post by NeilVHughes on Nov 4, 2022 20:11:59 GMT
Initially surprised that it induced a cough so early but now after looking at how it is selling easy to see why.
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Post by londonpostie on Nov 9, 2022 9:34:16 GMT
I liked the shape of this; the party provides more than a platform for what unfolds and so we are presented not so much with a heterosexual power dissertation (Marber's Closer) or an exploration of the boundaries of gender/ID/entitlements (Icke's The Doctor), but perhaps a state of the nation's mores and moralities - though clearly within the framework of a third decade/21st century, Internet-aware sensibility (with perhaps tiny throwbacks to Abigail's Party back in the day).
A couple of belter gags, periods of engaging/engrossing dialogue, a couple of slightly limp moments (first half), light-hearted smut ..
The socio-political zeitgeist is a ridiculously tricky area to work in, esp. if you want to contribute something constructive without an agenda, and Terry Johnson achieves that goal.
I've commented before on the pricing at Menier but this is yet another high quality ensemble cast with, I believe, only 4-weeks rehearsal time. This was perhaps the third preview, I'm not minded to see it again though would be curious to see how it tightens up, as it will.
For those for whom these things matter, we were fully clothed and out on our ear by 9.45pm
3 1/4 fondue sets out of five (third preview only)
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Post by londonpostie on Nov 9, 2022 12:00:04 GMT
To test, I just put D18 in my basket - £51.00 with the booking fee.
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Post by londonpostie on Nov 9, 2022 13:37:40 GMT
I clicked on the seating plan (Firefox browser, ad blocker enabled). Maybe phone.
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Post by Steve on Nov 9, 2022 13:50:00 GMT
But,correct me if I'm wrong, there is no way of seeing the seat position on the plan and selecting a specific seat.All you get is a blank seating plan, an indication of the seat numbering -although no aisles shown - and a list of seats available that you select from.How do you see aisle seats?How did you pick up the specific seat or did you let the website select one for you?With it's versitile seating at the Chocolate Factory I would like the seating plan to be a bit more exact If you are on a phone, you need to click the button "SELECT YOUR OWN SEATS" to reveal the seating plan that allows you to do so. |
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Post by londonpostie on Nov 9, 2022 13:56:28 GMT
Steve I just had a strange brain event. We were at the same matinee for Closer, were you sitting extreme left of the Stalls (facing the stage), about halfway back?
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Post by Steve on Nov 9, 2022 14:07:59 GMT
Steve I just had a strange brain event. We were at the same matinee for Closer, were you sitting extreme left of the Stalls (facing the stage), about halfway back? Looking forward to seeing this after your review! As to the other thing, we likely were at the same matinee of Closer, but you misidentified me, as I was centre of the third row, C8. Phew, my secret identity is safe lol.  |
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Post by NeilVHughes on Nov 11, 2022 7:04:06 GMT
A play or two halves, not one to leave at the interval. The initial set up is what was expected, lots of giggles from the ‘Islington’ couples in the audience and when a stranger enters the fray everything changes. One I need to digest, the play ends with a flinch which would most probably be my reaction, on reflection would that make me no different to the more vocal. Will likely see again later in the run if the right offer comes along, looking forward to reading the thoughts of others and the reviews, as londonpostie says: The socio-political zeitgeist is a ridiculously tricky area to work in, esp. if you want to contribute something constructive without an agenda, and Terry Johnson achieves that goal. |
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Post by theatrescribe on Nov 11, 2022 12:49:36 GMT
Is there any...er...sex?
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Post by NeilVHughes on Nov 11, 2022 12:57:17 GMT
Only in your imagination, no nudity only some scantily clad moments.
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Post by drmaplewood on Nov 11, 2022 12:59:24 GMT
Only in your imagination, no nudity only some scantily clad moments. And John Hopkins is shirtless for about 80% of it which may be of interest to some... |
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Post by pledge on Nov 13, 2022 12:09:51 GMT
A reasonably diverting first half, which kept me entertained while all the time wondering "where is this going, exactly?". Well, after the interval we find out, when the tempo flags for a rather forced Debate. I felt a couple (at least) of the nine characters were constructs planted there to represent Points of View, and although the pace picks up thereafter it never quite becomes dramatically satisfying. Felt a final twist was a touch contrived too. However I should say that many in the audience were laughing a lot more than me, and there are definitely some punchy lines, but for me this felt like a play the author felt he should write rather than one he couldn't stop himself writing.
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Post by annette on Nov 13, 2022 18:38:06 GMT
Blimey. Who is programming the MCF? Habeas Corpus, Brian & Roger (seriously one of the worst, most witless and badly directed things I have ever seen in my lengthy theatre-going life) and now another Terry Johnson show about sex that I have to say I found less then gripping. I know they're just gearing back up at the venue, but I hope there's something better to come in the near future. A UK production of 'A Strange Loop' perhaps?
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Post by dlevi on Nov 18, 2022 15:30:16 GMT
I thought it was better than the 1 & 2 star reviews would have you believe. It's well-cast and gorgeously designed. It's low-grade Ayckbourn/Frayn/Gray. It's neither particularly funny or sharp but I've had a lot of evenings which were a lot worse. In the 70's or 80's it might've played for a couple of months in the West End ( with appropriate star casting) but now it's the sort of play for which there is a very limited audience. And John Hopkins is seriously hot.
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Post by gmoneyoutlaw on Nov 18, 2022 21:07:51 GMT
I'm seeing The Sex Party in a few weeks. Coming in to London from NYC for birthday. Seeing a few pantos, Newsies, Mandela and Bugsy Malone. Question for someone who has seen The Sex Party, is the title a play on words. Is it really about sexual identity and not actually a sex party?
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Post by londonpostie on Nov 19, 2022 7:17:55 GMT
SPOILER >> If a Mod would like to put this in a tag, please do - sorry, I can't remember how. {Spoiler - click to view}
gmoneyoutlaw - it's both.
Imo, the play considers the high-pitched, sometimes febrile nature of discussion around transgender people in sport, in toilets, in changing rooms, and then applies that to an environment where body fluids can be exchanged between consenting adults. There is a twist, or twists.
Perhaps, what we are primarily left with at the end is, partly, how we - not the law or venues or sports - consider a particular kind of relationship (is it heterosexual, homosexual, transexual or a number of other options), but probably more about how we might respond when theory very suddenly becomes a personable, rational, adult, in the flesh, and partly transitioned ...
Younger generations will have had more cause to address this, the average Menier punter not so much. In traditional adult relationships there are also gender/power splits, roles and responsibilities to fulfil, etc. It transfers the Internet screaming match to a real-world, mature adults scenario, for discussion purposes. There is sex, though it happens off-stage (in another room).
I wouldn't say it's a complete success in its high ambitions, though it is a decent thrust at something not easy to portray. Especially given the dearth of theatrical responses to what has been the issue of the moment for quite some while, both in earth years and social media years. Perhaps the tepid response to this effort explains why.
I thought it offered a good amount to chew over, in a clever set-up, and is ambitious for this venue - I'm not convinced the wider society is as engaged with the subject matter as are the young 'uns (Habeas Corpus did pretty well here, in a long run at high prices).
The play is quite some distance from Bugsy Malone.
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Post by Marwood on Nov 26, 2022 22:32:19 GMT
Saw it tonight and while I didn’t dislike it, I think all I can say at this moment in time is ‘hmmm…’
I went to collect my ticket earlier and there was a sign outside the Menier saying the matinee had been cancelled due to an illness in the cast so I wasn’t expecting the evening performance to go ahead, it turns out Amanda Ryan was ill and the character of Magdalena was filled in by someone who had only had two and a half hours rehearsal time : I didn’t get her name but she read the whole play from a script which was initially a bit distracting but she did well considering the circumstances.
The actual play: I wasn’t expecting a modern day Ray Cooney or anything along those lines (some of the audience looked like they had gone to have a leer, but they would have been disappointed, a few glimpses of undies is about as risqué as it got), the first act had a couple of mildly amusing moments but the second act, which is mostly an argument/debate all seemed a bit shoehorned in as if it had to justify its being produced. I thought there was a better play that could have been made about the relationship between Jason Merrells and Lisa Dwans characters but that got an all too brief mention right at the end of the play (not sure about some of the plot choices in the second act either, far too dark and unnecessary, and just breezed over)
The cast were generally good, it was only on the second appearance of the middle aged American guy in sweat pants with his hair in a bun that I realised that was Timothy Hutton so maybe not one for his agent to advertise his availability on Broadway though.
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Post by mkb on Jan 2, 2023 2:49:03 GMT
Rather ironically, I watched The Sex Party this evening completely oblivious to someone's true identity. It was only reading this thread and the programme afterwards that I discovered I had been watching Timothy Hutton, yes the Timothy Hutton, the one I had a crush on 40+ years ago when he won an Oscar.
He may have long lost his boyish good looks but certainly not his acting chops; his portrayal of an unlikeable American visitor to an Islington swingers' party is flawlessly delivered, and his is the most believable of the characters here, mainly because he says what others are thinking in that plain-speaking way that Americans often do, while uptight Brits typically dance around an issue, hypocritically making all the right virtuous noises as their actions belie their real prejudices.
There is a line about throwing in a hand grenade, and that's precisely what writer/director Terry Johnson does here after about 50 minutes. His conceit is, what if you take a group of white liberals, who are already content to deviate from the perceived social norms of monogamy and fidelity and vanilla sex, and see how they cope when you introduce a character who doesn't align with their established gender-identity politics.
It's a brave and timely idea, but the execution fails. The problem is that the characters seem to be there only to serve up particular points of view rather than be fully developed people. I found myself wincing at lines of dialogue that jarred; it was as if the various party guests were taking imposed debating positions rather than speaking naturally and credibly.
Anyone expecting a sex farce is in for a disappointment; there is the odd laugh, but for the most part the evening's events are pretty serious and downbeat. As for the subject matter, I don't think I was any the wiser by the end -- there are no insights here; it merely poses questions and lets people row about the answers, often at quite a superficial level.
Of note was that there were a couple of jokes at the expense of men that had the female half of the audience laughing uproariously and with approval while the rest of us squirmed. That's not bad from a male writer.
While it's not the main focus, I was disappointed that ultimately the piece seems to suggest that sexually free lifestyles lead to trouble. From personal observation of relationships of all flavours, I've seen no correlation between good outcomes (happiness, fulfillment, partnership-longevity) and the rules people follow in their sex lives.
Some of the most content people I know are in very loving relationships but with the freedom to play around separately, while I can think of many relationship disasters where monogamy led to lying and affairs. Conversely, I've seen people in an open relationship leave their partner because they've fallen in love with a casual fling, and there are of course plenty of faithful couples apparently enjoying marital bliss.
We see only the negative aspects in The Sex Party, and it presents only problems when trans people are added to the mix. Actually, it's not that complicated. Some people will be attracted to trans men, some people to trans women, just as some are to tall people, or redheads, or whatever more niche interests they have. Finding a partner with whom you share a mutual sexual attraction is one of life's challenges. It's not easy, whatever your particular predilections. Just be honest about what you really want and meet plenty of people would be my advice. I'm not sure that's what this play is saying though.
Three stars.
Act 1: 19:33-20:33
Act 2: 20:47-21:49
(The 20:33 time is an estimate as I forgot to check my watch.)
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