851 posts
|
Post by bordeaux on Mar 28, 2024 9:40:11 GMT
I thought this was excellent from beginning to end. Reminiscent of other works about dictatorial bureaucracies - I thought of Vaclav Havel and Ismail Kadare - but also very funny and cleverly structured. I don't want to give any more away than that. I was pleased to have read so many wildly differing opinions on this site, so my expectations were lowered before going in.
If you wanted to be critical you could argue that this play costs Sam Holcroft nothing - there is no risk as she is writing about free speech issues that don't relate to this country; the fit is more with totalitarian regimes as they existed in eastern Europe before 1989 or perhaps with the Arab world now (see programme note by Lebanese author), Russia and China. If she'd wanted to create a challenging play about free speech issues in the west, she could have written about the hounding out of university jobs of professors who are gender critical feminists, say, or something like the Rushdie affair or something else involving Muslim protest. We all know what side we are in Holcroft's play; no one is going to be offended or outraged by her message.
|
|
|
Post by Libby on Mar 30, 2024 11:01:08 GMT
I have heard good things about this one! I don't think I will be going myself because I have sat through a few too many 2 hr 30 min plays recently but it seems like Trafalgar Theatre is moving in a better direction following their very long Jersey Boys run. Hoping to catch People Places and Things there next as I have heard raving reviews!
|
|
|
Post by colelarson on Mar 31, 2024 9:42:33 GMT
Saw this yesterday afternoon and can't fault the acting. It was gripping and thought provoking but thought it could have been cut by 20-30 minutes.
The cover of the wedding was a fun idea and I liked the touch of the order of service on our seats. We were in the front row to the side and Bax (Geoffrey Streatfeild) started talking to us about how nervous the groom looked and how he hoped the bride will turn up soon!
The twist at the end was good and I didn't expect it, the play within a play within a play idea was an interesting watch. The seats at the Trafalgar are comfortable for the 2hrs straight run through. Overall an interesting watch and surprisingly funny in parts.
|
|