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Post by rumtom on Sept 1, 2023 9:30:19 GMT
I'm just curious if anyone's seen the entire trilogy that's currently on at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. I saw Juno and the Paycock at the NT and thought it was bloody marvellous, and I love a long play - it becomes so immersive - if it's good. I'm hoping perhaps the Abbey Theatre will collaborate with the NT again to bring the trilogy over for a 6-7 hour sitting (no intervals - lock the doors and no moving until it's over).
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Post by barrowside on Sept 1, 2023 10:23:50 GMT
I'm seeing it on Saturday the 9th. It's actually a Druid production guesting at the Abbey. There are no London dates planned - it's going to New York and Ann Arbor next. It's been fully sold out in Ireland but I wouldn't be surprised if it was remounted and invited over for a season at The National, The Barbican or Hampstead in the next year or two.
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Post by darreno on Sept 1, 2023 11:07:42 GMT
Couldn't get my hands on a ticket for this, would have loved a full day. Will be keeping my eye out for the next time.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Sept 1, 2023 13:08:31 GMT
Druid used to regularly visit Oxford. But haven't done for a number of years now which is a huge shame. I enjoyed a number of their past offerings and would have loved to see these.
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Post by lookingatthestars on Sept 1, 2023 19:01:09 GMT
I watched all 3 yesterday at the Abbey. Absolutely loved the experience! I have seen those plays before multiple times, but seeing them back to back was quite the event that will live me.
As expected from Druid (most of-in this case) the acting was top level particularly from the core druid memenbers who, as always, were excellent. All the humour, humanity and ultimately the tradgey was mostly played to perfection. Fair play to those actors with multiple roles across the 3 plays, who could have so easily played them similarly, but they brought such great details to the characters, I really did admire the level of skill on the stage.
I listened with new (older) ears to the beautiful words of O Casey, both poetic and cuttingly ordinary, and I came away with so many new thoughts about the context and the characters.
I was very moved by the whole thing, as were those around me. You do get chatting to your neighbours, as you're spending about 10 hours together!!!!!
I would love to see this tour, but when the production returns from the US, I'd imagine the actors will be going in to Christmas productions at various theatres. Perhaps next year they can collect together and tour this. I would go again in a heartbeat.
'The world is in a terrible state of chassis' (I'm saying this to myself all day, it's stuck in my head) 😁
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Post by rumtom on Sept 2, 2023 9:09:08 GMT
I watched all 3 yesterday at the Abbey. Absolutely loved the experience! I have seen those plays before multiple times, but seeing them back to back was quite the event that will live me. As expected from Druid (most of-in this case) the acting was top level particularly from the core druid memenbers who, as always, were excellent. All the humour, humanity and ultimately the tradgey was mostly played to perfection. Fair play to those actors with multiple roles across the 3 plays, who could have so easily played them similarly, but they brought such great details to the characters, I really did admire the level of skill on the stage. I listened with new (older) ears to the beautiful words of O Casey, both poetic and cuttingly ordinary, and I came away with so many new thoughts about the context and the characters. I was very moved by the whole thing, as were those around me. You do get chatting to your neighbours, as you're spending about 10 hours together!!!!! I would love to see this tour, but when the production returns from the US, I'd imagine the actors will be going in to Christmas productions at various theatres. Perhaps next year they can collect together and tour this. I would go again in a heartbeat. 'The world is in a terrible state of chassis' (I'm saying this to myself all day, it's stuck in my head) 😁 Wow, great to hear. It sounds like a pretty special experience. It must be exhausting for the actors! Such intensity. Did everyone make it through the entire trilogy? Fingers crossed it does make it over here. Or at least returns to Dublin next year. Nice to be able to discuss it with your fellow audience too. I go to the theatre alone quite frequently and sometimes fancy just talking it over with someone afterwards - always nice to get a different perspective! Did you get a programme? Was it any good? I'm thinking of starting a crusade to improve them. I like to get a programme, it helps me remember what I've seen and should add to the play - a lot of the ATG ones particularly are adverts, a list of the cast and a few photos. |
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Post by lookingatthestars on Sept 2, 2023 14:18:21 GMT
I watched all 3 yesterday at the Abbey. Absolutely loved the experience! I have seen those plays before multiple times, but seeing them back to back was quite the event that will live me. As expected from Druid (most of-in this case) the acting was top level particularly from the core druid memenbers who, as always, were excellent. All the humour, humanity and ultimately the tradgey was mostly played to perfection. Fair play to those actors with multiple roles across the 3 plays, who could have so easily played them similarly, but they brought such great details to the characters, I really did admire the level of skill on the stage. I listened with new (older) ears to the beautiful words of O Casey, both poetic and cuttingly ordinary, and I came away with so many new thoughts about the context and the characters. I was very moved by the whole thing, as were those around me. You do get chatting to your neighbours, as you're spending about 10 hours together!!!!! I would love to see this tour, but when the production returns from the US, I'd imagine the actors will be going in to Christmas productions at various theatres. Perhaps next year they can collect together and tour this. I would go again in a heartbeat. 'The world is in a terrible state of chassis' (I'm saying this to myself all day, it's stuck in my head) 😁 Wow, great to hear. It sounds like a pretty special experience. It must be exhausting for the actors! Such intensity. Did everyone make it through the entire trilogy? Fingers crossed it does make it over here. Or at least returns to Dublin next year. Nice to be able to discuss it with your fellow audience too. I go to the theatre alone quite frequently and sometimes fancy just talking it over with someone afterwards - always nice to get a different perspective! Did you get a programme? Was it any good? I'm thinking of starting a crusade to improve them. I like to get a programme, it helps me remember what I've seen and should add to the play - a lot of the ATG ones particularly are adverts, a list of the cast and a few photos. Yes, it was lovely to have the shared experience with others, right from the get go we were all chatting. Then you get to talk about the performances as the day goes on. It's a really nice thing for a theater community. One lady near me had seen all of those Driud marathons in the past (DruidSynge, DruidMurphy, DruidShakespeare, DruidGregory) and said there's a nice sense of belonging with your fellow audience members and I think she's right.
As far as I could see everybody made it through all 3 plays, although one elderly man was snoring through 'Shadow of a Gunman'.
I meet one of the actors, Anna Healy, outside the theatre as i was leaving, and i said to her that they must be so tired, but she said no, they are loving the opportunity to do something like this, so it gives them a lot of energy.
I didn't get a programme but the man next to me allowed a look at his, and for €5 it seemed decent enough. Cast/Crew bios, rehearsal pictures, a bit of historical context, bit about Sean O Casey
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Post by barrowside on Sept 10, 2023 22:33:39 GMT
I saw the full trilogy yesterday. A very long, rewarding and intense day and such an opportunity to compare and contrast the plays. Overall it was superb. A few of the younger actors were miscast and I would have liked to have seen Catherine Walsh, Garrett Lombard and Anna Healy in some of bigger roles. While the costuming was historically accurate, Francis O'Connor's set, which dispensed with a lot of the usual period details made the plays feel very contemporary and modern. A lot of the actor's interpretations of the characters felt very fresh. A magnificent Juno and the Paycock was the jewel in the crown. Catherine Walsh's Mrs. Tancred was the most powerful I've ever seen. Though they were very much ensemble pieces Hilda Fay as both Bessie and Juno towered magnificently.
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Post by Fleance on Sept 10, 2023 23:23:45 GMT
The NT did two splendid productions of O'Casey in recent years: The Silver Tassie and The Plough and the Stars. I don't think I ever heard an audience collectively gasp at the NT, the way they did when a certain thing happened in the latter play.
The Irish Repertory Theater -- one of New York City's theatrical jewels -- presented the whole O'Casey canon recently: full productions of the Dublin trio, and readings of all the other plays, including the odd and interesting Within the Gates. In the coming season, the Irish Rep will be presenting "The Friel Project," including full productions of Translations, Aristocrats, and Philadelphia, Here I Come!, as well as readings of his other plays.
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Post by lookingatthestars on Sept 20, 2023 21:23:42 GMT
I saw the full trilogy yesterday. A very long, rewarding and intense day and such an opportunity to compare and contrast the plays. Overall it was superb. A few of the younger actors were miscast and I would have liked to have seen Catherine Walsh, Garrett Lombard and Anna Healy in some of bigger roles. While the costuming was historically accurate, Francis O'Connor's set, which dispensed with a lot of the usual period details made the plays feel very contemporary and modern. A lot of the actor's interpretations of the characters felt very fresh. A magnificent Juno and the Paycock was the jewel in the crown. Catherine Walsh's Mrs. Tancred was the most powerful I've ever seen. Though they were very much ensemble pieces Hilda Fay as both Bessie and Juno towered magnificently. I agree with you about the miscast, a little unusal for Druid as they always have really good actors. Garrett Lombard's father passed away during the rehersals for this, so I wonder if that had anythng to do with him not having bigger roles, especially as he is a Druid core member. The Irish president attended the trilogy last week, he has always been a huge supporter of the arts. But still nice to see a head of state watching all three in one day! |
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Post by lookingatthestars on Nov 14, 2023 14:05:29 GMT
Druid are touring 'Shadow of a Gunman, on its own next Feb/March. Just Irish dates so far. Same prdouction and cast (apart from one actor I think)
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Post by bordeaux on Nov 21, 2023 20:56:36 GMT
All sounds fantastic. Reminds me I saw Sam Mendes' production of the Plough and the Stars at the Young Vic in 1991 with Judi Dench, a brilliant night as I recall. There were a couple of superb productions of Juno in the 90s too, one at the NT (actually 1989 Google tells me directed by Peter Gill), I think and one in the West End, but I've never seen Shadow of a Gunman.
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Post by lookingatthestars on Nov 25, 2023 11:42:38 GMT
Oh, would have dearly loved to see Dame Judi in this
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Post by lookingatthestars on Apr 25, 2024 12:46:49 GMT
This may be of interest to any of you who saw the show. 'What is the Stars'- an art exbhibition of paintings of the tech reherdals of 'Druid O Casey' at the Moleswoth Gallery in Dublin. You can view them online too. Brings back memories of the production. Click on the 'works' tab to see all the paitings. molesworthgallery.com/exhibitions/110-mick-o-dea-what-is-the-stars/overview/ |
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