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Post by theatrelover123 on Aug 8, 2024 21:20:22 GMT
Superb writing - and excitingly directed and acted - well deserving of a WE transfer.@sohoplace? Maybe before/after The Baker’s Wife and Kyoto go there |
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7,193 posts
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Post by Jon on Aug 9, 2024 21:12:01 GMT
First time at the Orange Tree Theatre and it is a lovely little theatre, I knew it'd be small but to be that close to the actors is very special.
As for Red Speedo, it's a great play which is funny, intense and dark. I was impressed by Finn Cole as Ray considering this is his professional stage debut and in a red speedo as well. Ray is a character who does come across as a bit thick but rather than laugh at him, you feel sorry for him as the play progresses because it seems like he's being taken advantage by two of the three characters even though they are trying in a misguided way trying to help him.
The rest of the cast are great especially Ciaràn Owens as Ray's slimy lawyer brother Peter and Fraser James as Coach. I've been critical of Matthew Dunster in the past but his direction was good here even though I wasn't keen on the klaxons which is down to the script rather than him, the set design is simple but effective with the pool being the centrepiece, how they got that in the OT would be interesting to know. There were a few stage tricks which I couldn't work how they did them in such an intimate setting, I think I know how one of them but not the other but if anyone could put it in spoilers, that would be great.
I hope Finn Cole does more theatre and it's great that the first visit to the OT was with a great play.
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1,500 posts
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Post by Steve on Aug 9, 2024 21:55:28 GMT
There were a few stage tricks which I couldn't work how they did them in such an intimate setting, I think I know how one of them but not the other but if anyone could put it in spoilers, that would be great. One thing I discovered in the post show talk was. . . that there are blood bags hidden at the side of the stage and Ciaran Owens collects them while we are looking at another character and then surreptitiously passes them to Finn Cole while they are fighting lol.
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7,193 posts
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Post by Jon on Aug 9, 2024 22:02:51 GMT
There were a few stage tricks which I couldn't work how they did them in such an intimate setting, I think I know how one of them but not the other but if anyone could put it in spoilers, that would be great. One thing I discovered in the post show talk was. . . that there are blood bags hidden at the side of the stage and Ciaran Owens collects them while we are looking at another character and then surreptitiously passes them to Finn Cole while they are fighting lol.
The fake vomit looked watery due to the fact it cleaned up well with a towel, I assume it's water mixed with colouring |
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644 posts
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Post by jek on Aug 10, 2024 12:32:40 GMT
http://instagram.com/p/C-fHWHTIBdh Instagram link doesn't appear to work. But it is worth looking at Anna Fleischle's instagram page for today for her designs for this production. |
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Post by jonnymb on Aug 10, 2024 13:13:45 GMT
Just to add fuel to the @sohoplace transfer rumours - Nica Burns is in watching this afternoon
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7,193 posts
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Post by Jon on Aug 10, 2024 13:54:32 GMT
It's interesting that it didn't sell out the run straight away, there were still a handful of tickets available when I booked the day after the reviews came out, they helped a lot but I wonder if Florence Pugh raving about it on Instagram helped as well?
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Post by lt on Aug 10, 2024 14:54:37 GMT
It's interesting that it didn't sell out the run straight away, there were still a handful of tickets available when I booked the day after the reviews came out, they helped a lot but I wonder if Florence Pugh raving about it on Instagram helped as well? Might have helped, but then in my experience any OT production with excellent reviews tends to sell out. |
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Post by iwanttix on Aug 10, 2024 15:08:20 GMT
It seemed to have a fair few tickets still available until it actually opened and reviews started to filter through.
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Post by Jan on Aug 10, 2024 17:07:31 GMT
It's interesting that it didn't sell out the run straight away, there were still a handful of tickets available when I booked the day after the reviews came out, they helped a lot but I wonder if Florence Pugh raving about it on Instagram helped as well? New plays are a very very hard sell at the OT, their regular core audience are not keen on them and won’t book in advance. I suppose it takes good reviews to induce them to book and also draw in a wider audience. |
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Post by Jan on Aug 10, 2024 17:15:42 GMT
Yeah other than the places already mentioned inexpensive in Richmond means the chains or fast food. Even in the pubs main courses start at £20 for the most part. Try The Sun Inn just round the corner from the OT - standard Fuller’s pub but it’s mains are half that price and are good pub standard - it’s the best value pub food in the whole of London. |
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Post by jr on Aug 10, 2024 21:00:22 GMT
This was a disappointment. My expectations were high after reading the comments here. To start with, it is advertised as 90 minutes; it started at 19.37 and finished at 20.51. That’s 1 hour and 15 minutes. The play is too short for all the topics it touches on: loyalty, high competitive sports, love, being disadvantaged, and probably more. The dialogue is good and sounds natural, maybe because the author is also an actor.
I have to say that I found the acting really good. But not so sure about the interaction between the players. There were a couple of occasions when some rapid arguments were too mechanical: I got the impression they were not listening to each other, and I mean the actors, not the characters.
The swimming pool was more of a bathtub and the set wasn’t particularly impressive. As for realism, Finn Cole is far too short (172cm) to be believable as an Olympic swimmer (average of 188cm). Not even on drugs he would be able break national records.
I had seen A doll’s house 2 and didn’t specially enjoyed it so I’m afraid that’s Lucas Hnath for me.
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Post by merrilywereadalong on Aug 11, 2024 6:02:55 GMT
This was my first Lucas Hnath and maybe it was just because my expectations were set a bit too high based off some of the reviews on here but I found this to be the most 3 star of 3 star plays. Like not bad, actors were all very good (most of all the actress in her one scene, really left an impression) but at it's best, this was an extremely safe, subscription audience friendly, goes-exactly-where-you-think-it's-gonna-go, play it by numbers, surface level play (save for maaaybe the ending of the last scene which surprised me, though that I think that had more to do with the staging, but then it just ends) and at worst this felt like a mediocre grad school attempt at writing David Mamet style.
Also, and I know that on the list of theatrical offensives this is pretty low on the totem pole but this makes the third play I've seen at OT in the last six months where despite still jumping to their feet at the end, I'd say a fourth of the front row was visibly struggling to stay awake. Slightly awkward. Special shout out to the woman who kept nodding off, would get prodded by her partner trying to wake her up to just whisper loudly "STOOOOOPPPP" that was genuinely more amusing and suspenseful than anything in the play.
Oh and yes, add me to the chorus of those who DESPISED the klaxons and found it to be the most grating unnecessary effect.
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Post by jr on Aug 11, 2024 6:26:13 GMT
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Post by lt on Aug 11, 2024 10:09:42 GMT
It's interesting that it didn't sell out the run straight away, there were still a handful of tickets available when I booked the day after the reviews came out, they helped a lot but I wonder if Florence Pugh raving about it on Instagram helped as well? New plays are a very very hard sell at the OT, their regular core audience are not keen on them and won’t book in advance. I suppose it takes good reviews to induce them to book and also draw in a wider audience. Here in America seems to be selling pretty well. |
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Post by asfound on Aug 11, 2024 14:25:09 GMT
I didn't like it that much either. The set design and klaxons were fine, but it felt too Netflix-young-adult-y, not enough depth, not enough character, a little bland. The rhythm of the dialogue, especially with the coach, felt off - far too awkward and mechanical to feel natural, which might have worked if they went full Mamet throughout, but it just wasn't fluid enough and didn't mesh with the other interactions. The signs everywhere announcing the blood and vomit also spoiled any shock or surprise of the ending. No idea why they can't just have these listed online or have signs to enquire from staff about trigger warnings?
All in all it was a forgettable and mildly entertaining hour and a bit, but I wouldn't say worth a long journey to the depths of West London. I remember seeing Cougar here a while ago, thought that was far more up my alley.
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Post by Jan on Aug 11, 2024 14:38:13 GMT
New plays are a very very hard sell at the OT, their regular core audience are not keen on them and won’t book in advance. I suppose it takes good reviews to induce them to book and also draw in a wider audience. Here in America seems to be selling pretty well. Bit of a cross-over, Arthur Miller, David Edgar - names the OT regulars have heard of. Even I booked it and I’ve only been to one new play in the last decade or so. |
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Post by Jon on Aug 11, 2024 14:42:35 GMT
Here in America seems to be selling pretty well. Bit of a cross-over, Arthur Miller, David Edgar - names the OT regulars have heard of. Even I booked it and I’ve only been to one new play in the last decade or so. Shaun Evans is a draw as well given he's known for Endeavour. |
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Post by lt on Aug 11, 2024 16:31:23 GMT
Bit of a cross-over, Arthur Miller, David Edgar - names the OT regulars have heard of. Even I booked it and I’ve only been to one new play in the last decade or so. Shaun Evans is a draw as well given he's known for Endeavour. The OT seems to have a strong track record in attracting well-known actors. |
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Post by chadexx on Aug 17, 2024 11:31:11 GMT
Having seen and enjoyed Red Speedo I was set to thinking how many plays are set around a swimming' There was Steaming set in a steam bath and Ayckbourn's Man of the Moment which includes the wonderful direction 'actor enters swimming"
There must be more~~?
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Post by Dave B on Aug 17, 2024 11:50:21 GMT
Having seen and enjoyed Red Speedo I was set to thinking how many plays are set around a swimming' There was Steaming set in a steam bath and Ayckbourn's Man of the Moment which includes the wonderful direction 'actor enters swimming" There must be more~~? Daddy at Almeida had quite a swimming pool. |
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Post by jasper on Aug 30, 2024 17:39:08 GMT
Having seen and enjoyed Red Speedo I was set to thinking how many plays are set around a swimming' There was Steaming set in a steam bath and Ayckbourn's Man of the Moment which includes the wonderful direction 'actor enters swimming" There must be more~~? The Bridewell Theatre in London is an redundant swimming pool. Frogs by Sondheim was set in a swimming pool in its original form. I saw a production of An Enemy Of the People at the Lyric Hammersmith set at the bottom of a disused swimming pool. A production of The Lady From The Sea at the Roundhouse transferred from Manchester with Vanessa Redgrave was set in the middle of a tank of water. I remember the stagehands had to roll up their trouser legs and wade in to an island in the middle. It was similar for a version at the Donmar in what looked like a fish tank. Not quite a swimming pool. There was the infamous set at the National for Way Upstream set on a boat. The stage was flooded for a boat to float on it and it kept leaking. There was a production of Morte D' Arthur where the stage was flooded at the end while the actors continued to perform as the water rose to knee level. At the front of the stage was perspex for us to enjoy the view. Maybe a bit far from being actually set around a swimming pool. I seem to remember a Mozart opera set around a swimming pool. |
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Post by Dawnstar on Aug 31, 2024 12:49:19 GMT
I seem to remember a Mozart opera set around a swimming pool. Probably not the one you're thinking of but the ROH's production of La Finta Giardiniera back in 2006 had a large pool across the fron of the stage, though I think it was more a pond than a swimming pool. |
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