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Post by crowblack on Aug 18, 2017 12:46:00 GMT
I feel like we can expect great things from Erin in the future. Totally! I first saw her in Wish List at the Royal Exchange last year and it was one of those great moments when you see a new actor and they're instantly captivating. She's also in I am Rachel Corrie (I think it's a one-woman play) at the Young Vic in October. |
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Post by michalnowicki on Aug 18, 2017 13:43:57 GMT
I saw both parts last week and the oddest thing was that for a 5 1/2 hour play the ending seemed rushed and not thought out. It leaves huge questions (and not in a good way) and ignores what I felt was the central concept in the whole play. the entire last half hour could be cut as it feels irrelevant to the rest of the story. Its an interseting premise with a huge and obvious debt to The Handmaids Tale and there are some impresive performances, especially Erin Doherty. I wouldnt rush to see it at the Old Vic but if you're passing and have 5 1/2 hours to kill then drop in. I agree with you about the ending {Spoiler}I think it is because Soween didn't feel like writing in her diary after the events at the Lovers Pool. It would be more interesting to see how was the Divide removed? What caused it? Was it only removed in Salisbury? What happened with the Preacher? It didn't have to be related through Soween's diary, it could've been meeting minutes and e-mails.
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Post by Jan on Aug 18, 2017 21:04:17 GMT
I will make up my own mind on this if and when I am able to see this. But I don't get all this Ayckbourn-hate, sometimes I think he is being penalised for being so prolific and/or successful. Throughout his career he has often demonstrated rather more subtlety than he is credited for and as a master of his craft a lot of aspiring playwrights would do well to note his often imaginative use of a stage. There is far more to drama than two guys talking earnestly to each other across a stage. When I was a teenager I rather resented Ayckbourn and thought he was one step up from "Carry On". Luckily, I grew up. Long may he continue. I think in 50 years time the Ayckbourn plays that get revived will be Relatively Speaking and a couple of others, none of his more non-mainstream stuff will survive. That of course puts him way ahead of the vast majority of living playwrights who will be lucky to see any of their plays revived once never mind in 50 years time. |
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Post by TallPaul on Aug 19, 2017 12:39:13 GMT
In about 500 years there will probably be a "Royal Ayckbourn Company" who will be based in Scarborough and sometimes do productions in London. The obscure stuff will sell out and everyone will moan about yet another revival of "Bedroom Farce." The way the cliffs keep falling into the sea, in 500 years time there probably won't be a Scarborough anymore. And in the same way that the RSC is based in Shakespeare's birthplace, the RAC should really be based in London. BTW, now he's getting on, Sir Alan rehearses his productions from the comfort of his home; just as well, then, that he lives in four properties knocked together, one of which is, rather handily, a former school! |
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Post by Jan on Aug 19, 2017 21:20:41 GMT
It may be he is underrated as a playwright and it may also be he is underrated as a director - his production of "A View From The Bridge" with Gambon remains one of the best things I've ever seen.
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Post by n1david on Aug 20, 2017 11:24:26 GMT
Mark Shenton hinting that the Old Vic run will either be cancelled, or will be subject to a major rewrite to edit the plays into a single evening.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2017 10:48:53 GMT
That would not appear to be the case judging by the Old Vic's twitter feed
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2017 10:58:39 GMT
I must admit to having a nosy at Mr Shenton's Twitter feed to see if he had any comments on The Divide, but couldn't see any such hinting, so it must be in a different place. Any links, or more helpful information? I wouldn't mind knowing in advance if I'm going to have an unexpected afternoon or evening free.  |
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Post by n1david on Aug 21, 2017 13:07:41 GMT
I must admit to having a nosy at Mr Shenton's Twitter feed to see if he had any comments on The Divide, but couldn't see any such hinting, so it must be in a different place. Any links, or more helpful information? I wouldn't mind knowing in advance if I'm going to have an unexpected afternoon or evening free. It was in a comment made by him on Facebook, following Susannah Clapp’s Observer review as “one of the most astonishing failures I’ve seen on the stage”. He didn’t say any more than I reported above. Don’t think you can link to a specific Facebook post for reference (or if you can, don’t know how, sorry). He himself didn’t make it to The Divide as he’s been in hospital with heart problems. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2017 13:21:30 GMT
Ah, that would explain it. Thanks! And hope he gets better soon!  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2017 14:21:51 GMT
For anyone still curious, I've now had an email from the Old Vic advising that they have indeed managed to condense this down to a single show so I'll be getting a partial refund and an afternoon or evening back. Curtain times will be 1pm and 7pm which makes it sound pretty long, so I might go for the matinee myself...
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Post by crowblack on Dec 7, 2017 14:26:41 GMT
I've now had an email from the Old Vic Ditto, and not for the first time - the first two performances I booked for were cancelled and now they've rejigged it again. I've asked to keep the evening seat rather than the matinee because I'm coming from Liverpool and it'd be cutting it fine to get there for 1pm because I've already got train tickets booked (argh). I already had train tickets for the cancelled one too... |
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Post by Jan on Dec 8, 2017 6:57:41 GMT
Thanks Baemax. That wasn't generally known yet, and I was going to have to give it a miss as I didn't have time to see both parts and didn't want to just see the one. Managed to snag a ticket now - usual ones gone, but still found something cheap but good anyway . That traffic incident at the end of your post, sounds to me like it must have happened on the M62 near Hull. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2017 10:49:41 GMT
I'm booked to see this late in the run and was meant to see both parts on the same day...
Haven't yet received any e-mail confirming that the play is now just one part....
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2017 11:02:59 GMT
If it's not in your spam, maybe it's gone awry? If you look at the schedule on the website though, you'll see it's no longer presented in terms of parts 1 and 2, just The Divide. www.oldvictheatre.com/availability/the-divide My email says I should phone them on 0344 871 7628 or email them at box.office@oldvictheatre.com to discuss my options, and that I'll need my customer number as well as order number (both of which should be in your original booking email). I don't imagine there's much of a rush, as your seat will be kept off sale for both matinee and evening until you've confirmed with them what you want to do, but I want to get it sorted this weekend so I know what free time I have next February. |
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Post by theatremad on Dec 8, 2017 16:25:10 GMT
Weirdly the fact its now one part has put me off seeing this at all, was because of the 2 part structure I was going. Planning to go to John at the National and possibly Pinocchio instead on same day instead
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2017 13:44:48 GMT
I hadn't spotted till it was pointed out by The Stage that which is a nice way of spinning a slash and burn pricing policy! So if you have the option of a refund on tickets for the two part version, get the refund and rebook for £10. |
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