19,786 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 30, 2015 16:37:12 GMT
continuation from theatreforum
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2016 14:58:59 GMT
OK, I'll kick off on this board! Saw it earlier this week - not the best version of AYLI I've seen but overall enjoyable. I thought Patsy Ferran was adorable in Treasure Island, and the same here; the owlish stares were over-done, but she's definitely one to watch. Rosalie Craig was oddly unimpactful (if that's a word) - she usually stands out a mile, but didn't seem able to do much with this.
The set was good and bad - the opening was bizarre (why were they in an office? And then why would they have a wrestling match in an office??). However I liked the transition to the forest and the lighting was fabulous - it made it cold and slightly threatening, which is probably about right.
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382 posts
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Post by stevemar on Jan 24, 2016 13:12:28 GMT
Saw this a few weeks ago, my first production of As You Like It, so I cannot comment on how funny it might have been in other productions (according to the old thread). I'm with Abby on this one. Some jarring elements such as the office wrestling, but the transition and concept of the forest was very well done. Oh, on superficial level, Joe Bannister as Orlando was adorable..
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330 posts
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Post by charliec on Jan 27, 2016 21:19:06 GMT
I'm at the show right now. Adore Patsy Ferran and agree with everyone on that transition to the forest, really impressive.
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330 posts
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Post by charliec on Jan 27, 2016 21:35:58 GMT
And they've just had to stop the show because of a horrible loud crunching sound that kept coming out of the speakers! Hopefully it'll be back up and running shortly! :s
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725 posts
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Post by theatremiss on Jan 27, 2016 21:43:50 GMT
And they've just had to stop the show because of a horrible loud crunching sound that kept coming out of the speakers! Hopefully it'll be back up and running shortly! :s Blimey you sure you weren't at the Garrick? |
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725 posts
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Post by theatremiss on Jan 27, 2016 21:47:39 GMT
I was at today's matinee. I sat there at the start looking at the set and thought "what a load of tripe"......until the transition. Ferran is bloody good, saw her in Blithe Spirit and she made so much of her role of the maid. I like Joe Bannister as Orlando. Is it only me who thinks he looks like a young Rory Kinnear? Now someone's going to tell me they're related. I think he's one to watch too. Far more enjoyable afternoon than I had evening seeing Red Velvet
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5,707 posts
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Post by lynette on Jan 27, 2016 21:57:43 GMT
I didn't see the Kinnear likeness. He was good anyway. On a related subject ( ha, see what I did there? ) is the guy called Jonathan Broadbent at the RSC playing Harley and some fop character, related to Jim Broadbent? Whatever he is stunningly good.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2016 0:08:48 GMT
I spotted the Kinnear thing too. In places it even felt like he'd taken on typical Kinnear phrasing as well!
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330 posts
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Post by charliec on Jan 28, 2016 10:02:00 GMT
And they've just had to stop the show because of a horrible loud crunching sound that kept coming out of the speakers! Hopefully it'll be back up and running shortly! :s Blimey you sure you weren't at the Garrick? Haha! I was definitely at the NT. It started up again after about 10 minutes, thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the show! |
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Post by demelza on Feb 7, 2016 2:24:38 GMT
Rory Kinnear - that's who he reminded me of!
Saw the play tonight, like others on the board it was my first experience of As You Like It. To be honest, I did find that it dragged at little up until the forest transition - although I may have felt that due to not really getting the decision to set it in some office (lab??). Patsy Ferran was definitely the stand out performance for me and I can't wait to see what she goes on to do next.
I didn't realise Fra Fee was in it (God knows how I missed that) but boy was I glad to see him on stage again - he really is brilliant.
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Post by Laineee on Feb 7, 2016 19:18:53 GMT
Can anyone give a rough running time for this please? Thinking of catching it via NT Live, but engineering works might make it tricky to get a train home afterwards if it goes much past 10:30pm.
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193 posts
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Post by demelza on Feb 7, 2016 20:27:29 GMT
Can anyone give a rough running time for this please? Thinking of catching it via NT Live, but engineering works might make it tricky to get a train home afterwards if it goes much past 10:30pm. Runs abot 2hr40, I think I was about by about 10:15 last night |
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Post by Laineee on Feb 7, 2016 20:31:10 GMT
Thank you, looks like I shall go to the ball after all!
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5,060 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Feb 7, 2016 21:22:30 GMT
Saw this yesterday and all very clever, which you would expect from the National, but judging by their last 2 Shakespeare's slightly under-powered, loved the set design how a office transformed into the forest of Arden.
Thought Mark Benton who's pat I keep on crossing was brilliant.
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Post by danielwhit on Feb 7, 2016 23:47:05 GMT
Saw AYLI at a captioned performance this afternoon. Solid production overall - with some caveats.
The first act being set in an office just did not work for me at all - couldn't see the point or what benefit this has on the text. Transition into Arden forced a show stop (tellingly the screentext even had a "technical problems" message ready) as "one of our trees has become tangled".
I completely understand the "the forest is a character" thing with the choral "oohs" and "aahs", however couldn't help but think they were a bit overindulgent with the songs installed. I get the point, but we didn't *need* a full length song to cover Adam eating before being carted off and never seen again. Couldn't help but think this would have easily cleared 10 minutes off the running time had there not been so many of these moments.
The biggest issue I had was how so much of the comedy came from visual/aural gimmicks rather than the text itself until you get to the "and I for Phoebe/Ganymede/no woman" stuff. There's plenty of humour within the text and the delivery thereof, which felt left out in place of (admittedly comical) sheep.
I struggle more and more with Rosalind as a character these days, she develops a much harsher tone as the play evolves (until the "all is rosy, it's a comedy, guv" Act 5) which doesn't sit well with me.
Performances were all generally very good - central dynamics especially. Craig/Ferran worked well together (I suspect the latter will become a big name one day) and Mark Benton lifts any production he's in.
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4,988 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Mar 5, 2016 18:28:26 GMT
Remind me never to have the Christmas menu at the NT again. First something about Alice in wonderland and then this ...
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