32 posts
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Post by amadeus on Jan 20, 2018 20:41:06 GMT
I manged to see the 3:00 matinee of this in Sheffield today. Firstly, the set is AMAZING for a touring production... For half a second I thought a train was about to nosedive into the front stalls of the Lyceum. I'd never been to the Lyceum before so it was nice to discover a theatre so beautiful on a rainy Saturday afternoon. I sat at the back of the stalls and there was no overhang. In terms of production values I truly can't fault the show. Smart use of music and lighting...
I don't think this play is particularly well written/structured. It could lose 20 odd minutes because it just doesn't feel half as dramatic as it could easily be. The cast carried it well though. I was at a captioned performance and I was quite tired because I had an exam earlier in the day, so perhaps my concentration levels had something to do with it. And I'm sure the people unwrapping sweets every 2 minutes didn't help.
Anyone else seen/seeing this??
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2,422 posts
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Post by robertb213 on Jan 20, 2018 20:56:48 GMT
Good to hear - I'm planning to see it in Aylesbury in March. I'm a fan of the Hitchcock film so I'm looking forward to seeing it on stage 😁
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19,799 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 20, 2018 21:02:58 GMT
I wasn’t going to, but I’m interested now so will book. Thanks!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2018 21:17:25 GMT
Looking forward to hopefully seeing it in B'ham week after next, should be a good show given it is a high profile production.
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700 posts
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Post by cheesy116 on Jan 20, 2018 22:42:09 GMT
It's playing at my work next week so I'll try to report back with my thoughts  |
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3,580 posts
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Post by showgirl on Jan 21, 2018 4:44:09 GMT
I was mildly interested in this until I read the Telegraph's 2-star review: www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/strangers-train-theatre-royal-brighton-touring-review-less/I do know that's just one opinion and and that as usual, they will vary; also - again as usual - there were more favourable reviews from papers local to this venue. The reason I was deterred, however, was that this production wasn't on my "must-see" list anyway, and I became interested only when I found it was touring, so I had to make a quick decision about whether to fit it in or not while it was nearby and the Telegraph's reviewer saved me spending too long trying to decide. NB: The Stage and The Times gave this 3 stars. |
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661 posts
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Post by Oleanna on Jan 21, 2018 16:24:54 GMT
I was very disappointed with the original production of this at the Gielgud, although that too had a very impressive set. Will give this a miss.
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849 posts
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Post by duncan on Jan 26, 2018 23:45:46 GMT
The set is very well done, even if its a bit wobbly, but its a tedious 125 minutes of ripe over acting from one half of the duo and stolid blankness from the other half and with neither of the leads being acted particularly well its just so hard to care about anything.
It keeps threatening to catch fire but it never does - that the biggest pop of the night was for the first appearance of Ashley from Emmerdale says it all.
Not recommended
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19,799 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 27, 2018 13:54:08 GMT
£10 off Monday to Thursday perfs at the Opera House Manchester with code SUSPENSE
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146 posts
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Post by lou on Jan 30, 2018 21:49:43 GMT
I thought the set was probably good if you were sat in the middle 5 seats of a row but had terrible sight lines from everywhere else in the auditorium.
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Post by profquatermass on Jan 31, 2018 15:10:40 GMT
I would suggest that people planning to see this, don't read the review as it contains a pretty massive spoiler. The play is very much based on the book not the film so from about an hour in all bets are off...
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19,799 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 7, 2018 22:48:05 GMT
Saw this tonight and enjoyed it very much. At the point where the “strangers” make their deal on the train a realised I’ve seen this before (probs the film) but couldn’t remember what happened thereafter so it was fine. I thought Christopher Harper who is apparently in Corrie (I don’t watch it) was excellent as the dashing but increasingly unhinged Charles Bruno.
The second act dragged a bit but I didn’t find this as clunky or cliched as these mid century thrillers and whodunnits can often be.
Really good design, nice lighting but I wish the actors had been mic’d.
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