1,867 posts
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Post by Dave B on Jul 18, 2022 9:35:35 GMT
This was the Steiner Hall. Fully refurbed, it re-opens at the end of September
Offer on for £20 Preview tickets at the moment should that be anyone's cup of tea.
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1,863 posts
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Post by NeilVHughes on Jul 18, 2022 9:59:10 GMT
Interesting play to open with, not sure of the playwrights work, draw for me would be the new theatre rather than the production unless there are any Schiller aficionados who are able elaborate on the playwright and his work to make me seek out his work.
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Post by theoracle on Oct 3, 2022 21:11:21 GMT
Has anyone had a chance to see this yet? I feel like news of Soho Place has very much overshadowed the opening of another brand new theatre in Prime London. Heading to see it on Saturday but keen to hear other's thoughts
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Post by gibbo1956 on Oct 6, 2022 14:26:18 GMT
Saw it yesterday at the matinee. It's a big old epic story of Poland/Russia in the time of Boris Gudenov. You have to concentrate. There's lots of shouting and pointing and lots of theatrical tricks.. punk soundtrack, chucking stuff about, slow motion swirling around, that sort of thing. Some lovely costumes (in particular at the -spoiler alert- coronation). The text is good, it's in blank verse which make it sound slightly Shakespearean.
It might work better in a bigger theatre as a star turn. Here it's about a three stars.
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1,500 posts
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Post by Steve on Oct 8, 2022 12:57:47 GMT
I enjoyed it a lot. The theatre is all stalls (200 seats), with not a bad view to be had, even from the front row corner, which is where I was sitting. It's a really lovely theatre, and I'd love to see more things here, though Baker Street is SO far away from the West End, sigh (just joking). Obviously it's the fact that the Soho Place is smack in the middle of the West End that's got everybody excited about that one. As far as the play is concerned, it's very Shakespeare. There's warring and scheming, and while the warring is nothing special, the scheming is excellent. Some spoilers follow. . . The warring, featuring your usual trotting about and throwing things around, suffers from not being interspersed with Shakespeare's incredibly emotive poetic speeches. (About the most poetic speech I remember is when one chap says he's standing "on air," to suggest the bottom is falling out from under him). The scheming, though, is excellent. James Garnon, as the Papal Envoy, must have wandered through every theatre in London playing this same character, for years and years, and scheming now is like mother's milk to him. Mark Hadfield, as his Polish Prince accomplice, is also excellent, as is the chap who plays the Romanov Prince. The great good-hearted sucker of a Tsar wannabe, Tom Byrne's Dmitry, is likeable and convincingly well-meaning, but he's so out of his depth lol. Poppy Miller, who may or may not be his Mum, is very effective at carrying all the important emotions and plot points. The second half, almost pure scheming, is much better than the first half, which is overburdened with aforementioned warring, so don't leave at the interval lol. I enjoyed seeing a great new small space in London, which is missing Trafalgar 2 badly, and the play was 3 and a half stars of scheming fun for me.  |
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