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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2019 13:21:29 GMT
My husband is a huge Gaiman fan and I’ve been getting glowering looks since he discovered that this is on from December 3rd to January 25th and is essentially sold out.
So now I am considered Top Wife because I randomly discovered that 11 tickets have gone on sale for the 24th January performance.
Having got two, I am now sharing the news.
Am interested. Why no thread for this? I would have thought (based on ticket sales alone) this might be popular.
(Feel free to merge if I have just missed a thread.)
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Post by MrBraithwaite on Dec 2, 2019 13:55:51 GMT
I don't think there was one yet.
Booked this ages ago on Gaiman's name alone. Have since (re)read the book and found it quite...weird/bland/without a message? Will be interesting to see how they stage it.
I remember when I booked the seating started quite a few rows back from the normal layout, so not many tickets available for any given date maybe?
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Post by TallPaul on Dec 2, 2019 14:07:05 GMT
It may be too close to Christmas, but there is a platform with the man himself, @happysooz, on 18 December.
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Post by rockinrobin on Dec 2, 2019 14:29:20 GMT
I booked and am going in early January but I have to say I'm not a big fan of the book (although yes, a big fan of Neil Gaiman). I agree it is a bit bland. We'll see.
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Post by peggs on Dec 2, 2019 17:21:12 GMT
Due to go sat for which I assume is a preview, I can't remember. Was honestly hoping to hear something bad so could return, mostly based on cold, darkness and need for sleep. Have read this but wasn't wowed, haven't read anything else but got persuaded by cousin as her friend is involved somehow.
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Post by craig on Dec 4, 2019 10:40:31 GMT
The artwork for this is stunning. I've been admiring it for a while, but I don't think it's my kind of thing.
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Post by peggs on Dec 7, 2019 22:55:14 GMT
Is this a kids book? I believe it has a 12 + recommendation but most kids there tonight were younger, as young us 6 I'd say. The boy in front of me made a quick escape at the interval. The one to the right of him ended up hiding underneath his mother's arms.
Since so many kids came in clutching bags of very loud popcorn I'm assuming the national in its wisdom was selling them. Family to my left, two kids munched incredibly loudly. When the elder finished she shushed her younger brother for being loud which seemed a bit rich as he was no louder than she had been. Their parents ignored them.
So apart from that which with a rather slow beginning did distract me quite a lot. I've read this but only once and have vague ideas of what happened rather than knowing it well so I don't know what might have been missed or amended. I think you're probably best going in knowing as little as possible as to what to expect so I won't say much. In parts it made me think of various other productions, curious incident, war horse, cursed child. Didn't really get drawn into second half of first half. Interval comes on a strong end to first half and the second flies. Visually, movement, light, sound it's really clever. Not really an experience like anything else for me. Would recommend.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 7, 2019 23:31:14 GMT
I saw this Friday night and agree the artwork is stunning but the play isn’t.
Also agree with pegs it did get me thinking of curious incident.
My overwhelming thought is that the director concentrated too much on making every part a spectacular moment, but rather forgot to tell the actual story. So there is the bare bones a show that is poorly directed.
1 Star
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Post by londonpostie on Dec 7, 2019 23:51:32 GMT
It stuck me as a kind of anti-Panto, or at least Panto alternative seasonal offering. So I didn't book it.
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Post by MrBraithwaite on Dec 9, 2019 8:37:51 GMT
My overwhelming thought is that the director concentrated too much on making every part a spectacular moment, but rather forgot to tell the actual story. So there is the bare bones a show that is poorly directed. 1 Star Seeing this next week, but that's what I expected all along...a visual spectacle of some kind, concentrating on some of the moments from the book...because imo there isn't much story there to tell. 1 star sounds terrible though... also wondered about the age recommendation, 12+ sounds fairly hard-core for a show like this, but maybe younger kids will be bored to death? Will be interesting to see and compare to Narnia at the Bridge the next day, looking forward to it.  |
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Post by peggs on Dec 9, 2019 12:33:08 GMT
I think the age recommendation is due to content and potential fear factors rather than boredom. On reflection I did wonder how much I'd remember after a while that wasn't visuals etc. but I think I engaged better than I did with the book. I would probably give 4 stars for it as a whole.
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Post by crowblack on Dec 9, 2019 16:27:59 GMT
I've just returned a balcony ticket for press night if anyone's interested - I can't make it to London this week.
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Post by kathryn on Dec 10, 2019 23:39:35 GMT
We loved this tonight! Wonderful use of staging and movement, convincing performances, and a couple of real gut-punch moments that I won’t spoil.
It’s definitely too intense for the under-12s but the teenagers in the audience tonight lapped it up.
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Post by althea on Dec 14, 2019 0:11:59 GMT
This is honestly one of the most amazing beautiful productions I’ve ever seen at The National. The theatricality and the puppetry blew me away. The story is moving and funny and gripping. This is going to be the next big hit for the National. It’s Curious Incident but even better. Get one of the few remaining tickets NOW!
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Post by intoanewlife on Dec 14, 2019 0:18:09 GMT
Am going Tuesday night, can't wait!
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Post by jampot on Dec 14, 2019 0:25:48 GMT
This is honestly one of the most amazing beautiful productions I’ve ever seen at The National. The theatricality and the puppetry blew me away. The story is moving and funny and gripping. This is going to be the next big hit for the National. It’s Curious Incident but even better. Get one of the few remaining tickets NOW! Now I am excited! There tomorrow pm... |
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Post by intoanewlife on Dec 17, 2019 23:58:28 GMT
I didn't like this AT ALL!
How anyone could compare it to Curious Incident is beyond me...
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Post by couldileaveyou on Dec 18, 2019 2:03:39 GMT
Saw it a couple of weeks ago and found it enjoyable and watchable, but nothing more. It doesn't do anything we haven't seen done before and better. Everyone but me (and the lady at my right, who slept soundly through the first act and didn't show up for the second) seemed to love it tho, so I'm clearly in the minority here.
***
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Post by zahidf on Dec 23, 2019 22:20:43 GMT
I thought this was great! Liked the story and special effects
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Post by blobble84 on Dec 23, 2019 23:12:34 GMT
I thought the first act was a solid 3*, but went down to 2* after the interval. All just a bit dull and pointless in my opinion. Not a particularly engaging story, although there were a handful of nice lighting and staging effects.
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Post by lichtie on Dec 28, 2019 9:46:07 GMT
I thought this was fine when I saw it a couple of weeks ago but not something I'm likely to remember much of long term - did wonder if the younger kids (and there were a lot) would find elements too extreme but they all seemed entranced....
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Post by rockinrobin on Jan 3, 2020 0:20:22 GMT
I have to say I found it really enjoyable (and I'm not the biggest fan of the book). I think it's a bit more dark and nostalgic than the novel - also quite scary at times (on the other hand, two very young girls seated next to me seemed completely unperturbed while I - not very young anymore, I'm afraid - was jumping in my seat). Without spoiling, I don't think I'm going to have a bath tonight...
It's very cleverly staged, the effects with a touch of magic and the lighting are quite impressive. Oh, and I loved the opening scene. Very simple and yet very moving.
It's not a life-changing show but I think it's worth seeing. It can bring back some childhood memories (or fantasies, rather.)
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Post by MrBraithwaite on Jan 6, 2020 12:20:37 GMT
Saw it before Christmas, found the book quite meaningless and pointless, just created a bit of atmosphere. As the adaptation is very faithful to the book the same can be said about the play. Nice design and some nice puppetry, but definitely not something for the ages. Surprisingly scary sometimes (young boy had to leave with his grandfather during Act 1 the row in front of me).
Also found the seating in this configuration at the Dorfman quite uncomfortable and crammed. 5/10
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Post by david on Jan 11, 2020 18:23:44 GMT
Saw this at today’s matinee and as my first theatre show of the new year, I had a great time watching this. I thought the set design by Fly Davis was excellent and combined with a great lighting and sound design by Paule Constable and Ian Dickinson really helped create a really nice production. Loved the bits of magic and illusions that where used.
The effectiveness of puppets in theatre has been a mixed bag for me (great in the Lion King, but a let down in the NT’s Pinocchio). For this production I thought they were well designed and used to help drive the plot forward.
Having watched The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe at the Bridge theatre last month, I certainly got more out of today’s performance than the Bridge viewing when comparing the two pieces in relation to telling a fantasy genre story on stage. Director Katy Rudd for me managed to strike a good balance between the more darker elements of the story with bits of humour at the right time.
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Post by andrew on Jan 12, 2020 12:24:31 GMT
I thought this was completely brilliant. Wonderfully created, beautifully acted, inventive and entertaining throughout. Exactly the sort of family show the NT should be putting on.
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