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Post by frauleinsallybowles on Apr 17, 2024 14:08:58 GMT
Just seen that they are doing £25 day seats for this—does anyone know if they are the same seats every day? I can see a stalls G ticket for tonight for example
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Post by jakobo on Apr 20, 2024 19:12:28 GMT
Just seen that they are doing £25 day seats for this—does anyone know if they are the same seats every day? I can see a stalls G ticket for tonight for example I’ve seen various seats across all levels. I guess they offer whatever’s left. |
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Post by jm25 on Apr 23, 2024 21:18:57 GMT
Picked up a great day seat yesterday (2nd row dress circle) but really struggled with this. It felt far too one-note in its misery and was certainly far too long. Particularly in the final act, every time I thought it was about to end, another character walked on and it'd go on for another 15 minutes! Didn't feel invested enough in any of the characters to care much about them or how they felt about each other.
That said, even at university I loathed lots of the mid-century American plays I had to read, so it may just be the case that this type of play is not for me. (Same probably goes for the lady I overheard on the way out who said she fell asleep.) Still, for £25 I don't regret going!
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Post by jm25 on Apr 23, 2024 21:26:41 GMT
Just seen that they are doing £25 day seats for this—does anyone know if they are the same seats every day? I can see a stalls G ticket for tonight for example I’ve seen various seats across all levels. I guess they offer whatever’s left. Brian Cox was on This Morning today and mentioned that there are 50 £25 seats available every day. I looked at the day seats on a few occasions and I don't think there were ever anywhere near that many! The first few times I checked it was mainly box seats available. Yesterday, presumably because it was a Monday, there were a few available across the stalls and dress circle. |
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Post by theatre22 on Apr 23, 2024 21:59:32 GMT
I managed to get a day ticket for tonight’s performance. Checked availability at 10.30am and there definitely weren’t 50 seats on offer and none were in the stalls. 2 boxes of 2 were available and some in the dress and upper circle. My ticket was second row of the dress circle. Good view and thought the first half went by quite quickly but it does drag towards the end of the second half and the seats are quite cramped so was uncomfortable towards the end. Finished at 10.20 this evening.
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Post by aspieandy on Apr 23, 2024 22:33:27 GMT
I was there, as well!
Imo, unless you are able to fully commit this could turn out to be more ordeal than pleasure. I just wasn't in the right frame of mind tonight though, on this viewing, I’m inclined to think it doesn’t so much need scene cuts as O’Neil needed a strong-minded script editor.
Sure it covers ground, but really not over 3 hours never mind 4.
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Post by nash16 on Apr 23, 2024 22:38:59 GMT
We were all there tonight it seems.
Had a pre booked stalls seat, so was nice and up close. It did drag at times, but I felt, as others have said, that Patricia Clarkson really delivered.
One potentially controversial question though: are Clarkson and Cox wearing ear pieces?
Cox especially at times seemed unnecessarily stilted, and from Row B they both, at times, gave the appearance of having lines fed to them.
Anyone else suspected this?
It is a long play and Cox especially had a lot of lines.
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Post by Being Alive on Apr 23, 2024 22:58:57 GMT
Yes they both have earpieces.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Apr 24, 2024 8:00:46 GMT
Now they're also doing rush on todaytix
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Post by Jan on Apr 24, 2024 8:30:30 GMT
One potentially controversial question though: are Clarkson and Cox wearing ear pieces? Cox especially at times seemed unnecessarily stilted, and from Row B they both, at times, gave the appearance of having lines fed to them. I wonder how frequently that happens ? I thought at one point McKellen was taking lines in Henry IV and someone in the business told me they thought he definitely was. It's better than an audible prompt I suppose, a good use of newer technology. There was a controversy at the NT years ago when it turned out an actor was reading it all off a teleprompter - I think that's more of an issue. |
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Post by youngoffender on Apr 24, 2024 16:29:51 GMT
I don't see how it's possible to act a part properly if you are having your lines fed through an earpiece. Fundamentally it's the same as doing it with a script in your hand. If you are fully inhabiting a character, the lines should come from you as if they are a wholly organic thought or response: for that to happen, you need to have absorbed the text so completely that the words come unbidden.
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Post by Being Alive on Apr 24, 2024 16:36:21 GMT
Angela Lansbury did a cracking job of it in Blithe Spirit 🤷🏻♂️
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Post by kate8 on Apr 24, 2024 18:08:10 GMT
I saw it this afternoon, front row. Having read this thread beforehand, I looked for earpieces and couldn’t see them, so either they are very discreet or perhaps were only used for the earlier performances. I didn’t see any other indications that they were being fed lines. Both leads occasionally stumbled, but nothing major or that took me out of the play.
I liked this a lot, especially (as others have said) Patricia Clarkson. I‘ve seen a mixed bag of new plays recently, so it was nice to see a good play revived straightforwardly.
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Post by nash16 on Apr 26, 2024 2:10:16 GMT
Angela Lansbury did a cracking job of it in Blithe Spirit 🤷🏻♂️ She really did. When we mooted earpieces at the interval, Angela and her Princess Leia wig buns (perfect for hiding any hint of earpieces she could have got a full set of headphones under there tbh) were mentioned. No stumbling on lines for her. Whereas it seems Cox & Clarkson were both being thrown by the voices in their ears. Such a shame. |
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Post by adamkinsey on Apr 26, 2024 10:49:27 GMT
Angela Lansbury did a cracking job of it in Blithe Spirit 🤷🏻♂️ She really did. When we mooted earpieces at the interval, Angela and her Princess Leia wig buns (perfect for hiding any hint of earpieces she could have got a full set of headphones under there tbh) were mentioned. No stumbling on lines for her. Whereas it seems Cox & Clarkson were both being thrown by the voices in their ears. Such a shame. Friend of mine worked on Blithe Spirit and says it's the happiest show he's ever done due to Angela Lansbury being so down-to-earth and so much fun. She did indeed have earpieces although she didn't use them to a great extent which seems to be the case with Cox and Clarkson. Having seen both you'd never have known when/if Lansbury took a prompt whereas with Cox and Clarkson it's very clear. |
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Post by theatremiss on Apr 27, 2024 7:40:54 GMT
Should I be taking a pillow to either sit on or snooze on this afternoon?
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Post by nottobe on Apr 28, 2024 9:28:12 GMT
When this was announced last year I was intrigued to see it based on the cast but also a quite cautious as I’ve never seen an O’Neil before and had heard how long and gruelling they can be. I’ve also had bad experiences with other American classics I found very dull so knew if I saw it I needed a cheap ticket. I had managed to get a day seat online for £25 (looking at other dates it is £150 so I’m very happy) for the matinee and went in with caution.
But I have to say I was won over by this play. As a text itself it is so good and I can see why it is regarded as a classic. I was reflecting on the train back that story wise not much happened but O’Neil manages to add so much dimension and impact into it. I was personally never bored throughout.
The production is also very strong with a great ensemble cast. As mentioned Clarkson is the highlight and it is in the second half where she shines becoming a the ghost like Mary the characters talk about. Her final monologue too is a moment I found very powerful and deserved a standing ovation alone. The younger cast members were also just as strong and carried this play so well. I was very glad to see Cox onstage as he really is such a great stage actor and magnetic to watch. As the play went on though he did seem to give up on the American accent and we had a very Scottish Tyrone.
Maybe this production itself is not quite perfect but is very strong. I’m so glad I gave this play a chance and if you are unsure to see it I would say go.
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Post by Marwood on Apr 28, 2024 15:27:03 GMT
Brian Cox is doing an audience event at the Leicester Square Theatre on the afternoon of June 2nd including a meet and greet (that I have booked for): I’ve booked a front row seat to see this mid-May so I can meet him knowing he won’t shout out ‘f*** OFF!’ if he asks me if I’ve seen it and I respond in the negative(he might just do that anyway though 🤣)
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Post by aspieandy on Apr 28, 2024 16:31:25 GMT
If you want a f*** offf, ask him about the great Nicola Sturgeon and how Scotland is "ripe" for independance.
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Post by Marwood on May 18, 2024 19:35:41 GMT
Saw it this afternoon: yes it was too long, I had a front row seat right in the middle and the view was excellent (apart from a couple of things I couldn’t see but I think everyone in the stalls would have missed out too) but after two and a half hour hours my neck was feeling cranky. Excellent performances all round but Cox seemed to be booming most of his lines like he was performing at an Enormodome and Clarkson, although it is revealed that Mary has ‘issues’ seemed to be a bit too relentless speaking her lines, and tripped over them a couple of times.
The actual play, not an awful lot happens except a family arguing for the bulk of it, and it’s not got many ‘fun’ moments but I’m glad I got to see it without paying a fortune but I don’t think I’d want to see another production of this.
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Post by nash16 on May 18, 2024 19:48:24 GMT
Saw it this afternoon: yes it was too long, I had a front row seat right in the middle and the view was excellent (apart from a couple of things I couldn’t see but I think everyone in the stalls would have missed out too) but after two and a half hour hours my neck was feeling cranky. Excellent performances all round but Cox seemed to be booming most of his lines like he was performing at an Enormodome and Clarkson, although it is revealed that Mary has ‘issues’ seemed to be a bit too relentless speaking her lines, and tried over them a couple of times. The actual play, not an awful lot happens except a family arguing for the bulk of it, and it’s not got many ‘fun’ moments but I’m glad I got to see it without paying a fortune but I didn’t nt think I’d want to see another production of this. Sounds like they still haven't got used to their earpieces then... |
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Post by mrbarnaby on May 19, 2024 9:15:38 GMT
She really did. When we mooted earpieces at the interval, Angela and her Princess Leia wig buns (perfect for hiding any hint of earpieces she could have got a full set of headphones under there tbh) were mentioned. No stumbling on lines for her. Whereas it seems Cox & Clarkson were both being thrown by the voices in their ears. Such a shame. Friend of mine worked on Blithe Spirit and says it's the happiest show he's ever done due to Angela Lansbury being so down-to-earth and so much fun. She did indeed have earpieces although she didn't use them to a great extent which seems to be the case with Cox and Clarkson. Having seen both you'd never have known when/if Lansbury took a prompt whereas with Cox and Clarkson it's very clear. I also have a chum who worked on Blithe Spirit and absolutely adored Angela Lansbury. Some days when they were testing her earpiece, she would sing Beauty and the Beast as part of her warm up. Glorious lady |
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Post by jr on May 22, 2024 16:50:11 GMT
Just out of today's matinée.
This play has been on my list for a while. I liked it but not sure it is the best production.
I agree with most people here that Patricia Clarkson is the standout. Natural acting and very moving. I also liked Daryl McCormack and Louisa Harlan. Brian Cox is obviously a good actor but he seemed on automatic pilot and shouts some lines/words randomly. Laurie Kynaston is not an actor I like; this was the third time I see him on stage and find his technique distracting and shallow.
On reviews and on this forum, running time was 3 1/2 hours. It was 3 hours today, as advertised on website.
Where is the 1/2 hour gone? Just speeding it up or shortening transitions wouldn't give you a 30 minute cut, I think. Also after press night it is not common to make such significant changes.
I will watch the film version with Katherine Hepburn. I've had the DVD for years but been waiting to see it on stage first. I can see there is a new film of it with Jessica Lange, but not sure if it is a recorded live production or a proper film.
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Post by prefab on May 29, 2024 16:21:16 GMT
I saw today's matinee in a cheap-ish seat up in the Grand Circle, so this might be coloring my view, but I strongly disagree with the consensus on this board about Cox and Clarkson. I thought Cox was absolutely perfect in the role (which of course was based closely on O'Neill's own father, a Shakespearean actor who got rich and famous playing The Count of Monte Cristo onstage for years). Even if he was loudly declaiming his lines--and where I was sitting, it didn't sound too loud--I felt like that was completely in keeping with the character of James Tyrone.
But Clarkson was so understated that the play lost a lot of its emotional impact. With her low-key performance, Mary's morphine-induced ravings sound more like the discontentment of a typical long-suffering wife. So the more gothic elements of the play--the horror that her husband and sons feel seeing her like this, the fact that she's frequently described as being like a ghost--make little sense when we see Clarkson acting fairly normal.
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Post by orchidman on May 30, 2024 22:28:39 GMT
Long Day's Journey is supposed to be a brutal evening at the theatre but not like this.
If you told me that all the actors had learnt their parts and rehearsed in isolation and never met before the performance then I think I might actually have believed you.
It didn't feel for a second like Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson had been married for 35 years, or that either of the younger men were their sons or each other's brother. (That terribly old-fashioned idea of casting actors who look like they could actually be related might just have something going for it.)
Brian Cox is believable as a hammy actor and Daryl McCormack is believable as an uncharismatic actor without either of them threatening to give effective performances. Cox seems to believe that ACTING BIG is all that is required which means BEING LOUD at random intervals regardless of the MEANING OF THE WORDS. Presumably Jeremy Herrin didn't have the guts to tell him to actually think about the text. Laurie Kynaston is far too modern in how he plays it and is another weak link.
The set is completely lacking in the requisite atmosphere and the use of music and sound effects could hardly be more basic.
Herrin completely fails to control the necessary gear shifts so that the result is one long note, a great play rendered repetitive and inconsequential.
It is at least not quite as bad as when Rebecca Frecknall murdered Streetcar as there is one effective scene between Patricia Clarkson and Louisa Harland.
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