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Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2022 11:09:57 GMT
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Post by TallPaul on Jun 27, 2022 12:19:17 GMT
Proving, once again, that in theatre it's not what you know, but who you're married to!
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Post by mkb on Jun 30, 2022 9:47:01 GMT
Anyone waiting for the public sale at noon today, I just found I could book tickets already despite not having a membership.
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Post by samuelwhiskers on Jun 30, 2022 10:18:21 GMT
He has another play on at Riverside Studios which sounds excruciating and thematically sub-Gatiss.
“After ten years of marriage, Tom and Tim decide to spice up their sex life by booking an evening in a dungeon with a gorgeous male escort. Meanwhile, crime-busting superhero, the Stallion, and his intrepid side-kick, Butterfly, have been lured to the secret lair of their arch-nemesis: the dastardly Villainor.”
Ugh nepotism sucks.
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Post by TallPaul on Sept 24, 2022 10:15:11 GMT
Also touring, though, as is often the case, there isn't much info out there at the moment. Salford and Sheffield I do know.
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Post by showgirl on Sept 24, 2022 14:06:32 GMT
Plus Guildford, for sure, as I bagged a £15 "Early Bird" ticket as soon as public booking opened. Sensibly, the Yvonne Arnaud starts this from midnight (I assume); certainly on the appointed day I can book as soon as I get up - no annoying hanging around until 10 am or worse.
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Post by anthony40 on Jan 5, 2023 15:53:09 GMT
I booked a ticket for this last night for its run at the Park Theatre
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Post by n1david on Jan 5, 2023 17:17:44 GMT
I missed this thread when it was opened but I'm sorry to say the first act of 'Horseplay' at Riverside last year was about the most excruciating hour I've ever spent in a theatre. Genuinely impressed that on the back of that he's managed to get Mark Gatiss to work with him again.
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Post by theatrelover123 on Jan 5, 2023 17:25:19 GMT
I missed this thread when it was opened but I'm sorry to say the first act of 'Horseplay' at Riverside last year was about the most excruciating hour I've ever spent in a theatre. Genuinely impressed that on the back of that he's managed to get Mark Gatiss to work with him again. Well they are married so he may not have had the choice to turn it down, lest marital strife set in  |
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Post by n1david on Jan 5, 2023 17:29:45 GMT
I missed this thread when it was opened but I'm sorry to say the first act of 'Horseplay' at Riverside last year was about the most excruciating hour I've ever spent in a theatre. Genuinely impressed that on the back of that he's managed to get Mark Gatiss to work with him again. Well they are married so he may not have had the choice to turn it down, lest marital strife set in Yes, I know, and it was referred to upthread. I was just trying to add a little extra voice to the nepotism complaint, whilst adding the information that I found their previous collaboration appalling. |
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Post by theatrelover123 on Jan 5, 2023 21:46:59 GMT
Well they are married so he may not have had the choice to turn it down, lest marital strife set in Yes, I know, and it was referred to upthread. I was just trying to add a little extra voice to the nepotism complaint, whilst adding the information that I found their previous collaboration appalling. Oh. That’s wasn’t clear |
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Post by sph on Jan 6, 2023 1:48:16 GMT
A lot of people seemed to hate Horseplay - I found it quite fun! Not terrific, but fun nonetheless.
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Post by TallPaul on Feb 3, 2023 14:30:55 GMT
Well, everyone is having a whale of a time in the trailer.
It will be nice for James Bradshaw to play a role that doesn't involve any dead bodies...as far as we know!
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Post by zephyrus on Feb 3, 2023 21:26:23 GMT
Well they are married so he may not have had the choice to turn it down, lest marital strife set in Yes, I know, and it was referred to upthread. I was just trying to add a little extra voice to the nepotism complaint, whilst adding the information that I found their previous collaboration appalling. They didn't collaborate on HorsePlay, if that's what you're saying here. It was written by Ian Hallard, yes, but Mark Gatiss didn't direct it. |
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Post by n1david on Feb 3, 2023 22:57:33 GMT
You're right and I was wrong, I don't know why I thought that Gatiss had directed HorsePlay.
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Post by Jon on Feb 3, 2023 23:05:08 GMT
You're right and I was wrong, I don't know why I thought that Gatiss had directed HorsePlay. I think Gatiss directed The Boys in the Band which Ian Hallard starred in. |
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Post by marob on Feb 3, 2023 23:19:55 GMT
You're right and I was wrong, I don't know why I thought that Gatiss had directed HorsePlay. I think Gatiss directed The Boys in the Band which Ian Hallard starred in. Adam Penford directed that, Gatiss and Hallard were both in it. |
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Post by mkb on Feb 21, 2023 2:21:52 GMT
As the cast emerged for their curtain call to the strains of Dancing Queen, you could feel the audience -- spontaneously clapping along -- willing the performers to burst into song. It was unrequited. We never get to see the tribute act, central to the story, perform.
For a show obsessing over Abba, there's precious little of their music. We are treated to snatches as the set awkwardly and slowly revolves between scenes, but the soundtrack is cut just as the first notes of the hook are heard. It's a two-hour Pr**k-tease for Abba fans.
What we have instead is a fairly conventional play, if something this gay can be described as such. There are some sharp, comic one-liners, some pathos and a little melodrama. Buried somewhere is a good story about rekindling old friendships, but it is overwhelmed by the Abba theme.
For a preview, the cast are already doing a great job in milking the maximum amount of humour from the material, although some lines were lost through not pausing until the laughter had subsided.
Programmes are promised but not ready yet. The cast list on the theatre website has Mrs Campbell played by Sara Crowe and no understudies credited, so I don't know who the black actress is who took on the role tonight, but she garnered some of the best laughs with her mannerisms as Abba's bearded Benny.
The Studio at the Rep is a soulless, large cube of a room, and The Way Old Friends Do, with seating on three sides, does not work best in such a space. There are no stage wings to channel the actors' voices forwards, and the scene-shifting music is under-amplified.
Too much of the dialogue is looking to deliver the next joke rather than developing the characters. One of the best scenes is a simple telephone call between Ian Hallard's Peter and his nan (voiced brilliantly by Miriam Margolyes). The play needs more of those introspective moments. The secondary characters present as interesting, but are then not properly explored. I couldn't help thinking that a film would be a more suitable vehicle for this story.
As it stands, this is a solid, three-star drama that will provide a moderately entertaining night out, no more. With more depth to the narrative, slicker set changes and a pay-off musical finale, it could be very good indeed.
Three stars.
Act 1: 19:46-20:40
Act 2: 21:01-22:03
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Post by drowseychap on Feb 21, 2023 2:30:27 GMT
Saw the last preview tonight sold out theatre …. Hmmmm started off strong some great one liners many gay men of a certain age will be rolling around laughing some younger members of the lgbtq+ in the audience took sharp intake of breath and let out disapproving gasps ….
Nice revolving simple effective set if a bit slow … great talented cast … Sara Crowe was missing was looking I forward to seeing her … her part was taken by Black actress and played with in broad South African accent got lots of laughs no understudies listed .
A few lines of Abba songs played between scenes but was hoping for more ….
The Story and writing …… well a fun play … some great laughs but don’t think 🤔 any of the greats have anything to worry about toward the end at times it did feel like I was watching a college / uni written play is pedestrian the correct phrase ??
Strong start first half better than second … slowed down towards the end less laughs 55 mins 1hr 20min interval
Brochures still at printers wil be £5 selling script too and bags
The finale all come on in Abba costumes audience immediately clap along desperate for at least one song 🎵 we get couple of lines lipsynched then fades out hope this changes
If u are a devoted abba fan you will love all the true fab references
I went with 9 friends all had a fun night tickets were only £10 preview …. Up to £20 would still have said yep a nice night out. More than £30 I’d be saying hmmm enjoyed it but …. £35-50 I’d have been miffed and felt a bit robbed
3 stars
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Post by Wilf on Feb 22, 2023 13:21:42 GMT
The understudy is Tariye Peterside. She played the part of Mrs Campbell on 18th Feb as well. Great cast and a very enjoyable evening. Loved it.
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Post by showgirl on Feb 23, 2023 19:08:52 GMT
Having read the above comments and now a clutch of 4-star reviews, I'm really looking forward to seeing this in Guildford in April. Interesting that all the reviewers so far agreed on it.
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Post by drowseychap on Feb 24, 2023 1:51:31 GMT
A friend of mine went night after me and totally hated it plays to ever gay cliche and stereotype dated and offensive … and said that 2 hours he will never get back … just goes to show how marmite shows can be 😊🎭
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Post by theatreian on Mar 2, 2023 23:25:18 GMT
Enjoyed this today. Assuming Sara Crowe been out for the run as we had Tariye on too. For Abba fans there is plenty to enjoy with references and snatches of the music throughout. Plenty of gay references too !
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Post by dlevi on Mar 18, 2023 6:27:47 GMT
I saw this last night at the Park and I found it sloppily written ( with an occasional laugh out loud line), amateurishly acted - with the exceptions of Sara Crowe ( who found comic gold in some of her reactions and line readings) and Donna Berlin as the pragmatic stage manager. Mr Gatiss's staging is awkward and unconvincing. The initial meeting ( or rather reunion) between Mr Bradshaw and Mr Hallard happens off-stage and the awkwardness of their situation is dismissed very quickly. As for the rest of the play I suppose you could dismiss it as "a bit of fun" but there are hints throughout that Mr Hallard actually wanted to write a semi-serious play about lonely people finding themselves through a group effort. As the drama unfolds in the second act I sat there bewildered: Were we supposed to care about any of these people? Mr Bradshaw and Mr Hallard's lack of chemistry doesn't help. I just found the whole evening to be mildly funny and instantly forgettable. And to have the shortest of snippets of ABBA music between scenes and a longer excerpt for the bows makes me feel as if they're cheating ABBA fans of what they probably came for. 2 stars from me.
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Post by anthony40 on Mar 23, 2023 9:44:30 GMT
I saw this last nigh snd gotta admit, I enjoyed this more than I anticipated.
F**k me I LOVE ABBA!
Firstly, not quit a full house so plenty of room to spread. The people to my left never turned up and the people to my right last half way the second Act.
I was a lilt apprehensive because (don't everyone hate on me) I'm not a fan of drag! I ubdtersand it's an ever increasing art form in popular culture, but it's just not for me.
I thought the two male leads were both very confident and brave.
Although I recognised the voice of the never-seen Grandmother, I didn't associate it with Miriam Margolyes
One of the things that I did pick up on was the accents.
Personally, I thought that Andrew Horton was the weakest cast member on stage last night.
I am unsure who played Mrs. C but whoever she was, she was brilliant
mkb states For a show obsessing over Abba, there's precious little of their music. We are treated to snatches as the set awkwardly and slowly revolves between scenes, but the soundtrack is cut just as the first notes of the hook are heard. It's a two-hour p***k-tease for Abba fans.
There's a reason for this. Mark Gatiss was on the Sunday Brunch program where he explained that ABBA are very protective of their music and how it is used. By playing only a snippet, you're not playing a whole song thus not in breach of any licensing laws.
Not the best thing I've ever seen; not the worst, but fun.
Audience were quite receptive last night and laughed a lot.
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