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Post by foxa on Feb 24, 2023 21:31:42 GMT
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898 posts
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Post by bordeaux on Feb 24, 2023 22:27:00 GMT
Certainly. I remember seeing a production (presumably a touring one) in Richmond 20 or so years ago. Wish I could remember more about it! Even if it feels dated now it'll be a pleasant way of finding out what was popular in 1921 - and in this case what scandalised some theatre-goers. |
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Post by tmesis on Feb 25, 2023 12:44:05 GMT
Already booked without knowing the cast so that’s a pleasant surprise.
Let’s hope it’s as good as Arms and the Man.
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Post by nottobe on Feb 25, 2023 13:28:14 GMT
Only last week I read Somerset Maugham's novel 'Theatre' on a whim and loved it! I would recommend it to all here, and now I am very interested in this.
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Post by Jan on May 5, 2023 12:54:35 GMT
This revival of a play by the currently unfashionable Somerset Maugham opens tonight. It will be interesting to see if interest in his work can be rekindled as it has been for Terence Rattigan over the past few years.
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Post by tmesis on May 5, 2023 12:59:56 GMT
Seeing this in three weeks. Very much looking forward to it.
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Post by londonpostie on May 5, 2023 14:33:26 GMT
+ Jane Asher.
Curious about Tom Littler and the OT - he's come from the simpler set up at Jermyn Street. Are most/all productions at the OT in the round?
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Post by alessia on May 5, 2023 14:37:29 GMT
I have seen two plays at OT and they were in the round.
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Post by Jan on May 5, 2023 14:46:41 GMT
+ Jane Asher. Curious about Tom Littler and the OT - he's come from the simpler set up at Jermyn Street. Are most/all productions at the OT in the round? OT is always in the round. |
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Post by londonpostie on May 5, 2023 14:50:23 GMT
Interesting. Thanks. Littler is a man with a very rounded cv (as in varied), you would think not accidentally.
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Post by Jan on May 5, 2023 15:16:11 GMT
Interesting. Thanks. Littler is a man with a very rounded cv (as in varied), you would think not accidentally. I'm expecting that under him the casting at the OT will become a bit more starry. |
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Post by theatrefan77 on May 9, 2023 23:44:30 GMT
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Post by Jan on May 13, 2023 16:00:32 GMT
This is very good if you like this sort of thing. Nicholas le Prevost very amusing.
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Post by dlevi on May 14, 2023 8:48:14 GMT
I enjoyed it and being somewhat familiar with the play was surprised ( and pleased) that they've streamlined it a bit - eliminating a couple of characters and some needless chatter. It all sort of zips along at a nice pace. It catches fire when the three veteran actors share the stage together. It becomes an affectionate throwback to when "charm" was enough to sustain an evening. The one disappointment was the scenic design which, unusually for this type of play at the Orange Tree, looked cheap. The all-important chair was fine but the rest of the furniture looked dowdy and since the quality of the furnishings and tasteful decoration are often the subject of discussion in the play , it seemed odd. Still I had a good time.
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Post by Jan on May 15, 2023 6:29:30 GMT
... the rest of the furniture looked dowdy The trusty chaise longue has been deployed so often at the OT that there's no wonder it's looking dowdy. It's the perfect furniture item for in-the-round productions because it doesn't block the view of the front row when no-one is sitting on it. I struggle to think of a production there when it hasn't been pressed into service. I sort of agree that as the husband had an interest in interior design they might have made more effort with the set but spending more money on the actors instead has paid off here. Somerset Maugham, who was gay at a time it was illegal, was unhappily married to a wife who was an interior designer. As in the plays of Rattigan and Coward it is interesting to speculate on which relationships in the plays are really based on gay relationships and which characters in the plays are discretely signalled as being gay. I mean, the husband in this right ? |
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Post by adamkinsey on May 16, 2023 11:55:32 GMT
Agree with earlier comment about the furniture but, that aside, I think this is an excellent production. The cuts are well chosen and the casting is spot on with Clive Francis particularly on top form.
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Post by tmesis on May 27, 2023 5:51:54 GMT
I thought I might suffer a bit from overload of this type of play - I was there last night but the week before was The Vortex (Chichester) and the week before that Private Lives (Donmar.) But for me this was easily the most enjoyable of the three which is interesting as the two Cowards both took a bit of a ‘left field’ approach and this was more traditionally directed. I’ve only seen one other Maugham play - can’t remember what now but it was at Hampstead, but this was much more entertaining and I now hope they will revive more of this unfashionable author.
Littler has put together an absolutely tip top cast with the three ‘old lags’ - Le Prevost, Francis and Asher on sparkling form.
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Post by foxa on May 27, 2023 11:52:55 GMT
Also loved the beautiful bias cut dresses.
A very enjoyable evening - and as I didn't know the play at all everything came as a great surprise to me!
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Post by bee on May 29, 2023 9:57:39 GMT
I would agree with most of what has been already said. It's very nicely done. The veteran actors get most of the laughs, but the whole cast does a great job. A really satisfying and enjoyable evening.
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Post by capybara on Jun 2, 2023 9:07:35 GMT
Saw this last night. Appreciated the years of acting experience on stage but, to be honest, it wasn’t really my sort of thing.
I can see why others will have enjoyed it though.
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1,245 posts
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Post by joem on Jun 3, 2023 0:24:33 GMT
... the rest of the furniture looked dowdy The trusty chaise longue has been deployed so often at the OT that there's no wonder it's looking dowdy. It's the perfect furniture item for in-the-round productions because it doesn't block the view of the front row when no-one is sitting on it. I struggle to think of a production there when it hasn't been pressed into service. I sort of agree that as the husband had an interest in interior design they might have made more effort with the set but spending more money on the actors instead has paid off here. Somerset Maugham, who was gay at a time it was illegal, was unhappily married to a wife who was an interior designer. As in the plays of Rattigan and Coward it is interesting to speculate on which relationships in the plays are really based on gay relationships and which characters in the plays are discretely signalled as being gay. I mean, the husband in this right ? I don't remember the chaise longue in "The Misfortune of the English" or "Two Billion Beats"...... |
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Post by kate8 on Jun 3, 2023 11:23:59 GMT
I saw this on Tuesday. A good production and performances, but an average play I thought, or maybe just not my kind of thing. I particularly liked Clive Francis. Jane Asher was off, replaced very ably by Miranda Foster with script in hand. A nice gesture from the theatre was an email the next day offering a chance to stream the show for free to see JA's performance.
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Post by Jan on Jun 3, 2023 12:07:07 GMT
The trusty chaise longue has been deployed so often at the OT that there's no wonder it's looking dowdy. It's the perfect furniture item for in-the-round productions because it doesn't block the view of the front row when no-one is sitting on it. I struggle to think of a production there when it hasn't been pressed into service. I sort of agree that as the husband had an interest in interior design they might have made more effort with the set but spending more money on the actors instead has paid off here. Somerset Maugham, who was gay at a time it was illegal, was unhappily married to a wife who was an interior designer. As in the plays of Rattigan and Coward it is interesting to speculate on which relationships in the plays are really based on gay relationships and which characters in the plays are discretely signalled as being gay. I mean, the husband in this right ? I don't remember the chaise longue in "The Misfortune of the English" or "Two Billion Beats"...... I imagine. I never go to new plays either at the OT or anywhere else - they never much bothered with them at the OT in the more distant past. |
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Post by joem on Jun 3, 2023 22:51:40 GMT
I concur with earlier posts. This is a bit creaky plot-wise (its concerns and scandals would barely raise an eyebrow nowadays) but it is well done and passes the times pleasantly enough. Some witty lines and good sparring between Clive (Clive Francis) and Hugh (Nicholas le Prevost) as they revive their ancient rivalry - wronged husband v Lothario - over Kitty (Jane Asher) who is very good as the aged belle of the ball. You can see why references are made to Wilde and Coward, but Maugham is better at witty than gritty.
Superb, understated performance from the chaise longue. Is it not time was nominated for an Olivier in a supporting role?
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Post by alessia on Jun 4, 2023 5:46:13 GMT
Went yesterday evening with a friend - we both felt that the acting was really good, especially the three older people. The storyline neither of us thought was particularly interesting or had much depth of meaning, but in all it was a pleasant evening out, with some laughs along the way. The show was interrupted half way through the first act by a member of the audience feeling unwell. It all restarted in ten minutes and went smoothly on. I hope the lady in question is ok!
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