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Post by ladidah on Jul 11, 2023 9:52:17 GMT
I went to this tonight with a front row ticket that cost me just £13 and I'll keep it short - it was absolutely terrible. If you're into dated, cheesy and slightly offensive humour that would be at home on Blackpool's north pier, then this is for you. Al Murray relies heavily on audience participation (Something to keep in mind if you're a shy person - I was at the front and was on edge all night), picking people out and making jokes about their general appearance, accent, nationality etc. Some may find this funny, but I found it a bit embarrassing and out of place in the year 2023, especially when he picked on a female audience members weight, referring to her as the 'fat one in the third row'. To be fair, she seemed to find it funny, but I didn't. Sorry, just re-read this. There are fat jokes about the audience?! |
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Post by musicbox on Jul 11, 2023 10:36:34 GMT
I agree the man who wouldn’t let me past was just an entitled pest! I also go to the theatre alone a lot as I have a habit of buying last minute cheap tickets on the day, so it defiantly won’t affect me doing that, but it was just very annoying at the times!
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Post by musicbox on Jul 11, 2023 10:43:38 GMT
I went to this tonight with a front row ticket that cost me just £13 and I'll keep it short - it was absolutely terrible. If you're into dated, cheesy and slightly offensive humour that would be at home on Blackpool's north pier, then this is for you. Al Murray relies heavily on audience participation (Something to keep in mind if you're a shy person - I was at the front and was on edge all night), picking people out and making jokes about their general appearance, accent, nationality etc. Some may find this funny, but I found it a bit embarrassing and out of place in the year 2023, especially when he picked on a female audience members weight, referring to her as the 'fat one in the third row'. To be fair, she seemed to find it funny, but I didn't. Sorry, just re-read this. There are fat jokes about the audience?! Yeah, unfortunately there is and I found it pretty tasteless. There is a long monologue in the first act that felt more like an Al Murray stand up than a play, where he basically picked on the audience and used cheap humour. The exact joke off the top of my head was he asked a lady where she was from, she replied Denmark and he said you’re shaped just like your country, round with no features, and then a few moments later when talking to someone else referred back to her again as the “fat one in the third row”. He also “selected” a lady who he found the most attractive in the stalls and had one of the cast come down and pretend to escort her to his bed chamber (as the king). The cast member basically came over in character and was like the king wants you at once and took her over to the side door and then said ok go back to your seat when the lights went off at the end of the scene. The lady was sitting just behind me and sounded really confused and panicked, it was all just very bizarre and like I said before something you would see on a Blackpool pier! Also something I forgot to mention in my initial review - if you’re in the front row prepare to get wet as Carrie “Accidentally” spills a bowl of water she’s holding multiple times onto the audience in the opening song. It was again a silly gag that added nothing to the show: |
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Post by mrnutz on Jul 11, 2023 10:55:43 GMT
I agree the man who wouldn’t let me past was just an entitled pest! I also go to the theatre alone a lot as I have a habit of buying last minute cheap tickets on the day, so it defiantly won’t affect me doing that, but it was just very annoying at the times! You've just reminded me of an experience I had last time I went to see a play on my own - Dancing At Lughnasa in the Olivier. I'd sat down and I took a photo of the stage - I often do this partly so I can look back at what the seat view was like for future bookings and partly as a visual record of what I saw and when. I don't post them anywhere. Anyway, I'd taken the photo and the elderly couple behind me tutted to each other really loudly and then said "SETS ARE COPYRIGHTED". I ignored them and took another. |
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Post by zephyrus on Jul 11, 2023 11:07:23 GMT
I wasn't going to bother with this production, but a friend had a spare (free) ticket so I tagged along. I suppose it could get a bit zippier before press night, but at the moment it's kind of a mess and one of the weakest and most pointless things I've seen all year.
I'm not especially a fan of Al Murray but both he and Mel Giedroyc (who I do like) undeniably have comedic skill, and they are the highlights of a disappointing evening in the theatre. They both have a lot of interaction with the audience (yes, it's that kind of show) and aside from the fact that (as has already been mentioned) this did occasionally veer into uncomfortable territory, the audience responded positively to both of them.
The question of what Carrie Hope Fletcher might be doing in this strange confection is immediately answered, as the show opens with a song - and she sings it very well.
But, boy oh boy, the rest of it is a real slog. In the scenes without Al Murray or Mel Giedroyc when the 'plot' (such as it is) takes centre stage, the energy - along with audience engagement - totally vanishes. Entire minutes pass with silence from the audience, and no laughter. Aidan McArdle and Neil Morrissey struggle gamely on with lame gags and feeble attempts at slapstick; but, to be fair to them, they're not exactly helped much by Joe Thomas (who has no real stage precence, and whose less than half-hearted attempt at an Irish accent is staggeringly - almost offensively - amateurish) or by Tanvi Virmani (who doesn't seem, on the evidence of this production, to possess a particular talent for comedy.) On a positive note, I did enjoy Adonis Siddique as Charles II's footman.
Oh, there's also a chase scene that is staged in a way that felt very famililar. (Did I perhaps see a similar scene in the same director's production of The Ladykillers...?)
Running at nearly 2 and a half hours, it really outstays its welcome. What takes the biscuit is that, just when you're desperate for the whole thing to come to an end, there's a long scene in which Blood (McArdle) is granted an audience with Charles II (Murray) - any attempt at comedy has largely been ditched at this point, and the scene feels like it should be in a different play.
Maybe this will find its audience but I couldn't recommend it to anyone.
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Post by ladidah on Jul 11, 2023 11:07:33 GMT
Did they think you were going to recreate it in your living room!?
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Post by mkb on Jul 11, 2023 11:27:10 GMT
*On a completely show unrelated note, I also experienced one of the rudest audience encounters in a while when getting to my seat. I was in the front row on the far left, but I'm not familiar with the Garrick so accidentally entered from the right side door and had to cross over to my seat, passing the stage. There was more than enough space for me to walk and no one batted an eyelid, until I got to an older man who decided to extend his feet to touch the stage as I approached, blocking me from walking. It was clearly deliberate, but I politely asked him, "Sorry, can I please get past you" to which he answered "Sorry are you a part of the show? NO". I was slightly taken aback by how unnecessarily rude he was, so just said no I'm just trying to get my seat, then had to walk over his leg, almost losing my balance and falling into the stage. I was there alone tonight and the exchange made me feel really anxious and annoyed as I was waiting for the show to start. I just don't understand why some people go out of their way to be horrible to others, especially since there was about a metre of space between the people at the front and the stage, and he was clearly just trying to make an example of me for entering through the wrong door. I'm getting angry just reading that. What a nasty piece of work! I think it would have ruined my night - at least I'd struggle to be receptive to comedy once I'd been annoyed like that. He would have got both barrels from me. I have regularly had tuts from entitled people who have to stand to let me into a row, who clearly believe that everyone further in should arrive before them, but this goes well beyond that. |
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Post by Jan on Jul 11, 2023 17:42:40 GMT
I agree the man who wouldn’t let me past was just an entitled pest! I also go to the theatre alone a lot as I have a habit of buying last minute cheap tickets on the day, so it defiantly won’t affect me doing that, but it was just very annoying at the times! You've just reminded me of an experience I had last time I went to see a play on my own - Dancing At Lughnasa in the Olivier. I'd sat down and I took a photo of the stage - I often do this partly so I can look back at what the seat view was like for future bookings and partly as a visual record of what I saw and when. I don't post them anywhere. Anyway, I'd taken the photo and the elderly couple behind me tutted to each other really loudly and then said "SETS ARE COPYRIGHTED". I ignored them and took another. That’s true though isn’t it, sets and costumes *are* protected by copyright. |
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Post by musicbox on Jul 11, 2023 18:03:12 GMT
*On a completely show unrelated note, I also experienced one of the rudest audience encounters in a while when getting to my seat. I was in the front row on the far left, but I'm not familiar with the Garrick so accidentally entered from the right side door and had to cross over to my seat, passing the stage. There was more than enough space for me to walk and no one batted an eyelid, until I got to an older man who decided to extend his feet to touch the stage as I approached, blocking me from walking. It was clearly deliberate, but I politely asked him, "Sorry, can I please get past you" to which he answered "Sorry are you a part of the show? NO". I was slightly taken aback by how unnecessarily rude he was, so just said no I'm just trying to get my seat, then had to walk over his leg, almost losing my balance and falling into the stage. I was there alone tonight and the exchange made me feel really anxious and annoyed as I was waiting for the show to start. I just don't understand why some people go out of their way to be horrible to others, especially since there was about a metre of space between the people at the front and the stage, and he was clearly just trying to make an example of me for entering through the wrong door. I'm getting angry just reading that. What a nasty piece of work! I think it would have ruined my night - at least I'd struggle to be receptive to comedy once I'd been annoyed like that. He would have got both barrels from me. I have regularly had tuts from entitled people who have to stand to let me into a row, who clearly believe that everyone further in should arrive before them, but this goes well beyond that. Yeah that's exactly how I felt at the start of the show, I had entered the theatre feeling really relaxed and looking forward to seeing the play, but I felt so uptight and annoyed for the first little while. I agree some people feel that paying for a ticket entitles them to behave in whichever way they want, when really it's an age old accepted norm that if you go to a show you will probably have to stand to allow others to enter your row at some point. It's not as if the other person wants to brush past you - if there was another way to get there without disturbing others I'm sure people would do it! You've just reminded me of an experience I had last time I went to see a play on my own - Dancing At Lughnasa in the Olivier. I'd sat down and I took a photo of the stage - I often do this partly so I can look back at what the seat view was like for future bookings and partly as a visual record of what I saw and when. I don't post them anywhere. Anyway, I'd taken the photo and the elderly couple behind me tutted to each other really loudly and then said "SETS ARE COPYRIGHTED". I ignored them and took another. That’s true though isn’t it, sets and costumes *are* protected by copyright. Technically all intellectual property is protected by the intellectual property act, but this is only applies when someone is planning to sell and make profit from someone else's work without permission. It doesn't apply if someone is simply taking a photo of something to enjoy for themselves, otherwise we'd all be in jail for listening to music or watching a film at home. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 11, 2023 18:25:39 GMT
Sounds horrific. Thank god I didn’t buy for the Lowry.
Poor CHF having to do this, has she not got any musical stuff lined up?
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Post by musicbox on Jul 11, 2023 22:29:13 GMT
Sounds horrific. Thank god I didn’t buy for the Lowry. Poor CHF having to do this, has she not got any musical stuff lined up? To be fair, as much as it is a total downgrade for Carrie and I can imagine she herself knows the script is horrible (I was really amazed at her saying the line about not marrying the prince because he’s too fat for example), she also comes over as the best thing in the show as her song at the end breaks up the terrible attempts at humour - maybe that’s a silver lining for her? There was so many young people with Carrie tour T-shirts on last night as well, I can only imagine what they must’ve been thinking. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2023 23:23:10 GMT
I don't think Al should really be breaking the 4th wall to make cheap club comic jokes at the audience in a play unless there is warnings about that on the show website etc ?
Carrie was saying the line as a character so that would be like for example in Heathers where they mock the fat girl Martha so I don't see that as an issue regardless of what Carrie's size may be.
CHF will bring in some of her fanbase so you could understand them casting her.
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Post by musicbox on Jul 11, 2023 23:59:29 GMT
I don't think Al should really be breaking the 4th wall to make cheap club comic jokes at the audience in a play unless there is warnings about that on the show website etc ? Carrie was saying the line as a character so that would be like for example in Heathers where they mock the fat girl Martha so I don't see that as an issue regardless of what Carrie's size may be.CHF will bring in some of her fanbase so you could understand them casting her. I absolutely agree, but she was also very vocal about disliking the body shaming lines in Cinderella. I still think that criticising ALW on such a public forum was very misjudged, especially since Georgina who kept totally silent is now starring as the lead in a major ALW show at the Palladium. (I'm not defending how the cast were treated in any way by the way). |
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Post by mkb on Jul 12, 2023 0:20:44 GMT
You've just reminded me of an experience I had last time I went to see a play on my own - Dancing At Lughnasa in the Olivier. I'd sat down and I took a photo of the stage - I often do this partly so I can look back at what the seat view was like for future bookings and partly as a visual record of what I saw and when. I don't post them anywhere. Anyway, I'd taken the photo and the elderly couple behind me tutted to each other really loudly and then said "SETS ARE COPYRIGHTED". I ignored them and took another. At a London theatre last year, ushers were walking round with the usual no photography, no phones icons held aloft on A4 cards. I have never considered this is intended to preclude you from checking email and social media before the show and during the interval, but the elderly couple behind thought differently, told me to put my phone away and then made catty comments about the type of person I must be when I carried on surfing. As someone who always tries to be considerate of others in the theatre, and who would never dream of getting my phone out during the actual performance, I was both annoyed and upset by their comments. Happily, they didn't return after the interval. |
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Post by Jan on Jul 12, 2023 6:30:44 GMT
That’s true though isn’t it, sets and costumes *are* protected by copyright. Technically all intellectual property is protected by the intellectual property act, but this is only applies when someone is planning to sell and make profit from someone else's work without permission. It doesn't apply if someone is simply taking a photo of something to enjoy for themselves, otherwise we'd all be in jail for listening to music or watching a film at home. That's not the case in two areas that I know about - publishing and visual arts. For example you're not allowed to make a single photocopy of a whole magazine or a book even if it is only for your own personal use. Also while art galleries will normally waive copyright restrictions and allow you to photograph their artworks on a non-commercial basis they will normally ban it if they are showing stuff for which they don't own the copyright, loans and so on. I don't know about music but I'd be amazed if you were allowed without permission from the copyright holders to record a live concert on your phone even if it was just for your personal use - I mean I assume people do this but I'm guessing it is technically a breach of copyright law and there's no "personal use" exception. |
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Post by ladidah on Jul 12, 2023 7:16:04 GMT
I can't see this lasting the run
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Post by mrnutz on Jul 12, 2023 8:59:46 GMT
You've just reminded me of an experience I had last time I went to see a play on my own - Dancing At Lughnasa in the Olivier. I'd sat down and I took a photo of the stage - I often do this partly so I can look back at what the seat view was like for future bookings and partly as a visual record of what I saw and when. I don't post them anywhere. Anyway, I'd taken the photo and the elderly couple behind me tutted to each other really loudly and then said "SETS ARE COPYRIGHTED". I ignored them and took another. That’s true though isn’t it, sets and costumes *are* protected by copyright. It is true, yes - but why is it any of their business? |
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Post by Rory on Jul 12, 2023 9:29:04 GMT
I can't see this lasting the run Seems to be selling reasonably well. They'll not pull it before a tour. Certainly seems to be doing better than Spitting Image which unfortunately appears to be limping along til 26th August. |
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Post by theatrefan62 on Jul 12, 2023 10:17:52 GMT
That’s true though isn’t it, sets and costumes *are* protected by copyright. It is true, yes - but why is it any of their business? You were technically in the wrong on this one though so I don't see the big deal. It's not like they got up and got an usher to come over to you. Bit odd to say people should just ignore bad behaviour. And yes I take photos too, but I'd hold my hands up if someone called me out on it. |
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Post by kittyfleur on Jul 12, 2023 10:38:46 GMT
I can't see this lasting the run Seems to be selling reasonably well. They'll not pull it before a tour. Certainly seems to be doing better than Spitting Image which unfortunately appears to be limping along til 26th August. Is the CJ really selling well though? It keeps popping up on discount ticketing sites. I think some of the seats are even papered. |
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Post by sph on Jul 12, 2023 13:14:54 GMT
It is true, yes - but why is it any of their business? You were technically in the wrong on this one though so I don't see the big deal. It's not like they got up and got an usher to come over to you. Bit odd to say people should just ignore bad behaviour. And yes I take photos too, but I'd hold my hands up if someone called me out on it. In theatres, it's become slightly complicated. Technically you could say that taking photos is not allowed because of the copyright, and when a new show opened at any of the theatres I worked in, we were often briefed on stopping this from happening. HOWEVER, people would do it anyway and then tweet them, and then the production would often retweet them and thank them for coming and ask for more people to share theirs! So yes, while it might technically not be allowed, a show's presence on social media has become a large part of what sells it, and many producers are happy to look the other way regarding copyright as long as the show is getting lots of exposure. In short, taking a photo before a show is so common nowadays and such a large part of creating an online buzz that very few places are going to stop you. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2023 13:36:41 GMT
I don't think Al should really be breaking the 4th wall to make cheap club comic jokes at the audience in a play unless there is warnings about that on the show website etc ? Carrie was saying the line as a character so that would be like for example in Heathers where they mock the fat girl Martha so I don't see that as an issue regardless of what Carrie's size may be.CHF will bring in some of her fanbase so you could understand them casting her. I absolutely agree, but she was also very vocal about disliking the body shaming lines in Cinderella. I still think that criticising ALW on such a public forum was very misjudged, especially since Georgina who kept totally silent is now starring as the lead in a major ALW show at the Palladium. (I'm not defending how the cast were treated in any way by the way). Thanks for advising CHF had been vocal about the lines in Cinderella so I agree it is ironic she is happy to say the lines in a much "lesser" show. |
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Post by Jon on Jul 12, 2023 13:49:50 GMT
I think pre show taking a picture is fine but during the show itself is a no no.
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Post by starlight92 on Jul 12, 2023 14:04:17 GMT
The overall show quality aside, actors breaking the fourth wall to pick on audience members gives me severe anxiety, so I won't be going to this!
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Post by ladidah on Jul 12, 2023 14:09:48 GMT
I couldn't take it. I won the Hamilton lottery years ago and was in the front row. Having the actors occasionally catch your eye was terrible!
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