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Post by alece10 on Mar 31, 2023 15:28:12 GMT
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Post by Fleance on Mar 31, 2023 15:53:13 GMT
Good to hear. I saw it on stage many years ago, with an excellent and very young Zubin Varla as Jamie. |
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546 posts
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Post by drmaplewood on Mar 31, 2023 16:46:26 GMT
Saw it with a very young Andrew Garfield in 2006 at the Swiss Centre - would be up for seeing it again. Love that play.
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Post by drowseychap on Apr 1, 2023 2:51:17 GMT
I saw that show too was the sound theatre tiny up some stairs in the centre , remember sitting with my feet almost on Jamie’s bed we were that close …. Saw the anniversary production too with surrane jones and arts there then the tour with Charlie brooks …. Love the play but the film is so iconic it’s so difficult to see and hear others say those lines …. Tameka will forever be Leya
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2023 17:30:48 GMT
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1,477 posts
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Post by Steve on Sept 19, 2023 11:53:42 GMT
I LOVED this. It's funny and moving: the original Heartstopper still stopping hearts. Some spoilers follow. . . I saw the 1996 film back in the day and since, and I saw the Arts Theatre Production, with it's two casts, about ten years ago, and this production is as much a joy as those, for me. The legendary original 1993 Bush Theatre production, which I didn't see, with Jonny Lee Miller as Ste, Philip Glenister as Tony and Sophie Stanton as Leah, was an all-white affair (the play doesn't specify), then the 1996 film diversified the cast, including a black actress, Tameka Empson as a powerful unforgettable Leah, and now this 30th anniversary production flips Leah white again and everyone else is black. And it makes no difference to the play. It's still marvellous entertainment, with feisty characters zinging each other in the background, while a tender positive gay relationship blossoms in the foreground. It's still dramatic. it's still funny. It still doesn't pretend life is a bed of roses, while it still admires roses when they peek out unexpectedly. With the play originating in Jonathan Harvey's desire to depict gay people positively and truthfully, in an era where Section 28 (banning the "promotion" of homosexuality by local authorities and schools) was a thing and the AIDS panic was in full swing, and with those things gone or diminished now, the idea of giving young black gay men a rare chance to see themselves depicted on stage feels perfect, allowing the play to pave a positive path even after 30 years. Rilwan Abiola Owokoniran came as a late replacement to the lead role of Jamie, but you wouldn't know it, cos he glues this production together with a gentle aspect and a quick wit. As the object of his affection, Raphael Akudwudike is equally genial, despite the bruised torment of his abusive family, which he wears with a heartbreakingly noble fortified forbearance. The two have a convincing chemistry, and their interactions, in which their silences speak as much as their words, are a heartwarming delight. As the neighbour with a barb for everyone, Scarlett Rayner's Leah is softer than you'd imagine for this embattled character, giving Leah's zingers a beta I'm-only-joking humorous breeziness that contrasts with Tameka Empson's more unforgiving alpha confrontational aspect in the film. It's a refreshingly original depiction, which detrimentally leaves less walls around the character for the drama to break down, while advantageously allowing the character to be more raucously and pleasingly funny. Shvorne Marks makes her mark as Jamie's outwardly tough but inwardly warm mother, Sandra, and as Tony, her middle-class boyfriend, Trieve Blackwood-Cambridge's self-concious wide-eyed knowingness is endearing and amusing. All in all, Jonathan Harvey's play may not have quite as hostile an environment in 2023 to disrupt as it did in 1993, but it features so much good character-writing, with relentless oppositional cheek and attack, that it's still great fun to watch thirty years down the line. 4 and a half stars from me.  |
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Post by david on Sept 30, 2023 17:02:47 GMT
As a 30th Anniversary revival of Jonathan Harvey’s play, director Anthony Simpson-Pike and his creative team have done a brilliant job here. I absolutely loved this and cannot recommend highly enough a viewing of this production either in its last week at the Stratford East or when it travels up to Manchester and Leeds. Steve gave it 4.5⭐️ on his viewing and I’m going to give the same from my viewing this afternoon. As a play it still holds with both up its emotional tug of the heart strings as Ste and Jamie try to navigate their fledging relationship and deliver Harvey’s hilarious and biting writing which the cast of 5 do with ease making all of us in this afternoon’s audience laugh out loud for the entire 2 hours. Everyone was on their feet at the end to applaud this cast and was throughly deserved in my opinion. A wonderful cast here with no weak links. Raphael Akuwudike and Rilwan Abiola Owokoniran as Ste and Jamie respectively make an endearing pair with a real on stage chemistry that makes you believe in their growing relationship over their story arc. Shvorone Marks plays as Sandra is feisty with a sharp tongue when needed but is able to give that loving arm around the shoulder moment when needed. Shvorone gets plenty of laughs either from the text or just a withering look from the background. Tony Blackwood-Cambridge as Tony and Scarlett Rayner get plenty of moments of their own to shine. Just a word of caution, I was sat in row C in the stalls and because of the high stage set I couldn’t see feet but really I didn’t really feel this was an issue. |
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Post by marob on Nov 4, 2023 21:23:46 GMT
I was worried this might feel dated but really enjoyed it this afternoon. Did not like the end though.
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Post by n1david on Nov 9, 2023 16:11:36 GMT
I saw this in Manchester last night and I'm sorry to say I didn't warm to it as much as others. I've seen various productions of this since the original West End run, and this was one of my least favourites, although overall I think the play still stood up to the production.
I found it all a bit broad, and some of the tenderness was lost in the direction. Interestingly I bought a copy of the playtext from the Box Office in the interval and was asked how I was enjoying it, and I said I'd seen various productions and it was nice to see that the play still stood up in changed times, and the assistant said "yes, I think for this production they've really amped up the comedy". Which they have. I found Leah annoying and played as not very bright rather than calculating like most variations, and Tony should definitely not be as fit as that... The central relationship still worked and Sandra's character was played perfectly, but overall it was just all a bit shouty for me.
It's nearly at the end of a tour and HOME was less than half-sold so maybe the cast are all a bit over it by now, and I'm always glad to see a new production of this, but this one wasn't quite right for me.
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