Cold War - Almeida

[theatrefan77]

The matinee has gone ahead with the full cast on including Luke Thallon.

[bee]

I saw yesterday's matinee. There's much to admire in this, the staging is great and the actors give heartfelt, powerful performances. However I never really found myself caring all that much. Zula and Viktor aren't very likeable, and we only get hints about their back-stories to help explain why they are such flawed people. A shame really, like I say so much of it is really good.

Musically I felt it was a bit of a non-event. The songs are fine as far as they go but they're not especially memorable. I'd also agree with those who have said that this isn't really a musical, it's more a play with songs.

Like others I did think the amount of smoking on stage was excessive. I know the play covers a time period when almost everybody smoked but I think we can sort of take that as a given, we don't need to see it. Having said thatI can't say it especially caused me an issue with coughing ot whatever, possibly it's more of a problem for people upstairs?

[nottobe]

Like it's name this left me very much cold. I went in having not seen the film but being a fan of various cast members and creative members. I have to say I enjoyed the first half but for me the second half left me feeling bored and I just wanted to go home. Like mentioned before this seems to make a 1 hour 30 minute film into 2 hours and 20 minutes minus the interval. This would have been much better if they did lots of snipping to cut it down to around 90 minutes with no interval.

Also for me this was very much a play and not a musical. I love both forms but this never did what musicals do with their songs as all the songs were sung in the world of the music and didn't really move the narrative. Not that there were that many songs, rather the same one repeated many times.

It's not a bad show but it's not very good either.

[n1david]

I think I'm very with nottobe on this but I'm probably just tending to the slightly positive. I enjoyed the first act (nice dancing) but I found the second act a bit overwrought. It's a long time since I saw the film (and I thought it very good) but it definitely told its story with more economy. Luke Thallon was terrific and Elliot Levey is always good value but by the end I definitely thought it could have been trimmed although I'm still glad I saw it.

Definitely play with songs if that matters, but I do think the estate of Michel Legrand needs a listen to Elvis Costello's music - there's a motif in there that sounds awfully similar to a key motif in Umbrellas of Cherbourg. I spotted it and husband mentioned it at the interval too...

[Being Alive]

I'm sad this hasn't captured people in the way it did me as I really really loved this, and found it totally mesmerising.

[nottobe]

Jan 14, 2024 19:42:20 GMT n1david said:

I think I'm very with nottobe on this but I'm probably just tending to the slightly positive. I enjoyed the first act (nice dancing) but I found the second act a bit overwrought. It's a long time since I saw the film (and I thought it very good) but it definitely told its story with more economy. Luke Thallon was terrific and Elliot Levey is always good value but by the end I definitely thought it could have been trimmed although I'm still glad I saw it.

Definitely play with songs if that matters, but I do think the estate of Michel Legrand needs a listen to Elvis Costello's music - there's a motif in there that sounds awfully similar to a key motif in Umbrellas of Cherbourg. I spotted it and husband mentioned it at the interval too...

I also did think the music was very similar to Umbrellas of Cherbourg so maybe it is a bit of borrowing. Now I need to give that movie a rematch !

[FrontroverPaul]

I saw Cold War at a matinee last month. I know yawning can be contagious but...

I had booked a restricted view £12.50 seat (behind a pillar) near the back. my seat was next to a young lady on her own. The two seats to my left were not occupied when the show started a few minutes late so I moved along one place for a better view, leaving an empty seat between me and the lady and another to my left. There was a man also alone in the end seat. Within 10 minutes of the show starting the sound of snoring from that man was very apparent, he stopped a couple of times but kept nodding off. It was irritating but I guess nobody felt able to nudge him awake.

I wasn't really enjoying the show but settled down for act 2 which as I recall was similar length to act 1 at 1 hour 10 minutes. The man was again snoring not long after it started. To my eternal shame I must have fallen asleep myself and not just for a few seconds because when I woke up the story had clearly moved on and the show ended soon afterwards. I reckon I was sound asleep for about 30 minutes. I am confident I have never done the same thing before and am determined I won't ever do it again

I felt too embarrassed to speak to anyone and made a quick getaway without making eye contact with the poor young lady who may have had stereo snoring to put up with.

[mrnutz]

I really enjoyed this on Friday night! I wasn't expecting to like it after reports here, but thought it was a beautiful and thoughtful show with excellent performances across the board.

It was being filmed for the V&A Archives and the multiple cameras took out a good chunk of the Almeida's stalls capacity. I was surprised they'd do that on a Friday night.

4/5

[lichtie]

Long and not justifying it's time sufficiently. Basically a play into which some "folk songs" and Costello's resampling of his back catalogued act as a sort of soundtrack. The continual repetition of some of them doesn't help. I couldn't help feeling that they could remove a very large chunk and gain a lot.... For me this comes in as below average. Shame because I thought the cast were very good.

[greenandbrownandblue]

Caught the closing performance last night. Thought it was beautiful - have never seen the film so am judging it as a completely standalone piece. I found the central love story very affecting, with two superb central performances. The music and especially the folk dancing was stunning. There's a scene in act 1 where Luke Thallon's character is conducting a choir, the sound and visuals were some of the best I've experienced in a theatre in a long while. The Almeida is the perfect space for it.

Act 2 is a little slower, and could've done with a little trimming here and there, plus I do agree with earlier posters that the time jumps could've been better indicated.

I know some have compared it to Girl From a North Country in terms of style. I agree, but I found this far superior.

[rumbledoll]

Saw one of the final performances and yes, I would not call it a musical.
A beautifully told story about broken lives and shattered dreams, the burden of the past so heavy on your shoulder that even when you break free you don’t know what to do with this freedom anymore. Both leads are sympathetic even full of imperfections and to be honest you can’t call them the nicest people you meet yet the love they carry though the years cannot fail to move you.. Anya has a wonderful voice that speaks to your very soul and I’d certainly play the piano duo ‘I Do’ on repeat if they let me.. Yet another performance by Luke Thallon that make my heart ache big time. His acting is always so nuanced and so intricate, it’s a pleasure to watch and take it all in. Had a lovely chat afterward talking Shakespeare and Leopoldstadt, it’s always an inspiration to listen to someone so openly passionate about what they do. Can’t wait for that RSC version of Hamlet, even more so now!