581 posts
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Post by princeton on Jan 18, 2024 2:01:08 GMT
Naomi Wallace is in her 60s - and her work has been produced all over the world including the RSC, Public Theater, Young Vic, Bush, New York Theatre Workshop. I first became aware of her when her rather brilliant play One Flea Spare premiered at the Bush in the mid 1990s.
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Post by Jan on Jan 18, 2024 7:35:51 GMT
They didn’t need to name playwrights or directors. To be fair they didn't. The names are in square brackets showing that it was an addition by The Stage when they quoted the report. If you look at the report itself, helpfully linked to by @daveb you'll see the names don't appear, although the production name does, possibly to remove ambiguity. Oh - ha ha - you are right ! I didn't spot that - so those industry types moaning about this should really direct their anger at The Stage. Perfect. You can read annual reports like this by any charity, I regularly read them for a few theatres (but not Hampstead) and they are often quite interesting. |
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Post by c4ndyc4ne on Jan 18, 2024 9:06:45 GMT
To be fair they didn't. The names are in square brackets showing that it was an addition by The Stage when they quoted the report. If you look at the report itself, helpfully linked to by @daveb you'll see the names don't appear, although the production name does, possibly to remove ambiguity. Oh - ha ha - you are right ! I didn't spot that - so those industry types moaning about this should really direct their anger at The Stage. Perfect. You can read annual reports like this by any charity, I regularly read them for a few theatres (but not Hampstead) and they are often quite interesting. I take it back - apologies. Poor form from the stage! |
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19,650 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 18, 2024 11:57:24 GMT
Why is it poor form by The Stage though? It’s supposed to be a news outlet. If people read that a production has been a failure it’s very natural to want to know who commissioned, wrote and directed it. It’s the next logical question and I wouldn’t expect to have to google to find that out.
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1,502 posts
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Post by foxa on Jan 19, 2024 12:13:23 GMT
I hope the Hampstead finds its way back - I've had some good evenings there (particularly Downstairs, but also much liked Cost of Living and Blackout Songs upstairs) and really like the space. Some of the programming has just seemed perverse. With almost any theatre that I have a loyalty to, I can put up with a dud or two, but a string of duds, not so much. Post-pandemic, I think more than ever, audiences were looking for some combination of star names, good times, special event, sense of connection and community....and the Hampstead roster of productions for the most part didn't offer any of those. It's only a very certain sort of theatregoer than will go to the trouble/risk/expense of going to the theatre to have dour time of it.
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1,502 posts
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Post by foxa on Jan 19, 2024 16:09:15 GMT
And having said the above, I think the next season looks promising, I would particularly like to see Between Riverside and Crazy (the playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis is great) and the other two look interesting as well. Certainly more likely to appeal to a lot of the Hampstead usual audience (when they had one.)
Downstairs a world premiere of a Richard Nelson play should be a winner.
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Post by aspieandy on Jan 19, 2024 19:47:30 GMT
I remember it closed mid-run - on lockdown - with Pinter's Dumb Waiter and opened again with Death of a Black Man which, in truth, closed early for different reasons. Never seemed quite the same - theatrical long Covid?
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Post by partytentdown on Jan 20, 2024 8:22:09 GMT
Isn't there also an issue in that the longer a that's is seen to be failing, the less likely the top writers and actors are going to want to be associated with it? For example, how on earth is Hampstead supposed to attract great writers from around the world who would look at this report and want nothing to do with the place?
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1,502 posts
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Post by foxa on Jan 20, 2024 12:08:55 GMT
Yes, you always wonder if it's a blip or a slippery slope - but they have some big names lined up for this next season, so if that goes well...
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1,826 posts
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Post by Dave B on Jan 20, 2024 15:31:02 GMT
Isn't there also an issue in that the longer a that's is seen to be failing, the less likely the top writers and actors are going to want to be associated with it? For example, how on earth is Hampstead supposed to attract great writers from around the world who would look at this report and want nothing to do with the place? From the punter side too, I read the Stage piece and skimmed the report itself, and they talk about the importance of advance sales. Making me part of the problem, I'm less inclined to book ahead now. Downstairs use to be an auto-book but with the preview prices at least doubling, we have become a bit more selective. |
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Post by chameleon1 on Jan 20, 2024 17:01:28 GMT
There's a fundamental problem in new writing theatres right now, aside from COVID and the funding cuts, which is that we've had years of directors who just don't understand the craft of playwriting. There's a whole lot of skill in putting together a stage narrative that pulls an audience in - and without that, the best casting and directing in the world can't make a play a success. The current play at Hampstead downstairs is a great example - a play full of interesting ideas, but with zero tension, little focus, no rhythm; so despite those interesting ideas, it ends up kind of tedious to watch. A high proportion of plays at the Royal Court over the last decade have been similar (see, Mullarkey). If these theatres want to be successful, they need to employ - as directors, as dramaturgs - people who actually understand the craft of playwriting, who can identify when a play is written well (irrespective of its subject), who don't think one stylistic gimmick is enough invention to fuel two hours of theatre, and who know, when they get a promising but unfinished script, both how to see the promise, and to help the playwright make it the best it can be. Problem is, of course, those people are few and far between - and you need someone already in the building who is able to recognize those skills.
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Post by orchidman on Jan 20, 2024 17:03:36 GMT
Isn't there also an issue in that the longer a that's is seen to be failing, the less likely the top writers and actors are going to want to be associated with it? For example, how on earth is Hampstead supposed to attract great writers from around the world who would look at this report and want nothing to do with the place? They have gone from producing a bunch of failing writers whose names I can't remember to new plays by Richard Bean, John Logan and Christopher Hampton and revivals from Tom Stoppard and Stephen Adly Guirgis. Top writers aren't afraid of failure and being named in some silly report. |
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Post by keepitupstairs on Jan 20, 2024 18:10:50 GMT
Isn't there also an issue in that the longer a that's is seen to be failing, the less likely the top writers and actors are going to want to be associated with it? For example, how on earth is Hampstead supposed to attract great writers from around the world who would look at this report and want nothing to do with the place? They have gone from producing a bunch of failing writers whose names I can't remember to new plays by Richard Bean, John Logan and Christopher Hampton and revivals from Tom Stoppard and Stephen Adly Guirgis. Top writers aren't afraid of failure and being named in some silly report. If they want to call themselves a new writing theatre, they’re going to need to take risks on new writers. And if you can’t see the issue with then naming and blaming specific creatives as the reason for losing money, I don’t know what to tell you. It’s tacky, disrespectful and bad for the whole industry. |
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Post by Jan on Jan 20, 2024 18:14:11 GMT
They have gone from producing a bunch of failing writers whose names I can't remember to new plays by Richard Bean, John Logan and Christopher Hampton and revivals from Tom Stoppard and Stephen Adly Guirgis. Top writers aren't afraid of failure and being named in some silly report. If they want to call themselves a new writing theatre, they’re going to need to take risks on new writers. And if you can’t see the issue with then naming and blaming specific creatives as the reason for losing money, I don’t know what to tell you. It’s tacky, disrespectful and bad for the whole industry. Except they DIDN'T name and shame specific creatives as n1david has pointed out. That was The Stage. |
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3,557 posts
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Post by showgirl on Jan 21, 2024 4:08:51 GMT
As keepitupstairs has pointed out, someone has to take a chance on new writers and Hampstead Theatre, amongst others, is one that until recently not only did so but advertised the fact. So it's a shame but obviously understandable if they can no longer afford to take risks with the main house programming. However, all "top writers" including those orchidman cites, were new and unknown once and though they're now established and may have less cause to fear failure, surely no-one - writer, director, cast, venue etc - enjoys or expects this. Also, as others have pointed out, programming in the smaller space (Downstairs), which as far as I know is entirely new writing, has been far more consistent and successful than in the main house, so I hope new work and of an equally high standard continues there. Certainly over the last year there were far more productions downstairs which appealed to me and on which I was willing to take a chance, though the creeping price increases Dave B mentions have made me a little more cautious with the new season. |
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Post by adamkinsey on Jan 23, 2024 16:30:30 GMT
I've just booked for Double Feature. The subject matter interests me and I always happily give anything Jonathan Hyde is in a go.
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Post by Jan on Jan 23, 2024 16:48:46 GMT
I've just booked for Double Feature. The subject matter interests me and I always happily give anything Jonathan Hyde is in a go. Me too, reluctantly and only because I had a credit from the Covid era I had to use. Agree on Jonathan Hyde. |
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406 posts
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Post by MrBunbury on Feb 12, 2024 15:08:21 GMT
Rachael Stirling cast as Sarah Siddons for the coming "The divine Mrs S". I am even happier that I have a ticket :-)
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5,688 posts
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Post by lynette on Feb 12, 2024 21:05:50 GMT
Rachael Stirling cast as Sarah Siddons for the coming "The divine Mrs S". I am even happier that I have a ticket :-) Yep, looks very pleasant |
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3,528 posts
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Post by Rory on Mar 28, 2024 11:12:45 GMT
Danny Sapani just announced to lead the cast of Between Riverside and Crazy, hot on the heels of King Lear at the Almeida.
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1,826 posts
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Post by Dave B on Mar 28, 2024 11:23:03 GMT
Great casting, glad I already have tickets.
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1,502 posts
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Post by foxa on May 26, 2024 22:07:23 GMT
Couldn't find a thread for Between Riverside and Crazy, but really enjoyed this. In some ways, it's a very typical American play, largely naturalistic, centred on a family wth a flawed father figure.But it is beautiully acted and directed with some moments, like the end of the first act, which made me gasp. I found it substantial and thougt-provoking.
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1,826 posts
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Post by Dave B on May 26, 2024 22:15:19 GMT
Couldn't find a thread for Between Riverside and Crazy, but really enjoyed this. In some ways, it's a very typical American play, largely naturalistic, centred on a family wth a flawed father figure.But it is beautiully acted and directed with some moments, like the end of the first act, which made me gasp. I found it substantial and thougt-provoking. Here you go : theatreboard.co.uk/thread/11786/riverside-crazy-hampstead-theatre  |
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1,826 posts
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Post by Dave B on May 28, 2024 10:52:12 GMT
The Invention of Love has a lot of stage seating available. Seats also start at £35....
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5,688 posts
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Post by lynette on Jun 1, 2024 10:03:28 GMT
Booking for December is a bit depressing really. All the summer gone….but this is a super play and deserves to be revived.
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