Slave Play – Noel Coward Theatre

[nash16]

Sadly it’s not a great play or production, and word of mouth will be the thing killing this one.

[theatrefan77]

I will try to do the Lottery. Curious about it but don't want to pay full price after reading all the negative comments.

[Dr Tom]

I’ve not seen this on seat filling sites, but day seats are very easy to get. I didn’t have success with the lottery, but others have had. There are plenty of reasonably priced routes to get in.

It’s a short run with a small cast and simple staging, no doubt other incentives to bring it to London as well. I’m sure the finances have been considered. I don’t think this is the best play for a London audience, but that’s a separate discussion.

[gcbf]

I went to this tonight with a lottery/pay as you go ticket. As others have said I felt the therapy session was quite long and people around me became a bit restless about 2/3 of the way through. The end really floored many of us. Lots of laughs throughout. It wasn't sold out tonight but fairly full.

I thought it was a really interesting exploration of modern racial dynamics and how generational trauma is stored in the body and passed down over the years. I didn't find it necessarily super shocking or super funny, but did think it was very exploratory, with a couple of moments that really floored me and lots of food for thought for the next couple days.

[caa]

Managed to get a pay what you can ticket and didn't pay very much. Had there been an interval I don't think I would have stayed. I really don't understand how it got 4 star reviews!  As others have said the middle section drags I have seen similar group therapy sessions in the theatre done better.

[stuart]

I got a ‘Pay What you Can’ ticket for this at the back of the stalls but they upgraded me to a central Stalls ticket about 7:15pm when I asked.

About 70% full tonight - not the best to have a mirrored set when there are so many empty seats in the upper levels. Also, it just highlighted bad behaviour elsewhere in the theatre when people were getting up and moving about throughout.

I still need to process this. Wow. Loved it.

[nancycunard]

There are people in this thread who clearly have an ideological objection to this show (which is fine) but I can’t understand the seemingly active desire to want to see it do badly — especially when I really don’t think it is.

[Someone in a tree]

24 hour offer on TodayTix

[aspieandy]

Out of curiosity I subscribed to the pay-what-you-want list. I logged in on Tuesday about 10-mintues after it opened. The queue was in the high 700s.

Best guess: people are reasonably curious - whch may speak to the clever initial promo + Kit Harrington banging the drum on the BBC on Sunday morning - but aren't happy with West End prices, or just can't pay West End prices.

If they can get away with it, I suspect we'll see more BBC promo before the next tranche of pay-what-you-want.

One way or another, this is being discounted on a not inconsiderable scale. Bookings being accepted until 21st September.

Atm, I'd be inclinded to book the balcony or slips for £15 (as above: TodayTix) and expect to be quietly relocated downstairs.

[artemis]

I was there last night, it was pretty full on all levels.
A woman on the front row got her phone out to browse the news which I thought was pretty audacious considering the actors are about 6 feet away. I asked her to put it away which she did, after she shrugged and pointed at what was happening on the stage. I felt her struggle at times, but phones away please.
Anyway, very good acting and interesting set up, but my god that therapy scene was looooooooong, seriously needs cutting. Your gran might be shocked or offended at some things, but I found a lot of it amusing.
Worth seeing though if you can get a cheap ticket.

[oxfordsimon]

I just got a £15 ticket offer through a papering mailing list

So there are deals out there

[parsley1]

Aug 2, 2024 10:12:36 GMT oxfordsimon said:

I just got a £15 ticket offer through a papering mailing list

So there are deals out there

Oh but don’t forget

“This isn’t a commercial flop, it just isn’t”

[Dave B]

Aug 2, 2024 10:12:36 GMT oxfordsimon said:

I just got a £15 ticket offer through a papering mailing list

So there are deals out there

I just got the same but if you click through it's the back rows of the balcony at £15 Stalls seats have a price reduction to £65 which is by no means anywhere near papering prices

[coco]

Aug 2, 2024 10:28:13 GMT Dave B said:

Aug 2, 2024 10:12:36 GMT oxfordsimon said:

I just got a £15 ticket offer through a papering mailing list

So there are deals out there

I just got the same but if you click through it's the back rows of the balcony at £15 Stalls seats have a price reduction to £65 which is by no means anywhere near papering prices

I got one offer and it offers any seat in the theatre at 15 pounds price, so I booked one in the G row at Stalls. In this sense, I would say it's a papering price.

[coco]

I went to see the performance last night, and I felt like the play was just not what it claimed to be. Rather than being offensive and poignant, it is rather mild in my perspective. Quite predictable through and through. Maybe because I am not black or white, so I can't relate to it.

[craigbowker]

As an American living in London this might have resonated a bit more with me since the racism exists in different contexts based on where you are.

That being said, I actually really enjoyed this. It was weird. It was not what I was expecting (even though I knew of the twist ahead of time). More laughter than I expected.

Most of all, this cast is incredible. The quality of acting on display here is phenomenal. Four stars from me.

[merrilywereadalong]

Oh I LOVED this.

It's messy and far from perfect (while I understand why they're doing it, and goodness knows I *LVE* the cantaloupe poster but the marketing of this play as some bold, American Masterpeice is annoying as hell)
but I think after purchasing the text and reading it after seeing it I feel like some of the things that didn't work for me, mainly the therapy scene dragging came down to direction because on the page at least that scene SNAPS. It's definitely a "let's sit in the discomfort" choice which I didn't think worked.
And for as meandering as the plays sometimes gets it really does occasionally stumble on some hard, uncomfortable truths and those moments I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up and left me pretty riveted, don't remember the last time I had tears in my eyes while also belly laughing at the same time and I don't think I've bolted quicker from my seat at the end to go buy a playtext. I thought the acting was stellar and the design transfixing (to be fair I was in the second row, B9,B10 for those curious I felt like were the best seats in the house!) but I LOVED the mirrors and thought it was just one of the most unique ways to watch a play. And pacing issues aside I really loved everything else about the direction and staging. Like a few others here, I can't wait to see it again to take it all in and better..."process" what I just saw ;-)

[clarefh]

I saw this last night. Got upgraded to mid stalls - theatre was fairly full, particularly for a Monday on August.

I have to say I found it rather dull which surprised me. Thought the acting was pretty good - apart from the therapists, which I get was what they were trying to achieve but they just grated so much. Would have probably left if there was an interval.

[aspieandy]

Well, curiosity got the better of me. A London Theatre Week (?) offer of the Stalls for £15. Available on, at least, TodayTix and CT.

Later this week, then ..

[theatreloverlondon]

What’s funny is that I actually found the therapy scene the funniest and the bit I enjoyed the most 🤣 I also thought the main therapist lady was a fab actor. All the couples had really funny moments in this section. The first half of the show was too much for me and it didn’t understand what I’m rather was going on.

[aspieandy]

Hmm, todays matinee is cancelled due to unforseen, though they are managing to soldier on tonight, which has sold much better.

No more £15 in the Stalls, though.

[salopian]

Have had a couple of offers for this via the mailing list over the last couple of days - firstly offering me a ticket to see it again for 'just' £30 which I'm pretty sure is what I paid previously anyway (although admittedly this does include seats throughout the theatre and not just right at the back) and this morning I've had one offering me a free drink and programme too.

[kallyloo]

Just got an email from Delfont/mac for a free programme and drink if I book by September 7th.
Check your emails if interested and your signed up for info from them.

[marob]

Aug 22, 2024 7:15:28 GMT salopian said:

Have had a couple of offers for this via the mailing list over the last couple of days - firstly offering me a ticket to see it again for 'just' £30 which I'm pretty sure is what I paid previously anyway (although admittedly this does include seats throughout the theatre and not just right at the back) and this morning I've had one offering me a free drink and programme too.

Weird offer when it’s very easy to get day tickets for £20. Just looked now and there’s loads available for tonight and they are throughout the stalls.

[dillan]

Aug 22, 2024 12:09:22 GMT marob said:

Aug 22, 2024 7:15:28 GMT salopian said:

Have had a couple of offers for this via the mailing list over the last couple of days - firstly offering me a ticket to see it again for 'just' £30 which I'm pretty sure is what I paid previously anyway (although admittedly this does include seats throughout the theatre and not just right at the back) and this morning I've had one offering me a free drink and programme too.

Weird offer when it’s very easy to get day tickets for £20. Just looked now and there’s loads available for tonight and they are throughout the stalls.

You'll be shocked at how many people don't realise that day seats exist.. this play and these last minute seats may have done better with a TodayTix rush deal.