195 posts
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Post by tal on Feb 23, 2017 1:38:51 GMT
Really liked the show, although it was a bit longer that it should be - it finished at 10:47. First act ended precisely at 8:30, and the '5 minute' break between act 2 and act 3 took at least 8 minutes.
The character of Martha suits Imelda so well, and she was as brilliant as one could have expected. Conleth Hill was excellent, Luke Treadaway was sexy as hell, and Imogen Poots did what she could (I loved her dance moves).
Audience was really particularly rude tonight, and phones went off frequently. Also, people were laughing in some quite dramatic moments, the reason of which I did not fully understand.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2017 1:43:24 GMT
Really liked the show, although it was a bit longer that it should be - it finished at 10:47. First act ended precisely at 8:30, and the '5 minute' break between act 2 and act 3 took at least 8 minutes. The character of Martha suits Imelda so well, and she was as brilliant as one could have expected. Conleth Hill was excellent, Luke Treadaway was sexy as hell, and Imogen Poots did what she could (I loved her dance moves). Audience was really particularly rude tonight, and phones went off frequently. Also, people were laughing in some quite dramatic moments, the reason of which I did not fully understand. I thought Luke Treadaway dyed hair job is awful |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2017 2:12:57 GMT
There are rush seats on TodayTix now, £15.  |
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24 posts
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Post by paulwat on Feb 23, 2017 10:49:59 GMT
Really liked the show, although it was a bit longer that it should be - it finished at 10:47. Thanks very much for the info! Looks like it's cutting it too fine for last train back up North! Shame - I'd been looking forward to this. I've two Row C £15 tickets, which hopefully they'll take back, subject to £3 fee each! |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2017 12:37:52 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2017 17:49:46 GMT
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Post by popcultureboy on Feb 24, 2017 23:00:49 GMT
It's horribly underpowered Staunton behaves like she did in Gypsy Not a patch on the Kathleen Turner one She has way more stage presence and power than Staunton In my mind, Parsley, you're buried in cement right up to your neck. |
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Post by joem on Feb 24, 2017 23:17:50 GMT
Imelda Staunton was really good, bound to get an Olivier nomination for this. Rest of the cast as well although I did wonder a little bit at the Conleth Hill casting. I can't quite see what she saw in him all those years ago.
Funnily enough the hthree hours did not drag at all. If I have one criticism it's the touch of melodrama to some of the reactions when the preposterous stories told by Martha and George unfold. I have seen people being told some pretty heavy stuff in my life and they don't always faint and tear their hair.
But enjoyable I did find it, yes.
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Post by callum on Feb 25, 2017 2:15:02 GMT
Imelda Staunton was really good, bound to get an Olivier nomination for this. Rest of the cast as well although I did wonder a little bit at the Conleth Hill casting. I can't quite see what she saw in him all those years ago. Funnily enough the hthree hours did not drag at all. If I have one criticism it's the touch of melodrama to some of the reactions when the preposterous stories told by Martha and George unfold. I have seen people being told some pretty heavy stuff in my life and they don't always faint and tear their hair. But enjoyable I did find it, yes. Will she qualify for this year's Oliviers? Otherwise might get the Actress in a Play and Actress in a Musical double for Follies next year! |
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Post by dee on Feb 25, 2017 6:13:45 GMT
If only they would film these things for us across the pond or for anyone who can't see it. Broadway too. I know it leaves so much to be desired compared to the live version, but I miss seeing things like this. I love Imelda (there are so many here who barely have an idea she does musical theatre, let alone heavy drama onstage). I saw Gypsy twice when I was in London in 2015 and wish I could have seen it several more times! Praying that NT Live does Follies, but haven't seen a musical (though this is not a "normal" musical) done by them that I know of. It's hard to follow these boards as I feel such yearning.
By the way, is this the replacement board from the Theatre Forum one that disappeared? There was such a great Gypsy thread on that and it is gone-I'm not sure what happened, since I've been out of the forum loop for a bit.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2017 7:13:51 GMT
By the way, is this the replacement board from the Theatre Forum one that disappeared? There was such a great Gypsy thread on that and it is gone- It's the replacement for the WhatsOnstage forum, which was closed down when TheaterMania took over. All the old discussions have been lost. |
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Feb 25, 2017 7:46:49 GMT
For all our new readers/followers, Parsley tends to not enjoy a lot of things. Don't let the views said above change your view of the show as it was its first preview, but also because it comes from a person who really doesn't enjoy many things.  I enjoy Parsley's views. Forthright, thought provoking and funny. Good poster |
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Post by Tibidabo on Feb 25, 2017 10:13:31 GMT
Agree with theglenbucklaird above. Headsup - Luke Treadaway is on Graham Norton Radio 2 show at 12.30 (?) He's also got Griff Rhys Jones and Tom Hollander if anyone wants to dig out those threads. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2017 10:42:23 GMT
How kind!!
Thanks Glen and Tibi
3 days after seeing this revival
It has left no lasting impression on me
And Albee usually does
I recall A Delicate Balance playing in my mind for a few weeks
I think one poster above perhaps is right when they point in the faults with the way in which the characters react to the "game" being played onstage
In this staging it was obvious from the outset from the exaggerated reactions that it was pretence
I also agree there is something wrong about Conleth Hill in this role
Amazing actor no doubt just not right in this setting
Nor did I find Luke Treadaway convincing
His seduction scenes were comical rather than sultry
I still preferred the Kathleen Turner version and think perhaps American actors suit this play far better
Bill irwin was surely far better than Conleth Hill in his role
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Post by dee on Feb 25, 2017 10:58:14 GMT
By the way, is this the replacement board from the Theatre Forum one that disappeared? There was such a great Gypsy thread on that and it is gone- It's the replacement for the WhatsOnstage forum, which was closed down when TheaterMania took over. All the old discussions have been lost. Thank you. I wonder where the Theatre Forum went-unless that was connected to the WhatsOnStage site. A shame that all the old discussions have been lost... but onwards and upwards! |
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Post by peggs on Feb 25, 2017 17:36:25 GMT
How kind!! Thanks Glen and Tibi 3 days after seeing this revival It has left no lasting impression on me And Albee usually does I recall A Delicate Balance playing in my mind for a few weeks I think one poster above perhaps is right when they point in the faults with the way in which the characters react to the "game" being played onstage In this staging it was obvious from the outset from the exaggerated reactions that it was pretence I also agree there is something wrong about Conleth Hill in this role Amazing actor no doubt just not right in this setting Nor did I find Luke Treadaway convincing His seduction scenes were comical rather than sultry I still preferred the Kathleen Turner version and think perhaps American actors suit this play far better Bill irwin was surely far better than Conleth Hill in his role It would be dull without your Parsley. I saw the Kathleen Turner/Bill Irwin production quite early in my theatre going days and remember 'knowing' I was seeing a very good production without quite loving it. Hope I disagree re Conleth Hill and the role, I booked for him rather than Imelda Staunton good though she is, he was the clincher. |
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Post by Phantom of London on Feb 25, 2017 18:38:54 GMT
Seein this tonight, it is sold out.
Saw a cracking version 3 years ago, it had Tracey Letts and Amy Morton in it,
I hope it does finish before 10:47, my train is at 10:56 and I don't want to wait 30 minutes for another one.
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Post by dee on Feb 25, 2017 21:11:52 GMT
I wonder where the Theatre Forum went-unless that was connected to the WhatsOnStage site To build on The Matthew's answer, if it wasn't clear, dee, the old board was connected, WOS owned it. The new owners first didn't fix a fault, so it was closed to new members for a year, then we got a month's notice it would close. At that point, everybody got together and moved ourselves here. On 12th February 2016, the old board was shut and deleted (we believe) from the WOS servers. By then, everybody was on here, so, onwards and upwards for us indeed. Ah, thanks for the clarification. A shame to lose all those old threads and topics, but glad to see you all here! |
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Feb 26, 2017 8:53:18 GMT
Seein this tonight, it is sold out. Saw a cracking version 3 years ago, it had Tracey Letts and Amy Morton in it, I hope it does finish before 10:47, my train is at 10:56 and I don't want to wait 30 minutes for another one. Phantom, I was there last night also. Shame I just saw your message I would have said hello. As I have said before, 'like a brother to me...' |
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Feb 26, 2017 9:03:33 GMT
How kind!! Thanks Glen and Tibi 3 days after seeing this revival It has left no lasting impression on me And Albee usually does I recall A Delicate Balance playing in my mind for a few weeks I think one poster above perhaps is right when they point in the faults with the way in which the characters react to the "game" being played onstage In this staging it was obvious from the outset from the exaggerated reactions that it was pretence I also agree there is something wrong about Conleth Hill in this role Amazing actor no doubt just not right in this setting Nor did I find Luke Treadaway convincing His seduction scenes were comical rather than sultry I still preferred the Kathleen Turner version and think perhaps American actors suit this play far better Bill irwin was surely far better than Conleth Hill in his role It would be dull without your Parsley. I saw the Kathleen Turner/Bill Irwin production quite early in my theatre going days and remember 'knowing' I was seeing a very good production without quite loving it. Hope I disagree re Conleth Hill and the role, I booked for him rather than Imelda Staunton good though she is, he was the clincher. My first Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf so don't have the Kathleen Turner production to compare to. From a 'not crazy about Imelda Staunton' position which most of the board seem to be in, I think she is very good in this. I really liked Conleth Hill. Thought he was the standout but like peggs I booked to see Conleth Hill from the actors. Loved the games parts.
Thought it quite a funny take on the production, comical as Parsley said. I can't wait for the net revival.
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4,970 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Feb 26, 2017 12:56:01 GMT
Seein this tonight, it is sold out. Saw a cracking version 3 years ago, it had Tracey Letts and Amy Morton in it, I hope it does finish before 10:47, my train is at 10:56 and I don't want to wait 30 minutes for another one. Phantom, I was there last night also. Shame I just saw your message I would have said hello. As I have said before, 'like a brother to me...' Shame, I would've loved to of seen you too. |
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Post by theatrefan77 on Feb 26, 2017 15:13:06 GMT
Saw this last night and really enjoyed it. I too prefer the Kathleen Turner/Bill Irwin version but this is a great production. The four actors did a very good job, their timing was spot on. The 3 hours 15 min really flew by at a perfect pace. You wouldn't think this was a preview. This is really a brilliant production of a wonderful play imho.
I prefer the Turner version slightly mainly because I found Bill Irwin absolutely mesmerising and Kathleen Turner's voice fitted Martha perfectly. I have very fond memories of that production.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2017 20:22:28 GMT
So just had to give my ticket for Wednesday away to a friend because of prior commitments I had forgotten about. Sad, but at least I didn't lose any money as my friend paid for the ticket and at least someone I know can enjoy the show. I will definitely catch this before it goes though, I don't want to miss this one!
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Post by theatre-turtle on Feb 28, 2017 19:15:01 GMT
Grateful again to the wonderful theatremonkey for the suggestion of Dress Circle E1. Excellent view and decent legroom for £10.
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716 posts
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Post by theatre-turtle on Feb 28, 2017 23:25:13 GMT
Absolutely loved this. Imelda is incredible - it's a more nuanced performance than Rose in Gypsy, and she manages to convey all the shades of the complexities of the character. There were many moments I got goosebumps or gasped audibly. I can smell another Olivier award. Is she up for this year? I suspect they'd rather give it to Billie Piper for her 'new' work rather than reward Imelda yet again though.
All the cast were excellent.
Luke Treadaway is very handsome.
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