The Deep Blue Sea - Ustinov Studio (Bath)

[theoracle]

This is shaping up to look really exciting - fantastic cast announced: Tamsin Grieg, Oliver Chris and Finbar Lynch. Also joined by Nicholas Farrell, Felicity Montagu, Lisa Ambalavanar and Preston Nyman. Slightly rescheduled too, now running from 2 May - 1 June.

www.theatreroyal.org.uk/events/the-deep-blue-sea/

[oxfordsimon]

Now that's what I call a cast

[Deleted]

This must be a potential West End transfer or a Number 1 tour with a cast that good.

[mrbarnaby]

Mar 25, 2024 2:12:39 GMT @scarletmood said:

This must be a potential West End transfer or a Number 1 tour with a cast that good.

I don’t imagine you’ll get Tamsin Grieg schlepping round the provinces.

[Deleted]

Mar 25, 2024 9:11:27 GMT mrbarnaby said:

Mar 25, 2024 2:12:39 GMT @scarletmood said:

This must be a potential West End transfer or a Number 1 tour with a cast that good.

I don’t imagine you’ll get Tamsin Grieg schlepping round the provinces.

I just realised she has never done a major tour in a leading role so fair point. Her noted theatre work has been since the mid 2000's and she had been a known TV star for several years then but she did have a family so maybe those commitments came first.

[theoracle]

Seeing this on Monday - could anyone say what the running time will be? Slightly concerned about the ASLEF overtime ban

[hound]

I know this is too late for the person above, but in case anyone else wishes to know, this is running at 2 and a half hours including interval.

[Being Alive]

With that cast this'll surely transfer in?

[theoracle]

May 7, 2024 18:08:26 GMT hound said:

I know this is too late for the person above, but in case anyone else wishes to know, this is running at 2 and a half hours including interval.

I can confirm this is correct. Had to run for a train which was luckily ran and thought this was brilliant. Tamsin Greig was astonishing good - you felt her anguish and despair. Nicholas Farrell also delivered a strong performance and Oliver Chris absolutely owned his role too. I thought it was a superbly done production and was worth the journey to see it. There’s no reworking of anything - it plays as you would expect it to and the results are scintillatingly good.

[Rory]

May 7, 2024 23:31:10 GMT theoracle said:

May 7, 2024 18:08:26 GMT hound said:

I know this is too late for the person above, but in case anyone else wishes to know, this is running at 2 and a half hours including interval.

I can confirm this is correct. Had to run for a train which was luckily ran and thought this was brilliant. Tamsin Greig was astonishing good - you felt her anguish and despair. Nicholas Farrell also delivered a strong performance and Oliver Chris absolutely owned his role too. I thought it was a superbly done production and was worth the journey to see it. There’s no reworking of anything - it plays as you would expect it to and the results are scintillatingly good.

Would to see this.

[Rory]

May 7, 2024 18:20:52 GMT Being Alive said:

With that cast this'll surely transfer in?

One would hope so.

[theoracle]

It’s a pity Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf didn’t transfer in as that was terrific too. I didn’t see View From the Bridge but am guessing that’s coming in because Dominic and Callum are both names people are familiar with so they’re willing to put more of a gamble on that? I’m not sure if the public see Tamsin as being of similar status but one would hope that this will as it’s a really terrific production.

Pretty sure the Rattigan double bill in Autumn will come in though as it’s only on for just over a week.

[nottobe]

Seems to have had very good reviews so hopefully this means a transfer is more likely.

[jaggy]

Anyone know if they’re looking to transfer this?

[Being Alive]

Jun 18, 2024 14:53:00 GMT jaggy said:

Anyone know if they’re looking to transfer this?

With that cast? Must be.

[Rory]

I really would love this to transfer, somewhere like the Duke of York's, but I'm not overly hopeful.

[jaggy]

I thought the Ambassadors would be a good place for this but it would be a while before it can play there.

[nash16]

Actors like Tamsin and co don’t go to Bath just to play roles and not come to London.

They’ll definitely be coming to the capital with it.

Bath is the new “try-out”/pre-West End venue of choice for plays.

Great for the Theatre Royal’s coffers too.

[Rory]

Jun 18, 2024 22:59:55 GMT nash16 said:

Actors like Tamsin and co don’t go to Bath just to play roles and not come to London.

They’ll definitely be coming to the capital with it.

Bath is the new “try-out”/pre-West End venue of choice for plays.

Great for the Theatre Royal’s coffers too.

You could say that just as easily about Ian McDiarmid doing The Caretaker in CFT but unfortunately the reality is that, gone are the days when productions like this automatically transfer to the West End. I wish it was not the case. Looking at the available theatres, not much is left now for the rest of the year anyway. As far as we know, The Criterion is free from September onwards and @sohoplace is free from October onwards as will be the Duke of York's from mid October but that's about it.

[nash16]

Jun 20, 2024 16:33:09 GMT Rory said:

Jun 18, 2024 22:59:55 GMT nash16 said:

Actors like Tamsin and co don’t go to Bath just to play roles and not come to London.

They’ll definitely be coming to the capital with it.

Bath is the new “try-out”/pre-West End venue of choice for plays.

Great for the Theatre Royal’s coffers too.

You could say that just as easily about Ian McDiarmid doing The Caretaker in CFT but unfortunately the reality is that, gone are the days when productions like this automatically transfer to the West End. I wish it was not the case. Looking at the available theatres, not much is left now for the rest of the year anyway. As far as we know, The Criterion is free from September onwards and @sohoplace is free from October onwards as will be the Duke of York's from mid October but that's about it.

Oh, I definitely think Bath will have sorted a transfer house for shows like this.  I don't think it'll be a case of them scouting for venues.  Names like Grieg I doubt would want to only do such a big role without coming into town.  If they want Olivier nods, it'll probably come in Spring time.  Sadly, re McDiarmid and Chichester, I don't think he'd sell tickets tbh.

[Jan]

Jun 20, 2024 16:33:09 GMT Rory said:

Jun 18, 2024 22:59:55 GMT nash16 said:

Actors like Tamsin and co don’t go to Bath just to play roles and not come to London.

They’ll definitely be coming to the capital with it.

Bath is the new “try-out”/pre-West End venue of choice for plays.

Great for the Theatre Royal’s coffers too.

You could say that just as easily about Ian McDiarmid doing The Caretaker in CFT but unfortunately the reality is that, gone are the days when productions like this automatically transfer to the West End. I wish it was not the case. Looking at the available theatres, not much is left now for the rest of the year anyway. As far as we know, The Criterion is free from September onwards and @sohoplace is free from October onwards as will be the Duke of York's from mid October but that's about it.

Bath have transferred productions to the Arcola before. That is the sort of theatre that would be suitable for McDiarmid. But, like for the RSC, I suppose these days provincial theatres do not measure success by a London transfer. 

[Rory]

Now that we know Tamsin Greig is doing the new play Backstroke at the Donmar in February, a transfer for this seems unlikely unless they can bring it into town around October.

[Jon]

I do think we need to stop assuming every show from the likes of Bath or Chicester will transfer, it's not realistic.

Also, any producing theatre setting their sights on every show transferring is not doing their own theatre any favours, it's a nice to have, not a necessity.

[Rory]

Jun 25, 2024 13:57:24 GMT Jon said:

I do think we need to stop assuming every show from the likes of Bath or Chicester will transfer, it's not realistic.

Also, any producing theatre setting their sights on every show transferring is not doing their own theatre any favours, it's a nice to have, not a necessity.

As I've said above clearly, I don't make automatic assumptions of regional transfers these days, however some productions stand out as being more likely to transfer than others. This being one of them, given the brilliant cast and the rave reviews for TG. It would be a shame in my view if her highly lauded performance of one of the key roles in the canon was restricted to a few weeks in the Ustinov Studio.

[mrbarnaby]

There is still a good chance they may bring this in at a later date.