The Cherry Orchard - Donmar Warehouse 2024

[theoracle]

At a time where so many shows are struggling to sell and theatres having to deal with filling capacity, it’s great to see the Donmar still selling very well. Really intrigued to see the in-the-round set up and to hopefully see some brilliant performances. Not familiar with Benedict Andrews’ work but sounds like it’s going to be a good production. My first Cherry Orchard too

[Jan]

Apr 25, 2024 11:17:32 GMT theoracle said:

At a time where so many shows are struggling to sell and theatres having to deal with filling capacity, it’s great to see the Donmar still selling very well. Really intrigued to see the in-the-round set up and to hopefully see some brilliant performances. Not familiar with Benedict Andrews’ work but sounds like it’s going to be a good production. My first Cherry Orchard too

His production of Three Sisters at the Young Vic was very good so hopefully this should be good too.

[matildaswinton]

His Streetcar was terrific, so I cannot wait for this. Love that it’s gonna be in the round.

[lt]

Apr 25, 2024 11:17:32 GMT theoracle said:

At a time where so many shows are struggling to sell and theatres having to deal with filling capacity, it’s great to see the Donmar still selling very well. Really intrigued to see the in-the-round set up and to hopefully see some brilliant performances. Not familiar with Benedict Andrews’ work but sounds like it’s going to be a good production. My first Cherry Orchard too

I am sure that's partly because not only does the Donmar have some great productions, it is an increasing rarity in its restrained ticket pricing for the west end, top tickets for The Cherry Orchard are £65.

[theoracle]

Apr 26, 2024 14:20:49 GMT lt said:

Apr 25, 2024 11:17:32 GMT theoracle said:

At a time where so many shows are struggling to sell and theatres having to deal with filling capacity, it’s great to see the Donmar still selling very well. Really intrigued to see the in-the-round set up and to hopefully see some brilliant performances. Not familiar with Benedict Andrews’ work but sounds like it’s going to be a good production. My first Cherry Orchard too

I am sure that's partly because not only does the Donmar have some great productions, it is an increasing rarity in its restrained ticket pricing for the west end, top tickets for The Cherry Orchard are £65.

£65 I would argue actually is fairly pricey... yes, it's not £££ like some shows in the West End but it's definitely more expensive than the Almeida or the Menier and only seats on the extreme sides seem to carry a lower price tag. I've stood once and it wasn't really for me. Top price only a few years ago was £40 and I do think the Donmar seems to have increased their prices considerably more compared to some of their peers, perhaps because its in such a prime location? I'm fortunately able to still spend £65 but I know a lot of people who can't so it's quite a delicate conversation trying to invite friends out sometimes...

Moreover however, anyone there tonight or during previews who can report back?

[Jon]

The Donmar lost their ACE funding so they need to increase prices, it's a business after all.

[theoracle]

From my understanding, only a small percentage of their funding came from ACE - most came from sponsorships and donations, and the price increase came about before the cut. It was really after COVID when ticket prices seemed to have really increased. Of course I recognise it is a business but I don't think it's unreasonable to point out that the Donmar does charge more and I'm praising them for still selling without offers on TodayTix etc

[Being Alive]

£65 (IMO) is not expensive for shows of the quality produced at the Donmar.
They could (and I say should) charge more than they currently do at top price.
There's also always seats at ~£20 for every show and standing at £15.

The Donmar id actually argue is one of the most accessible venues in terms of ticket prices.

[aspieandy]

Fwiw, I didn't book for at least 2 years because a production would always appear on papering sites. For at least one production tickets were distributed for free as a favour. That said, the Donmar seems to have retained a significant Old Guard from back in the day.

For a while, use of the droning, moveable ceiling was almost as ubiquitous as The Orange Tree's chaise lounge, though someone mercifully seemed to unplug it during Longhurst's reign.

[lt]

Apr 26, 2024 20:21:45 GMT theoracle said:

Apr 26, 2024 14:20:49 GMT lt said:

I am sure that's partly because not only does the Donmar have some great productions, it is an increasing rarity in its restrained ticket pricing for the west end, top tickets for The Cherry Orchard are £65.

£65 I would argue actually is fairly pricey... yes, it's not £££ like some shows in the West End but it's definitely more expensive than the Almeida or the Menier and only seats on the extreme sides seem to carry a lower price tag. I've stood once and it wasn't really for me. Top price only a few years ago was £40 and I do think the Donmar seems to have increased their prices considerably more compared to some of their peers, perhaps because its in such a prime location? I'm fortunately able to still spend £65 but I know a lot of people who can't so it's quite a delicate conversation trying to invite friends out sometimes...

Moreover however, anyone there tonight or during previews who can report back?

I agree £65 is not cheap, but is there another WE theatre with similar comparatively low top pricing? I have the impression that since Covid a lot of theatres' prices seem to have gone up. Personally, I try not to pay more than £25 for a ticket, so most of my theatregoing is off WE as a result. Like you I  don't like standing. I'm going to a Cherry Orchard preview for £21 and as it's in the round, hoping side tickets will still offer a good view. So will report back...

[Jan]

Apr 26, 2024 20:34:31 GMT Jon said:

The Donmar lost their ACE funding so they need to increase prices, it's a business after all.

Strictly it's not a business it's a charity so has a legal obligation to break even - but not to make a profit as would be the case for commercial West End venues. 

[alessia]

they emailed me a few days ago to tell me they had to change my seat as required by the actors...a bit annoying but they also said I get a free programme and a drink for the inconvenience :-)

[topaz]

We were in the circle - but since it’s the sort of thing people may like to be warned about, there are some moments of sustained audience interaction involving the first row of the stalls. I didn’t care for the production at all, unfortunately.

[drmaplewood]

Donmar looks fairly unrecognisable in these shots. Anyone else been yet?

[helenfrombath]

I didn't much care for this adaption. As stated above, there is audience participation, which I found annoying. The Donmar is describing the seating configuration as being "in the round", but It's more like there happens to be two rows of seating on stage, which is normally the back wall of the set.

[lynette]

Beginning to take it personally with the Donmar: earphones with Macbeth and now audience participation with Cherry Orchard. Two pet hates

[Jan]

May 1, 2024 18:22:20 GMT lynette said:

Beginning to take it personally with the Donmar: earphones with Macbeth and now audience participation with Cherry Orchard. Two pet hates

Well in a sense it *is* personal, you and I are not the audience they want.

[jaggy]

Audience participation in The Cherry Orchard? Huh? Trying to think where that would fit.

Are the house lights kept on for this? The recently released pictures give that impression.

[parsley1]

Save yourself from this 3 hours of utter sh*te

Painful pretentious

And demonstrating at worst the director has if anything regressed in capability

At best he has one approach to everything

Possibly the most appalling acting in have seen in a Chekhov

And yes the lighting is harsh and awful

Like being in an interrogation suite for the evening

Sickening

Makes you wish for theatre closures again

[mrekko]

I was very tempted to book this; have never seen a Checkhov play although he is one of my favourite writers all around, but I might save my first time to be on a different production.

[Steve]

I saw this tonight, and thought it was terrific!

Much better than the horror-focused "Cherry Orchard" at the Young Vic, and also more original and exciting than the last one the National did, in my opinion.

Yes, there is a danger of audience participation if you are front row of the stalls, and I was glad not to be sat there.

At tonight's preview, it ran from 7:35pm - 10:25pm, making for a running time of 2 hours 50 minutes, including an interval. It will undoubtedly get shorter.

Some spoilers follow. . .

For the first half, I was wondering what happened to Benedict Andrews, as it just seemed like a straightforward Brechtian thing, with the lights on, some audience participation, actors sitting among the audience, and an Anya Reiss type script update, using modern words like "f--kwit" and modern phrases like "See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya."

Where was the genius of his "Three Sisters," with all the stacked tables and chairs disappearing one by one from under the actors' feet, leaving them with less and less room to exist? Where was the spinning stage of "Streetcar," which created that sense of New York dynamism?

In fact, the isolation of the actors playing the scenes in the first half, surrounded by the other actors all watching them as audience members, made them feel lonely and artificial, struggling to create any sense of real human interaction. Except with the audience lol. Most audience members singled out were only referred to, rather than having to do anything, so not a real worry, but one bloke was dragged on stage, and was an amazing sport about it, though I hope he was consulted in advance about it.

In the second half, it became clear that the first half had only really been a warm-up, as by now, the atmosphere of the audience and actors, all being one and the same, had been established, accepted and internalised, and at this point, accompanied by onstage instruments and actor-musicians, a chaotic Chekhovian sense of real people living real lives just exploded into reality and the in-the-round staging meant we all felt part of it.

With most of the actors now flooding the stage at once, and all sorts of things happening simultaneously, the sense of the actors being under the microscope ended, replaced by a sense of all the diversity of behaviour and beliefs of humanity all happening at once, simply existing, which did absolute justice to Chekhov's conversational characters and class-related themes. The audience being a part of it also continued for some game front row stalls participants. . .

SPOILER: Click to show

They danced with the actors, though the gig theatre atmosphere felt so liberated and free, that they seemed joyfully a part of it rather than self-consciously. There was no speaking by those audience members who participated.

Anyway, I felt that after an average first half, we had an explosive and utterly gripping second half, simply wonderful in every way, dramatically, in characterisation, the authenticity of it, all only possible on account of the first half conditioning the audience to feel part of the show.

The entire acting ensemble were on fire, moulding life forces to be reckoned with: with Adeel Akhtar's self-made man, Lopakhin a perfect blend of wilful belligerence, street smarts and soulful compassion; June Watson's frail Firs furiously cursing the future into the wind while gleefully and lovingly fawning over the past; Nina Hoss's Ranevskaya so regal, dazed, confused and open-hearted; David Ganly's Boris so complacent yet frenzied about money; and I could go on as I loved the entire ensemble.

Overall, this was not the comedy that Chekhov supposedly wanted it to be, but nor was it the weighty drama Stanislavsky supposedly thought it should be. Benedict Arnold just winds up both audience and actors like a music box until all we feel is the reality and truth of Chekhov's whole world. 4 and a half stars from me.

[parsley1]

I thought Adeel Akhtar

Sounded like Alf Garnet

Both in terms of expletives, cockney accent

And uncontrolled shouting

[theoracle]

This is the one Chekhov great play that I’ve not seen so very intrigued now. Thanks for the report Steve knowing you like it gives me some confidence at least. I’ve booked for stage side front row as I think it’s a bit of a treat to get to see the Donmar from a perspective you don’t normally have. Mainly booked for Daniel Monks as he’s been terrific in everything I’ve seen him in

[parsley1]

Apr 26, 2024 22:20:34 GMT Being Alive said:

£65 (IMO) is not expensive for shows of the quality produced at the Donmar.
They could (and I say should) charge more than they currently do at top price.
There's also always seats at ~£20 for every show and standing at £15.

The Donmar id actually argue is one of the most accessible venues in terms of ticket prices.

It used to be

But I still think NT has a better selection of prices and opportunities for rush tickets

Almeida is the main one to beat as is RC

[lt]

Unfortunately, I saw this bizarre modernist version of The Cherry Orchard last night. It felt as if it had been devised by someone on acid wanting to do something "new and creative". I didn't think the modernised script worked at all and the production as a whole was utterly incoherent.

Going to lots of plays every year as I do, sometimes only a few will be brilliant, others will be good or average, some may be disappointing. But this was on another level of awfulness entirely, I really hope I don't see a worse show this year or next. I don't think I could face it.

Clearly a number of other theatregoers weren't keen either. I was sitting in the circle and noticed a number of people left in the interval.  Also, no one was standing in the
second half, so either they all left, or perhaps the theatre gave them freed-up seats elsewhere? I never leave at the interval, always clinging on to a faint hope - however forlorn - that things may improve - however, when I saw the cast bringing on musical instruments for the beginning of the second half - all hope was extinguished. Suffice to say, things did not get better.

I don't know when I have been more bored at the theatre and felt a genuine sense of relief when it was all finally over.

It seems a travesty that this production has almost sold out, whereas another classic play with a modernist interpretation The Glass Menagerie at Kingston which is brilliant and one of the very best things I have seen this year, still has lots of tickets available.