The Importance Of Being Earnest - Exchange Manchester

[BurlyBeaR]

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Zero buzz on here for this modern take. Anyone been or going?

[Jonnyboy]

Kind of tempted by the modern take but I've seen so many productions of the play, I might be Earnested out!

[stevej678]

Booked for two weeks on Friday. Looking forward to seeing a modern take on it.

[crabtree]

The one review I read didn;t mention Lady B which is a little worrying.

[stevej678]

Jun 26, 2024 14:32:39 GMT crabtree said:

The one review I read didn;t mention Lady B which is a little worrying.

Worry not, Lady B is there.

[marob]

I saw it this afternoon and enjoyed it a great deal. A very brisk 2hrs10mins, not sure if anything was cut, but there’s a few updated references, and the odd of bit of humour added.

[richey]

Saw thus last week, having never seen a production of this before!
Really enjoyed it. I think the updated version worked well and the staging was gorgeous, with the beautiful arrangement of pink blossoms suspended over the stage.

[crabtree]

Presumably just one interval with this - and do they include the Grisbsy scene, usually cut. I like that as it adds to the symmetry, and is something else to go wrong for the lads - also another part for Lane to play. I did include it and it felt right, well it felt it belonged there.
desdeloanara.blogspot.com/2012/03/when-life-imitates-art-gribsby-episode.html

[Poppy or Drood]

I have a ticket to see this on the 25th July. I love the play and have seen many differing productions. I would love to see the four act original sometime (including Gribsby the solicitor and Moulton the gardener)
I presume this is, as usual, the three act version that we are familiar with.
Looking forward to a new take on a favourite, classic play.

[jgblunners]

I saw this last night and really enjoyed it. Some great performances and the (mostly subtle) script updates are quite effective. It was nice to be reminded just how side-splitting funny this play is - I think you could throw all sorts at it at and the comedy would still find a way to fight through.

[crabtree]

Seeing the poster two above me, mention Poppy and Drood - two of my favourite shows. Poppy with the spectacular antonia Ellis and Drood with that gorgeous, sublime score. Please let them be revived.

[BurlyBeaR]

Half price with code MT50TIOBE

[Poppy or Drood]

Yes, indeed 'Crabtree'...when forced to decide...both Drood and Poppy usually come out on top, hence the name.

I too would petition for revivals of both shows...Poppy, I last saw, in a rehearsed reading at the RSC with Messrs Nichols and Noman both present...its a fabulous score, but I fear that the sometimes dark aspects of the book are what may make producers reticent to revive it, which is a shame.

As for Drood, Broadway was seen two hugely successful though not hugely long running productions (1985 & 2010) but I fear the less than successful West End production in 1987, in spite of its great casting, again maybe put producers off re-mounting any large scale productions.

However they still remain much played favourites for me.

Apologies for this being off-topic for this particular thread, but I didn't wish to be rude in not replying.

Gx    

[Poppy or Drood]

Saw this at the matinee yesterday (in it's extended week) and loved it...

My initial concerns were, it turns out, unfounded...Well, actually, maybe a little founded by the marketing images, which did not in any way match the classy set and costume design.

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS*

A beautiful contemporary design in tones of grey and pink on a highly polished black floor, the clever use of modular furniture served, with a little rearrangement, as perfect minimalist settings for each of the 'three acts'. Those acts were also nicely separated into two by dissecting the original act two meaning that the Cecily/Gwendoline meeting started the second half.

The concept also latched on to many modern fashions: the cucumber sandwiches were delivered by Fortnum's, Cecily's diary was kept on her mobile, most of the characters arrived with said mobiles in one hand and the obligatory 'coffee in a cardboard cup' in the other, Lady Bracknell's notes were kept on her mobile, Canon Chasuble, of course had a Blackberry and Prism needed the wi-fi code, and many other little touches of genius.

Aside from this the day belonged to Mr Wilde, who's, only occasionally edited, 130 year old script had the audience laughing out loud at this beautifully clever take on his most famous play.

I'm sure the next time I see it, it will be set back in it's original period but I'm so glad I got to see this at the Exchange.

[david]

Having originally bought a cheap ticket when the show was announced, seeing the artwork and the idea of moving this classic play to a more modern setting, I'll admit I got cold feet and returned the ticket for a credit note. However from reading the positive reviews posted from recent viewings and having a read of the critics / bloggers warm reviews, I decided to rebook for today's matinee using the 50% discount code kindly posted by BurlyBeaR.

I am really glad I did take the plunge and rebook and any concerns that I originally had with the updates were quickly set aside and I thoroughly enjoyed this one from director Josh Roche and his team. It was a well paced production that zipped along very nicely. I thought the use of the updated setting worked very well alongside Wilde's classic text that allowed Wilde's writing and the fantastic humour of the piece to shine through for the entire show. The extra modern bits of the piece like the use of mobile phones / Wi-Fi codes /social media provided some nice extra comedic moments that went down well both with myself and the rest of the today's audience.

The pinky salmon coloured set design from Elanor Bull was fine worked well in the context of the contemporary setting. The big flowery piece that was suspended from the light rigging over the stage was a nice touch. The food fight in Act 2 was well done though I was particularly grateful to be sat where I was as some folk were less fortunate and were in the direct line of fire from some of those pieces of food.

The cast were all a good watch and Abigail Cruttenden made for a wonderful Lady B. 

Overall, a really good afternoon at the Royal Exchange.

Rating - 4 stars