81 posts
|
Post by addictedtotheatre on Sept 2, 2016 10:19:23 GMT
|
|
840 posts
|
Post by Steffi on Sept 2, 2016 10:33:50 GMT
Not impressed by the prices for this but would quite like to see Ed Harris on stage. I'll probably give in and book. Doubt I'll manage to go before early 2017 anyway so will possibly wait a bit and see if this sells well or if there is a chance for offers.
|
|
2,048 posts
|
Post by Marwood on Sept 4, 2016 21:56:28 GMT
Don't want to pay £85 to see this, but severely tempted to pay £65 for one of the seats in the second row next to the more expensive seats - it's Ed Harris for Gods sake, he doesn't do any old tat (does he? has he done anything on stage on the States recently?
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2016 21:58:43 GMT
I read a thorough synopsis of this play, it sounds thoroughly unpleasant. There's going to have to be some serious discounting if I'm to give it any further thought.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2016 0:11:27 GMT
There was a NT revival about fifteen years ago in the Lyttelton. Trafalgar Studio 1 is a much more suitable venue and an American production is quite rare over here.
|
|
1,217 posts
|
Post by nash16 on Sept 5, 2016 12:18:06 GMT
Don't want to pay £85 to see this, but severely tempted to pay £65 for one of the seats in the second row next to the more expensive seats - it's Ed Harris for Gods sake, he doesn't do any old tat (does he? has he done anything on stage on the States recently? Hey Marwood, I would hang tight and download the TODAY TIX app. They're highly likely to use it on this, as same venue and director as THE SPOILS team, and you'll most likely get great seats on it for £26 or thereabouts. When I used it for THE SPOILS tickets we got Row H, Premium Seats for that price. |
|
2,048 posts
|
Post by Marwood on Sept 5, 2016 15:09:19 GMT
Don't want to pay £85 to see this, but severely tempted to pay £65 for one of the seats in the second row next to the more expensive seats - it's Ed Harris for Gods sake, he doesn't do any old tat (does he? has he done anything on stage on the States recently? Hey Marwood, I would hang tight and download the TODAY TIX app. They're highly likely to use it on this, as same venue and director as THE SPOILS team, and you'll most likely get great seats on it for £26 or thereabouts. When I used it for THE SPOILS tickets we got Row H, Premium Seats for that price. Thanks Nash, I've download the app and will keep an eye on it. I'd like to go but haven't really got that sort of money to spend on tickets at the moment - it's on until next year so not a desperate rush to buy tickets. |
|
546 posts
|
Post by drmaplewood on Nov 16, 2016 12:19:36 GMT
Anyone seen this yet? Just found out I'm going this evening, 2 Shepherd plays in 2 days after Found 111 last night.
|
|
2,048 posts
|
Post by Marwood on Nov 16, 2016 14:05:48 GMT
Hoping to see this in the next few weeks, seriously overbooked for plays and concerts over the next 10 days or so but will be aiming to go after then.
|
|
2,048 posts
|
Post by Marwood on Nov 16, 2016 16:20:51 GMT
If you want to see Ed Harris but you don't want to see Buried Child (or pay a fortune to see him in the play Curzon), there's a screening of Pollock at Curzon Soho on 18th December,, followed by a Q&A with him (I won't be in the country that weekend or I would have gone myself): |
|
546 posts
|
Post by drmaplewood on Nov 17, 2016 16:06:20 GMT
Enjoyed this a lot. A slow burner (Act 1 got me worried) and real nasty bite. Harris was great obviously but Barnaby Kay packed a punch too.
2 hrs 50 mins, 2 (very strict) 10 minute intervals. No dogs or nudity.
|
|
747 posts
|
Post by Latecomer on Nov 18, 2016 11:37:20 GMT
Cracked and booked for tomorrow matinee....£35 ticket from TodayTix row B and used code helpfully provided in General Thread for another £10 off....I was convinced when I realised Ed Harris is the maninblack in Westworld TV series!  |
|
1,064 posts
|
Post by bellboard27 on Nov 18, 2016 11:50:34 GMT
I liked this. The first Act feels slower, but then it really picks up. The performances are great as noted earlier. Funny, tragic and disturbing.
|
|
747 posts
|
Post by Latecomer on Nov 19, 2016 21:19:09 GMT
I enjoyed this a lot, even as I kept turning to my daughter in each interval with a look of bemused puzzlement! The theatre was about 3/4 full...ridiculous pricing on ATG. £85 a ticket for the terrible 2nd row that has no rake to speak of from the 1st row....and my seat B5, 3rd row side priced at £65 (I paid a far more reasonable £35 - another £10 for TheatreTix code) Ed Harris is great - great voice, great timing, great command of the stage. Get in early to see him sit on the sofa watching TV for 15mins.... Oh and thanks to the people behind me, who whispered their various theories of what was going to happen loudly near the end....IF YOUR FRIEND CAN HEAR IT SO CAN I! And the man who received multiple text alerts and obviously didn't know how to switch his phone off, so had to leave instead. Not disruptive atall. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2016 21:27:09 GMT
Papered
|
|
546 posts
|
Post by drmaplewood on Nov 21, 2016 9:51:42 GMT
I enjoyed this a lot, even as I kept turning to my daughter in each interval with a look of bemused puzzlement! The theatre was about 3/4 full...ridiculous pricing on ATG. £85 a ticket for the terrible 2nd row that has no rake to speak of from the 1st row....and my seat B5, 3rd row side priced at £65 (I paid a far more reasonable £35 - another £10 for TheatreTix code) Ed Harris is great - great voice, great timing, great command of the stage. Get in early to see him sit on the sofa watching TV for 15mins.... Oh and thanks to the people behind me, who whispered their various theories of what was going to happen loudly near the end....IF YOUR FRIEND CAN HEAR IT SO CAN I! And the man who received multiple text alerts and obviously didn't know how to switch his phone off, so had to leave instead. Not disruptive atall. The same phone rang 3 times during the first act when I went too, so frustrating during such a tense play. |
|
1,502 posts
|
Post by foxa on Nov 24, 2016 12:45:34 GMT
I was a bit disappointed in this. Hard to believe the play won a Pulitzer Prize. Ed Harris was good, Amy Madigan decidedly less so. Good support from Barnaby Kay and Charlotte Hope. It would flicker into life but then piddle out. The young guy's monologue and, well, really, his whole character didn't work for me. The play was sort of a cross between The Homecoming (largely male household fascinated by entrance of a young woman); Of Mice and Men (rabbit fur, fascination with touching, men together, rural) and take your pick from Carson McCullers or William Faulkner (southern Gothic; dysfunctional family; dark secrets.)
I would say three/four stars (mainly due to Harris and the strong endings to the first and second acts)
SO was more critical, to the point of feeling cranky about it. Probably 2 stars for him.
Dining tip for the area: we had a quick drink and meal at the ICA cafe on the Mall which is only about a five minute walk away and took a stroll through the beautiful Piccadilly Christmas lights - they look like illuminated Anthony Gormley angels with huge wings.
|
|
|
|
Post by floorshow on Nov 25, 2016 12:24:02 GMT
I enjoyed it overall but thought it peaked at the second act. I still enjoyed the third act but the pacing was a bit jumbled which created a bit of a slump between Vince's initial return and the actual end. Though the whole cast was good, Ed Harris obviously but particularly Charlotte Hope.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2016 17:46:27 GMT
Enjoyed this a lot, more so than the National production - I guess the intensity was lost on the huge NT stage
Very annoying set design - avoid the outer few seats at the high numbered end. There's a pointless section of wall creating an archway to another room, it blocks the view of quite a bit of the back of the stage including the front door and porch. Not a problem for the bulk of the play where most things happen around the sofa, but there's a key scene in act 3 at the front door which was like watching a radio play. Should be sold as restricted view.
Looking down on my way out I think there's a problem for about the first 10 rows at least for the two outermost seats
Theatremonkey- feel free to quote on your site if useful
|
|
1,064 posts
|
Post by bellboard27 on Nov 26, 2016 17:50:36 GMT
I think xanderl is right on the seating. I was in the front row and thought I would not like to have been in the end of row seats.
|
|
|
|
Post by floorshow on Nov 26, 2016 19:33:53 GMT
I sat in B6, I doubt anyone sitting in 1-5 would have seen there was actually a staircase in the rear corner.
|
|
2,048 posts
|
Post by Marwood on Nov 27, 2016 21:38:08 GMT
Gave into temptation and decided at the last moment to see this yesterday afternoon, £35 through Today Tix, I was sat in B4 (could see the stairs, but shame about the man sat directly in front with the 'interesting' hairstyle that meant I couldn't see anything left of Ed Harris for much of the third act)
I enjoyed the first two acts, which seemed enjoyable but hadn't seemed to have decided whether it was a straight drama or a farce (the start of act 2 seemed like an unaired Scooby Doo episode), but alas, the whole thing fell apart in the third act, which I can only describe as a mess - I cannot believe this play won the Pulitzer prize, I'm guessing this was intended to be a profound deconstruction of the 'American dream' when it was written and as such the New Yorker set who had probably never been west of the Hudson when this was written, never mind going to Illinois but voted for it all the same, this just seemed so clunky, and without any logic, it all seemed laughable by the time events dragged to a close (when Tilden came out at the end with his erm, 'discovery', I had to stifle a loud burst of laughter, the whole thing seemed so clunky - which probably wouldn't have gone down too well with the woman in front who seemed to be sobbing away (hopefully not at what she had paid to see this)) - sorry, it was good to see Ed Harris on the London stage (and to be fair to the rest of the cast, they all acquitted themselves well with the material on offer) but I would have hoped to have seen him in something better than this.
At the end of the day, all I took away from this was my gratitude that I hadn't bought a premium ticket when this was first announced. This was the first Sam Shepard play I'd seen, won't be in a rush to see another.
|
|
923 posts
|
Post by Snciole on Nov 29, 2016 12:04:12 GMT
It is bizarre isn't it? Whilst it is admirable that Shepherd doesn't make a big deal of the main SHOCKING storyline* but, alternatively, he needs to do that for any impact to be made. As a result, it is dull family drama. The character of Vince (Jeremy Irvine) feels really underdeveloped and as a catalyst to the revelations a bit of damp squib. His arrival suggests Tilden (I thought Barnaby Kay was excellent) briefly moved on but there must have been a trigger for the mess of a man we saw before us.Harris is incredible and it is a very Harris role (I don't mean that in a derogatory sense, merely as a comment that he seems to have accepted ageing gracefully and found suitable roles) and whilst I thought Madigan did a good job much like the character of Vince I felt she was underdeveloped, another cog in the wheel of this story Shepherd wanted to tell but wasn't sure how to tell it. Also it is too long, too many slow wanderings to pad out a play that doesn't need to three acts and three hours long but I can see why Shepherd wanted to do but maybe time and maybe his writing just don't have the impact it once did. * {Spoiler - click to view}
INCEST!!! There's too many questions than answers like; why did Hallie and Tilden sleep together? How long? Did she abuse Bradley and Ansell etc? Did Dodge kill the baby, not because of his ego but because of her lack of morals etc etc |
|
1,502 posts
|
Post by foxa on Nov 29, 2016 12:39:43 GMT
Agree with everything Snciole says, except I was probably less sympathetic with Madigan's performance. In my head, I think I compared it unfavourably with Deborah Findlay's in The Children - another talkative older woman, but Findlay's performance had so many more levels, whereas Madigan had judged her character, disliked her and that was it.
Lots of questions and a few 'so whats' in this. Also agree that Kay was one of the strengths and Irvine not so much - I think it was a mixture of his character and performance.
|
|
181 posts
|
Post by caa on Dec 2, 2016 15:38:23 GMT
Any advice where can I get cheap tickets for this?
|
|
