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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2016 23:14:16 GMT
 With the first preview next Wednesday, I thought I'd set up a thread specifically for this. I was rather hoping to see this, but they haven't announced many Saturday performances which would be more ideal (I know it's still due to extend seeing as NTLive is on 2 Feb), and seeing as the January batch went on sale last week or so, it seems to have sold REALLY quickly! At this rate, it looks almost as easy to get Harry Potter tickets! |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2016 11:07:52 GMT
The press night of Twelfth Night in the Olivier is 22 Feb so there'll be just Twelfth Night rehearsal and previews there from 9 - 21 Feb. Maybe Peter Pan will then close after a run of halfterm performances to allow Amadeus to continue to play in rep until mid-April when Salome kicks off? Amadeus must be expensive to run with its Southbank Sinfonia orchestral accompaniment and its low Travelex ticket pricing.
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Post by ctas on Oct 17, 2016 22:39:35 GMT
Managed to get a ticket confirmed today for Tuesday next week, can't wait!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2016 18:11:03 GMT
Just found this on Instagram (not my picture) of what I assume is the get in or set build for Amadeus as there is a harpischord on the stage. Not completed obviously but should give you some idea of the set (or if it is complete then it would make a VERY interesting set design...)
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Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2016 19:33:18 GMT
Wow! Looks as though it's gonna b full on!
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Post by andrew on Oct 18, 2016 21:23:25 GMT
Whilst I can see an outline of the revolve on the floor design it also looks like the stairs and archway are on tracks running forward over it, which would be quite impressive.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 19, 2016 8:55:07 GMT
There's nothing quite like a National Theatre set!
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Post by lynette on Oct 19, 2016 15:37:41 GMT
Beware the curse of the upsy downsies.
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Post by peggs on Oct 19, 2016 18:26:10 GMT
Beware the curse of the upsy downsies. The curse that it goes wrong or that it's the most exciting thing that takes place? |
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Post by Snciole on Oct 20, 2016 10:49:14 GMT
I saw the first preview yesterday. Too long, currently running at 3 hours including interval, a few ran off before the end. In terms of performance Lucian Msamati may be nominated, it isn't a daring performance but he does what many actors fail to do; engage and excite a nearly full Olivier when he dominates a terrifying stage space single-handedly. It is a stunning lesson in a calm, understated performance Salieri is a good man who ultimately thinks "Why bother being virtuous if I am not punished" and Mozart would drive anyone to madness. He's absolutely vile.
Adam Gillen's Mozart character is unbearably annoying and I hope Gillen turns it down a notch as performances go on because it is so unbearable in a calm production such as this. The death scenes also go on far too long and it took me a while to warm Karla Chrome's Constanza, mainly because she played it too similar to her character in Royal Court's Linda.
Standing ovations at the end, much to my partner's horror (I think Msamarti deserved it but only for getting through a first preview and making it look like he played the character for years)
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2016 10:58:59 GMT
Isn't it sort of the *point* that Mozart is unbearably annoying though?  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2016 11:33:19 GMT
Was the set/orchestra good?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2016 11:54:08 GMT
And at which part in the play does Lucian Msamati sing this?
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Post by Snciole on Oct 20, 2016 12:11:03 GMT
Isn't it sort of the *point* that Mozart is unbearably annoying though? Ha! Absolutely but I felt this very much an annoying performance rather than an annoying character. I simply don't think the energy Gillen had last night will last until January (prove me wrong, Adam, prove me wrong) and he will have to concentrate on making the character annoying rather than a sense of dread when he is on stage because he currently seems like he is in a different play. The whole point is that despite his annoyances they tolerate him for his talent. There's no way even Mozart pieces sounded that good in combination with Gillen's performance. |
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Post by Snciole on Oct 20, 2016 12:14:04 GMT
Was the set/orchestra good? Yes! Considering the Travelex element (I've come to expect cheaper productions for the sake of many #15 tickets) this actually looks really good. High cast numbers, a small orchestra in the form of the Southbank Sinfonia (the revolve is made the be an orchestra by lowering down at times). There's some weird mix of modern and period costume but any cheapness the set does have is covered up by some skilled lighting. The period costumes look amazing. As Travelex productions go this is definitely one of the most extravagant looking. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2016 12:26:56 GMT
I'm assuming I'm a fool for hoping they may have used the drum proper for this production?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2016 12:31:31 GMT
What, the drum that's so in need of TLC they've sent out emails to all and sundry pleading for donations to fix it up? For a production where a huge percentage of tickets are selling for £15? Yeah, I don't think the drum revolve is going to be the likeliest prospect here, or for any production for at least the next little while.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2016 12:40:23 GMT
Sorry dad
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2016 13:44:50 GMT
Story Time - often told by Peter Hall, NT Director and director of Amadeus.
Margaret Thatcher attended a performance of Amadeus and straight afterwards told Peter Hall it was disgraceful to present Mozart on stage in such a disgusting way when he wrote all that lovely music and he would never have used such language. Peter Hall meekly replied that in fact much of Mozart's text in the play is based quite closely on his letters to his wife where he did use exactly such language. Thatcher fixed Hall in her glare and said in a raised voice: "I said that Mozart would not have used such language." End of conversation.
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Post by martin1965 on Oct 20, 2016 17:00:10 GMT
Indeed, heard this yonks ago! Must have been the only time the Gorgon ever went to the theatre😉
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Post by recused on Oct 20, 2016 19:12:27 GMT
Hello all. I found this board a few months ago but have refrained from joining until now, so allo et bonjour. But enough of that, and let's talk about "Amadeus", as I too was there last night.
What. A. Mess. 3 hours 20 minutes of mess in fact, as, contrary to the earlier post, this actually didn't finish until 22:50 (I know, because I had to leg it for my train), and that was after a prompt 7:30 start and a short 15 minute interval.
The play itself is wonderful. Interesting, erudite and compelling but unfortunately very much overshadowed by the film. If you've seen that, you'll be left wanting.
There's a strange modern day framing piece where everyone is in modern dress at the start and the end that doesn't seem to serve any purpose. Salieri's guilt is timeless? Who knows.
The set is as shown earlier in this thread, bar the ladder at the back (!). That's it - it was finished. They don't use the drum (sorry mrslovettsmeatpie, it must still be broken) but there is a bit of shunting around (up/down/front/back) of what scenery there is.
The London Sinfionetta provide the music and are on stage a lot of the time. Cue some excruciating "rhubarb rhubarb" acting before it all goes completely south for an am dram finale. They play nicely though. There are 6 singers who try to give the Mozart pieces some welly, none of whom sounded particularly impressive to be honest but they are singing some very tricky stuff. The big aria from "The Abduction From The Seraglio" sounded particularly rough unfortunately though.
The performances are some of the worst I've seen on stage. Salieri does not carry the play in the slightest. He spends the first act barking at you in a pseudo-Italian staccato manner and absolutely fails to give you any sense whatsoever of this (intentionally) horrible character's motivation, angst, fear and loathing. In the end we're supposed to sympathise as much with him as with Mozart but in skilled hands you would. Not here. Not in the slightest. Constanze is just as bad - her barking in a TOWIE monotone over the Requiem finale is criminal, but she hadn't been much better before that.
Mozart though, I happened to really like. It's Johnny Rotten meets a 4 year old toddler missing his meds, but it worked for me. I was touched by the (indeed endless) final death scene and really felt what he was going through. Salieri at the same time looked like he was waiting for the 78 bus to arrive.
This one is going to be like Marmite, I am sure. Looking forward to hearing other views!
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Post by Jan on Oct 20, 2016 19:27:18 GMT
Hello all. I found this board a few months ago but have refrained from joining until now, so allo et bonjour. But enough of that, and let's talk about "Amadeus", as I too was there last night. What. A. Mess. 3 hours 20 minutes of mess in fact, as, contrary to the earlier post, this actually didn't finish until 22:50 (I know, because I had to leg it for my train), and that was after a prompt 7:30 start and a short 15 minute interval. The play itself is wonderful. Interesting, erudite and compelling but unfortunately very much overshadowed by the film. If you've seen that, you'll be left wanting. There's a strange modern day framing piece where everyone is in modern dress at the start and the end that doesn't seem to serve any purpose. Salieri's guilt is timeless? Who knows. The set is as shown earlier in this thread, bar the ladder at the back (!). That's it - it was finished. They don't use the drum (sorry mrslovettsmeatpie, it must still be broken) but there is a bit of shunting around (up/down/front/back) of what scenery there is. The London Sinfionetta provide the music and are on stage a lot of the time. Cue some excruciating "rhubarb rhubarb" acting before it all goes completely south for an am dram finale. They play nicely though. There are 6 singers who try to give the Mozart pieces some welly, none of whom sounded particularly impressive to be honest but they are singing some very tricky stuff. The big aria from "The Abduction From The Seraglio" sounded particularly rough unfortunately though. The performances are some of the worst I've seen on stage. Salieri does not carry the play in the slightest. He spends the first act barking at you in a pseudo-Italian staccato manner and absolutely fails to give you any sense whatsoever of this (intentionally) horrible character's motivation, angst, fear and loathing. In the end we're supposed to sympathise as much with him as with Mozart but in skilled hands you would. Not here. Not in the slightest. Constanze is just as bad - her barking in a TOWIE monotone over the Requiem finale is criminal, but she hadn't been much better before that. Mozart though, I happened to really like. It's Johnny Rotten meets a 4 year old toddler missing his meds, but it worked for me. I was touched by the (indeed endless) final death scene and really felt what he was going through. Salieri at the same time looked like he was waiting for the 78 bus to arrive. This one is going to be like Marmite, I am sure. Looking forward to hearing other views! At the end you are not meant to sympathise with Salieri, you are meant to identify with him - a shade of difference. I saw the original production, interested to know if they are using the same text. The film script, as is the way of things, was softened a bit to make it less bleak, just like Glengarry Glen Ross which is a great film but somewhat sugar-coated compared with the original play following script edits. |
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Post by recused on Oct 20, 2016 20:44:36 GMT
Salieri's notion that "we're all mediocrities" throughout doesn't imply that we should identify with him. It suggests that he knows that that is how he saw himself and why he worked so tirelessly to destroy Mozart. If you play it right, we should absolutely understand and feel why he acted the way he did and how much pained it caused him. We should absolutely empathise with the horror of this all for him.
Mozart's genius and brilliance is what destroys Salieri. We should feel that. In this, you absolutely don't. This one note performance gets it absolutely wrong.
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Post by Polly1 on Oct 20, 2016 21:03:34 GMT
Welcome to the board, Recused, and thanks for the very interesting review.
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Post by recused on Oct 20, 2016 21:23:31 GMT
Thanks Polly1!
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