NT 2016

[Snciole]

Feb 3, 2016 18:20:03 GMT @xanderl said:

I'm sure I read ages ago they were considering stopping Sunday matinees due to the reduced ACE grant so this isn't particularly related to Norris' first season being a bit of a flop.

According to the BBC news story on this they will still be opening the building on Sundays during the summer.

Good news about the summers. What about the restaurants in the NT? Will they be closed on Sundays too? I know Green Room (which I am meh about but that's another thread) and the pub are open but that seems an unnecessary loss of revenue.

[Deleted]

more in the FT - www.ft.com/cms/s/0/29965f8e-ca8c-11e5-be0b-b7ece4e953a0.html#ixzz3z8LuZ31m

The National Theatre has been performing on Sundays — traditionally the day of the week when theatres remain dark — since 2008, opening on about 35 Sundays a year. The directors had hoped to capitalise on the growing popularity of the South Bank at weekends and encourage other London theatres to follow suit.

But apart from a few big musical productions, few did, and the public response was lukewarm; Sunday tickets remained the last to sell out. Lisa Burger, the National Theatre’s executive director, said: “We gave it a good go and it’s unfortunate we’re having to give it up but we’re having to make some quite tough decisions.”

The National Theatre’s recently opened bars and restaurants facing the South Bank will remain open on Sundays even after performances are discontinued in April.

[demelza]

Angels in America returning is the best news I've heard all week! It is a shame that it's not happening until next year, but at least it is happening. I wonder who'll be cast alongside Garfield?

[bordeaux]

Some good things here, a great improvement, as others have said, on this year. The Peter Pan is wonderful, incidentally - though Sally Cookson's 101 Dalmatians is even better. Good to hear young writers being pushed. Excited about Ivo van Hove and Antony and Cleopatra with Ralph - and I wonder who as Cleopatra - and the Chekhovs. Yes Angels in America is great. The only oddity in my view is Amadeus which is relatively undemanding fare...he said, trying to stir up some controversy.

[n1david]

Rufus will be answering your questions about the new season on Twitter, from 1pm tomorrow. Please get your questions in using #AskRufus.

[Snciole]

Feb 3, 2016 19:11:40 GMT @xanderl said:

more in the FT - www.ft.com/cms/s/0/29965f8e-ca8c-11e5-be0b-b7ece4e953a0.html#ixzz3z8LuZ31m

The National Theatre has been performing on Sundays — traditionally the day of the week when theatres remain dark — since 2008, opening on about 35 Sundays a year. The directors had hoped to capitalise on the growing popularity of the South Bank at weekends and encourage other London theatres to follow suit.

But apart from a few big musical productions, few did, and the public response was lukewarm; Sunday tickets remained the last to sell out. Lisa Burger, the National Theatre’s executive director, said: “We gave it a good go and it’s unfortunate we’re having to give it up but we’re having to make some quite tough decisions.”

The National Theatre’s recently opened bars and restaurants facing the South Bank will remain open on Sundays even after performances are discontinued in April.

Thanks, Xander! Had no idea they were doing that badly but I suspect the issues were transport based rather than output. I only live in Streatham and avoid doing "far away" things on a Sunday just because the trains will be awful.

[peggs]

Feb 3, 2016 20:51:54 GMT Snciole said:

Feb 3, 2016 19:11:40 GMT @xanderl said:

more in the FT - www.ft.com/cms/s/0/29965f8e-ca8c-11e5-be0b-b7ece4e953a0.html#ixzz3z8LuZ31m

Thanks, Xander! Had no idea they were doing that badly but I suspect the issues were transport based rather than output. I only live in Streatham and avoid doing "far away" things on a Sunday just because the trains will be awful.

True, sunday trains do tend to be poor, was always something of a gamble when booking, pity though.

[Deleted]

I seem to remember the Angels in America excerpt as having been spectacularly yawnsome in the NT celebration show. Also, doesn't it go on for HOURS? But hey, at least you know you've got one less keen bean competing for a ticket, all those who are hot under the collar about this one!

Anthony and Cleopatra is a must, but it's a way off, isn't it? Hedda Gabler will depend on casting for me - enjoyed Sheridan Smith's take at the Old Vic not that long ago, so in no mad rush to see it again. The Chekhovs are tempting and Twelfth Night is a definite for me - I love Tamsin Greig.

Similarly tempted by the cast in Sunset...but will wait to see the layout of the Dorfman before making my mind up about that. (Unless you're paying top dollar, seats there are only worth buying if they perform in the round, it seems to me.)

[stefy69]

Wow how expensive is this going to be !!!

Apologies if I've missed it do we know when the various type of membership booking periods open ? ( thanks in advance )

[Deleted]

Feb 4, 2016 7:20:11 GMT stefy69 said:

Wow how expensive is this going to be !!!

Apologies if I've missed it do we know when the various type of membership booking periods open ? ( thanks in advance )

I haven't had any email from the NT, which is unusual as they usually push it through straight after the announcement; I noticed that booking for the Temp Theatre Islamic State thing opens today/tomorrow though.

[Deleted]

"The Feb - Sep 2016 season includes: The Threepenny Opera, Young Chekov, The Deep Blue Sea, The Plough and the Stars, Sunset at the Villa Thalia. Booking opens for members from 22 Feb and for the public on 4 March. NT Members are able to book ahead of the general public. Find out more about membership." So I'd guess (hope) we've got maybe a few months yet before the *really* exciting stuff goes on sale. Start saving your pennies!

Angels In America is a two-part play, each part capable of coming in at over 3 hours if it really wants to, but although the time doesn't quite *fly* by, it's not a difficult watch at all.

[peggs]

Yeah apart from the already on sale stuff performance dates aren't out yet are they? Feel I'm going to have to sit down with the diary and plan (which all goes to pot when you get into booking frenzy and start wildly trying to fling seats at basket in panic as everything goes).

[Jasmine]

There so much I want to see! 
I'm already assuming that I won't get to see everything I'd like to (budget. travel. sigh.), so I hope there are NT Lives aplenty.
I will endeavour to snaffle some tickets in the scrum for Angels In America though - that's a priority.

[vickster51]

Well that's certainly an improvement on recent seasons, with so much I want to see. I didn't see Angels In America the first time around, but thought the excerpt at the NT 50 was superb (although that was fuelled by Andrew Scott's performance). Good to see the NT giving an exciting season. I've been less than inspired recently.

[peggs]

Re NTlive have people found the prices for this going up recently? At my nearest cinema that shows them it is now more expensive to see it there than if I managed to get a low price ticket at the theatre, I wasn't sure if this was just my cinema putting prices up or a general rise? NTlive reduce travel costs for me but is rather grim paying more for a cinema experience rather than if you were in the theatre.

[RedRose]

It hasn't changed in Germany so far.

[Jan]

Feb 3, 2016 19:57:33 GMT bordeaux said:

The only oddity in my view is Amadeus which is relatively undemanding fare...he said, trying to stir up some controversy.

I think Peter Shaffer is about to come back into fashion after a few decades of being sneered at. The Print Room are in the vanguard with Five Finger Exercise. Many dramatists follow this career trajectory, Rattigan for example.

[Deleted]

I hope they're going to do something a little more interesting with the casting of Amadeus (in addition to the extremely promising start of casting Lucian Msamati, obviously) - it's all very well *saying* you're committed to sorting out gender equality in your theatre, but then when you program a play with only one female speaking part...

[Deleted]

Feb 4, 2016 15:09:31 GMT Jan said:

Feb 3, 2016 19:57:33 GMT bordeaux said:

The only oddity in my view is Amadeus which is relatively undemanding fare...he said, trying to stir up some controversy.

I think Peter Shaffer is about to come back into fashion after a few decades of being sneered at. The Print Room are in the vanguard with Five Finger Exercise. Many dramatists follow this career trajectory, Rattigan for example.

Shaffer is actually one playwright that I think won't get much of a revival, there are a few decent plays but nowhere near the depth of a Rattigan or Nichols, I'd say that Simon Gray is a more likely candidate to be 'found' or Poliakoff's early theatre work maybe.

[rumbledoll]

I'm super excited about the upcoming shows! Sounds smashing! It's been a while snce I could say I wanna see EVERYTHING at The National!

My personal Yay goes to Geoffrey Streatfeild in cast for Young Chekhov.

Now I wonder when they are going to release the brochure/dates so I can plan my summer trip carefully before the booking

[Deleted]

Feb 4, 2016 17:55:00 GMT @cardinalpirelli said:

Feb 4, 2016 15:09:31 GMT Jan said:

I think Peter Shaffer is about to come back into fashion after a few decades of being sneered at. The Print Room are in the vanguard with Five Finger Exercise. Many dramatists follow this career trajectory, Rattigan for example.

Shaffer is actually one playwright that I think won't get much of a revival, there are a few decent plays but nowhere near the depth of a Rattigan or Nichols, I'd say that Simon Gray is a more likely candidate to be 'found' or Poliakoff's early theatre work maybe.

Royal Hunt of the Sun was done a while back at the National... I like the idea of more Rattigan but The Deep Blue Sea seems rather unadventurous as it was done at Chichester just a few years ago, and it seems like only yesterday that we saw Ibsen's Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic. Still, the programme is infinitely better than the offereings we've had up to now.

[DuchessConstance]

There's a Shaffer play near where I used to work in Richmond soon, and at Chichester last year. Great comedies but fairly lightweight.

[lynette]

My, my, they must have had a really poor year at the NT. - would love to see the books, eh? I think the accountants have probably devised the new season.

[Jon]

Feb 3, 2016 18:18:32 GMT @theatremonkey said:

Wonder if they are waiting to cast "Pinocchio" from what they have over when dismantling the temporary theatre?

Seriously, it's a real shame they are probably going to take it away. I found it the best of the auditoria for new work - far more exciting and intimate than the Dorfman.

The temporary theatre was only ever meant to be er..temporary, the fact it lasted longer than just a year and a bit while the Dorfman was being refurbished is a massive achievement.

[Jan]

Feb 4, 2016 18:29:08 GMT @caiaphas said:

Feb 4, 2016 17:55:00 GMT @cardinalpirelli said:

Shaffer is actually one playwright that I think won't get much of a revival, there are a few decent plays but nowhere near the depth of a Rattigan or Nichols, I'd say that Simon Gray is a more likely candidate to be 'found' or Poliakoff's early theatre work maybe.

Royal Hunt of the Sun was done a while back at the National... 

Yes, a really awful Trevor Nunn production.