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Post by Phantom of London on Feb 10, 2017 1:53:57 GMT
Ben Whishaw is going to star as the title character in Julius Ceasar from January 2008, at the new 900 seat Bridge Theatre.
This will be Nicholas Hytner And Nick Starr second production in the new house.
Full season to be announced in April
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2017 6:31:43 GMT
Sounds good although they launched the theatre saying it would "focus on new work"!
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Post by Jan on Feb 10, 2017 7:32:35 GMT
Sounds good although they launched the theatre saying it would "focus on new work"! That was never a viable strategy - but they DID say it. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2017 9:11:46 GMT
Can a mod fix the spelling in the subject heading please? (Also I presume it'll be 2018, not 2008!)
Where does it say Whishaw is playing the title character? I saw Baz's tweet saying Whishaw would star in the play, but surely that suggests Brutus (or possibly Mark Anthony) rather than Caesar.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2017 9:35:37 GMT
Ooh lovely. I love that bit where he says "Infamy, infamy, they've all got it in for me!"
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Post by bordeaux on Feb 10, 2017 10:31:35 GMT
That is good news. It'll be the first I've seen since the Deborah Warner-SRB-Anton Lesser-John Shrapnel-Ralph Fiennes one in 2005. I think Brutus is more likely than JC but he has a lean and hungry look so Cassio is a possibility. The only other production I've seen is a late 80s Terry Hands one which didn't convince with Roger Allam as Brutus. The fact that I've only seen it twice in thirty years of theatre-going (in which I've seen, say, 10 Lears, 6 Winter's Tales and Much Ados) suggests it's either not done as often as its reputation warrants, or it's not often done well or that it doesn't often attract big names.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2017 10:38:32 GMT
So it will be on a couple of months after the RSC Julius Caesar at the Barbican.
And perhaps followed a couple of months later by a shared light "production" at the Globe to kick off the New Dark Age there after Emma Rice departs in a blaze of glory.
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Post by Jan on Feb 10, 2017 11:12:07 GMT
That is good news. It'll be the first I've seen since the Deborah Warner-SRB-Anton Lesser-John Shrapnel-Ralph Fiennes one in 2005. I think Brutus is more likely than JC but he has a lean and hungry look so Cassio is a possibility. The only other production I've seen is a late 80s Terry Hands one which didn't convince with Roger Allam as Brutus. The fact that I've only seen it twice in thirty years of theatre-going (in which I've seen, say, 10 Lears, 6 Winter's Tales and Much Ados) suggests it's either not done as often as its reputation warrants, or it's not often done well or that it doesn't often attract big names. I've seen 7 in the same period (so it is far less frequently produced than Pericles, Martin). Of those 3 were after the Deborah Warner one, they were the David Farr one at Lyric Hammersmith, Lucy Bailey for RSC at the RST/Roundhouse, and the Greg Doran RSC one set in Africa. Agree the Terry Hands one was disappointing. I've also seen productions by Ron Daniels and Peter Hall. I think the problem with the play is casting, there are several parts of almost equal length and quality which all need to be strongly cast. |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Feb 10, 2017 11:26:16 GMT
I suspect Billington will be very excited at the prospect of another revival - the 4 star review may be already written
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Post by Jan on Feb 10, 2017 11:55:10 GMT
I suspect Billington will be very excited at the prospect of another revival - the 4 star review may be already written If the season also contains Schiller's Wallenstein Trilogy it will be 5* from Mikey. I imagine all of the critics will be kindly disposed towards this venture when it starts and will lament when it founders after a couple of years due to low attendances. |
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Post by bordeaux on Feb 10, 2017 13:10:45 GMT
I suspect Billington will be very excited at the prospect of another revival - the 4 star review may be already written If the season also contains Schiller's Wallenstein Trilogy it will be 5* from Mikey. I imagine all of the critics will be kindly disposed towards this venture when it starts and will lament when it founders after a couple of years due to low attendances. Yes, how many great new plays are there out there that don't already find a berth and that can fill an 800-seat theatre for over two months? |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2017 13:15:17 GMT
I know some people are longing for this to fail and maybe it will, but I can't imagine the two Nicks haven't thought through these issues themselves...
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Post by Jan on Feb 10, 2017 13:15:40 GMT
If the season also contains Schiller's Wallenstein Trilogy it will be 5* from Mikey. I imagine all of the critics will be kindly disposed towards this venture when it starts and will lament when it founders after a couple of years due to low attendances. Yes, how many great new plays are there out there that don't already find a berth and that can fill an 800-seat theatre for over two months? My main problem with it is the location. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2017 13:18:23 GMT
I worry that they may have contracted with not the most delicious ice-cream suppliers.
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Post by Jan on Feb 10, 2017 13:18:53 GMT
I know some people are longing for this to fail and maybe it will, but I can't imagine the two Nicks haven't thought through these issues themselves... Who is longing for it to fail ? No-one. But that doesn't mean it won't. If they programme it like the Old Vic they have a chance but even then the location is against them - just like the repeated Roundhouse relaunches we've seen over the decades. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2017 14:01:33 GMT
Ha! We've had so many conversations about the location and I can't bear to go through them all again; but will just repeat my view that it's not as out of the way as some people think, having worked 90 secs walk away and been perpetually annoyed that the whole area is rammed day and night with office workers, tourists and random lunchers/drinkers.
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Post by Phantom of London on Feb 10, 2017 14:16:20 GMT
I know some people are longing for this to fail and maybe it will, but I can't imagine the two Nicks haven't thought through these issues themselves... Who is longing for it to fail ? No-one. But that doesn't mean it won't. If they programme it like the Old Vic they have a chance but even then the location is against them - just like the repeated Roundhouse relaunches we've seen over the decades. You need more than Friends, Romans and Countrymen to lend you their ears. I agree a 900 seat theatre in a non-tourist obscure location will be a very hard sell. A former artistic director of the National Theatre doesn't pull people in. Look at a similar theatre the Young Vic, which I imagine will have a similar artistic programme to this one, in a non-tourist location and does struggle to pull people in an auditorium less than half the size. I guarentee Julius Caesar with Ben Whishaw will fly off the shelf, you don't have to worry about the Ides of March on this one!!, |
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Post by Jan on Feb 10, 2017 14:30:48 GMT
Ha! We've had so many conversations about the location and I can't bear to go through them all again; but will just repeat my view that it's not as out of the way as some people think, having worked 90 secs walk away and been perpetually annoyed that the whole area is rammed day and night with office workers, tourists and random lunchers/drinkers. Just substitute Roundhouse for Bridge and all your arguments still apply, however Adrian Noble managed to stage one of the most financially disastrous seasons there the RSC has ever had. Greenwich is rammed with tourists and workers too, their theatre is rarely more than half full. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2017 14:55:01 GMT
Ha! We've had so many conversations about the location and I can't bear to go through them all again; but will just repeat my view that it's not as out of the way as some people think, having worked 90 secs walk away and been perpetually annoyed that the whole area is rammed day and night with office workers, tourists and random lunchers/drinkers. Just substitute Roundhouse for Bridge and all your arguments still apply, however Adrian Noble managed to stage one of the most financially disastrous seasons there the RSC has ever had. Greenwich is rammed with tourists and workers too, their theatre is rarely more than half full. Yeah - it takes a ton of ingredients not to mention a sprinkle of magic to make a venue/production successful. Roundhouse is a great example - I went there once and the experience was just so dreadful on multiple levels that I've never gone back. But theoretically it's the sort of place I'd be going all the time. You have to get everything right in the right proportions. All I'm saying is that Hytner/Starr have probably thought of all of that... I don't know why I've never been to Greenwich theatre - every time I've looked at the website it's made me feel depressed. Is it actually worth trying? |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2017 14:56:06 GMT
Who is longing for it to fail ? No-one. But that doesn't mean it won't. If they programme it like the Old Vic they have a chance but even then the location is against them - just like the repeated Roundhouse relaunches we've seen over the decades. You need more than Friends, Romans and Countrymen to lend you their ears. I agree a 900 seat theatre in a non-tourist obscure location will be a very hard sell. Remind me, what makes the location of the Bridge Theatre non-touristy and obscure? The fact it's next to Tower Bridge? The way it's opposite the Tower of London? It being a short walk from London Bridge station (and the Shard and HMS Belfast and Hays Galleria)? I feel like I've missed something here. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2017 14:58:52 GMT
No one is ever going to influence anyone on this subject!
It may be that Nick Hytner and Nick Starr plan to entice people to book tickets on the strength of the creative and acting talent, in favour of relying on dragging passing tourists off the street.
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Post by bellboard27 on Feb 10, 2017 15:07:42 GMT
No one is ever going to influence anyone on this subject! That's me persuaded. |
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Post by rumbledoll on Feb 10, 2017 15:09:17 GMT
I'd say Shakespeare with Ben Whishaw under Nick Hytner's direction would never be a hard sell wherever it's staged.. It might as well be Shoreditch..
I personally find the area lovely and accesible (especially in summer when you can have a stroll along the river bank).
Can't wait to see what the upcoming announcement will bring! |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2017 15:14:29 GMT
Haha. Still worth commenting - People will agree or disagree to some extent with every comment. But no one will change their mind one jot. If the Bridge Theatre sells out its entire first season in advance, Jan Brock will still maintain that it's impossible to get to. And if no one goes, Abby will say it's all down to the unattractive programme and that passing tourists were dying to buy tickets. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2017 15:19:05 GMT
Haha. Still worth commenting - People will agree or disagree to some extent with every comment. But no one will change their mind one jot. If the Bridge Theatre sells out its entire first season in advance, Jan Brock will still maintain that it's impossible to get to. And if no one goes, Abby will say it's all down to the unattractive programme and that passing tourists were dying to buy tickets. Ha ha! I promise I won't - I have no axe to grind, I just don't understand the idea that the location is a massive disadvantage. The main thing that gets me to theatres is how good the bar is - it's pretty much the only thing that keeps me going to the Arcola. |
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