87 posts
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Post by greenswan on Sept 12, 2017 20:54:51 GMT
Saw this last night, which is probably less than ideal due to the length. I do think it could be cut - some of it is repetitive. This reminded me of Ink in the sense that I find it entertaining but it's not a play that occupies my thoughts much beyond the show.
It's good - not great for me, there's more humor than you would expect and the actors are solid and engaging. Not sure about the rather strange Scandinavian (?) accents which are wildly inconsistent from scene to scene.
In my opionion - see it but don't expect innovation or surprises. It's solid National Theatre fare. Which I realise sounds overall more negative than I intended. I'm sure other people will like this a lot more.
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Post by lonlad on Sept 12, 2017 23:28:42 GMT
Dame Jennifer Ehle?  Um, not quite, though her mother should have been so honoured YEARS ago - a genuine Broadway/London great. |
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Post by Jon on Sept 12, 2017 23:39:04 GMT
It's a shame Jennifer Ehle didn't reprise the role of Mona as it would have a Camomile Lawn reunion with her and Toby Stephens.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2017 8:13:23 GMT
Dame Jennifer Ehle? Um, not quite, though her mother should have been so honoured YEARS ago - a genuine Broadway/London great. Well she jolly well should be. She's a Dame in my eyes anyway. |
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Post by n1david on Sept 16, 2017 14:05:04 GMT
I saw it last night. I really liked it and the three hours just flew by. And Toby Stephens stepped on my feet at the end of the play which in my mind is as far as I will ever get to someone in Maggie Smith’s family. Now I have to write a review of the play for work. I can beat that as Toby's mum was just a couple of seats away from me last night. One of the few times I've felt genuinely star-struck, I would have loved to say something to here but couldn't think of something that wasn't trite. Anyway, the play, well I didn't hate it and didn't love it, I thought it was a competent run through an interesting period of history, but I didn't really get a sense of risk (possibly because we knew the ending). Nicely acted but somehow just not very theatrical. I'd probably have enjoyed it more on TV. Also a bit unbalanced, running last night at 3h05 but with the interval at nearly an hour in which makes the second act quite a drag (and this is from someone that barely noticed the running time of Follies). Can't help thinking that this might struggle a bit in the West End. Incidentally, bags being checked again and high-vis security at the entrance to the auditorium. Not sure if this was because of the subject matter or yesterday's events in Parsons Green. |
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Post by alece10 on Sept 16, 2017 14:45:38 GMT
I saw it last night. I really liked it and the three hours just flew by. And Toby Stephens stepped on my feet at the end of the play which in my mind is as far as I will ever get to someone in Maggie Smith’s family. Now I have to write a review of the play for work. I can beat that as Toby's mum was just a couple of seats away from me last night. One of the few times I've felt genuinely star-struck, I would have loved to say something to here but couldn't think of something that wasn't trite. Anyway, the play, well I didn't hate it and didn't love it, I thought it was a competent run through an interesting period of history, but I didn't really get a sense of risk (possibly because we knew the ending). Nicely acted but somehow just not very theatrical. I'd probably have enjoyed it more on TV. Also a bit unbalanced, running last night at 3h05 but with the interval at nearly an hour in which makes the second act quite a drag (and this is from someone that barely noticed the running time of Follies). Can't help thinking that this might struggle a bit in the West End. Incidentally, bags being checked again and high-vis security at the entrance to the auditorium. Not sure if this was because of the subject matter or yesterday's events in Parsons Green. Bag security been in place for a while. Certainly when I went to Follies a few weeks ago and even at platform performances I went to this week. Good thing is cloak room is free and very speedy |
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Post by n1david on Sept 16, 2017 15:32:05 GMT
Bag security been in place for a while. Certainly when I went to Follies a few weeks ago and even at platform performances I went to this week. Good thing is cloak room is free and very speedy I've seen it at the NT entrance but not with bag searches at the entrance to the auditorium and a rope to keep a queue in line rather than the usual ad-hoc gathering around the auditorium entrances - didn't happen at Follies on Thursday. (Didn't see it at the Follies or Oslo platforms either, maybe if you were at one of them there were different policies at different doors) |
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8,107 posts
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Post by alece10 on Sept 16, 2017 16:28:45 GMT
Bag security been in place for a while. Certainly when I went to Follies a few weeks ago and even at platform performances I went to this week. Good thing is cloak room is free and very speedy I've seen it at the NT entrance but not with bag searches at the entrance to the auditorium and a rope to keep a queue in line rather than the usual ad-hoc gathering around the auditorium entrances - didn't happen at Follies on Thursday. (Didn't see it at the Follies or Oslo platforms either, maybe if you were at one of them there were different policies at different doors) Ah see what you mean. I was just thinking of the checking in of bags which was new to me. No there wasn't any physical searches or cordons when I was there but even though my bag was a smallish "man bag" thing they made me put it in the cloak room both times. Maybe as last night was one of the "4" press nights there could have been some politically sensitive people there. |
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Post by martin1965 on Sept 16, 2017 17:43:32 GMT
Saw this today, really enjoyed it, proper play for grown ups. Stephens very good as was whole cast. Leonard new to me but she was v good. Shmerdy shmerd accents bit funny but ok. Full house and prolonged applause. Four stars
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Post by jek on Sept 16, 2017 18:30:39 GMT
Hope this gets a young audience. Young lads sitting next to me this afternoon were born after the events depicted (1993) and were really enjoying it. I'm certainly recommending it to the A Level politics teacher at my daughter's sixth form. It's a very well paced and humorous introduction to some of the ideas about difficult negotiations which were expounded on at some length by Jonathan Powell in reflecting on his role in the negotiations between the British government and Sinn Fein. And you certainly don't need to have read about the subject in order to enjoy the play - events are very well set out. Didn't feel like three hours.
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1,346 posts
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Post by tmesis on Sept 16, 2017 22:40:16 GMT
I thought the first act dragged but act 2 was much better. It's way too long, though, coming in tonight at over 3 hours. Some excellent performances, particularly Peter Polycarpou and Philip Arditti who play a lot of their scenes together and these, for me, were the best bits. Arditti, in particular, gives a very charismatic and quite sexy performance.
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Post by lynette on Sept 16, 2017 23:09:07 GMT
A proper play. I agree tmesis, the scenes between PP and PA were v good, especially the quiet scene which was very much earned by them in the previous scenes. I didn't think it was too long but the ending was 'American' in that it didn't know where to end. Didn't need the last bit from the Terje character. To be honest I wanted to cry most of the way through. Where are our Qurie and our Savir in any of our current conflicts now when we need them?
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1,346 posts
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Post by tmesis on Sept 17, 2017 7:36:36 GMT
A proper play. I agree tmesis, the scenes between PP and PA were v good, especially the quiet scene which was very much earned by them in the previous scenes. I didn't think it was too long but the ending was 'American' in that it didn't know where to end. Didn't need the last bit from the Terje character. To be honest I wanted to cry most of the way through. Where are our Qurie and our Savir in any of our current conflicts now when we need them? Yes I found the ending quite annoying with too much clunky 'tying up of loose ends.' Incidentally I was sitting in the middle of the front row stalls, which is normally excellent, and indeed it was in terms of sight lines/involvement, but they seem to have built the front of the stage forward, resulting in zero leg-room (and I'm quite short) - distinctly uncomfortable. |
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Post by zak97 on Sept 17, 2017 9:57:56 GMT
Went to this last night on the back of thoughts of its New York run, and sadly it wasn't for me. Great acting and I can see exactly why people would enjoy it, but I think a lack of political or general interest failed to properly engage me.
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Post by rosscoe on Sept 17, 2017 19:08:51 GMT
What's the chance of this extending, sadly not in London till the 1st Jan?
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Post by Jon on Sept 17, 2017 19:28:40 GMT
What's the chance of this extending, sadly not in London till the 1st Jan? None as The Birthday Party takes over two weeks later |
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Post by gazzaw13 on Sept 18, 2017 7:37:32 GMT
I saw this on Friday and enjoyed it. I've criticised other posters on this board in the past who can't deal with genre-bending shows but find myself agreeing with them, to some extent re Oslo. In parts it's a knockabout comedy, at times a history play with clunky exposition and at times a thriller. The problem is that it doesn't really succeed in any of these genres. At the end I had enjoyed a long three hours but not really sure why or indeed what I'd seen. 3.5 stars.
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114 posts
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Post by rosscoe on Sept 18, 2017 12:23:03 GMT
What's the chance of this extending, sadly not in London till the 1st Jan? None as The Birthday Party takes over two weeks later Bugger, thanks Jon, hoping Sydney Theatre Company pick it up |
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Post by Jon on Sept 18, 2017 19:07:14 GMT
@theatremonkey, is your review coming tonight or tomorrow as it's the third and final press Night tonight
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Post by samuelwhiskers on Sept 19, 2017 14:09:56 GMT
Saw it last night. Enjoyed it a lot but agreed with many of the points raised here.
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5,691 posts
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Post by lynette on Sept 20, 2017 16:17:39 GMT
Yes, it's on my site now. Delighted I can finally say that it's a 5 star standing ovation from me. I was utterly engrossed, and cried twice - both times those handshakes took place. Polycarpou I think will be in with a fighting chance of an Olivier, and I think a couple of others may, too. I thought it was utterly gripping edge-of-seat stuff. Only amusing side note was the man next to me scoffing out loud to the air that "it's the oldest Jewish Joke going" in act 1. He was right, but we made up for it swapping "Hymie" jokes for much of the interval... O the handshakes. Fab timing, writing, acting. What else has this Rogers guy done? |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2017 16:49:12 GMT
What else has this Rogers guy done? 'The Overwhelming' and 'Blood and Gifts', both performed at the Nash, are two of them! |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2017 16:49:46 GMT
The Overwhelming (about Rwanda) and Blood and Gifts (about Afghanistan), both done at the National
Overwhelming was an early role for Andrew Garfield as the son of the lead character
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Post by showgirl on Sept 20, 2017 21:38:43 GMT
Though it took a while to get going, the humour and character development meant this wasn't the heavy, serious play I was expecting and even at 3 hours plus - and with the second act being by far the longer - it didn't outstay its welcome. Of course the sad part was reflecting how long ago the events depicted took place, and that they came to nothing so soon afterwards.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2017 8:30:10 GMT
Well. I really rather liked this although I found it hard to fully engage with a story about events that you know really didn't pan out afterwards in the way the characters hoped. You're left with a kind of emptiness.
It's a bit rambly at times and could do with a teeny bit of pruning but on the whole it's a very entertaining night out. Great cast and Peter Polycarpou sets out his case for an Olivier rather well. He's matched by Philip Arditti as Uri Savir and they both get the biggest cheer of the night (quite rightly as it does sag a touch when they aren't in it). Wasn't struck on Lydia Leonard to be honest and all through her scenes I just kept wondering how marvellous Dame Jennifer Ehle must have been. Also loved the way Toby Stephens' accent hit Bergen via Eton, sometimes during the same line. Very clever.
And I do love a waffle so that's an extra point from me.
Oh and hello Yair Jonah Lotan!
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Um, not quite, though her mother should have been so honoured YEARS ago - a genuine Broadway/London great. 
