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Post by foxa on Sept 8, 2017 8:38:54 GMT
A friend and I were up in Row E of the circle for the matinee too.
I felt I learn things I didn't know before but it largely seemed an oddly untheatrical play. The set was fine, most of the acting was also fine (agree about the dodgy American accent which was accompanied by a dodgy wig and a couple of dodgy lines.) The script and direction seemed, at times, a bit turgid. There were a few exciting, sit forward moments, but also moments that I didn't get (the tourists?) I agree that it was a bit like a James Graham play.
The usher said that as it had been on Broadway it wasn't considered a preview (the thinking being, I suppose that the script and direction won't change) so I suppose I'm okay to give it 3*s.
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Post by foxa on Sept 8, 2017 12:22:24 GMT
Ah so close! Then you must have noticed the people who came in late (about two minutes into the beginning) and half of Row D had to stand to let them in. The people next to me were a but muttery and I heard them saying 'Sorry, ha, they're not sorry. If they were sorry they wouldn't have come in late,' etc. Then a phone went off (probably the same culprits!) I look forward to hearing what you thought about it. |
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Post by andrew on Sept 8, 2017 13:46:45 GMT
Saw this on Wednesday night. It's a terribly cliched thing to say, but it could've been 25 minutes shorter. I didn't have a sore bum or anything, I just had had enough of it. It's not the best play I've seen this year by some distance but it is good. Certainly I never would have engaged with this subject matter for this length of time in any other way, it was appropriately informative, set everything in context very nicely, funny where it should be. I don't mind the lack of drama because I don't want these sorts of semi-historical plays to make stuff up for the purposes of conflict and tension, but where's theres less of it I think the script has to be a bit punchier, and hence a bit shorter. Cast were great, I thought the lighting and (don't kill me) use of projections was quite nicely done. Hovering down the lower end of 4 stars.
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Post by Jon on Sept 8, 2017 14:14:09 GMT
It's interesting it has three press nights, I assume the reviews will be released after the third press night.
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Post by popcultureboy on Sept 8, 2017 18:18:46 GMT
It does?
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Post by martin1965 on Sept 8, 2017 19:45:36 GMT
Going a week tomorrow, looking forward to it.
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Post by Jon on Sept 9, 2017 0:53:09 GMT
15th, 16th and 18th September IIRC. |
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Post by popcultureboy on Sept 9, 2017 6:48:25 GMT
15th, 16th and 18th September IIRC. How odd. There is no mention of this on the NT site, which has previews ending on Monday and Tuesday with a 7pm start so I thought it only had the one. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2017 9:53:03 GMT
15th, 16th and 18th September IIRC. How odd. There is no mention of this on the NT site, which has previews ending on Monday and Tuesday with a 7pm start so I thought it only had the one. The Oslo press release on the NT website states what Jon has mentioned. Perhaps a clash on the original 12th so they had to move the press at short notice and chose to spread them over three days, in preference to cancelling public bookings on a new single-date press night? |
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Post by kathryn on Sept 9, 2017 18:25:29 GMT
Saw the matinee today - our back of circles rush seats were upgraded to central row J in the stalls!
Really enjoyed it - an excellent, funny, pacey play on a subject that could have been very dry and boring. The three hours flew by.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2017 21:16:21 GMT
I was there too although didn't get an upgrade! Had already collected tickets last week though.
Enjoyed it - very reminiscent of "Democracy". Bit long and I'm still baffled by the tiny run at the Lyttleton followed by immediate transfer to the Pinter (the Pinter already has the Oslo display on the front!). Set seemed lost on the huge Lyttleton stage, lots of empty space with people pushing sofas off and on.
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Post by kathryn on Sept 9, 2017 21:34:13 GMT
My mate and I were talking about Democracy - and the fact that we can't remember a thing about it - beforehand. Hopefully this will prove more memorable!
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Post by Jon on Sept 9, 2017 21:50:52 GMT
I was there too although didn't get an upgrade! Had already collected tickets last week though. Enjoyed it - very reminiscent of "Democracy". Bit long and I'm still baffled by the tiny run at the Lyttleton followed by immediate transfer to the Pinter (the Pinter already has the Oslo display on the front!). Set seemed lost on the huge Lyttleton stage, lots of empty space with people pushing sofas off and on. I suspect the set has been created for the Pinter in mind rather than the Lyttleton. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2017 22:39:47 GMT
Well, yes that's my point! So why is it on in the Lyttleton!
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Post by showgirl on Sept 10, 2017 4:01:12 GMT
Saw the matinee today - our back of circles rush seats were upgraded to central row J in the stalls! I'm impressed kathryn - never heard of anyone getting an upgrade in any of the NT's spaces! |
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Post by kathryn on Sept 10, 2017 7:55:19 GMT
I was shocked too!
Me: 'Stalls? I'm sure I'd have remembered if the last 2 rush seats left had been in the stalls?! That can't be right?'
Friend: 'Shhhh!'
As it turns out we had 2 empty seats next to us, so it looks like they were filling out embarrassing gaps in the actors' eye line. I'm surprised it hasn't sold better but I guess word hasn't got out yet.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2017 8:11:00 GMT
It was sold out online so I presume these were either unused house seats or returns they hadn't managed to resell. Saw someone asking about returning a ticket for that day for resale and they said they had quite a few already returned to sell first.
I got upgraded once at the NT - think it was for the Rory Kinnear Hamlet. We'd booked seats in the side block of the stalls which they'd realised were restricted view due to the set, and moved us to top price stalls which was nice! Presume they put those seats on sale as restricted view for the rest of the run.
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Post by theatrefan77 on Sept 10, 2017 16:22:35 GMT
The same thing happen to me last time I saw Perestroika. Got last minute Slip seats for £15 and when we got there we had been upgraded to J in Stalls! We were really surprised but then again every time I went to Angels in America there were empty seats. I always assumed that some people didn't turned up but maybe they were house seats released at the last minute that they didn't managed to sell
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Post by barelyathletic on Sept 11, 2017 11:59:35 GMT
I enjoyed this without thinking it was remarkable. Entertaining certainly, it's surprisingly funny, and engaging. The first half flys by but, the second is a bit flabby in places and the piece loses its momentum before picking up again, though it's never dull. The staging is elegant and simple and it's generally well acted across the board. There's no showboating performance that will worry anyone come awards time, but it's a good piece of ensemble work. If anyone steals it, it's Philip Arditti, as Uri Savir, who develops into one of the show's most entertaining characters, with the biggest laughs. It's a genuinely fascinating drama. A play about process rather than dramatic outcome, and one that works very well considering. Its greatest strength perhaps lies in its revelation (though of course not new or always surprising) about our shared common humanity. It's moving and uplifting to see, even if the final outcome of all this effort is disheartening. My other half felt it drew strong parallels with Mo Mowlam's work on the peace process in Northern Ireland, which shows perhaps that we can learn from history. A solid four stars from me and it's a play I'd definitely read having seen it.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2017 13:25:45 GMT
There's no showboating performance that will worry anyone come awards time, but it's a good piece of ensemble work. If anyone steals it, it's Philip Arditti, as Uri Savir, who develops into one of the show's most entertaining characters, with the biggest laughs. Michael Aronov won the Tony this year as Featured Actor for playing that role in the Broadway production. |
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Post by barelyathletic on Sept 11, 2017 13:56:58 GMT
There's no showboating performance that will worry anyone come awards time, but it's a good piece of ensemble work. If anyone steals it, it's Philip Arditti, as Uri Savir, who develops into one of the show's most entertaining characters, with the biggest laughs. Michael Aronov won the Tony this year as Featured Actor for playing that role in the Broadway production. Ah. That's interesting.  Maybe there will be an acting award then. It is the standout performance, in probably the most memorable role I think, in an otherwise strong cast. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2017 15:07:08 GMT
Michael Aronov won the Tony this year as Featured Actor for playing that role in the Broadway production. Ah. That's interesting. Maybe there will be an acting award then. It is the standout performance, in probably the most memorable role I think, in an otherwise strong cast. And indeed here he is. All dressed up with somewhere to go.  |
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Post by zahidf on Sept 11, 2017 15:13:03 GMT
I thought this was great. Fast paced, funny and interesting. Like first season West Wing!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2017 15:43:50 GMT
Ah. That's interesting. ![:)]() Maybe there will be an acting award then. It is the standout performance, in probably the most memorable role I think, in an otherwise strong cast. Both Jefferson Mays and Dame Jennifer Ehle were also Tony nominated as Lead Actor and Lead Actress for playing Terje and Mona (the Toby Stephens and Lydia Leonard roles) too. I'd hazard a guess the play will pull in several nominations come awards time. There's Norway it won't get a mention. |
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Post by Jon on Sept 12, 2017 0:43:05 GMT
I saw this and really liked it, considering it's 3 hours long it was always engaging and thrilling with a sprinkling of humour. There isn't really a standout performance as everyone in the cast was uniformly great.
It's interesting how different the theatres spaces Oslo has played have been. The Mitzi Newhouse is more akin to the Hampstead or Dorfman while the Vivian Beaumount is more like the Olivier and I could imagine that Oslo could have ended up at the Olivier had they not opted for the Lyttelton and Harold Pinter.
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Maybe there will be an acting award then. It is the standout performance, in probably the most memorable role I think, in an otherwise strong cast.