628 posts
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Post by jek on Jun 7, 2017 16:55:35 GMT
Just back from the matinee and my overwhelming feeling is of sorrow for something that could have been good but somehow misses the mark. The period of history (on which the programme is excellent) and themes are fascinating and just occasionally you get a glimpse of what the play might have been. But, as so many others have said, it just doesn't hold together. There is definitely something about the flow of the language that makes it difficult to follow at all times. But there are some visual treats - Anne-Marie Duff is particularly wonderful when dancing in the party scene.
Was it worth £34 of my money? Probably not. But I'm glad something this ambitious was attempted.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2017 17:00:20 GMT
Just back from the matinee and my overwhelming feeling is of sorrow for something that could have been good but somehow misses the mark. The period of history (on which the programme is excellent) and themes are fascinating and just occasionally you get a glimpse of what the play might have been. But, as so many others have said, it just doesn't hold together. There is definitely something about the flow of the language that makes it difficult to follow at all times. But there are some visual treats - Anne-Marie Duff is particularly wonderful when dancing in the party scene. Was it worth £34 of my money? Probably not. But I'm glad something this ambitious was attempted. This country loves papering over the cracks Doesn't it |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2017 17:01:40 GMT
Hytner had Greenland, Damned by Despair etc etc., anyone who has a selective memory is pretty worthless as a judge of anything. Additionally, anyone who thinks Oxbridge means something in this day and age isn't worth listening to. Our most most consistent (arguably) director went to 'one of the three great universities' and it was neither Oxford or Cambridge. The RSC, by the way, hasn't had an Oxbridge AD since 1986. And the RSC are really pushing the boundaries Aren't they 3/4 of the London Roman season unsold |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2017 17:08:13 GMT
Selective and/or lack of memory, snobbery, seeing the world in black and white, anger issues exacerbated by posting on the internet....
Are you absolutely sure you aren't Donald Trump?
Anyway, if you feel as though you want to start sharing secrets with some Russians don't forget to give us the heads up.
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1,119 posts
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Post by martin1965 on Jun 7, 2017 17:51:40 GMT
If I'm honest I feel the reveiw are too harsh. Yes this is not a perfect or the best show but the production for me was quite visually exciting and I have seen much worse shows that critics loved. I feel this play is a 3stars and I feel this does not deserve so many one star reviews. I also like how the national out in such different shows as it will bring many different audiences and if they domt try andything new and different they they will just do the same old plays and that is not what the national theatre does. I think it is a myth that the NT attracts different audiences to different shows, I think overwhelmingly it is the same audience. Defo Jan! Same for RSC in my experience |
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Post by publius on Jun 7, 2017 17:55:24 GMT
If I'm honest I feel the reveiw are too harsh. Yes this is not a perfect or the best show but the production for me was quite visually exciting and I have seen much worse shows that critics loved. I feel this play is a 3stars and I feel this does not deserve so many one star reviews. I also like how the national out in such different shows as it will bring many different audiences and if they domt try andything new and different they they will just do the same old plays and that is not what the national theatre does. I think it is a myth that the NT attracts different audiences to different shows, I think overwhelmingly it is the same audience. I think different productions have the potential to - and do - attract new or occasional attendees but there is certainly a hard-core audience. |
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Jun 7, 2017 18:53:09 GMT
The Times 1 ⭐️ Whatsonstage 1 ⭐️ The Stage 2 ⭐️ The Wife 1 ⭐️ Me 2 ⭐️ (one for the play and the other just because I adore AMD)
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2017 19:20:29 GMT
I have a quick question about the show. I was reading the reviews of this and other people's comments here and it mentioned that the crow talked. When I saw this(June 1st) the crow only moved. I noticed in the programme they had an actor playing it. So did thy change it in previews or was the play so weird that the talking crow completely went over my head.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2017 19:58:36 GMT
If I'm honest I feel the reveiw are too harsh. Yes this is not a perfect or the best show but the production for me was quite visually exciting and I have seen much worse shows that critics loved. I feel this play is a 3stars and I feel this does not deserve so many one star reviews. I also like how the national out in such different shows as it will bring many different audiences and if they domt try andything new and different they they will just do the same old plays and that is not what the national theatre does. Probably That's why you aren't a professional critic? |
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Post by bramble on Jun 7, 2017 21:25:19 GMT
Well I found this very interesting. Puzzling yes. But at least it is a new piece of writing that is gutsy challenging,funny and thought provoking. And brilliantly staged. Good for the theatre for trying something different. It is good to be challenged every now and then and not fed the same all the time.
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Post by jgblunners on Jun 7, 2017 21:32:53 GMT
So I saw the matinee today, and didn't think it was quite as bad as people were reporting, but still would probably only give it 2 or 3 stars. In terms of technical theatre, it's fine - good use of the revolve and really nice design. The plot would be good, I think, if it were actually decipherable. I thought the language was in places too hard to understand, meaning that the plot got even harder to follow as it advanced. The biggest issue for me was the writing of Mary - she's the central character, but seemed to have no singular identity. She just served to be whatever the playwright needed in a particular scene, so came across as a mashup of several personalities that don't make for a coherent character. Anne Marie Duff Does a pretty good job, but it's not enough to rescue the poor writing. The attempts at comedy and 4th-wall breaking jarred with the language too, in my opinion.
The best thing about this was Cush Jumbo as Laura, the only character that I actually felt a connection to. Her performance was brilliant, and I actually think she upstaged Anne Marie Duff in their scenes together, but that's probably down to the characters rather than the performances.
Glad I went, and worth the £5 for my Entry Pass ticket, but not much more.
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Post by Jan on Jun 8, 2017 5:51:44 GMT
Well I found this very interesting. Puzzling yes. But at least it is a new piece of writing that is gutsy challenging,funny and thought provoking. And brilliantly staged. Good for the theatre for trying something different. It is good to be challenged every now and then and not fed the same all the time. Would agree to some extent but just in general it is very damaging to the NT to have two current shows in the Olivier with lots of empty seats - I don't know what the breakeven capacity is but it used to be around 70% - past experience shows that the finances of that organisation can go South very quickly. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2017 6:42:47 GMT
Has Common got lots of empty seats? I'd have thought it would have sold pretty briskly due to AMD. Am sure it will become emptier after those reviews but surely it's currently pretty healthy?
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5,795 posts
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jun 8, 2017 6:47:45 GMT
Has Common got lots of empty seats? I'd have thought it would have sold pretty briskly due to AMD. Am sure it will become emptier after those reviews but surely it's currently pretty healthy? Take a look at the seating charts on the website- it's all there to see. |
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Post by bordeaux on Jun 8, 2017 6:55:02 GMT
Hytner had Greenland, Damned by Despair etc etc., anyone who has a selective memory is pretty worthless as a judge of anything. Additionally, anyone who thinks Oxbridge means something in this day and age isn't worth listening to. Our most most consistent (arguably) director went to 'one of the three great universities' and it was neither Oxford or Cambridge. The RSC, by the way, hasn't had an Oxbridge AD since 1986. I am delighted to hear that Hull (where Marianne Elliott went) is now regarded as 'one of the three great universities'. |
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Post by Mattie on Jun 8, 2017 9:24:29 GMT
I have just returned my tickets for this based on the reviews. If it were shorter or had more mixed reviews I might give it a chance but my time to see theatre is precious and there are too many other plays I want to see! I wonder how many other people will be taking advantage of the National's generous returns policy for this one.
Still, an exciting year for the National in other ways. I have actually booked for more plays this year than for the last few years.
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898 posts
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Post by bordeaux on Jun 8, 2017 9:38:00 GMT
Hytner had Greenland, Damned by Despair etc etc., anyone who has a selective memory is pretty worthless as a judge of anything. Additionally, anyone who thinks Oxbridge means something in this day and age isn't worth listening to. Our most most consistent (arguably) director went to 'one of the three great universities' and it was neither Oxford or Cambridge. The RSC, by the way, hasn't had an Oxbridge AD since 1986. I am delighted to hear that Hull (where Marianne Elliott went) is now regarded as 'one of the three great universities'. Actually the most consistently excellent director of my 30 years of theatre-going has been the late Howard Davies, who went to Durham. Was it him you were referring to? |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2017 10:45:23 GMT
Hytner had Greenland, Damned by Despair etc etc., anyone who has a selective memory is pretty worthless as a judge of anything. Additionally, anyone who thinks Oxbridge means something in this day and age isn't worth listening to. Our most most consistent (arguably) director went to 'one of the three great universities' and it was neither Oxford or Cambridge. The RSC, by the way, hasn't had an Oxbridge AD since 1986. I am delighted to hear that Hull (where Marianne Elliott went) is now regarded as 'one of the three great universities'. It's a Blackadder reference!
Bordeaux - sadly Davies is no longer with us. I always found him consistently good but never outstanding.
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Post by Jan on Jun 8, 2017 12:53:41 GMT
I am delighted to hear that Hull (where Marianne Elliott went) is now regarded as 'one of the three great universities'. It's a Blackadder reference!
Bordeaux - sadly Davies is no longer with us. I always found him consistently good but never outstanding.
His productions of Carol Churchill's "Softcops" and William Saroyan's "The Time of Your Life" were two of the greatest examples of direction I've seen. |
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1,119 posts
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Post by martin1965 on Jun 9, 2017 6:13:40 GMT
Think its safe to say Quentin Letts isnt a fan! "Is this the worst showv yet staged at the NT?" im looking forward to it even more now. Ive never been to a proper theatrical disaster before😂😂
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2017 7:46:59 GMT
Think its safe to say Quentin Letts isnt a fan! "Is this the worst showv yet staged at the NT?" im looking forward to it even more now. Ive never been to a proper theatrical disaster before😂😂 Doesn't he say that about every show that's on at the National...? |
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Post by peggs on Jun 9, 2017 13:50:39 GMT
I guess if you are going to see something bad you might as well see something spectacularly terrible!
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1,119 posts
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Post by martin1965 on Jun 9, 2017 16:17:39 GMT
Think its safe to say Quentin Letts isnt a fan! "Is this the worst showv yet staged at the NT?" im looking forward to it even more now. Ive never been to a proper theatrical disaster before😂😂 Doesn't he say that about every show that's on at the National...? Not quite but he isnt a fan of subsidised theatre in any event, as well as being a founder member of the Cambridge United Netball Team 😂😂 |
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Post by lynette on Jun 9, 2017 16:32:40 GMT
Gosh. Worst?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2017 11:34:56 GMT
Suddenly realised they could improve this play's family appeal over the summer by adding Wombles. To be fair ANY play would be improved by adding the Wombles. |
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