Dido Queen of Carthage (RSC)

[David J]

Now to see a show that is hopefully bold and creative

And as a bonus David Bradley's in the house tonight!

[Deleted]

I hope you enjoy or appreciate it. The production has an abundance of integrity and is very well designed BUT ...

1) It seems a hermetic example of classical theatre, making little sense and having little point unless you have prior knowledge of its context of classical myth and literature.

2) It seems to have absolutely no reference to our world despite the promotional material's focus on refugees, which wrongly implied to me thay there'd be some contemporary resonance.

3) Sandy Grierson (McAeneas) is barely comprehensible, with his alien vowels and softened and mutated consonants, so I strained to identify his words instead of focusing on the language.

[David J]

I have a general idea about the Roman gods that do as they please, so once the premise was established I was fine with the shifts in tone this production takes as it switches between the gods and mortals

The modernised and wacky gods take up a small portion to the more subdued scenes with Aneas and Dido

I guess Grierson has improved because I could mostly hear him from the upper gallery. He gives a nicely subdued performance with a grievous rebelling of the fall of Troy

Mind you I found it challenging to concentrate when there's a school party in and there's two schoolkids chatting in the next lot of seats along

[talkstageytome]

I was also in last night. Second time seeing this production. I'd heard people say that the play was one of Marlowe's weaker offerings but I found it really engaging. The final moments had me welling up. Fantastic performances from the central couple!

[lynette]

Interval. Am losing will to live....no actually not a bad stab at it but too long. Scottish accent is hard to understand sometimes. Loved the rain dance from Juno and Venus. Like the concept of the gods being in this never ending druggie cocktail party.
Marlowe can write for women for sure and you might say this is really promising. One to watch.

[lynette]

Ended at 10.20 so just avoided being selfindulgent 😉
Well, if the RSC doesn’t put on this early Marlowe, nobody will, though I had a feeling I had seen it before. No doubt it is an audition for Cleopatra and a very interesting examination of the man/woman thing, love, loyalty etc.

WHat struck me was that having worked so hard to create this very effective layer of the gods acting to their own jealousies and interests I was surprised not see Juno and Venus at least at the end of the play surveying the horror of the scene.

[Jan]

Oct 13, 2017 22:24:56 GMT lynette said:

Ended at 10.20 so just avoided being selfindulgent 😉
Well, if the RSC doesn’t put on this early Marlowe, nobody will, though I had a feeling I had seen it before. No doubt it is an audition for Cleopatra and a very interesting examination of the man/woman thing, love, loyalty etc.

WHat struck me was that having worked so hard to create this very effective layer of the gods acting to their own jealousies and interests I was surprised not see Juno and Venus at least at the end of the play surveying the horror of the scene.

NT did it in the Cottesloe in 2009 - I imagine you saw it then.

[Deleted]

Enjoyed this more than the two main house productions I’ve seen this year. Reminded me of why I generally avoid the front row at the RSC as I was worshipped by the cast as King Priam and asked where Hecuba was (I shrugged)

Nice touch in the curtain call as Chung and Grierson dragged the boy playing the son up for their solo bow - presume as they’re at the end of the run so this was his final performance

Was long - interested to note that the printed cast list gave the running time as 1 hour 50 plus interval, but signs in the theatre said 2 hours 30 plus interval.

£10 rush seat was a bargain. Hope they continue with this offer - looks like it will be back after Twelfth Night previews from their twitter feed