Quiz - CFT / Noël Coward / CFT & Tour

[n1david]

Interesting interview with James Graham in today's FT, focusing on Quiz, but also touching on Ink and Labour of Love (paywall):
www.ft.com/content/f2c8367e-b8de-11e7-bff8-f9946607a6ba

Graham saw an opportunity to merge two different forums dedicated to establishing facts — the quiz show and the law court — and so create a prism through which to examine public figures playing fast and loose with the truth and the impact of that on democracy.

The play will be staged like a live quiz show with audiences taking part, some of them on stage. It’s risky, he admits — “We don’t know what they’ll say” — but that’s partly the point. Democracy involves jeopardy. Besides, to rig this show would be hugely ironic. “If it goes wrong then that should be in the spirit of it,” he says. “You can’t cheat it. An audience can sniff that very quickly.”

There are no onstage seats on sale, so it remains to be seen how this will be staged. Interestingly, a book has just been published which throws doubt on the Major's guilt... not sure whether to read it before or after "Quiz"!
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00SOVGFJ2/ref=oh_aui_d_detailpage_o00_

[CG on the loose]

Thanks n1david - I was intrigued enough to book for this and am even more so now!

[Polly1]

Anybody? Going to this Saturday's matinee, can't see any comment on social media which perhaps doesn't bode well!

[Deleted]

I think it's just the difference between the average social media user and the average Chichester audience member. Get a couple more weekend performances down, I'm sure we'll get a clearer idea.

[Jon]

Quiz got some very good reviews from The Stage, Whatsonstage and The Times. I wonder if we might see a transfer next year as the run seemed to have sold quite well at Chichester.

[showgirl]

Indeed it did, and some of those I saw said that it was crying out for a transfer; plus, due to its popularity CFT added extra performances before it opened, which I haven't known them do before - though I'm sure others will chip in and update me if I'm wrong.

On the whole I prefer to see productions in their original home, especially as those you might expect to transfer/tour aren't always those which actually do (look how long we have waited for Pressure to do so - 3 years by the time it happens, I think?),but regardless of where people are based, that isn't always possible, so here's hoping. There's also the chance of cheaper prices at other venues, as people have mentioned in connection with some transfers, eg the Menier's.

[CG on the loose]

I saw this yesterday and thought it a clever, engaging production - deserving of a transfer, for sure, but it sits so perfectly in its original home that I can't envisage it working as effectively in a more traditional space. Thankfully, however, there are others with the skills to make that happen - so fingers crossed!

[tmesis]

I really hope this transfers.

[Mark]

Same!
Seems to be plenty of West End venues open in the spring currently (Coward, Wyndham's, Duke of York, Harold Pinter all free from end March-Mid April time)

[bramble]

Excellent play Much preferred it to Ink. Top rate cast and direction.

[plaskett]

I am co-author of Bad Show, The Quiz, The Cough, The Millionaire Major.

Jon Ronson was keen as mustard, in 2006, to cooperate with the Ingrams on some kind of presentation of their case.
But Charles was suspicious and refused to work with him.
Despite my supplications at the time...


www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/jul/17/couldthewhowantstobeami

As I said to cast members after the show, that it should come to theatre playing, probably, the key role in the denouement of this miscarriage of justice, was not only wholly apposite.

But, in some ethereal sense, perhaps even necessary...

For what happened in court was not really justice, but theatre.

[emsworthian]

On the basis on Bramble's recommendation I've now bought a ticket for this. Originally I was disappointed that Chichester ended up with Quiz rather than Ink, because as an ex-journalist I was keen to see Ink. Also, I was reluctant to see a play that I thought would just be taking the mickey out of the Ingrams. I'll admit that at the time of the trial I had a good laugh but the Ingrams have been humiliated and I felt it would just amount to kicking people when they are down. I now realise that the play is much more complex and subtle. I found Plaskett's comments and the link very interesting.

BTW I loved This House so if it's anything like as good as that then it will be a pre-Christmas treat to myself.

[plaskett]

Nov 15, 2017 9:28:33 GMT plaskett said:

Good!

[Deleted]

I hear rumour that there is some audience participation in Quiz. Could anybody who has seen it tell me if there is, and if so, of what type?

Thanks.

[altamont]

Nov 15, 2017 18:49:25 GMT @jellybean said:

I hear rumour that there is some audience participation in Quiz. Could anybody who has seen it tell me if there is, and if so, of what type?

Thanks.

From the Guardian review - 

The audience gets to play a form of pub quiz. We are reminded that ITV from the outset was built around game-shows such as Take Your Pick, Bullseye and The Price is Right, where the coveted prize was a vacuum cleaner. As in Privacy, Graham also – recalling one of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’s famous lifelines – asks the audience, so that we twice get to vote on whether we think the Ingrams were guilty or innocent.

[Stephen]

Pity that School of Rock is still at the New London. It seems that it could fit in very well there...

[CG on the loose]

Nov 15, 2017 18:49:25 GMT @jellybean said:

I hear rumour that there is some audience participation in Quiz. Could anybody who has seen it tell me if there is, and if so, of what type?

Thanks.

Under spoilers in case some prefer not to know in advance...

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler - click to view}Apart from the pub quiz (you're given a mini-clipboard to record your answers at the beginning, collected at the interval, with results given at beginning of Act 2), there are also versions of The Price is Right, and Three Two One and maybe one more (my memory is appalling) with participants called down from the audience by name - don't know to what extent, if any, they'd been briefed beforehand but I'd have assumed they were plants except for the comments up thread about 'on stage' audience participation.

[n1david]

Nov 15, 2017 23:48:15 GMT CG on the loose said:

Nov 15, 2017 18:49:25 GMT @jellybean said:

I hear rumour that there is some audience participation in Quiz. Could anybody who has seen it tell me if there is, and if so, of what type?

Thanks.

Under spoilers in case some prefer not to know in advance...

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{Spoiler - click to view}Apart from the pub quiz (you're given a mini-clipboard to record your answers at the beginning, collected at the interval, with results given at beginning of Act 2), there are also versions of The Price is Right, and Three Two One and maybe one more (my memory is appalling) with participants called down from the audience by name - don't know to what extent, if any, they'd been briefed beforehand but I'd have assumed they were plants except for the comments up thread about 'on stage' audience participation.

I was there tonight and will post more general thoughts later but

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}On the way into the auditorium people were asked if they were interested in participating and if so, their names were taken and they were called down by name. The actual participation was pretty minimal and I wouldn’t have said embarrassing or intimidating. If you don’t agree on the way in and don’t participate in the pub quiz you won’t be on stage.

[CG on the loose]

Thanks n1david - glad to have the 'mechanics' cleared up, I missed that

[showgirl]

Thank you to those who've clarified the "audience participation" point. Not only do I hate that but I loathe quizzes, too, and don't watch tv so have never seen the show on which this is based. So in case anyone wonders why I booked, it was because I've loved everything so far by James Graham and was simply hoping for an enjoyable and interesting new play, which it sounds as though I'll be seeing. Hence I'm happy and looking forward to it.

[Deleted]

Thank you CG on the loose and n1David. I should be ok with this - not my other half though who has now backed out of our visit. He is even worse than me in his discomfort with audience participation, even though he was keen to see another James Graham play.

Never mind, there is bound to be another one coming along soon at the rate JG has been writing.....

[bramble]

The night I was there the Audience participants were asked beforehand.

[CG on the loose]

Nov 16, 2017 8:45:04 GMT @jellybean said:

Thank you CG on the loose and n1David. I should be ok with this - not my other half though who has now backed out of our visit. He is even worse than me in his discomfort with audience participation, even though he was keen to see another James Graham play.

Never mind, there is bound to be another one coming along soon at the rate JG has been writing.....

Unless he's uncomfortable with other people's participation, there's really no need for him to back out of going. There is no enforced participation whatsoever - all entire voluntary. It's a good play, well staged, would be a shame for him to miss out.

[Deleted]

Thanks CG - I'll pass this on and perhaps he can be persuaded. He is very uncomfortable with any audience participation though.

[n1david]

Agree completely with CG on the loose - this was one of the most enjoyable nights I’ve had in the theatre all year. It’s very sharply written, there is a lot going on but it never loses track of where it is in the main storyline. I am a lover of quiz shows (being the proud winner of a coveted Pointless trophy) and some background of British TV over the years would probably help, in much the same way as with JG’s Monster Raving Loony. But regardless of your knowledge, I think it’s broad enough to ask the questions about media narratives and their impact on justice and public opinion - but do it in a very light way. The way the play is structured is clever enough for it to have its cake and eat it. The audience participation is very short, very mild good-natured and entirely consensual.

This would do well in London, but the challenge may be finding the right theatre - the Minerva looks like the WWTBAM studio, and the staging of the TV show is referred to in the text. I’m not sure it would work in a traditional theatre. But it’s great fun and was a real tonic last night.