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Post by Spectator on Jul 25, 2018 10:19:49 GMT
Yeah, thought I’d be pushing it with a few hours to go! Might need to have a bit more faith in First Great Western’s punctuality in this case...
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Post by vdcni on Jul 26, 2018 14:43:41 GMT
I thought this was a bit one note to be honest. I enjoyed it and it's quite funny in places but you quickly get used to the black humour at the expense of terrorists and murder and the jokes lose their sting pretty quickly.
I left the theatre and forgot about it straight away.
No problems with any of the cast, thought Turner handled the comedy very well and Chris Walley stood out as Davey.
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Post by orchidman on Jul 28, 2018 2:39:53 GMT
Enjoyed it for £10, but glad I didn't pay full price. It's the same couple of jokes on a loop.
Surprised people have said other productions had more dramatic merit, it was hard to imagine anything in the script or characterisations that could be played seriously. Just didn't feel believable or consequential.
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Post by viserys on Jul 30, 2018 6:52:59 GMT
Having finally seen this on Friday, I enjoyed it very much, but then I'm a huge fan of McDonagh's black humour and had waited for a new production of this one for a long time. Think they missed a trick by keeping the (fake) ginger cat almost invisible.
I can definitely understand though that this isn't everyone's cup of Irish Coffee and that it probably had more impact when it was first written/staged. The whole "ridiculing terrorists" thing has also become a bit of a common device, hasn't it - thinking of the movie Four Lions for example.
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Post by Mr Crummles on Jul 30, 2018 9:11:00 GMT
I also enjoyed this production very much. I think that behind the satire on terrorism, there is something more universal and quite topical: the sinister problem of fanaticism, when someone’s mind is completely taken over and controlled by an unrelenting set of ideas or beliefs, and everything else - including common-sense and humaneness - gets thrown out of the window. If you look around, fanaticism is disturbingly all around us. The whole madness of the play rang quite true too me. The acting was great throughout, especially from the Inishmore characters (more especially Chris Walley and Denis Conway). I had no inkling Aidan Turner could do comedy so well.
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Post by Mr Snow on Jul 30, 2018 11:53:20 GMT
I also enjoyed this production very much. I think that behind the satire on terrorism, there is something more universal and quite topical: the sinister problem of fanaticism, when someone’s mind is completely taken over and controlled by an unrelenting set of ideas or beliefs, and everything else - including common-sense and humaneness - gets thrown out of the window. If you look around, fanaticism is disturbingly all around us. The whole madness of the play rang quite true too me. The acting was great throughout, especially from the Inishmore characters (more especially Chris Walley and Denis Conway). I had no inkling Aidan Turner could do comedy so well. Nice post and although I didn't like it quite as much as you did, it pretty much sums up my feelings. PLUS the arguments put forward by them are all pretty much based on a sentimental view of something that's either never really existed, or at least they haven't experienced for themselves. One might see Padraig's affection for THAT cat, in the same light. |
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Post by Stephen on Jul 30, 2018 12:46:53 GMT
I dare say he will. But there could be a lorra lorra ladies expecting Poldark. That’s a lorra lorra disappointed ladies... (Let’s just hope they’re not squeamish.) How much blood/gore is involved, please? I have a big Poldark/Aidan Turner fan friend who faints at the sight of (stage) blood, so she’ll need a warning! What i've posted below will help with your friend if it really is a big problem for her. I've been fairly detailed though and reading this spoiler WILL ruin both parts of the plot and comic impact of a scene...
{BIG Spoilers - click to view}
If I can remember correctly there is a scene change after the three men are killed and when the front flat with the Irish countryside on it lifts there are lots of body parts and puddles of blood all over the stage. This is in act 2. It's fairly graphic with guts and insides falling out of body parts too! When several characters are shot in act 2 there is fairly realistic blood splattering from whichever area they are shot in. |
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Post by lynette on Jul 30, 2018 14:37:23 GMT
She will definitely faint.
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Post by david on Jul 30, 2018 14:41:07 GMT
Most people fainted at seeing Aidan Turner in a tight white vest. The blood is a minor issue in this case.
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Post by bellboard27 on Jul 30, 2018 15:33:29 GMT
Most people fainted at seeing Aidan Turner in a tight white vest. The blood is a minor issue in this case. Depends where in the body the blood might be rushing to. |
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Post by crowblack on Jul 30, 2018 19:06:12 GMT
Just noticed the back row Royal Circle seats are now priced at £29 for August. Is this normal - do they raise prices as run progresses, like the Almeida? I saw it on Saturday and only paid £10 when I booked a few weeks ago. I really enjoyed it and Mr Turner seemed a lot livelier than he does on Poldark, where he strikes me as being bored (god, that series needs some of Taboo's vim!)
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2018 19:24:17 GMT
Delfont Mackintosh have started to ride the dynamic pricing, so yeah, prices are going to be up and down and all over the place. Has Grandage specified a number of £10 seats for this one, or is the dynamic pricing acceptable to his mission?
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Post by crowblack on Jul 30, 2018 20:35:44 GMT
Has Grandage specified a number of £10 seats for this one, or is the dynamic pricing acceptable to his mission? There are still some slips in the gods for£10 but the cheapest seats - and there are very few left - in the royal circle are now £29 and the row in front (G?) £69 to £74 depending on weekday. Premium seats go up to £150 in the circle later in the run. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2018 20:40:08 GMT
I think the publicity said "over 10.000 tickets at £10 throughout the run" or words to that effect, so not guaranteeing a set number per show.
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Post by stefy69 on Aug 2, 2018 6:04:26 GMT
Saw this yesterday and thought it was excellent, even better then when I saw it first many years ago at the Garrick. Never having watched Poldark I didn't know what to expect from Aiden Turner but he was first rate and lit up the stage whenever he was on.  An aside : I would say the audience was probably 90% female ! obviously drawn to a play about the INLA and terrorism by the quality of the writing !!!  |
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Post by galinda on Aug 2, 2018 8:56:54 GMT
I think the publicity said "over 10.000 tickets at £10 throughout the run" or words to that effect, so not guaranteeing a set number per show.
I saw the show the other day so was reading through the program last night and it says 25% of the tickets were £10.
Loved the play, quite sad I can't fit in another visit.
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Post by wiggymess on Aug 2, 2018 21:59:26 GMT
Apologies if this has already been discussed, but what would either S4, S25 or T23 be like for this @theatremonkey ?
Appreciated as always.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2018 11:58:15 GMT
Yes,I was in U which was a great view. I think you are correct that there's not much off-set or rake between U and V.
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Post by wiggymess on Aug 3, 2018 13:44:06 GMT
No worries wiggymess . It's a very low stage, and stuff happens at that level. Nothing happens high up, so you won't miss anything due to circle overhang. I was in U22 and saw just fine. Someone else was bitching about row V, though, with someone tall in front of them as they didn't think it was off-set enough. S and T are offset about a quarter seat width. That's what it comes down to - if you get someone tall, you don't see so well, but that goes for any stalls anywhere. I'd go for any on row S, they are all the same view, then the one on T, provided you are happy to take the chance and can see over. Ta very much |
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Post by demonbarber on Aug 3, 2018 17:06:25 GMT
Just returned two £10 stalls aisle seats for the matinee tomorrow. Act quickly!
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Post by Tibidabo on Aug 5, 2018 11:00:45 GMT
Well, after some of the comments on this thread I was slightly worried that sitting at the front for this would have me coming home with burst eardrums, wearing a cat's-claw necklace. It wasn't to be. Though I would say that sitting in the low numbers (ie. stage left) at the front meant that most of the action happened an arm's length away from us. Wonderful! We absolutely loved this. I totally refute what has been suggested above, that the audience was knicker-throwing 'ladies of a certain age' and predominantly female, knowing nothing about the subject matter they were about to see. The only person we saw who looked out of place all night was an old, greasy looking bloke wearing a football strip and flip flops. There was a great mix of age and gender and nationality. There was the weeniest of frissons when Aidan Turner made his entrance, but only noticed because I was waiting for it. We went because Mini Tibs had performed in The Beauty Queen of Leenane while at school and we heard several people mention this play during the interval. Hardly silver-haired teeny boppers. (I know what you're thinking. But my avatar is as much about the gorgeous Luke Norris as it is Monsieur Turner. Just saying.) I had no idea this was going to be quite so funny. The audience was roaring through much of it and it wasn't the cringy 'should-we-really-be-laughing-at-this?' humour I was expecting. It was truly funny, until it became farcical and funny. Everyone was stupendous. But I do wish they would tell us who is playing - there was a shuffle round as we discovered afterwards that Chris Walley was not on stage and Davey was played by Julian Moore-Cook so perfectly we never suspected a thing. He has a super expressive face. Apparently there was a notice on the auditorium door, hidden against the wall when it was open, so we didn't see it. This is really unfair to the actors. Anyway. Dennis Conway as Donny was outstanding. He was the cement between all the others and managed everything with perfect timing and unbelievable energy. Aidan Turner was a revelation. I would imagine it could be easy to over-play Padraic and drift into pantomime. At no stage did he even come close to this, whilst somehow delivering his lines with perfect comic timing, pace and pathos. Last week I questioned why Orlando Bloom had chosen Killer Joe (which I hated) as his foray back into theatre. Today, however, I can fully understand why Aidan Turner agreed to do this piece. A perfect bit of casting. A word for the stage crew and costume people. Wow! What a thing to have to turn around for a two-show day. It is a bit gory and for those who don't like that I wouldn't sit too near the front. Also a special mention for Brian Martin who does a long scene upside down and, well, he was right in front of us and all I can say is...respect man! I have one complaint about the blocking. This is a massive, massive spoiler so DO NOT click if you haven't seen the show.
We could not see the reveal at the end whatsoever through the back window as Padraic's body on the kitchen table completely obscured the window. We only knew what was happening from the ensuing dialogue. We also couldn't see Donny and Davey feeding him the Frosties. Some people actually tried to stand up in order to see - I would have thought that most people in the low-numbers stalls missed it. A great piece of writing, brilliantly cast and executed. Go and see it while you have the chance. |
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Post by viserys on Aug 5, 2018 11:43:17 GMT
I sat in B10 last week and had no problem seeing what you refer to at the end, so you must have been unlucky...
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Post by Tibidabo on Aug 5, 2018 11:47:47 GMT
^Really? That's interesting. We were in 7, 8 and 9 and couldn't see. Still, it was worth it to be that close to the action. And, as I said, other people were actually standing up to try and see so it wasn't just us. Maybe he died in a slightly different position to normal? |
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Post by rumbledoll on Aug 5, 2018 12:08:59 GMT
How early the Q for dayseats starts please?
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Post by viserys on Aug 5, 2018 12:38:54 GMT
{Spoiler - click to view}
Maybe? He was sprawled over the table and the cat sat in the small widow directly right to the door which was higher and more central than the table. Maybe it really was the angle from B9 outwards? |
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