92 posts
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Post by chameleon on Jan 29, 2018 23:34:51 GMT
Fizzles occasionally, but never catches light..
A chilly piece. One finance reptile tries (somewhat unconvincingly) to be slightly less reptilian. And fails. That's all the drama there is. And it all happens at reptile pace. Mostly watching this play feels like sitting through a series of business meetings where the same argument is made over & over.
Two stars. One for Hayley Atwell, who delivers a few choice barbs with relish. One for all the research. You do learn something.
Watch 'Yous Two' downstairs instead. A far better play.
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904 posts
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Post by lonlad on Jan 29, 2018 23:59:35 GMT
It's called Dry Powder actually but your title says it all ..... so, a damp squib of a play?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2018 0:15:18 GMT
I was very surprised to see this was coming to the Hampstead after being very disappointed with the production at the Public, which had Claire Danes and John Krasinski unable to make much of it.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2018 8:11:23 GMT
It's called Dry Powder actually but your title says it all ..... so, a damp squib of a play?  |
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2,389 posts
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Post by peggs on Jan 30, 2018 12:05:39 GMT
Mostly watching this play feels like sitting through a series of business meetings where the same argument is made over & over. Oh dear, I can just go to work for that. |
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1,254 posts
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Post by theatrelover123 on Jan 30, 2018 12:59:24 GMT
Can somebody PLEASE change the title of this thread? It is admittedly HILARIOUS but it’s not going to reflect everybody’s views on it  |
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5,690 posts
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Post by lynette on Jan 30, 2018 13:23:42 GMT
No, I think it is funny. But then not a good day to ask me anything.....
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1,119 posts
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Post by martin1965 on Jan 30, 2018 13:48:01 GMT
Im going on 3 March, mainly on strength of the cast esp Ms Atwell.
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3,040 posts
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Post by crowblack on Jan 30, 2018 14:07:36 GMT
it’s not going to reflect everybody’s views on it Yes, let people make their own minds up! (Ok, I'm probably not going - I thought ooh at the cast but meh at the subject matter - but even so...) |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2018 14:41:26 GMT
I'm going literally because it's a female playwright. After all of Ed Hall's whining on the subject, it seems only fair to actually book the plays when he puts the effort in. I knew which play the thread title referred to, and I'm able to make up my own mind on shows no matter what the word of mouth has been like.  |
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3,558 posts
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Post by showgirl on Jan 30, 2018 14:53:49 GMT
I think leaving the incorrect title in place is going to produce a lot of comments and perhaps even cause people to miss a thread which might have been of interest to them - but up to the mods.
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3,040 posts
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Post by crowblack on Jan 30, 2018 15:21:00 GMT
I'm going literally because it's a female playwright I would if it was local for that reason too, but it's long distance and I'm skint (I've already condemned myself to 6 hours on a National Express this weekend to see John and The Divide...) |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2018 15:22:13 GMT
On the bright side, you've found a double-bill that should be longer than your journey in. |
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3,040 posts
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Post by crowblack on Jan 30, 2018 15:27:48 GMT
longer than your journey in Journey in by train (phew), out by 6 hr coach but yes... eyes, matchsticks... still, at least the theatres are next door! |
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2,389 posts
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Post by peggs on Jan 30, 2018 18:23:40 GMT
Im going on 3 March, mainly on strength of the cast esp Ms Atwell. That was my reasoning too and thought won't go cheaper ticket like usually do and then think I'd have liked it better if nearer front. Ahh well now my expectations are nicely low it may well pleasantly surprise me. |
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2,389 posts
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Post by peggs on Jan 30, 2018 18:25:14 GMT
I think leaving the incorrect title in place is going to produce a lot of comments and perhaps even cause people to miss a thread which might have been of interest to them - but up to the mods. But lots of comments could be good and don't think people will assume it's a different play and miss it, I only clocked the first two words. |
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3,040 posts
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Post by crowblack on Jan 30, 2018 18:43:29 GMT
I think just 'Dry Powder' in the headline, please? If I'm going to a play I like to steer clear of reviews where possible (I book in advance because I need cheap train travel) and once a run's started, I don't click on a thread until I've seen it. If people start putting opinions on the homepage via the thread title it's going to spoil things for those like me who want to go into something with a clear head.
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1,254 posts
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Post by theatrelover123 on Jan 31, 2018 17:44:11 GMT
Im going on 3 March, mainly on strength of the cast esp Ms Atwell. That was my reasoning too and thought won't go cheaper ticket like usually do and then think I'd have liked it better if nearer front. Ahh well now my expectations are nicely low it may well pleasantly surprise me. Why are your expectations nicely low? ONE PERSON SAID THEY DIDN'T ENJOY IT THAT MUCH! ONE! |
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3,558 posts
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Post by showgirl on Jan 31, 2018 19:01:10 GMT
I've seen a fairly positive online review today and had booked ages ago so was always going to go; also, I'm encouraged by the fact that my chosen performance is almost sold out so there should at least be a good atmosphere. And if not, I've got well-reviewed films (Loveless and Journey's End) before and after.
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2,389 posts
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Post by peggs on Jan 31, 2018 21:11:52 GMT
That was my reasoning too and thought won't go cheaper ticket like usually do and then think I'd have liked it better if nearer front. Ahh well now my expectations are nicely low it may well pleasantly surprise me. Why are your expectations nicely low? ONE PERSON SAID THEY DIDN'T ENJOY IT THAT MUCH! ONE! Alright calm down, one person was critical of this production and someone else of another production which I interpreted as suggesting the play itself was not so great. Nicely low expectations can work for me, quite often i'm pleasantly surprised and quite happy to say that afterwards, it's the things that I've really looked forward to that can struggle to live up to all that. I'm not an optimist, prefer to consider all the possibilities of fails before hand and them am relieved and pleased when they don't appear, it's just how I tick, so my having low expectations actually bodes well for this production for me. |
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Post by kathryn on Feb 2, 2018 13:34:21 GMT
I've just returned a ticket for tonight, if anyone is free.
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3,558 posts
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Post by showgirl on Feb 2, 2018 14:43:27 GMT
Several further reviews today, all positive, so really looking forward to this now.
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294 posts
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Post by dani on Feb 2, 2018 15:22:14 GMT
They all seem to be 3 stars, apart from 2 stars in the ES and Time Out and 4 from the Daily Mail.
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1,861 posts
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Post by NeilVHughes on Feb 3, 2018 17:26:21 GMT
A strange one really disliked the play through no fault of the production or playwright.
The subject matter, the drive for profit by the few at the expense of everyone else is honestly portrayed and therefore for me ultimately depressing.
Definitely not a feel good play and your appreciation will likely be skewed by your politics.
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3,558 posts
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Post by showgirl on Feb 4, 2018 5:40:13 GMT
I saw the matinee yesterday and, harking back to the original thread title, this was a disappointingly damp squib and not as good as the blurb or the better reviews had led me to hope. (I really have to stop booking so far ahead for Hampstead main shows but most of them continue to sound promising; they just rarely live up to expectation.)
Though Neilvhughes above says this is "definitely not a feelgood play", you would not expect that if you'd read the information and reviews, so I wouldn't hold that against it, and it does have some humour, but it never really caught fire for me and I couldn't see the point of the reconfigured seating - plus all those whirling doors in the background were a little too lively and distracting at times.
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