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Post by Snciole on Jul 17, 2018 12:09:22 GMT
Samuel Barnett is 38?! He still looks like he’s in his 20s. Yes! I thought at best he might be Sacha Dawan's age (34) and he is very fortunate to look younger than he is in a very tough industry that focuses on looks and age but he just looks more like Rawle's grandson than son. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2018 13:51:19 GMT
Well. There was I, sat in the Bridge Theatre enjoying one of those lovely Alan Bennett plays where he gets old people from The North to throw out funny lines about tripe, whippets and what happens when you dislocate a hip halfway up the Blackpool Tower and then BAM! I almost dropped my glass of rose. I had to have a madeleine or 6 in the interval just to settle myself.
It all gets a bit darker and more political in the second half and they do try to throw a bit too much at it but you do get some fabulous musical numbers, lots of giggles and a bitter twist in the tail to enjoy. Some lovely performances all round from a bit of an all-star cast including Jeff Rawle, Gwen Taylor, Simon Williams and in particular, my favourite, David Moorst who was straight out of a Victoria Wood sketch. The deadpan sight of him leading a top hat and cane number and then brandishing a huge drum kit still makes me giggle. I also think that Samuel Barnett (fans of lycra are going to LOVE him) and Deborah Findlay have two of the most glorious voices in London's glitzy West End. Oh and Sacha Dhawan is foxy with a capital F. O. X. Y.
I can't imagine Alan Bennett will be inviting Jeremy Hunt to pop along to the show anytime soon though.
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Post by dontdreamit on Jul 18, 2018 17:15:40 GMT
I’m now in the stalls again for my September ticket, having liaised with the box office today. Stalls are usually best for me as my mobility is fairly unpredictable at the moment.
But as was said upthread, the customer service from the box office of the theatre has been absolutely excellent!
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Post by alece10 on Jul 19, 2018 6:54:36 GMT
2* from The Times and, no surprise, they have made a huge hint at the twist in the plot.
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Post by theatrefan77 on Jul 19, 2018 7:19:07 GMT
4* from The Guardian
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Post by chameleon on Jul 19, 2018 10:09:15 GMT
Any recommendations for a good place to eat near the Bridge? Somewhere quiet, for hard-of-hearing elderly parents!
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Post by alece10 on Jul 19, 2018 10:19:23 GMT
Any recommendations for a good place to eat near the Bridge? Somewhere quiet, for hard-of-hearing elderly parents! There is a branch of the Ivy next door but you have to book well in advance pre theatre. If you don't mind walking over tower Bridge Cote have a branch at St Katherines dock. £14.95 for 3 courses. Great food and they have a terrace overlooking the Marina. Ate there last week before the play and it was lovely. |
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Post by Snciole on Jul 19, 2018 11:37:42 GMT
In further "THEY ARE HOW OLD!?" news Cleo Sylvestre (who I assumed had been aged up) is 73. On the restaurant front I just tend to go to Chicken Cottage but if your parents have basic tastes this might suit. www.thebridgelounge.co.uk/ |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2018 12:19:24 GMT
Any recommendations for a good place to eat near the Bridge? Somewhere quiet, for hard-of-hearing elderly parents! If chains are ok, there's a Cote just down the river and a few places in Hay's Galleria. The Horniman pub tends to be civilised and you can book a table there. You can also spend an enjoyable few mins sniggering about the name if you're that way inclined. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2018 12:32:48 GMT
3 stars ES
3 stars The Stage
3 stars Daily Mail
3 stars Time Out
3 stars FT
2 stars Times
Of course the “main stream” liked it
But they are just as devoid of character and wit as Alan Bennet themselves
He is another example
Of someone who is quite a pathetic writer
Has such a narrow spectrum of ideas
Which have never moved on from his own life issues
Even after 60 years
It’s the same old
Yet he is paraded as a national treasure
God knows why
His writing and ideas are so out of touch with modern society
And it’s yet another lukewarm for The Bridge
The Daily Mail says it all
Alan-Bennetts-tired-old-gags-need-radical-surgery
Everything about him as a playwright has been stale for the last 30 years
Like a bird pooh dried onto your window sill
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Post by bordeaux on Jul 19, 2018 12:56:30 GMT
3 stars ES 3 stars The Stage 3 stars Daily Mail 3 stars Time Out 3 stars FT 2 stars Times Of course the “main stream” liked it But they are just as devoid of character and wit as Alan Bennet themselves He is another example Of someone who is quite a pathetic writer Has such a narrow spectrum of ideas Which have never moved on from his own life issues Even after 60 years It’s the same old Yet he is paraded as a national treasure God knows why His writing and ideas are so out of touch with modern society And it’s yet another lukewarm for The Bridge The Daily Mail says it all Alan-Bennetts-tired-old-gags-need-radical-surgery Everything about him as a playwright has been stale for the last 30 years Like a bird pooh dried onto your window sill You omit the four stars from the Guardian and the Telegraph. If you're reduced to saying 'The Daily Mail says it all', then you've lost the argument. As if they are in touch with modern society. Given that in the last 30 years he's written A Question of Attribution, Talking Heads, The Madness of George III and The History Boys, your point about staleness is absurd, as is your point about his never moving away from his own life issues. He's loved because he is a brilliantly witty writer, very English, who can be light and dark, charming and provocative and who has written some of best plays of the past 50 years. |
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Post by showgirl on Jul 19, 2018 13:26:12 GMT
Libby Purves loved it, too.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2018 14:23:44 GMT
3 stars ES 3 stars The Stage 3 stars Daily Mail 3 stars Time Out 3 stars FT 2 stars Times Of course the “main stream” liked it But they are just as devoid of character and wit as Alan Bennet themselves He is another example Of someone who is quite a pathetic writer Has such a narrow spectrum of ideas Which have never moved on from his own life issues Even after 60 years It’s the same old Yet he is paraded as a national treasure God knows why His writing and ideas are so out of touch with modern society And it’s yet another lukewarm for The Bridge The Daily Mail says it all Alan-Bennetts-tired-old-gags-need-radical-surgery Everything about him as a playwright has been stale for the last 30 years Like a bird pooh dried onto your window sill You omit the four stars from the Guardian and the Telegraph. If you're reduced to saying 'The Daily Mail says it all', then you've lost the argument. As if they are in touch with modern society. Given that in the last 30 years he's written A Question of Attribution, Talking Heads, The Madness of George III and The History Boys, your point about staleness is absurd, as is your point about his never moving away from his own life issues. He's loved because he is a brilliantly witty writer, very English, who can be light and dark, charming and provocative and who has written some of best plays of the past 50 years. The combined circulation Of Telegraph and Guardian and Indepedent Is under 700 000 The Daily Mail Manages over 1.3 million and this despite their very popular and free website I would argue that the DM tends to represent the views of middle England a lot better than Alan Bennet does 🤣🤣 |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2018 14:28:12 GMT
Really? Because last I checked, the DM's theatre opinions were less representative of middle England and more representative of Quentin Letts, a fellow whose views tend towards the negative at any given time, who clearly hates theatre in spite of all the many plays he sees...
Oh. I think I see why Parsley finds the DM's theatre coverage so relatable.
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Post by bordeaux on Jul 19, 2018 15:33:35 GMT
You omit the four stars from the Guardian and the Telegraph. If you're reduced to saying 'The Daily Mail says it all', then you've lost the argument. As if they are in touch with modern society. Given that in the last 30 years he's written A Question of Attribution, Talking Heads, The Madness of George III and The History Boys, your point about staleness is absurd, as is your point about his never moving away from his own life issues. He's loved because he is a brilliantly witty writer, very English, who can be light and dark, charming and provocative and who has written some of best plays of the past 50 years. The combined circulation Of Telegraph and Guardian and Indepedent Is under 700 000 The Daily Mail Manages over 1.3 million and this despite their very popular and free website I would argue that the DM tends to represent the views of middle England a lot better than Alan Bennet does 🤣🤣 But you've moved the goalposts. Earlier you said the problem was the Bennett was out of touch with modern society, whatever that is, calling the Daily Mail in your defence. Now you're saying that the DM represents the views of middle England better than Bennett, as though modern society and middle England were the same thing. The Daily Mail hates modern society. Middle England is probably a lot more varied than you and the Daily Mail give it credit for, and I imagine Alan Bennett speaks for a lot more people than you would expect. |
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Post by sf on Jul 19, 2018 16:27:18 GMT
Really? Because last I checked, the DM's theatre opinions were less representative of middle England and more representative of Quentin Letts, a fellow whose views tend towards the negative at any given time, who clearly hates theatre in spite of all the many plays he sees... Let's be fair: it's obvious Quentin Letts doesn't just hate theatre. |
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Post by littlesally on Jul 19, 2018 23:42:55 GMT
Horses for courses, and all that, but I can’t remember that last play I didn’t want to end.
Not everybody’s cup of tea but I loved it!
Plus, I got a hug from Pollly James after the show.
If you know that you’re going to hate anything by Alan Bennett, just spend your money (or your comps) elsewhere?
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Post by showgirl on Jul 20, 2018 4:36:07 GMT
Horses for courses, and all that, but I can’t remember that last play I didn’t want to end. Not sure I can think of any examples, let alone recent ones, though this is possibly because however good and compelling a production is, there are usually considerations about seat comfort, trains home, auditorium temperature, etc - but what a great yardstick! I certainly can think of many plays/shows I've really enjoyed and was glad to have seen but actually also some when I've been so concerned about the outcome that I almost wished they wouldn't continue or that I could leave so I didn't have to sit through the denouement, because whatever I was watching was riveting yet alarming. |
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Post by Marwood on Jul 20, 2018 13:12:18 GMT
I've booked to see this tomorrow night, row A Stalls, and have just had an email from the Bridge Theatre saying:
'We’ve had the chance to review the sight-lines from Row A and the stage is a little higher than usual so your angle of view is a little steeper than we’d ideally like it to be. Thus we’ve taken the precaution of reducing the price of those seats to £15, and have credited you £10 per ticket to your Bridge Theatre account to use for a future booking with us. '
Thoroughly decent of the Bridge to do this, most theatres would keep quiet, or if anybody claimed, refer people to the terms & conditions and basically say 'tough' but those of you on here who have seen this already: is the stage really THAT high?
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Jul 20, 2018 17:47:00 GMT
Any recommendations for a good place to eat near the Bridge? Somewhere quiet, for hard-of-hearing elderly parents! If chains are ok, there's a Cote just down the river and a few places in Hay's Galleria. The Horniman pub tends to be civilised and you can book a table there. You can also spend an enjoyable few mins sniggering about the name if you're that way inclined.  |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2018 7:46:32 GMT
I've booked to see this tomorrow night, row A Stalls, and have just had an email from the Bridge Theatre saying: 'We’ve had the chance to review the sight-lines from Row A and the stage is a little higher than usual so your angle of view is a little steeper than we’d ideally like it to be. Thus we’ve taken the precaution of reducing the price of those seats to £15, and have credited you £10 per ticket to your Bridge Theatre account to use for a future booking with us. ' Thoroughly decent of the Bridge to do this, most theatres would keep quiet, or if anybody claimed, refer people to the terms & conditions and basically say 'tough' but those of you on here who have seen this already: is the stage really THAT high? Saw it last night - will say more when I've woken up properly (suffering from neighbours having a loud party till 6am when the police turned up...) but I was also front row and got that email. The stage is higher than usual but it's still fine. You miss some scenery and if you have a foot fetish you'll be disappointed but I'd have felt ok paying 25 quid for it. Extremely decent of the Bridge to drop the price. |
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Post by Marwood on Jul 21, 2018 8:50:54 GMT
I've booked to see this tomorrow night, row A Stalls, and have just had an email from the Bridge Theatre saying: 'We’ve had the chance to review the sight-lines from Row A and the stage is a little higher than usual so your angle of view is a little steeper than we’d ideally like it to be. Thus we’ve taken the precaution of reducing the price of those seats to £15, and have credited you £10 per ticket to your Bridge Theatre account to use for a future booking with us. ' Thoroughly decent of the Bridge to do this, most theatres would keep quiet, or if anybody claimed, refer people to the terms & conditions and basically say 'tough' but those of you on here who have seen this already: is the stage really THAT high? Saw it last night - will say more when I've woken up properly (suffering from neighbours having a loud party till 6am when the police turned up...) but I was also front row and got that email. The stage is higher than usual but it's still fine. You miss some scenery and if you have a foot fetish you'll be disappointed but I'd have felt ok paying 25 quid for it. Extremely decent of the Bridge to drop the price. Thanks - I haven’t got a thing for pensioners feet so won’t be (too) disappointed. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2018 16:47:33 GMT
Horses for courses, and all that, but I can’t remember that last play I didn’t want to end. Not sure I can think of any examples, let alone recent ones, though this is possibly because however good and compelling a production is, there are usually considerations about seat comfort, trains home, auditorium temperature, etc - but what a great yardstick! I certainly can think of many plays/shows I've really enjoyed and was glad to have seen but actually also some when I've been so concerned about the outcome that I almost wished they wouldn't continue or that I could leave so I didn't have to sit through the denouement, because whatever I was watching was riveting yet alarming. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2018 16:56:24 GMT
Horses for courses, and all that, but I can’t remember that last play I didn’t want to end. Not everybody’s cup of tea but I loved it! Plus, I got a hug from Pollly James after the show. If you know that you’re going to hate anything by Alan Bennett, just spend your money (or your comps) elsewhere? Sorry, Sal but I was relieved when it was over. I know Bennett is now older himself but I found the attitude towards the elderly in this play quite patronising. Sick of seeing elderly people infantilised on stage and being asked to laugh at their infirmities. There were moments that touched me and the twist at the end of Act One was impactful. Bennett has some interesting things to say about British identity and the privatisation of the NHS but this mostly felt tired. Hytner’s direction didn’t help and neither did the design. Only one of the musical numbers worked for me. If I ever end up on a geriatric ward and am forced into singalongs I pray for a caring nurse like Alma. |
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Post by Snciole on Jul 21, 2018 19:02:42 GMT
I felt the behaviour of the elderly patients was more similar to those in their 90s and I wonder if that was intentional, Bennett not seeing himself as old.
There were definitely some biographical themes, his bitterness towards his mother whose care requirements towards to his father saw him die early (Cocktail Sticks), I feel Bennett saw himself in Barnett's character. Not the elderly people
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