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Post by lynette on Mar 11, 2018 23:12:01 GMT
Oops, thanks Jan for the correction. Did you see that production? ‘Twas marvellous to behold.
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Post by crowblack on Mar 11, 2018 23:15:39 GMT
Reviewers get to suggest star rating, but the editors have the final say. How bizarre, if they haven't seen it! Does this perhaps explain why we sometimes get those across-the-board raves as well? |
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Post by jasper on Mar 12, 2018 8:12:26 GMT
Is Norris directing less now? (Some may see that as a good thing) Is he doing the same as David Lan at the Young Vic who gave up directing after the Soldier's Fortune in 87 with Duff. He seems to be only directing this and nothing in the future. A far cry from the number of productions the other artistic directors (or whatever their title is) gave us. I suppose Olivier did not direct, but he acted instead. Does it mean Norris will become an admin man?
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Post by Jan on Mar 12, 2018 9:24:28 GMT
Is Norris directing less now? (Some may see that as a good thing) Is he doing the same as David Lan at the Young Vic who gave up directing after the Soldier's Fortune in 87 with Duff. He seems to be only directing this and nothing in the future. A far cry from the number of productions the other artistic directors (or whatever their title is) gave us. I suppose Olivier did not direct, but he acted instead. Does it mean Norris will become an admin man? Oliver directed quite a few things for NT actually - Hamlet, Uncle Vanya, The Crucible, Juno and the Paycock, Three Sisters, Love's Labours Lost, Amphitryon 38 - so, 7 shows in 10 years. Remember that he was also an acclaimed film director for his Shakespeare work. Before he arrived at YV David Lan was mostly known as a writer. It is true he directed a few things at YV but not very successfully in my view (Soldier's Fortune was very dull). His writing also did not appeal to me. But it is unarguable that he has been a brilliant and innovative producer of others' work at YV. It would be unwise of Norris to give up directing as his record as a producer is mediocre - for example which formerly little-known directors and writers has he brought through and made successful at NT ? There is a long list for Lan at YV. |
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Post by jasper on Mar 12, 2018 9:29:10 GMT
Is Norris directing less now? (Some may see that as a good thing) Is he doing the same as David Lan at the Young Vic who gave up directing after the Soldier's Fortune in 87 with Duff. He seems to be only directing this and nothing in the future. A far cry from the number of productions the other artistic directors (or whatever their title is) gave us. I suppose Olivier did not direct, but he acted instead. Does it mean Norris will become an admin man? Oliver directed quite a few things for NT actually - Hamlet, Uncle Vanya, The Crucible, Juno and the Paycock, Three Sisters, Love's Labours Lost, Amphitryon 38 - so, 7 shows in 10 years. Remember that he was also an acclaimed film director for his Shakespeare work. Before he arrived at YV David Lan was mostly known as a writer. It is true he directed a few things at YV but not very successfully in my view (Soldier's Fortune was very dull). His writing also did not appeal to me. But it is unarguable that he has been a brilliant and innovative producer of others' work at YV. It would be unwise of Norris to give up directing as his record as a producer is mediocre - for example which formerly little-known directors and writers has he brought through and made successful at NT ? There is a long list for Lan at YV. Is his record of directing at the NT any better than as a producer? |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2018 9:46:34 GMT
I'm going to see this next week, I can't wait. The reviews make it sound so good. I love the bit where the three witches sing 'I Put A Spell On You' so I hope they keep that bit in. Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker were so good in that film.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2018 10:23:36 GMT
Oliver directed quite a few things for NT actually - Hamlet, Uncle Vanya, The Crucible, Juno and the Paycock, Three Sisters, Love's Labours Lost, Amphitryon 38 - so, 7 shows in 10 years. Remember that he was also an acclaimed film director for his Shakespeare work. Before he arrived at YV David Lan was mostly known as a writer. It is true he directed a few things at YV but not very successfully in my view (Soldier's Fortune was very dull). His writing also did not appeal to me. But it is unarguable that he has been a brilliant and innovative producer of others' work at YV. It would be unwise of Norris to give up directing as his record as a producer is mediocre - for example which formerly little-known directors and writers has he brought through and made successful at NT ? There is a long list for Lan at YV. Is his record of directing at the NT any better than as a producer? Amen Corner was fabulous. London Road also. Table in the Shed was really good. Also he has produced some cracking stuff at the NT as Director - Les Blancs, Twelfth Night, Hedda Gabler, Deep Blue Sea, People, Places, Things. That's just off the top of my head, am sure there are more. You might want to argue that he is having mixed success as Director of the NT, but it's a stretch to say he's an outright failure. |
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Post by Jan on Mar 12, 2018 12:13:39 GMT
Is his record of directing at the NT any better than as a producer? Amen Corner was fabulous. London Road also. Table in the Shed was really good. Also he has produced some cracking stuff at the NT as Director - Les Blancs, Twelfth Night, Hedda Gabler, Deep Blue Sea, People, Places, Things. That's just off the top of my head, am sure there are more. You might want to argue that he is having mixed success as Director of the NT, but it's a stretch to say he's an outright failure. My point was really that he is not an innovative or proactive producer. Citing shows directed by Yael Farber and Ivo van Hove makes the point really because those two were given a chance in UK by other theatres (Young Vic, Barbican) and were only picked up by the NT after they were a success. Twelfth Night was from Simon Godwin who had a breakthrough production with Shakespeare at the RSC. Deep Blue Sea was from Carrie Cracknell whose career and breakthrough production was developed at the Young Vic. Which UK directors has Norris developed ? Which foreign directors not known in UK has he invited to direct at NT ? |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2018 12:38:36 GMT
Amen Corner was fabulous. London Road also. Table in the Shed was really good. Also he has produced some cracking stuff at the NT as Director - Les Blancs, Twelfth Night, Hedda Gabler, Deep Blue Sea, People, Places, Things. That's just off the top of my head, am sure there are more. You might want to argue that he is having mixed success as Director of the NT, but it's a stretch to say he's an outright failure. My point was really that he is not an innovative or proactive producer. Citing shows directed by Yael Farber and Ivo van Hove makes the point really because those two were given a chance in UK by other theatres (Young Vic, Barbican) and were only picked up by the NT after they were a success. Twelfth Night was from Simon Godwin who had a breakthrough production with Shakespeare at the RSC. Deep Blue Sea was from Carrie Cracknell whose career and breakthrough production was developed at the Young Vic. Which UK directors has Norris developed ? Which foreign directors not known in UK has he invited to direct at NT ? I hear ya. It's a fair point - would you expect to see evidence within the first three years of his reign though? I've no sense of how long it too for other ADs to be able to demo that sort of longer-term impact. Who were Norris' proteges before he joined the NT - did he have any? |
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Post by Jan on Mar 12, 2018 13:07:59 GMT
My point was really that he is not an innovative or proactive producer. Citing shows directed by Yael Farber and Ivo van Hove makes the point really because those two were given a chance in UK by other theatres (Young Vic, Barbican) and were only picked up by the NT after they were a success. Twelfth Night was from Simon Godwin who had a breakthrough production with Shakespeare at the RSC. Deep Blue Sea was from Carrie Cracknell whose career and breakthrough production was developed at the Young Vic. Which UK directors has Norris developed ? Which foreign directors not known in UK has he invited to direct at NT ? I hear ya. It's a fair point - would you expect to see evidence within the first three years of his reign though? I've no sense of how long it too for other ADs to be able to demo that sort of longer-term impact. Who were Norris' proteges before he joined the NT - did he have any? Maybe three years are not enough. Also I suppose the contrast is marked with Hytner because it was very clear which actors, writers and directors he was championing because he used them consistently and often - but he was not that good at bringing in foreign directors either. |
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kps
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Post by kps on Mar 12, 2018 16:58:22 GMT
I saw this on Saturday evening.
Most of the play's demerits have been outlined by other posters above, however I wanted to focus on the Weird Sisters in this post.
I simply cannot understand what Rufus sought to achieve with their role in this production. Much of their dialogue has been cut from the play, stripping the play of its supernatural qualities, and the actresses are often deployed as bizarre dressing for the stage, draping uncomfortably from IKEA totem poles. Without the intrigue of the Weird Sisters, the plot is incredibly simplistic and frankly dull.
Additional thoughts:
The less said about the appalling B-Movie set, the better.
Rory Kinnear's delivery was like that of a misfiring firearm.
Malcolm was well acted, given the circumstances.
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the £15 seats (row C in the stalls, central). I would certainly sit there again, for a superior production.
The quality of productions at the Olivier has been on the slide for months now. I was fortunate enough to swerve Common, Salome, etc. more by luck than by judgment. The Dorfman & Lyttelton, meanwhile, has played host to many plays that I have thoroughly enjoyed in recent years (John, The Flick, Angels in America...). Hopefully this can be arrested, and soon.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2018 0:03:15 GMT
Well. Oh my. Good old Rufus, attempting to show us just what you can do with half a flyover and a load of bin bags. Turns out, not a lot. Despite being dropped into one of the ugliest, grottiest sets I think I've seen in quite some time, Rory Kinnear and Anne-Marie Duff attempt to act up a storm as the MacBs. Unfortunately they fail rather spectacularly.
Having said that, you do get a load of plastic bags on a few sticks to distract your eyes, an inventive use of a job lot of Chucky doll heads and some HI-lari-O.U.S witches, one of whom has obviously wolfed down a whole pack of Percy Pigs by herself as she careers around the stage like a toddler on the hunt for a second glass of orange squash. You almost get some pole dancing from them towards the end which would have perked things up no end but alas, they bottle it, although they do some rather marvellous sliding down a pole acting that many a fireman would be jealous of.
On the plus side, Malcolm is played by the rather foxy Parth Thakerar who is altogether far more delicious than the entire production and is almost worth the ticket price alone. I said almost. But I do thank Rufus all the same.
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Post by peggs on Mar 20, 2018 9:36:44 GMT
@ryan the actual production is never going to match the amusement of your review.
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Post by n1david on Mar 20, 2018 12:38:41 GMT
I thought that nothing could match my disappointment at the NT's Macbeth but that disappointment compounded by getting home and realising I was at the same performance as @ryan and I was not able to share a G&T or 17 in the interval (this was the sort of production that warranted it).
Not much to add to previous comments except to note that it really is spectacularly ugly - what are people wearing for goodness sake? There's no consistency to the look, it's just "stick some more stuff on the stage to make it look odd". The other thing of particular note was Rory Kinnear - we know he can perform Shakespeare wonderfully, so the pauses, the lack of rhythm and the odd accent must have been directorial decisions which only served to accentuate the artificiality of the whole construct.
I am sufficiently intrigued to go to the set of platforms on 30 April - I am very keen to hear Rufus Norris explain his vision for this production, and see how Rory and Anne-Marie talk about their performances.
I'm glad I have the RSC production later this year to look forward to, and I've got another helping of the gruesome twosome on Sunday in the opera version at the ROH. It's turning into quite a Macbeth year.
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Post by peggs on Mar 20, 2018 16:40:45 GMT
Oh yes let us know what the platforms throw up.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2018 17:11:43 GMT
I thought that nothing could match my disappointment at the NT's Macbeth but that disappointment compounded by getting home and realising I was at the same performance as Ryan and I was not able to share a G&T or 17 in the interval (this was the sort of production that warranted it). Oh @n1david, what a shame. We'll have to do it next time. Although when you say "share" a G&T, I hope you mean that we have one each and not one drink with two straws because I need to be clear from the start, I don't share my gin. I am sufficiently intrigued to go to the set of platforms on 30 April - I am very keen to hear Rufus Norris explain his vision for this production, and see how Rory and Anne-Marie talk about their performances. Can you ask them a question for me? I want to know what happened to Parth Thakerar's hand? He had it in a sling in the first half and then what looked like a cast in the second half. Ask them if he is OK and whether he needs someone with great cheekbones called Ryan to administer first aid. Oh yes let us know what the platforms throw up. Judging by how vomit-inducingly ugly the show is I doubt there's much left to throw up to be perfectly honest. |
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Post by n1david on Mar 20, 2018 17:50:36 GMT
Can you ask them a question for me? I want to know what happened to Parth Thakerar's hand? He had it in a sling in the first half and then what looked like a cast in the second half. Ask them if he is OK and whether he needs someone with great cheekbones called Ryan to administer first aid. I just assumed that this was a costume decision... Given the gaffer-tape armour and the doll-parts witches' outfits a hand in a cast seemed quite normal, really... And don't worry, the sharing of a single drink was never on the cards - I'm a Scotsman and don't share my alcohol. Although, going back to Macbeth, I was pleased to see that whatever apocalypse had occurred on Planet Dunsinane, Irn Bru still survived... |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2018 18:00:19 GMT
I just assumed that this was a costume decision... Given the gaffer-tape armour and the doll-parts witches' outfits a hand in a cast seemed quite normal, really... Oh that could be it. I assumed that he hurt it trying to make a daring escape from this production but your suggestion makes more sense really. |
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Post by lynette on Mar 20, 2018 18:51:33 GMT
Oh, I thought he had been wounded in the recent battle and so was a less effective warrior... reminds me of Frances Barber's stick in King Lear. A brilliant piece of characterisation methought. No, she had fallen off her bike.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2018 0:56:23 GMT
I saw this tonight and agree with most of the reviews on this thread. However, there were lots of schools in tonight and during the performance they were so quiet, obviously so engrossed in what they were watching. At the end they all gave a big cheer - especially for McDuff and Kinnear. So, if the kids like it Norris must be getting something right.
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Post by Jan on Mar 21, 2018 6:54:21 GMT
I saw this tonight and agree with most of the reviews on this thread. However, there were lots of schools in tonight and during the performance they were so quiet, obviously so engrossed in what they were watching. At the end they all gave a big cheer - especially for McDuff and Kinnear. So, if the kids like it Norris must be getting something right. Maybe they were cheering because it was over. |
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Post by kathryn on Mar 21, 2018 9:42:27 GMT
I am seeing it tonight (couldn't persuade friend to cancel as she's a big Rory fan, even though she has a slipped disc!) and dreading it.
But I must say colleague's partner took their son to it and she said they both really enjoyed it - and they're not into Shakespeare at all - so maybe Rufus is on to something and the audience it works for is the one that doesn't normally watch Shakespeare. Which wouldn't include any theatre critics or most regular NT-going theatreboard members....
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Post by Snciole on Mar 21, 2018 10:29:45 GMT
I am sufficiently intrigued to go to the set of platforms on 30 April - I am very keen to hear Rufus Norris explain his vision for this production, and see how Rory and Anne-Marie talk about their performances. Can you ask them a question for me? I want to know what happened to Parth Thakerar's hand? He had it in a sling in the first half and then what looked like a cast in the second half. Ask them if he is OK and whether he needs someone with great cheekbones called Ryan to administer first aid.  Ryan and Parth earlier. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2018 11:53:26 GMT
I am seeing it tonight (couldn't persuade friend to cancel as she's a big Rory fan, even though she has a slipped disc!) and dreading it. But I must say colleague's partner took their son to it and she said they both really enjoyed it - and they're not into Shakespeare at all - so maybe Rufus is on to something and the audience it works for is the one that doesn't normally watch Shakespeare. Which wouldn't include any theatre critics or most regular NT-going theatreboard members.... I also think that if you're young and/or don't get to the theatre often just the act of being there is thrilling and something quite mediocre can be elevated to the extraordinary just by the fact that live people are there right in front of you - that was my experience as a teenager anyway. Add in people that I recognised off the telly and I could well have wet myself, let alone cheered. |
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Post by kathryn on Mar 21, 2018 12:51:40 GMT
I am seeing it tonight (couldn't persuade friend to cancel as she's a big Rory fan, even though she has a slipped disc!) and dreading it. But I must say colleague's partner took their son to it and she said they both really enjoyed it - and they're not into Shakespeare at all - so maybe Rufus is on to something and the audience it works for is the one that doesn't normally watch Shakespeare. Which wouldn't include any theatre critics or most regular NT-going theatreboard members.... I also think that if you're young and/or don't get to the theatre often just the act of being there is thrilling and something quite mediocre can be elevated to the extraordinary just by the fact that live people are there right in front of you - that was my experience as a teenager anyway. Add in people that I recognised off the telly and I could well have wet myself, let alone cheered. You do have a point - but the teenager in question does get taken with his mum (she skipped this one and sent the other half as she can't handle stage blood) at least a few times a year, so the novelty of that should have worn off by now. |
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