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Post by theatremad on Aug 8, 2018 6:52:22 GMT
Ok this was third preview I grant.
This will be a marmite show. At the moment to me its a mess.
But this is because of the way its been billed. All the publicity references shows like Only Way is Essex and so forth, and appears to suggest reality TV style.
However in the cold light of day this doesnt feel like theyve stuck to their guns.
Its a mishmash of modern and Tudor costuming on a set thats a similar mixture. I know this is a play of big characters but a cast that has shone in other plays this season seems to have forgotten all theyve learnt in this one.
Hard thing is I can see a good production potentially underneath it.
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Post by dani on Aug 8, 2018 18:42:55 GMT
Unlike theatremad I haven't seen every Shakespeare once, let alone twice, but I've always thought that Merry Wives is a strong contender for the title of worst Shakespeare play.
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Post by Jan on Aug 8, 2018 19:19:14 GMT
Unlike theatremad I haven't seen every Shakespeare once, let alone twice, but I've always thought that Merry Wives is a strong contender for the title of worst Shakespeare play. It is a thin play, but interesting in that it prefigures classic farce - it also has elements of sitcoms. To work you need a strong director, a clear concept, and first class comedy actors. Rarely do you have all (or any) of these. The best I’ve seen was the old Bill Alexander RSC production set firmly in the 1950s. Potentially the best concept was Northern Broadsides setting it Oop North in the world of George Formby and Gracie Fields but the direction was too feeble to carry it off. It has notably featured the most bizarre piece of miscasting ever when Greg Hicks gave us his Dr Caius. |
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Post by theatremad on Aug 8, 2018 21:03:11 GMT
I love the play but it is weak. The prologue for this production tries to work it out but fails
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Post by lynette on Aug 8, 2018 23:49:06 GMT
Sorry that first musings are such. I love this play because it has the funniest joke ever, the slapstick sort of laundry basket thing. I took my kids to a good production of this back in the day and they loved it. I do remember that the best prod I ever saw of this it was Ian Richardson playing Mr Ford. Nuff said
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Post by bgarde on Aug 9, 2018 6:30:21 GMT
I had a great time at this last night. It had a similar camp aesthetic to their Mrs. Rich production (some great costumes). Very, very funny and personally I didn't mind the modern touches (Brexit and wheelie bins). Especially enjoyed Rebecca Lacey - the female leads were a real hoot and Falstaff hilarious. Seemed to go do down very well.
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Post by learfan on Aug 9, 2018 7:49:58 GMT
I had a great time at this last night. It had a similar camp aesthetic to their Mrs. Rich production (some great costumes). Very, very funny and personally I didn't mind the modern touches (Brexit and wheelie bins). Especially enjoyed Rebecca Lacey - the female leads were a real hoot and Falstaff hilarious. Seemed to go do down very well. Excellent, im going Saturday week, tbh mainly booked to see David Troughton as Falstaff but do have a bit of a soft spot for the play. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2018 8:15:33 GMT
I don't think Merry Wives is anywhere near Shakespeare's worst play, not while the likes of Timon and Henry VIII are in the frame. I guess if you wanted to limit it to Shakespeare's non-collaborative works then it would be closer to the top of the list, but I'd still rather see a Merry Wives than even a Macbeth any day of the week.
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Post by Jan on Aug 9, 2018 8:44:58 GMT
I don't think Merry Wives is anywhere near Shakespeare's worst play, not while the likes of Timon and Henry VIII are in the frame. I guess if you wanted to limit it to Shakespeare's non-collaborative works then it would be closer to the top of the list, but I'd still rather see a Merry Wives than even a Macbeth any day of the week. I’d go with Henry VIII. Macbeth and Timon both always seem to have something wrong with them as plays when I see them - the texts we have are probably corrupt. In Macbeth there are gaps in the plot that suggest missing scenes, in Timon there seem to be duplicated bits of plot that suggest different versions of the same scene are included. |
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Post by lichtie on Aug 11, 2018 16:13:28 GMT
Allo Allo comes to the RST... Played as broad farce and with the already thin plot stripped down a bit more. The audience mostly seemed to love it, though noticed a few didn't return after the interval. Not one for the purist (the laundry basket gets a notable update), though if you think it's his worst play you might actually enjoy what they've done to it....
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Post by lynette on Aug 12, 2018 16:01:57 GMT
Will it be understandable for for Californians? I’m bringing guests to this in September.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2018 16:33:49 GMT
When you consider what they have done to the language I *always* take it as a given that Americans will struggle with anything in English. Unless it involves guns and cheeseburgers of course.
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Post by lichtie on Aug 12, 2018 16:54:20 GMT
Will it be understandable for for Californians? I’m bringing guests to this in September.
Well they had a very large group of Japanese there yesterday who were probably struggling far more! Try them with a bit of Barnara Windsor in Carry On as a primer to both accents and humour and you'll have a good sense of whether they will get it (and yes I know neither of the leading ladies are strictly East-ender types, but I presume that's who the TOWIE references that were doing the rounds were aimed at)....
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Post by lynette on Aug 14, 2018 16:09:38 GMT
Will it be understandable for for Californians? I’m bringing guests to this in September.
Well they had a very large group of Japanese there yesterday who were probably struggling far more! Try them with a bit of Barnara Windsor in Carry On as a primer to both accents and humour and you'll have a good sense of whether they will get it (and yes I know neither of the leading ladies are strictly East-ender types, but I presume that's who the TOWIE references that were doing the rounds were aimed at)....
So I should sit and watch a carry on film with them before we go? Ain’t gonna happen. 😂😂😂 Thanks for the warning. I’ll get a good wine for dinner beforehand.... |
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Post by peggs on Aug 14, 2018 16:37:07 GMT
Well they had a very large group of Japanese there yesterday who were probably struggling far more! Try them with a bit of Barnara Windsor in Carry On as a primer to both accents and humour and you'll have a good sense of whether they will get it (and yes I know neither of the leading ladies are strictly East-ender types, but I presume that's who the TOWIE references that were doing the rounds were aimed at)....
So I should sit and watch a carry on film with them before we go? Ain’t gonna happen. 😂😂😂 Thanks for the warning. I’ll get a good wine for dinner beforehand.... Oh shame lynette I love the idea of you and American guests sitting down to watch a bit of carry on. |
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Post by lichtie on Aug 15, 2018 10:40:20 GMT
Well they had a very large group of Japanese there yesterday who were probably struggling far more! Try them with a bit of Barnara Windsor in Carry On as a primer to both accents and humour and you'll have a good sense of whether they will get it (and yes I know neither of the leading ladies are strictly East-ender types, but I presume that's who the TOWIE references that were doing the rounds were aimed at)....
So I should sit and watch a carry on film with them before we go? Ain’t gonna happen. 😂😂😂 Thanks for the warning. I’ll get a good wine for dinner beforehand....
Maybe two bottles.... I'd also agree with bgarde up the thread that it is quite like Mrs Rich in terms of how they play it so if you saw that you'll have a good idea what to expect.
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Post by lynette on Aug 15, 2018 16:48:56 GMT
Prosecco , then a bottle, then dessert wine? I did see Mrs Rich and I enjoyed it. But I expect I'll be spending the rest of the night explaining.....
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Post by Being Alive on Aug 17, 2018 13:45:05 GMT
I enjoyed it for the most part. Think the first 15 minutes were a bit dodgy though - it felt like what you were watching took too long to get fully established. But once I'd settled in to it I really enjoyed myself. Thought the two women as the wives were a great double act, and Troughton was grotesquely funny, which worked well.
One of the better Shakespeares I've seen there for a while (after HATING Macbeth and Lear)
3.5 stars from me I'd say.
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Post by learfan on Aug 25, 2018 17:22:28 GMT
Was at the matinee today. V fun enjoyable show. Troughton superb as Falstaff, when isnt he? The wives are very erm merry. Maybe the TOWIE and Enders jokes went on a bit but a fun 2 1/2 hours. Good programming for August and i see it is on over xmas in London. Theatre full. Four stars
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2018 13:13:57 GMT
Saw the show on Monday night. David Troughton was excellent but then he is a top stage actor and playing one of the great comic roles. Big shoutout to the designer of the Falstaff fat suit for when he appeared "topless".
Beth Cordingley and Rebecca Lacey were also good in the other major roles.
I liked the almost film-like introduction where all the characters walked on and their names appeared on a white screen as it told us who was who and for people not familiar with the story or the actors it was a good way to know who was who among lesser characters.
Purists may not like it but as a shortish run it works well and is fun and seems to be selling well.
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Post by kathryn on Aug 29, 2018 16:47:28 GMT
I saw this last night from the back row of the upper circle on the side - I enjoyed the play but not my seat! In fact I ended up standing for the second half. Whoever designed those high seats did not allow for anyone to be shorter than 5’4” - the footrest was just a bit too low to be comfortable/provide support, and combined with the narrow seat and the straight back left me fidgeting throughout the first act. Most frustrating in such a new theatre.
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Post by waybeyondblue on Aug 29, 2018 16:53:44 GMT
I think it’s an excellent example of interpreting (and trimming) the text into a blended setting whilst retaining the wit and story. Something the RSC sometimes lands well every few years.
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Post by theatremad on Aug 30, 2018 9:29:16 GMT
Saw this again tuesday night.
Still not keen on it, though has grown a bit on me. Really dont think the move of location does much at all, and the loss of so much in the process does nothing for me.
Too clever for its own good and in my very humble opinion (like Tamburlaine) should never have seen the light of day at least in its current form
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Post by NeilVHughes on Sept 1, 2018 22:00:50 GMT
Certainly not a traditional take, on the whole worked, felt more like a Swan production than the RST with the focus firmly on fun. Can’t remember the last time I heard the RST filled with so much laughter which wasn’t extinguished by the fire alarm evacuation.
More seventies carry on than Essex wives with even a nod to Dick Emery at one point..
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Post by lynette on Sept 1, 2018 22:06:04 GMT
Certainly not a traditional take, on the whole worked, felt more like a Swan production than the RST with the focus firmly on fun. Can’t remember the last time I heard the RST filled with so much laughter which wasn’t extinguished by the fire alarm evacuation. More seventies carry on than Essex wives with even a nod to Dick Emery at one point.. Dick Emery? Going back a bit aren’t we, Neil? Your grandma must have told you about him. She did me. |
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