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Post by londonpostie on Apr 25, 2019 14:54:45 GMT
well it could be worse; you could have booked another American at the ENO instead.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Apr 25, 2019 15:05:20 GMT
Is Stompboy's question perhaps in the wrong thread? Man Of La Mancha is at The London Coliseum, not Old Vic .
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Post by wannabedirector on Apr 25, 2019 18:13:10 GMT
I saw it this afternoon, sitting in q3. The view was fine, I’ve sat in worse seats in other theatres and the pillar didn’t cause me much obstruction at all. After the interval the couple next to me left (I don’t know why as I thought the production was great) so I moved into one of their clear view seats for the second half.
I thought it was a great production of the play, spearheaded by two outstanding performances from Bill Pullman and Sally Field, that made me rethink my assumptions of Joe and Kate. Would recommend if you get a chance to see it.
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Post by Fleance on Apr 25, 2019 19:02:28 GMT
I saw it this afternoon, sitting in q3. The view was fine, I’ve sat in worse seats in other theatres and the pillar didn’t cause me much obstruction at all. After the interval the couple next to me left (I don’t know why as I thought the production was great) so I moved into one of their clear view seats for the second half. I thought it was a great production of the play, spearheaded by two outstanding performances from Bill Pullman and Sally Field, that made me rethink my assumptions of Joe and Kate. Would recommend if you get a chance to see it. I was there as well, in G32. Great seat, stirring performance. |
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Post by Mark on Apr 25, 2019 21:39:11 GMT
It really was fantastic. I have such fond memories of the first time I saw this play back in 2010 with Suchet and Wanamaker and when I heard it was coming back I knew I had to go. I wasn’t disappointed - it’s a really great production.
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Post by bgarde on Apr 25, 2019 22:06:09 GMT
I got that email too. You get £10 refunded, can't say fairer - and according to folk on here, it's only a bit of a problem in act 1. In fact, I am in the same row D when I go, and know now that row C is no longer even considered restricted. For what I could see C26/27 have to be restricted as the tree is in front of those seats during Act 1, but I have the feeling that they are sold as Day Seats. If that's the case they are good value for £25. But if D26/27 are classified as 'restricted view', then C26/27 are even more restricted as they are closer to the tree, unless I'm missing something. Look forward to your comments when you see it There was no real restriction there at all so was happy to be there - if anything was pleased to be next to something of much focus. And also watch out for the visibly frustrated usherette reminding everyone to not knock microphones placed right at the edge of the stage so that many people couldn't avoid brushing past them, to no avail. Really, really enjoyed this - incredibly powerful and will stay with me a long while. Thought Field was just fantastic and very moving. Petty point but the programme really could have had more content - one proper article and a plain cover. For all the creatives involved in such a production...! |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2019 11:13:44 GMT
Saw the matinee yesterday, sat in row C of the Lillian Bayliss circle and the view was great, although the legroom was non-existent and it got so cramped up there (but meh, I got what I paid for).
Really enjoyed the production - Sally Field is just a powerhouse and the audience were hanging off of her every word. Jenna Coleman, who I'm already a big fan of anyway, did a great job, although she did keep slipping out of her accent toward the end but as an actor myself, an American accent is pretty difficult so props to her for keeping it up. Loved the interactions between Colin Morgan and Bill Pulman toward the end.
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Post by sf on Apr 26, 2019 18:22:05 GMT
Was also there yesterday afternoon (in one of the rail-in-view seats in the dress circle). Can't praise Sally Field enough, she's giving an extraordinary performance. So is Jenna Coleman. Perfectly good performances from everyone else, but Field and Coleman walk away with the show.
The play creaks a bit, and the direction doesn't manage to disguise it.
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Post by jampot on Apr 27, 2019 13:23:19 GMT
At todays matinee..V pleased with seat q34 wouldnt say its restricted at all....21.00 is a bargain...can check other seats if req at interval....
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Post by londonpostie on Apr 27, 2019 14:15:48 GMT
Could you look at next door, please - Q35 ..
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Post by jampot on Apr 27, 2019 14:47:11 GMT
The box office sent out official updates last Thursday, when I posted the news. They consider Q35 to be no longer restricted. Q34 remains restricted. R35 is indeed a new seat. With any luck, it may be the new Q34... Sitting here.. that makes no sense q35 IS restricted...r35 and 34 are both still more to the left..clearing up the pillar issue nicely.... |
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Post by peggs on Apr 27, 2019 21:26:36 GMT
Damn bought wrong seat, spent ages dithering over which to buy and seem to have plumped for wrong one.
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Post by lou105 on Apr 27, 2019 21:37:46 GMT
Have to agree on seating. Q34 was great, can't see how 35 would be clear view..As for the play, it was a bit muddled for me. I enjoyed most of the performances but kept feeling like I was eavesdropping on a conversation when those involved knew the context and background, so had a shorthand that shut me out a bit.
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Post by jadnoop on Apr 28, 2019 12:14:03 GMT
Saw this yesterday, and I thought it was good, but perhaps not quite great. It felt like the theatre equivalent of an Oscar contending drama: top notch acting by a starry cast, first rate set, costumes, etc but ultimately perhaps not hugely exciting.
I wish the OV website would take a different approach to content-warnings. The notes about what happens, unavoidably displayed on the site, are arguably spoilers. The Royal Court is much better on this in my opinion, giving a separate page/ phone number for audience members to be able to check for specifics if they choose to.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2019 13:30:37 GMT
Saw this yesterday, and I thought it was good, but perhaps not quite great. It felt like the theatre equivalent of an Oscar contending drama: top notch acting by a starry cast, first rate set, costumes, etc but ultimately perhaps not hugely exciting. . The direction came across poorly, to me.It seemed like the actors have been left to get on with it, so nothing gelled. You get great moments but the slapdash staging is almost schematically amdram. With little psychological insight transferred into the movement, the actors are just shifted around a bit here, a bit there.Vocally, as well, the actors seem to be doing their own thing but I sensed no shaping from an outside eye/ear. There’s more to direction other than the more visible aspects. I saw Ned Bennett’s brilliant Equus staging earlier in the week but, as well as the more invisible meat that is the character work, you can see what he added there, it’s probably what many think of, when they imagine what direction is. With something like The Ferryman, Mendes’ direction was similarly ‘invisible’ for the most part but each moment created a sense of reality alongside a more considered mapping of moves, based on competing motivations, that also functioned as visual signifiers. |
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Post by jamb0r on Apr 28, 2019 15:21:14 GMT
I wish the OV website would take a different approach to content-warnings. The notes about what happens, unavoidably displayed on the site, are arguably spoilers. Completely agree with this! Though I was 'spoiled' by an A4 piece of paper that I had seen stuck on a wall as I was entering the theatre. I spent the whole play waiting for {Spoiler - click to view}
a gunshot, which really took some of the tension out of it.
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on May 4, 2019 17:35:06 GMT
Saw this today and wasn't super impressed. The first act felt like it was basically just set up for the second and didn't go much of anywhere. The second act was far stronger for the first two thirds but then I thought it slowly lost momentum and the end was not impactful at all. It's a shame as I think it was almost entirely down to pacing rather than acting.
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 5, 2019 8:11:56 GMT
One of my favourite plays and a brilliant production. I really liked this one. Never seen a really laid back Joe Keller, a different take on the role taken by Bill Pullman.
Turned right out of the Old Vic down the Cut following a young couple who had watched this play for the first time. So enthralled, captivated and excited. Reminded of myself first time I saw All My Sons.
Followed this play with a trip to the Bridge Theatre and a German Life. In theatre heaven yesterday, Sally Field and Maggie Smith!! My first day at the theatre when I have awarded two five stars. And gave Maggie Smith's performance only my fifth standing ovation.
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Post by Rory on May 8, 2019 22:48:43 GMT
I saw this this afternoon and liked it, however something just didn't quite gel with me. I wasn't as moved or as affected as I thought I would have been. Bill Pullman downplays it but I just didn't get the sense from him that this man, Joe Keller, was tormented.
The set is really fantastic (and nice to see such a detailed, naturalistic one) and it's pretty conventional by Headlong standards but that's not necessarily a criticism.
Saw Death of a Salesman later the same day. Two entirely different shows so interesting to compare and contrast. Was ready for the pint I had in the Young Vic bar afterwards for sure!
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Post by callum on May 9, 2019 9:00:59 GMT
Saw this Monday from the front row and a lot of what I got out of it was all of the facial expressions and small details - I don’t think anyone sat farther back would have the same experience. Sally Field’s stares of terror and she strides towards Ann for example, or the flickers of torment that Bill Pullman is showing on his face.
Absolutely worth seeing and a great privilege to see those performances up close. Front row is the way to go if you can get it.
Both day seat and stage door process were remarkably well-organised by the Old Vic, I have to say.
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on May 9, 2019 10:39:12 GMT
Saw this Monday from the front row and a lot of what I got out of it was all of the facial expressions and small details - I don’t think anyone sat farther back would have the same experience. Sally Field’s stares of terror and she strides towards Ann for example, or the flickers of torment that Bill Pullman is showing on his face. Absolutely worth seeing and a great privilege to see those performances up close. Front row is the way to go if you can get it. Both day seat and stage door process were remarkably well-organised by the Old Vic, I have to say. This is what I wondered. Everyone was praising Sally for her performance but I didn't think it was anything special but I was all the way up in row c of the Lilian Baylis circle and felt quite disconnected from it all. I think I'm going to watch the NT Live so that I can get an experience closer to being near the stage and hopefully that will improve my opinion of it. |
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Post by vdcni on May 9, 2019 12:15:15 GMT
I was near the front and I loved it overall though I felt it was a bit more uneven than the Suchet version a while back.
For me Field and more surprisingly, given her lack of stage experience, Coleman really provided the stand out performances, their relationship was the most interesting thing in the whole play which I don't remember being the case last time.
Pullman was very good though by being so laid back I wasn't quite so convinced he would do what he does at the end.
Morgan to me is the weak link, not a bad performance but as others have mentioned it doesn't feel like he's really found how he wants to play it so we get 3 or 4 different performances in one.
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Post by sparky5000 on May 10, 2019 22:39:43 GMT
I was thoroughly impressed with this production; a v solid 4 stars for me. I thought Sally Field was fantastic, and like others have said, her and Jenna Coleman were standouts for me. We had great seats close to the stage, which definitely helps in see the subtlety of the acting coming through. Bill Pullman’s Joe Keller was def more laid back than I’ve always interpreted or understand Joe Keller to be, but I liked his interpretation nonetheless. Like Rory has said though, it didn’t completely all gel together for me so I wasn’t quite as moved as I thought I’d be. Definitely recommend it though to anyone who hasn’t yet seen it. |
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2019 23:08:48 GMT
I loved this too, and I completely agree that Field and Coleman were the standouts. The latter especially I thought was excellent and stole the show (with only the very occasional minor slip back into a more English accent which can easily be forgiven!) given her lack of stage experience - I expected Field to be good, Coleman was more of a surprise, though I've always rated her TV performances.
I thought Pullman was rather good as well, the more laid back manner really worked for me and I found it very effective characterisation in terms of seeing how he ended up doing what he did.
I also agree Morgan was sort of giving multiple performances in one - some of his choices didn't seem to be quite sure. At times he was very effective, but not so much in others, and his last scene was a bit overplayed to me, to the extent it took me out of the moment. Still a good performance though, and he and Coleman work well together.
I thought the set was wonderful and the limited sound effects very effective. Facial expressions were all very clear from row Q and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Highly recommended.
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Post by zahidf on May 11, 2019 18:01:17 GMT
I thought this was great with superb acting. Field and Pullman really seemed to put a lot into their performances as well.
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