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Post by Being Alive on Dec 8, 2018 23:34:01 GMT
Down at 10.25 tonight.
Really liked it - as a production I enjoyed it throughout (love me a revolve and the drum was fab) but wasn’t sure on the two leads in act 1.
By the time we got back after the interval (with an HOUR AND 45 MINUTES to go) it all kicked into another gear and I thought they were both knock-out. Ralph actually had me a bit teary at one point (can’t remember why if I’m honest)
Glad I was back on the circle for the bit at the end - my usual front row entry pass seat I would have had to vacate at that point!
Solid 4 stars for me - it goes on a bit tho!
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Post by peggs on Dec 16, 2018 16:21:43 GMT
Was at the NT yesterday with nieces, we walked passed an A and C poster and the ten year old announced that she had read it at school (I assume one of those short plot version text), what did she think I asked, it was a bit weird she said, did she mean them killing themselves I asked, yes she said. I tried to explain about roman notions of honour, of death being preferable to the humiliations of capture, she looked at me unconvinced so in attempt to keep the conversation going I explained that the current production had real snakes and one of them had been dropped for being too wiggly, she was immediately interested and outraged (once I confirmed that I didn't mean it had been dropped off the stage) and proceeded to draw pictures which she was then colour coding, each colour with a feeling attached, black featured quite heavily, I am very angry about the snake she told me.
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Post by jgblunners on Dec 20, 2018 0:33:18 GMT
My god, What. A. Show. This is surely the best production of a play in the Olivier that we’ve seen under Norris’ reign. I had high hopes for Godwin’s direction after his Twelfth Night, and he’s pulled it off again with an interpretation of Shakespeare’s language that gives pure clarity to every line. The design is simply glorious, showing off the Olivier’s full technical capabilities in a stunning display. The beautiful drum revolve gets to show off what it does best, and set pieces are even used as part of the fight choreography. It’s truly wonderful. As for Fiennes and Okonedo - there are no words. They are simply spectacular. In particular, Fiennes’ soliloquys in the second half are utterly captivating. Tim McMullan is the best of the supporting cast, heartbreaking in his second half soliloquys, but the whole company is very impressive (although something about Caesar didn’t sit quite right, but I can’t put my finger on it).
I’ve never been so emotionally engaged by a Shakespeare production, nor felt so focussed through every single scene. To me, this production is a masterpiece.
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4,789 posts
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Post by Mark on Jan 11, 2019 13:21:03 GMT
Booked a Friday rush ticket for this next week - row E of the circle so not the best seat but hopefully not too far away.
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Post by floorshow on Jan 12, 2019 17:45:54 GMT
Caught the matinee today - Henry Everett, in for Tim McMullan, nailed it. Had no idea until afterwards.
Agree with everything said so far, it's a corker. Thought the first half ripped along very nicely, mainly cos of Party Cleo. Second half had a little lull but still very strong. I know they both get a break during the second half but 2 performances a day must be brutal.
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Post by Polly1 on Jan 16, 2019 22:51:50 GMT
Finally did the same this afternoon. Exactly what floorshow said. Okonedo is up there with the greatest, and I loved her entourage too. Also that dress in act 1, LOL. Snake is impressive, isn't it. Did drag in act 2 for sure, and Fiennes was clumping about the vast empty stage a bit much for my liking, but all in all, good to see the NT back on form. Oh Monkey, sad to have missed you this afternoon! I was dead centre of the front row and felt like I was on stage with them. Sophie, the snake, Ralphy's sword (not a euphemism) all within touching distance. This was proper old school Shakespeare, what a difference from SRB's Richard II which I saw last week. Didn't drag at all. I actually preferred Act 2, thought Okonedo was less shouty/manic and came into her own in the death scene. Thought Ralph had bulked up a bit and definitely less Rigsby (although I did hear someone on the way out reference him). Biggest disappointment was Tim McMullen's absence, I really missed seeing him. Understudy was just ok and I kept imagining how good it would have been with TM. I liked the end at the beginning and costumes were fab. But why did Antony's scene with Octavia take place in a Travelodge bedroom? |
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Post by Mark on Jan 17, 2019 0:03:51 GMT
I managed to change my seat to centre of the front row for Friday and am very much looking forward to it!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2019 0:29:04 GMT
I’m so keen to see this* I managed to arrive a day early for my booked performance. Going back tomorrow...
*or it might be my ADD. Who knows!
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Post by bramble on Jan 17, 2019 10:25:54 GMT
A great production. Clear, and easy to follow. Wonderful
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Post by missthelma on Jan 17, 2019 19:00:50 GMT
Oh dear.
Oh dear, so remember that thread from a while ago, ever feel like you were at a different show to everybody else? I mean I haven't read all of this thread as I don't tend to when I already have tickets as I don't want to be put off but going from the raves above I seem to be a bit of an outlier.
I saw this last night and thought it was utterly dreadful, and also borderline interminable, I felt every second of those 3 1/2 hours. Unusually for me I would have fled at the interval but my friend wanted to stay, despite also hating the production. Go figure.
Firstly, Sophie Okonedo who I normally adore seemed to have decided to start her performance at Hysterical Teenage Harpy Level 7 and pretty much left it at that throughout, there was almost no shade or modulation in her performance. I think by the end she possibly toned it down a smidge for the final scenes but by then for me it was too late. Plus she needs to have a word with her costume designer, she started off in something which appeared to have had a large bunch of artificial flowers stapled to the front and then progressed to something almost indescribable, a multi layered eiderdown effect mumu perhaps? Act Two started with what resembled a JLM Slanket but worn backwards and then she did put on a nice frock but appeared to have bobbed to Burger King for a bite to eat and left one of their crowns on. I actually did wonder for a short time with what I considered to be all the other madness going on if the concept of the production was that the inmates in an asylum were putting on a production rather like Marat/Sade.
In addition there was zero chemistry with Ralph Fiennes, nothing. This is meant to be one of the heralded love stories of history.The picture in the poster carries more heat than they managed to ignite last night. Mind you Ralph went full Rigsby last night, a perfect 10, mincing about the stage,gurning, hands on hips, he cut a figure so ridiculous that believing a Queen would sacrifice all for this pillock was hard to accept. If that is what he does every performance it is inconceivable that he beat Kyle Soller for the Evening Standard award. Additionally the actress playing Agrippa, and I use the term loosely, seemed to believe that stalking around the stage like she was trying to keep a roll of pennies between her butt cheeks and looking mildly peeved was all she needed to do to give her character life. And as for Tunji Kasim as Ceaser? I believe I've read comments about him elsewhere on the board, he appears to be a complete gaping vacuum of talent who recites every line like he's reading the minutes of a residents association meeting in Kettering. He must have a rich family or very incriminating pictures of someone as he keeps getting work. The two servants of Cleopatra, Charmian and Iras were played well, especially the former I would like to have seen her Cleopatra as she seemed to have a gravitas and dignity befitting a Queen rather than the inanity of the leading actresses choice, but other parts like Octavia and Pompey seemed flat and pointless.
They make very good use of the stage space and that marvel of set design that comes up at one point is very impressive however it seemed a lot of effort for what wound up a very superfluous scene which given the running time could have been cut (Listen to me, telling Shakespeare his scenes are superfluous!!)
Also about every forty minutes or so a woman wandered out on to the platform to my left side and wailed for about 40 seconds and then disappeared. As nobody else, least of all the people on stage, paid her a blind bit of attention I am wondering if she was a manifestation of how I was feeling or if she had a purpose? Did anyone else even see her??
Still it's the joy of theatre that we don't all like the same things, there was some cheering at the end and maybe a 25% ovation in the stalls. I did see a couple of empty seats after the interval as well. I couldn't honestly give it more than one star. Given the excitement above for the matinee performance maybe they all wore themselves out and couldn't manage it all again last night?
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Post by lonlad on Jan 17, 2019 23:54:27 GMT
What pray tell is a JLM Slanket?  ?? |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2019 8:46:38 GMT
A slanket is basically a blanket with sleeves so you can snuggle under it completely but still have your hands free to do stuff, and JML (not JLM) is one of those catalogue companies that sells all sorts of things to make people's lives a little easier, like slankets or portable heaters or fancy hot water bottles or comfy gardening shoes.
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Post by zahidf on Jan 18, 2019 9:03:30 GMT
I enjoyed this a lot, but again thought the actor playing caeser was terrible and that the death scenes go on WAY too long ( though I gather that's the plays problem)
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2019 9:43:41 GMT
I would give my first-born to the witches to be in the room when people decide to cast Tunji Kasim in things, because I've never been able to work out from his performances why he gets given roles so consistently. I want to know his secret!
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Post by peggs on Jan 18, 2019 11:13:23 GMT
I do own a slanket but sadly do not look like Sophie Okonedo in it, can also report you should not go near oven hobs in them.
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Post by David J on Jan 18, 2019 12:46:11 GMT
Saw an encore screening yesterday, and I too have to join the 'saw a different production' camp missthelma sums up Sophie Okonedo for me. Looks majestic but lacks grace and instead leans towards the comedy by shouting and EMPaaaasing EVery WOrd and extEEEding EEEvery vOOOwel. No where near as good as Eve Best. I preferred Ralph Fiennes in the first act. He convinced me as a soldier who is past his prime since falling for Cleopatra. His delivery of the lines however seemed to go full on drunken mode once he became melancholic and mopey in the second act. Tunji Kasim...first time I saw him perform was in David Farr's The Winter's Tale back in 2009, and his performance here is still the same. Why the RSC and NT continue to cast him, I've absolutely no idea I've got to say, whilst it was a pleasure seeing Tim McMullan again but he doesn't fit the role of Enobarbus for me. He certainly delivers the wit impeccably but his melodic voice doesn't suit the blunt and rough-spoken soldier. Some lovely sets, though we did they have to keep Cleopatra in the monument for the final scene. It looked cramped on that small set. A mixed production, made worse by the fact that the play is baggy and uneven. I felt the minutes pass by. |
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Post by Mark on Jan 18, 2019 23:18:19 GMT
Saw tonight, and thought it was exceptional. Fiennes and Okonedo in particularly just exceptional. I’m not usually one to see Shakespeare (and indeed my previous one was Henry V almost 6 years ago), but I found it so engaging. Yes it took a little while to get into (I find it always takes me 10-15 minutes to “tune in” to Shakespeare), and yes I agree with the comments that it could be a bit shorter (especially after the death of Anthony in act two), but great to see these two actors at the top of their game.
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Post by frappuccino on May 8, 2020 11:21:01 GMT
For those who watched Alan rickman's Antony and Cleopatra at the NT. Was it really as bad as the critics said? It was a box office success. But critics said they hated the way Alan acted. They said he mumbled.
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Post by Jan on May 8, 2020 12:36:18 GMT
For those who watched Alan rickman's Antony and Cleopatra at the NT. Was it really as bad as the critics said? It was a box office success. But critics said they hated the way Alan acted. They said he mumbled. I thought it was OK, 3*, and I was a bit surprised when I saw the reviews. I had the feeling there was something else going on and that was why the critics took against it quite so dramatically, I read subsequently that Rickman was a very late replacement in the role. I thought he was fine - it is a thankless part anyway - as was La Mirren. Years before I hadn’t been able to get tickets for the small-scale Mirren/Gambon production so I was glad of the chance to see her in it. |
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Post by crabtree on May 8, 2020 12:38:28 GMT
sadly I wasn't fired up by this - a very unglamorous production considering the subject matter. A lot of visual stuff going on but no really striking imagery. The play does suffer from a lot of chaps chatting but not for me this one. I still adore the memory of Janet suzman and Richard Johnson. beautifully stage and exotic and sensual. This was not.
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Post by Jan on May 8, 2020 12:43:44 GMT
sadly I wasn't fired up by this - a very unglamorous production considering the subject matter. A lot of visual stuff going on but no really striking imagery. The play does suffer from a lot of chaps chatting but not for me this one. I still adore the memory of Janet suzman and Richard Johnson. beautifully stage and exotic and sensual. This was not. Clive James said that the TV version of the Suzman one was how Shakespeare should be filmed for TV - no clunky fixed sets but rather close-ups on the actors. |
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Post by frappuccino on May 8, 2020 14:06:15 GMT
For those who watched Alan rickman's Antony and Cleopatra at the NT. Was it really as bad as the critics said? It was a box office success. But critics said they hated the way Alan acted. They said he mumbled. I thought it was OK, 3*, and I was a bit surprised when I saw the reviews. I had the feeling there was something else going on and that was why the critics took against it quite so dramatically, I read subsequently that Rickman was a very late replacement in the role. I thought he was fine - it is a thankless part anyway - as was La Mirren. Years before I hadn’t been able to get tickets for the small-scale Mirren/Gambon production so I was glad of the chance to see her in it. Yes, it was supposed to be Alan Bates instead of Alan Rickman. In an interview Alan said that the critics expected to see Antony as some sort of heroic figure not some washed up alcoholic. I have read other users saying Rickman needed to be prompted because he didn't know the lines. How exactly did they prompt him? |
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Post by lynette on May 8, 2020 16:35:24 GMT
It was really, really bad. It started off with a conversation between two characters shouted across the full width of the stage when it should have been confidential and went downhill from there. It had Helen Mirren with her clothes off which was all the media was interested in. Sam West I believe hated being in it. Correct me, Sam, if I am wrong there, read it somewhere. Rickman was terrible. I can’t recall prompts but it was so mumbled he could have been saying anything. There was the use of the revolve which was ludicrous. Made me think that the line in malvolio’s speech was Shakespeare being prophetic about stupid productions of his plays. Don’t believe a word anyone else says, you know you can trust me. It was one of the worst productions of a Shakespeare I have ever seen, almost up there with the RSC R&J with sticks.
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Post by lynette on May 8, 2020 16:38:13 GMT
I saw the NT just televised in real life..and part from the messing about with the beginning, I thought it was quite good. It is a very difficult play to get right. Credit due to the original actor who gave his Cleo, must have been brilliant. Rylance attempting to recreate the male/female acting thing, not imo.
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Post by Jan on May 8, 2020 17:24:13 GMT
I thought it was OK, 3*, and I was a bit surprised when I saw the reviews. I had the feeling there was something else going on and that was why the critics took against it quite so dramatically, I read subsequently that Rickman was a very late replacement in the role. I thought he was fine - it is a thankless part anyway - as was La Mirren. Years before I hadn’t been able to get tickets for the small-scale Mirren/Gambon production so I was glad of the chance to see her in it. Yes, it was supposed to be Alan Bates instead of Alan Rickman. In an interview Alan said that the critics expected to see Antony as some sort of heroic figure not some washed up alcoholic. I have read other users saying Rickman needed to be prompted because he didn't know the lines. How exactly did they prompt him? Not prompted when I saw it. The most unprofessional bit of behaviour I've ever seen on the NT stage came from Judi Dench in A&C, really poor, corpsing, then stopping the performance for a few minutes while she composed herself, terrible and an insult to the audience. Bates eventually played it at the RSC with Frances de la Tour - there's a famously ribald anecdote about the first scene in that production. On the Rickman one, they couldn't find a director for it either, Sean Matthias was nowhere near the top of the list they drew up and they had to twist his arm to do it. |
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