92 posts
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Post by chameleon on Oct 3, 2018 23:27:46 GMT
Well, this is long. And tedious. And inconsequential...
Woman thinks long and hard about running to be Labour leader. One would think the decision would depend on, you know, balancing the good she thinks she can do against all the sh*t of modern day-to-day politics. But no, it's all somehow (at least in terms of stage time) about the guy she'd be up against, an entitled and ambitious sh*t she knew at university. And her relationship with her controlling and alcoholic mother.
Lots of long flashbacks. Some emoting. Not much drama. No fault of the actors, who do their best with some very static scenes.
(And what's quite possibly the most boring design there's ever been in the Lyttleton.)
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3,564 posts
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Post by showgirl on Oct 4, 2018 4:04:42 GMT
Oh bother. If others bear this out, that means 4 tix I'll have to return (adding this one to my single for Hadestown and my pair for Lehman Bros).
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2018 6:43:02 GMT
Of course. According to every Hare play I've seen, women don't have professional, political, ethical, or any other challenges you might think of. Only personal ones. Usually caused by the fact that they've taken the daring and unheard of step of having a job.
Didn't book for it...
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Post by cartoonman on Oct 5, 2018 15:47:11 GMT
I saw it last night at the first preview. I was reminded of The Absence of War. I saw that at the MY years ago. I guessed what Pauline would decide right at the start. I didn,t think it was up to the standard of Racing Demon but it was still worth seeing. My friend thought better of it than me.The couple next to us went off at half time but I didn't see any other empty seats. Good applause at the end. I thought the set clever.
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294 posts
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Post by dani on Oct 10, 2018 10:04:49 GMT
The reviews for this are poor. 2* in the Times, ES, Stage, and an especially savage 1* from The Upcoming. I expect Michael Billington will find a seriousness in it that has eluded others!
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1,217 posts
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Post by nash16 on Oct 10, 2018 10:59:11 GMT
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546 posts
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Post by drmaplewood on Oct 10, 2018 11:42:10 GMT
Scathing 1* in Time Out, too.
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1,120 posts
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Post by samuelwhiskers on Oct 10, 2018 11:50:07 GMT
So boring! I kept drifting and couldn’t focus.
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3,040 posts
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Post by crowblack on Oct 10, 2018 12:36:35 GMT
I bought a tentative cheap seat for this a while ago but didn't book trains because Collateral was so disappointing despite the great cast. Btw, maybe this is a subject for a separate thread, but it doesn't seem like that good a year for theatre. I saw one critic turning it in and another critic-blogger thinking about it. There are very few times I've come out of a theatre this year with that 'wow, amazing!' high. With everything going on in the world, you'd think writers would be buzzing but they don't seem to be keeping pace, or their attempts at it misfire (Pity, Nightfall, Allelujah, St George). Well, seeing Dark Matter on Friday so fingers crossed.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2018 12:47:08 GMT
I'm not feeling overwhelmed by 2018 as a theatre year either. If you asked what I've seen this year that's good, I don't think I could name more than a handful of standouts. Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's a *terrible* year, but I think it's no better than a steady 3*.
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2,481 posts
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Post by zahidf on Oct 10, 2018 12:49:37 GMT
I bought a tentative cheap seat for this a while ago but didn't book trains because Collateral was so disappointing despite the great cast. Btw, maybe this is a subject for a separate thread, but it doesn't seem like that good a year for theatre. I saw one critic turning it in and another critic-blogger thinking about it. There are very few times I've come out of a theatre this year with that 'wow, amazing!' high. With everything going on in the world, you'd think writers would be buzzing but they don't seem to be keeping pace, or their attempts at it misfire (Pity, Nightfall, Allelujah, St George). Well, seeing Dark Matter on Friday so fingers crossed. I'll have to think about it, but ive been happy with what I have seen this year ( though Hamilton and Everybody's talking about Jamie may slant it upwards!)
All the stuff I saw in Edinburgh was great as well
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4,155 posts
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Post by kathryn on Oct 10, 2018 12:56:57 GMT
I'm not feeling overwhelmed by 2018 as a theatre year either. If you asked what I've seen this year that's good, I don't think I could name more than a handful of standouts. Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's a *terrible* year, but I think it's no better than a steady 3*. I just opened my spreadsheet to remind myself what I've seen this year, and it hasn't actually been bad - but most of the really great stuff is definitely in the first half of the year. |
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3,040 posts
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Post by crowblack on Oct 10, 2018 13:11:08 GMT
I travel long distance so I can't make last minute decisions about London theatre based on reviews, and instead go by what looks promising on paper and a lot of those have been disappointments and a number of 'meh' plays that I could have lived without, or so-so plays worth seeing for a fantastic performance. (I've just been summoned out so more later if I remember!)
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1,057 posts
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Post by David J on Oct 10, 2018 14:43:41 GMT
It’s been a surprisingly good year for new British musicals for me, with Everybody Lives Jamie, The Grinning Man, and Midnight. Same for revivals like Company, The York Realist, The Mountaintop, Summer and Smoke
Otherwise it hasn’t been a stellar year for new plays and Shakespeare productions. The Village, The Plague and Bridge Theatres Julius Caesar are the exceptions
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3,564 posts
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Post by showgirl on Oct 10, 2018 15:56:15 GMT
I've found this year as good as ever, with the usual agonising over what to miss when I couldn't fit in all the productions I wanted to see. Yes, there have been some notable disappointments and departures at the interval (or earlier - 17c I'm looking at you), but again, that's par for the course.
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3,040 posts
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Post by crowblack on Oct 10, 2018 16:08:50 GMT
I think for me it's the disappointments that I had been looking forward to - The Birthday Party, Macbeth, Nightfall, Allelujah, Aristocrats, Foxfinder, A&C. There were others that were ok but you felt needed more work, quite a few 'meh', and a few things I really loathed (loathing increased because of long distances travelled!). If I see a great new play or production that really hits a nerve I'm jotting down thoughts about it for days or weeks afterwards, and I haven't really had many of those this year.
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1,255 posts
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Post by theatrelover123 on Oct 10, 2018 17:05:37 GMT
I think for me it's the disappointments that I had been looking forward to - The Birthday Party, Macbeth, Nightfall, Allelujah, Aristocrats, Foxfinder, A&C. There were others that were ok but you felt needed more work, quite a few 'meh', and a few things I really loathed (loathing increased because of long distances travelled!). If I see a great new play or production that really hits a nerve I'm jotting down thoughts about it for days or weeks afterwards, and I haven't really had many of those this year. Ooh what were the 'meh' and loathed ones?  |
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5,691 posts
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Post by lynette on Oct 10, 2018 17:45:05 GMT
I think having to travel a long way and I know lots of our members do, to a show can heighten the disappointment when it turns out a bit 'meh'. I realise how lucky I am when I can just shrug, get home in half an hour and pop on Striclty catch up. That's also why I don’t like going to the theatre with people who go only a couple of times a year. If it is rubbish then you get no end of grief and 'judged' for spending so much on theatre.
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3,040 posts
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Post by crowblack on Oct 10, 2018 18:18:38 GMT
Oh, I'm going to be kind and not say again here because I know people involved sometimes read stuff, or their parents do, judging by the 'likes' you get for comments saying something nice about this or that actor or production. |
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1,861 posts
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Post by NeilVHughes on Oct 10, 2018 18:28:57 GMT
This year been more impressed by the Plays I’ve seen outside London, as lynette said living in London we soak up the good bad and indifferent. The travel, novelty and break from routine may have enhanced the experience but this could also be tempered by the fact I’ll only make the effort for something special such as The Price in Bath, Happy Days & Margaret in Manchester. |
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3,040 posts
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Post by crowblack on Oct 10, 2018 18:37:05 GMT
Yes, Happy Days and Rashdash's Three Sisters have been highlights, and for me pretty local. Stuff at The Lowry is more of a faff to get to, and I had to cancel Island Town for transport reasons (near the Lowry but in a tent in a park), though the same writer's Gundog at the RC was a new writing favourite this year. |
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1,217 posts
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Post by nash16 on Oct 11, 2018 8:22:53 GMT
It's fascinating to look at the National's website for this now to see how many of the £15/£18 at the front stalls they hold back from the public. A lot o fthe exact same seat positions are back now for all dates. Not that many are likely to book...
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330 posts
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Post by RedRose on Oct 11, 2018 10:57:27 GMT
It's fascinating to look at the National's website for this now to see how many of the £15/£18 at the front stalls they hold back from the public. A lot o fthe exact same seat positions are back now for all dates. Not that many are likely to book... Not sure that all of these seats were hold back from the public. When general sale for this opened there were a lot of 15 £ seats available. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2018 11:05:20 GMT
Based on the reviews, I wouldn't be surprised if these seats were snatched up at the same initial point by regular attendees who have now all changed their minds and returned them, thus giving the illusion that the same seats have only just opened up. |
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899 posts
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Post by bordeaux on Oct 11, 2018 11:08:19 GMT
It's fascinating to look at the National's website for this now to see how many of the £15/£18 at the front stalls they hold back from the public. A lot o fthe exact same seat positions are back now for all dates. Not that many are likely to book... Thanks. I've just booked two at £15 for an evening when I had two at £64. You've saved me a lot of money! |
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