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Post by yokollama on Jul 11, 2019 16:09:46 GMT
Also, is Row D the front row (as per the Old Vic website) as another site is only selling from E onwards? I think D is the front - I was row F and it was the third row. I think the stage slopes slightly towards the front and didn't think it was particularly high (not like being front row at the Harold Pinter) so you should be OK. Thank you ever so much for your response! Just managed to nab some seats for closing night. |
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Post by joem on Jul 12, 2019 22:00:19 GMT
Not the play Coward wrote.
A bit dated anyway. Some laughs but methinks the audience was desperate to find the laughs. Come back Sid and Babs, all is forgiven.
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Post by missthelma on Jul 14, 2019 12:22:16 GMT
So the first part of my day at the Southbank yesterday was spent at the matinee of this. The recent revival on Broadway with Kevin Kline (who won a Tony) is still quite fresh in my mind but I will try not to over compare.
Firstly that set is breathtakingly beautiful, almost worth the price of admission on it's own, I want to live in it. The art deco detail was fabulous, obviously if you don't like that style then save your money but otherwise, oh my!
My main feeling about this production was that it seemed as if the instruction had been to set the dial to 11. Everything seemed a little bit too frantic, it's a comedy but it felt like they were straining for farce too much without allowing the wit of the writing to build the action to a crescendo on it's own. Perhaps there was no trust in the piece itself; as has been mentioned it is dated. I've just checked online though and the running time was the same on Broadway but this felt 'faster'. Strange. Nevertheless there are laughs a plenty, although the man next to me did not crack a smile once throughout.
I actually preferred Andrew Scott to Kevin Kline, possibly because he's more the right age and from what I've read it's quite rare for the actor playing Garry to be age appropriate but he also seemed to embody the loucheness of the character very effectively. He was excellent. I'm not sure the gender swap idea worked as well as it could have, it possibly wasn't taken far enough. Maybe a Carrie Essendine would have been interesting or even turning all of Garry's entanglements male. Indira Varma was lovely and ideal in her role
Also didn't understand the point of the music from the 60's & 70's was, does anyone know? Was there meant to be a theme? (Full marks though for using the majestic Thelma Houston version of Don't Leave Me This Way rather than the abomination vomited out by The Communards)
Unfortunately there were some howlingly bad performances on the stage, Enzo Cilenti was very poor and Suzie Toase, was, well, I'm not sure what she was doing but it didn't work. However the prize for one of the most dreadful performances I've ever seen must go to Sophie Thompson. She was utterly appalling. Her accent went to more places than Easyjet, was it meant to be Scottish? Irish? Possibly Welsh? Was that a touch of Australian? No, wait, it's an impression of Maggie Smith, as Miss Jean Brodie, no from Downton, hang on, Lily Savage as Maggie Smith? A grotesque shambles.
Monica should be a sensible sardonic rock in the whirling activity of the play, here she was just an inmate in an asylum and offered no centre for the audience.
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Post by alnoor on Jul 19, 2019 7:20:27 GMT
I have just now used the Old Vic returns web page to return two tickets for tomorrow Saturday matinee performance.
Tickets are in stalls Q 34 and 35.
Old Vic advised me yesterday the show is sold out.
If any body wants them I am sure in a few hours they will be available.
Thanks
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Post by crowblack on Jul 19, 2019 15:45:03 GMT
Does Mum come into this category? It has a happy ending on the whole but has some quite dark stuff in it. Best sitcom for years. Just bingewatched it and it's really rather lovely! Thanks for the recommendation / reminder. Now I'm going to have to get the DVD because it's about to go off iplayer and my own Mum wants to watch it. (Btw, this is yet another BBC series not available on bluray - why on earth not?) |
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Post by jling on Jul 20, 2019 21:40:33 GMT
Anyone sat in the first two rows in the stalls and did you find the stage high (I'm about 165cm)? I sat in the dress circle a few weeks ago for this production, but can't quite recall. Also, is Row D the front row (as per the Old Vic website) as another site is only selling from E onwards? Shame the NT Live is screening on the night I've booked the Les Mis concert for JOJ. Stage is low with very comfortable height & fantastic view, Row D indeed. |
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Post by Stephen on Jul 23, 2019 22:00:19 GMT
Can anyone confirm where the rush seats from today tix are. Thinking of trying on Saturday!
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Post by foxa on Jul 25, 2019 17:48:01 GMT
We were in Q34/Q35 and thought they were great for the price. Lots of leg room, not many heads in the way.
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Post by bgarde on Jul 25, 2019 22:02:32 GMT
Great to hear, have Q35 for next week's matinee!
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Post by david on Jul 25, 2019 22:12:41 GMT
The Q35 stalls seat should be sponsored by TheatreBoard (there should be a little plaque on the back of the seat) as it’s getting used by board members (including myself) a fair bit.
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Post by zahidf on Jul 27, 2019 22:16:31 GMT
I thought this was great. Genuinely hilarious and Andrew Scott is ace.
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Jul 28, 2019 17:56:44 GMT
I thought this was great. Genuinely hilarious and Andrew Scott is ace. I thought it was utter trash. That said some really very funny moments, Scott and Varma in particular are great and setting is wonderful. Probably as I'm not a fan of farce. Spent the whole play trying work out if Andrew Scott's performance was enough to give the play three stars and what the play would be like without one of my favourite actors. I did give it three stars in the end by the way, just. |
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Post by londonpostie on Jul 29, 2019 22:48:26 GMT
It was certainty fun watching Scott channel his inner Noel Coward and he does invest so much in the role it is a pleasure to see.
Won't name names but one or two here were a little light.
It must all have seemed very daring in the wartime 1940s.
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2,476 posts
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Post by zahidf on Jul 29, 2019 23:44:37 GMT
It was certainty fun watching Scott channel his inner Noel Coward and he does invest so much in the role it is a pleasure to see. Won't name names but one or two here were a little light. It must all have seemed very daring in the wartime 1940s. Well of course, they've made it bisexual for this version... |
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Post by songbird on Jul 30, 2019 22:16:01 GMT
Got today tix rush and was seated middle of Row T. I was worried but it was actually a superb seat. The show was filmed behind me tonight, probably for the archives or in preparation for the NT Live.
JK Simmons in the house tonight.
I did really enjoy this and was laughing throughout. Loved Andrew Scott, not so keen on the other lead males.
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Post by maggiem on Aug 2, 2019 17:52:19 GMT
I have just now used the Old Vic returns web page to return two tickets for tomorrow Saturday matinee performance. Tickets are in stalls Q 34 and 35. Old Vic advised me yesterday the show is sold out. If any body wants them I am sure in a few hours they will be available. Thanks Thanks for letting me know about the returns page.
I've just returned a ticket for Sat 10/08/19 matinee. Lilian Baylis Circle A31 should be up for sale soon (hopefully).
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Post by jamesxxx on Aug 5, 2019 13:20:46 GMT
Sorry Have I missed something. Why is the filmed performance on 6 Aug NTLive not being screened until Nov?
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Aug 5, 2019 14:14:52 GMT
Sorry Have I missed something. Why is the filmed performance on 6 Aug NTLive not being screened until Nov? Sometimes NTLive is broadcast later rather than actually live. Allelujah, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and a few others were the same for whatever reason. I'm not sure why, perhaps when it's at a theatre other than the National they choose to opt out of a true live broadcast? |
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Post by Being Alive on Aug 5, 2019 14:36:04 GMT
Sorry Have I missed something. Why is the filmed performance on 6 Aug NTLive not being screened until Nov? Because of NT Live 10 years thing, they had already encored something in September (One Man Two Guvnors) before decided to do this, and they don't do one in August. So it's happening in October/November instead. |
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Post by jamesxxx on Aug 5, 2019 17:16:15 GMT
Oh I see. Thanks all. I wanted to go see tomorrow, hey ho.
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Post by scarpia on Aug 5, 2019 22:44:40 GMT
Really enjoyed this production. Scott was superb. I did wonder why they didn't try to update it - it could have worked with Gary's character being a well-known TV star in the age of Netflix.
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Post by horton on Aug 6, 2019 14:33:36 GMT
Absolutely slick and on the money production- so why mess with the setting? We understand it as it is, don't we?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2019 19:12:46 GMT
I understood it - but I think scarpia makes a fair point too. For a modern audience, it’s perhaps stretching credibility a little that the world would go quite so ga-ga over a theatre star. I certainly can’t think of anyone with quite the pulling power of Garry working in theatre today, who hasn’t already made their name in TV/film.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2019 22:18:20 GMT
Sorry Have I missed something. Why is the filmed performance on 6 Aug NTLive not being screened until Nov? Sometimes NTLive is broadcast later rather than actually live. Allelujah, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and a few others were the same for whatever reason. I'm not sure why, perhaps when it's at a theatre other than the National they choose to opt out of a true live broadcast? I wonder if it will be edited between filming and broadcasting or will the whole thing be broadcast as it was shot so therefore feeling "live"? I've never been to one before but going to another showing of the Lehman Trilogy on Thursday as I missed the "live" one 2 weeks ago, and want to see Present Laughter in November. |
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Aug 6, 2019 22:44:59 GMT
Sometimes NTLive is broadcast later rather than actually live. Allelujah, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and a few others were the same for whatever reason. I'm not sure why, perhaps when it's at a theatre other than the National they choose to opt out of a true live broadcast? I wonder if it will be edited between filming and broadcasting or will the whole thing be broadcast as it was shot so therefore feeling "live"? I've never been to one before but going to another showing of the Lehman Trilogy on Thursday as I missed the "live" one 2 weeks ago, and want to see Present Laughter in November. It'll probably be edited to get the best camera angles I imagine, otherwise there wouldn't be much point airing it later. |
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