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Post by wickedgrin on Jun 8, 2019 8:11:53 GMT
Well, it seems to be selling well according to the Nimax website. Presumably for John Malkovich.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Jun 9, 2019 7:14:08 GMT
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Post by Rory on Jun 9, 2019 7:32:10 GMT
Bit unfair of him to review a preview.
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Post by zahidf on Jun 9, 2019 8:19:19 GMT
Sounds as bad as I thought it would be
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Post by wickedgrin on Jun 9, 2019 8:19:42 GMT
He didn’t like it then? If the review is fair it sounds horrific!
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Post by zahidf on Jun 9, 2019 9:24:57 GMT
He didn’t like it then? If the review is fair it sounds horrific! It's sound exactly like what a mamet play on the subject would be like. Sounds like everyone's preconception were spot on... |
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Post by a12la on Jun 9, 2019 9:32:36 GMT
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Post by Rory on Jun 9, 2019 9:43:43 GMT
All this pre judgment and attack on the piece's integrity and artistic validity without actually seeing it is ridiculous. Go and see it and make up your mind. Or read the reviews after press night and decide if it's something you would want to see. It might be utter crap, offensive etc but it also just *might* have something to say about very troubling issues, albeit from a male perspective, and be thought provoking and engender discussion.
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Post by missthelma on Jun 9, 2019 10:44:50 GMT
Against my better judgement I read the attached article and quite frankly it's not an effective piece of criticism or overview of the play/performance/production. The New York Post isn't really known for its incisive journalism and it's utterly pointless to draw conclusions on a first preview.
I already have tickets for this, granted at a friends insistence, and am not a huge Mamet fan but I think this is going to be one of those things where going in with a minimum of knowledge about others opinions may work best. Mamet is a divisive playwright, this is a hugely controversial subject and all this punditry will no doubt drive box office receiopts. Job done! I am going for John Malkovich who for some reason I've missed in previous productions, another tick on the bucket list!
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Post by asfound on Jun 9, 2019 10:49:17 GMT
I snapped up a ticket a while ago because it seemed to selling well, especially the cheap seats. To be honest, I was hoping for some extreme polarised reviews rather than an across the board "critical success" so I'm somewhat glad to see this first review. With subject matter like this I'd be worried if it was all polite, measured and innocuous. I'd be especially worried if it got a good review in The Guardian. Much like films on Rotten Tomatoes, 100% scores tend to be Oscar-baiting mediocrities while the 50% love it or hate it ones tend to interest me far more.
Let's just hope there are at least some positive reviews though...
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Post by shady23 on Jun 9, 2019 15:58:12 GMT
I don't think reviews will have a huge effect on sales for this, people are generally going to the theatre less due to expense. When they go they want "bragging rights" and to say they are seeing something starring John M has bragging rights. He could be reading the phone book, it doesn't really matter.
On a similar note, I was queuing at the box office to pick up my very cheap Starry Messenger ticket earlier this week. There were a couple of middle aged ladies in front of me buying tickets. They handed over over a hundred odd pounds and only then did they ask "what is this about? Is it a musical?" They did not have a clue what they had booked and they did not really care. They just wanted to see someone famous.
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Post by nash16 on Jun 9, 2019 19:03:50 GMT
Can you tell us about your involvement with the production ? |
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Post by learfan on Jun 9, 2019 20:05:53 GMT
I don't think reviews will have a huge effect on sales for this, people are generally going to the theatre less due to expense. When they go they want "bragging rights" and to say they are seeing something starring John M has bragging rights. He could be reading the phone book, it doesn't really matter. On a similar note, I was queuing at the box office to pick up my very cheap Starry Messenger ticket earlier this week. There were a couple of middle aged ladies in front of me buying tickets. They handed over over a hundred odd pounds and only then did they ask "what is this about? Is it a musical?" They did not have a clue what they had booked and they did not really care. They just wanted to see someone famous. Of course, that applies to a lot of the WE and beyond audience. It was ever thus. |
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Post by a12la on Jun 9, 2019 21:03:59 GMT
Can you tell us about your involvement with the production ? You can look me up on other forums with this username. I'm not a shill, it just pisses me off when people are sh*tting on a show a show they haven't even seen. |
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Post by gibbo1956 on Jun 11, 2019 8:55:21 GMT
Saw this last night. It’s terrific… properly well-written and a masterclass in acting from John Malkovitch who is magnetic. It’s a study of his manipulative , slightly deranaged, character, at turns pathetic , at other times tyrannical but nearly always downright daft (a Korean Anne Frank anyone?) Lots of proper laugh-out-loud jokes, even a bit of slapstick. If you liked Speed the Plow, and the characters and set-up there you’ll like this.
It’s not quite so much about the me-too stuff as trailered… the icky-creepy scenes are fairly short and not so uncomfortable, partly because the ingenue is played by newcomer Ioanna Kimbrook who more than matches Malkovitch’s presence.
Very very enjoyable
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Post by londonpostie on Jun 11, 2019 9:43:50 GMT
Whoa: Plot twist review!
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Post by nash16 on Jun 11, 2019 14:30:59 GMT
Not sure I can remember a play destined to be trounced attracting so many "New Members" to the board racing to write positive reviews.
This could be the cynic in me, but...
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Post by zahidf on Jun 11, 2019 14:38:57 GMT
Not sure I can remember a play destined to be trounced attracting so many "New Members" to the board racing to write positive reviews. This could be the cynic in me, but... Thats how amazing it is I'm sure, and means we should all but a ticket for it asap |
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Post by gibbo1956 on Jun 11, 2019 14:47:59 GMT
No connection with the production, honest. I just enjoyed it and thought that NYP thing was a bit wrong. People are going to go on and on about the 'issues' and miss that it's actually a very funny and engaging play play. That was my only point
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Post by nash16 on Jun 11, 2019 22:46:32 GMT
We are attracting a lot of new members at the moment nash16, more than ever, so it's no real wonder they are keen to contribute - and they are all welcome. Be assured that the admin team do keep an eye on those joining, anyway. Great to hear on all counts. |
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Post by callum on Jun 11, 2019 23:50:54 GMT
Any ticketing hacks/day seats around for this one?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2019 7:03:29 GMT
Not sure I can remember a play destined to be trounced attracting so many "New Members" to the board racing to write positive reviews. This could be the cynic in me, but... My instincts twitched too, but it makes sense that a Mamet play starring a Hollywood actor would be a play that would get people to contribute to a forum. Now we need to be nice and hook ‘em. |
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Post by MrBunbury on Jun 12, 2019 12:53:37 GMT
I am afraid I really did not like it. From David Mamet I would expected a much more engaging play whereas it is rather dull and the characters are paper thin. The plausibility of the last scene is minimal in my opinion. It was nice to see John Malkovich on stage and the second act has some funny lines but overall it was a disappointment.
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Post by talkingheads on Jun 12, 2019 21:39:32 GMT
This was OK. It was amazing to see Malkovich at work, but frankly to have a talent like Doon Mackichan onstage and then waste her in a nothing part is an insult, as was the plot, which went exactly where you expected and then just sort of ended. No magnificent Mametian monologues (remember the Mamet that wrote Al Pacino's perfect expletive laden tirade at the end of Glengarry? And the Baldwin monologue come to that). None of it on show here. I will say there were some truly great gags, but that doesn't save it from being a misfire.
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Post by teatrefan on Jun 13, 2019 5:58:07 GMT
Saw this on Opening Night. I didn't like it at all, it was a very uncomfortable watch. It reminded me of watching the film "Happiness", thoroughly squirmy.
The allure of a top Hollywood actor soon fades when the play is rubbish. I was thinking at the interval what was worse "bitter wheat" or "when we have sufficiently tortured each other"? Both which wasted great talents.
Malkovich wore an oversized-suit which was like something out of a French & Saunders sketch, and lots of the dialogue was tedious and verbose and would never be said in real-life, so the characters are just creations on paper really.
Malkovich and Doon did there best, but the supporting cast was lightweight. 3/10 for me.
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