516 posts
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Post by theatreliker on Apr 8, 2016 9:25:56 GMT
Hobson's Choice, with Martin Shaw and Christopher Timothy, is playing at the Vaudeville Theatre 8th June-10th September. It's been on tour recently.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2016 9:32:26 GMT
8th June? I guess Hand To God's shortened its run a little then, it was originally booking to the 11th according to my notes.
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816 posts
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Post by stefy69 on Apr 8, 2016 9:35:39 GMT
Ooh that is such good news, love the film and the reviews of this production have been excellent, off to the Nimax website I go !
PLus I do like the Vaudeville Theatre  |
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Post by Angram on Apr 8, 2016 15:33:55 GMT
I saw this on tour at Nottingham a couple of weeks ago - very enjoyable, excellent cast (especially Naomi Frederick & Bryan Dick). Though I have to say it was tricky at times to tell what Martin Shaw was saying as he was slightly overdoing Mr Hobson's bluster & drunkenness. And headlining Christopher Timothy is a bit cheeky because he's only in a very minor part.
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7,050 posts
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Post by Jon on Apr 8, 2016 15:42:39 GMT
8th June? I guess Hand To God's shortened its run a little then, it was originally booking to the 11th according to my notes. Hand to God is ending 4th June so it's cutting the run by a week. Just noticed Bryan Dick is in the cast but he can't be staying more than a month as he's doing Half a Sixpence in Chichester in July |
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Post by joem on Apr 10, 2016 21:38:11 GMT
I like Martin Shaw but this may be too soon after the Regent's Open Air version last year (or the year before?) for me to bother with Hobson.
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2,452 posts
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Post by theatremadness on Apr 11, 2016 19:43:41 GMT
Well I'm very confused - Bryan Dick has been announced to star as Kipps in the new Half A Sixpence revival in Chichester which starts rehearsals at the end of May and runs from the middle of July to the very beginning of September (3rd, I believe). I understand that he can rehearse one show during the day and perform another in the evening but the actual performances will completely overlap. Will he leave this rather early or has something happened over at Half A Sixpence HQ?!
EDIT: Just had a look at Half A Sixpence on the CFT website and all mention of his name has disappeared. Curiouser and curiouser......
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Post by demonbarber on Apr 11, 2016 20:09:39 GMT
West End Producer tweeted this a few days ago:
'I hear there's been a change of heart regarding the Kipps casting in Half A Sixpence. #dear'
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2016 22:15:52 GMT
Maybe he's not getting on well with the banjo. Shame Jamie Parker's otherwise engaged.
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Post by Hamilton Addict on Apr 12, 2016 8:39:40 GMT
Saw Hobson's Choice at Richmond and would definitely recommend this show. Bryan Dick gives a really strong performance and his facial expressions and coming timing are great!
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1,578 posts
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Post by anita on Jun 7, 2016 14:13:21 GMT
Anyone seeing this?
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Post by liverpool54321 on Jun 11, 2016 23:14:55 GMT
Saw the matinee today. Enjoyable couple of hours. Was always a favourite film as a child so was looking forward to seeing staged version. Impressive set for something that has been on tour. Strong cast. Martin Shaw makes a good Hobson. I would say it was about 3/4 full. Clearly one for the older audience - very few people there under the age of 30 and majority 60 plus.
Can't remember the last time I went to the Vaudeville but thought it a lovely smaller theatre.
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1,064 posts
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Post by bellboard27 on Jun 12, 2016 9:25:15 GMT
I saw an interview with Martin Shaw where he expressed a strong personal connection with Hobson's Choice. It stemmed from when he was in the rep company at the Queen's Theatre Hornchurch in the 1960s, where, in 1966, he played Albert Prosser.
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1,475 posts
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Post by Steve on Jun 13, 2016 7:28:28 GMT
Saw this Saturday night, and liked it, on account of some striking performances, despite the fact that the play has lost most of it's comedy, and all of it's cutting edge, due to the passage of time. There is simply nothing surprising, or funny, any more, about the fact that women can be smarter and more capable than men. There is certainly something sad about the fact it was once surprising and funny, but that's another thing. Therefore, the only way to make anything of this play is to show how this particular woman is smarter and more capable than this particular man. This puts undue importance on the actors imbuing each character with individuality. Unsurprisingly, during the first act, there were very few laughs, as the characters had not yet been defined, and the situations in the play, which had once been funny, were no longer funny. However, during the second act, the audience began to laugh loud and often, as the director and actors had convinced them that these characters were worth investing in, and the power plays between them were somewhat dramatic. I say somewhat dramatic, because in a sense, there is no drama in this play. Naomi Frederick's Maggie Hobson is as capable of running rings, round Martin's Shaw's Henry Hobson and Bryan Dick's Willie Mossop, as James Bond is capable with a gun, or as Mel Brooks is with a one-liner. There is simply no drama there, it's a foregone conclusion what is going to happen. A foregone conclusion may not be dramatic, but it can definitely be funny, with each manifestation of that foregone conclusion presented as a variety of different and escalating punchlines to the joke on foolish, recalcitrant Henry Hobson's obstinacy, and on wimpy Willie Mossop's shrunken masculinity. Luckily, Martin Shaw gives great northern goat, Bryan Dick gives great retiring wimp, and above all, Naomi Frederick gives a great confident portrayal of a savvy woman who knows her strengths, knows the flaws of these men, and can compassionately manipulate all and sundry. That she can do so without alienating the audience is to her credit, as successfully manipulating other people can come off as arrogant, and she never does. This was a well-acted, and interesting evening of theatre, showing how a tired old play can be infused with a new lease of life. 3 and a half stars NB: If Hobson's Choice means you have only one decent option, that can be as true offstage as on. When leaving a theatre, if you are in the centre of a row, no matter how much of a rush you are in, it is Hobson's Choice that you trudge at a funereal pace, one foot at a time, behind people who are walking slower than snails. Otherwise is the path to misery. Mr. Church, the director of the play, had been making copious notes on the production, still in previews at the Vaudeville, from the centre of his row. When he got up to leave, he had the frenetic hurry of a working man trapped by leisured dawdlers. He clutched at the air with clawed hands in frustration, but try as he might, he could not overtake the funeral march. As he reached the side aisle, he suddenly boldly bolted for a sliver between the exiting snails, tripped over a woman's foot, struggling to regain his footing. "In a hurry, are you?" growled an enormous tall thin man, affronted. An angry exchange continued between Church and the giant for some thirty seconds, which I could not hear, six people behind them in the queue, but finally Church erupted with the exclamation "ARE YOU THREATENING ME!?" The giant loomed over Church deliberately, pressing his face to within an inch of the smaller man, but Church fortunately seized an opportunity, and darted away through an entire empty row of chairs to join the tortoises on the other side of the theatre. If there's one thing worse than a slow queue, it's a slow and scary queue. So next time you leave the theatre in a hurry, just don't. That's Hobson's Choice. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2016 7:40:58 GMT
It's not often I leave for work with a smile on my face, but hearing about that Church altercation has definitely done it, Steve! :-)
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153 posts
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Post by liverpool54321 on Jun 13, 2016 12:28:46 GMT
I would agree it lacks the comedy that certainly came across in the original film. From memory, I think in part the film was enhanced by the soundtrack by Malcolm Arnold which gave emphasis to each of the characters.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 15:34:26 GMT
Oooh, this does have a whiff of the provinces about it.
It's mildly amusing with some nice performances, especially from Bryan Dick (fnar fnar), Naomi Frederick and Joe Bannister but I could hardly understand a word Martin Shaw said.
The audience (what there was of it) loved it and were playing along like they were at home watching 'Gogglebox' and I think I was safely the youngest person there. I felt 16 again. So that was nice.
Nice set and a lovely Gin & Bitter Lemon at the interval but I think I preferred the 60s version at the Open Air Theatre a few years back.
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Post by andreww10 on Aug 18, 2016 16:35:30 GMT
Loved it when I went with my visiting parents. The audience was really into it and it has some good pace. The daughter/son-in-law are excellent in this, and I would really recommend going. Not easy to put this on - very old Salford-set and while it closed mid September I'm thinking it's worth a second visit.
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on Aug 19, 2016 8:12:24 GMT
I like this production, but I felt that Martin Shaw's performance was disappointing. I much preferred the performance of John Savident a while back in Chichester and also that production.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2016 21:18:07 GMT
Not heard much about this show, is it a quiet show in terms of audiences? Not been busy or doing quite well?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2016 22:27:57 GMT
Not heard much about this show, is it a quiet show in terms of audiences? Not been busy or doing quite well? Audiences are beseeched to reveal nothing about this show. I think it's this show. |
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Post by zak97 on Aug 20, 2016 8:44:58 GMT
Even though I'm normally open to at least looking at any play that opens in London, this revival just seems so uninspiring, in my opinion, that I've never had any intention to even look at the premise of the play, let alone go and see it. Not being familiar with the history of 'Hobson's Choice' probably doesn't go in my favour, but the poster work, production photos and marketing all seem a bit bland. I haven't seen many offers around this show, so maybe there are audiences in the Vaudeville, but only if they produced a more endearing production would I want to see a version of the play.
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