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Post by nash16 on Mar 27, 2019 22:57:18 GMT
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Post by n1david on Mar 27, 2019 23:19:30 GMT
Ooh, thanks. I saw it in the EIF brochure and given I loved the book was thinking about booking - but I'll wait for the NT.
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Post by mistressjojo on Mar 27, 2019 23:24:12 GMT
I saw this during the 2016 run - it is stunning. A very simple staging but quite evocative of the Australian bush.
Some confronting scenes, although the brutality is never explicit.
I really enjoyed this and am hopeful of getting tickets for the NT season - I'll actually be in London for those 2 weeks!
ETA - I wonder if the cast will include Tim Minchin? He played Smasher in the 2016 production.
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Post by nash16 on Aug 14, 2019 7:33:06 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2019 12:18:37 GMT
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Post by addictedtotheatre on Aug 22, 2019 15:25:20 GMT
Tonight's performance (22/8) is showing on the NT website as 'Cancelled'.
Anyone know why and will it affect this weekend's performances?
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Post by intoanewlife on Aug 25, 2019 15:43:55 GMT
Saw this last night. I have mixed feeling. The lead actor was a bit OTT and his accent was atrocious.
The play itself I liked a lot and the staging while simple was very versatile and effective in parts.
I'd give it a solid 3.5/5.
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Post by n1david on Aug 25, 2019 18:21:05 GMT
The lead actor was a bit OTT and his accent was atrocious. Is this the replacement for the actor who sadly died in Edinburgh? |
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Post by intoanewlife on Aug 26, 2019 13:21:26 GMT
The lead actor was a bit OTT and his accent was atrocious. Is this the replacement for the actor who sadly died in Edinburgh? No that is the female narrator who has been replaced. |
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Post by firefingers on Aug 26, 2019 23:46:06 GMT
I felt his accent was deliberate. A purposeful mix of the old world of England and the new Australia, a man in conflict of wanting to go back and wanting to create a new life. Maybe I'm giving them too much credit.
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Post by n1david on Aug 27, 2019 11:51:12 GMT
I thought this was really good last night. Simple but effective staging - enough to convey the bush without being over the top. Happy with the acting, I too think the accent was deliberate in a sense of Thornhill already starting to leave the Old Country behind. Thought the storytelling a little pedestrian in places, particularly in Act One, but picked up significantly in Act Two. Pauline Whyman as the narrator did a fine job in place of the late Ningali Lawford-Wolf (the directory told us that Pauline had only got on a plane in Sydney a week ago to join the cast for London), but I did think we may have lost something as Pauline was reading - unsurprisingly, given the nature of the part - and I think the concept of an "all-seeing, all knowing" narrator might have been lost a bit. Nonetheless, a satisfying night's theatre.
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Post by intoanewlife on Aug 27, 2019 21:43:37 GMT
I felt his accent was deliberate. A purposeful mix of the old world of England and the new Australia, a man in conflict of wanting to go back and wanting to create a new life. Maybe I'm giving them too much credit. It probably was, I just found it incredibly annoying considering the accents of the rest of the 'English' characters. |
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Post by david on Aug 31, 2019 15:47:38 GMT
Just watched today’s matinee performance and what an excellent production it was. For me Act 2 was definitely the more stronger of the two acts and really does deliver a real emotional punch to you. I think having a bilingual production really does help in highlighting the difficulties faced by the Dharug and the British characters in trying to coexist when neither understands each other’s language. As a theatre patron it really gives you a lot to think about post show about what would you do given the same situation these characters faced.
I thought the simple staging here worked a treat and the accompanying live music and singing really did add something to help drive the story forward.
I thought that given the tragic circumstances of Pauline Whyman taking over the role of the narrator, she was very good despite the very short time she has had with this cast.
Definitely get a ticket if you can.
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Post by NorthernAlien on Sept 3, 2019 23:27:20 GMT
I saw this tonight. What an astounding piece of theatre. I'm still processing it all, to be honest. But yeah, see it if you can.
Seat wise - G48 in the circle, which is up about 87 flights of stairs (it's not, but it feels that way). This is the back row of the Circle. I thought the view was fine. The actual seat was a *little* snug, and I felt the legroom could have been a little more generous, but the rake was very good indeed.
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Post by jek on Sept 4, 2019 16:31:49 GMT
I was there for today's matinee and thought it was stunning. I haven't read the book although I have read a lot of Australian history having lived there for a year in the late 1980's while working with the homeless. I didn't feel that there was a problem with the acting and thought there were some talented youngsters on stage (I have sons who have just left their teens - getting that sort of energy out of similarly aged boys seems almost magical to me!). There were quite a lot of empty seats - even in row C alongside me in the £15 ones. Enjoyed looking at the programme in order to see which actors had been in which Aussie TV series just as I like seeing who has been in Doctors and the Bill. Glad to see both Brides of Christ and A Place To Call Home (a BBC2 January daytime staple in recent years) got a mention.
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Post by gingerB on Sept 4, 2019 21:46:54 GMT
I saw this last night , row C stalls £15, a bargain. I really enjoyed it, I thought I wouldn't but I did. Good performances from the cast.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2019 21:54:55 GMT
Saw this last night. I have mixed feeling. The lead actor was a bit OTT and his accent was atrocious. The play itself I liked a lot and the staging while simple was very versatile and effective in parts. I'd give it a solid 3.5/5. Isnit possible he was doing a period accent? I agree it was wobbly, and whatever choice he made was essentially in isolation, but this was our best guess. |
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Sept 5, 2019 0:01:07 GMT
I enjoyed this a lot although I thought the second act was a tad bit too long and that some characters felt caricaturish, Smasher especially, though I'm not sure if this is the fault of the writing or acting. Still there were many chilling moments especially towards the end and it was interesting to learn more about what actually happened to the First Nations people since I simply knew that as with many native peoples they experienced many atrocities at the hands of colonisers (the programme was also very insightful in how they were treated as time moved on). I was also really impressed by the musician who provided the majority of the score throughout and I often found myself watching them juggle the multiple instruments they played.
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Post by theatrelover123 on Sept 7, 2019 18:57:05 GMT
One of the best plays I've seen at the National in ages. A little tentative at the beginning, but by the interval I couldn't wait to find out how it ended. Learned a lot about what happened in that period, and appreciated the balanced view from both sides. The programme is worth reading too. Great acting, strong direction, as others have said an effective set too. Hopefully the NT will bring the Sydney Theatre Company over annually how, as I'd like to see more of their work. Yes it could be good to see them on stage again. Just as long as they don’t roll out their Godawful English and Cockney accents to derail the production again  |
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Post by NeilVHughes on Sept 7, 2019 21:34:03 GMT
Most excellent.
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Post by mistressjojo on Sept 9, 2019 0:53:48 GMT
One of the best plays I've seen at the National in ages. A little tentative at the beginning, but by the interval I couldn't wait to find out how it ended. Learned a lot about what happened in that period, and appreciated the balanced view from both sides. The programme is worth reading too. Great acting, strong direction, as others have said an effective set too. Hopefully the NT will bring the Sydney Theatre Company over annually how, as I'd like to see more of their work. STC have just announced their next season, if you come for a visit with your relatives at Taronga Zoo. STC 2020 |
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Post by tmesis on Sept 9, 2019 9:43:43 GMT
Count me in as another enthusiastic supporter of this. I was so involved in the drama I didn't notice any dodgy accents. Also, after the fantastic Small Island, it's good to report of another drama that totally worked on the Olivier's unforgiving stage.
Let's give plaudits too to Isaac Hayward. His evocative sounds on the 'prepared' piano and cello really added to the atmosphere and dramatic impact.
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Post by greenswan on Sept 9, 2019 12:37:39 GMT
Saw the last show on Saturday. Beautiful staging and lighting and loved the musical interludes.
Enjoyed the story and acting. Though I didn’t think there was too much in terms of learning regarding UK/AU history there for me personally. It’s also a bit too long, especially the first half. It’s very film on stage outside a few humorous bits with the musician and the kangaroos.
One niggle for me - the perspective overall is very white-centric. The Aborigines are definitely ‘other’ as there is no translation and so unlike the English characters thoughts are not verbalised. So it’s a nice evening out but I’m not too sure about it being called ‘a new classic’ of Australian theatre.
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Post by theatrelover123 on Sept 9, 2019 12:52:55 GMT
Count me in as another enthusiastic supporter of this. I was so involved in the drama I didn't notice any dodgy accents. Also, after the fantastic Small Island, it's good to report of another drama that totally worked on the Olivier's unforgiving stage. Let's give plaudits too to Isaac Hayward. His evocative sounds on the 'prepared' piano and cello really added to the atmosphere and dramatic impact. You didn't notice the lead guy's dodgy accent? It was unforgivably bad. i also thought the whole production was like an amateur group had been dropped on the Olivier stage and told to perform. Was pretty much bored by the interminable pace and not much happening for agggggggggesssssssssssssssssssssss  |
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