108 posts
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Post by bob2010 on Apr 11, 2018 21:55:42 GMT
I saw it again tonight, having seen it live a few weeks back. Thought Christopher Eccleston put on a worse performance than last time. He seemed to fluffed a number of lines and his delivery was rushed had no depth to it. Also the 'three sisters' at the beginning didn't work as it was difficult to overlook the fact they were just little kids especially since one had a bit of a lisp.
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Post by loureviews on Apr 12, 2018 17:40:28 GMT
I see that the RSC have decided to stick an interval in this production. Current running time is 135mins + interval This would be normal. No? I’ve never seen a Macbeth with no interval. Royal Exchange Manchester back in the 90s ran straight through. As it was set in a concentration camp it made it very intense - and claustrophobic in that space. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2018 18:39:15 GMT
I saw this last too. What a hot mess. I liked the scene with Macduff and Malcolm and thought it was clear and non gimmicky and they made sense and it sounded like Shakespeare.
The rest - urgh. I thought Eccleston was ok. I hated Cusack's flaily performance. I hated the giant projected words and I didn't like the clock. I didn't get the porter at all. The witches were ok but not anywhere near as creepy as they could have been. If there hadn't been that interview with Niamh Cusack about Lady M being haunted by her childlessness, I would not have picked up on it. I didn't feel much chemistry between the Macbeths, and no sense at all of plotting or scheming or any gradual descent into guilt or whatever.
I have no idea what they were trying to do. I remembered at the interval that Polly Findlay did that godawful Merchant of Venice that I hated. I don't think this was as bad as that, but it was close.
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Post by learfan on May 5, 2018 16:39:55 GMT
Saw this today, ok thought the leads were fine, didn't recognise the earlier comments about him drying, think its called acting! Children as the witches were v good, rest of the cast middling. Going to the NT version next month.
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392 posts
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Post by lichtie on May 15, 2018 8:44:48 GMT
Finally got round to this as the middle part of my RSC weekend. I have to say I thought this was fine. Ecclestone has clearly settled down to the role compared to all the early criticisms I've read, they've trimmed out little bits as well I think. Cusack was good too. Didn't mind the clock (though they still were obviously playing for time in the fight at the end which kind of mucks that up) as I could see where they were trying to go with it when the porter does the reset as Fleance moves to stage front. Thought the girls as witches worked really well, including all the furniture shifting, as it makes clear they are essentially present throughout, and ties in with all the notions of predestination from the era (especially for a Scottish court as James' largely was). I saw the ever present porter actually in much the same way. There were bits that didn't work as well, the most blatant to me being that Edward Bennett and his jumper was a misfire, unless they were trying to show that MacDuff is useless...
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Post by mistressjojo on Jun 13, 2018 9:34:50 GMT
I saw this last night finally.
Chris E was in fine form, no dries as far as I could tell and an odd stumble over a word which (to me at least) only added to the idea of the thoughts crowding into Macbeth's mind. I enjoyed his performance very much.
Less so his queen. I found Cusack's Lady M less ambitious schemer and more like someone off Jeremy Kyle, all shouty and flapping arms.
If we could somehow switch Lady M's with the NT version I think it would help both productions.
The child witches were suitably creepy, and I liked the idea of them orchestrating the whole.
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Post by n1david on Jun 19, 2018 22:15:09 GMT
Saw this tonight and didn’t much enjoy it. Not going to rehash previous discussions but thought Chris E wasn’t great and Macduff a complete disaster. Tonight was an “integrated signed performance” which was the first one I’d been to. This means that the signer is onstage, interacting with actors and contributing to the action - “comic business” with the Porter, being dragged around stage by Lady M, that sort of thing. It was so well done that I did wonder if I’d missed that the show was always signed. In the post-show Q&A the signer revealed she’d only been in rehearsals today, although she’d worked with the DSM to plan some of the blocking etc beforehand. One audience member who understood BSL said the signer had done a fantastic job interpreting the poetry of Shakespeare into BSL. Niamh Cusack said in the Q&A that tonight had been a remarkable night because the audience response had been amazing which she put down to the signer’s energy and participation. I thought the signer was probably the best thing in this... One other thing revealed in the Q&A which puts an interesting light on some of the comments previously... The clock is not precisely real-time. It is under the control of the DSM who can (within reason) speed it up or slow it down depending on how the show is running. For example, the interval always takes the same amount of time “on the clock” regardless of how long the audience takes to get in and out. Like others, it seemed to me that the final fight was extended to fill the time available, but given this info I guess it’s supposed to take that long... |
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Post by Rory on Jun 19, 2018 22:30:40 GMT
This run seems to be going on for an eternity! The cinema relay feels like a lifetime ago.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2018 22:12:20 GMT
Saw this tonight. I’d been a bit tepid going in because I had a vague memory of it not being warmly received on here.
Loved it. Totally loved it. Theatre was packed with school groups who also loved it.
Ecclestone must have been rehearsing. Not a flub to be heard. He was taut and muscular. Found the rhythm in the verse. I was in the third row and I could not take my eyes off him.
I had less time for Niamh Cusak. She started too high and left herself nowhere to go. Shrill, and flaily as others have said. Nice dresses though.
Expected to hate the children but they were very creepy and I agree they punch home the childlessness of the Macbeths.
Clock was spot on tonight with the final slash exactly en pointe. I gasped. Takes a lot to build tension when you all know what’s going to happen.
I might go again. This is straight up and by the book. Loved it.
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Post by learfan on Oct 19, 2018 6:06:59 GMT
Saw this tonight. I’d been a bit tepid going in because I had a vague memory of it not being warmly received on here. Loved it. Totally loved it. Theatre was packed with school groups who also loved it. Ecclestone must have been rehearsing. Not a flub to be heard. He was taut and muscular. Found the rhythm in the verse. I was in the third row and I could not take my eyes off him. I had less time for Niamh Cusak. She started too high and left herself nowhere to go. Shrill, and flaily as others have said. Nice dresses though. Expected to hate the children but they were very creepy and I agree they punch home the childlessness of the Macbeths. Clock was spot on tonight with the final slash exactly en pointe. I gasped. Takes a lot to build tension when you all know what’s going to happen. I might go again. This is straight up and by the book. Loved it. Glad you and the school party liked it. Frankly i took the earlier comments about Eccleston with a ladle of salt, its called acting! |
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Post by Jan on Oct 19, 2018 6:53:09 GMT
This run seems to be going on for an eternity! The cinema relay feels like a lifetime ago. The hopeless NT production is even worse though, that's limping around the country till the end of March - I see it's been totally re-cast for the tour though. TodayTix are doing Rush tickets for the RSC one at the Barbican which are good value. |
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Post by stevemar on Oct 21, 2018 19:32:14 GMT
I enjoyed this a great deal. Presented in a urgent thriller like way. Yes, lots of dry ice and loud dramatic noises, but it worked. Christopher Ecclestone was very good but there is very little chemistry with Lady Macbeth. Niamh Cusack fine - but again, little development shown. Porter done well, witches as girls aka from “The Shining” quite disturbing.
Thank you to the posters who tipped me off on the front row £10 seats on the first day of booking, low-ish stage and brilliant view.
8/10. Bravo to Polly Finlay. Rufus Norris hang your head in shame or embarrassment at least.
Ps I think I must have managed to block out the NT Macbeth sufficiently as I couldn’t even remember that Anne Marie-Duff (one of my favourite actors) was in that production, and could only recall the terrible dancing, Geordie Porter, bin bags and cardboard box!
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Post by Dr Tom on Oct 23, 2018 22:26:57 GMT
My evening viewing tonight, which also happened to be Press Night.
Was worried by a school party on arrival but they turned out to be well behaved.
Got a good late offer and ended up in Row G Stalls, towards the side. Excellent view. I wouldn’t have wanted to be further back as sound wasn’t always great (and terrible in the sequences from the booth above the stage).
Christopher Eccleston did great. No line fluffs that I spotted. Played it a lot how he did Doctor Who.
I struggled with Edward Bennett as Macduff. Softly spoken and difficult to hear.
One of the young girls playing the three witches was also a bit out of step (or possibly distracted looking for someone in the audience).
The clock was a major distraction. Hit the interval with about 1:20:30 left. At some point in the interval it was reset, so by the end it had 38:00 left (the interval was the usual 20 minutes). Twice I noticed the clock suddenly add an extra minute or so (including in the final five minutes when it was really obvious). And in the final two minutes or slowed to about one quarter time for a while.
They did hit the finish to the second although rather ruined by the obvious clock changes).
Polite applause at the end. I’m not a major fan of these modern versions, but at least they didn’t add gunshots.
I think this one may struggle a bit, but let’s see what the reviews say.
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Post by sherriebythesea on Oct 27, 2018 22:04:16 GMT
I knew it was probably a bad idea to book this after a red eye flight from the States but thought I could handle it, Nope. I kept nodding off and pinching myself to stay awake.
I ended up leaving at interval.
I was disappointed at what I did see,
especially Lady Macbeth. Just rushing around without conveying that you actually had some intellegent thought behind it just didn’t work
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5,690 posts
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Post by lynette on Oct 27, 2018 23:30:20 GMT
I knew it was probably a bad idea to book this after a red eye flight from the States but thought I could handle it, Nope. I kept nodding off and pinching myself to stay awake. I ended up leaving at interval. I was disappointed at what I did see, especially Lady Macbeth. Just rushing around without conveying that you actually had some intellegent thought behind it just didn’t work You did well to leave and get an early night. What's next ? |
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Post by Jan on Nov 13, 2018 6:52:09 GMT
I thought this was good, best RSC Shakespeare I've seen for ages (not a high bar admittedly). Not as good as the Polly Findlay/Eccleston "Antigone" at NT but many of the same strengths from both of them.
Having just now read Billington’s review of the original Stratford production it is interesting that several things he complained about have now been removed from the production - no text from the play is now projected (only one-word stage directions like GLAMIS and LATER) and there is no interaction with the audience at all.
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Post by learfan on Nov 13, 2018 8:27:13 GMT
Blimey, high praise for you!
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Post by Jan on Nov 13, 2018 8:41:38 GMT
Blimey, high praise for you! When it comes to the RSC I've lowered my expectations. The last thing from them I saw which was better was the Much Ado/Love's Labours pairing that I saw in 2016 also with Edward Bennett (who seems to have put on some timber since then). |
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Post by lou105 on Nov 21, 2018 19:01:06 GMT
Tomorrow's matinee cancelled due to "an unforeseen engineering issue". Automatic refunds if paid by card, others need to email tickets@barbican.org.uk
(Also tonight's R and J)
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Post by Jan on Nov 21, 2018 19:27:45 GMT
Tomorrow's matinee cancelled due to "an unforeseen engineering issue". Automatic refunds if paid by card, others need to email tickets@barbican.org.uk (Also tonight's R and J) Yes. Just been turned away from R&J, no details provided. |
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Post by lou105 on Nov 21, 2018 19:31:37 GMT
How frustrating!
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Post by Jan on Nov 22, 2018 7:26:28 GMT
I wonder what the problem was, something with an impact on safety I assume, rather than just some bit of stage equipment. Years ago I saw a RSC "Henry VIII" on the main stage and it had period costumes but no scenery at all, it was very striking, afterwards I praised it as a refreshing Brechtian take on the play (by Howard Davies) only to find out later that the reason it had no set was that the stagehands were on strike. |
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 22, 2018 10:02:40 GMT
I knew it was probably a bad idea to book this after a red eye flight from the States but thought I could handle it, Nope. I kept nodding off and pinching myself to stay awake. I ended up leaving at interval. I was disappointed at what I did see, especially Lady Macbeth. Just rushing around without conveying that you actually had some intellegent thought behind it just didn’t work I saw this last week and also left at the interval ... The thought popped into my head early on that cast were stomping up stage, down stage, without any seeming reason, and once it was there in my head I couldn't get rid of it. Sound issues - and I was row B! There were two women next to me that were with others in the row behind and as the (muted) applause end of Act 1 finished they all agreed to go off and get something to eat - must have looked pretty barren from the stage with a bunch of empty seats! Disappointing. |
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Post by popcultureboy on Jan 5, 2019 8:00:08 GMT
Saw this last night. It has two weeks left and by now, it's pretty clear the cast are as fully over it and want it to be done. The advertised finish time is 9:50pm at the Barbican. The curtain call was over and done a bit before 9:35pm last night.
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3,533 posts
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Post by Rory on Jan 5, 2019 21:07:15 GMT
Who could blame them?
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