The Duchess Of Malfi - Almeida Theatre

[Deleted]

An unexpected cast change at today’s matinee, with director Rebecca Frecknall going on as Cariola, as the actor playing the part was concussed! Excellent, she was too, I really liked her directorial appriach once again, intelligently thought through as a neo-exoressionist rotting nightmare rather than an out of control Jacobean tragedy*. Lydia Wilson, superb, as she also was in its (incestuous) cousin ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore some years ago.

*I hadn’t seen any reviews until just checking now, some of the reviewers seeming to want the latter, rather than the more insidious, creepingly claustrophobic vision here.

[learfan]

Dec 18, 2019 18:48:36 GMT @cardinalpirelli said:

An unexpected cast change at today’s matinee, with director Rebecca Frecknall going on as Cariola, as the actor playing the part was concussed! Excellent, she was too, I really liked her directorial appriach once again, intelligently thought through as a neo-exoressionist rotting nightmare rather than an out of control Jacobean tragedy*. Lydia Wilson, superb, as she also was in its (incestuous) cousin ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore some years ago.

*I hadn’t seen any reviews until just checking now, some of the reviewers seeming to want the latter, rather than the more insidious, creepingly claustrophobic vision here.

Concussed?? Im going on 27 December, sounds good.

[david]

After the bitterly disappointing VASSA, I was hoping for better things with this production having booked it on the basis that I enjoyed Rebecca Frecknall’s previous Almeida productions. Thankfully this didn’t disappoint. It took a while for me to get into it, but overall it was certainly worth a watch. Lydia Wilson in the title role was fantastic.

The set design by Chloe Lamford in the audience I sat with tonight seemed to get mixed reviews. Some thought like I that it was simple but effective, whilst others really hated it (stronger language was used to express their thoughts on it!).

I thought the sound design by George Dennis worked well alongside the lighting by Jack Knowles, particularly in the final scene.

Not a full house tonight unfortunately, but certainly a very appreciative audience at cast bows.

[learfan]

Saw today's matinee. Lydia Wilson very good, Leo Bill too, the others undercast i thought. Took a while to get used the odd set, part gym changing room, part antique shop. Sound and music good. Polite round at the end, surprised Wilson didn't get a solo bow.

[Forrest]

I saw this recently, and thought it was a bit underwhelming, it didn't quite meet my (admittedly, high) expectations. It was one of those plays where it seemed that style came before substance somehow, and the second half seemed to drag a bit. Also, some performances struck me as OK, but not great.

However, it was redeemed by the performances from Leo Bill and Lydia Wilson, who are both truly amazing (he is slowly but surely becoming one of my favourite actors), and Chloe Lamford's set, which I thought was absolutely stunningly gorgeous. 

[crowblack]

I've just returned 2 good cheap stalls seats for an otherwise sold out performance on the 2nd if anyone's interested.

[NeilVHughes]

Most Excellent!

[Jan]

I liked it. The staging was a bit Robert Icke Lite but none the worse for that (I was ticking off the productions in my mind which had used the same elements - slow-motion, microphones, scenes behind glass, projected phrases etc.). What was unusual and novel though was the approach to the play itself - very restrained and cold and as close to naturalistic as they could get - normally (as the writer intended I suppose) it edges more towards a melodramatic gore fest. Leo Bill is a very interesting actor - watching him here it was hard to believe he was also Bottom in that Young Vic production a few years ago. Anyway, a welcome return to the Almeida's usual high standards after the appalling Vassa.

[vernongersh]

thought the production itself was simply gorgeous. sleek, sexy and anchored by a truly extraordinary stage actor but the modern dress and gorgeous production didnt helped being bored to tears. looking forward to seeing the best show from this director who is a genius but oy this text is such snore

[juicy_but_terribly_drab]

Jan 16, 2020 6:42:23 GMT vernongersh said:

thought the production itself was simply gorgeous. sleek, sexy and anchored by a truly extraordinary stage actor but the modern dress and gorgeous production didnt helped being bored to tears. looking forward to seeing the best show from this director who is a genius but oy this text is such snore

Pretty much my thoughts exactly. They did the best they could with what they had.

[stevemar]

I have just returned three tickets for resale to the Box Office for tomorrow, Saturday 18 January 730, priced £10 and £20x2 stalls. Hopefully they should be online shortly for anyone who is interested.

[tmesis]

The best part of this was the ending, evocatively using Purcell's 'When I am laid in Earth' from Dido and Aneas to counter balance all the gruesomeness that had gone before. Other than that I found it a very annoying production that seemed to be hell bent on including every modish directorial cliché possible. So we had the white box that dominated the set looking like a changing room, suddenly going into balletic movements for no discernible reason, hand held microphones and, tiredest of all, a low pitched note throughout the drama to signify tension.

Well I suppose it could have been worse - at least we didn't also have one character videoing another or a bit of gratuitous puppetry.

[intoanewlife]

Jan 19, 2020 19:55:47 GMT tmesis said:

The best part of this was the ending, evocatively using Purcell's 'When I am laid in Earth' from Dido and Aneas to counter balance all the gruesomeness that had gone before. Other than that I found it a very annoying production that seemed to be hell bent on including every modish directorial cliché possible. So we had the white box that dominated the set looking like a changing room, suddenly going into balletic movements for no discernible reason, hand held microphones and, tiredest of all, a low pitched note throughout the drama to signify tension.

Well it could have been worse - at least we didn't also have one character videoing another or a bit of gratuitous puppetry.

I for one cannot wait until this ridiculous (as well as the over the top praise of it) practise stops x

[Jan]

Jan 19, 2020 19:55:47 GMT tmesis said:

The best part of this was the ending, evocatively using Purcell's 'When I am laid in Earth' from Dido and Aneas to counter balance all the gruesomeness that had gone before. Other than that I found it a very annoying production that seemed to be hell bent on including every modish directorial cliché possible. So we had the white box that dominated the set looking like a changing room, suddenly going into balletic movements for no discernible reason, hand held microphones and, tiredest of all, a low pitched note throughout the drama to signify tension.

Well I suppose it could have been worse - at least we didn't also have one character videoing another or a bit of gratuitous puppetry.

The one directorial innovation I don't think I'd seen before was the blood that wasn't red. 

[Lemansky]

I saw this at the matinee on Saturday. I am very glad to have seen it, as it's one of my favourites and I've never seen it performed before. Lydia Wilson was fantastic and I thought that Ferdinand was played as unstable from the start really worked. I did feel that Antonio was acting like he was in a different production to everyone else - they were all incredibly restrained throughout, but he was all over the place from the beginning. I just didn't think the way he was acting the role worked. However, having read the reviews since seeing it, I seem to be in the minority!