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Post by TallPaul on Nov 3, 2021 9:40:51 GMT
You'll love it, our david, as will everyone else. It was the first first night last night, and it's the second first night tonight. Got that? I'll eat my bonnet if we don't see only 4 and 5 star reviews. Still not a musical, though. |
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Post by Andy on Nov 3, 2021 10:17:13 GMT
I loved it. 5 stars from me. And yes, it’s not a musical.
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Post by teatowel on Nov 3, 2021 21:04:25 GMT
You'll love it, our david , as will everyone else. It was the first first night last night, and it's the second first night tonight. Got that? I'll eat my bonnet if we don't see only 4 and 5 star reviews. Strong agree! I'm interested to see what the changes are compared to when it was touring! |
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Post by c4ndyc4ne on Nov 3, 2021 22:29:53 GMT
I remember Isobel MacArthur actively saying "this isn't a musical". Very good though! Maybe should move section.
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544 posts
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Post by amp09 on Nov 3, 2021 22:35:48 GMT
5 stars from me! It felt like something written by Victoria Wood! The writer is incredibly talented. Very clever, very witty and lots and lots of laughter!
Sheridan Smith got everyone on their feet at the end. Champagne was passed around with wedding cake and Iron Bru set out in the bar area to enjoy.
Great night. Booked to see it again in a few weeks.
Agree with the above post, it most certainly isn’t a musical. However I’m very glad it’s in this category or else I probably would’ve missed it.
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2,847 posts
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Post by couldileaveyou on Nov 3, 2021 22:46:31 GMT
He's so completely out of touch with reality that it's hard to say if this is comic or tragic. Welcome to the real theatregoing world Mark. I guess.
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Post by stevej678 on Nov 3, 2021 22:55:56 GMT
Glad to see the vast majority of theatregoers at the Criterion over the last two nights loved this.
The raves this is getting on social media (and on here) are so well deserved.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Nov 3, 2021 22:58:56 GMT
I desperately hope this picks up momentum. Sales really don't look good, but it's a fantastic show! Fingers crossed a parade of good reviews gets some more seats sold.
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544 posts
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Post by amp09 on Nov 3, 2021 22:59:43 GMT
He's so completely out of touch with reality that it's hard to say if this is comic or tragic. Welcome to the real theatregoing world Mark. I guess. Bless him, I would’ve happily swapped my extreme side view in the circle for his cushty 2nd row Dress Circle seat. The levels of narcissism he displays are unreal. |
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5,138 posts
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Post by Being Alive on Nov 4, 2021 0:39:16 GMT
Don't forget he's posted screenshots of this website before on his Twitter... 👀
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1,819 posts
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Post by stevej678 on Nov 4, 2021 8:46:39 GMT
Seems to be mostly four-star reviews so far, including from WhatsOnStage (where the review suggests four stars is being generous, despite WhatsOnStage awarding it five stars before).
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4,955 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Nov 4, 2021 9:47:09 GMT
He's so completely out of touch with reality that it's hard to say if this is comic or tragic. Welcome to the real theatregoing world Mark. I guess. "For one thing, the Criterion Theatre itself is such a joy to sit in – a gem that you don't get to see that often because it is so frequently home to long-running shows. The producer David Pugh must be hoping that P&P is another left-field success. Certainly its heart is huge and its delivery enthusiastic – both qualities that lend distinction." From the WoS, review. Ha ha! |
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5,138 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Nov 4, 2021 10:10:26 GMT
Sorry, not sorry?
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Post by fiyerorocher on Nov 4, 2021 12:03:48 GMT
I definitely think it deserves better reviews than it's getting :/ For starters, every critic who starts with a play on the 'It is a truth universally acknowledged' line should be obligated to give them another star, to make up for how annoying the repetition is :')
It feels like they've all cottoned on to the fact that people thought post-lockdown shows were getting very generous reviews, and now they're all going in the opposite direction in an attempt to balance things out? Criticising the show for not being enough of a feminist critique or deconstruction feels like such an empty argument when shows like Cinderella never got the same complaints. And half the reviews I've read are comparing it to one other specific production of a different show entirely?? Just odd. At least everyone is in agreement on one thing: it isn't a musical :') But I do urge people to go see it - it's the most I've laughed at a show in forever!
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Post by lightinthedarkness on Nov 7, 2021 21:50:47 GMT
This was absolutely fantastic! Hilarious throughout, and very well put together.
All of the actors were great, and it was fun every time they would pop up as someone else! Definitely worth seeing while you can, I haven’t laughed this much in a very long time
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3,557 posts
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Post by showgirl on Nov 8, 2021 5:30:00 GMT
I've now seen this twice: once in Oxford in March 2020 (my last pre-lockdown theatre visit, which I can't believe was less than 2 years ago - it seems far longer due to everything which has happened since) and again in London in the last week. Turns out I had forgotten most of it but it was as enjoyable as ever and this time the theatre hadn't moved the start time forward and failed to contact those who had booked (I haven't forgotten that part, Oxford Playhouse - one of my worst theatre experiences ever), so I was able to see it in full. There were only a few moments when I laughed out loud but I loved it all and particularly liked the songs. A couple I didn't recognise but I've been unable to find a list anywhere so if anyone does know where to find one, please say. I booked at very short notice and paid £15 for my aisle seat in the stalls via Seatplan. I wouldn't have paid more as it was my second visit and the view was fine from that location.
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Post by properjob on Nov 8, 2021 6:09:02 GMT
I saw this on its mini tour at Birmingham Rep and went to see it in London at the weekend to see if it was as good as I remembered it. It was better!
The designer has done a simple but brilliant thing of updating the style and colour scheme of the set to reflect the decour of the Criterion theatre. This makes it feel like the set reaches out and wraps around into the auditorium.
It has the full orginal cast who are incredibly talented and funny to the extent that I'm not sure they would be able to recast it if it ends up with a long run.
It has what I would describe as proper Scottish swearing which I suspect might scare the tourists so I hope it finds a domestic audience.
It has the feel of a potential real word of mouth hit, I hope it gets the time to develop its audience. This is my contribution to that.
Go and see it. It is both hilarious and a brilliant demonstration of what makes theatre a distinct artform when stripped back to the talents of 5 amazing performers.
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Post by stevej678 on Nov 8, 2021 10:55:17 GMT
It has the full orginal cast who are incredibly talented and funny to the extent that I'm not sure they would be able to recast it if it ends up with a long run. They've reduced the cast from six to five haven't they (with two understudies)? Definitely agree that word-of-mouth will ultimately be what gives this show a chance of a long run. The pricing is spot on, reviews have been good (though should arguably have been even better), ticket sales don't look great but presumably this was always viewed as a show that would take a while to build up word-of-mouth. Can't wait to see it, for the first time since the tour, this weekend. |
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Post by lonlad on Nov 8, 2021 11:20:43 GMT
Not quite sure why people are complaining about the reviews -- it got 5 stars from both the Telegraph and the Mail which isn't bad and plenty of 4 stars as well (along with a few 3 stars, including the ever rancorous Times)
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Post by mrnutz on Nov 8, 2021 11:26:20 GMT
I'm not sure what I'm missing with this one but I saw it on Saturday night and didn't love it. I'm not too familiar with the source material so likely I didn't get all of the gags.
I chuckled in places but for me it felt a bit too much like a great idea for an hour-long Fringe show stretched a little too thin...
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Post by fiyerorocher on Nov 9, 2021 13:42:26 GMT
For several dates of this show there are two seats at the end of row C that are (two different) lower prices that the others in the row because of the side view, but the third seat in is sold (presumably the same price as the second seat in). These two seats cut off from the row cannot be purchased separately, because that would involve leaving a single seat. But they cannot be purchased together, because TodayTix doesn't let you buy two seats of different values together. They are literally unpurchaseable. This really isn't going to help a show with poor ticket sales :')
(I presume buying direct from the theatre doesn't give you the same problem, but I did have the issue previously when TodayTix was running the £15 offer - both seats were reduced to £15, but because they were originally different prices, I couldn't buy them together, nor could I buy them separately because of the single remaining seat issue.)
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2,847 posts
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Post by couldileaveyou on Nov 9, 2021 14:25:13 GMT
I've already seen it twice at the Criterion (I forgot what a jewel of a venue it is, I haven't been since 2014) and I absolutely loved it. It's not perfect and it is *slightly* too long, but it's so much fun and the cast is impeccable. I hope word of mouth works its magic, because it's a lovely show and deserves to run until spring with packed audiences.
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Post by demonbarber on Nov 11, 2021 9:43:38 GMT
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Post by teatowel on Nov 11, 2021 10:48:35 GMT
Interesting about keeping the integrity of the company - the cast really make the performance, and as someone said earlier, I wonder how they might recast it in the event of an extension. |
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Post by jamb0r on Nov 11, 2021 13:27:09 GMT
Really enjoyed this last night! Such a talented cast and some real belly laughs.
I have minimal knowledge of the source material (save a few key plot points and references to Colin Firth being wet!) but I didn't feel like that hindered my enjoyment at all. I think I'll watch one of the screen adaptations and go back for a second visit to catch whatever I missed.
The audience seemed to love it and a full standing ovation at the end.
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