Blindness - Donmar

[drmaplewood]

www.donmarwarehouse.com/production/7878/?utm_source=Social&utm_medium=Twitter&utm_campaign=Organic


We are temporarily reopening our doors for BLINDNESS, a socially distanced sound installation with the voice of Juliet Stevenson. Adapted from Nobel Prize-winner José Saramago’s novel by Simon Stephens, BLINDNESS is directed by Walter Meierjohann with immersive binaural sound design by Ben and Max Ringham. Lizzie Clachan and Jessica Hung Han Yun complete the creative team. Juliet Stevenson voices the Storyteller/Doctor’s wife in this gripping story of the rise and, ultimately, profoundly hopeful end of an unimaginable global pandemic.


Priority booking opens at 12pm tomorrow (15 July) and public booking opens at 12pm on Friday 17 July

[NeilVHughes]

Intrigued by this, basically listening to a radio drama in public, will likely come down to price and availability once public booking opens.

[zahidf]

Jul 14, 2020 11:02:11 GMT NeilVHughes said:

Intrigued by this, basically listening to a radio drama in public, will likely come down to price and availability once public booking opens.

Its 22.50 a ticket

[Forrest]

I'm endlessly torn between the desire to go see this (because I so miss theatre), and the fact that I'm somehow not sure whether it is safe to do so.
Will see which side wins...

But I'm incredibly happy to see something is finally being created again.

[NeilVHughes]

For £22.50 and the need to get out from a mental health perspective will attend and the blurb does imply there is a visual element and the novelty of Theatre on TV has worn off.

Reminds me a bit of Rooms by Enda Walsh at the Barbican a few years ago.

[Forrest]

NeilVHughes , and let's not forget... [Forrest getting all fan-girly] it has Juliet Stevenson. [/Forrest getting all fan-girly]

(I might just have to toughen it out because of that. I am a bit anxious about going into gatherings again, but if there's a good enough reason...)

[NeilVHughes]

The best advice is consider everyone you meet is infected and act appropriately.

Have been into central London, a pub and a cafe in the last few weeks, I wear a face mask on public transport and only frequent inside places where I can maintain a 2m distance and have hand sanitizer with me which I use after touching hard surfaces.

The feeling of being out and about was liberating and have now booked for the National Gallery and Tate Modern in the next few weeks.

Living alone and working from home I have reached the point from a mental health perspective where the need for social interaction is becoming overwhelming.

[TallPaul]

Forrest, I've just taken a call from a furious Mark Gatiss. He wants to know what's going on! 🙂

[Forrest]

Jul 14, 2020 12:11:00 GMT NeilVHughes said:

@forrest  the best advice is consider everyone you meet is infected and act appropriately.

You are right and are being absolutely reasonable, while I am not and I know it. 
I haven't been hiding, I've been out and about a lot (I live in central London, so that helps), but on my own: this just feels like a step further into a space with many unknown variables. 

But I am looking forward to getting back into the world (I especially cannot wait to go back into the office, working from home is not really my thing).
So I probably just need to take a deep breath and make the leap for the first theatre/event, and I'll be fine. :)

Jul 14, 2020 12:12:53 GMT TallPaul said:

Forrest , I've just taken a call from a furious Mark Gatiss. He wants to know what's going on! 🙂

Hahahahaha. Tell Mark not to worry, he still has a special place in my theatre-loving heart! :)

[TallPaul]

There is actually a link between both of your favourites, Forrest, albeit a very tenuous one. When Juliet Stevenson complained that she couldn't afford to see a play in the West End, Mark Gatiss quipped that he was going to organise a whip round. I'm not sure it's the done thing to publically make fun of a fellow actor, dahling!

[Deleted]

Has anyone managed to get the single tickets for this? They only seem to be selling them in pairs, unless the singles have all sold out...

[NeilVHughes]

@abby I got a single so likely to have sold out.

[Deleted]

Jul 20, 2020 10:38:09 GMT NeilVHughes said:

@abby I got a single so likely to have sold out.

Thanks - that's a shame. Hopefully they might convert some doubles to singles if the demand is there - or maybe extend.

[scarpia]

Anyone read the novel? It's on my list, and I've only heard good things.

[c4ndyc4ne]

Jul 24, 2020 14:52:50 GMT scarpia said:

Anyone read the novel? It's on my list, and I've only heard good things.

Interestingly the show announcement made me go out and read the book! So fantastic.

[NeilVHughes]

Following the Government's announcement regarding live performances, we are emailing to confirm that the run of Blindness will go ahead as planned.

As Blindness is a sound installation and not a performance involving live actors it will be able to go ahead.

Enhanced safety measures will be in place to ensure the health and safety of all visitors to the Donmar. There will be sanitising points throughout the building and the seats, headphones, toilets and public areas will be thoroughly cleaned between each installation. All visitors will be required to wear a face covering, unless exempt for medical reasons, as will all Donmar staff. Visitors will be seated 2m apart in accordance with social distancing requirements, unless they attend with someone from their household or social bubble.

[n1david]

[Deleted]

Yay, nabbed a ticket! Thanks n1david

I've actually got quite full weeks through August now - first time for months that it's a pleasure to look at my diary rather than cruel mockery!

[vickyg]

I just got a ticket too for Saturday. An actual theatrical event. I almost can't believe it! I'll be interested to see if everyone behaves themselves distancing and mask wise. It's such a small space I imagine there's not much room for error.

[Deleted]

vickyg It makes such a difference to wake up in the morning and feel like there is something to look forward to, doesn't it? I don't think I realised how far into depression I'd slumped.

[lichtie]

Thanks n1david. Round off my day at the art galleries in London nicely!

[vickyg]

Saw this this afternoon and what a great way to get back into some form of theatrical experience. Really innovative, great use of technology and a stonking performance from Juliet Stevenson.

A lot of the performance is in complete darkness and my mind really started to play tricks on me. I was a bit scared at points as it very much sounds like people are moving around right next to you. It’s totally immersive and something I would definitely see even if bog-standard performance were legal. I would have loved to see JS in the flesh on a stage but I think it probably worked better this way than as a monologue.

There was one point where I became *really* emotional when she was comforting a victim of that particular pandemic. My reaction surprised me and showed me how important the arts are at a time of crisis, to express what we don’t even realise we’re feeling.

The Donmar staff were really excellent, I felt completely safe, everyone wore a mask and stayed seated the whole time, there was hand sanitiser everywhere. We were led to and from our seats. My only negative was that it was *sweltering* in there. Like bordering on passing out territory. I can only think that they can’t use their air conditioning for COVID reasons because sitting there whilst wearing a mask and huge headphones which cover a lot of the rest of your head was quite overwhelming at points. They’re giving out bottles of water as you go in which was very necessary. I was holding the bottle in my hand and half way in the water was warm, that’s how hot it was! But it wouldn’t stop me going back. Overall a great experience and so happy to have a communal theatrical event. I might even go again as there seem to be plenty of tickets available. It wasn’t full at the 2pm show, there were 2 pairs and 5 singles free.

[lichtie]

Just back from this, equally sweltering but fascinating. It really was hard to shake the feeling that JS was wandering about behind you. Sound production excellent. I was upstairs, so also had a grand view of the coloured lights that show people where to sit which was an entertaining precursor in itself. But if that is socially distanced seating you can see why they would struggle even with minimal cast and traditional drama.

[vickyg]

Aug 8, 2020 22:01:33 GMT lichtie said:

Just back from this, equally sweltering but fascinating. It really was hard to shake the feeling that JS was wandering about behind you. Sound production excellent. I was upstairs, so also had a grand view of the coloured lights that show people where to sit which was an entertaining precursor in itself. But if that is socially distanced seating you can see why they would struggle even with minimal cast and traditional drama.

Yes, if they'd had a stage I think they would have struggled to get more than 25 audience members in there, and it would be very hard to justify single tickets, which is my personal interest as I see about 50% of things alone. I know it's a small space but I was surprised at how far apart distanced seating really is and when there are only two rows in the circle and you can't use one of them, this really makes an impact. Another reason why a sound installation is so ingenious. 

I've booked to go again on Thursday with my housemate because even if you're not a theatre person per se, the physical environment is such that it would be a struggle not to feel *something*!

[lichtie]

vickyg - it's definitely drama even if not theatre!