716 posts
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Post by theatre-turtle on Sept 15, 2016 11:36:38 GMT
Saw this in Richmond. First half was one of the dullest things I've ever seen. It comes together in the second half to make a solid 3* show. The cast and production values are good but I am astonished anyone thought this play needed reviving
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1,064 posts
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Post by bellboard27 on Sept 20, 2016 10:18:10 GMT
I quite enjoyed this. Yes it is a bit long (the first half middle is too padded and almost repetitive), but the performances are good, as is the set. How well it will do in the West End, though, I'm not sure.
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312 posts
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Post by macksennett on Sept 20, 2016 21:26:07 GMT
Is it a shorter running time now, as Cheltenham advertising it as 2 hr 10 min!
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 24, 2016 13:06:14 GMT
This is a classy production.
A great set, with a good feel for the period. An astonishing cast, led by Ken Stott and Reece Shearsmith who gives a great performance as Norman the Dresser of the title. His closing speech is heartbreaking. A trifle overlong running at almost 2.45 minutes at Brighton Theatre Royal with some moments sagging a little especially when Reece Shearsmith was off stage. But overall a great play of a bygone era of the actor manager touring the provinces, funny, moving and a great production.
4 stars recommended.
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312 posts
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Post by macksennett on Oct 1, 2016 8:14:46 GMT
Saw this in Cheltenham this week (thanks wickedgrin for time confirmation). It's fantastic - moving, funny, with fine performances from the entire cast. It's a treat to see such good acting in such a great play. Don't miss this one!
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1,102 posts
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Post by zak97 on Oct 2, 2016 21:35:09 GMT
Does anyone know if there will be dayseats for this - there are £15 upper circle seats so cheap options are available, but it would be good to know.
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2,048 posts
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Post by Marwood on Oct 3, 2016 12:45:36 GMT
Got a front stalls seat for £30 for this Saturday's matinee performance using the TodayTix app, I'm looking forward to seeing this (I liked the Finney/Courtenay film, not so keen on the Hopkins/McKellen TV version) but I wouldn't have paid more than that to see it.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2016 13:06:51 GMT
OMGosh. I booked this at a loose end last night and got a cheap ticket but I'd have happily paid full price afterwards. The play is a bit creaky but oh my, Reece Shearsmith is quite simply glorious as Norman and is worth the ticket price alone. It's a real tour-de-force performance - funny, warm, bitchy, creepy, nasty and ultimately, heartbreakingly sad. Some awards nominations please!
Nice performances from Ken Stott and Harriet Thorpe as Sir and Her Ladyship too and even though he isn't in it very much, I also found myself really laughing at Adam Jackson-Smith as Oxenby. Great set too. I do love a revolve.
Also, in my youth I was a bit of a unwitting pensioner's pin up so it gladdened my heart after all these years that I think I was amongst the youngest members of the audience.
I had a friend . . .
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2016 12:36:02 GMT
Decided to bite the bullet on this and take advantage of the '£45 seats for £22.50' ATG offer I spotted on Theatremonkey's site.
Looks like ATG are now only applying the offer to the £65 seats - you can still get those for £39! - but the other price points are no longer available at anything other than full price. Seems a bit cheeky!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2016 14:00:41 GMT
Yes, could be, I checked other dates within the time frame but it seemed to be the same across all performances. Never mind - maybe I'll pick up something decent towards the end of the run!
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781 posts
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Post by rumbledoll on Nov 5, 2016 18:35:34 GMT
Anyone knows - are those days seats are easy to get or you have to Q from very early in the morning?
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2,048 posts
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Post by Marwood on Nov 6, 2016 13:47:50 GMT
Had originally booked to see this last month but had to cancel at the last minute due to a bereavement in my family (and after seeing the last 10 minutes of this, I am glad I didn't go then, I would have been devastated), but picked up a £18 stalls ticket for yesterday through Today Tix (was sat in middle of row Q, was a bit worried seeing £1 binoculars for hire on the back of the seat in front of me when I sat down but the view was fine).
I agree that not a lot happens in act 1, but I was extremely impressed with act 2 - while Ken Stott gave a fine performance, this is really Reece Shearsmiths show. I've seen him in a couple of plays previously and thought he was good, but I thought his performance in this was outstanding, one of the best I've seen this year. Hopefully he'll get more serious roles in the theatre and on TV/film soon.
Highly recommended, there are some extremely funny moments (saw enough of King Lear in this to make me think I did the right thing getting rid of my Glenda ticket) but a word of warning, not one to go and see if you want an 'uplifting' ending and to come out of the theatre laughing and smiling.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2016 14:03:02 GMT
I rang ATG to ask about this as my computer is now not registering the offer online at all, on any price range.
They confirmed that the offer is only for the top price seats (which you can still get for £39). I declined as I've seen those seats £7 cheaper elsewhere anyway! But I guess if you are interested...ring them and ask them to apply it over the phone, as I can't get it to show the price reduction on my Mac at all!
Good to know Row Q is a decent view, Marwood (as I was aiming for Row R with the reduction). The way I'm feeling at the moment, perhaps I should wait a bit before seeing it anyway if it's so downbeat. And I am very sorry to hear about your family bereavement.
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Post by Marwood on Nov 6, 2016 18:07:39 GMT
I recommend seating it Jean - it's not so downbeat that you will want to go home and sit in a darkened room after seeing it, it does offer some sort of hope and hint of reconciliation at the end. I think my recent circumstances didn't help (there was a man sat behind me blubbing like a baby) but I'm glad I saw it. I now want to go back and watch the Finney/Courtenay film again, I haven't seen it in ages.
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Post by vdcni on Nov 7, 2016 14:05:58 GMT
I thought this was ok nothing more. Wasn't keen on the first act at all - particularly when it was just the main two but the supporting cast particularly Harriet Thorpe perked things up. It gets a lot better after the interval but never really hits the heights for me. By the end I didn't feel anything for Norman, I was just tired of listening to him ranting on. I'm not sure if that was just the character of Shearsmith's performance which did nothing for me.
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Post by rumbledoll on Nov 8, 2016 9:32:04 GMT
Got BB Stalls for just £18 via TodayTix! Looking forward to it  Thanks for the tip! |
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Post by Marwood on Nov 8, 2016 9:47:48 GMT
Hope you enjoy it Rumbledoll, i was thinking of going for the BB stalls for myself tonight but wanted to go and see it on Saturday so made do with row Q. Well worth the money IMO.
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Post by johnv47 on Nov 8, 2016 15:26:13 GMT
I thought this was ok nothing more. Wasn't keen on the first act at all - particularly when it was just the main two but the supporting cast particularly Harriet Thorpe perked things up. It gets a lot better after the interval but never really hits the heights for me. By the end I didn't feel anything for Norman, I was just tired of listening to him ranting on. I'm not sure if that was just the character of Shearsmith's performance which did nothing for me. |
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Post by johnv47 on Nov 8, 2016 15:30:11 GMT
I thought this was ok nothing more. Wasn't keen on the first act at all - particularly when it was just the main two but the supporting cast particularly Harriet Thorpe perked things up. It gets a lot better after the interval but never really hits the heights for me. By the end I didn't feel anything for Norman, I was just tired of listening to him ranting on. I'm not sure if that was just the character of Shearsmith's performance which did nothing for me. I thought he was fantastic. Deft, cruel, funny, nasty and pathetic. So detailed. The play is called "The Dresser" so perhaps his ranting on was because he had a lot of lines. A very moving play I thought. If by its very period nature, a bit old fashioned. |
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Post by johnv47 on Nov 9, 2016 15:45:38 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2016 14:13:49 GMT
Rumbledoll, have you seen this yet from row BB, stalls? Wondering what the view is like. TodayTix seem to have availability scattered here and there but wondering if I'd miss a lot, being so close...
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Post by Marwood on Nov 13, 2016 16:51:22 GMT
The stage was fairly low, so wouldn't have thought you'd miss anything, and while there was fair amount of the revolve in use, wouldn't have thought you'd miss out on anything if you were sat at the end of the row.
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781 posts
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Post by rumbledoll on Nov 15, 2016 1:02:02 GMT
Rumbledoll, have you seen this yet from row BB, stalls? Wondering what the view is like. TodayTix seem to have availability scattered here and there but wondering if I'd miss a lot, being so close... Yep, that's right - BB is a front row, high numbers (or center obv where I was, could not complain about theview at all) are preferable. I personally LOVED the show. Two leading performances are nothing short of phenomenal - hilarious, devastating and frightfully believable which I always rate first. I was a total wreck at the end of it... the only dissapointing thing is that the production of such quality and power is undersold.. |
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Post by Marwood on Nov 15, 2016 21:28:18 GMT
Glad you enjoyed it Rumbledoll, I'm hoping to go again closer to the end of it's run and sit a bit closer to the the front if I can get a decently priced ticket.
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781 posts
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Post by rumbledoll on Nov 18, 2016 12:08:30 GMT
Reece Shearsmth's performance still haunts me big time. Do you think it is rather a leading or a supporting category (for the award season 'cause a lack of nomination for this would be a crime against theatre)? It certainly was a former for me.
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Thanks for the tip! 