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Post by Forrest on Oct 25, 2021 21:48:54 GMT
Oh, wow, londonpostie, I'm genuinely not sure if I should feel a bit offended by your comment... Regardless, from what I am reading, I'm not really looking forward to it. Ah, well, we'll see. :) |
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Post by Dave B on Oct 25, 2021 21:58:40 GMT
Ooof
You know that old saying about if you have nothing nice to say.... well, I'll just say that I am in agreement with a lot of the posts above.
Nice to say hello to you though londonpostie!
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Post by londonpostie on Oct 25, 2021 22:03:39 GMT
Its demanding. 90-100 minutes of a mother and daughter fencing - parry, thrust, riposte. Probably layers of subtle manipulation. Just one too many two handers, for me.
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Post by princeton on Oct 25, 2021 23:02:39 GMT
In fairness to Hampstead - this was scheduled long before the lockdown as part of a season of 'Hampstead Classics' (it was originally supposed to play July 2020) and in fact they are one of the few theatres which have now produced all of their postponed shows. And to be even more fair - they did try to open in November of last year (albeit with another two hander!) which most theatres didn't - but that was delayed due to lockdown mk 2 and when they did manage to reopen in December it was cut short because of lockdown 3. They also reopened both main house and studio in May/June.
That said - I'm going to 'night, Mother later in the week with a fairly heavy heart. I saw the Broadway revival with Brenda Blethyn and Edie Falco and found it to be pretty tedious, inauthentic and the actors miscast - but hoped that it was just that particular production (the original version is spoken about in the most hallowed of tones!). I fear my initial response is how I may feel leaving Hampstead.
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Post by dlevi on Oct 25, 2021 23:14:02 GMT
I'm going to 'night, Mother later in the week with a fairly heavy heart. I saw the Broadway revival with Brenda Blethyn and Edie Falco and found it to be pretty tedious, inauthentic and the actors miscast - but hoped that it was just that particular production (the original version is spoken about in the most hallowed of tones!). I'm one of those who speaks of the original 'Night Mother in hallowed tones - Kathy Bates and Anne Pitoniak were perfect casting. Unlike Edie Falco who tried to be plain and Brenda Blethyn who was far too warm-hearted,Ms Bates was wildly over weight and conveyed the reasoned determination of someone who had thought everything through,and Ms Pitoniak was small and frail and a failure as a mother. The connection between the two was palpable and heartbreaking.I'm not sure I 'll make the trek to Hampstead because of the perfection of the casting of that original production. |
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Post by showgirl on Oct 26, 2021 3:34:30 GMT
Also, much as I loathe and am sick of two-handers (they don't seem like a proper play to me), a production with a larger cast can be just as dire: I'm still trying to forget Death Of A Black Man at Hampstead this summer and have since seen a disappointing number of plays and shows which I've left at the interval.
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Post by londonpostie on Oct 26, 2021 6:24:07 GMT
well, Death Of A Black Man ended prematurealy due to *health issues*. The Hampstead then followed that with The Two Character Play (the clue is in the title) which was effectively stretchered onto the stage by the two players for the last month.
None of this reflects on the actors involved.
Thus endeth my customer review.
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Post by lonlad on Oct 26, 2021 8:46:26 GMT
Re the above >> a production with a larger cast can be just as dire Is three much larger than two LOL?  ? The fact is, these are all important and significant plays that were first seen in the UK at the Hampstead, sometimes in world premieres, sometimes (as with this one) in British premieres: however you slice it, NIGHT MOTHER was one of the defining American play of the early '80s and Marsha Norman has never written as acclaimed a play since (though she did write the musical of THE SECRET GARDEN). If Mmmes Night and Channing can't deliver it, they won't be the first - it's a tricky one. |
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Post by bgarde on Oct 28, 2021 9:34:21 GMT
I hadn't seen this before last night and did really enjoy it. I thought Channing was fantastic, and although there were no standing Os, I'd have gladly given one (felt too wimpish to start it off). The daughter was clearly a weak link - perfunctory and knew her lines, but no depth. Channing therefore had to work hard to add extra gravitas but for me, it worked.
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Post by tmesis on Nov 6, 2021 23:02:50 GMT
Well worth seeing for Channing's brilliant performance. Also enjoyed (if that's quite the right word) it as a play and the production - although most critics disagree with me on that one.
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Post by cavocado on Nov 7, 2021 12:24:06 GMT
I found this disappointing. I liked Rebecca Night, but didn't feel enough chemistry between the two actors, and I felt Stockard Channing was miscast. Thelma is written as in her late 50s/60ish, and playing her as much older changed the dynamics of the mother/daughter relationship. Jessie's desperation makes more sense if her mother is young enough that we can feel they are stuck with this stultifying life for the next 20+ years, and that her micromanaging of Thelma is not necessary but a sign of something odd in the mother/daughter dynamic.
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Post by lonlad on Nov 7, 2021 17:15:11 GMT
>>Thelma is written as in her late 50s/60ish, and playing her as much older changed
Except Stockard Channing, who can pass for 15 years younger than she actually is, DOESN'T play her as much older, and, in fact, reads younger in some ways than Anne Pitoniak did in the original production. Hers is a major performance in a misfire of a revival that needs two heavy hitters to land and here, alas, only has one.
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Post by cavocado on Nov 7, 2021 18:24:37 GMT
>>Thelma is written as in her late 50s/60ish, and playing her as much older changed Except Stockard Channing, who can pass for 15 years younger than she actually is, DOESN'T play her as much older, and, in fact, reads younger in some ways than Anne Pitoniak did in the original production. Hers is a major performance in a misfire of a revival that needs two heavy hitters to land and here, alas, only has one. It was my opinion and not meant as a slight on SC. I'm glad you enjoyed her performance. I imagine she could play younger, but her costume, wig, physicality (hestitancy, slow movement, etc) all suggested that she and/or the director meant the character to be played as SC's own age (late 70s). RN's performance worked much better for me. |
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Post by jamb0r on Nov 11, 2021 13:29:29 GMT
Caught this earlier this week and enjoyed it much more than I was expecting. It wasn't perfect and I did find my mind wandering a bit during the middle, but Channing was captivating enough to pull me back in. A highlight was also her throwing a pot of nail polish onto my lap in my front row centre seat (which I promptly put back on the stage at the end - I didn't want someone from the crew to have to pop to Boots on the way to work the following morning to replace it)
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Post by mattnyc on Nov 11, 2021 14:33:36 GMT
I do love this play. It’s one of those rare examples where (I think) the film version is better than any production on stage. Granted, I never got to see Kathy Bates in the original but every other time I’ve seen it live I’m just left wanting more, whereas I’ve always felt Sissy Spacek and Anne Bancroft did it perfectly.
Haven’t seen Stockard yet but going in a couple weeks and, as always, going in with an open mind hoping I enjoy it more than others seem to have.
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Post by rosie on Nov 11, 2021 19:43:44 GMT
Glad I wasn't put off by the reviews and opinions. Thoroughly enjoyed all of it - more than I expected to tbh.
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Post by mkb on Nov 11, 2021 23:21:51 GMT
I didn't find much wrong with the acting tonight. Maybe Channing and Night have grown into the rôles? I'm at odds with previous comments, but I liked the set design and found the direction tight and well focused. I don't see how the written text could be improved.
The problem is the play itself. I don't care if it has won awards and is lauded; so have/are Ant & Dec. It means nothing.
The play is very emperor's new clothes: it doesn't have much to say and offers no cutting insight into dysfunctional family relationships or a suicidal mentality. I asked my psychiatrist husband if the portrayal of someone planning to take their own life rang true, and he was quite disparaging.
It's a two-star play raised to three stars by the quality of the performances. Worth seeing for Channing.
One act: 19:36-20:54
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Post by mattnyc on Dec 2, 2021 17:04:36 GMT
Saw the matinee today. Stockard Channing, whom I have seen and loved many many times before, gave one of the worst performances I’ve ever witnessed. I’m sorry but I’ve never seen an actor more blatantly not give a sh** about what they’re doing on stage. This is a woman whose daughter is going to kill herself and Stockard’s Thelma is basically deadpan with “no don’t. You are? Ok.”
Absolutely painful to sit through.
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? The fact is, these are all important and significant plays that were first seen in the UK at the Hampstead, sometimes in world premieres, sometimes (as with this one) in British premieres: however you slice it, NIGHT MOTHER was one of the defining American play of the early '80s and Marsha Norman has never written as acclaimed a play since (though she did write the musical of THE SECRET GARDEN). If Mmmes Night and Channing can't deliver it, they won't be the first - it's a tricky one. 
