Diary of a Somebody - Seven Dials Playhouse

[ShoreditchTom]

I can't see a thread for this and not familiar with the venue but has anyone seen this?
www.sevendialsplayhouse.co.uk/shows/diary-of-a-somebody

The Times seems to have given it 4 stars and the Guardian 5 stars but it doesn't seem to have much of a profile:
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/98ed3412-b0df-11ec-8570-b43daaf58ea1?shareToken=337ce1e67eb027861fd7d37a05822ab4
www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/mar/31/diary-of-a-somebody-review-joe-orton-seven-dials-playhouse-london

Any view on best seats?

[Dave B]

If you have a look at the recent thread for Steve (the play they re-opened the venue with), you'll get some thoughts on seating and venue itself theatreboard.co.uk/thread/9037/steve-dials-playhouse.

I was middle of Row A for Steve and thought the seats were fine, looks like they do change the space up as the seat map for this is a bit different but probably should still be good if that helps

[ShoreditchTom]

Ah brilliant, thank you :-)

[marob]

I went to the matinee the other day and sat in J1 in the side stalls. Great view, the seats directly in front are kept empty.

[n1david]

This is an adaptation of Joe Orton's diaries, by John Lahr, who has been steeped in Orton for many years. It's a good production, two strong performances by George Kemp as Orton and Toby Osmond as Halliwell. There isn't a lot new here if you've seen Pr**k Up Your Ears (play or film), or read any of the books, but it's very cleverly staged, and the 4-strong supporting cast are really great, playing a huge range of the characters that Orton came into contact with, whether it be neighbours, tricks, friends, enemies or Edna Wellthorpe (Mrs). A rather less sympathetic portrait of Orton than some we have seen, I thought there was a lot of good stuff in this.

Second play I've seen at Seven Dials Playhouse, like the auditorium, hate the public spaces...

Runs for another couple of weeks to April 30.

[Deleted]

(Threads merged)

[theoracle]

open.spotify.com/episode/1Uu3AXnRCkJpS5wgkkoY3M?si=YsBHD9H2StqWfQTcSLrnJg

Somehow managed to meet the chap who hosts this series the other night when I saw the show and had a listen to his chat with George Kemp. The show is definitely theatre at it's most basic with a simple set and strong performances throughout. At first instance I thought George was a little too well-spoken to play Joe Orton but as the show continues to play out, I found myself more able to sympathise with this character and by the time the show ended, my heart broke a little inside. Very much recommend going - hopefully it won't be another 35 years before we see this revived again.

[marob]

It’s been over a week since I saw this, but find I still keep thinking about it. Though I know of him I’ve never actually seen a Joe Orton play. Was a bit iffy at the start, as it’s quite choppy, but it really won me over. Some parts are genuinely hilarious (and still a bit filthy) then obviously it becomes something else as Kenneth Halliwell’s mental illness worsens and the differences between them become more pronounced.

Even though only depicted in the abstract, the ending, with Because by The Beatles playing (bit of an earworm, even though I know it wasn’t released until a few years later,) is pretty haunting. Horrific as the murder was, the fact that Halliwell tried to get help, and seems to have just been sent away with pills and put on a waiting list is something I find troubling, as I can’t help wondering if anything much has changed.

[emilytemple]

Apr 8, 2022 11:45:58 GMT marob said:

I went to the matinee the other day and sat in J1 in the side stalls. Great view, the seats directly in front are kept empty.

damn date i can go this seat is taken. i was wonder how stage's look like. i mean i am thinking to catch brand b ticket i row g (more side) 

[marob]

Apr 18, 2022 19:26:54 GMT emilytemple said:

Apr 8, 2022 11:45:58 GMT marob said:

I went to the matinee the other day and sat in J1 in the side stalls. Great view, the seats directly in front are kept empty.

damn date i can go this seat is taken. i was wonder how stage's look like. i mean i am thinking to catch brand b ticket i row g (more side) 

You should be ok pretty much anywhere, it’s a pretty small place and it looked like the seats are raked a bit more on that side so shouldn’t have to look around the heads of the people in front.

[marob]

Just finished reading the diaries this was based on. Bloody hell, “problematic” doesn’t really cover it. I said earlier on this thread that I’d never seen any of his plays and I can see why revivals might be rare nowadays.

[nottobe]

I have to agree about Ortons problematic life. I saw this a few days ago and have read the diaries before as well as ‘Pr**k up your ears’ film and found this a bit of a waste of time. If you know the story it does not tell you anything new and if you have no clue about Orton than you will be lost as the play assumes you know a lot of his life. I could have watched the PUYE film instead.
I have always found the Morocco section especially uncomfortable and it was a missed opportunity not to address it in this play. I think it is about time we look propley acknowledge this side to Orton