One Woman Show - Ambassadors

[Steve]

Saw the 6pm show, and it was an absolutely brilliant pisstaking of Fleabag, hilariously performed.

Some spoilers follow. . .

It is totally doable to make this the sandwich in a three show day, and I did do so, as I was out of this at 7:15pm and at the Donmar by 7:22pm lol.

This is one of the best written and performed comedies of the year. Liz Kingsman is obviously gonna be a National Treasure of Australia, assuming we can't steal her permanently lol.

Everything about the construction of Fleabag, and it's ilk, are skewered to perfection. Therefore, it massively helps if you've seen Fleabag, or any one-woman show with a character who behaves badly, betrays everyone, then learns life lessons.

Kingsman is as good a performer as she is a writer, able to perform comic turns with maximal timing for maximal laughs.

I am so close to giving this 5 stars for being so damn brilliant, but I won't, because she achieves neither of two things: (1) there is not a single moment that I felt she was an actual vulnerable human being, which is not a deal breaker, as long as (2) she went absolutely rampant with comic zany madness and constant topping of herself.

Instead, she was just a bit too brilliantly cool about her comic exaggeration and performance to get belly laughs upon belly laughs. It was "only" belly laughs followed by a break and then more belly laughs lol. After all, the one thing Phoebe Waller-Bridge achieved with Fleabag, which is being satirised so successfully here, was no-holds barred, taboo-busting, fearless, balls-out comedy.

That said, I have not seen better sustained comic writing on stage all year, and this is legit brilliant. 4 and a half stars from an awe-inspired me.

[yokollama]

Priced too high - especially for such a short show - and they're upgrading seats. Grab a deal if you can as it's wickedly brilliant.

I was also waiting for that car crash, vulnerable moment. What I was not expecting: Phil.

[mrbarnaby]

This sounds brilliant I must say and I love that trailer

Pricing is outrageous .. but it seems to be selling well so perhaps no more offers for it?

[mrbarnaby]

Oct 31, 2022 12:00:09 GMT talkingheads said:

Oct 30, 2022 17:51:39 GMT appoul said:

Has anyone seen this? Or are you planning to see it when it comes to the West End in December?

It's a brilliant show, but as far as I remember it's only an hour, unless new material has been added. I won't pay more that twenty pounds for an hour.

£20?!!! Bah Humbug

[talkingheads]

Dec 24, 2022 11:13:29 GMT mrbarnaby said:

Oct 31, 2022 12:00:09 GMT talkingheads said:

It's a brilliant show, but as far as I remember it's only an hour, unless new material has been added. I won't pay more that twenty pounds for an hour.

£20?!!! Bah Humbug

With TodayTix I can see a full two act play or musical for £15. Puts everything else in perspective, especially overcharging for one hour of my time.

[TallPaul]

If only theatre staff didn't expect to be paid for a minimum of 3½ hours of their time. They're so selfish! I'm surprised they don't insist on working from home.

[Jon]

I paid £60+ for both Fleabag and Ian McKellen a few years ago and it was worth every penny so saying £20 is enough for a hour's entertainment does come across as a bit stingy IMO.

[mrbarnaby]

Yes everyone should take huge pay cuts so that everyone pays £15-20 for a show.

Or they could not build a set , make costumes or turn the lights on.

[annette]

I think I may be a lone voice given all the 5* reviews in the press and the fact that most of the audience tonight were finding the show very amusing, but I really don’t see what the fuss is all about.

It felt like a well executed one joke exercise to me. I can imagine if I’d stumbled across at The Edinburgh Festival or even the at Soho Theatre without all the hype I might have appreciated it more, but in my humble opinion, it’s just not sharp enough to be a west end show.

The more surreal it got, the less funny and satirical it became for me. The gags with the technicians were something I’ve seen done better many times before and the ending really had the whiff of a student review about it.

I’m not sure what I was missing, but I found myself losing concentration on the show very early on in the proceedings. One thing is for sure though, the sound is terrible and needs a big tweak. I’m not sure if it was worse because our seats in the stalls were underneath the circle apron ,but struggling to hear a one person show is a major problem.

[mrnutz]

Dec 28, 2022 2:31:22 GMT annette said:

I think I may be a lone voice given all the 5* reviews in the press and the fact that most of the audience tonight were finding the show very amusing, but I really don’t see what the fuss is all about.

It felt like a well executed one joke exercise to me. I can imagine if I’d stumbled across at The Edinburgh Festival or even the at Soho Theatre without all the hype I might have appreciated it more, but in my humble opinion, it’s just not sharp enough to be a west end show.

The more surreal it got, the less funny and satirical it became for me. The gags with the technicians were something I’ve seen done better many times before and the ending really had the whiff of a student review about it.

I’m not sure what I was missing, but I found myself losing concentration on the show very early on in the proceedings. One thing is for sure though, the sound is terrible and needs a big tweak. I’m not sure if it was worse because our seats in the stalls were underneath the circle apron ,but struggling to hear a one person show is a major problem.

annette - I was in last night and completely agree with you (sounds like I was sat in a very similar place, too! Stalls row J).

I thought it was good, but not great. There were some very funny moments and I thought she was a very engaging performer but for me it was at least 15 mins too long. The framing device felt unnecessary and it was mostly during these moments where it dragged.

I only paid £15 for what should have been an £80 seat - if I'd paid the real price I would have felt seriously ripped off. If I'd seen this at the fringe I expect I'd have been raving about it, but in a West End theatre (at potentially West End prices!), something didn't quite gel for me.

3/5

[Boob]

I saw this in Edinburgh and still agree with annette. One Joke Show.

[intoanewlife]

Saw this tonight and agree with the above, though in fairness to the show my night was completely ruined by the beastly (in both physical stature and behaviour) woman sat beside me. If I'd have paid more than 15 quid I'd probably be sitting in a police station right now.

Apart from a few LOL moments of utter silliness it was a big miss for me.

If you're going to attempt to do something like this it should at least be as good as or better than what you are doing a commentary on and this was not even close.

I didn't find her at all likable or her or her stories relatable or funny.

Very scattered laughs from the crowd mostly as well so I don't think I was alone in my disappointment and they didn't even have a human vibrator to contend with.

2/5 for me, though it probably would've been a 3/5 if I didn't spend the entire night blinded by fury.

[alessia]

I am also one of those who fail to see what the fuss is about. I have not seen the Fleabag play, only the tv show, so maybe that is partly why I didn't find it as hilarious as others did? I'm genuinely wondering if I have been watching a different show to all the critics who gave this 5 stars. I have to go back and read some of those reviews to make sure it was indeed this show they are talking about, and what I missed.
I agree with the previous comments that the technical issues gag wasn't needed and in any case it went on for far too long, and for me it was not funny to begin with.
Much like intoanewlife I could not relate to her experiences at all (could be that I'm older and not British, don't know) and I don't get what is so funny about the mistreatment of a temp. Was it supposed to be a critique of posh peoples' entitled behaviour?
I liked the portrayal of the Australian office manager.
There were some laughs in the audience last night but I noticed that many around me weren't that amused, so it was definitely not just me.
The sound seemed ok last night in row J.
I went to the opera for a matinee beforehand, and this certainly wasn't worth me hanging around central London for hours after. Glad I only paid £15.

[partytentdown]

Dec 29, 2022 0:57:11 GMT intoanewlife said:

Saw this tonight and agree with the above, though in fairness to the show my night was completely ruined by the beastly (in both physical stature and behaviour) woman sat beside me. If I'd have paid more than 15 quid I'd probably be sitting in a police station right now.

Apart from a few LOL moments of utter silliness it was a big miss for me.

If you're going to attempt to do something like this it should at least be as good as or better than what you are doing a commentary on and this was not even close.

I didn't find her at all likable or her or her stories relatable or funny.

Very scattered laughs from the crowd mostly as well so I don't think I was alone in my disappointment and they didn't even have a human vibrator to contend with.

2/5 for me, though it probably would've been a 3/5 if I didn't spend the entire night blinded by fury.

Well don't leave us hanging, what was the beastly woman up to?

[intoanewlife]

The 'tech' stuff felt very much like filler to pad the show and increase the run time to me, but frankly (apart from the final camera time waste) they were the only bits I constantly laughed at along with the utterly stupid ending. The staging and lighting was definitely the best bit about the show.

I was actually starting to feel a little uncomfortable for her in parts as there were so many looooong stretches without any laughs at all and she was trying so hard, but the material just wasn't strong enough. Even the fake 'gafforer' a few rows back who was clearly trying his hardest to make the night all about him gave up a little over half way through.

It may have worked better as a filmed comedy ala I Hate Susie where the more surreal stuff works better watching it play out in real life. But the fact it is critiquing things like Susie, Fleabag and I May Destroy You and their success actually started to annoy me. They were all so brilliant and created by clearly very talented women, why are you almost mocking them and their success? To me it all felt a little mean spirited.

There was one line in the show which summed it up perfectly for me and that was when she said something about 'the 'one' woman who was going to be allowed to be a star this year'. I think it was meant to be some kind of scathing criticism of modern day critics with an undertone of 'that don't really deserve all the hype'.

All I kept thinking was 'you dear...it's you'.

[intoanewlife]

Dec 29, 2022 14:53:39 GMT partytentdown said:

Dec 29, 2022 0:57:11 GMT intoanewlife said:

Saw this tonight and agree with the above, though in fairness to the show my night was completely ruined by the beastly (in both physical stature and behaviour) woman sat beside me. If I'd have paid more than 15 quid I'd probably be sitting in a police station right now.

Apart from a few LOL moments of utter silliness it was a big miss for me.

If you're going to attempt to do something like this it should at least be as good as or better than what you are doing a commentary on and this was not even close.

I didn't find her at all likable or her or her stories relatable or funny.

Very scattered laughs from the crowd mostly as well so I don't think I was alone in my disappointment and they didn't even have a human vibrator to contend with.

2/5 for me, though it probably would've been a 3/5 if I didn't spend the entire night blinded by fury.

Well don't leave us hanging, what was the beastly woman up to?

I'm too scared to say now I know alessia was sitting in the same row as me in case it was her LOL

[alessia]

ahah I don't think it was me, I am always well behaved (I think!- or at least I don't remember doing anything wrong last night lol) and I'm on the small/short side! however I think I saw the lady you are referring to - maybe.
I was right in the middle of the row, J 10 - to the right I had a young woman who never laughed once and to my left two guys who also didn't laugh much but they applauded a lot at the end.

[intoanewlife]

Dec 29, 2022 16:34:55 GMT alessia said:

ahah I don't think it was me, I am always well behaved (I think!- or at least I don't remember doing anything wrong last night lol) and I'm on the small/short side! however I think I saw the lady you are referring to - maybe.
I was right in the middle of the row, J 10 - to the right I had a young woman who never laughed once and to my left two guys who also didn't laugh much but they applauded a lot at the end.

Ahhh so you were sat next to my partner and I was on the other side next to the woman in question. I'm sorry if my expletive filled rant on the way out offended you LOL

So now I can spill the 'T' partytentdown

The woman arrived late with her companion, it was almost 8.40 when she plonked herself down in the chair and I believe they were the last 2 people to take their seats, so actually the entire theatre had to wait for the pleasure of their company.

When she sat down she spread her legs very wide and hard which spun me sideways into my partners lap at which point after claiming all the legroom she also claimed the arm rest. If my arm even moved in that direction the whole night she rudely pushed it away. I was practically laying across my partners lap the whole time.

After spreading her legs, she then reached into her bag, took out her phone and took a picture of the stage which now had the performer standing on it giving the opening part of the show. She then sat there typing out a message during the opening with her phone screen as bright as it could possibly be and sent it just as the lights went down.

She then proceeded to shake her right leg quite violently which made my seat vibrate non stop for the next hour and 10 minutes. I could compare it to sitting on on a vibrator, but it was actually worse than that, it was like sitting on a massage gun. 

It did not matter what I did she would not stop doing it and it actually occurred to me about halfway through the show that she was doing it on purpose to piss me off. 

The woman behind her was clearly livid too as she had to sit there watching 2 people bobbing up and down in their seats for the whole show.

To top it all off, she was also clearly as sick as a dog and would let out these repulsive coughs and not cover her mouth. She did this right in my ear and I could literally hear the phlegm expunge itself from her lungs up into her mouth and then hear the gulp as she swallowed it again.

I have had some dreadful theatre companions in the past, but this revolting psychopath definitely takes the biscuit!

[alessia]

Oh my, poor you intoanewlife - it sounds terrible. I didn't hear your rant on the way out lol. What an experience!
I've so far been lucky and never had anything like this at shows. The fidgety family at the Magic Flute yesterday was likely the worse I've ever had so nothing much really...

[intoanewlife]

Dec 29, 2022 17:31:45 GMT alessia said:

Oh my, poor you intoanewlife - it sounds terrible. I didn't hear your rant on the way out lol. What an experience!
I've so far been lucky and never had anything like this at shows. The fidgety family at the Magic Flute yesterday was likely the worse I've ever had so nothing much really...

I was quite shocked my other half couldn't feel it it was so bad.

He said he wondered why I was laying on top of him and said he felt crushed because he didn't want to lean the other way as there was a girl sat on her own and he didn't want her to think he was some dirty old man trying to cop a feel LOL

[alessia]

LOL! I am sure there is a play here that someone ought to be writing. Would be way funnier than the One Woman Show

[intoanewlife]

Dec 29, 2022 19:14:33 GMT alessia said:

LOL! I am sure there is a play here that someone ought to be writing. Would be way funnier than the One Woman Show

One Woman Vibrating?

[drmaplewood]

I was also in the "not sure what the fuss is about" camp though the night I went the (noticeably very young) audience were lapping it up. £15 is defo the right price for it, any more I would have been miffed.

[Dave B]

Fine for £15 tickets in row L, a couple of proper laughs but we too didn't find it as funny as some in the audience. On an offer, for our last show of the year, it was grand.

18.00 show and people were let in as late as 18.35 which is a bit of a shocker from the theatre to be honest.

[theatre22]

Dec 30, 2022 21:21:01 GMT Dave B said:

Fine for £15 tickets in row L, a couple of proper laughs but we too didn't find it as funny as some in the audience. On an offer, for our last show of the year, it was grand.

18.00 show and people were let in as late as 18.35 which is a bit of a shocker from the theatre to be honest.

I went to the 1800 show this evening and was starting to worry about the late start as I had to get to As You Like It for 7.30pm. It finished at 7.20pm so had to do a quick run up the road to make it on time.