Author Topic: What was the last play you watched?  (Read 45212 times)

Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #75 on: 12 May, 2016, 11:31:39 pm »
"A View From The Bridge" at the Liverpool Playhouse (not the Young Vic!).   

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/apr/02/a-view-from-the-bridge-review-greek-tragedy-work-boots

And again.  This time an NT Encore broadcast of the Young Vic 2014 production with Mark Strong as Eddie Carbone.  This got lots of award thingies, and deserved them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp5CMTEJHdo

It was a full house, with enough A Level English & Drama students to put me in grumpy old man mode, thinking they'd be noisy.  I was wrong,  you could have heard a pin drop.  Far too warm though, the aircon should have been dialled up a bit.
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #76 on: 29 June, 2016, 01:37:16 pm »
The Threepenny Opera at the National Theatre last night.

Cracking good fun. I'm not really familiar with the play so I can't say how it compares to other interpretations but the new adaptation really ramps up the smut, so it should appeal to a few round here. Rory Kinnear seems like a bit of an odd choice for Macheath but he's a great acting talent so is able to pull it off. His singing is a bit ropey though. Haydn Gwynne and Nick Holder were superb as the Peachums, totally playing it for maximum laughs, but also with a suitably nasty streak.

Of course, the play is really most famous for the music and that side of things was outstanding. The eight-piece orchestra were on stage throughout and integrated into several scenes and they did a fantastic job. Rory Kinnear aside, most of the singing was excellent too - George Ikediashi as the Balladeer did a wonderful rumbling bass rendition of Mack The Knife. And Rosalie Craig as Polly was almost too good - like serious opera good. Her duet with Debbie Kurup as Lucy was the standout highlight of the whole show for me.

I loved the staging too - going to town a bit with the Verfremdungseffekt to the point where it got a bit cartoonish at times (eg Mrs Peachum luring Jenny with a tin bearing the big label "DRUGS"), but to be honest, that's very much the kind of thing that I like (not so much a fan of naturalistic theatre).

I've read a few fairly critical reviews and while I understand where they're coming from and kind of agree with some of their criticisms, I just thought it was all immensely enjoyable, and a great way to pass an evening. Possibly a bit more pantomime than serious theatre, but that's not necessarily a bad thing in my book. I'm very glad we went to see it.

So, I might have one or two slight reservations about a few elements, but on the whole, very highly recommended indeed.

Rory Kinnear also did a nice bit of ad-libbing after the interval, cracking a not too subtle gag about the fact that we'd all chosen to Remain for the second half rather than Leave, and there was one scene that took on a slightly chilling note in light of recent events when the "Patriots", all clad in St George's flags, threatened to start smashing windows if they didn't get their way.

Also great from an equal ops point of view to see Jamie Beddard being given a prominent role in a part that isn't written as 'disabled' in the text (though his cerebral palsy is exploited to rather uncomfortable comic effect at one point).
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #77 on: 08 July, 2016, 10:36:53 am »
King Lear at the Royal Exchange in Manchester.     Don Warrington giving a wonderful performance, and very good work from the rest of the cast.

Good eye gouging as well.....   Highly recommended.

[img height=640 width=426]http://i1.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/incoming/article11150088.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/JS86722490.jpg[/img]

http://www.themanchesterreview.co.uk/?p=6225

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/theatre-news/don-warrington-royal-exchange-lear-11078454

Just a heads up,  this will be available on iPlayer from next week.  http://t.ymlp69.com/usmjhhafaejmwsacajehalauhuumm/click.php


http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p03zc113/shakespeare-lives-king-lear-part-one

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p03zc379/shakespeare-lives-king-lear-part-two


And now, we’re delighted to be able to share something really exciting with you - KING LEAR: The Film! The epic production of KING LEAR, which was filmed in the round at the Royal Exchange,  begins its free release from 11th July 2016, when it will initially be available on-demand through the BBC in the UK and internationally as part of the BBC/ British Council Shakespeare Lives digital festival for three months, online here.


 


WATCH THE TRAILER

The stage to screen adaptation of King Lear was made possible thanks to support from The Space and the British Council.  The co-production of King Lear was directed by Talawa's award-winning Artistic Director Michael Buffong.

You are among the first people to hear our news, this is the second production that the Royal Exchange Theatre has committed to film and will be Talawa’s first.
 
Please become part of our story in this, our 30th anniversary year.

Subscribe to get more news from Talawa Theatre Company.

Thank you
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #78 on: 02 October, 2016, 12:27:10 pm »
A live broadcast of Cymbeline, from the RSC at Stratford.     Not a play I'm at all familiar with, and I believe this production is unusual in that there has been some gender swapping of a few roles, Cymbeline being a queen rather than a king.

I enjoyed it a lot, though I thought the ending where everything is neatly tied up & everyone forgives each other a bit of a letdown.

Much praise for Bethan Cullinane as Innogen (wonderful), Marcus Griffiths as Cloten and Oliver Johnstone as Iachimo.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/this-brexit-inspired-revival-of-cymbeline-is-on-the-pulse/


By coincidence the esteemed Charlotte was tweeting the praises of "Imogen Reclaimed" at the Globe, the day before I saw this.

http://www.theartsdesk.com/theatre/imogen-shakespeares-globe

Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #79 on: 25 October, 2016, 09:03:05 am »
Amadeus

New National Theatre production of Peter Shaffer's play. I've only seen the film before, and I love it, but it turns out it's very different from the play. And of course the play is much, much better. I can see now that the film lacks subtlety and reduces the story almost to a stock thriller, but the play has so many more levels of meaning - it's not really about whether or not Salieri murdered Mozart, it's partly about the existential horror of coming to terms with mortality. And the irony of the title is brought out by Salieri's rage at God.

Lucian Msamati as Salieri felt a bit flat to me though - at times he could have done with giving it a bit more ham. But that's partly because Mozart is so overplayed by Adam Gillen. I suppose they are meant to be contrasting characters but I'm not sure the balance was quite right. My son disagreed though - he thought Msamati was a much better Salieri than F Murray Abraham.

The staging worked well. I had anticipated something more naturalistic but the stylised simplicity put the focus sharply on the performances. Reminded me of Berkoff in some respects. And the onstage orchestra acted almost like a Greek chorus with a couple of the players doubling up as the Venticelli (Salieri's spies).

The supporting cast were all excellent too - especially Tom Edden as Josef II, like a more subtle and nuanced version of Hugh Laurie's George from Blackadder III.

And then there's the music...

I've never had much desire to go to the opera, but the Figaro and Magic Flute scenes were done so well that it made me want more. Opera suddenly makes sense when you see it performed live onstage. Who knew?

One of the strongest recommendations I can give for any play is that despite being nearly three hours long it felt like it breezed along and I was left wishing it wouldn't end.

Highly recommended.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

CrinklyLion

  • The one with devious, cake-pushing ways....
Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #80 on: 25 October, 2016, 11:37:49 am »
Underneath a Magical Moon, in the Studio at York Theatre Royal with the SmallestCub (who was one of the oldest chiddlers in the audience).

We approved.  Also, 11 o'clock performances mean you can take in a show, eat lunch in the Theatre cafe afterwards and still ride 4-5 miles out to the outer ring road and so go trampolining before it's even teatime.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #81 on: 25 October, 2016, 01:14:21 pm »
Frantic Assembly and State Theatre Company of South Australia present, Things I Know To Be True, a new play by Andrew Bovell. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zftxPS65HQ

In Oxford; didn't cost us much with some last-minute offer, and more than worth the money. They're still touring the UK.

Some clever physical stuff - not enough to distract from the acting - and some genuinely moving moments.

(one small thing that I liked; they kept the setting as urban Australia, but let all the (British) actors stick with their natural accents. )
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #82 on: 25 October, 2016, 04:30:43 pm »
I went to see "Dare Devil Rides to Jarama" last Saturday at the local Community theatre.

The play was commissioned by the International Brigades Memorial Trust as part of its mission to keep alive the memory and spirit of the men and women who volunteered to fight alongside the Spanish people to defend democracy during the civil war of 1936-39.

It was really well acted and I'd certainly recommend seeing it if you have a chance.


Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #83 on: 25 October, 2016, 11:18:08 pm »
Just back from The Rivals,   I suppose the Lydia Languish character is intended as a vacuous, whining airhead, but Lucy Briggs-Owen  made her resemble someone I used to work with, & I wanted the scenery to collapse on her 😈

http://www.everymanplayhouse.com/whats-on/the-rivals

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/the-rivals-is-as-uproariously-funny-today-as-it-was-in-1775/
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #84 on: 27 October, 2016, 03:12:28 pm »
Amadeus

New National Theatre production of Peter Shaffer's play... Highly recommended.

Last night was press night and it seems the critics all agree with me - which is interesting, as it's clearly intended to be a crowd-pleaser so I was expecting a bit more snottiness:
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/oct/27/amadeus-review-national-michael-longhurst-lucian-msamati-salieri
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/amadeus-national-theatre-note-perfect/
https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2016/amadeus-review-at-the-national-theatre/
ect
ect
ect

Reading about it makes me want to see it again. There's going to be a live cinema screening in February which will be worth going along to if you can't get tickets for the real thing.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
  • Help me!
Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #85 on: 27 October, 2016, 08:18:49 pm »
The Play That Went Wrong
Nothing deep or thought provoking, just hugely funny.  Had me laughing continuously.
Went to the matinee at the Duchess this afternoon.   Mrs. B and I will now be on a train for several hours.
Oh well.  1st class as far as Swansea helps a bit.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #86 on: 04 November, 2016, 02:15:01 pm »
The Red Barn

New play by David Hare based on an obscure George Simenon novel. Starring Mark Strong, Elizabeth Debicki and Hope Davis.

Very strange. Quite a lavish production, using lots of high-tech stage trickery. Sliding screens narrow the focus onto particular areas of the stage in each scene, and the overall feel is cinematic more than theatrical. There are some really good special effects - including a scene early on where four characters are battling through a very realistic snowstorm. All very impressive as a spectacle.

Excellent performances from the three leads, tidy script (not dazzling, lots to criticise, but some very good lines) but ultimately a bit meh. It would make a good film noir, but as a stage production attempting to look like a film, it ends up being neither one thing nor the other.

Bonus marks for gratuitous nudity and on-stage shagging. Marks off for annoyingly intrusive background music.

In short, I totally agree with Michael Billington's review in the Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/oct/18/the-red-barn-lyttelton-theatre-review-david-hare-georges-simenon-mark-strong-elizabeth-debicki
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #87 on: 16 January, 2017, 08:19:59 am »
The Play That Went Wrong
Nothing deep or thought provoking, just hugely funny.  Had me laughing continuously.
Went to the matinee at the Duchess this afternoon.   Mrs. B and I will now be on a train for several hours.
Oh well.  1st class as far as Swansea helps a bit.
Mrs L and I went to The Comedy About A Bank Robbery on Saturday afternoon at the Criterion on Piccadilly Circus.
Nothing deep or thought provoking, just hugely funny.  Had me laughing continuously.

Ruthie

  • Her Majester
Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #88 on: 22 January, 2017, 12:06:26 am »
Lazarus.

Supposedly a sequel to The Man Who Fell To Earth, it was really a vehicle for some Bowie songs.  Some of the staging was very clever.  I'm not a fan of those nasal stage school female singers, but I liked the male lead's voice.

I don't have a clue what the plot was supposed to be about, but didn't expect to understand it, it's as arty-farty as The Man Who Fell To Earth.  But that wasn't the point really.  It was on Bowie's bucket list to write a musical, and this was it, and I was there.

Very good live versions of some classic Bowie, what's not to like.
Milk please, no sugar.

Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #89 on: 26 March, 2017, 12:00:27 pm »
http://www.northern-broadsides.co.uk/cyrano/



http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/cyrano-new-vic-theatre-14005


A lovely performance of Cyrano by Northern Broadsides at Liverpool Playhouse.   


More wordplay than swordplay, a lot of music performed by the multi talented cast and excellent performances throughout, although for some reason I couldn't warm to Sharon Singh's Roxanne .


On tour around the county until the end of May, catch it if you can.
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark


Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #91 on: 05 May, 2017, 11:54:16 am »
Twelfth Night again. A broadcast from the National Theatre with Tamsin Greig as Malvolia, a switch which works well & makes the scenes where she is imprisoned & mocked by Belch and the other conspirators even nastier & more disturbing than ususal. Good performances all round.


Last week was another broadcast. "Julius Caesar " from Stratford, I've not seen that before, another good show.
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

CrinklyLion

  • The one with devious, cake-pushing ways....
Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #92 on: 06 June, 2017, 11:03:29 pm »
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time at Newcastle Royal Theatre.  What a very lovely theatre it is, too.  They weren't kidding about the strong language - SmallestCub and I had discussed this in advance, and I followed it up afterwards with a 'if there's anything there you haven't heard before and aren't sure about _how_ inappropriate it might be, just ask me and I'll explain, OK?'. Fabulous show, although possibly one of the least autism-friendly performances I've ever been to.  I wasn't sure what the boys made of it but actually both gave it a positive review.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #93 on: 07 June, 2017, 12:30:11 am »
Fabulous show, although possibly one of the least autism-friendly performances I've ever been to.

I'm reliably informed that there is / has been a special autism-friendly version of the play, with extensively modified lighting/sound (and possibly other stuff?), a relaxed approach to audience behaviour and extra accessible FoH loveliness.


ETA:  It appears that such performances are now A Thing...  http://www.autism.org.uk/about/family-life/holidays-trips/performances.aspx  :thumbsup:

essexian

Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #94 on: 28 June, 2017, 08:19:45 am »
Tempest at Stafford castle.

At last.... a Shakespeare play I did not enjoy!!!!

Thinking back, I think I have seen at least 10 of the Bards output from the often played regulars to the brilliant Timon of Athens (The Globes production around 10 years ago was just outstanding) in venues from the Globe (you must try standing up and watching if your legs can take it!) to Tutbury Castle and the old RSC HQ in Stratford (not been since they did it up).  CBH and I have also been regulars at Stafford Castle for the annual Shakespeare Festival held there: last years Othello was outstanding and much better than the King Lear we saw a few weeks later in Birmingham.

Anyway, back to the Tempest. To us it seemed to be Shakespeare's most underwritten play with little plot and very, very few jokes. Indeed, the first half seems simply to be a series of set pieces rather than the narrative of a play.  The second half was better but frankly, the love story was poor and had no tension, while simply forgiving everyone at the end was a cop out.  The one high point of the show of course, was Ariel who was well written and acted. 

We also had issues with the staging of the show in that the music was over mixed meaning at times you could not hear the actors. Finally, there was a lack of crowd involvement in the play, partly due to there being the smallest house at Castle I have ever seen: perhaps 150 in a venue that holds well over 700 people. It was so quiet that I did think some people had fallen asleep. Oh and come on weather Gods, it was the end of June for Juno's sake, please give us some warmth and keep the rain and cold away!

If you like "heavy" Shakespeare, this is not the play for you.




citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #95 on: 28 June, 2017, 01:16:38 pm »
If you like "heavy" Shakespeare, this is not the play for you.

Sounds good to me! I think my tastes are too modern for Shakespeare - I can appreciate the wit and wordplay, but generally I find Shakespeare an ordeal. Still keen to see Tamsin Greig in Twelfth Night if I get the chance though.

Last play I went to see was a local am-dram production of Boeing-Boeing - a "classic" 1960s bedroom farce - which was their entry for the Kent Drama Festival. And they won 'Best Play' for it. It was very enjoyable, convincingly acted (good consistent accents throughout) and tightly directed with lots of pace and verve, and plenty of belly laughs, but the play itself seems horribly outdated. Just about the only box not ticked on the list of farce tropes was a vicar losing his trousers.

Wikipedia tells me it was revived in the West End in 2007 with Roger Allam, Frances de la Tour, Mark Rylance, Tamzin Outhwaite, Daisy Beaumont and Michelle Gomez, which seems just about perfect casting - would have liked to see that.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #96 on: 01 July, 2017, 12:07:08 am »
Only connect....


I was reading a comic in which someone gets their hand crushed,,, http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3513


Which lead me to google the legendary "Shake Hands" scene from "Boys From The Blackstuff"


Which lead to me watching the original play, "The Blackstuff".   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duhykhvV36g      I remember watching the original broadcast of this in 1980 when I was 16.


,
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

CrinklyLion

  • The one with devious, cake-pushing ways....
Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #97 on: 16 November, 2017, 07:57:34 am »
Rita, Sue and Bob Too at York Theatre Royal, with CrinklyAuntie and my next door neighbour - the mother of the SmallestSuperheroNextDoor.  We all remember watching the film as teenagers, so when the email turned up advertising it I decided I'd be daft to miss the stage version.
Theey weren't joking when they warned us at the box office that it contained strong language and nudity... I'm quite glad that I decided against booking the available front row sats and went one row back.

Strong cast, well-designed set and lighting, evocative music of my teens, without the black lace - at the cast Q&A afterwards they said they always get asked why they don't use the gang bang song.  As per the original script Bob is played as late twenties rather than the older character in the film and was played as fairly charming - the actor said that some audience members felt he should be more 'slimey' but a) basically he needed to try and play Bob as a person, with motivations and reasons for his behaviour and b) I reckon part of the point is that abusers don't have it tattooed on their foreheads and are often at some level 'appealing'.  The cast didn't need to be judgemental about the characters, because that is the audience's job - it's right there in the script that Bob is verbally and physically violent towards his wife and his kids, and obvious that he knows that 'going with' the teenages is unacceptable - he himself says that he 'wouldn't do that' because they are 'kids' and 'too young'.   The two actors playing Rita and Sue were utterly convincing as teenagers.  I'd been interested to see whether and how they would change it 35 years later on, when the plotlines about grooming, unemployment and social deprivation are so very topical.  They played it historically and very straight from the script so it was distinctly 80-tastic - some of the costumes were a wonder of nostalgia - and it was hilarious for all the right reasons.  It felt like a period piece (and, being of a similar vintage myself, there was some nostalgia in there for me - I remember watching the film and it being quite the rudest thing I'd ever seen on normal telly in my mid-teens) but it's a relevant period piece.  The actor who played Michelle commented afterwards that it had been thematically a bit miserable/gruelling/challenging in rehearsal and after weeks locked in that world they were all a bit shocked when they performed to an audience, got massive laughs and remembered that it is actually a comedy, albeit a dark one.  Highly recommended.

http://www.outofjoint.co.uk/production/rita-sue-and-bob-too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQqGsVdfUDE

The actor playing Bob had quite the most _expressive_ buttocks I've ever seen in my life...

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
  • Help me!
Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #98 on: 29 January, 2018, 02:49:10 pm »
Well, not really a play, but it involved actors acting within a large theatre.
Last night we attended 'Fawlty Towers - The Dining Experience' in Cardiff.
Obviously not performed on a stage, but in the theatre restaurant, which had been completely taken over for the event.
I quite enjoyed it once I'd got over the frankly, poor quality of the food.  (I had to keep reminding myself that was not really the reason we were there)
The three actors (Basil, Sybil and Manuel) worked very hard and managed to entertain well throughout.
Audience mostly 40s upward and ranged from those who could probably recite every episode line by line (me) to a young couple we chatted to who'd never seen it.

Would I recommend?  Not sure.

I believe this run is drawing to a close, but they did mention their next production will be 'The Wedding Reception' where you will be guests. 
There has to be a fight scene, surely?
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: What was the last play you watched?
« Reply #99 on: 03 February, 2018, 11:04:52 pm »
This evening. Lady Windermere ‘s Fan. Vaudeville Theatre. Directed by Kathy Burke. Very good indeed.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.