Any Theater people gonna watch the tony awards tomorrow night?

I have. I;ve seen on the town and its only a play. Would have loved to see more. I follow them all so closely that i felt like i have seen them all. Can;t wait!!! and the hosts are perfect!

haha! sure! love to! Wouldn't bee till tomorrow night though, the report. thanks! I printed out ballots and everything!

haha, always! this is my fave time of the year! my fave award show! i full on geek out!!

Actually went to a play that didn't have Damien in today! I went to an open air production of Pride and Prejudice by The Pantaloons theatre company. A great production full of humour and fun

fifi wrote:

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A few weeks ago I went to see 'Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love songs)' at Bristol Old Vic......another production by the fantastic Kneehigh Theatre Company (who also did 'Tristan and Yseult'.....which I raved about previously)  Apparently it's based on The Beggar's Opera (which I've never seen) and I really only went to see it because it was Kneehigh, and Tristan and Yseult was so brilliant.  Well - it didn't disappoint!  Dark, funny, brash, touching and disturbing.....it's the first time I've heard an entire theatre audience wimper in unison!  And the most amazing finale whose ambitions would seem more suited to a far larger venue....and so totally worked that it left me completely stunned! 

I think I preferred Tristan and Yseult because I think the storyline appealed to me more....but I will absolutely go and see anything and everything that Kneehigh produce and would totally recommend everyone else to do so too......if the opportunity arises!

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 Just a little heads up - this fantastic production is going on tour!  If you want a full on, immersive, in your face theatre experience, then I would totally recommend it!  Just do it!!

http://www.kneehigh.co.uk/show/dead-dog-in-a-suitcase-and-other-love-songs.php

I see from Damien's twitter that he went to see The Red Lion at the Dorfman the other day. And so did I! I went on Wednesday night and have to say I was surprised how moving the play was. It was really touching and sort of satisfying if you know what I mean.  You know when a play has a satisfying ending?  That actually sounds really bad as it has a very tragic ending too!  But sometimes a tragic ending is also the right ending in terms of making you feel the feelings, you know?  Supposedly it is about football, but really it is about so much more and is filled with the depth of being a human and of a life.  

I wonder whether Damien saw the same night?  I think it is possible that he did?! Catch it if you can in any case!! 

I also saw a few other plays while down there: Richard II at The Globe which I'd never been to before (it was very rainy), Bakkhai at Almeida (never been there either!  Loved it!) 1984 at the playhouse which was really immersive - made you feel like you were Winston! Everyman at the National Theatre too which was entertaining enough but I didn't really like, sorry - found it a bit shallow.  And... I think that's it!

The Ruling Class has a lot to answer for as I have been literally taking every opportunity I can to see theatre this year!  This year I've been free on Fridays so it has been great for weekends away (if not for having money for said weekends!)  However, come September I will have free Fridays no longer, so I suppose soon my many-play year will be over .  That is how it is when you don't live in London.  But what a wonderful year it has been!  

-- Edited by littleimpulse on Monday 27th of July 2015 07:55:33 AM

'Tis me again!  I saw Three Days in the Country after watching Damien with fifi... goodness... was it really only a week ago?  It feels so long ago!   I have to say it was very funny... but I didn't really like it that much myself.  I mean, it was entertaining enough I suppose but just... a bit dull really.  I made a decision during watching it that they ought to give warnings if a play is going to be "All about love." *yawn*

I just found it trivial and daft and not very interesting.  John Simm's character was both funny and sad though and Mark Gatiss while I wouldn't say he was any different to I've seen him in other stuff, certainly worked hard to provide physical comedy that did prompt laughs!

The best thing about the play though?  The set is absolutely gorgeous!  The backdrop is a Romantic painting of the country and it is so, so beautiful, and at the end light shines on it and it becomes a sunset - truly divine.  And there is this striking red door that floats in the sky for the first half but is lowered to the stage to be a door in the second.  And there are all glass panels (probably not actual glass but they look like it) that move to different positions at different times.  It really is glorious.  But probably not ideal that this was the most remarkable thing about the play.

I also saw The Mentalists with Stephen Merchant in it.  I really wanted it to be good and am so sad that I hated it so much that if I hadn't been on the front row I think I would have considered leaving at the interval...  Oh dear.  I mean I agree the world has in many respects gone too far in certain areas these days, but this play made me feel like I was trapped in some dated 70's sexist and unfunny in every aspect comedy.  It was so bad I had to buy a glass of wine in the interval.  It made me wonder: do you think some theatres intentionally put on bad plays?  They surely must make a lot more money at the bar if a play is bad...  Anyway, I also felt like the actor who wasn't Stephen Merchant kept looking at me which made it even worse as I felt like I had to laugh and it really wasn't funny!  Oh dear.  What a mess.

I hope for my next play-report to be a more positive one as this one was a sheer MOAN!

However, I ALSO went to see Henry V at Temple Church and I loved that!  I'd never been to Temple Church before but it is very beautiful and there is much of interest to see within as well. The play had a combined French and English cast (a slight shame as there were a few bits in French which it didn't really matter that I didn't understand, but am I the only person who didn't learn French at all at school?  In my secondary school classes were randomly assigned to do either French, German or Spanish in first year and then randomly assigned another language in second year and I got German and Spanish so have never had a French lesson in my life.)  Anyway, they set the play such that French and British soldiers are brought together at a hospital during the first world war and perform Henry V & this context (which could be explained in much more depth but I'll spare you!) truly makes the play so heartbreaking and poignant at several moments.  It has songs in it too!  And the crowns for the Kings are made out of ration cans.  The setting, the way the play is adapted, the acting (everyone is really close to the actors as they're just in the aisle in the middle of you) and the way the space is used (there is an effective use of the round bit of the church you're not sat in with lights and sounds to convey the battle) all comes together to make this a very special experience.  I have a feeling everyone will have heard of the young RADA graduate Freddie Stewart one day - all the actors were wonderful, but as Henry he has a real presence on stage and brought a great deal of emotion to key scenes.  Catch it if you're in London n the next few days (finishes 5th Sept so be quick!): http://www.anticdisposition.co.uk/henry-v.html and let it be noted that I am not a fan of battle-themed Shakespeare really.

I feel like I should write a little more about Bakkhai which I saw and loved as well.  But I don't know where to start in order to be succinct... and I think I've written enough for now so I shall leave my theatrical ramblings there for now!  

 

 

-- Edited by littleimpulse on Friday 4th of September 2015 06:17:09 PM

Has everyone given up on theatre? Or just not thinking about posting here? I've enjoyed reading people's impressions. We saw that Winter's Tale as a cinema broadcast, fifi - thoroughly enjoyed it. Oddly enough my favourite moment came from Branagh although I agree with you about Judi Dench - his delivery of the "Oh, she's warm" line was absolutely bang-on.

We went to see the NT's touring production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime this week (at Newcastle's Theatre Royal). I know the production has been around for five years or so, I guess we're just behind the wave! I thought it was really well staged - set design, lighting, sound and movement all used to excellent effect. The young actor playing Christopher (Sam Newton the night we saw it - I believe two actors are alternating) did a great job and there was some wonderful "acting without doing anything", particularly in the scene where Christopher and his dad are watching the rain fall. Standing still and conveying that what you're really doing is resisting the impulse to hug your son is not easy, I'm sure.

That seems to have come around quickly Sana! Hope you enjoy it!

Not exactly theatre but we're off to a silent film screening with a live pianist on Friday, hoping that will be fun!

Had to look that up to see what it is, Rosie - looks like it should be a good evening's theatre, look forward to hearing what you think of it.