One Touch Theatre

[jameswba]

Thought that Twelfth Night was a great production, but the performances were over-pantomimed at times, particularly Toby Belch and Malvolia, though it was a nice slant on the latter to play her as the victim of obscene bullying.

I wonder how else you can play Malvolio/Malvolia nowadays. I'd only seen one production of Twelfth Night before this one ; a hippy, flower-power themed performance, at the Victoria Theatre in Stoke c1990, and everything involving Mavolio from the yellow socks and cross-garters onwards was highly uncomfortable to watch in that one too. Shakespeare was empathetic enough to have Olivia say near the end that Malvolio has been 'most notoriously abused' but still I guess audiences of his time would have taken his (her) story more as straight comedy.

I was looking forward to the music and songs in this production (the NT one) and wasn't disappointed.

I agree about Treasure Island - Long John Silver rather carries it after his introduction, though I think that's true of the book too. Not sure why they added characters to the production either ; if anything they'd have been better cutting one or two out.

I'm going to watch Frankenstein over the weekend.

[Sam]

Wish I'd ducked into this thread 48 hours ago, as we only realised this evening that the NT YouTube streams are only online for a week. We were hoping to use my girlfriend's day off for IWD on Friday to finally sit down to Twelfth Night. We'll be happy enough with Frankenstein instead, though (followed by the Globe's Romeo and Juliet later in the weekend).

[jameswba]

I wish I'd realised it a bit sooner too, as I'm sorry to have missed the Jane Eyre one. A colleague saw it, and her verdict is the opposite of johnr's, which just makes me more curious.

[Ray de Galles]

We watched the NT Frankenstein last night, with Cumberbatch as the monster. The opening five or ten minutes of him flapping around like a landed fish didn't bode well but once it got going I thought it was excellent.

Both the leads were impressive as well as Naomi Harris and Karl Johnson in their supporting roles (though, tbh, Frankenstein himself is almost a supporting role in this version as it's so monster-centric).

I had been told how much of Danny Boyle's visuals were clearly later replicated for his Olympic opening ceremony and they were absolutely stunning. Another production I'm kicking myself for not seeing originally but very pleased to finally catch up with.

[Benjm]

I went to see Antony and Cleopatra with Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo, which is coming on tonight. It was an excellent production with great performances by the leads and supporting cast. It is a long play though. I can imagine that watching it at home with distractions more readily to hand might be more of a test, rather as home viewers seemed to find with The Irishman.

[johnr]

I haven't had any distractions - apart from a few minutes for the NHS/Carers Clap - but I've had to leave ms johnr to the rest of it, it's driving me nuts; I get why they're not playing Cleopatra as winsome and seductive, but Okonedo just keeps shouting at me. Fiennes is hopelessly miscast, the fella who played Belch the other week is even worse in this one - why can't he talk properly? - the costumes are ill-thought out, and the set is pedestrian. I can't imagine what possessed them to bring the play on - they're not the RSC, they don't have to do Shakespeare, and they've brought nothing interesting to the telling of it. And why can't any theatre cast, anywhere, play drunk people?

All imho of course, and Benjm I completely respect yours.

[Benjm]

Heh, I remember enjoying it at the time; if I watched it now I might find myself agreeing with you, johnr.

Without wanting to sound shallow, there is something about star power in the room that doesn't translate to filmed performances, because you can watch even the biggest names on TV every day if you want to.

[johnr]

Yeah, I take your point. As mentioned upthread, the reason I like the screen versions is that I tend to get 'closer' to the actors than I would normally be prepared to pay for. The flipside of this is that one of the reasons Okinedo is shouting so much is to project to the auditorium, rather than the screen, so I am maybe being harsh on her.

There is a good debate to be had about how/whether stage performances should be in any way 'adapted' for the screen. Of course, my instinct is to say 'no' - but having worked for a couple of the national companies I was/am of the opinion that they need to do a whole lot more to widen their offer away from London. I know there's chat/worries going on in some bigwig circles about how cultural organisations will (have to) be changed as they come out of the pandemic. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some serious thought in this area.

[Nefertiti2]

This is a shame

https://twitter.com/thestage/status/1258028006834089985?s=21

[Nefertiti2]

Complicite's the Encounter is streaming until Monday

Use headphones....

[Hot Pepsi]

Watching NT doing Streetcar Named Desire. I’ve never seen it in any form. I just know about Brando screaming STELLA!!

It’s got Ben Foster (Stanley), Gillian Anderson (Blanche) and Vanessa Kirby (Stella!).

Impressive cast.

Blanche is a bit OTT, but that’s the point, i guess. I don’t know if anyone from Louisiana actually talks like that or if that’s just how the character is written. I’m sure there are a million papers and dissertations written about her from a womanyst perspective.

And is Stanley supposed to be from Chicago?

[johnr]

Amazing performance by Anderson. What a character Blanche is.

I thought Foster was hopeless as Kowalski - I don't think he should even have tried to capture the menace of Brando, but his character had no grounding, no core, he just seemed to vacillate with whatever was in front of him.

I spent much of the three hours - very worthwhile though it was - trying to work out what accent the actor playing Stella was going for.

Re Encounter - I saw that on stage, would highly recommend it, as Nef says with headphones on.

[Hot Pepsi]

I think he’s going for “erratic” and “volatile.” Not really menacing.

I think Kirby’s accent is kinda non-specific southern/midwestern US. I don’t know if she’s going for something and missing or making a choice to sound a bit less patrician than Blanche.

[Ray de Galles]

My family and I watched the Nottingham Playhouse version of 'The Madness of King George III' tonight as part of the National Theatre's streaming season. Mark Gatiss and Adrian Scarborough were both excellent and Alan Bennett's script is unsurprisingly excellent. The medical treatment scenes were more gruesome than we expected but the scatalogical humour was particularly welcomed by the children.

I realised I've never seen the film which I aim to put right soon.

[MsD]

Blanche is a bit OTT, but that’s the point, i guess. I don’t know if anyone from Louisiana actually talks like that or if that’s just how the character is written. I’m sure there are a million papers and dissertations written about her from a womanyst perspective.

"I don't want realism - I want magic!"

[Ray de Galles]

We watched the live broadcast of Duncan Macmillan's 'Lungs' from The Old Vic tonight. Matt Smith and Claire Foy reprising their roles in the two-hander performed in a stripped down format to an empty auditorium and broadcast to 1000 people (the capacity of the venue) to raise money for the theatre.

It worked really well, purely driven by the strength of the excellent performances from both actors as well as the sharpness and humour of the script. I didn't see the original production but other people who have told me this compared well. One advantage was the ability to focus on the actor's faces, Foy especially was amazingly expressive.

[slackster]

There’s a nice series on “forgotten” plays running in The Graun. Obviously drama can date and fall out of fashion like other literature/arts, but theatre seems particularly susceptible to “hot” shows disappearing without much trace. Of the 7 plays featured so far, I know 3 of them, and seen 2 in their heyday.

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/20...-barry-reckord

[Ray de Galles]

We saw Andrew Scott in another 'Old Vic - In Camera' performance last night, of Stephen Beresford's (best know as the writer of the movie 'Pride', I imagine) new play 'Three Kings'.

It's a solo piece written specifically for Scott and he is, predictably, excellent in it. He really is an electric performer and his portrayal of the four or five characters is captivating. It's only a short piece, a little over an hour long, bit put he packs so much in to it.

I've never seen Scott live in the theatre but I'll hopefully be putting that right when they open again, I hope he'll reprise this play as I'd love to see it in person.

[Levin]

Did anyone see Jerusalem with Mark Rylance and Mackenzie Crook on its initial run? I'm trying to decide if I want to spend £85 or £125 per ticket for a play that's on next year.

[slackster]

Up that Cardiff yesterday to see Madama Butterfly done by WNO at The Millennium Centre.

Great set, good singing, and a decent full orchestra. A very impressive newish theatre space with superb acoustics for opera down in the Bay (old docks) waterfront development, and top price tickets weren’t eye-wateringly expensive considering the scope of the production.

The plot might seem a bit iffy these days (older US Navy Officer has his way with 15 yo Geisha in Nagasaki and then callously discards her for a “proper” American wife), but WNO have updated the story to highlight the colonial aspects of the story which was based upon a circa 1900 short story and subsequent play that Puccini saw in London- causing some muttering about “wokeness” amongst Torygraph types, but there’s some fine tunes and music.

[Benjm]

I bought a ticket for Cush Jumbo's Hamlet at the Young Vic next week. I'm usually wary of the play on length grounds but Jumbo has been very good in other things and I just fancied going to the theatre again. I also booked for Best of Enemies at the same theatre between Christmas and New Year. It's a new play by James Graham about the televised clashes between Gore Vidal and William F Buckley Jr. in the late '60s. I really enjoyed Graham's This House, on the dying days of the Callaghan Labour government, so am looking forward to it, although casting hasn't been confirmed yet, which will be a big factor in how well it works. It's good that the Young Vic has some appealing prospects as nothing coming up at the National has really caught my eye.

[gt3]

Did anyone see Jerusalem with Mark Rylance and Mackenzie Crook on its initial run? I'm trying to decide if I want to spend £85 or £125 per ticket for a play that's on next year.

Saw it second time round. Do it. Worth every penny.

Also pleased to see that Punchdrunk are moving into a purpose built space just down the road from me here in Woolwich. It's a wonderful space

https://www.woolwich.works/whats-on

[MsD]

Going to add the ballet to this - Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Opera House. Very traditional, very beautiful. Romeo and Juliet looking like plausible teenagers. Amazing sets and attention to detail even in what the background dancers are doing. Loved every minute.

I've booked Wiltons for March - my favourite dance company, Mark Bruce, are doing a new ballet there, called Phantoms. It seems to be a three-parter. If you're interested you can look it up. It's a great venue for ballets although of course they can't compete with the spectacular sets at the ROH or Sadler's Wells. Mark Bruce's company are amazingly inventive with their minimalist sets, though.

[Hot Pepsi]

Last night, I saw A Midsummer Night's Dream at Penn State's Pavillion Theatre. The audience all had to wear masks but the actors didn't. We were assured their vaccinated.

It was great. Very good value too.

I don't think I'd been in that theater since going to see some kind of production for kids when I was about 5. So the space is much smaller than I recall. In my mind, it was huge and cavernous.

[Benjm]

Bah, the performance that I was going to of The Young Vic's Best of Enemies, about Gore Vidal and William F Buckley, has been cancelled with no opportunity to rebook during the short run, even if theatres stay open after Christmas. It had received rave reviews so that is disappointing. I've used the credit to book for The Collaboration, in the spring at the same theatre. In another historical pairing, this will have Paul Bettany and Jeremy Pope playing Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.