Theatre 2015

[*Gullsworth*]

You are the world.

Yes yes I believe I am!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I went to the evening performance that day, I think I saw a different play ? I do not go to the theatre often if at all and this was my first visit to the Theatre Royal and also my first experience of an Alan Bennett play. Overall it was very underwhelming and weak. I wasn't sure if it was an attempt at a comedy,a drama or a comedy drama, it failed on all three counts. I had no empathy with any of the characters although they acted well I could not grasp the significance of most of the dialogue especially when the whole cast started gibbering on in French.

One of the " Boy's " seemed to be a camp incarnation of a young Alan Bennett with a whiney Northern accent delivering meaningless little rambles to the audience. If ever they do a stage show of It 'Aint half Hot Mum he will be a shoe in for Gunner 'Gloria' Beaumont .

I didn't know what to expect as I had not read the book or seen the film but expected to be entertained at least. There seemed to be no message contained within the play and within about 20 minutes I knew I was in for a long evening. I have not been this disappointed since being treated to a " surprise " trip to the West End to see Starlight Express, for the uninitiated, this involves the cast going around the stage on roller skates wearing train shaped helmets, singing " I'm a Steam Train " " I'm a Diesel Train "I'm an Electric Train ".
Finally there were some strange sexual references in the play which were quite distasteful, is Alan Bennett gay or been the victim of abuse at some point in his school days ? was this autobiographical ? It certainly wasn't funny. I felt awkward for the "Boy " who had to deliver these lines.

It seems that this has been voted Britain's Favourite Play, if so,I shan't be venturing out to another Bennett play as I would hate to see an average one after sitting through this.

Fair enough - it would be boring if we all liked the same things.

I love Alan Bennett's work, and as a teacher, this particular play is particularly relevant, and has many obvious 'messages' related to teaching to broaden the mind versus teaching to get results/climb league tables etc.

Yes, Alan Bennett is gay. I thought that Stephen Roberts was brilliant as Posner, the gay student, and don't feel that he was in the least bit awkward.

As for the French bits - you are probably right - it didn't cross my mind at the time, as I speak French quite well, and understood what was going on.

I go to the Theatre 5 or 6 times a year, and love the Theatre Royal. This was one of my favourite plays for a while, since Comedy of Errors last summer in fact.

Each to his own!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

.

PS why weren't you watching the rugby?

I rarely watch rugby. Sometimes I try, but it doesn't take long for me to seek out the nearest newly painted wall.

 

[Mr Albion]

There's a new theatre in Brighton called The Rialto, catch the next A Slice of Saturday Night (Ran in West End for 10 years) in April, it's called Sin and Salvation and is by the same writers. Rialtotheatre.co.uk

 

[Lush]

This was one of my favourite plays for a while, since Comedy of Errors last summer in fact.

Comedy of Errors was great - any Propellor productions are must-sees even if you think you don't like Shakespeare.

I did enjoy The History Boys - the cast was excellent. Arcadia was tough going in places, but worth the effort.

 

[vegster]

Fair enough - it would be boring if we all liked the same things.

I love Alan Bennett's work, and as a teacher, this particular play is particularly relevant, and has many obvious 'messages' related to teaching to broaden the mind versus teaching to get results/climb league tables etc.

Yes, Alan Bennett is gay. I thought that Stephen Roberts was brilliant as Posner, the gay student, and don't feel that he was in the least bit awkward.

As for the French bits - you are probably right - it didn't cross my mind at the time, as I speak French quite well, and understood what was going on.

I go to the Theatre 5 or 6 times a year, and love the Theatre Royal. This was one of my favourite plays for a while, since Comedy of Errors last summer in fact.

Each to his own!

Sorry, I didn't mean he was awkward, I meant I felt awkward for the young actor given the lines referring to cxxx sucking. To give you a little pointer about my level of French, in 1973, the end of year French test, my last year of learning French at the age of 13 . I was 3rd in my class of 32 boys, I was beaten to first place by a boy whose mother was French and one of the school swots, my 3rd place was cemented with a score of 21%. Honest.

 

[Gwylan]

I genuinely drifted off for a while as I just did not care, is that my fault or the fault of the cast/ play I wonder ?

As I said in my review, the production did stint on the comedic elements to hammer home the message but I thought it was pretty well acted and while not up to the standard of the National production was pretty good

Lucky you didn't go and see Arcadia the week before.

Really upset I missed that, I love Arcadia - a wonderful play. I was in the middle of a nightmare project and was working every night

I wish we had something like Chichester's smaller Minerva Theatre in Brighton.

We will have when the Attenborough Centre opens in the autumn

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I'm not sure if it counts, but I saw the Book of Mormon last Friday in the West End.

It was exceedingly rude.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I do, however, plan on seeing more Proper Theatre this year, so please may I remain on this thread?

 

[Zukey Seagull]

The only show I have seen is "Blood Brothers"
It was excellent

 

[Kenhead]

I too saw "The History Boys' went on the back of it being voted Britain's best play and even though I enjoyed it for the most part I wouldn't say it was my favorite. I suppose I went in with higher than normal expectations.

Have also got tickets for Dead Simple, having seen Peter James short story play adaptation 'The Perfect Murder' last year and have read the book, I think this one could improve on he's first stage show. Really looking forward to this.
Also got tickets for 'Saturday Night Fever' at the beginning of March.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I too saw "The History Boys' went on the back of it being voted Britain's best play and even though I enjoyed it for the most part I wouldn't say it was my favorite. I suppose I went in with higher than normal expectations.

Have also got tickets for Dead Simple, having seen Peter James short story play adaptation 'The Perfect Murder' last year and have read the book, I think this one could improve on he's first stage show. Really looking forward to this.
Also got tickets for 'Saturday Night Fever' at the beginning of March.

I saw The Perfect Murder too. Great fun, Les Dennis (!) was excellent. Really.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

My wife bought us tickets for The Producers at the Theatre Royal in April. The cast is certainly different - Jason Manford extending his new acting skills but also including Ross Noble and Louis Spence! Could be an interesting evening.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

I'm not sure if it counts, but I saw the Book of Mormon last Friday in the West End.

It was exceedingly rude.

Deffo counts. Very, very funny.

 

[surrey jim]

Saw Peter James Dead Simple last night, great play, well acted and well adapted for stage.

Would recomend to see,

 

[surrey jim]

Saw Peter James Dead Simple last night, great play, well acted and well adapted for stage.

Would recomend to see,.

 

[vegster]

Saw Peter James Dead Simple last night, great play, well acted and well adapted for stage.

Would recomend to see,.

Was it any better second time around ?

 

[Nitram]

Very good play saw it a few years ago. Best I've seen at the Theatre Royal is Arthur Miller's ' A view from a bridge' with Ken Stott. Birdsong, Journeys end and Three days in May with Warren Clarke were also excellent. I'll have to take another look at what's on, in the last year or so there has not been much that has taken my fancy.
Pitman painters is a must see

 

[Lush]

If you've looked are "A Mad World My Masters and thought nah - I urge you to rethink. It's an RSC production, the acting and staging is wonderful, and it's very very funny and very very rude. I saw it in Stratford a couple of years ago. If you like 'One Master, Two Guvnors' type comedy, give it a go. It's at the Theatre Royal March 10-14.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I went to Dead Simple on Saturday. A good production, I thought, a bit of humour and lots of brutality - well acted, and very clever in the way it presented the various aspects of the story. The stage direction was very good.

I sat in the Gallery, on the side, which was not ideal as parts of the stage were out of sight. Don' t sit there if you can avoid it!

Good to see that woman who used to be in Holby City wandering around in her underwear - or is that a bit shallow?