Paid Members Carbomb Posted March 8 Paid Members Share Posted March 8 I adore the Barbican, and it's ridiculous to me that I don't spend more time there. The architecture is decent (I prefer the South Bank for brutalism), but the atmosphere of the place is something I'd like to immerse myself in more often. Reckon I should move the office there once in a while. The theatre itself is one of my favourite theatres in London; just very comfortable and relaxed. Went to see Antigone there, with Juliette Binoche, some years ago, and the production was superb, but the general feel of theatre also contributed to it in a big way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 2 hours ago, SuperBacon said: The whole area is full of beautiful brutalist architecture. For me, it's the most unique part of London. Totally on-brand, I follow a few Brutalist accounts on instagram and one of them posted it yesterday! The septics loved it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyattSheepMask Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 2 hours ago, Hannibal Scorch said: It's a tough one. Because the Barbican I would assume would not want a full time production. But it's a small, intimate venue and it's a good stage size for the show. On the other hand, bigger theatre, bigger staging, potentially bigger audience (I know its not THAT far out but you can imagine if people are looking to see a show on the day they are buying from TKTS and going to one of the West End venues). It's had 2 pretty sold out seasons, so you'd like to think the Barbican would be open to it being a regular thing, but wonder what RSC are thinking, That’s what I was meaning, my fault for not being clear. Run it every 12 or 18 months or so for a 3 month run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathrey Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 9 hours ago, Hannibal Scorch said: I finally got to see My Neighbour Totoro yesterday. I felt mixed on it.  Reveal hidden contents The staging is incredible. The first time we saw Totoro we say there in shock, absolutely breathtaking. The puppetry throughout is incredible. However, we felt the pacing was off, a few things which could either of been trimmed or cut entirely out (the second act was especially bad for this). It ends up being an 86 minute film turned into 165 minute performance. In fact when the first half ended we wondered if it was the end (and we were already satisfied at that point with what we'd seen). I still recommend it, one of the most incredible things I have seen in a theatre, despite those issues. My husband and my siblings went to watch it yesterday too - I had to stay home to look after the kids - they unanimously loved it. Listening to them talk about it made me really feel like I missed out, I hope I get to see it one day. My sister is booked to see Spirited Away later this year and is now even more incredibly excited about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted March 21 Paid Members Share Posted March 21 Last night was The Motive and The Cue at the Noel Coward Theatre. It's about the 1964 New York production of Hamlet, with Richard Burton as Hamlet, directed by John Gielgud, and how they clashed during rehearsals. Mark Gatiss as Gielgud, Johnny Flynn as Burton. I was expecting a smaller cast with the focus being solely on those two, but there's a strong supporting cast with it too. I thought it was slow getting started, and it took me a while to get into Flynn being Burton rather than just feeling like he was doing an impression of him, but by the end he was absolutely nailing it - I can only imagine how daunting it must be to get cast as either of the lead roles in this, "oh yeah, you're going to be playing one of the greatest actors of all time playing Hamlet, go for it". Gatiss was weaker as Gielgud - it bounced from feeling like Gatiss doing an impression to Gatiss playing smarmy older gentlemen the same way he's been doing it since League Of Gentlemen, but actually I think that's because he's always done a bit of Gielgud in those roles in the first place. By the end I was buying into him, though, as the character got a lot more to work with in the second half. It's pretentious and indulgent - when my friend's Mum saw Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen do Waiting For Godot, she said it was just "luvvies being luvvies", and you don't get much more luvvies being luvvies than actors playing actors in a play about acting in a play that is itself also in part about acting, with everyone getting a chance to do a bit of Shakespeare. Luckily, I bloody love actors acting about acting and luvvies being luvvies, so I thought it was fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Carbomb Posted April 3 Paid Members Share Posted April 3 Just seen an advert for National Theatre Live (where they broadcast plays to cinemas) for Nye - Michael Sheen playing Aneurin Bevan. Seems a lot of my local cinemas are showing it from 23rd April, so going to try to get tickets (shouldn't be difficult, I imagine it'd be a bit niche for some). https://nye.ntlive.com/synopsis/ Quote  Michael Sheen plays Nye Bevan in a surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state and created the NHS.  Confronted with death, Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan’s deepest memories lead him on a mind-bending journey back through his life; from childhood to mining underground, Parliament and fights with Churchill. Written by Tim Price and directed by Rufus Norris (Small Island), this epic new Welsh fantasia will be broadcast live from the National Theatre.   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Nexus Posted April 3 Paid Members Share Posted April 3 My wife has got us tickets to see that; looking forward to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Weezenal Posted April 3 Paid Members Share Posted April 3 Aren’t those NT Live ones at the cinema almost as much as a ticket for the theatre? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyattSheepMask Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 1 hour ago, Weezenal said: Aren’t those NT Live ones at the cinema almost as much as a ticket for the theatre? They're more than a regular ticket, but cheaper than going to the theatre itself. £15-£20 seems to be the going rate for those kind of screenings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westlondonmist Posted April 11 Share Posted April 11 Wasn't sure where to put this. I took my son to the theatre today. We saw Sooty and it was great fun. The parents and grandparents often more engaged as they had watched the show as kids. It's amazing a hand puppet can age so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted April 11 Share Posted April 11 (edited) 8 minutes ago, westlondonmist said: Wasn't sure where to put this. I took my son to the theatre today. We saw Sooty and it was great fun. The parents and grandparents often more engaged as they had watched the show as kids. It's amazing a hand puppet can age so well. How wonderful! When I was very young my aunt lived in Camberley, and to get there we had to pass Sootys house (of course humans lived there but it was primarily HIS house)Â There was the production truck parked out front, IIRC it was a black truck with pictures of Sooty all over it. Top fun, Sooty is an all time hero. Edit: this was it, in my head it was much bigger. Edited April 11 by SuperBacon Harry Ramsden was Matthew Corbetts great uncle you know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westlondonmist Posted April 11 Share Posted April 11 I was aware of that Harry Ramsden fact actually. Matthew Corbett was at a show in Crawley last week. Bet some of the parents were well chuffed.  To anybody who ever fancies it, the show is a mix of usual sooty slapstick, crowd involvement, singing and magic. The kids can have a pic taken with Sooty and Richard Cadell after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members ReturnOfTheMack Posted April 11 Paid Members Share Posted April 11 Not just the kids. When I worked at a theatre I twice, while working, got my photo taken with Sooty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westlondonmist Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 Went to see Northern Comedy Theatre (it was in London), did a show called Doing the Dead. Shame there was only about 30 people because it was hillarious, when the troupe come back down with a new show I'll be there. These small chamber plays are often ignored but they can be brilliant.  It had a guy called Steve Arnold, who apparently was in Corrie for 15 years in. My mum knew he was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 14 minutes ago, westlondonmist said: Â It had a guy called Steve Arnold That's our Ashley, I said that's our Ashley! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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