17 replies to this topic

[ellen]

Skylight - why do you represent yourself with a galloping dildo?

Just curious

E

[Reich]

But for me, the play wasn't funny enough for a comedy or moving enough for a drama or insightful enough for anything else.  There were some good moments (I liked all the odd stuff about the man who accompanied the older couple on their honeymoon and there was some good knockabout stuff about the young couple trying to have some privacy) and I liked the design, but it didn't build to anything special and seemed a bit over-long as well.  Two of my friends discussed leaving at the interval so that wasn't great and the second half seemed a bit of a let down.  It ended up being a bit of an 'eh?' evening.

Quite agree.

It was quite log and the first act really did drag. I also wanted to leave at the interval. However I did stay and I'm pleased I did. I liked the themes but just didn't like a lot of the hammy jokes and some very poor acting and don't get me started on the accents!

I find with Hynter is that he is good at telling a story but never anything more then that. I'm not sure how mny insights he has on any of the work he does. If I feel like this after the Rose T then I will give him a miss for quite a while. Generally, I don't really enjoy his work.  

[Jan Brock]

A question (I haven't seen this). Is it set in the present day, or at the time the play was written ? (1960s)

[armadillo]

It's set in the present.

[Jan Brock]

It's set in the present.

It's interesting how the English plays of the 1960's (Rafta Rafta) and 1920's (Hobson's Choice) are deemed to be representative depictions of parts of the Asian community of the 21st century.

Also, it is interesting how these classic English plays these days only get a run out in London when packaged in this ethnic way, or as radical re-interpretations (An Inspector Calls)  (though they remain unchanged in the amateur repetoire).

I'd like to see NT revive "Spring and Port Wine" or "When We Are Married" as-written with a top cast, and ethnic/mixed casting in more modern works (eg. Pinter).

[armadillo]

Well, the idea of married couples living with their parents for reasons that are not entirely economic necessity is more accepted in the Asian community than among other communities so it does make sense (though the resolution of the accommodation issue in Rafta Rafta makes no sense at all. I can't remember the original ending - do the young couple get a council flat?). But I don't see anything wrong with adapting classics in this way - we do it all the time with Shakespeare so why not more modern works?  

Has anyone seen any Priestley recently that hasn't been jazzed up? There was a revival of  I Have Been Here Before at Nottingham (or possibly Northampton) recently which got absolutely atrocious reviews. I suspect that few of Priestley's plays have really stood the test of time. When We Were Married still gets done occasionally I think but I'm not sure how funny it seems now (not very, judging by a radio version of a few years ago). Perhaps The Good Companions needs another airing - it would be interesting to see the NT tackle a British-set musical.

[Jan Brock]

Well, the idea of married couples living with their parents for reasons that are not entirely economic necessity is more accepted in the Asian community than among other communities so it does make sense (though the resolution of the accommodation issue in Rafta Rafta makes no sense at all. I can't remember the original ending - do the young couple get a council flat?). But I don't see anything wrong with adapting classics in this way - we do it all the time with Shakespeare so why not more modern works?  

..... Perhaps The Good Companions needs another airing - it would be interesting to see the NT tackle a British-set musical.

It just seems a little patronising to me - if it was revived with a non-Asian cast it would surely be set in period. I suppose I may be oversensitive to this as I was somewhat offended by NH's depiction of the tobacconist in "The Alchemist" as a Pakistani straight out of a 1970's sitcom.

The Good Companions - maybe - but the British musical the NT should really revive is Blitz ! - Adrian Noble was planning this at one point for RSC but it never materialised.

[Reich]

It just seems a little patronising to me - if it was revived with a non-Asian cast it would surely be set in period. I suppose I may be oversensitive to this as I was somewhat offended by NH's depiction of the tobacconist in "The Alchemist" as a Pakistani straight out of a 1970's sitcom.

I quite agree.

I also found Rafta Rafta quite bad in parts as well. A lot of white friends told me it was accurate. But as a Social Worker in a very asian area I really don't agree.