25 replies to this topic

[Backdrifter]

Anyone seen this yet? I'm seeing it at Richmond tomorrow.

Kris Marshall gave a very grumpy-sounding interview about it in the local rag last week.

[Marius]

Im seeing it on 24th Feb, am looking forward to it as I think it has a great cast.

[Mark]

Im seeing it on 24th Feb, am looking forward to it as I think it has a great cast.

Saw it in Bath last Friday and wasn't too impressed. The set is pretty cool when you walk into the theatre, and it's a strong cast, but it didn't get a great reception. People were shuffling with boredom for the whole thing. To be honest though, I think it's the play that's the problem, not the production. Definitely worth seeing for the cast though.

[Backdrifter]

Saw it last night and it was okay. It's not a great play, though. It's a bit like one of those Terry Johnson plays where you get some good lines and a few sparky scenes and overall the journey is quite enjoyable but there's no destination worth arriving at. I didn't think Piper was as bad as Brian found, and certainly wouldn't say she "can't act". At first, she was a bit colourless and insipid but gradually warmed up. Odd accent though. However, it's not a very good role for anyone, really. I'm not sure there's much even the best actor could do with it. The play leans too heavily on the role played by Kris Marshall, and depends too much on him for providing drive and momentum. The other male lead is deliberately blank and uninteresting.

The set mechanics are nice but a bit pointless, and their repeated use during the scene changes got a bit tiresome.

Piper looks really lovely in the flesh.

[Backdrifter]

Just to back up what Mark found, the audience at Richmond weren't exactly overflowing with enthusiasm. However, that might be because most of them were far too busy coughing out loud. I never get this - why can't people do anything to suppress or mask it? Instead they go for the full-blown, top-volume, no-holds-barred phlegm-ridden rasping hack.

Richmond audiences are possibly the most consistently annoying in my experience. Last night in addition to people coughing to Olympic standards we had the requisite quota of the elderly slowly and loudly unwrapping crinkly sweet wrappers, people audibly telling each other what's happening a few yards in front of them on stage, and the post-interval ice-cream tub scrapers.