224 replies to this topic

[paplazaroo]

Backdrifter, on 14 February 2013 - 09:47 AM, said:

You choose to believe Shakespeare would be turning in his grave, while I choose to believe he would be pleased at the breadth of treatment his work is still receiving 400 years on, and that we weren't just attempting to recreate the practices of his time.

Here here, and this is a fine production. I think most people can follow it, I know a whole schoolclass full of teenage girls who were there when I was seemed to love it, granted they probably studied it. I'm all for directors putting a spin on things, I get bored of dreary traditional productions, though I did like the recent Twelfth Night, I also preferred the updated Richard 3rd of Mckellen or Spacey to Rylance's jolly romp of Richard. This production is very in your face and will speak to generations brought up on Tarrantino and Call of Duty but that isn't a bad thing.

[Lynette]

No problem with Tarentino or anyone else but Steve says he couldn't understand the plot. Basic, no?

I loved the Donmar JC, hated the Young Vic Hamlet. Make of it what you will.

[Backdrifter]

Steve's not understanding the plot, while unfortunate for him and of course marring his enjoyment,  is not a definitive comment on the production. Some will have both enjoyed and understood it, some might have not fully understood the plot but enjoyed the production in a general sense, etc etc. Your second sentence about the Donmar and Y Vic productions sums it up perfectly - two very distinctive modern takes on Shakespeare and, for you, one good and one not.

[Poly]

While seeing Shakespeare regularly, I haven't seen Macbeth before. And whatever else you think about this production, it's as clear as it gets. (Note: english is not my first language but I have seen enough Shakespeare to know that 1) you don't have to understand every single word to enjoy it and 2) plots can be a little thin. The plot of Macbeth is someone taking a wrong turn and starts a killing spree he can't control or stop. Nothing much else is happening).

There are several good things about the production, not least James McAvoy. I was truly impressed with him: he is very comfortable with the language, everything he says seems natural and fresh. He is tremendously engaging, and a very charismatic strong presence. His Macbeth has a lot of shade and light. And for someone who normally looks like a sweet boy, he does the warrior thing very well. So all and all, a stellar performance.

The weakness of the production was that when he was not there, things stalled. That was particularly noticeable at the first 30 minutes of the second half: after an exciting first half, the second half lost momentum and never quire recovered. Some things can improve, especially at the very end (some ideas looked good but not quite coming off, and that will probably get sorted till press night).

[RedRose]

Backdrifter, on 14 February 2013 - 09:47 AM, said:

But yes I'd agree - Steve, see Macbeth again sometime, a different production that will hopefully work better for you. It's a great play.

Yes, why not see the Globe version with the amazing Joseph Millson?!

[RedRose]

RedRose, on 13 February 2013 - 12:39 AM, said:

Does anybody know how many day seats are available and if you can get one or two?

Answering my own question: yes it's up to two tickets per person, 10 in a whole - last row EE of the stage seats. View is fantastic. And you are really in the middle of the action. They are on a comfortably padded bench. Problem with it is that the footrest is very low and narow which only makes it comfortable for tall people with small feet, but for 10£  it's a bargain and you can stand up without distracting someone behind you.

Got there at 8:15, was third in line, last person of 7 who got a ticket arrived at 9:45, officially they sell the vouchers for the tickets at 10:30, you can pick them up from 18:30.

I quite agree with what poly has mentioned - McAvoy is very good - and I really like his scene with Claire Foy- but the whole thing especially the second part still needs some work. And I didn't like Jamie Ballard's performance as Macduff, didn't touch me but bored me.

I'm sure this can become a fantastic productions if they get rid of the flaws, but as a total thing I think I prefer the Donmar Julius Caesar as a modern Shakespeare - and I liked the Young Vic Hamlet, too.

[Front Row Dress]

I really enjoyed this. It did take around 15 minutes to settle in, but then it was a real gory, exciting, crowd-pleasing ride. James McAvoy made a fine Macbeth, but Jamie Ballard's Macduff was astonishing, even when a girl on the front row of the stage seats decided to put eye drops in during a pivotal second act scene. More on the the blog as usual http://www.frontrowd...aturday-16.html

[serpentstoooth]

long time lurker, started a blog and reviewed this, I really enjoyed it! agree with front row dress about Ballard's amazing Macduff. Read more on my blog - http://serpents-toot...with-james.html

[Latecomer]

Welcome ye serpentstooth!

[mallardo]

Indeed, an excellent review.  I have stage seats myself so I'm glad to learn that the view is better than it was for Equus.  A small note, "flaccid" has two c's.