Parsley

Ahead of The Low Road coming up at RC, after Clybourne Park and (for those who saw it) The Pain and The Itch, I would highly recommend this early play by Bruce Norris.

The Gate are selecting a wonderful range of new plays under the new manager there.

This was an excellent and shocking evening.

Typical Norris being challenging and witty and morbid all in quick succession.

Well worth a look I would say, made me laugh out loud and gasp at the same time!

Shame for Once that they are opening in London the same year as BOM (rather than a year later as on Broadway)

I think that they will lose a lot of attention because of this and also miss out on many of the awards categories

I have to say that I do not see Once being a massive hit (I saw the Broadway show and do think it is very good) but is too understated and minimal to please many of the musical audience fans

I also think the tickets are a tad overpriced for it and it might well have done better somewhere like the NT for a limited run

Cat6, on 22 February 2013 - 11:08 PM, said:

Are you taking the p***?!

When we have had a non-white prime minister then you may comment further!

And I wonder how many ethnic minorities relate to the monarchy?

Perhaps I imagined it, but the audience that is going to watch "The Audience" is quite self evident. Possibly an even more narrow segment of society than frequents the NT.

I had my good glasses on today so I could see quite well.

I must say that these awards a quite a massive joke

I mean they are HARDLY the Oscars, Tonys or Olivier awards

The biggest flaw is that many people will not have seen most of the shows and will just vote for what they have

On the other hand people who haven't seen a show might still vote for it...I am sure not that many people saw Curious Incident during the limited run at the NT

They are a bit pointless really and I think everyone knows this

Natalie Casey and Sheridan Smith winning something within the same awards really says it all

On a serious noted, the WOS do degrade acting in proper plays as they hardly ever reflect "proper" acting talents, meaning actors who are versatile and worthy

The Olivier categories for plays at least have respectable shortlists...and I BET Natalie Casey will not be on it

These have about much clout as those awards for "best rear" and "sexiest male"

I wonder when it will close.....I hope it is soon.....there is no reason for such a disgrace of a show to be allowed to continue to run in the WE....

A total insult to the senses and intelligence of the theatre going public...and I can only imagine how mind numbing and boring it must be for the cast...I feel sorry and embarrassed for them...

On the other hand, it does not look expensive...and probably they didn't spend that much on it and it can't be that costly to run...so it might be around for a while....shame

I feel sick thinking about when I saw it back in December....possibly the worst commercial venture that has been allowed to hit the WE in the history of theatre....not a single redeeming quality....desperately unfashionable and lacking any sophistication......totally out of place in the theatre world

Yes, I saw the original production and am seeing it tomorrow as well....I have to say it is the only time I have ever seen something twice...and I think Hampstead have been very clever in recasting with 2 actresses who people will certainly want to see onstage.

I am only speculating (shall report back more tomorrow) but I am not sure if the play loses something in a bigger space. I was very moved when I saw it last time (not quite to tears) but sitting about 1m from Tamzin Outhwaite whilst she gave the funeral speech did bring a lump to my throat.

Out of all the Hampstead Downstairs plays this one really stands out...and is easily the best play...which I think they recognised even first time round with the amazing casting they did.

Hampstead haven't quite pulled off the feat that the RC manages time and time again with their smaller auditorium and I would like to see them choose new plays more carefully and pay more detailed attention to casting in this venue. Perhaps it is next on their list, as Ed Hall has certainly managed a good job reinvigorating the main house programming!

As an afterthought, perhaps young people have been to university more recently than older people and this play brings back memories for them and evokes them with more potency...?

Interesting also to see that all the actual critics gave this 3 star reviews whilst Coveney has been rather over generous!

I just read that other excellent critic in the ES...she also thought it warranted 5 stars

Thought this was really excellent.

Maureen Lipman is simply outstanding in her role.

Initially I thought the dialogue was a bit sparse (in fact the whole play is less than 2 hours and that's including the interval).

Whilst I think the play itself had some room for improvement, less is sometimes more and there were so many thought provoking issues raised here.

It's not a satisfying story, in terms of a beginning, middle and end but for me it offered food for thought and I am still pondering some of the topics, such as ageing and should the "older" generation be helping out the financially helpless "younger" one....
Also made me wonder about friends and family, where do you draw the line and how the 2 can be blurred.....

SImply staged and something a bit different for Lipman too.....not that cheery for xmas though, I warn you!

Totally and utterly slaughtered.

They had this coming.

It's made my year.

It has restored my faith in theatre critics and also the whole point of having professional reviews.
To help guide the theatregoing public.
And to avoid them wasting their hard earned money.

I thought it was very odd that the Guardian sent a "music critic" (if you can call him that) to see a theatre show. As a result he has been rather generous with the star rating. Hah!

Otherwise:

Guardian ***
Times **
Independent **
WOS **
The Standard **
The Express **
Telegraph *
Daily Mail *
Time Out *
The Mirror- negative review
The Stage- negative review

Happy Xmas Judy Craymer!

*****************************************************************
Sorry, just read Peter Brown's review on londontheatre.co.uk and almost p***** myself laughing,

"...the production values are high and the songs are well-sung"

Front Row Dress, on 10 December 2012 - 11:10 PM, said:

I agree with you......people will come and see this and think it is somehow "British comedy".

The book is an absolute disgrace.....Jennifer Saunders was never that funny to begin with....she is a joke of sorts, yes...but that is quite a different thing.

It really upsets me, as there is so much British talent out there and so many talented comedy writers who could have offered something, anything better than this.

I am all for girl power, but this project is a bad advertisement for feminism and women in general.....although interestingly directed by a man.

Having said all this, this is shot through with Mamma Mia all over the place and that is a great success.

So there is no accounting for taste.

I forgot to comment on Lynne Page and her "choreography"....OMG.....I hope she reads this.....she should then watch any sort of modern music video and see how pop dance has progressed a bit....I generally find West End choreography is miles behind actual proper "dance".

And of the costumes......hysterically horrendous.....!

I went with my sister, who rarely goes to the theatre (usually only a few times a year)...the last thing she saw was Matilda.....felt really sorry for her...and guilty for making her come!

I wonder how many WOS and Olivier awards this will win..(sniggers)

For £67.50 (unbelievable top price, which is a day worth of average salary and hard work for most people) you can go to the opera for this price and see people who can actually sing!

But hark!.....stop and listen....it has the words "bloody" and "s***" in it....so edgy and stylish and daring and naughty....perhaps they should add a warning to give it some credibility!!

And I have just remembered the funniest line....a reference from one of the talent show judges not to sing Whitney Houston songs....oh the sheer irony of it.....

You were all right!

Seems like press night is split over today and tomorrow for this.....I simply could not wait so went tonight.

It is bad. It is really, really bad.

On the plus side I managed to catch up on all my work e mails and reply to loads of texts whilst there. Even did an excel spreadsheet!

It made The Bodyguard (which I thought was really quite okay) seem like the highest form of art (I draw a comparison purely because after quite a long barren period, 2 major musicals are opening within a few days of each other). That show at least has artistic merit and I think it shows that the director (Thea Sharrock) has a proper theatrical background.

I also think that Marianne Elliot made a nifty career move to "disengage" with Viva Forever.

I really have nothing positive to say about this. The staging reminded me of a school gymnasium. I felt deeply ashamed for Sally Ann Triplet (shame on her). Memories of Anything Goes seem so distant.

The 4 female "leads" sound like constipated cats being strangled whilst straining to open their bowels.

The vocal arrangements were (generally) weak and meant that much of the "spirit" that drove the original versions of the songs was lost.

Spanish fiesta scene has now taken the award (formerly held by Daddy Cool) for the most pointless and stupid props (you have to see them to believe them).

The book is like a tapestried version of all the worst and unfunniest bits of Absolutely Fabulous.

The biggest irony is that the very shows which this is trying to parody are actually done with the highest of budgets and production values  and (despite the actual content being highly variable) pulled off with visual panache and flair.

Viva Forever fails to be even vaguely visually arousing or pleasing in any way whatsoever.

I really wonder if Judy Craymer sits and watches this and is actually proud of it.....?

The best bit about the show for me was the safety curtain which has beautiful detailing in pastels and gold.

I also took some delicious apricots covered in thick dark chocolate.
I anticipated eating these all during the first half and eagerly gobbled them up during the interval.