[MaxCady]

What do people think of the Donmar Warehouse programme for the next season?
Does anyone know anything about Lanford Wilson's Serenading Louie? I've never heard of it. This play is being directed by Simon Curtis.
I'm looking forward to Mark Haddon's Polar Bears. This is being directed by Jamie Lloyd.
The final play will be a revival of Passion by Stephen Sondheim. No dates for this have been confirmed yet.

[curzon]

I've just googled Serenading Louie and a New York Times review of a 1988 production describes it as one of Wilson's lesser-known works and 'an unremittingly bleak view of two marriages in crisis and four lives in limbo'. Wilson is chiefly known for Burn This which John Malkovich starred in a couple of decades ago. I was in the front row of the Hampstead Theatre for it and he was extraordinary.

I'm a big Sondheim fan but I have to say that Passion is minor (and joke-free) Sondheim. I'd see it again if the production got very good reviews, but they would have to be very good.

I'm a Sondheim freak but I have to admit that Passion has always been a problem piece for me. It's one of those works that never seems to get going enough. I hesitate to say it but it would probably have worked better with a more obvious and less subtle composer!

Seb

[Lynette]

I just love the idea of a minor and joke free Sondheim. At least I know what to say now when I don't see it.

[armadillo]

There was a marvellous production of Passion in Edinburgh a couple of years ago - cast of about 8 (I think the third woman doubled as a soldier) and done straight through without an interval. I bet the Donmar do it much like that as they did with Grand Hotel. It's a small piece but still very good, IMO

[Weez]

I'm all for it. Passion is a tricky one, but then, I had troubles with Into the Woods for the longest time, until I actually saw a production, so I'm being optimistic.

[Dubliner]

I'm really looking forward to getting another look at Passion. I think its an amazing piece. I didn't like Maria Friedman as Fosca but think in the right hands this could be stunning. Seen as minor Sondheim on its first appearance, Passion seems to be growing in stature and is seen as a much more significant piece than first realised. I think its more personal and powerful than some of his masterworks.

[dallardice]

Seeking some feedback on Donmar booking here: I'm going through a stage of joining theatres supporters groups in order to get better booking opportunities, but this is the first booking period I've been a member of the Donmar. Filled in the form and faxed it through on the requested day, took a while to get through, but the fax went through at about noon.

I've just been allocated tickets for the two shows on sale, and I've got the fourth day I requested (all dates requested were midweek and not the cheap Mondays or busy Fri/Sat), and they're back row, side stalls right at the end- D2 and D3.

Was I just unlucky, or is there some knack to this I haven't got? Do I need to step up the membership tree in order to get a chance of the dates I want, or central stalls? Just seems very bad luck to have got arguably the worst seats in the stalls on my least favourite date despite the form going in at lunchtime on the first day or booking...

[Stevemar]

I think you've been pretty unlucky...but I don't think you need to upgrade your membership. If you faxed in the first day of the booking period, please note you'd be behind everyone who faxed before (and whose forms are in the queue until booking opens - possibly a 1-2 week before, when the forms were emailed and sent out).

I've always managed to get my choice of dates and seats (except once). It may help going for the later dates in a run as a first choice.

Although old fashioned, I now prefer the Donmar's system over the NT's website crashing every time the booking period opens...

[macca]

I think you've been pretty unlucky...but I don't think you need to upgrade your membership. If you faxed in the first day of the booking period, please note you'd be behind everyone who faxed before (and whose forms are in the queue until booking opens - possibly a 1-2 week before, when the forms were emailed and sent out).

I've always managed to get my choice of dates and seats (except once). It may help going for the later dates in a run as a first choice.

Although old fashioned, I now prefer the Donmar's system over the NT's website crashing every time the booking period opens...

I totally agree with you. I have always filled in and posted/faxed my form the day it arrives (ie well before the opening of the booking period) and have always managed to be allocated the seats for my preferred date in the first couple of rows of the centre section of the stalls and I am at the lowest friend level who can book two tickets per show.

Not much consolation but advice to bear in mind for the next booking period.