8 replies to this topic

[Reich]

I do normally give directors etc more tries then one but after been totally disappointed with last night’s performance of A matter of life and death should I bother with them again?

I found the whole thing sloppy. None of it seemed to fit together well. Some good parts but poorly executed and also some real dross. I don’t believe the changes happened for the best.

Anyway how does this compare to their usual performances and is it  worth  another pop next time their in town?

[Jan Brock]

I do normally give directors etc more tries then one but after been totally disappointed with last night’s performance of A matter of life and death should I bother with them again?

I found the whole thing sloppy. None of it seemed to fit together well. Some good parts but poorly executed and also some real dross. I don’t believe the changes happened for the best.

Anyway how does this compare to their usual performances and is it  worth  another pop next time their in town?

Their travesty of Cymbeline was by far the worst thing I saw in the RSC Complete Works - one problem is that they seem to have a travelling legion of fans who enthuse over any old crap that this bunch put on stage - in Cymbeline the appearance of a grimly untalented pantomime dame supplied with leaden sexual innuendo was the signal for hysterical laughter from their Chardonnay-swilling fans, something that would not happen if, say, Jim Davidson were essaying the same part.

[Tulip]

What I found really poor was how rough the whole thing is. With the exception of Douglass Hodge everyone was a bad actor which may have been fine if they have tight co-ordination and not two left foot. The whole thing lacked precision and accuracy. If you compare them to Complicte Kneehigh are such amateurs in their approach to physical theatre. Very rough around the edges and the centre.

Some of the projections were really quite good but the ones of the sea you couldn’t make out very well as the Olivier’s back wall was not designed for this type of thing.

This is the second of their shows I have seen and I think I will keep my hand in pocket next time they come back

[TheatreMouse]

I absolutely disagree.

While there are moments in A Matter of Life and Death that I think don't work, I love seeing their work and admire greatly the way they let their imaginations run riot in an 'anything is possible' way.

I always look forward to seeing their shows and can't wait for the next one!

[gandalf]

I absolutely disagree.

While there are moments in A Matter of Life and Death that I think don't work, I love seeing their work and admire greatly the way they let their imaginations run riot in an 'anything is possible' way.

I always look forward to seeing their shows and can't wait for the next one!

[gandalf]

I absolutely disagree.

While there are moments in A Matter of Life and Death that I think don't work, I love seeing their work and admire greatly the way they let their imaginations run riot in an 'anything is possible' way.

I always look forward to seeing their shows and can't wait for the next one!

Does anyone know what Kneehigh are doing next?

[Jan Brock]

What I found really poor was how rough the whole thing is. With the exception of Douglass Hodge everyone was a bad actor which may have been fine if they have tight co-ordination and not two left foot. The whole thing lacked precision and accuracy. If you compare them to Complicte Kneehigh are such amateurs in their approach to physical theatre. Very rough around the edges and the centre.

Some of the projections were really quite good but the ones of the sea you couldn’t make out very well as the Olivier’s back wall was not designed for this type of thing.

This is the second of their shows I have seen and I think I will keep my hand in pocket next time they come back

Douglas Hodge is an excellent actor. It is odd that when these small companies turn up at NT someone feels the need to throw in a couple of senior actors not associated with the company (they did the same for Complicite too, and Improbable) - it shows a lack of confidence in them (amply justified in the case of Kheehigh - if you were seeing them in a church hall in Exeter you might be satisfied with their efforts, but it does not play in London)

[foxa]

Hodge was excellent, but so was the actress who played June.  Sections of it didn't work, but some of the images have stuck with me - I bet we see directors/companies borrowing ideas from that show for ages to come.

[Laughingmonsta]

so how do we feel now Breif Encounter is doing the rounds?