MaxCady
Sep 14 2009, 04:34 PM
Booking for this play has opened to the general public today, but beware the tickets may sell quickly. According to seetickets.com, almost half of the tickets have been sold to members. I managed to get a £15 ticket for the matinee on 13thFeb.
Do i get the feeling that this could be one of the best shows of 2010? What could go wrong with this show? Nothing is the answer. Sir Peter Hall directing & Judi Dench in a lead role, how could things not go wrong.
Will anyone from here be going to see the show?
Has anyone ever seen Sir Peter Hall direct AMND before?
BenMonk
Sep 14 2009, 08:00 PM
Can't wait to see it - I have never seen Judi Dench or A Midsummer Night's Dream, but I love the Rose Theatre. I'm in the middle of the stalls- sadly though they've uped the concession prices to £17.50, but it's still very, very good value for the seat I'm in.
Weez
Sep 14 2009, 08:11 PM
The problem with this play is that it's terrifyingly easy to direct a dull, unfunny version of it. I was half-convinced it was just a terrible play until seeing a couple of actually-enjoyable productions this year. I think I'll pass, Kingston not being the easiest for me to get to and it still being far from my favourite play, but I'll look out for your reviews. :3
Lynette
Sep 14 2009, 09:20 PM
Much as I love Dame Judi blah blah I am also giving this one a miss as I can't get to Kingston . With a bit of luck they'll have her best bits - oops - on Newsnight Review.
Jan Brock
Sep 15 2009, 06:45 AM
QUOTE(MaxCady @ Sep 14 2009, 05:34 PM)

Has anyone ever seen Sir Peter Hall direct AMND before?
He directed it in 1962, Judi Dench was in it that time too. I will be impressed if anyone here saw it.
I got tickets for it - there were plenty left but mostly at the sides (which is no good in that theatre).
But beware, this play is far from easy to stage and Titania is really just a supporting role - you need to have strong casting for each of the three groups (mechanicals, fairys, mortals) and I doubt he'll be able to afford that. Often productions miss out on one group or the other.
I've seen some good productions of this one: best was the Bill Bryden/Paul Scofield one at the Cottesloe. Does anyone remember Jonathan Miller's strange but compelling Almeida production ?
armadillo
Sep 15 2009, 06:57 AM
I always enjoy it at Regents Park where the atmosphere makes up for any deficiencies of casting or staging. Plus, you probably need plenty of alcohol inside you to find the mechanicals funny. I wish I'd seen the Adrian Noble RSC one with Alex Jennings and Desmond Barrit as the film is marvellous.
Jan Brock
Sep 15 2009, 07:03 AM
QUOTE(armadillo @ Sep 15 2009, 07:57 AM)

I always enjoy it at Regents Park where the atmosphere makes up for any deficiencies of casting or staging. Plus, you probably need plenty of alcohol inside you to find the mechanicals funny. I wish I'd seen the Adrian Noble RSC one with Alex Jennings and Desmond Barrit as the film is marvellous.
It was good but I always find Barrit a humour-free zone.
Duncan
Sep 15 2009, 08:04 AM
Given that the good seats had been snapped up by members or people signing up just for this production, I opted for a pit cushion ticket, which should provide a good view if I get in as the doors open.
applesarenice
Sep 15 2009, 10:26 AM
I got seated pit tickets, hope they are ok. I do find it a little annoying that they haven't announced any of the rest of the cast though, as already pointed out, it is hardly a one-woman show.
Jan Brock
Sep 15 2009, 10:29 AM
QUOTE(Duncan @ Sep 15 2009, 09:04 AM)

Given that the good seats had been snapped up by members or people signing up just for this production,
That is not true, you just needed to book on Monday when the public booking opened (like I did) - I got centre stalls seats. I doubt many people took up the £40 membership offer just to book for this production.
Opinionated
Sep 15 2009, 10:55 AM
Tickets are easy to come by for this!
I just booked pit cushion seats - what are they like?
Duncan
Sep 15 2009, 12:21 PM
QUOTE(Opinionated @ Sep 15 2009, 11:55 AM)

Tickets are easy to come by for this!
I just booked pit cushion seats - what are they like?
You sit on the bare floor in front of the stage on a cushion.
It's the floorboard area in this picture:
http://www.britishshakespearecompany.com/p...tre2_460pxl.jpg
Duncan
Sep 15 2009, 12:23 PM
QUOTE(Jan Brock @ Sep 15 2009, 11:29 AM)

That is not true, you just needed to book on Monday when the public booking opened (like I did) - I got centre stalls seats. I doubt many people took up the £40 membership offer just to book for this production.
That does not meet my criteria of 'good'! Front row of pit seated or pit cushions for me!
Guest_John_*
Sep 15 2009, 01:11 PM
QUOTE(armadillo @ Sep 15 2009, 06:57 AM)

I always enjoy it at Regents Park where the atmosphere makes up for any deficiencies of casting or staging. Plus, you probably need plenty of alcohol inside you to find the mechanicals funny. I wish I'd seen the Adrian Noble RSC one with Alex Jennings and Desmond Barrit as the film is marvellous.
It was wonderful (and also had Stella Gonet, Emma Fielding, Toby Stephens and Philip Voss in the cast). Even better, though, was my first Dream, the John Caird one from 89 with Richard McCabe (who has been away too long) as Puck; the Mechanicals' scene was probably the funniest 20 minutes I've ever spent in a theatre.
Lynette
Sep 15 2009, 01:19 PM
QUOTE(Guest_John_* @ Sep 15 2009, 02:11 PM)

It was wonderful (and also had Stella Gonet, Emma Fielding, Toby Stephens and Philip Voss in the cast). Even better, though, was my first Dream, the John Caird one from 89 with Richard McCabe (who has been away too long) as Puck; the Mechanicals' scene was probably the funniest 20 minutes I've ever spent in a theatre.
Richard MCabe definitely the funniest Puck and funniest MND I've seen.
MrsDoyle
Sep 15 2009, 03:25 PM
Kingston being nearer to me than London I thought I'd give this one a go and I'd like to see the theatre. Afraid I'd never get back up off a cushion on the floor at my age so got one to the side of the stalls on Sat 27th February. (Something in next year, eek!)
Guest kjb
Sep 15 2009, 04:05 PM
20 Feb matinee for me - a pit seated ticket.
I got to know the recent RSC version pretty well having seen it a few times, so it'll be a bit strange seeing it done by others, but hopefully just as good.
Jan Brock
Sep 16 2009, 06:38 AM
QUOTE(Guest_John_* @ Sep 15 2009, 02:11 PM)

Even better, though, was my first Dream, the John Caird one from 89 with Richard McCabe (who has been away too long) as Puck; the Mechanicals' scene was probably the funniest 20 minutes I've ever spent in a theatre.
Yes, that was a good one. Richard McCabe is playing Sir Toby in the RSC "Twelfth Night" over Xmas.
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