Reader Reviews
The Night Season (Cottesloe (National Theatre), West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | My high expectations turned to disappointment - The Night Season was unfocused, sentimental, far too long and repetitive, and was relentlessly shallow, always inserting a jokey line just when it needed to make a more serious point. So often the Irish are presented as quaint and folksy oddballs, and this play seemed tailor-made to suit such preconceptions. It was a waste of an excellent cast who did their best to bring it to believable life. The staging was a mess with its scattering of random furniture, and why the water-feature which could hardly be seen because of the watery lighting superimposed on top of it? I see no reason to apply 'positive discrimination' just because it's 'about' women and written by one too. These women lost my sympathy as surely as they outstayed their welcome. - 82.43.174.92) | 16 Nov 04 |
| Although it drags in places and is bit overlong, doesn't fail to enchant. - 66.32.107.163) | 07 Nov 04 |
| I wasn't particularly keen on the design, but it was certainly very interesting. The play is just lovely - I adore it. And the performances were priceless. Real, and rare, ensemble work. I'd have liked the whole production to be a little darker than it was, but I certainly appreciated the humour. The second half is better than the first, but there are some truly splendid moments throughout. I cried when Lily (wonderfully portrayed by Annette Crosbie) broke down, and I felt the perfection of the reunion between Judith and Gary. If you haven't seen it, you've missed a truly inspiring evening. Is there hope for romanticism in our theatre? As long as Rebecca Lenkiewicz continues writing, I think there is. - 217.42.62.232) | 29 Oct 04 |
| An utterly absorbing evening in the theatre. Wonderful performances from all but particularly from Annette Crosbie who is beyond praise. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (80.177.231.164) | 04 Oct 04 |
| The acting is consistently excellent and the visal effects (even the nudity!!!) are stunning. The story increasingly absorbs - I wonder if Dublin's Abbey Theatre will stage it? - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.131.78.221) | 04 Sep 04 |
| Staggering! Beautifully staged and lit with imagination I was captivated from the opening image of the drunk father disappearing into his nightmare bed. Lucy Bailey is an immensely talented director and has got the most from her cast. Ensemble work at its best. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (213.122.240.56) | 31 Aug 04 |
| I liked the stage production. Some of the scenes were inset into the backdrop like Pillowman. The acting was good but I felt the second half was better than the first. It took a while for all the individual stories to come together and feel like a whole. The only trouble I had was with Annette Crosbie. Her acting was superb but I had real difficulty understanding her at times. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.92.67.76) | 29 Aug 04 |
| This play takes too long to take off. The first half needs more structure and pace - it's a bit of a ramble as it is. By the interval, you're thinking 'where's this going? what's it really all about?'. However, in the second half it really takes off and grabs your full attention. By the end, you feel very satisifed at the way the characters and story have developed. As it is, it's more of a 3.5 than a 4, but I'm feeling generous ! With some tightening of the first act, it could even reach a 5. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (172.191.122.84) | 12 Aug 04 |
| After reading the main review, I was surprised to read that the play was nearly 3 hours long as it certainly didn't feel like it. At the time, I thought this was a slight piece, but I keep finding myself thinking about some fo the speeches, particularly the description of a disastrous trip to London to see the daughters' estranged mother. Along with lovely performances and quite a striking staging, this makes for a worthwhile evening. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (213.225.130.201) | 06 Aug 04 |
