Reader Reviews
Port (Lyttelton (National Theatre), West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | There was some applause - probably for the performance of Kate. But when will directors learn that young actors need to project - particularly when regional accents are strong. But then again, do we really want to hear a dialogue as thin as this? As another commented - a sad waste of National resources. - alan | 12 Mar 13 |
| As a Stopfordian I was embarrassed that my hometown has been portrayed in such a bad light. Yes, there are areas of deprivation and people do swear occasionally (as elsewhere in the country) but the continual use of the f word from the beginning was unpleasant to hear and unnecessary. The accent was difficult to understand: northern but certainly not Stockport. The actors' performances were good, especially the lead but the play is bad; particularly bad for Stockport and the north of England. I was one of a group of six, five of us originally from Stockport and one American. None of us could understand the accent. - Kay | 05 Mar 13 |
| Expect better things of the NT. Have seen grittier writing and more original stories at several humbler new writing venues lately. Bored by the northern 'grittiness' and tedious stereotypes, but central performance was top notch. - Greg | 26 Feb 13 |
| This is powerful stuff, giving the NT faithfull the opportunity to gaze at the marginal underglass / poor working class from the safety of a comfy seat with the knowledge that a gin and tonic was waiting for them at the interval. This is well written and sperbly acted. Kate O'Flynn who remains on stage throughout deserves much credit for turning Racheal into a moden day heroine, despite her dubious actions. With a 1 star from the Daily Mail and use of the Stone Roses, what's not to like? Should have limited the bar to serving Jack Daniels..... - DougC | 24 Feb 13 |
| Couldn't help comparing it with Jim Cartright's incredibly bleak but visionary version of the "underclass" in Road, Little Voice and I Licked a Tart's deodorant. For me, Port was largely found wanting. - Fiona Brown | 23 Feb 13 |
| The story is good, Kate's performance is amazing, and all the actors were excellent. Then why was I left feeling dissatisfied? Why didn't I have a lump in my throat afterwards? It may sound snobby, but I think it was just too much Manchester. The intense accent got old, though I know it was done really well. The F word in what must have been 90% of the sentences uttered - really? After a while, it had no meaning, yet it still grated. I love the word's usefulness, and I do use it when 'needed' myself, yet here it was ridiculous. So people really speak like that in Manchester? Constantly? Ugh. I enjoyed the staging - the changes of scenery were brilliant. The overlarge stage space and height helped to serve the image of the characters being overwhelmed by their environment, as if they were insects in a contained space, with no chance of escape. Rachael never giving up, even at the end, was brilliant. As she stood with Billy, I believed her that she was going to try again somewhere else. Yet when she sat in the car, in her mother's seat, I could see it wouldn't happen. I'm sorry, Simon and Marianne. It was just too bleak, and identifying with almost anything was nearly impossible. (I realise that's just my own dumb luck that I myself didn't have to grow up in such an environment. Sad, so sad for them.) - gailmaries | 17 Feb 13 |
| Another waste of resources at the National. No blame on the actors especially Kate O,Flynn who did wonders with a poor script and why the continued use of the F and C words. Let hope the next season does much better Mr Hytner. - davidm | 31 Jan 13 |
| This truly is an awful play and why the National wasted the vast Lyttelton stage on this goodness knows as if they were that desperate to stage itthis production would have been far better in the Cottesloe as it is a more intimate play about one persons life and there are rarely more than two actors on the stage at one time. Nearly left at the interval but thought it must get better but it did not and we all left very dissapointed. Have to say all this is no fault of the actors and the central performance is very good especially with the poor material given. I would advise you to not waste your money on this one. - ILS | 30 Jan 13 |
| Felt this could have been better staged at the Cottesloe as a more intimate feeling would improve audience involvement. The play is certainly stimulating but the episodic construction felt a bit like watching a series of episodes of Coronation Street ! - dch | 30 Jan 13 |
