(no subject)
And so goodbye Nick Hytner and hello Rufus Norris! Nick Hytner's run at the National Theatre has coincided with the explosion of my theatre addiction so it's going to be strange to see how the place changes (exciting too though!)
I went to the "Platform" that was his final interview on Friday afternoon which was mostly a run through his life pre & during the NT years and plays he's directed and things he loved and things that were less good (he's thrilled he doesn't have to have "opinions" anymore) and a bunch of stories I'd heard before (how James Corden got his History Boys role about 10 seconds after entering the audition) and ones I hadn't (Michael Gambon being stretchered out of rehearsals for Habit of Art and saying he didn't need to send a message to the cast "they were already talking to fucking Simon Russel Beale" (he wasn't available but Nick admitted they were already recasting)
There are a couple of reports from the platform & afterparty here and here.
(before the Platform I went for my first walk along the Sherling High Level Walkway which lets you look down onto some of the backstage areas and particularly the Props & Scenery painting departments however on Friday there was a little stage and lots of glasses in the scenery department instead *g*)
And then seiyaharris & I saw Treasure Island so next time I'm at the National it will be with Rufus Norris as Artistic Director (in fact I think the next thing I'm seeing he's actually directing). Strange.
Treasure Island @ National Theatre (Olivier)
Well the reviews had been distinctly mixed and it certainly didn't come close to the best of the National's childrens plays (oh Wind in the Willows, will anything ever live up to you?) but despite a slightly clunky script I thought this was really fun.
I very much enjoyed Jim Hawkins being a girl- eventually we got her full name of Jemima but basically it was just Jim only a cabin girl not a boy. The doctor was also played by a woman and equally unexplained <3
And the whole cast appeared to be having a great time. Patsy Ferran easily holds attention as Jim and held the whole thing together and I'm so excited to see what she does next (says she, still not booked for what patsy's actually doing next aka Merchant of Venice in Stratford) The Arthur Darvill is utterly ridiculous as Long John Silver but then how else do you play the most fearsome pirate of them all?
I loved Ben Gunn but then I've always loved Joshua James and he plays "mad" very well. It was a quite Golloumesque version of Ben I'd say. Other actor/character highlights included Grey (by name and by nature who was so forgettable the pirates forgot to lock him up), the two women who the Squire brought with him onto the ship to be crew and then when one died "Silent Sue" found her voice to mourn her (saying nothing).
But mostly it's the set and the parrot that made this production. Proper use of the drum revolve so there was the inn and then half of the revolve lifted two storeys up to0 show the captain's cabin with Long John's kitchen below and it was BRILLIANT. Later they had Ben Gunn's tunnels lift up too so we could see inside those plus the way Ben dived straight down through the "stage" and into his tunnels was pretty cool.
And the parrot was very clever, I mean the puppeteer moving him was very clever but then when it flew there would be a pause and then a squawk and a spotlight would point somewhere and feathers would just fall from the ceiling so you could follow his "flight". The kids near us were also very overexcited when the parrot "landed" at the front of the circle (presumably a second model hidden and then popped up).
So yes- lot's of fun if completely mindless.
Going to a "family" show is always a bit of a danger but (as usual) the worst behaviour came from parents not children. I absolutely accept kids are going to wriggle and talk and when they're excited they'll say stuff and that's all FINE (and even the boy kicking the back of the seats stopped when told) but the man in front of me who switched on his phone and then started taking photographs mid-show?! How on EARTH do you think your children will learn how to behave if you act like that? And how selfish to distract everyone around him and that's ALL before we get onto the fact that sets and costumes are copyright and the actors and *scowls*
So yes. Hate all adults. *coughs*
The I saw two more plays this weekend /o\ so I'm only 9 reviews behind.... more later perhaps.
I went to the "Platform" that was his final interview on Friday afternoon which was mostly a run through his life pre & during the NT years and plays he's directed and things he loved and things that were less good (he's thrilled he doesn't have to have "opinions" anymore) and a bunch of stories I'd heard before (how James Corden got his History Boys role about 10 seconds after entering the audition) and ones I hadn't (Michael Gambon being stretchered out of rehearsals for Habit of Art and saying he didn't need to send a message to the cast "they were already talking to fucking Simon Russel Beale" (he wasn't available but Nick admitted they were already recasting)
There are a couple of reports from the platform & afterparty here and here.
(before the Platform I went for my first walk along the Sherling High Level Walkway which lets you look down onto some of the backstage areas and particularly the Props & Scenery painting departments however on Friday there was a little stage and lots of glasses in the scenery department instead *g*)
And then seiyaharris & I saw Treasure Island so next time I'm at the National it will be with Rufus Norris as Artistic Director (in fact I think the next thing I'm seeing he's actually directing). Strange.
Treasure Island @ National Theatre (Olivier)
Well the reviews had been distinctly mixed and it certainly didn't come close to the best of the National's childrens plays (oh Wind in the Willows, will anything ever live up to you?) but despite a slightly clunky script I thought this was really fun.
I very much enjoyed Jim Hawkins being a girl- eventually we got her full name of Jemima but basically it was just Jim only a cabin girl not a boy. The doctor was also played by a woman and equally unexplained <3
And the whole cast appeared to be having a great time. Patsy Ferran easily holds attention as Jim and held the whole thing together and I'm so excited to see what she does next (says she, still not booked for what patsy's actually doing next aka Merchant of Venice in Stratford) The Arthur Darvill is utterly ridiculous as Long John Silver but then how else do you play the most fearsome pirate of them all?
I loved Ben Gunn but then I've always loved Joshua James and he plays "mad" very well. It was a quite Golloumesque version of Ben I'd say. Other actor/character highlights included Grey (by name and by nature who was so forgettable the pirates forgot to lock him up), the two women who the Squire brought with him onto the ship to be crew and then when one died "Silent Sue" found her voice to mourn her (saying nothing).
But mostly it's the set and the parrot that made this production. Proper use of the drum revolve so there was the inn and then half of the revolve lifted two storeys up to0 show the captain's cabin with Long John's kitchen below and it was BRILLIANT. Later they had Ben Gunn's tunnels lift up too so we could see inside those plus the way Ben dived straight down through the "stage" and into his tunnels was pretty cool.
And the parrot was very clever, I mean the puppeteer moving him was very clever but then when it flew there would be a pause and then a squawk and a spotlight would point somewhere and feathers would just fall from the ceiling so you could follow his "flight". The kids near us were also very overexcited when the parrot "landed" at the front of the circle (presumably a second model hidden and then popped up).
So yes- lot's of fun if completely mindless.
Going to a "family" show is always a bit of a danger but (as usual) the worst behaviour came from parents not children. I absolutely accept kids are going to wriggle and talk and when they're excited they'll say stuff and that's all FINE (and even the boy kicking the back of the seats stopped when told) but the man in front of me who switched on his phone and then started taking photographs mid-show?! How on EARTH do you think your children will learn how to behave if you act like that? And how selfish to distract everyone around him and that's ALL before we get onto the fact that sets and costumes are copyright and the actors and *scowls*
So yes. Hate all adults. *coughs*
The I saw two more plays this weekend /o\ so I'm only 9 reviews behind.... more later perhaps.