18 replies to this topic

[xanderl]

Useful, thanks - I loved Three Sisters!

[Pharaoh's number 2]

I didn't love 3 Sisters, but I thought it was by no means awful.

[Pharaoh's number 2]

Also, what was the running time of The Seagull? I see the start is 7.45. Hope it's not too long.

[mallardo]

Two and a half hours - on the street at 10.15.

[xanderl]

Generally pretty good reviews for this.

I see the Southwark Playhouse has announced their temporary home - sounds good!

http://www.whatsonst...t & Castle.html

[Pharaoh's number 2]

Yeah, reviews not bad. 4* Guardian, Times and Telegraph (and WOS), 3* Standard.
Am there on Thursday evening.

[Epicoene]

mallardo, on 11 November 2012 - 09:12 AM, said:

....  -  it has been reset to the Isle of Man so the big city that Sorin dreams of seeing is London, not Moscow.

You interest me strangely, this sounds like one of the most bathos-laden updatings yet - so the prospect of being stuck in some provincial Russian town a thousand miles from Moscow at the turn of the 20th century is equated with being in the Isle of Man in 2012 ? (I assume that must be the date as there is also a computer in the staging and I believe they only reached Douglas in January of this year). Any indication of why they can't just book a Super Saver on Manx Ferries and go to London if they are so drawn to it ? How do they establish that the Isle of Man is the setting ? - let me guess - at the beginning there is a big ship's horn sound and an announcment "Ladies and Gentlemen we will soon be arriving in the port of Douglas, please ensure you have collected all your belongings ...".

So many questions, so little time.

[mallardo]

You're right, the inconsistencies are a legion.  The Isle of Man is not actually mentioned in the text - I got it from the "characters and setting" page in the program.  But, as in the original, the characters keep talking about "the island".  So I guess the adaptor was trying to have her cake and eat it.  They also speak of "the lake", as in the original, but surely they would be speaking about the sea.

My issue is that the updating and relocating are so half-hearted.  If you're going to make these changes then really do it.  Change the characters' names - in the context of this production the Russians make no sense.

[Epicoene]

Pharaoh, on 13 November 2012 - 09:09 PM, said:

Yeah, reviews not bad. 4* Guardian

But only from old sourpuss herself - doesn't count.