118 replies to this topic

[Parsley]

Totally offhand some that can do both:

Nick Hytner
Phyllida Lloyd
Julie Taymor
Sam Mendes
Patrice Chereau

And despite disliking The Audience I suppose I have to recognise Stephen Daldry here too

[fringefan]

Parsley, on 23 February 2013 - 10:17 PM, said:

The Donmar was far from full (surprising on a Saturday night) and I really do think the programming is much patchier since Rourke was appointed into her post.

I happened to call at the Box Office this evening and heard a man enquiring about returns for tonight's performance.  He was told none so far, so presumably this Saturday was a sell-out.  Maybe there has been some good word of mouth and bookings have picked up?  (I know views here have been mixed but I have read more enthusiastic comments elsewhere.)

[Honoured Guest]

Off the top of my head, David Hare, Stephen Poliakoff, Robert Lepage, Sir Daniel Boyle, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Ingmar Bergman, Roger Michell, Orson Welles, Andrei Tarkovsky.

[xanderl]

But most of the names so far are theatre directors turned film, rather than the other way round

[foxa]

We enjoyed it last night.  I can take a number of the points made above - the staging was quite 'out front' (we were sat on the stage right side - D33-D34 - and the sightlines were bad for some entrances) and Tom Wrench, though not a terrible actor, lacked the passion necessary - but we thought it was delightful.  All three young actresses were new to me and very good - great doubling of Miss Parrot and the cowed Clara.  Fantastic work from Ron Cook and Maggie Steed (she was superb.)  It was like a big comic Valentine to the theatre, affectionate and gawdy.  I've seen the play before, years ago at the National, but this will, I think, stick in my memory more.

We noticed Patrick Marber was in the audience and (looking at someone else's programme) saw that he was credited with some additional comic writing and respectful ornamentation (or words to that effect) which made me want to go back to the original play to see how much had been changed.  Was Tom Wrench really cast as the back end of a dragon?

[The Glenbuck Laird]

foxa, on 24 February 2013 - 10:11 AM, said:

We enjoyed it last night.  I can take a number of the points made above - the staging was quite 'out front' (we were sat on the stage right side - D33-D34 - and the sightlines were bad for some entrances) and Tom Wrench, though not a terrible actor, lacked the passion necessary - but we thought it was delightful.  All three young actresses were new to me and very good - great doubling of Miss Parrot and the cowed Clara.  Fantastic work from Ron Cook and Maggie Steed (she was superb.)  It was like a big comic Valentine to the theatre, affectionate and gawdy.  I've seen the play before, years ago at the National, but this will, I think, stick in my memory more.

We noticed Patrick Marber was in the audience and (looking at someone else's programme) saw that he was credited with some additional comic writing and respectful ornamentation (or words to that effect) which made me want to go back to the original play to see how much had been changed.  Was Tom Wrench really cast as the back end of a dragon?

I agree, a really enjoyable evening. A very solid three stars (probably not more as I went for cast rather than genre of play in this instance). I liked Daniel Mays a lot also. Enjoyed Amy Morgan's performance greatly but Ron Cook and Maggie Steed were impressively good.

[Lynette]

xanderl, on 24 February 2013 - 12:14 AM, said:

But most of the names so far are theatre directors turned film, rather than the other way round

Thank you.

[Poly]

I unashamedly loved it. The only reservation I have would be about how it looks from the sides. I was sitting in the middle section and I felt this was the right place to be in order to get the full effect. The sides might be shortchanged.

[popcultureboy]

Review from Coveney is 4 stars. Not looked for any others yet, as seeing it tonight and don't want to take the edge off.

[Jamiem]

Can joe wright direct?