My name is Stacey (aka Rev Stan), and I've been blogging about theatre since 2010 (Rev Stan's Theatre blog). Here you'll find my 60-second video reviews of London theatre and a few other bits and bobs.
I review a broad range of plays, from those performed in tiny pub theatres up to the big West End stages and everything in between. What you won't find are reviews of musicals. Can't stand them. Sorry.
Have an interest in theatre? Please like and subscribe.
Producing a play in London and would like a review? Drop me an email (address is below) or message me via the blog or any of my other social media channels (links also below).
Пікірлер
Such a brilliant show and all the performances are superb.
I need to see it.
I’m sorry you were disappointed in this play. There were problems with it. I thought It was underwritten and a little episodic, Monica too perfect, the policeman too facetious. However I found nuggets of truth which struck a chord with me. Perhaps because I’m working class myself, I could relate very much to James Corden’s character and his disintegration brought tears to my eyes. I was left with the thought that we live in this strange system which creates more and more broken people - and MPs throwing breadcrumbs at them is just not working anymore.
more episodic than a regular play structure?
I've seen it yesterday and went like most people cause of Tom Holland and I went in fully expecting that it would end up something I'd say about "oh well I've seen it now but wasn't as great" but I was so wrong! I absolutely loved it and I usually can't stand romeo and juliet, it's by far my least favourite Shakespeare, i think that was the first production of romeo and juliet that really spoke to me
i wanted to see this!! Strange sounds good. I don't think a play should feel instantly knowable or understandable. It should be a strange land that you mull over for a while.
Oh I'm completely fine with plays not being instantly knowable or understandable but this didn't go anywhere. Let me know what you think if you see it.
Being slightly strange myself, I'd see that - sounds rather odd and pointless - just like me.. BTW I'm impressed how you can make a review without walking into something. Certainly a skill!
Let me know what you think if you see it. I'd have just preferred more focus on fewer things. And re walking and talking, 🤣 it takes a bit of practice. I generally record on quiet stretches where there aren't many roads to cross. Have had a couple of mishaps which are on the blooper vids.
@RevStan Yes of course - safety first. Good thinking.
4 hours at 85. The end was inevitable. Hope he recovers 🙏
The sisters reunion has been done millions of time before Long a bit irritating cuz full of cliches
I would love to see this production as my son really enjoyed R&J in his GCSE English Lit but West End tickets are so expensive now
This sounds like going to the dentist!
Hi. I enjoy your musings - leaving you a little comment to cheer you up! Hope you're having a good weekend. Kindest regards.
Completely agree. I thought that the actors did the best they could with what they were given - the directional style was very strict & left them with little freedom. I found the story very bland; as you said, the fact that they were all the same character & therefore had no interaction very disappointing; and I found it very distracting that they had to keep checking their scripts to check what they were to do next. Not for me either!
I have no idea how this was recommended in my feed, however, I must declare, what a wonderful and refreshing surprise. Looking forward to more content! (I should say I did see Eddie Izzard on stage perhaps 20 years ago, and then, saw him do the translation of his show in French, right after. Quite impressive.) Bonjour du Québec.
just a wonderful down-to-earth review. Well done.
A fine comedian but an average actor , people like him so it's hard to admit it .
He ends words with "zzzz" a lot. It's like his comedy schtick but even less funny. He's hardly Larry.
Où est le singe? That is the question.
A really sensitive and considered review. Thank you. It’s more than he’s getting in the press so I’m very glad someone has provided some impartiality.
Not impartial if you were already a fan.
Interesting that the kinder reviewers seem to go with "her" - in other words they are all in.
“Emperor’s suit of clothes”.
would like to see this. thanks.
Damming with faint praise. "I think that I liked it" Like a teacher trying to be positive at Parents' Evening. 😂
Not at all. I've thought a lot about it and am weighing up what I found challenging vs what I think worked well.
Finally a post from someone who actually watched the play and who can comment on more than the aesthetics of the leads👍
I’ve got box tickets to see this in June. I don’t like Romeo & Juliet either, I hated the play when I studied it at English GCSE. However, there’s something about the creative genius of Jamie Lloyd and William Shakespeare combined that intrigues me about this. I think a modern feel might actually be a good move and be well suited for this play. Plus, I’m excited to see Francesca Amewudah-Rivers play Juliet.
I love the modern take Jamie did and having Tom as Romeo is perfect
Me too.
Your lesbian face told me your opinion about that horror show before you opened your mouth.
Huh... Always thought everybody just bought the tickets for tom Holland that's why it broke a world record and sold out in 2 Hours
Wait really wow a world record for what
@@Dmv_devin what do you mean? For selling out this quick 3 months worth of tickets sold out in 2 Hours that's like 60K tickets
Tom holland is not for me at all but I bought a ticket because Jamie Lloyd and Shakespeare.
For me the classic 90's still the best.
That’s a movie
Which production did you see?
Was the audience problematic, did they go crazy when Tom was on stage, as I'm dreading being taken out of the moment each time he is?
Not at all. Great atmosphere in the build-up, and you could hear a pin drop most of the time during the performance. It was a wonderful audience to be part of.
@@RevStan wonderful to know. Thank you for replying.
Really glad you enjoyed it. I am a big fan of the play so would have liked to have seen this version - perhaps they may film it for the future.
@@loureviews It would make sense if they did, given the appetite for it.
We saw this play too and my husband and I felt totally differently about it. My husband really enjoyed it but I just couldn't get into it at all and ended up nodding off a few times, with hubby having to keep nudging me awake. Some of the audience laughed out loud at the supposedly funny quips but a lot more of us certainly didn't. I just think it's one of those Marmite plays that will have rather mixed opinions. Your score sounded fair as hubby would give it a 4 and I would give it 2.
There were definitely bits I liked about it but overall it lacked narrative punch. Shame because on paper it was very promising.
I saw this at Wimbledon and the sound of people leaving was almost deafening at times. I thought it was awful. The staging had zero thought about it (the blast of rave music was particularly idiotic) and I got the impression that they felt they didn't need to bother much because people are only going to see McKellen in what will surely be one of, if not his last, roles. The whole thing felt very generic. Even the poster seemed lazy. Hal didn't have any Idea how to speak his lines, Henry sounded like he was on tranquillisers, and I'm not sure what role McKellen thought he was playing but it didn't feel like Falstaff. If he really wanted to play him he would have done so before now anyway. Robert Icke is doing Oedipus Rex soon. If he's going to butcher it like he did this then include me out.
Tamara Lawrance is one of my favourite actors. She’s so good in this play! Such a skilled actor and a joy to watch. I saw the play tonight and can’t think of a bad thing to say about it.
I saw this yesterday and I quite agree with you. McKellen wasn’t the best Falstaff and he is a freeloader. I also had an issue with how long it was. Things did drag on unnecessarily. But all in all it’s still great to go to the theatre.
It was fantastic
I watched the performance last night and found it to be unnecessarily lengthy. While the performances were polished and the production was impressive, the emotional depth between Hal and John Falstaff seemed to be missing. Additionally, Hal's delivery lacked the emotional nuance that the role deserved. While I'm not a theatre aficionado, I rely on feedback to understand others' perspectives on the play. Ian McKellen is undeniably a titan in both theatre and film, but his presence also felt somewhat distracting. It's worth noting that the play likely wouldn't have been produced without him, and the theatre was packed to capacity largely due to his star power. Your assessment of the play resonates with my own experience watching it 👍
Star names are almost always a draw at the theatre, and that's not something that bothers me. However, as a regular theatre-goer, I'm looking for the star to bring something other than being a name. And I agree in this instance he was a distraction rather than adding something.
I saw this and I have to say as much as I enjoyed the first half, I left after the first half also. I bought a ticket because of the name of Sir Ian and to be fair I was totally impressed by his role of Falstaff and found it very comedic also, in just the right amount. The previous reviews of this play in Manchester mentioned the second half being far too long and going nowhere. With that in mind the ending of act 1 which is a battlescene and 3 or 4 characters smoke a cigarette in celebration it triggered a massive reaction in me as I was struggling with some kind of throat infection then. Properly got embarrassed to the point of th theatre staff coming over asking if I was ok! I just left, but had a good first half and was so incredible to watch Sir Ian in the first half.
@@pablosearth Glad you enjoyed the first half and a shame your throat infection got the better of you and you had to leave. Although I'd say you got the best of the two halves.
I thought the actors did a great job but honestly I didn’t get the point of having this show staged in a warehouse. They had a pretty standard theatre stage. And I really really didn’t understand the costuming. It took me out of the play. The women all looked business casual ?
I agree about the space. It was used well outside the auditorium. The costumes worked for me. What would you have preferred?
Hey there! Just stumbled upon your channel, and I wanted to express my gratitude for your insightful review at the National Theatre. Your analysis really resonated with me, especially how you delved into the complexities of love and uncertainty, themes I often explore on my Christian channel. Your perspective adds a unique depth to the discussion. Also, consider me subscribed-I'm eager to see more of your thoughtful content!
Are they dating real life? Tanya Reynolds and Freddie Fox, hence the chemistry? I wish I could watch.
No idea. But I don't think being in a relationship is a prerequisite to having good on-stage chemistry.
Men with a fetish couldn't be more obvious 😂
Not sure why you would go to see a one man show and then say you would of like other actors in it. That defeats the object ?
I like one 'man' shows and have seen some corkers. This just didn't work for me.
It's a masterclass in acting thoroughly enjoyed it
Thanks ...thats really helpful . Ive got tickets but not sure its worth the faff of trying to get to docklands ...Ive seen some amazing stagings of Macbeth is the last 50 years so thats another element
It's Canada Water rather than the Docklands. It's only a couple of stops from London Bridge on the Jubilee line.
This is the most naturally creepy looking person.
Wanted to see this but couldn't work out where the hell Dock X was.
I had similar concerns but it's easy to find. It's on the dockside, a few minutes walk from Canada Water station.
We saw it on Friday - our daughter plays Sarah! We loved it 🥰😍😍😍
I was there on Friday too. Your daughter was brilliant - they all were.
My general feeling is that one actor plays are an exercise in narcissism. Im not saying it cant be good, but i have no desire to even see if it could be. Plays are about the ensemble. Not me me me
I dont know that anyone understands how to play king lear better than ian mckellan. Branaugh was fine
I wanted to see it but couldn't get tickets. I didn't like his Richard 2 at all and was't willing to become a donmar member to get tickets to this one
I feel exactly the same way. This is not feminism for women. This is a man writing feminism and being as clueless as his characters. The rape joke thing was the whole comedic backbone of the play, and at the end i thought his character was actually going to rape her in a disturbing and violent turn at the end. I thought Andy Serkis started out his energy way too high and there was nowhere for him to go even 10 minutes in. Very one note performance from precious. I think people leapt to their feet because they love their celebrities, not because they saw something great. What an expensive mistake
Apologies for the slow reply, I missed your comment. 'This is not feminism for women' is spot on. And I think we've got to the point where standing ovations are pretty much meaningless because of how easily people leap to their feet these days.
I hope they're going to film the stage version so that we who can't get to London will be able to see it. The Original Burton/Gielgud Hamlet was filmed, and filmed brilliantly, using many camera positions.
I'm sure I've read somewhere that they are doing an NT Live recording.
@@RevStan That's good news!!! Thanks for letting me know!
That’s an interesting insight, I share your thoughts about the headphone idea. I am intrigued to go, but tickets are extremely hard to get. - one can keep trying. I’d go for the production first and foremost, but casting wise I’d love to see Cush Jumbo. I think she’s brilliant in anything she does. She’s in that new crime drama with Peter Capaldi on Apple TV.