General Chat

I wish we lived near you Dee. You get some really good deals don't you:))

Thanks Joe The three plays are usually very different, several have been by John Godber The disappointing thing is that the theatre is never more than half full, it seems people are not interested these days Dee xx

Hi Dee, seems like you have a good deal going. I remember seeing 'Dry Rot' at the Whitehall Theatre which was ruled by Brian Rix back in the 50s, and this was the sort of farce that was built for him, people rushing from room to room and, of course, Rix usually got down to his underpants at some stage. 'Men of this World' also a ood 'un but I know nothing about the last one of the trio. Enjoy.

Thanks for that Joe....will check it out now. Can't wait as loved the old black and white film.... Very excited!!!!!!

Sydney Sal - it toured here for 6 months until June 2005 You can read all about it on www.aninspectorcalls(.)com/welcome Certainly looked like a winner. Remove brackets from the addy.

Have just booked to see 3 plays for £21 - they are on in March They are : Dry Rot by John Chapman Men of the World by John Godber Old Times by Harold Pinter The local theatre does these offers twice a year, we have been before and not seen a duff production (yet) Dee ;-))

Hello, Can I please ask....did anyone see 'An Inspector Calls' in the UK when it toured there.... It has now come to Sydney and I'm going next Sunday....

Its Theatre time again - providing the snow holds off - Pity that I cant get to some of these places too easily but if you live in the locality you may be interested in : 'Crazy for You' - Fantastic show and performed very well by all the amateur groups thatI have been to It will be in Hornchurch 24-28 Jan, Markinch (Fife Scotland, I think) 20-25 March Wolverhampton 4-8 April Newark 3- 8 April Oxford 4-7 April Alfreton 10-15 April Oxted 18-20 April Gainsborough 25-29 April Ruislip in May Gershwin music at its best, and several humorous bits in this show. You could also try 'Flower Drum Song' - it was at the Palace Theatre London in the 60s - and at last seems that amateurs are reviewing the viability of staging it. Excellent Rodgers & Hammerstein. It was filmed in 1961, but Hey , who needs the film ? 15-18 Feb Hungerford 13-18 Mar Loughborough 'Little Me' was a Russ Abbott vehicle back in the 60s and though I dont particular;ly like him I have to say that he made this show - hope that amateurs can do as well - 2-4 March Penarth 9-11 Mar Cardiff.

It hasn't got who's in it Maz, but some of the plays I see with unknowns in them are better than the ones with big names in Lynda

yeah I thought it was good - I suppose it always depends though on who is in it?!

Hiya Maz Yep thats the one, any good? Lynda

I have seen a film called East is East - black comedy about an asian family where the kids want to be more western and the father is driven to distraction. was v good, but dunno if the play you will see is the same thing??

Going to see some new plays, anyone else seen any of them ? Smaller East is East The Rivals Beauty and the Beast Lynda

Hi Lynda I feel compelled to do a write up on the play that we went to see last night as hubby is raving about it being the best thing he has seen for a long time. I enjoyed it because there were some very funny lines in it but I find it difficult to go as overboard about it as hubby has, because of the sad subject matter. In fact, I think I should do two separate write ups, in case we saw different plays LOL:) Secretly, I think Hubby enjoyed it so much because he could picture some of his favourite actresses taking the parts and is probably fancying directing it. It is called ‘The Memory of Water’ by Shelagh Stephenson It’s a bitter-sweet comedy full of emotional resonance and heartfelt humour. It was voted UK ‘Play of the year’ in 2001 and won the Olivier award for best new comedy in 2000. That’s the official blurb. It is set in the bedroom of a mother who has just passed away and the principal characters are the three daughters, who have gathered to arrange the funeral. Over the period of the play, we begin to see four very different opinions as to the life they led when young and how it has affected their lives. The opinions are of the three daughters and their mother, who also appears in the play as a ghost. I don’t feel that I should explain more, as this would spoil it for anyone going to see it, except to say that there were a couple of very funny scenes, which gave two of the girls a chance to shine, which they grabbed with both hands . I found the set a disappointment as it was a very good bedroom set, spoiled by half of it being ‘wallpapered’ in an outdoor scene with a very large, distracting, mural and a tiny piece of brick wall separating the décor. I feel that this was unnecessary. I also thought it odd that some of the main characters were wearing very obviously, summer outfits, whilst talking about the thick snow outside!! However, apart from those two distractions, it was very well cast and directed. Chrissie xx p.s. We are off to see another one tonight – so watch this space LOL:)

Hiya Chrissie it sounds a realy good play doesn't it, and did you see it's now playing at Wyndham's theatre Charing Cross Road, we could nip put from the meet and see it :) Will out that on my must see list i think. Thanks for letting me know. Lynda

Hi Lynda and all I haven’t been to see this play but after reading the following glowing write up on it, I really would like to. I thought someone might be interested. Heroes - Wyndham’s Space will not permit me to indulge in the sheer joys that this brilliant Tom Stoppard translation of Gerald Sibleyras’ beautiful play about three first world war survivors, in 1959, living out their days in a veteran’s home. I can only assure you that in a sensitive staging by Thea Sharrock in Robert Jones’ wonderful walled garden setting, we were treated to the sheer magic of three mesmerising performances by John Hurt, Richard Griffiths and Ken Stott, the memory of which will remain with me for the rest of my life. 35 years ago two giants of the theatre moved me in the same way as this production – in 1970 those two great knights, John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson, wove a spell on us as they played out David Hare’s wonderful play Home. As with that, Heroes was , and will remain, 100 minutes of magical theatre filled with sadness and joy, with laughter and tears and in a London that suffers from so much theatrical dross let us give thanks for a play which I suspect will be in Cameron Mackintosh’s repossessed theatre for years to come. If you only go to theatre once this season I beg of you to pay homage to Heroes. Chrissie x

There will be loads of happy years ahead, honest there will x

Lynda - think we had better toast the happy years AHEAD lol!! will need a larf by then I can tell you ....

Isn't it great how our taste differ so much? A week after I saw Miss saigon I saw Les Mis, and didn't really like it, hubby loved it, I think I saw it too soon after Miss Saigon, and still had that in my head. Keep saying I must see Les Mis again, I'm sure I would like it if I saw it again, I did like the music. As for Miss Saigon being operatic, didn;t notice that, but I do like opera, so maybe thats why I like it so much. Didn't know it was your anniversary on Saturday Maz, we will have a toast for the happy years you had x x lynda x x x

have to admit that when I saw Miss Saigon (years ago in London) I didn't like it at all. too 'operatic' if you know what I mean. couldn't understand a word they were singing! was really worried after that about going to see Les Mis, but it is fab fab fab - seen it twice in London and funnily enough was watching the 10th anniversary concert DVD today. cried buckets at Fantine's 'the dream i dreamed' as usual. the concert was on my wedding day - 8 October 1995. they said then that they would be back in another 10 years - wonder if they will be - its this Saturday! Maz. XX