AUGUST: Osage County @ NT

Not going to say a lot on this because it's all been said before:

Believe the hype. While A:OC will very much be a "once is enough" play for a lot of people (myself included) it is entirely worth making an effort to get to, and all performances after this week still have tickets available.

Now eat your fish bitch!

I'm seeing it on December 9 - and I managed to get a £10 seat! Really looking forward to it.

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Going up to London on the 14th December, staying over, seeing WWRY on the 15th. If my megabus gets there in time gonna see if I can get tickets for this. What are the chances of me getting last minute tickets?

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For anyone who's wavering about watching this show - you guys simply have to watch it! I just came back from watching it and it was simply amazing. Spoilers ahead....

I can't remember a time when I enjoyed a play as much as I have A:OC. The acting was fabulous - of course, with Rondi Reed and Deanna Dunagan in the line up - but the rest of the company were no less than outstanding. Special kudos to Amy Morton, who played Barbara Fordham - her portrayal as the eldest daughter (and later, stand-in matriarch ) of the dysfunctional family was close to flawless.

The set: I thought perhaps there were quite a few bits of furniture that were unnecessary and impeded my view from the stalls, and there was this entire dining scene (which I thought was quite a pivotal scene) where I couldnt see anything but one of the actor's back. Which was really a pity because I would have loved to watch Deanna's facial expressions then - her character was going absolutely bonkers and she was spewing out family secrets left and right.

The plot is, as reviews suggest, darkly comedic. But be rest assured that there are no lack of laughs in this play, even though it deals with dark and 'hardy' themes and seems to be a social commentary on American family life as a whole.

It is a pretty long play but you can be sure that each intermission will have you on the edge of your seat, eagerly awaiting the continuation of the play! It is indeed a "once is enough" kind of play because your first time watching it will leave you so in awe, you'll be too overcome to watch this a second time :)

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I also saw it last night and I also really enjoyed it. It's heads deep into my favourite territory of being a very dark black comedy-drama.

However just to be a slight hype-deflator, whilst I did think it was very, very good, I didn't think it was amazing. I think that statement would hold true for my opinion of most departments; acting, writing and production.

However despite these slight hype-deflating reservations, overall it has to be thoroughly recommended; it's nice to see a play and production which whilst never quite landing a knock out blow is so, so enjoyable when you're just watching it wildly swinging punches.

(I'd also forgotten how much I hate audiences at The National - that mixture of smug and stupid).

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Updated On: 11/26/08 at 04:34 AM

i saw the revengers tradgedy at the national and we had some very annoying woman who turned round to me and and someone else and told us to shut up ! wernt even to us stuck up cow ! anyway that my opinion on national goers but it was good ! will see if i can catch august osage county before christmas ! only problem is i wanna see either imagine this in the afternoon and oasage county in evening or osage county in afternoon and imagine this in evening ! just worried about train and stuff

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I wouldn't recommend doing ANYTHING with A:OC unless the second show is a very short one-act as it's so long and extremely draining.

That said, the NT is right by Waterloo...

...I do try to be smug and stupid but I often fail and only manage to be smug and obnoxiously smart-assed.

I have to say I saw this twice in New York, and want to see it again here. I generally never go to see plays again, but this is a truly wondrous work.

Deanna Dunigan, Amy Morton and the rest of the cast give performances that simply cannot be missed. The play is hilarious, heartbreaking, and holds your attention for the entire run time. It is long, but the intermissions really help. I could not recommend it higher.

Just booked tickets for Sunday January 4th with some uni friends!

Bringing over the best play Broadway has had in years with most of the original cast...I really can't express how excited I am to see this!

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http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/5328/how-to-get-here/travel-to-the-nt.html

will tell you everything you need to know :)

She's 14 in the show.

I had the pleasure of seeing A:OC in New York back in June and I can't wait to see it again. I'm going on Jan 20th to the matinee - I booked as soon as tickets went on sale and managed to get a £10 one (my first time for a tenner seat).

Many people have compared it to Eugene O'Neil, due to its length, no doubt. But don't let that put you off - the time flies by. I thought it was more like the writing of Sam Shepard especially his Buried Child which I saw at the NT a few years ago.