Frecknall helmed Cat on a Hot Tin Roof LONDON - News & Discussion Thread

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 4:43pm

Performances started last night at the Almeida. 
Was able to snag a return ticket for later this month. Anyone else going? 

[blaxx]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 5:01pm

Really hoping for a West End Transfer. Those  Almeida runs are way too short.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 5:30pm

Seeing it next weekend. 

[verywellthensigh]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 6:11pm

Anything will be an improvement over the Benedict Andrews production, which couldn't even be saved by a surprisingly great Sienna Miller and Jack O'Connell's dong.  

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 6:15pm

blaxx said: "Really hoping for a West End Transfer. Those Almeida runs are way too short."

There will be some West End theatres open next year. My prediction is either the Garrick or Duke of York's. Because the whole run sold out in less than an hour, I’d say they need a larger venue due to the high demand. I tried numerous times to get a ticket but no luck. If you wanna see it at the Almeida, constantly check their online returns as you may never know. One popped up for December 28 and I grabbed that so quickly! It’s definitely one of the hottest tickets right now. That and Producers. 

[blaxx]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 7:12pm

Dylan Smith4 said: "blaxx said: "Really hoping for a West End Transfer. Those Almeida runs are way too short."

There will be some West End theatres open next year. My prediction is either the Garrick or Duke of York's. Because the whole run sold out in less than an hour, I’d say they need a larger venue due to the high demand. I tried numerous times to get a ticket but no luck. If you wanna see it at the Almeida, constantly check their online returns as you may never know. One popped up for December 28 and I grabbed that so quickly! It’s definitely one of the hottest tickets right now. That and Producers."

They did open a few tickets yesterday. I quit when I saw I was 1500 in the virtual queue.

Does look good for a transfer. 

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 8:54pm

verywellthensigh said: "Anything will be an improvement over the Benedict Andrews production, which couldn't even be saved by a surprisingly great Sienna Miller and Jack O'Connell's dong."

I loved that production and Sienna Miller's performance... and Jack O'Connell's dong. Of the four filmed versions that are easily available, it's my favorite. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/21/24 at 7:58pm

This was a mixed bag for me. I thought Kingsley Ben-Adir's Brick was sensational. One of the best "drunks" I've seen acted in a very long time. I think the level of "drunk" turns some people off but it really a committed and solid performance for me. Daisy was good as Maggie but I just couldn't get past her accent. She had a southern accent ever 4th or 5th word, otherwise it was just a standard American accent and sorry but it sounded crazy. Some words she was in Mississippi, others California.

What I dont' understand (again) is Frecknall's "vision". Like with STREETCAR, it appears to be less is...something, no set ,minimal costumes. And like with STREETCAR, I think this production is worth it just for one of the performances, not the actual production. These things make me just want a normal production of the plays, so badly. I'm personally so over the minimalist approach to things for seemingly no reason at all. Tennessee Williams doesn't need any help getting his "point" across. It's some of the greatest writing ever done and he wrote these characters in distinct settings with distinct set pieces - how can you do CAT without a bed and everyone just sitting on some two dollar chairs and a little bench on the side of the stage? 
 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 12/21/24 at 8:12pm

That sounds awful, and a complete insult to the valuable work set designers can contribute. What makes them so unnecessary to Ms. Frecknall?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/21/24 at 8:24pm

Production Spoiler here -

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The stage also had a big piano on it (biggest set piece) that a guy sat at randomly playing during act one. He’s never acknowledged by the actors and is just kind of “there”. Act two he moved and just sat in the corner of the stage watching the action and at the end you can infer he’s the “ghost” or “spirit” of Skipper that’s been haunting/tormenting Brick.

 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 12/22/24 at 10:00am

I was also there last night, and I can say it was truly a remarkable production. I agree with Jordan on Kingsley. He delivers truly a riveting performance, but I was not prepared for Lennie James as Big Daddy. WOW! He was almost a monster, and I was kinda frightened by him. I have a strong bias for Rebecca Frecknall's work, so that's why I enjoyed it more than others. I'm hopeful this production transfers to the West End so that more people have the chance to see it. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/22/24 at 10:03am

Lennie James was an interesting Big Daddy. I’ve never seen someone play it as overtly mean as that. I “think” it worked for me, in the context of an already (to me) misguided production but it was very jarring at first.