Jonathan Cohen said: "PipingHotPiccolo said: "Jonathan Cohen said: "Without diminishing what could well be a very insightful play, asking people to spend money on a play about Putin, while we still can't escape him on the nightly news is kind of a hard sell for me."
to each their own, but isnt that what makes this play topical, relevant, etc?"
I was really sorry to hear about Michael Stuhlbarg getting attacked. It's a little surreal the suspect got apprehended outside the RussianConsulate.
Getting back to if the play is relevant, for sure the topic is relevant. But is itrevelatory? There's no way to know that without watching it. However, Putin has been running Russia for 25 years. We know exactly who he is. What makes him tick is wanting to gain and retain power, I don't think it's that complicated.
It's really hardfinding new things to say about an active political figure as scrutinized as Putin. Ifthe reviews say Patriots is brilliant and does say something new,I'll probably buy a ticket. But otherwise, I'm justspending a couple of hours with a very familiar,unpleasant character.
A few things:
"..There is no way to know without watching" Well, yes always better not to pontificate on whether a play says something new or not without seeing it. Respectfully, might have been a good idea to heed that advice. That being said one could have easily read reviews of the UK productions that could have explained to you the play's unique vantage point on Putin and, some, do indeed say the play and/or the performances were brilliant.
You do know that while Putin is of obvious significance to the play, albeit technically a supporting part, the play tells the story of Putin's rise through the eyes of Boris Berezovsky, and to a lesser extent, other oligarchs who enabled Putin and met various fates. So, unless you are up on your Russian oligarch history, you might indeed learn something new about Putin and his rise.
I pretty much know the story of modern British monarchy inside and out and after a billion books/movies/plays regarding same I'm sure there is nothing new to say about it, but, as with "The Crown", "The Queen," "The Audience," when Peter Morgan has a go at a piece of history I know something about, I still listen. Probably nothing new to know about Richard Nixon once "Frost/Nixon" was written - coupled with the ability to watch the real interview on which the play/movie was based, yet Peter Morgan made it something new. I don't know if "Patriots" will tell me anything new about Putin and if the facts are 100% correct (love or hate Morgan for that), but he excels at telling an oft told historical tale singularly and in an incredibly smart, entertaining and impactful way, with great wit. You throw Rupert Goold into this and pretty much a no brainer no matter how much I might know about the subject matter.
"..asking people to spend money on a play about Putin, while we still can't escape him on the nightly news is kind of a hard sell for me." Yes, for you perhaps, but theatergoers in the UK spoke loudly regarding this and were quite happy to have their money taken from them to spend time with Putin (again, let me repeat, a play more about or as much about the men who enabled Putin) - I believe "Patriots" was the fastest sell out in Almeida history and with the West End run the play recouped. If plays were only written about historical figures we like and are happy to spend tie with, then (stating the obvious) serious theater going would be a much sadder place. Richard III, anyone - the list goes on.
Thankfully Sonia Friedman was not at all shy about asking me to spend my money even though I can't escape Putin on the nightly news, and I couldn't have handed said money over to her fast enough for the April 20 matinee.
And, if you were not aware of this, what also distinguishes Morgan's work is that he writes so smartly and vibrantly that the actors saying his words always are lauded and honored - substantial list. Keen won the BAFTA and, as I previously cried about in another thread, while I am profoundly disappointed that Tom Hollander (BAFTA nominated for Boris) will not be in this production I am sure Stuhlbarg will find similar acclaim in an incredibly juicy role and Keen will be similarly lauded on this side of the pond. Again, (stating the obvious) but brilliant performances are their own joy - and a reason itself to attend a play about a "familiar" and "unlikeable" subject matter.
Sorry, just needed to respectively address your dismissiveness of the play's subject matter, which, unfortunately, irked me to no end --especially when there are so many interesting elements to this production. Nothing personal. As a previous poster said, to each his own and many might feel similar - though my mind is majorly boggled by it.
