The Audience previews

[Keiichi2]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 8:42am

The Audience starts previews tonight!

Is anyone going, or going to see it soon?

Seeing it during my late April/early May trip, so hoping for some good responses!

[Natto]

Posted: 2/14/15 at 11:35pm

So no one saw it? who is on this forum

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 1:57am

Didn't see it. But that is the WORST marquee/advertising. So boring. Did they spend a penny on it? Oof.

[After Eight]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 8:02am

I must confess to being greatly disappointed by this. It's stodgy, placid, and not a little dull. The writing is hokey and musty, and the structure arbitrary and haphazard. The Queen meets with various prime ministers throughout her reign in no chronological order, and seemingly, in no order at all. The conversations are far from scintillating. The prime ministers are written in stock, cartoonish fashion. There are also flashbacks in which the Queen interacts with her younger self. These are better, but all too brief. A plain biographical drama about the Queen would have better, for here she just appears as a patient soul forced to listen to the prattling of her various prime ministers. She seems every bit as bored by them as we are.

Helen Mirren is good, but the play is not.

Running time: 2 1/2 hours.





Updated On: 2/15/15 at 08:02 AM

[atuomala]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 12:58pm

Seeing it on February 24!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 1:01pm

From the sounds of it, the movie the Queen might have been better

This will be a show for bragging rights. Well "I saw The Audience so therefore aren't I wonderful"? It's Only A Show was the same type of che che show but it was a comedy so it was more acceptable to the general masses.

We see limited shows these days so unless we got a great deal (highly unlikely) probably will not see it.

[evic]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 4:39pm

In other words more British crap that the critics will go gaga for. Other than historians of British history, who even knows or cares about the Prime Ministers of the UK? Sounds like something to nap through. 2 1/2 hours????????? Constellations at 1 hour was too long for me.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 5:00pm

Why anyone would pay to see a show 1 hour long escapes me.

To each his own I guess

Totally agree with rest of the post. Just interviews with prime ministers. Just the description is BORING.

[ZiggyCringe]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 5:04pm

I saw the show in London, and found it fascinating. Mirren doing what she does best, and yes, as the previous poster posted, she looks incredibly bored during the meetings. As she should.

I've heard that the script has been tweaked for American audiences, and I haven't seen the NY version, so it might suck. Dunno. I loved it in London.

Updated On: 2/15/15 at 05:04 PM

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 5:15pm

Constellations was one of the best things of the season, anyone that can't see that is an idiot.

[evic]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 5:29pm

Then I am an idiot and I was comped. It was pure bull**** garbage through and through. But I can kiss my elbow...and you can kiss my ass.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 5:52pm

Now that is a great big LOL!!

[After Eight]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 8:12pm

Evic,

Agree with you wholeheartedly on Constellations. Pretentious garbage.

I wonder why American audiences are supposed to care about plays dealing with British monarchs. There seems to be a never-ending stream of them.

Would the British public be expected to embrace a play dealing with American presidents and their discussions with leaders of the House and Senate?

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 8:20pm

^ Not quite the same, but they embraced Frost/Nixon.

[mattmarkowski99]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 10:46pm

I saw the matinee tonight and I loved it. Richard McCabe and Helen Mirren were wonderful. The best part was that at the stage door, one of Helen's assistants came out and told all of us that she will come out, but will not sign or take pictures, unless you are with a little kid or are 15 or younger. So luckily for me, I'm 15 and he took my playbill in and she signed it beautifully for me! All and all it was a great time!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 10:49pm

I love that queenly edict

Wait until the groupies start enlisting little kids to get the autographs.

[mattmarkowski99]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 11:09pm

^ Its horrible to think that that actually will be true! Those people will do anything to get a signature to sell.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 11:12pm

Some do not sell it. They cherish it as one would treat a family member.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 11:26pm

what a weird rule.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 11:48pm

To Lights

Nice to see you are open minded & listen to other opinions even if they disagree with you. Will keep that in mind in the future

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 11:52pm

^ oh **** off from you pedestal.

[bfreak]

Posted: 2/16/15 at 12:17am

To be honest, I have to agree with Lights. While I understand what she is trying to do and trust me it's not due to feeling left out or anything (I'm actually 14), but the whole situation just kinda seems awkward and I think she should just do all or none without a strange type of rule that is being shown here. She is a nice person, though and much respect to her!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/16/15 at 8:33am

You could fool me

"You pedestal" ????

Your friend seems to be the one on their own erected pedestal. I was very conciliatory in what I said. Calling people idiots if they do not agree with you, while somewhat normal for the board, does sound like one who thinks they are always right. If you do not agree you are an idiot. Maybe I am missing something but this sounds like someone who does not take criticism of their feelings easily. If they like Constellations great . Others here did not so your friend labels them as idiots.

Updated On: 2/16/15 at 08:33 AM

[dave1606]

Posted: 2/17/15 at 11:43pm

Maybe it was Mirren's perforamnce, but I was utterly captivated by this play tonight.

I have seen the film The Queen twice and I never really cared for it, but here I felt like Mirren's warmth and humor go a long way. It reminded me a bit of It's Only a Play in the sense that it was exciting to see which Prime Minister was coming in next.

Certainly the showdown with Judith Ivey's (excellent) Thatcher is worth the price of admission alone. Watching these two powerful ladies go at it is certainly fun.

It is classy production with some stunning costumes, and Mirren's incredible performance goes a long way to anchor it.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 2/17/15 at 11:50pm

She could do what they do at Cabaret. Come out with a stack of signed Playbills and you have to trade your Playbill for a signed one. This keeps collectors away and allows only people who have obtained a Playbill to get a signed one. Hell, she could even use an autopen to sign them ala "Drescher-gate." The age cut offs seem weird.