Rock 'n' Roll

[mcr5137]

Excellent question 7sisters! And what a great idea! Wouldn't that be fabulous if, indeed, it were taped at some point??? I'd certainly purchase it!

Michelle

[sevensisters]

mcr5137 said:

Excellent question 7sisters! And what a great idea! Wouldn't that be fabulous if, indeed, it were taped at some point??? I'd certainly purchase it!

Michelle

Me, too -- I would buy a copy immediately! Even if I had to purchase a region-free DVD player to view it on! (I've been looking for an excuse, anyway.) I feel like I've missed out on something very special.

7sisters

[meiju]

I totally love that idea. Apart from the obvious attrction it sounds such an interesting play, the politics and culture etc. There sounds to be so much Europe, familiar and unfamiliar, written in it.

[Tinkerdog]

I would love to buy a copy on DVD even Audio (like Arcadia).

[ruthy]

I reckon it was taped-some extensive clips were shown on Newsnight Review. If it was taped and there were no plans to air it previously, I bet there sure as hell are now that it's walked off with two doorstops.

[ukelelehip]

ruthy said:

I reckon it was taped-some extensive clips were shown on Newsnight Review. If it was taped and there were no plans to air it previously, I bet there sure as hell are now that it's walked off with two doorstops.

If they don't it would just be criminal. Hopefully it ends up in some public theatre archive somewhere.

In other news, I've just read that OMG squeee Pete Sullivan is still in the play as Ferdinand. Does that warrant yet another trip to RnR when I'm next in London? I could argue I would like to see how the play has developed with the new cast. Or I could admit that I just love Ferda too much. But I don't think I can handle Dominic West as Jan. His Voysey Inheritance may have put me off for life

[redalert]

Seen it last July and it was brilliant. My most expensive night out, I might add (the theatre tickets and the airfare) but double worthwhile as I saw Rufus outside the theatre and got his autograph. As I already wrote on the previous forum.

But yes, it was excellent, and a well deserved award for Rufus.

[GreenEyesToo]

It's the time of year for "Best of.." lists - I liked this one, where 2 people nominate R&R:

www.musicomh.com/comment/theatre-best_1206.htm

"career-best performance", eh? I'll second that!

And is the staff writer who saw it 3 times one of us??? Come clean!! ;D

[GreenEyesToo]

And this one :

www.calendarlive.com/stage/cl-ca-mcnulty17dec17,0,17075.story?coll=cl-stage-features

"One of the subtlest performances of the year" - he's going to win more awards, mark my words!

[ukelelehip]

I dreamt I went to the play with the new cast and it was all different as Stoppard had rewritten it and now it wasn't even set in Prague anymore nor did it cover a timespan. It was bizarre!! ;D

[GreenEyesToo]

admin said:

I dreamt I went to the play with the new cast and it was all different as Stoppard had rewritten it and now it wasn't even set in Prague anymore nor did it cover a timespan. It was bizarre!! ;D

Maybe that's the next play he does with Stoppard, uke!

[ukelelehip]

I was in London with a friend over the NYE weekend. My friend is a huge politics buff and a leftie so when she told me she wanted to see some theatre it was just too easy to suggest that she should see RnR. So I did and so we went. Going in, I thought I would be bored because this was my love of a play performed by the wrong cast and how could it still be good?? How wrong I was. The play as always was BRILLIANT and yes - proof that I don't just have a one track mind - so was Dominic West!! He was totally adorable and giddy and funny and cute. I also liked Calder better this time than the last and Emma Fielding was amazing. The actors I missed most (besides the Roof obviously) were Edward Hogg (Stephen), Alice Eve (Alice) and Nicole Ansari (Lenka). As for the Roof/Dominic comparison, I thought Rufus' performance contained subtleties that I didn't see with Dominic. Rufus's Jan (imo) seemed to suffer his fate in silence and hold it back and also pine for Esme much more whereas Dominic's Jan seemed to be less affected by his ordeal and more happy-go-lucky. However, bonus points for Dominic because he faces the audience when he cries! It is perhaps a bit bizarre but I suspect I can see this play forever and not be bored. RnR makes me deliriously happy.

Afterwards I hung around the stage door for a bit and caught Tom Stoppard (!) and Peter Sullivan (Ferdinand). Apparently they were just going to talk about Pete going to NY with the play. I don't know who needed to be convinced or if they were on the same page but I think I made a heartfelt fangirly plea for Pete's transfer.

[rai]

Oh Uke that is so exciting - the Pete coming to NYC part and the fact that you got to see Dominic West (I've been wondering how he'd do). You're right about the play itself. It is so terrific, but without the Rufus beginnings where would it all be?

The Broadway crowd is in for a treat. Glad you could put a plug in for Pete.

Rai

[ukelelehip]

Rock 'n' Roll Confirms London Closing Date, 25 Feb
Whatsonstage.com

Trevor Nunn’s award-winning premiere production of Tom Stoppard’s Rock 'n' Roll will finish its twice-extended season at the West End’s Duke of York’s Theatre on 25 February 2007, at the end of its current booking period, ahead of a planned transfer to Broadway in the autumn (See News, 6 Oct 2006).

Rock 'n' Roll spans the recent history of Czechoslovakia between the Prague Spring and the Velvet Revolution - but from the double perspective of Prague, where a rock 'n' roll band, and its fan, Jan, came to symbolise resistance to the regime, and the British left, represented by British Communist philosopher, Max, at Cambridge.

Rock 'n' Roll opened in the West End on 22 July following its world premiere at the Royal Court from 14 June 2006 (previews from 3 June) to 15 July as part of the Sloane Square theatre’s year-long 50th anniversary celebrations. Among its accolades to date are Evening Standard awards for Best Play and Best Actor for Rufus Sewell (the original Jan) and five nominations in this year’s Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice Awards, including nods for Best New Play, Best Actor for Sewell and Best Director for Nunn (click here to vote now!).

At the time of the play’s first West End extension in September, David Calder took over from role originator Brian Cox as Max, and for the second extension, Dominic West (pictured) and Emma Fielding took over from Sewell and Sinead Cusack as, respectively, Jan and Eleanor/older Esme. The current cast also features Dolya Gavanski, Martin Chamberlain, Peter Sullivan and Sarah Pearman.

Rock 'n' Roll is designed by Robert Jones, with lighting by Howard Harrison, costumes by Emma Ryott and sound by Ian Dickinson. It’s presented in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions. No further productions have yet been announced for the Duke of York’s.

- by Terri Paddock

[maxx02]

ah wonderful. thanks Uke. I'll tell all of my salivating friends who missed it in London that it seems autumn will be the time frame.