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Post by lemur on Jul 9, 2010 6:14:06 GMT -5
This thread is for discussing opinions about David's latest play, La Bête. I have a feeling a lot more of us are going to get a chance to see him perform in this one, seeing as it's on in both London and New York. So who has tickets booked? When are you going? And what did you think?
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Post by rose on Jul 9, 2010 11:40:41 GMT -5
Yay Love this thread!^^I'm going!!On 16th July, sitting in the third row I'm getting really excited,only hope we get there on time coz I'm leaving Canada on 15th July and am supposed to be in London at 10.30 am on the 16th...then will probably need a nap and head to the theatre.
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alyson
Confirmed DHP fan
Posts: 22
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Post by alyson on Jul 13, 2010 14:40:51 GMT -5
I'm going in October in New York. Can't wait!
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Post by louise on Jul 13, 2010 16:21:38 GMT -5
I'm going to see it on Saturday. Looking forward to it!
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Post by rose on Jul 14, 2010 10:10:42 GMT -5
OMG!2 more days! Hope you'll enjoy it on Saturday,Louise!^^
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Post by louise on Jul 14, 2010 11:49:56 GMT -5
OMG!2 more days! Hope you'll enjoy it on Saturday,Louise!^^ Thanks Rose. Have a wonderful time on Friday. So pleased that you're going to see David on stage. A special day!
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Post by lemur on Jul 14, 2010 14:24:52 GMT -5
Ooh the excitement! Can't wait to hear you guys' verdicts.
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Post by lemur on Jul 16, 2010 6:06:14 GMT -5
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Post by rose on Jul 17, 2010 8:48:47 GMT -5
So here’s my capsule review. Sorry, just read that blog about the guys who met Edward Hibbard and this quote popped into my mind. Anyhow, on to my first encounter with David Hyde Pierce. I arrived at 10.30 at Heathrow airport ,nicely jetlagged from my flight from Canada and also because I had stupidly only managed to sleep for one hour, spending most of my time listening to music (“Curtains” very much) and thinking about the upcoming performance. Once in London all I wanted to do was sleep and that’s what I did the minute I arrived at the hostel. After a brief dinner at Garfunkel’s mum and I set off across town to the Comedy Theatre. It was fairly easily located because I know London’s West End pretty well (musical geek and all that) and so we arrived about 45 minutes early, the only advantage being that we had the chance to walk around the theatre to find the stage door. After that most of our time consisted of waiting… mum was waiting for the shop to open so that she could buy the script (once she heard that it would be rhyming she was a bit afraid if she’d understand anything) and for me a program. I, in the meantime, assessed all the other attending people, wondering who I’d see again at the stage door afterwards. A little after 7 the doors opened and mum and I parted ways, she had a seat at the balcony, I went to the stalls to sit in the third row. My seat was really fantastic, almost in the middle and, as I said, very close to the stage so that my tummy cramped up a little in excitement. Then there was some more waiting as slowly more and more people entered the auditorium. The woman to my left offered me some choc Minstrels which was very nice and then finally, the piece began. It started off incredibly differently to what I had thought, with music and a kind of silent banquet scene, which was very nicely done… there was a kind of see through curtain and the light was used to just illuminate a table and then Elomire and his troupe eating. I suppressed a squeal when I saw that it was really David Hyde Pierce standing soooo close to me.lol I’m not going to describe the entire play to you but lets just say it was phenomenal. Incredibly funny (at one point I was crying with laughter) with a very important ending. The only thing mum and I didn’t like was the excessive farting, belching etc. though we did wonder if it was simply used to make a point… but you will have to know the ending to understand that. First of all to Mark Rylance: absolutely fantastic, very good actor,very versatile and hilariously funny. Joanna Lumley wasn’t very good, screeched her way through the part and could’ve been played by just anyone. The entire cast was very good , though they had very little to do. David is on stage most of the time, though sadly hasn’t as much to say as one would wish. But on the other hand, he doesn’t need to speak; his body language and facial expressions are so incredibly entertaining and wonderful that he needs to be applauded for an outstanding performance. He has impeccable comic timing, and so we roared with laughter when he loses his will to live during Valere’s 30 minute monologue, always varying between anger and the urge to cry. The two funniest moments for me were when he reached over to take Bejart’s hand and when he seemed to ask the audience a silent question by just arching an eyebrow and looking at us. He can also articulate rather well and I could not believe how loudly he can speak!! Just a quick note on his appearance, he looks a bit like a mixture between Island Niles and Niles in the Halloween episode.(I know that you know that, there are pictures around after all) But seriously, he looks fantastic and has very nice hands too.^^ The performance started off with a bit of a glitch though, David sat at his desk writing when suddenly a large piece of like…wall fell from the ceiling just inches away from him. I thought that it was kinda part of the play but then later on found out that this wasn’t supposed to happen, I’m just glad he’s ok.lol Towards the end of the play David gets to show what a wonderful, serious actor he can be and if I had to choose I’d say that the ending was probably my favourite part, not only because of the thought behind it but also because of David’s acting. When the lights went out I instantly grew a little nervous, knowing that the stage door moment was approaching but the fears slowly subsided when I saw David take his company bow. He was incredibly sweet, hugging Mark Rylance and generally smiling and seeming incredibly delighted with us, the audience, as if he was grateful for each and every one of us. I made my way through the crowd of people and funnily arrived at the stage door before mum did, at that point there were only 2 other people standing there but soon more arrived. It wasn’t as bad as I had feared though, I have made several different experiences with stage-dooring, from no-one but me being there to a whole throng of people (on Broadway) but this amount was manageable. Mum soon joined me and we exchanged our view of the play while waiting. One of the funniest things was that one of the actresses left the stage door followed by the guy who plays Jesse St James on “Glee”. I was a bit like “What?” coz I saw him coming out and I turned to mum and was like “Mmh, he looks kinda like that guy on “Glee”…but he’s American… so… is that him?”lol But soon other people spotted him and were asking for autographs- I didn’t really bother. Then Joanna Lumley emerged, drawing all attention to herself. I don’t want to say too much or offend anyone, but I seriously do not like her so while people started pushing themselves to the front mum and I just chatted. She’s nice enough but far too arrogant for our own good… anyway, I perked up a little when Mark Rylance turned up. He looked a bit like Johnny Depp, in terms of his dress style and stuff. Very quiet, almost disappeared had not someone asked him to sign autographs. It was a pleasant experience meeting him. And then we waited, it was almost 1 hour after the play had ended that David came out. He greeted us all by saying “Hello, oh, so nice that you’re still here.” And then he began to sign stuff and chat to people and I instantly felt at ease. Someone next to me asked if “The Perfect Host” would be shown in England as well and he said yes, he just didn’t know when exactly. And then it was my turn… two girls stood in front of me, but he kinda looked at me and so I said “Could you sign this?” and gave him my “Accent on Youth” script. And he laughed, it was so sweet, not In a kind of “Bahaha, you idiot” sorta way but as if he was really happy to see it (everyone else wanted their programs to be signed, or their Frasier DVDs) and encouraged by that I just said “I couldn’t see it in New York, so I bought the script instead”. He was really touched by it and signed the front cover saying “Watch out so you don’t smudge it” and then I asked him if I could have a photo as well. He complied with a smile and just asked me which way to look. I pointed at my mum and then he slipped his right arm around me and I did the same with my left arm and then mum took the photo. He said “Thank you” and I walked away a bit, giving others the space. I’m really happy with the pic mum took, though I look a bit like a grinning douche, but who cares, it’s David next to me, why wouldn’t I smile?lol I attempted to film a bit but it was too dark for my camera to pick up anything. Then mum decided that she wanted to get my program signed too coz we were both a bit afraid that the autograph on my script would disappear on the trip home. So while I stood a bit further down the road, mum went back and he signed it as well. She was quite smitten with him too and grateful he still signed the program coz she was the last person and he did look pretty tired by that time. He then walked up the road, walking past me and he turned to look at me with a smile and said “G’night”. When mum reached me I was smiling coz I was so happy and she was like “He said “Take care” to me”lol bless her. We followed him a bit coz we were walking to Picadilly Circus underground station and he had stopped at the pub at the corner. So yeah, do see “La Bete” if you get the chance coz, in my opinion, it’s worth seeing and meet David, he’s one of the loveliest, most genuine people I’ve had the good fortune to meet! I'll put pictures up in a little while, my first lecture here at Oxford is starting in a minute so I gotta go now!
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Post by rose on Jul 17, 2010 12:36:05 GMT -5
Ok, so here we go:picture time! Mark Rylance: David comin out: David signing stuff: David signing my script: Me grinning like an idiot and yeah,there's David too^^: More David: My signed script of "Accent..":
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