A View from the Bridge

Sheesh! Best length for an act is 45mins or the audience's attention starts to wander. That's why school periods are set at around 40minutes. I would have had to head to the loo waaaay before the end!

Tegan Arthur Miller is never going to be a bucket of laughs and jolly night out at the theatre. He had and wrote about his serious concerns of how people functioned and saw themselves individually and how they did so within [American] society among other things. He was a serious dramatist in both senses of the word serious. I don't think A View From the Bridge is among his best works, but regard Death of a Salesman and The Crucible as among the greatest dramatic works of the twentieth century. Having said, that, chacun à son goût or you pays your money and you takes your choice.

I wish I'd seen that. I love Arthur Miller's works and am invariably moved to tears by the final scene. There was a wonderful All My Sons at the Royal Exchange in Manchester last year which I'd have sat through all over again if I'd had the chance. But I agree, absent, for high tragedy you can't beat The Crucible. It was very rewarding reading it with Kenyan 6th Formers most of whom came from a tribal society in which witchcraft was never far from the surface.

I saw the NT production of A View from the Bridge beamed into our local cinema recently. I went with 3 friends and we were all very impressed by the production and acting. It was topical - immigration issues again.

Sorry you didn't enjoy it Tegan, though I'm not sure "enjoy" is the word I'd use to describe my experience either. A great 'theatre' experience though for me and my pals.

I think I was expecting to be really moved by the production but I felt nothing . I've been unable to leave my seat for ages and /or moved to tears sometimes at the theatre but this left me cold. I have to admit to not being familiar with any of Arthur Millers works though. At least these cinema showings give us a taste of theatre that we would have to pay a fortune to see at an actual theatre [plus the travelling there and back]. We may go and see Carmen soon; I've never liked opera [other than Gilbert and Sullivan stuff ] but I'd like to experience the 'experience' plus the opportunity to see great actors on stage. It's amazing that they are now streaming these productions into schools for free, as well.

Tegan, don't let this put you off seeing The Crucible or Death of a Salesman if you get the opportunity. I saw Carmen at the Plaza in Stockport last year - a spirited performance. At the end of May, I'm going with U3A to see Matthew Bourne's The Car Man, loosely based, so I believe, on Bizet's opera. I've enjoyed his other productions so am looking forward to this one.

What is good about these cinema showings is that, as my hearing isn't as good as it used to be I find it easier to hear what the actors are saying, whereas I struggle a bit at the theatre unless I sit right at the front.

I have very mixed feelings about these screenings of plays or operas. On the one hand it is a marvellous to see something that you could not possibly get to, either because of distance, or costing an arm and a leg or just because it sold out "in the flesh". So I was delighted to see David Tennant's Richard Ii and Mark Rylance's Twlfth Night. But on the other hand, the atmosphere is entirely different -where would I rather be, The Globe or my local multiplex? (Guess) Secondly most productions are designed to be viewed as a 'whole picture' I mean the stage, and camera close ups of actors' faces can distort the director or designer's intention without bringing anything to the experience of the audience. Sadly it is also yet another example of a ' virtual' experience instead of the real thing-selfies or endless pics on people's mobiles instead if living in and enjoying the moment. So useful in its place, but not perfect. I wonder if you would not have been more gripped if you had seen it 'live' in a theatre Tegan?

Probably Soutra, albeit being even more desperate for the loo [although it would have been pointed out at the theatre that there was no break in the middle].

We are a bit weird and not terribly cultured but OH and are are hooked on Odd Socks productions and always try to catch them at our local theatres. This company take a well known play or story and put their own interpretation on it. There's just a few cast members, all very talented performers who also sell the programmes, play their own music and shift the most clever, amazing, multi purpose scenery. The latest one we went to was Wind in The Willows and it was so imaginative. Mole in the rowing boat was hilarious and very cleverly done. A friend of ours took her recently bereaved sister to see an Odd Socks production. She said afterwards that it was the first time she had laughed in months. Find out more about the company here www.oddsocks.co.uk

Apologies.. should read 'Other Half and I are', not 'are are' I swear it didn't look like that when I pressed post. Told you we are weird.

We sometimes have plays performed at our village hall by travelling players [it's so Thomas Hardy!] and some of the plays have been better than things I've seen at the theatre. Again some have been awful [but it was more a matter of personal taste than bad writing or performing]. I'll look out for oddsocks nonnanna. Something I do want to see one day is Giffords Circus but they only perform down south. Again something that seems to come straight out of Victorian times and not a circus as we imagine it to be.

You know I sometimes wonder why the letters are so jumbled up when I'm convinced I didn't press those keys . Trouble is, I can't touch type so when I look up to see what I've written I tend to see what I want to see...

Nonna; I've checked them out and they look brilliant [and are playing in my area later in the year!]. I'm definately going to see them . Thank you!

But I'm away when they're on at my local theatre ; darn it. Still they are performing at other venues when I am at home [phew]...I'll spread the word locally.

Tegan I'm so pleased that you found a performance near you. We have had so much pleasure from them. I'm sure if you like children's plays and pantomimes plus a bit of culture you'll enjoy them too. I'm also pleased that you can't touch type either

Tegan I typed too slowly ..sorry you will miss them x

I won't miss them as there are two other venues I can go to [just means the seats won't be as comfy, but I think they're worth it; they have a touch of Cirque du Soleil about them, humour wise...a combination of pantomime/theatre/circus].

...hey, no typos in that one [I think]....#I'mgettingbetter

I saw War Horse at the National Theatre in London a while ago. I had been wanting to see it for ages as it had rave reviews. The puppets were fantastic but the whole thing (in my opinion) was a bore. I couldn't wait to get out. Same with Les Miserables. Oh and Cats, although I realise these last two are musicals and not plays. We saw Billy Elliott live show breamed to our local cinema recently. It was fantastic.

I loved Death Of A Salesman, also All My Sons, but haven't seen A View From The Bridge as yet.I will look out for the Odd Socks productions in the future.Giffords Circus will be performing just up the road from me in a week or so, I hadn't realised they were good?I love going to the theatre but don't go now as often as I used to. not only is it very expensive, but sometimes it can turn out to be a wasted boring evening, which puts you off going more.I Know a lot of being enjoyed War Horse, I haven't seen it, but thought Cats was utterly boring, although others love it.

Typo again! Not being, but people.

I loved War Horse; have seen it twice at the theatre and once as a cinema/theatre experience. My one critiscism of it is that I feel that the first half is much better than the second half as I find the bit with the young French girl on the farm drags on for far to long. Still the best thing I have ever seen, though. I'm on the Giffords Circus mailing list roses and receive the most beautiful advertising stuff from them plus a Christmas card; the most quirky, beautiful things in brown paper envelopes...I look forward to getting them. You can get an idea of what they're like by going on their website. They used to perform at Cheltenham Racecourse but are not there this year, which is annoying because I could get there easily. I loved Cats when I saw it a long, long time ago but have a feeling I wouldn't enjoy it now. Whistle Down the Wind was good, as was Blood Brothers. I saw War of the Worlds recently and was very bored although I was surounded by people who went to see it every year . The trouble with theatre is, if you stop going you're likely to miss a little gem of a production. I'd love to see The Lion King. One of my favourite productions ever was Go and Play Up your Own End by [I think] Malcolm Stent.

I saw the NT production of War Horse at the Lowry in Salford. I couldn't watch the film, the sight of the horse ploughing the stony field did for me I'm afraid. The puppets in the stage version were simply wonderful.
My daughters and their pals saw the Lion King and like Tegan, I'd love to go.
I agree that real live theatre tops the NT productions beamed into the cinema, but it's so good to be able to see these productions for £12 at our handy and comfortable cinema