Book a Hotel
Edinburgh Reviews
(Gary Deegan)
(John S.)
(Suzanne Macintosh)
(Fergus Nicoll)
(Bob Templeton)
(Charles Paxton)
(Sandra Duthie)
(Geoffry Smithely)
(Trish Rennie)
(O.j. Famakinwa)
(A Slater)
(K S Fletcher)
(Dean Kozlowski)
(Anonymous)
(June Brady)
(John Grant)
(Paul Maddocks)
(Paul Pringle)
(K Parker)
Edinburgh Listings
Edinburgh Directory
Edinburgh News
Royal Lyceum Theatre Reviews |
Details |
Let us know your opinions of Royal Lyceum Theatre, good or bad we want to know. Read everyone elses opinion below and click 'Submit Review' to tell us your own.
Reviews
|
|||||||||
| This Page: 1 to 2 of 2 |
| Goto Page: -1 |
These reviews are the subjective opinion of our users and do not represent the opinions of edinburgh-life.com. Whilst we make every effort to moderate them we can not guarantee their accuracy. |
| Elphaba | 
|
The First To Go - Opening NightThere is something distinctly unpleasant about sitting in a theatre for two and a half hours, being reminded of how horrendous the human race is at its worst. Yet, Benchtour's most recent work Nabil Shaban's 'The First to Go' is a riveting and significant piece of theatre. It is unpleasant because this is a difficult subject, it is unpleasant because the sense of guilt amongst the able-bodied audience members is palpable. The story is told through the eyes of Siegfried, Helmut and Heide, three patients who become caught up in the Nazi's T4 programme to exterminate all 'useless eaters', patients in hospitals who are physically or mentally disabled in any way at all. This was really the Nazis warm up programme for the 'Solution to the Question of the Jewish Problem'. The patients tell each other stories whilst awaiting the news that they will be taken to the camp at Hadmar, where they would become casualties of the T-4 Euthanasia project, part of Hitler's great plan to create the perfect race of Aryan Gods.It is so important that a major mainstream theatre company such as Benchtours presents a work of this type. This is usually the remit of companies such as Birds of Paradise, Theatre Workshop, Lung Ha's, Sounds of Progress and in the South, Graeae. However, one feels that when these companies perform, the subject of society's treatment of those with physical and mental disabilities becomes niche, instead, by having it presented in the mainstream is accepts this work as a mainstream concern. Two small gripes: One is that with the presence of Captioning equipment that helps those audience members who are hearing impaired to enjoy the performance. However, those of us who are not hearing impaired constantly have our attention drawing to this red, moving writing. Furthermore, those members of the cast who have not worked hard enough on their lines are consistently upstaged by the captioning. The second is that the play at two and a half hours long is an ordeal for a modern audience. Despite this minor problem, the production is a strong, the cast with some small exceptions are excellent. The actress playing the young Nurse and the actor who played Jokey Liar should be highly complimented on their great acting, energy, sensitivity and commitment. |
|
Reviewed 25 May 2008 |
» Management Response |
| Jonathan Whiteside | 
|
MonksI have to say in all my years of viewing theatre this is one of the worst, and as to how it was produced by the Lyceum, God only knows. Des Dillon is renound for being a very funny man, and having met him I would have agreed, except then I saw Monks, which believes that if you swear enough times eventually its going to be comedy genius. Well except for the few titters of the school pupils who have never heard at F or C word onstage before, it most certainly was not a comedy. And it's attempts at looking into mental health...well using Gnarls Barkle's Crazy and having the psychologically imbalanced character wearing a 'Frankie says Relax' T-shirt says it all. Woefully directed by Mark Thompson, some of the cast attempt to engage with the audience, but to no avail. And by the end of the second act it falls into Laurel & Hardey slapstick, except Laurel & Hardy did it well. I have never wanted to walk out of a show more, were I not there with someone I would have, as the ending is just as boringly bland as the rest of this show. What is most sadening though is that the younger people who were there, many of them perhaps never seeing any theatre other than Shakespeare, will go away without knowing what a vibrant and exciting medium it can be. However, whilst mark Thompson is still allowed to direct, I shouldn't imagine that will be happening at the Lyceum anytime soon. |
|
Reviewed 21 Mar 2007 |
» Management Response |
| » Submit Review |
Looking for somewhere to stay?
|
|
Le Monde Hotel
The Hudson HotelSponsored Links
This Site Needs You!
www.edinburgh-life.com is designed to keep you informed and updated about the latest news and events in and around Edinburgh.
If there is anything you would like us to add to this site please let us know about it. You can submit your business details, news stories, reviews, listings and comments using any of the links below.
» add your details to our edinburgh business directory
» let us know about any interesting edinburgh news
» send us details of any good, or bad, experiences you have had in edinburgh
» tell us about an event that's happening in edinburgh
» get involved in the general chat and comments in our forums
