So, it’s really happening, Richard will be on stage again in London at the beginning of next year for Uncle Vanya!
Saw this publicity picture for the production, which looks depressing but good:
And I really, really like Toby Jones, he’s such a great actor, so I have high hopes for this one! Toby Jones emanates empathy, he can give you real joy and sadness, he’s one of those actors that become the role and completely invites you in.
I think I read the Uncle Vanya play in high school (could also be mixing it up with The Cherry Orchard) but I remember nothing about it. So, I am looking forward to being re-educated. I also just found this short blurb of an article where Richard is interviewed and he says:
The 48-year-old said the role was one he long wanted to play, adding: “I’ve got quite a shortlist of roles that I want to tackle but this was just sort of co-ordinated with the production and that fact of me being interested.”
He said: “I lost my mum a year ago so I’ve never understood that deep, deep tragedy of this play until now. Astrov is about halfway through his life and I feel that. He is just starting to look back and think: Have I missed my chance at love? My chance to do something really significant with my life?”
I know that Toby Jones can do heartbreak really well and now with Richard’s added extra understanding of grief and his mid-life crisis thoughts, I think this can potentially reduce me to a puddle. Looking into tickets right now! 🙂
Esther, are you planning on going in March? I think that is when you said your birthday is? Rachel and I are going in Feb. Cannot wait!! I feel Richard’s midlife crisis myself these days!!
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Just booked for end of Feb! 🙂
Mr Esther’s bday is March, mine is April.
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Esther wonderful! Rachel and I are Feb 26 evening show then girls long girls weekend!!
So happy for you! What a wonderful bday gift for you both.. Are you two making it a long weekend?
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No, Mr Esther isn’t coming, he wasn’t too interested in spending money on a play he’s not curious about and while he thinks RA is alright he’s not a fan or anything. So, I’m going on my own and coming with a German friend, a fellow blogger who now rarely gets around to blogging anymore.
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Yesh tried to persuade my OH to.come with me for my birthday! But nope! Trying to get him to Upstart Crow instead now!
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Upstart Crow? festival? I still think he should take you to see UV in April for the b’day. Wow that would be amazing start to 2020 for you!!!!!
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Upstart Crow is in the theatre? Sounds like that could be fun. 🙂
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yup with David Mitchell too! (and the actor who plays Kate)
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Are you talking about Suzy!????
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Yes, I am 🙂
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Aw nice! I wish I had known that! Have lots of fun, you two!!
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Thanks! Was a spontaneous plan concocted this afternoon via text message…
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Cool! It’s lovely that the theatre gig is going to be another opportunity for fans to meet each other.
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I was trying to figure out what he meant by that first statement. Is he saying, essentially, I was interested and it was convenient?
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Erm, what? Don’t quite know what you mean. About “Come and join us next year” or “Uncle Vanya – Harold Pinter Theatre – ATG Tickets”?
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“this was just sort of co-ordinated with the production and that fact of me being interested.”
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Oh, that! Thanks for clarifying. Yeah, that was a bit of a vague statement.
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I was puzzled by it too as it seemed a rather obvious thing to say, unless I was missing a more profound point.
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Have you seen The Dectectorists? Beautiful sweet comedy. He’s a fab actor and i think him and Richard on stage will be phenomenal together.
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I have seen some of The Detectorists, yes! When I see him I always think of his role in “The Painted Veil”. Heartbreaking, beautiful movie that always makes me cry and that’s also due to him among other things.
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🙂 “The Painted Veil” I liked how the movie described doctors’ lives …
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It’s a beautiful movie and heartbreaking. I’ve seen it so many times and wouldn’t hesitate to watch it again.
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Toby Jones is a great actor. He lost his father this year, the actor Freddie Jones, so both him and RA will presumably be in touch with grief. I loved the e Painted Veil too, wonderfully acted and beautifully shot.
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Oh, I’m sorry to hear he recently lost his father too.
Yes, The Painted Veil is so beautiful: the setting, the acting, the thawing of emotions, learning to understand the other and the deep sense of loss. Breaks my heart every time.
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Regarding the sale of tickets…blimey that was crazy. No official info them BOOM! Get yer tickets! Thankfully me and Michele had been talking about when would suit us and even where to sit in the theatre- so it wasn’t a total panic .
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I’m still perplexed why the seating thingy would not let me get closer than our row although I think the SD is on that side of the theatre if I remember our recon of it and we are a few seats in from the aisle for the quick dash. I am sooo glad we planned and strategized ahead!! It was crazy on Wed morning driving in to work as fast as I can before 12 pm UK time.
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Oh, I didn’t research stage door and suff but I am close to the front and to the side, so maybe I’ll get lucky. Ideally I’d love to meet both actors at the stage door. we’ll see. 🙂
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Esther yup same here. I think we both will get pics and autos with both guys. We just scoped the theatre out in London when we saw Six The Musical 2 weeks ago (highly recommend by the way) and thought let’s jaunt over to Harold Pinter and see it in person and where SD was (thank you Rachel brilliant as always!!)
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Was the ticket sale problematic? I had no trouble getting my pick of seats (although some prime seats were already gone).
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it was more like…is the play even happening full stop? then ‘tickets on sale now!’! lol
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Yup was racing to work to get the computer set up by 12 UK time!! Thank god you gave me a heads up too.
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Esther, I tried numerous times to click on row D or E which was what we ideally wanted and it kept jumping to Row L stalls which after I perused other dates we thought as a back up I said well ROW L is ok thinking that these other seats were gone already and I feared getting worse seats the longer I waited. The seats from the stage are still great and we are like two or three seats off the aisle so I am really happy that we are going. It is a captioned night performance too which I think means it will get recorded maybe for Digital ?
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That sucks about not getting your first choice row. I did get D, so am very happy. 🙂
I think captioned performance is for the deaf and hard of hearing. Don’t know exactly how that works, but it’s kind of like subtitles. Not sure if viewable for everyone or just those who register that they need it.
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