Landscape with Weapon - Reviews (possible spoilers)
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faeriequeen
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Thanks for all these reviews - so tied up with family this weekend didn't get to see any apart from the Guardian.
Great that the actors, especially Julian, all receive praise. Didn't realise how worried I was that the reviews wouldn't be good; I just want everyone to know how brilliant Julian is, I guess!
Great that the actors, especially Julian, all receive praise. Didn't realise how worried I was that the reviews wouldn't be good; I just want everyone to know how brilliant Julian is, I guess!
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chatterbox
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goshandcrikey
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grenniespex
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chatterbox
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I don't think they are saying much new now, but just for completeness, this one, which is pretty glowing, just came through on my Google alerts.
http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/16464/landscape-with-weapon
http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/16464/landscape-with-weapon
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grenniespex
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Hello again,
This post is full of spoilers
I just wanted to thank everyone who has found and posted reviews. It seems that the critics are generally in agreement that that play was a well cast, very well acted and directed production. (having seen it last Wednesday I generally agree and will definitely be going back to see it again, not just to stare at Julian for another 2 hours, but for the production as a whole.) Where the critics seem to have, er, qualms appears to be in the plausibility of some areas of the script, plot and characterisation. For example the plausibility of Ned's naivety at the start, which I have to say I agreed with when I first saw the play. However thinking about it in retrospect I my self know some highly intelligent scientists and engineers who all have that childishness about them and who easily seem to get suckered in to the 'pure science' of an idea without thinking of the consequences until you point it out to them. Also the second half of the production which managed to steer well away from predictability I felt saved any sense of unease about the character, and Hollanders portrayal of his breakdown was really superb.
What I found most difficult to swallow was that the situation of the characters throughout the play seemed contrived simply to start a discussion on weapons dealing/ethics. However I forgave this also (aren't all played necessarily contrived - they are rarely entirely naturalistic things) mainly because of the wit of the script and the quality of the debate. As a liberal thinking, peace loving artsy-fartsy type I found myself quite disturbed that I was beginning to agree with the pro-arms arguments put across, particularly by Tom Hollander's character, in the play.
On top of that there were elements of the relationship between the two brothers that we frankly brilliant, both is the script and performance. I particluarly loved the conversation that builds into the 'tit - for - tat' curry fight. Of course it reflected perfectly the way real, full scale wars and 'international incidents' can build out of nowhere just coz 'he said it first' What is a more perfect farce, two grown men fighting with takeaway curry or a huge war fought over the position of a national boarder? It was also important to the ambiguous morality of the play that it was this stupid fight that made the two brothers finally see eye to eye.
The ending was beautiful too when Tom Hollander was descibing the Da Vinci toy, the look on Julians face was had me nearly crying.
There was also some brilliant comedy, particularly from Julian! - my faves being 'There are a lot of potholes in Shepherd's Bush' and 'Does mum know?' and of course 'She's a primary school teacher.' - which nearly had Julian corpsing the night I went (bless.)
So, to summarise, as I should have been working this evening, instead I have put together a little summary of all the reviews that mention Julian. I think he should be very proud. (Though I suspect his modesty wont let him!)
“Does Mum know?” - “Uniformly excellent”(6) and “immaculately acted”(3) as the play may be it is “the way Rhind-Tutt gets laughs out of this simple line [that] tells you a lot about his supreme comic talent.”(3)
“The dashing, Rhind–Tutt expertly taps Dan’s brash behaviour for comedy before striking a more anguished note.”(6) To some he may be “langourously epicene”(5) to others simply “elphin”(4) but whatever his looks, his parts are always very “well played”(7).
Together, “Hollander and Rhind-Tutt are explosively funny in their opening scenes. Both highly intelligent actors with impish comic timing, they combine their verbal and physical fights with hilariously shambling laddishness.”(8)
“Endearlingly gangly”(3) and “ever-watchable”(3) the “mop-headed, tousle-haired, hearthrob“(1,5,6) carries off a “fine performance” ”with a bracing air of exasperation and outrage.”(7) “Rhind-Tutt’s slow burn playing and disapproving looks are a joy in a generally well acted show.”(5)
1 Time Out
2 The Guardian
3 The Sunday Times
4 The Stage
5 What’s on Stage
6 Telegraph
7 This is London
8 The Independent
With that I'm off to go and chuck jalfezi at the Iranis....
Goodnight
This post is full of spoilers
I just wanted to thank everyone who has found and posted reviews. It seems that the critics are generally in agreement that that play was a well cast, very well acted and directed production. (having seen it last Wednesday I generally agree and will definitely be going back to see it again, not just to stare at Julian for another 2 hours, but for the production as a whole.) Where the critics seem to have, er, qualms appears to be in the plausibility of some areas of the script, plot and characterisation. For example the plausibility of Ned's naivety at the start, which I have to say I agreed with when I first saw the play. However thinking about it in retrospect I my self know some highly intelligent scientists and engineers who all have that childishness about them and who easily seem to get suckered in to the 'pure science' of an idea without thinking of the consequences until you point it out to them. Also the second half of the production which managed to steer well away from predictability I felt saved any sense of unease about the character, and Hollanders portrayal of his breakdown was really superb.
What I found most difficult to swallow was that the situation of the characters throughout the play seemed contrived simply to start a discussion on weapons dealing/ethics. However I forgave this also (aren't all played necessarily contrived - they are rarely entirely naturalistic things) mainly because of the wit of the script and the quality of the debate. As a liberal thinking, peace loving artsy-fartsy type I found myself quite disturbed that I was beginning to agree with the pro-arms arguments put across, particularly by Tom Hollander's character, in the play.
On top of that there were elements of the relationship between the two brothers that we frankly brilliant, both is the script and performance. I particluarly loved the conversation that builds into the 'tit - for - tat' curry fight. Of course it reflected perfectly the way real, full scale wars and 'international incidents' can build out of nowhere just coz 'he said it first' What is a more perfect farce, two grown men fighting with takeaway curry or a huge war fought over the position of a national boarder? It was also important to the ambiguous morality of the play that it was this stupid fight that made the two brothers finally see eye to eye.
The ending was beautiful too when Tom Hollander was descibing the Da Vinci toy, the look on Julians face was had me nearly crying.
There was also some brilliant comedy, particularly from Julian! - my faves being 'There are a lot of potholes in Shepherd's Bush' and 'Does mum know?' and of course 'She's a primary school teacher.' - which nearly had Julian corpsing the night I went (bless.)
So, to summarise, as I should have been working this evening, instead I have put together a little summary of all the reviews that mention Julian. I think he should be very proud. (Though I suspect his modesty wont let him!)
“Does Mum know?” - “Uniformly excellent”(6) and “immaculately acted”(3) as the play may be it is “the way Rhind-Tutt gets laughs out of this simple line [that] tells you a lot about his supreme comic talent.”(3)
“The dashing, Rhind–Tutt expertly taps Dan’s brash behaviour for comedy before striking a more anguished note.”(6) To some he may be “langourously epicene”(5) to others simply “elphin”(4) but whatever his looks, his parts are always very “well played”(7).
Together, “Hollander and Rhind-Tutt are explosively funny in their opening scenes. Both highly intelligent actors with impish comic timing, they combine their verbal and physical fights with hilariously shambling laddishness.”(8)
“Endearlingly gangly”(3) and “ever-watchable”(3) the “mop-headed, tousle-haired, hearthrob“(1,5,6) carries off a “fine performance” ”with a bracing air of exasperation and outrage.”(7) “Rhind-Tutt’s slow burn playing and disapproving looks are a joy in a generally well acted show.”(5)
1 Time Out
2 The Guardian
3 The Sunday Times
4 The Stage
5 What’s on Stage
6 Telegraph
7 This is London
8 The Independent
With that I'm off to go and chuck jalfezi at the Iranis....
Goodnight
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chatterbox
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Another one of those round-up reviews, but with a couple of extra bits I hadn't seen elsewhere.
Got one of the nice pictures of Julian as well
http://www.theatre.com/story/id/3006924 is the summary with a link to a more detailed review.
I liked this bit in particular ...
'all wonderful, starting with Green Wing regular Rhind-Tutt, who makes a pretty phoney eleventh-hour whinge about his life immediately real and true. (His comic timing, abetted by a natural geniality, is the stuff of genius.) '
See, we knew he was a genius!!
Got one of the nice pictures of Julian as well
http://www.theatre.com/story/id/3006924 is the summary with a link to a more detailed review.
I liked this bit in particular ...
'all wonderful, starting with Green Wing regular Rhind-Tutt, who makes a pretty phoney eleventh-hour whinge about his life immediately real and true. (His comic timing, abetted by a natural geniality, is the stuff of genius.) '
See, we knew he was a genius!!
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chatterbox
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In the Observer today
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/s ... 67,00.html
This is my favourite review so far, as it gets the play about right, and also says
'Julian Rhind-Tutt is magnetic, beautifully light verbally and physically'
Well we knew that already!
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/s ... 67,00.html
This is my favourite review so far, as it gets the play about right, and also says
'Julian Rhind-Tutt is magnetic, beautifully light verbally and physically'
Well we knew that already!
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Spitting Bunny
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ducatilady
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Some reviews from the Financial Times, the only paper so far to give the play 4 stars.
Also a interesting little discourse on the writer/director relationship with Joe Penhall.
http://search.ft.com/search?queryText=l ... =&x=16&y=7
Also a interesting little discourse on the writer/director relationship with Joe Penhall.
http://search.ft.com/search?queryText=l ... =&x=16&y=7
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goshandcrikey
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chatterbox
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I found this not-too-favourable review in today's Sunday Telegraph supplement, Seven. I suppose one negative out of several positive reviews is still pretty good. If it's any consolation, three stars out of five is about as excited as this reviewer's ever gotten over the most critically acclaimed stuff - the four star rating he gave A Fine Balance is a rarity, believe me. 
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213 ... os/LWW.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213 ... s/LWW1.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213 ... s/LWW2.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213 ... os/LWW.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213 ... s/LWW1.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213 ... s/LWW2.jpg
Last edited by ch1ch1 on Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Went to see the LWW matinee today so here's a brief (well -ish!) account of my day:
I met up with goshandcrikey and Baggiebird at the BFI cafe. Just as I was telling them how adept I was at celeb spotting, I saw Andrew Lincoln, Michelle Gomez and Jack Davenport sitting outside as we approached the theatre entrance. We tried to gawp discreetly but I don't think we managed it somehow!
chatterbox, ducatilady and tutt-sweet were already in the foyer so we had a chat and made introductions. goshandcrikey and I decided to nip to the loo before we took our seats and who should come in right behind us but Michelle! She actually peed in the cubicle next to goshandcrikey's much to her delight!
As we came out, Jack Davenport was coming out of the men's with what looked suspiciously like toothpaste
on his cheek (don't ask!).
Anyway, the play was riveting. Pippa was superb - I loved it when she said "it was important to us that the kids were funny. And clever." Tom was great and Jason was suitably creepy but I couldn't (nay, wouldn't!) take mine eyes of Julian. Call me biased but he was the best thing in it. The fight was truly spectacular, not least because I could see his lovely lower back, washboard stomach and the beginnings of his underwear for most of it!
I also got sprayed with their water (as I was in the front row) while goshandcrikey and Baggiebird (in the front row opposite) got bra-fuls of pilau rice!
Throughout the play, Michelle, Jack and Andrew guffawed loudly so they obviously enjoyed it. They were sitting directly behind me and everytime Michelle cackled it cracked me up! I don't think Julian knew they were coming because when he took a bow at the end, his eyes lit up and he said "Oh, my God" under his breath when he saw them. It was sooo sweet - he looked really pleased and surprised to see them!
I couldn't stay for photos but I met Spitting Bunny just before I left. I had a phenomenal day and I can't wait to go back on the 5th!!!!!!!!!
I met up with goshandcrikey and Baggiebird at the BFI cafe. Just as I was telling them how adept I was at celeb spotting, I saw Andrew Lincoln, Michelle Gomez and Jack Davenport sitting outside as we approached the theatre entrance. We tried to gawp discreetly but I don't think we managed it somehow!
chatterbox, ducatilady and tutt-sweet were already in the foyer so we had a chat and made introductions. goshandcrikey and I decided to nip to the loo before we took our seats and who should come in right behind us but Michelle! She actually peed in the cubicle next to goshandcrikey's much to her delight!
As we came out, Jack Davenport was coming out of the men's with what looked suspiciously like toothpaste
on his cheek (don't ask!).
Anyway, the play was riveting. Pippa was superb - I loved it when she said "it was important to us that the kids were funny. And clever." Tom was great and Jason was suitably creepy but I couldn't (nay, wouldn't!) take mine eyes of Julian. Call me biased but he was the best thing in it. The fight was truly spectacular, not least because I could see his lovely lower back, washboard stomach and the beginnings of his underwear for most of it!
I also got sprayed with their water (as I was in the front row) while goshandcrikey and Baggiebird (in the front row opposite) got bra-fuls of pilau rice!
Throughout the play, Michelle, Jack and Andrew guffawed loudly so they obviously enjoyed it. They were sitting directly behind me and everytime Michelle cackled it cracked me up! I don't think Julian knew they were coming because when he took a bow at the end, his eyes lit up and he said "Oh, my God" under his breath when he saw them. It was sooo sweet - he looked really pleased and surprised to see them!
I couldn't stay for photos but I met Spitting Bunny just before I left. I had a phenomenal day and I can't wait to go back on the 5th!!!!!!!!!
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grenniespex
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Thanks for your wonderful report on your day ch1ch1!
Its so exciting all the really fab actors and other important bods who have come to see this play...
Compiling a list so far we seem to have
Bill Nighy
Michelle Gomez
Jack Davenport
Andrew Lincoln
Helen Mirren
'Bernie' from Notting Hill (! - embarrasing that I can't remember his full name)
There must be others I'm sure I've read in reports.. can we add more to the list?
I personally really hope lots of directors and casting people are seeing it and Julian gets lots more offers of work from it. He really is fab in the role.
I must get to see it again. MUST MUST MUST!
Its so exciting all the really fab actors and other important bods who have come to see this play...
Compiling a list so far we seem to have
Bill Nighy
Michelle Gomez
Jack Davenport
Andrew Lincoln
Helen Mirren
'Bernie' from Notting Hill (! - embarrasing that I can't remember his full name)
There must be others I'm sure I've read in reports.. can we add more to the list?
I personally really hope lots of directors and casting people are seeing it and Julian gets lots more offers of work from it. He really is fab in the role.
I must get to see it again. MUST MUST MUST!
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