Am I the only one here who likes this production? I mean, barring the accents (as an American myself), the acting in this is really good, and I don’t think they came off as caricatures...I also like the mysterious set, IKEA ish as it is, because it reflects the cold, emotionally repressive world the characters live in, and Williams I think was trying to portray that as well. And in all fairness, convincing Southern accents can be hard to master for those not familiar with it, as not all accents are the same, even for the most experienced/convincing of accents. Normally, Gillian Anderson does have a pretty good middle of the road American accent (it helps that she grew up in both the U.K. and U.S.), and the slightly off feeling accent works for the character of Blanche, as she is desperately trying to be something she isn’t.
I am reminded of how much I hated the set and costumes for this production. Anderson had a fabulous stage presence, but it's remarkable how much a director's "fresh" take on a modern classic can suck the life out of the characters. It's like the cast were tip-toeing amongst eggshells, trying to reconcile the historical context with the physical environment - energy they could have been expending on their acting. I think productions like this are unfair to the actors, unfair to the audience, and unfair to the playwright. There are ways and means of injecting new life into well-trodden texts. The Ikea and Primark aesthetics were the wrong ways and means for this one.
Lol - just saw this comment after posting a similar comment . I cannot agree with you more. The Jane eyre production did the same sort of trick - but that whole production was utterly atrocious imho anyway! I put this incessant anachronistic setting updating down to the “why does a dog lick its balls post-modern phenomenon? Answer : BECAUSE IT CAN!.” Frankly, I am over it . Anyway here is my take on this one : I will definitely be watching this one, but why oh why oh Why the cheap ass ikea furniture from the 21st C . ?? ! Couldn’t they get a decent set builder or properties buyer ? Anyone’s ticky tacky house nowadays can look like this - grade school effort from what I can tell
it looks fine in my opinion. to be honest the writing and acting is so strong i didn't even really think about the aesthetics. they are spare but.....i mean what do you want?
i saw this production with. jessica lang . and alec Baldwin. mind blowing indeed. but this. new production looks impressive. with Gillian you. cant go wrong
can someone please list the songs used in each interval between scenes in the whole play as there is a song i really want to know it’s quite well known i just don’t know the name😭😭😭
@@NationalTheatre Hello, the show is no longer available, do you know if it's going to be back on the platform ? And, if not, is there any other way to view/purchase it ? Thank you very much :)
I will definitely be watching this one, but why oh why oh Why the cheap ass ikea furniture from the 21st C . ?? ! Couldn’t they get a decent set builder or properties buyer ? Anyone’s ticky tacky house nowadays can look like this - grade school effort from what I can tell
@@lucyhurst2534 I did place a caveat with the second posting as I felt I wanted to add it to the other poster's comment thread. It may have started a conversation with someone who appeared to have similar misgivings about a particular aspect of this play. So yes, obviously, I did think it was worth posting twice. ;P
Gillian Anderson is a better actress than this. Those accents are from hunger. Too much syrup and not enough soul. they're not talking like real people.
naked stage does not work for Williams. The surroundings, weather and enviro. are as much a character in this play as the actors. The actors are not engaging this character at all. Looks like a first reading on first day of rehearsal with actors struggling with dialects. Young people are so enthralled and enchanted with celebrities that you put something like this up on youtube and it gets serious attention but warrants none.
Gillian is an amazing actress but her accent is terrible. Maybe it works on a British stage but if she were in the American South, she would get laughed off the stage. It's a shame. I'm a big fan of hers and of Williams play so greatly disappointed in the accent.
In Blanche's case, a large part of her character is attempting to convey this image of Old South gentility that is now archaic in this modern, depraved world she finds herself in. She is hyperbolizing her accent, her movement, and her face to keep up the charade. From what I can gather, Gillian Anderson's Blanche is supposed to be trying too hard.
@@r_panda1280 I understand all that. I have read the play several times and seen this and other Tennessee Williams plays performed numerous times. BUT I still find her accent annoying. Hearing her say, "Stanley KoWAAAAAALsky" is like chalk on a blackboard for me.
This is where one reminds you that the original Blanche du Bois, Jessica Tandy, was British. As was the actress who played her on film, Vivian Leigh. And as was Rosemary Harris, an award winner for the 1973 Broadway revival.
@@norsegodoflove Gillian is American born but spent a long stretch of her youth in the UK, so her British accent is eccellent. That's in part why this Southern accent is so disappointing. It sounds like a cartoonish caricature of a southern accent.
Margaret and Margaret onstage
Am I the only one here who likes this production? I mean, barring the accents (as an American myself), the acting in this is really good, and I don’t think they came off as caricatures...I also like the mysterious set, IKEA ish as it is, because it reflects the cold, emotionally repressive world the characters live in, and Williams I think was trying to portray that as well. And in all fairness, convincing Southern accents can be hard to master for those not familiar with it, as not all accents are the same, even for the most experienced/convincing of accents. Normally, Gillian Anderson does have a pretty good middle of the road American accent (it helps that she grew up in both the U.K. and U.S.), and the slightly off feeling accent works for the character of Blanche, as she is desperately trying to be something she isn’t.
But it's not just Blanche who sounds off. EVERYBODY sounds like they hired Foghorn Leghorn as a dialect coach.
I think the whole play was amazing except for Vanessa Kirby's terrible accent as Stella. Idk how they thought that was acceptable to be on stage
I am reminded of how much I hated the set and costumes for this production. Anderson had a fabulous stage presence, but it's remarkable how much a director's "fresh" take on a modern classic can suck the life out of the characters. It's like the cast were tip-toeing amongst eggshells, trying to reconcile the historical context with the physical environment - energy they could have been expending on their acting. I think productions like this are unfair to the actors, unfair to the audience, and unfair to the playwright. There are ways and means of injecting new life into well-trodden texts. The Ikea and Primark aesthetics were the wrong ways and means for this one.
All About Eve was also horrific, no fault of Gillian's.
there's a made for tv version with Ann Margaret that I highly recommended. she makes Blanche subtle and believable. and Treat Williams is sex on legs.
Lol - just saw this comment after posting a similar comment . I cannot agree with you more. The Jane eyre production did the same sort of trick - but that whole production was utterly atrocious imho anyway! I put this incessant anachronistic setting updating down to the “why does a dog lick its balls post-modern phenomenon? Answer : BECAUSE IT CAN!.” Frankly, I am over it . Anyway here is my take on this one : I will definitely be watching this one, but why oh why oh Why the cheap ass ikea furniture from the 21st C . ?? ! Couldn’t they get a decent set builder or properties buyer ? Anyone’s ticky tacky house nowadays can look like this - grade school effort from what I can tell
it looks fine in my opinion. to be honest the writing and acting is so strong i didn't even really think about the aesthetics. they are spare but.....i mean what do you want?
@@virginiacharlotte7007 It is profoundly disappointing to read comments like these from those who want nothing more than dead museum theatre.
AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
GILLIAN PERFECTTT!!!!
Yep,better with age.👍
is this a play or a endurance test of how long they can keep the ott accents going!
I LOVE Vanessa Kirby!!!
I would love for this to be available for purchase on dvd or Blu-ray! Please! 🙏
Sheung Yu TSANG I have seen the recording, along with seeing it in person, it’s amazing.
@@brittyn HOW!? i have been trying to find it free online for weeks now
@@5362-p5i the recording was played in theaters for a couple days several years ago but I wish they’d sell it too.
i saw this production with. jessica lang . and alec Baldwin. mind blowing indeed. but this. new production looks impressive. with Gillian you. cant go wrong
Accents are struggling much
Gillian is amazing!!!
THAT'S OTIS' MUM!!!
Is Gillian Anderson introduce you !! She is a great actress
I have huge crush on Vanessa kirby , she is female role model
can someone please list the songs used in each interval between scenes in the whole play as there is a song i really want to know it’s quite well known i just don’t know the name😭😭😭
Wicked game?
Is this the British perception of my darling hometown of New Orleans?🤣🤣🤣
Magnífica escena de teatro
Where is the full show?
Hi there is it possible to stream this again by paying option? Thank you rach
I loved it and wanted to share it with my son
Why we can't watch in my zone????????
We love theater
I know I'm late here, but if they do a Vivien Leigh biopic, Vanessa Kirby, I think, would be perfect.
Where's vannessa Kirby?
She's the one in the yellow shirt 🤦🏻♂️
Where can this be viewed in full?
On ntathome.com :)
@@NationalTheatre Hello, the show is no longer available, do you know if it's going to be back on the platform ? And, if not, is there any other way to view/purchase it ? Thank you very much :)
I will definitely be watching this one, but why oh why oh Why the cheap ass ikea furniture from the 21st C . ?? ! Couldn’t they get a decent set builder or properties buyer ? Anyone’s ticky tacky house nowadays can look like this - grade school effort from what I can tell
Did you honestly feel that this comment was good enough to be posted twice?
@@lucyhurst2534 I did place a caveat with the second posting as I felt I wanted to add it to the other poster's comment thread. It may have started a conversation with someone who appeared to have similar misgivings about a particular aspect of this play.
So yes, obviously, I did think it was worth posting twice. ;P
hilarious southern accents
The accents are HORRIBLE. I really wanted to like this. But they're making caricatures of what are supposed to be characters. It's mortifying.
Gillian Anderson is a better actress than this. Those accents are from hunger. Too much syrup and not enough soul. they're not talking like real people.
Jim Robertson shut up!
she doesn’t sound like a “real person”, but she sounds like Blanche. Blanche wants magic, not realism.
naked stage does not work for Williams. The surroundings, weather and enviro. are as much a character in this play as the actors. The actors are not engaging this character at all. Looks like a first reading on first day of rehearsal with actors struggling with dialects. Young people are so enthralled and enchanted with celebrities that you put something like this up on youtube and it gets serious attention but warrants none.
Gillian is an amazing actress but her accent is terrible. Maybe it works on a British stage but if she were in the American South, she would get laughed off the stage. It's a shame. I'm a big fan of hers and of Williams play so greatly disappointed in the accent.
Well, maybe her accent is supposed to be off-maybe the accent here is something that she’s trying to put on deliberately, but it’s...strange.
Well, maybe her accent is supposed to be off-maybe the accent here is something that she’s trying to put on deliberately, but it’s...strange.
In Blanche's case, a large part of her character is attempting to convey this image of Old South gentility that is now archaic in this modern, depraved world she finds herself in. She is hyperbolizing her accent, her movement, and her face to keep up the charade. From what I can gather, Gillian Anderson's Blanche is supposed to be trying too hard.
@@r_panda1280 I understand all that. I have read the play several times and seen this and other Tennessee Williams plays performed numerous times. BUT I still find her accent annoying. Hearing her say, "Stanley KoWAAAAAALsky" is like chalk on a blackboard for me.
yikes.
agreed. so bad.
British doing American accents....
Gillian Anderson is American
Yeah, she does great American, that Gillian Anderson..! You'd almost think she was born there...!
This is where one reminds you that the original Blanche du Bois, Jessica Tandy, was British. As was the actress who played her on film, Vivian Leigh. And as was Rosemary Harris, an award winner for the 1973 Broadway revival.
@@norsegodoflove Gillian is American born but spent a long stretch of her youth in the UK, so her British accent is eccellent. That's in part why this Southern accent is so disappointing. It sounds like a cartoonish caricature of a southern accent.
Gillian is American.