12 Angry Men
Thu, 19 Feb 2004, 11:15 amDon Allen7 posts in thread
12 Angry Men
Thu, 19 Feb 2004, 11:15 amsaw this on Tuesday night at the Maj and the hot weather and storm fitted in perfectly with the opening theme of the play.
Overall the quality of the acting is superb, but one or two short bits of dialogue were lost due to poor delivery.
If you have not seen the play before, try to go as it is a great storyline that could be about any country with a western style court system of Jury and justice. The actors provide a very powerful delivery.
The set was done in blacks which does not help with the visualisation of the courtroom layout. I felt that there was too much space and the room is meant to be confining as there are twelve individuals bottled up together and locked in. When done at The Garrick Theatre, they had the large wide windows upstage and a restroom upstage left with scrim walls to allow the focus to shift from the main jury room to lobbying in the restroom. The restroom in the Maj is stage left and the lines are marked out on the floor to try and define where the actors are. But every person using the washbasin washed their hands with a sink and taps at a different height. The lights going on and off as each person went in and out of the restrooms was distracting. Having a fade time would help as none of the jurors turns the lights on or off.
Overall the quality of the acting is superb, but one or two short bits of dialogue were lost due to poor delivery.
If you have not seen the play before, try to go as it is a great storyline that could be about any country with a western style court system of Jury and justice. The actors provide a very powerful delivery.
The set was done in blacks which does not help with the visualisation of the courtroom layout. I felt that there was too much space and the room is meant to be confining as there are twelve individuals bottled up together and locked in. When done at The Garrick Theatre, they had the large wide windows upstage and a restroom upstage left with scrim walls to allow the focus to shift from the main jury room to lobbying in the restroom. The restroom in the Maj is stage left and the lines are marked out on the floor to try and define where the actors are. But every person using the washbasin washed their hands with a sink and taps at a different height. The lights going on and off as each person went in and out of the restrooms was distracting. Having a fade time would help as none of the jurors turns the lights on or off.
Don AllenThu, 19 Feb 2004, 11:15 am
saw this on Tuesday night at the Maj and the hot weather and storm fitted in perfectly with the opening theme of the play.
Overall the quality of the acting is superb, but one or two short bits of dialogue were lost due to poor delivery.
If you have not seen the play before, try to go as it is a great storyline that could be about any country with a western style court system of Jury and justice. The actors provide a very powerful delivery.
The set was done in blacks which does not help with the visualisation of the courtroom layout. I felt that there was too much space and the room is meant to be confining as there are twelve individuals bottled up together and locked in. When done at The Garrick Theatre, they had the large wide windows upstage and a restroom upstage left with scrim walls to allow the focus to shift from the main jury room to lobbying in the restroom. The restroom in the Maj is stage left and the lines are marked out on the floor to try and define where the actors are. But every person using the washbasin washed their hands with a sink and taps at a different height. The lights going on and off as each person went in and out of the restrooms was distracting. Having a fade time would help as none of the jurors turns the lights on or off.
Overall the quality of the acting is superb, but one or two short bits of dialogue were lost due to poor delivery.
If you have not seen the play before, try to go as it is a great storyline that could be about any country with a western style court system of Jury and justice. The actors provide a very powerful delivery.
The set was done in blacks which does not help with the visualisation of the courtroom layout. I felt that there was too much space and the room is meant to be confining as there are twelve individuals bottled up together and locked in. When done at The Garrick Theatre, they had the large wide windows upstage and a restroom upstage left with scrim walls to allow the focus to shift from the main jury room to lobbying in the restroom. The restroom in the Maj is stage left and the lines are marked out on the floor to try and define where the actors are. But every person using the washbasin washed their hands with a sink and taps at a different height. The lights going on and off as each person went in and out of the restrooms was distracting. Having a fade time would help as none of the jurors turns the lights on or off.
Walter PlingeMon, 23 Feb 2004, 02:56 pm
Re: 12 Angry Men
Having seen this production on Saturday Night, I was pleasantly surprised at how well it was presented. I thought the show was very imaginative, especially with the blueprint view of the floorplan. The lighting of the jury room was well done especially with the lights coming on as the actor's walked through, certainly a credit to the lighting crew.
Uniformly the performances were superb. Only one of the English and an Australian actor had wishy washy accents. The jury foreman, played by Kevin Eldon from BBC's 'Big Train', kicked off the play with enough energy to keep the audience riveted and Guy Masterson was superb as the bespectled juror. I also liked the Canadian and the American actors in their roles as they were one of the few 'trained actors' in the play - and of course their accents were authentic. The rest were (as you maybe aware) stand up comics.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much like the film this play was. Virtually all the dialogue seemed to be lifted from the film by Reginald Rose. I hadn't seen the film in almost twenty years and it was a delight to see this one.
If only some amateur productions had only a tenth of the energy levels of this production, we would all benefit.
Uniformly the performances were superb. Only one of the English and an Australian actor had wishy washy accents. The jury foreman, played by Kevin Eldon from BBC's 'Big Train', kicked off the play with enough energy to keep the audience riveted and Guy Masterson was superb as the bespectled juror. I also liked the Canadian and the American actors in their roles as they were one of the few 'trained actors' in the play - and of course their accents were authentic. The rest were (as you maybe aware) stand up comics.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much like the film this play was. Virtually all the dialogue seemed to be lifted from the film by Reginald Rose. I hadn't seen the film in almost twenty years and it was a delight to see this one.
If only some amateur productions had only a tenth of the energy levels of this production, we would all benefit.
Walter PlingeSun, 28 Mar 2004, 05:25 pm
Re: 12 Angry Men
Apart from the Australian's 'wishy washy' accent his performance as Juror 9 was outstanding.
joeFri, 2 Apr 2004, 01:31 pm
Re: 12 Angry Men
Clifford Ellen wrote:
>
> Apart from the Australian's 'wishy washy' accent his
> performance as Juror 9 was outstanding.
Hmmm...You're obviously a very good friend of his...
>
> Apart from the Australian's 'wishy washy' accent his
> performance as Juror 9 was outstanding.
Hmmm...You're obviously a very good friend of his...
Walter PlingeSun, 4 Apr 2004, 11:32 pm
Re: 12 Angry Men
Go juror 9...I had to play him in my school production, where we altered the location to a generic location, by removing all americanisms. Our set was 3D although I did think their idea of the markings on the floor wasn't all that bad. However I do agree that some of the things were missed because of poor projection, etc. not only that but having read the script and performed it I noticed chunks of the play missing.
But none the less it was a good production and was well worth seeing.
But none the less it was a good production and was well worth seeing.
Walter PlingeWed, 29 Sept 2004, 05:43 am
Re: 12 Angry Men
It was a pleasure coming to OZ with this production and seeing/feeling the reaction to this superb play. I am now back directing a fab Australian cast to tour Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne from October 12th until December 10th. Their accents are superb and nothing will be cut.
PS: Douglas, I am afraid to tell you, what you saw in March was the entire script with not an alteration or cut anywhere! We did, however, go at quite a lick (85 mins) and this might have given the impression that we might have trimmed it. Not so.
PS: Douglas, I am afraid to tell you, what you saw in March was the entire script with not an alteration or cut anywhere! We did, however, go at quite a lick (85 mins) and this might have given the impression that we might have trimmed it. Not so.
Walter PlingeWed, 29 Sept 2004, 03:00 pm
Re: 12 Angry Men
Mr Masterson... you're not looking for understudies by any chance, are you?
;o)
Sydney-based, Equity member, have done the play once before (playing the advertising exec juror).
Points for trying?
dm.
;o)
Sydney-based, Equity member, have done the play once before (playing the advertising exec juror).
Points for trying?
dm.