cns-theatre.bsky.social
Yes, it's me, the same Chris Neville-Smith. Looks like Theatre Twitter is preparing to regroup here, so hello everybody.
Theatre projects: https://chrisnevillesmith.info/wp/
Theatre blog: https://chrisontheatre.wordpress.com/
648 posts
119 followers
101 following
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Jury's out on whether this particular game is going to be followed by the usual "Yes, but I decided what you said based on vibes so it's your fault."
(Yes, I'm still bitter about Passport Office days.)
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Oh the plus side, they did banging performances of "She's Not There" and "Time of the Season".
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Look, I know, civil wars are complicated. Sometimes, after a long discussing we are forced to conclude that horrors of the status quo as still less bad that the horrors of the alternatives.
But we're not doing nothing because the alternatives are worse. We're doing nothing because no-one cares.
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This mentality was out of control around 8-10 years ago. I fear we are paying the price for this now.
If you tell teenage boys they're not worth anything, and they're now in their twenties and the only person saying anything different to them is Andrew fucking Tate, we've got a problem.
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Also: Dig, which I saw at Laurels, currently on tour. Works on two levels. The sensitive tale of missed chances at love is done well, but the setting of the year 4040 doing archaeology of 2025 is trickier challenge. chrisontheatre.wordpress.com/2025/02/24/c...
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Yes, I've spent hours trying to catch a squid in order to stall lots of things I really must be sorting out.
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Now all we need are 5 hearts in the top-left and text of "OBJECTIVE: Kill all zombies on the 5th floor" and you've got a video game.
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In the original Lord of the Rings, Tolkein put so much efforts into establishing why these battles matter and why you should care.
Contrast this to Rings of Power, where we leap straight into a battle for no explained purpose and no reason why we should care - I just went "meh CGI".
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I think the problem is that cinematography and epic battles have become cheaper and easier to produce on TV series budgets, but good writing is no easier than it was before.
Many producers - and Amazon Prime is far from the only offender here - decide that an effort with the writing isn't needed.
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Methinks the Daily Mail didn't spot the joke.
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Anyway, we'll find out how this works out soon enough.
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Wish ACE would work out a different system.
Even if you only "shadow programme" a play, it's ridiculous to have to programme a production first and cancel later if you don't get the money. I refuse to believe there isn't a better way.
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Also of Note 3: The Moth. This @elysiumtc.bsky.social play is notable for two reasons: firstly, at seven weeks it's the longest run to date, and second, it finally achieve elusive goal of a major Newcastle theatre.
chrisontheatre.wordpress.com/2025/02/15/w...
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Also of Note 2: Tits Up. With Jamie Eastlake's transfer from Laurels, all eyes are on new head of theatre Alison Stanley. So worth checking out her latest play, this one about breast cancer. chrisontheatre.wordpress.com/2025/02/15/w...
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Also of Note 1: Dogs on the Metro. An unexpected challenge for the @livetheatre.bsky.social prizewinner whose play is of a similar subject to the - very hard act to follow - Seagulls and Sad Sad Stories. But the precedent of competition winners is a good. chrisontheatre.wordpress.com/2025/02/15/w...
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Having trouble deciding how Musk should die. Getting burnt to a cinder underneath a SpaceX rocked comes a close second, but I think I'm going to have to go for running him over with his own Cybertruck.
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Also, I think pardoning a mob engaging in an insurrection at your behest is a bit dictatory.
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I'm pro-free speech. I'm pro-artistic freedom. I'm anti-censorship. Even when I'm defending the rights of the worst hypocrites.
But these open letters of "Free speech for me but not for thee" really try my patience.
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(One exception: I would call for a production to be pulled if I thought it overstepped the line into agitation for violence for racial harassment. But there is no suggestion that rave MSND would have done that.)
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If you are the artistic director or programming director of a mainstream theatre - and the main part of your job is deciding which voices can and can't be heard on your stage - I think you have to take a step back and be a bit more neutral.
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For what it's worth, I think the point most people miss is that there's a different between activism in theatre and activism in curation.
I think its great that artists take sides how they see fit and make point through their art.
But ...
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What, I've checked the sales again, and I haven't sold ANY tickets in the last ten minutes? It's an outrage.