Yes, it really was as bad as they say. Phil booed and cried “shame”. Andrew egged him on.
You might think that if you threw enough big names – Arthur Miller, Robert Altman, Neve Campbell, James Fox, Matthew Modine and Maximilian Schell – into a show and let them get on with it, something worth watching would ensue.
But it didn’t. It was unwatchable. Everyone was terrible. The set was terrible. The costumes were terrible. It cost a fortune.
Why did we return after the interval? Well, we’ve always wanted to boo at the end of a show, but we’ve never seen anything bad enough to warrant it. This was our One Big Chance and Phil seized it with aplomb. Andrew is ashamed now that he didn’t join in, but his shame can be nothing compared to that which should be still plaguing the souls of Altman, Campbell, Fox, Modine, Schell and Spacey. We’ll let Miller off because he was dead at the time. But presumably alive when he wrote it, so maybe we shouldn’t let him off. OK then. And Miller
A West End Whinger 
Saturday 15 July 2006 at 3:11 pm
Resurrection snooze more like though watching such an travesty before my very eyes sure kept me awake. I don’t think I’ve watched such a car crash on stage since Carrie the musical, but at least that had an immortal lyric, “I don’t need romance I just want to get in your pants”. Quite.
No such treats in RB, the embarrassment on the faces of the cast showed. But dear theatregoers I recommend making your feelings known (by booing) if used sparingly. If it’s ok for opera why not theatre when youve given up your time and money for something so dreadful ? In this case I blame Miller and Altman. Unfortunately it’s the cast who have to face the public. No wonder Jane Adams pulled out during the run. Sensible woman.–>
Saturday 4 November 2006 at 10:33 am
Secondary Whinging
What a vinegary pair of old maiden aunts you sound like. Listen dears, you both need to get a good shag and stop whinging. This whinging betrays an inner frustration. You know what they say about critics being frustrated performers.
Anyway I would like to see on the site a summary of the top 10 or however many things that irk the WEW about the theatre. And I would also like to see a WEW manifesto. If I agreed with your points I would be happy to sign up to such a manifesto, which could be used to petition The London Theatre Establishment, and campaign for a better deal for punters.
Don’t just whinge – do something.
Saturday 4 November 2006 at 10:39 am
… and by the way, I don’t intend to do anything about the state of British Theatre myself… apart from obvioulsy contributing to a group whinge about a pre-Christmas performance of Six Dance Lessons that I am very much looking forward to hating.