The Walworth Farce

Bowlardo · 18-01-2015 6:37pm #1

The Olympia is a pretty poor venue which took away massively from the play.
Not helped by pounding techno music coming from next door for the final 20 minutes.
I think 30% of the seats must have restricted view.

Play itself is marketed as a comedy when it is anything but

walshb · 20-01-2015 1:53pm

Bowlardo wrote: »

The Olympia is a pretty poor venue which took away massively from the play.
Not helped by pounding techno music coming from next door for the final 20 minutes.
I think 30% of the seats must have restricted view.

Play itself is marketed as a comedy when it is anything but

I was at this on Saturday. Seriously, WTF were people laughing at? About as funny as a kick in the scones. Is it Enda Walsh or me? Are plays meant to be somewhat understanding and enjoyable? That's two I have went to from him in the last 6 months, and all I can say is what a load of nonsense!

woodchuck · 21-01-2015 8:45pm

I went to see this last night. I was really looking forward to it, but I was quite disappointed in the end. I didn't think it was bad, but definitely overhyped and overpriced. The acting was very good, Domhnall in particular. I had a hard time making out what Brendan was saying half the time though! There were some genuinely funny parts, but it wasn't as funny as you'd think based on the noise from the audience. I thought the play acting was a bit too hammy and I think it would've worked better in smaller doses. Given the extent of it, I didn't feel it was good enough to hold the show together.

This is the second Enda Walsh play I've seen and he seems to have very definitely style! For the whole of the first act, it just felt like a redo of Ballyturk and very formulaic.

My friends seemed to love it though and one of them said it was because she likes things that are a little dark and twisted. I love dark and twisted... but if you're going to go down that route, then really go for it! I guess it just wasn't dark enough for me :P And even though Ballyturk seemed to really divide people, at least it made you think and left you wondering. Whereas The Walworth Farce was very straight forward and two dimensional, with no real mystery or surprises.

mikom · 21-01-2015 8:48pm

I think your first mistake was going to something with "farce" in the title, folks.
If it was like any other theatre farce I've seen then it was seriously unfunny and mind-numbingly boring.

woodchuck · 21-01-2015 9:21pm

I think it's biggest problem for me was that there wasn't a whole lot of depth to the story or characters, so it wasn't very emotive for me.

I didn't really buy the Dad's reasons committing murder other than temporary (or not so temporary) insanity. The money didn't seem like a good enough reason to me. And why the need to keep his sons essentially imprisioned for so long? Again, just points to the Dad being a bit insane. But no real emotional depth or insight into the real dark side of the human psyche.

Whereas I went to see My Name is Saoirse in the smock alley theatre the other week. It was similar in that it was a one person show, with that one person playing multiple characters. Very funny at times, but ultimately a dark comedy/drama. I connected to that a lot more and for a fraction of the price I paid for Walsworth. I think a lot of the hype with Walsworth is just around the big names to be honest (but again, the actors did do a great job, just didn't have the best material to work with imho).

woodchuck · 21-01-2015 9:26pm

And I don't mean to be smart, but to anyone who really enjoyed it... can you tell me why? I'm genuinely curious what the big appeal is, I feel like I've missed something...

fiachr_a · 23-01-2015 8:55pm

woodchuck wrote: »

This is the second Enda Walsh play I've seen and he seems to have very definitely style!

He must be doing something right if he's so successful or is there another reason?

woodchuck · 24-01-2015 6:25pm

fiachr_a wrote: »

He must be doing something right if he's so successful or is there another reason?

I've only seen two of his plays and I did actually like Ballyturk (which I saw first). I think problem with the Walsworth Farce is that it was so similar to Ballyturk. It was as if he had a formula he was following... I don't know if his other plays are like this? I can understand how seeing one of his plays in isolation would be enjoyable, but seeing Walsworth just felt all too familiar so took away from the enjoyment for me. Although some the friends I saw Walsworth with had also seen Ballyturk and enjoyed the two of them

miamee · 28-01-2015 6:10pm

Gong to see this now on Sunday...I kinda wish I hadn't read all the posts here (and the spoilers

)

La_Gordy · 29-01-2015 1:10am

I went to see the play yesterday and I really enjoyed it. I found the end to be the weakest part, but aside from that it was surreal and stressful, dark and funny.

The play within the play

- a great device.

The Princess Bride · 02-02-2015 1:22am

I saw this yesterday and enjoyed it.
I do feel the latter part of the second act was weaker, but overall I enjoyed it.
How would I describe it?
A professional production of an amateur(ish) production, resulting in a farce of sorts.

I'd make a guess that the theatre was made up of two groups.
Regular theatre fans who for the most part, enjoyed it.
And curious folk who happened to head along because of the Gleeson boys taking part, but wouldn't usually go to the theatre, as it's not their scene.

Different strokes etc....

miamee · 02-02-2015 10:29am

I genuinely enjoyed this yesterday, as others have said, the ending (as in the last two minutes for me) was not great but other than that I loved it. Some of it was so funny. The first half was so funny with some dark bits that the second half would have worked better in revers - very dark with a few laughs. But it wasn't dark enough for the contrast despite the ending. I can't fault the acting though, holy moly, especially Domhnall and Brian. Amazing. I'm so glad I saw it now

KK4SAM · 02-02-2015 5:12pm

Not one bit funny, 10/10 for dynamics and acting.

TrailerBob · 09-02-2015 11:37pm

I felt it had dark humour in places. But for me it was the end that let it down. it had the potential to be more powerful, but it played out a bit lacklustre. Domhnall was fantastic. And the costume changes were creative. Also the Olympia was a shocking venue for this. I can only imagine that half the audience had a poor view. That's not even counting the upper circle. The Gate is a much nicer venue.

As far as other Enda Walsh plays, I thought Disco Pigs had much more of a punch to it.

cee_jay · 15-02-2015 11:39am

I really enjoyed the Walworth Farce, and Domhnall really stole the show for me. I have to agree the Olympia was a terrible venue. We got our tickets very last minute and they were in the Upper Circle. We went in very early, and got seats in the second row of the Upper Circle, and couldn't see the Kitchen at all. A friend went a few nights after me, and was seated in the circle, and also was unable to see the Kitchen. It has put me off going to future plays in the Olympia.

woodchuck · 15-02-2015 3:25pm

cee_jay wrote: »

I really enjoyed the Walworth Farce, and Domhnall really stole the show for me. I have to agree the Olympia was a terrible venue. We got our tickets very last minute and they were in the Upper Circle. We went in very early, and got seats in the second row of the Upper Circle, and couldn't see the Kitchen at all. A friend went a few nights after me, and was seated in the circle, and also was unable to see the Kitchen. It has put me off going to future plays in the Olympia.

I have to agree that it's a terrible venue. I was in the stalls there before and it was grand, but I was in the upper circle for this and it was awful. Never again!

The Walworth Farce

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