Recent Theatre experiences.

[BobyBrno]

Sort of.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx26zjqd70yo

[frank_spencer]

Radiohead does Hamlet is brilliant.

Uncomfortable seats but the show is top notch 

[MancWanderer]

Any idea what this Quadrophenia: A Mod Ballet is like @Not in Crawley?

Cant say I’m interested in ballet but intrigued by it and it’s on at The Lowry so might go

[Not in Crawley]

8 minutes ago, MancWanderer said:

Any idea what this Quadrophenia: A Mod Ballet is like @Not in Crawley?

Cant say I’m interested in ballet but intrigued by it and it’s on at The Lowry so might go

Yeah - I went on Tuesday, Sadlers Wells is a client. It's OK - if you like The Who. Lacks a but for me on the dance front but certainly worth it.

Sorry I went on Wednesday as it was opening night. 

 

Edited June 28, 2025 by Not in Crawley
Wrong date

[MancWanderer]

6 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Yeah - I went on Tuesday, Sadlers Wells is a client. It's OK - if you like The Who. Lacks a but for me on the dance front but certainly worth it.

Sorry I went on Wednesday as it was opening night. 

 

Cheers. Love The Who and the film. Will prob give it a go

[Not in Crawley]

1 minute ago, MancWanderer said:

Cheers. Love The Who and the film. Will prob give it a go

If you're a massive Who fan then it's certainly worth it.

[MancWanderer]

15 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

If you're a massive Who fan then it's certainly worth it.

Booked the Saturday matinee. She’s not that arsed but as above I love The Who and the film is ace. Worth a punt I reckon

[Not in Crawley]

1 minute ago, MancWanderer said:

Booked the Saturday matinee. She’s not that arsed but as above I love The Who and the film is ace. Worth a punt I reckon

Hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised. Let us know what you think!

[MancWanderer]

15 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised. Let us know what you think!

Will do 

[Not in Crawley]

On 28/06/2025 at 19:30, MancWanderer said:

Will do 

Going again on Tuesday with our media lot, will let you know if any changes from the opening

[bolty58]

On 29/06/2025 at 02:11, MancWanderer said:

Booked the Saturday matinee. She’s not that arsed but as above I love The Who and the film is ace. Worth a punt I reckon

That would be my first visit to a theatre other than for mechanical maintenance reasons since "Bolton Wanderers - A Musical Documentary" at the Octagon in the 70's.

I don't like encouraging these arty types.

 

[MancWanderer]

@Not in Crawley do you happen know if Evita is going on the road after it finishes in London in September?

We haven’t had a chance to get down there to see it but would love to see it again. Saw it in Manc years ago and was the best thing I’ve ever seen in theatre 

[Not in Crawley]

On 11/07/2025 at 17:54, MancWanderer said:

@Not in Crawley do you happen know if Evita is going on the road after it finishes in London in September?

We haven’t had a chance to get down there to see it but would love to see it again. Saw it in Manc years ago and was the best thing I’ve ever seen in theatre 

No announcements - given the cast, director this whole balcony thing and its on a strictly 12 week run im not sure but McCabe might take it out with recasting.

[kent_white]

I had a shit in the toilets in the Octogan today

[SatanGreavsie]

1 hour ago, kent_white said:

I had a shit in the toilets in the Octogan today

Sounds like the first line of a John Cooper Clarke poem.

"I had a shit in the toilets in the Octogen today

I tried to flush, but it wouldn't go away..."

As performed on Granada's So It Goes hosted by Tony Wilson in 1976.

[Traf]

14 hours ago, SatanGreavsie said:

Sounds like the first line of a John Cooper Clarke poem.

"I had a shit in the toilets in the Octogen today

I tried to flush, but it wouldn't go away..."

I tried and I tried and as much as I did
Nothing could remove that stubborn skid

[Zico]

Courtesy of AI

 

I had a shit in the Octagon today

Bolton’s finest, some might say —

A temple to drama, a civic gem,

But not built with my guts in mind, amen.

 

Snuck past ushers with a clench and a pray,

Bogs were hidden like a plot cliché.

Sat on the throne of theatrical fame,

Dropped Act One of a shameful shame.

 

No spotlight, no encore, just silent dread,

An audience of one — in my head.

Shakespeare wept, I dare suppose,

As I flushed my sins in the stalls below.

 

High art? Low point. A tragic ballet.

I had a shit in the Octagon today.

[MancWanderer]

On 28/06/2025 at 19:14, Not in Crawley said:

Hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised. Let us know what you think!

Enjoyed it. Wouldn’t describe it as ballet as such. More like modern dance. The set and visuals were superb. Think you have to know the film well to understand the dance interpretation, and know the soundtrack well to recognise the music. Overall very good. Mrs Manc failed to make an appearance in the second half. Her verdict was “it was fucking shit” 

[Not in Crawley]

2 hours ago, MancWanderer said:

Enjoyed it. Wouldn’t describe it as ballet as such. More like modern dance. The set and visuals were superb. Think you have to know the film well to understand the dance interpretation, and know the soundtrack well to recognise the music. Overall very good. Mrs Manc failed to make an appearance in the second half. Her verdict was “it was fucking shit” 

Wouldn't say its modern dance - that would have been a bit too odd but Paul Roberts is a very commercial choreographer - works with a lot of pop stars on their stage shows so it has a lot more contemporary elements than being an actual ballet - that's a bit of cute title, although there are elements of contemporary ballet. You're right though if you don't know the film its a little difficult to get connected to the characters which is why its left those who primarily like dance cold, and those who like the music a bit meh.

Which is why the Black Sabbath Ballet was much better - it wasn't a story as such but using the music and some iconography for the dance, also - much better choreographers, dancers, composers (wasnt just BS backing tracks) and writer.

Edited July 21, 2025 by Not in Crawley

[Spider]

On 15/07/2025 at 15:21, Zico said:

Courtesy of AI

 

I had a shit in the Octagon today

Bolton’s finest, some might say —

A temple to drama, a civic gem,

But not built with my guts in mind, amen.

 

Snuck past ushers with a clench and a pray,

Bogs were hidden like a plot cliché.

Sat on the throne of theatrical fame,

Dropped Act One of a shameful shame.

 

No spotlight, no encore, just silent dread,

An audience of one — in my head.

Shakespeare wept, I dare suppose,

As I flushed my sins in the stalls below.

 

High art? Low point. A tragic ballet.

I had a shit in the Octagon today.

That’s depressingly decent

I fucking hate AI for that reason alone.

Its better than all of us.

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

On 15/07/2025 at 15:21, Zico said:

Sat on the throne of theatrical fame,

Dropped Act One of a shameful shame.

😆

[Zico]

21 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

😆

My favourite line also

[RoadRunnerFan]

19 minutes ago, Zico said:

My favourite line also

Wit and wisdom proffered by the fool.

Whilst all I offered was a stool. 

With Crawley watching from The Circle.

Emerged the head of a putrid turtle.

Edited July 21, 2025 by RoadRunnerFan

[Casino]

Octagon has a night with jeff stelling and another event with virgo, taylor and davis coming up

[Duck Egg]

Just back from a few days at the Edinburgh fringe. Usual eclectic mix, some great stuff and some absolute shite.

Great stuff - Justin Moorhouse (who commented on my Jay Jay t shirt!), Jo Caulfield, A submariners tale and Shannon Matthews the musical (now on film and Amazon Prime) - very wrong yet very very funny.

The worst couple was a French woman called Clown Fish. Bizarre and not remotely amusing and some camp Alan Bennett type. That were a couple of hours i won't get back.