Tom Hiddleston (Sweet 16) (1000)

1 Name: Anon. : 2017-08-28 02:47 ID:5qdWEBEh

Thread to talk about the actor Tom Hiddleston

101 Name: Anon. : 2017-09-03 14:21 ID:ENf05lfx

>>98 Well, he did try too hard. And if she needs to refresh her memory as to his name, she can just check the contract - like with all the others.

I've decided that her boyfriends fall into two categories: gay or famwhore. I think the bravest millennial, as you hilariously call him, falls into the former.

Welcome, Anonanonnynonny! I think I typed that correctly.

102 Name: Sosorry : 2017-09-03 15:43 ID:zSl8T0x0

A fan pic of Tom arriving at the theatre for a rehearsal.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYkmGXYFXYr/?taken-by=tomhiddleston_daily

103 Name: Xanon : 2017-09-03 16:31 ID:JdZ2Y9CL

Does anyone else think that Taylor Swift was mad because Tom Hiddleston is receiving excellent reviews in the press and social media (front pages and articles praising HIS WORK) and that's why she decided to drop her second single? She wanted to steal the spotlight because she doesn't want him to succeed and rebuild his good reputation?

104 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-03 17:13 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>102 So he did break down and decide to use a car after all. Probably a good idea for the run of the show since fangirls know exactly where and when to find him. Supposedly (per tumblr) a handful waited outside RADA for hours, tweeted RADA to ask if he could come out to see them, and disappointly tweeted him because he "just left." Sigh.

105 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-03 17:32 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>100 You forgot the condoms!

This is one reason I really hope they make this production more widely available (though I doubt they'll bother to). I suspect some of these "update" choices might make more sense when seen in context (whereas some would still just be shitck). For example, my eyes rolled when I saw the mention of face painting. But when a subsequent review said that Hamlet was wrapped in a Danish flag at that point and he was painted like a soccer fan, it worked a little better for me as Hamlet making a political point or mocking his uncle. Still not precisely subtle, but might fit a bit better.

I also wonder if some bits were meant to make the play more accessible to audience members without much exposure to Shakespeare. The first use of the condoms, for example, might make more sense of Laetes' warnings about Hamlet to his Ophelia than musty warnings about her virtue.

It occurred to me that the piano/singing at the start might have been to get any applause for Tom out of the way rather than have it interrupt the flow later.

Genderswitching R & G is not unusual, but changing Hamlet's confidant to a woman looks (from the production photo) as though it could change that dynamic a lot. I hope some subsequent review/"review" talks more about that.

The dancing, though - why? Especially when' KB had to make cuts to get it down to 2:45.

106 Name: Anon : 2017-09-03 17:43 ID:A3rZwPke

107 Name: Whatsinaname : 2017-09-03 18:03 ID:6LNXsSd5

>>103 I do, because the second single probably wasn't slated to drop until October. The bad reviews from all over and Hurricane Harvey took the wind out of the sails on the first single.

108 Name: Anon : 2017-09-03 18:45 ID:A3rZwPke

>>100>>105

I think there is so much Shakespeare performed in the U.K. that the "straight up" traditional approach has fallen from fashion. You see it more here in the comedies (think: Merry Wives of Windsor) or at the Swan in Stratford when they are performing lesser known plays of Shakespeare's contemporaries (and sometimes not then). The best productions I have seen are those which are neither wholly traditional nor wholly contemporary, an approach which I think works well with the Histories, which just don't feel right without a nod to their period of writing and/or the period when the events take place. With plays like Hamlet I am more relaxed because they aren't wedded to a particular time, or place really, references to Denmark notwithstanding. I wouldn't expect a trad Hamlet here, not least because of how many other Hamlets there are this season alone.

That said, I still haven't recovered from the awful staging of the Cumberbatch Hamlet. I was ok with the Romanoff Winter Palace theme in the first half but the second half appeared to be staged on a slag heap. I think this was meant to be post-revolutionary Russia, but it looked shit, must have been terrible to act on a steep slope and had no textual justification whatsoever.

PS my husband read the reviews saying that Branagh created "an identifiably Danish" setting and snorted, "What? Are they all eating open sandwiches?" You can't please everyone!!

109 Name: Whatsinaname : 2017-09-03 23:16 ID:6LNXsSd5

>>99 Good to hear about The Childe, Anon.

110 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-04 01:02 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>100, >>108 I'm getting the feeling that KB just let Tom do whatever he wanted to in the "mad" scenes. From a fan "review" (warning - some gushing involved):

'He plays piano and sings- I cried He dances around to a beats pill He dry humps a couch A Scottish and Irish accent appear Leather and swords holy christ the best stage fight I’ve ever seen He looked right at me twice like I can’t even recover from it. There were moments where every single person was silent and it was because of Tom. It was just so amazing.' (A beats pill?!) (Via http://insanely-smart.tumblr , com/post/164940278613/putting-these-quick-hamlet-notes-from)

111 Name: Anon. : 2017-09-04 02:31 ID:dDVXxiUV

>>103 TS petty and calculating - never! ;) The DM tells me that she did wait a whole day so as not to drop it on her best friend's wedding. I was surprised.

>>109 My MIL asked me what we were doing for his 1st. It's still a few months off but I gulped nonetheless. He's going to be a year old!! It's especially sobering as I'm due back full-time at work then.

>>110 I always eyeroll at the 'he looked RIGHT AT ME' parts of similar encounters. These are people who have never stood on a stage where the audience is in darkness and the performers/speakers in a spotlight.

>>110 This is exactly the sort of Shakespeare I don't like.

>>110 And here is the piddling puppy we all know. Apparently he was saving it up for the stage, hence the low-key Kong and SDCC TH.

112 Name: Sosorry : 2017-09-04 03:52 ID:zSl8T0x0

The second song is about Karlie Kloss, who she did go on a beach vacation with. And Joe is the public front since he is tall, has blonde hair and blue eyes, and is younger than TS as well. If you put Karlie's hair on Joe, they are identical! I kid you not.

>>111 TS only cares about Taylor world. If she could get more buzz/controversy from dropping the second single near the opening of Hamlet because the numbers of the first single dropped after one day and do not compare with the numbers of Adele and Ed Sheeran whose numbers grew and grew, and she is being bashed by the critics, plus Hurrcaine Harvey stole her steam, then she will. The DM has now combined the Tom Hamlet article with TS's video and the pic with she and the effeminate male dancers wearing the Tshirts and high heels. They even bring up the faux Bond rumours, and mistakenly claim Tom was in Sherlock! Ridiculous.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4845700/amp/Tom-Hiddleston-looks-brooding-makes-Hamlet-debut.html

113 Name: Anon : 2017-09-04 06:56 ID:A3rZwPke

>>110

A beats pill? Accents? You are so right, that is TH all over! (That video JVR put on his Instagram of TH playing with a beats pill, which I bet he had never seen before JVR showed him one; that GQ shoot where he did all the accents). Not sure if I would have liked it - it would either have been brilliant or terrible.

BTW Mark Shenton, who reviews for the Stage, has expressed surprise that critics for the Times, Telegraph and Guardian all got tickets for the first night. The Guardian rather sententiously says at the bottom of the Billington review that the tickets were "obtained by the Guardian through the ballot." I'd have thought that was both true and misleading: yes, obtained through the ballot, but achieved by making every person in the office enter and promise to take Billington if they got a ticket.

114 Name: Lucy : 2017-09-04 14:17 ID:06bqVGOB

I'm a 18-years-old girl.
If you talk me, please call +81 80 5941 0307.

115 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-04 14:23 ID:LfjWE7CD

Article on "growing pressure" for RADA to broadcast or record the show for wider availability: https://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/theatre/tom-hiddleston-in-hamlet-rada-under-growing-pressure-to-broadcast-production-to-a-wider-audience-a3626366.html?amp

The writer was contacting people on twitter to interview about this, including >>113 Mark Sherman of The Stage. That note from the Guardian wasn't there originally. The TImes' critic explained on twitter that she'd asked friends to apply too. And the theory on tumblr is that the third paper hired a freelancer, who must have come to them with a proposal after getting a ticket, because there's nothing online that he or she has reviewed previously. RADA might have done better to select a limited press pool of people to review it, because this stirred up the complaints about the limited availability.

116 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-04 14:44 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>111 And she forgot that Tom is nearsighted, so even without light in his eyes it's unlikely that he sees more than a blur! That said, the audience is really close - see this shot from before the show: https://mobile.twitter//com/thaisinhaa013/status/904489724831813632/photo/1

117 Name: Anon : 2017-09-04 14:47 ID:A3rZwPke

>>115 No plans to extend because of Hiddleston's Hollywood schedule? Do they know something we don't, or is that a reference to Thor 3 promo?

The reality is that this was always intended to be a short and "exclusive" run, for all the laudable and not so laudable reasons we have discussed on here.

NT Live has filmed in all sorts of small venues and I bet they bring their equipment for free. I don't buy that it would reduce RADA's profit from the venture.

I totally agree that they should have allowed a limited press pool - if it was that big a deal about losing £950 to the cause (10x£95 tickets) then (1) they could have said, it is charity so can we ask you to pay? or (2) invited a limited number to the "dress rehearsal" instead of a few of the plus ones who were tweeting about it.

118 Name: Anon. : 2017-09-04 15:31 ID:oT6hBc2k

>>112 I hope my wink indicated that I do believe her possible of what Xanon suggested (even if I don't think it the case in this instance). But don't mention Poor Joe in a wig; he's got a tough enough row to hoe without giving TS ideas.

>>113 He has previous with a beats pill? I had to look it up myself.

>>115 Hmmm. Will they give it a wider showing now that it's cleared the first hurdle of reviewers who balloted in? Surely TH will want a recording so he can post it in his stead when he can't attend a wedding.

119 Name: Sosorry : 2017-09-04 17:01 ID:zSl8T0x0

Praise for Tom's performance, and his self contained approach to the whole music video fiasco after dumping out his "heart" to GQ magazine. Most of the comments debate whether or not the commentators are interested in another Hamlet.

http://www.celebitchy.com/548451/tom_hiddleston_is_apparently_a_great_dane_in_the_rada_production_of_hamlet/

120 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-04 18:26 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>117, >>118 I suspect the HW schedule affecting this would be KB's rather than TH's (unless the latter happens to be in A4, and even then I think something could be worked out with Marvel). And T:R has plenty of other name actors for promo.

From the theatre photo I linked to above, I think NTL might be challenged to film this live as it's currently set up. Certainly without distracting the audience, and possibly not even having room for cameras on the main level. But from what I've read about that theatre, it has at least some flexibility in configuration (for example, it can seat 180, not the 160 available for this show with the thrust stage). If they really wanted to film this, I'd think they could do something creative with a few extra performances with some seating judiciously removed. So there's likely some other reasoning involved.

121 Name: Anon : 2017-09-04 18:36 ID:A3rZwPke

>>120 the article definitely says "Hiddleston's HW schedule"....

I am not sure whether they record NT Live with audiences. I think possibly not - having seen stills from the Donmar production of Coriolanus there are no audience members visible, but they would definitely be in the frame if they had been there as it is such as small theatre (though I haven't seen an NT live so I stand to be corrected).

122 Name: Sosorry : 2017-09-04 23:14 ID:zSl8T0x0

Apparently Tom and Chris Hemsworth were both guests at former Mean Girls and "Masters of Sex" actress, Lizzy Caplan's, wedding to UK producer Tom Riley on the Amalfi Coast on Sunday. Are there no Sunday matinees of Hamlet? Lucky mister. Tom's stylist, Ilaria Urbinati was there as well, and she posted pics of Ravello on her Instagram.

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/lizzy-caplan-marries-tom-riley-w501107
https://www.instagram.com/ilariaurbinati/

123 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-05 00:06 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>122 No, no Sunday matinees, or eves for that matter. The show is playing Mondays - Saturdays, with a matinee only on Sats. And they're skipping a mid-week night each week. So it's only 6 performances a week.

>>121 I was just speculating (unclearly!) that despite what the reporter was told or may have assumed, we know that KB has commitments soon that he can't break but we don't know the same for sure about Tom.

124 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-05 00:14 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>121 Also I was assuming that the NT Lives are filmed with an audience. Partly because of their name, and partly because I've seen a clip of the very start of the Coriolanus broadcast, which showed the audience. Though that could have been edited in. If this Hamlet were filmed at RADA as staged, the audience is so very close that filming would likely show if the seats were empty. But I haven't seen any of those broadcasts either.

125 Name: Sosorry : 2017-09-05 02:00 ID:zSl8T0x0

>>122>>123 Apparently Chris Hemsworth was spotted in Byron Bay in Australia with his family on Sunday, so he wasn't at the wedding. So Tom probably wasn't there either. I was thinking that Tom had to be pretty confident in his performance skills and his recuperation abilityto jet off to Italy for a vacay middle of his Hamlet run. US magazine must just have wanted the clicks. Silly me.

126 Name: Anon. : 2017-09-05 16:43 ID:xdzIOQf3

NT Live is just that Live. I looked at my copy of Coriolanus and there are audience members present. Whether that could logistically happen in the Rada theatre, I don't know. More importantly, I don't think it will happen. That would seem to undermine everything they've said about the ballot system and their use of it, not to mention undermining the actual process of the system itself.

127 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-05 21:23 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>126 I don't think that doing an NT Live would necessarily undermine what they said about the ballot system, at least what they said at first - it was supposed to be about fairness in getting tickets. And while there doubtless would be people who got tickets complaining that they had to go through that whole process, and pay X to go to London and Y to see the play when others could just go to an NT Live showing, I think there would be many, many others happy to have an expanded opportunity to see it. (Not to mention that those who saw it live, saw it live and were mere meters away from the performers!)

Doing NT Live might somewhat contradict the recent quote from the head of RADA who talked about it being about the art, not about making as much money off it as they could. But that statement itself undermined how the production was originally presented as a fundraiser.... But all that said, I doubt they can do one or more NTLs at this point, because they would have had to announce them by now to get audiences for them.

Which leads back to our suspicions that this was as much about showcasing Tom as anything else. Witness this excerpt from a fan who saw it yesterday: "There are so many great moments in there, I still need to wrap my head around them all… Has anyone mentioned that he gets to dance? Suddenly, smack in the middle of Hamlet, there is Tom with his famous moves :) I loved that! And there’s a scene where he’s got warrior make up on and walks around wearing the Danish flag as a cape. Very punk rock. And another where his head’s covered with the hoodie. And he does a Scottish accent while holding the skull. It’s like a wonderful showcase of everything Tom knows and likes to do." (from the crazy smart one's tumblr)

Now I can't get the image of Hamlet doing snake hips out of my head!

128 Name: Whatsinaname : 2017-09-06 04:08 ID:6LNXsSd5

>>126 >>127 I'm going with Anon. here - they're not going to film this limited run for NTLive. Even if they hadn't had a ballot system and there was nothing about it that would make them out to be hypocrites, and no physical limitations to setting up the cameras and lighting, it isn't going to happen within these 16 remaining days. There are 2 other major Hamlet productions being staged right now; it wouldn't make sense for them to film RADA's.

If schedules clear for KB and TH early next year and they revive it in the West End where it would up for awards, I would expect it to be filmed by NTLive.

>>127 Now that more tweets are surfacing about the play, it is becoming more clear that the play is a little bit self-indulgent. I've read there's also a dry humping scene on the couch >.<

129 Name: Unknown : 2017-09-06 04:37 ID:AIXVBE85

>>127 This play sounds ridiculous! This sounds like an audition reel for TH or a parody of Hamlet sponsored by Tumblr.

130 Name: Anon : 2017-09-06 06:59 ID:A3rZwPke

>>126>>128

I agree they aren't going to film it. As I said in >>117 this was always intended to be exclusive. My point was that the reasons proposed by various people as to why they weren't (not enough space, cost of equipment) weren't borne out.

131 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-06 10:01 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>130 I wonder if the exclusivity isn't going to backfire on TH, at least a little bit? It certainly hasn't endeared him/KB/RADA to at least one critic (new article from Mark Shelton today: https://www.thestage.co.uk/opinion/2017/mark-shenton-review-hamlet-not-review-hamlet-question/ ). And with most of the coverage coming from twitter reviews that talk about the gimmicks in the production, it may not maintain a sense of "serious actor" after this show vanishes. Already have his google search results are back to being TS related.

132 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-06 10:04 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>131 Not to mention the "reviews" of his butt!

133 Name: Anon. : 2017-09-06 14:08 ID:mWcSq3yc

>>127 So Sir Ken has not stepped into the role of TH's NO man. Can I dance? Yes. Can I sing? Yes. Can I hip thrust? Yes. The search for the elusive TH wrangler continues.

>>131 He's at the damned if he does, damed if he doesn't stage. Probably not making him enemies, serious ones, but not making friends either, especially not among those who didn't get tickets.

>>132 'Tom Hiddleston's ass has set the new standard for Hamlet asses. His bottom is both powerful and beautifully realized, and utterly Danish in concept and representation. Bravo. 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍🍑🍑🍑🍑🍑🍑🍑🍑'

Strange that his ass is the least exclusive aspect of this performance. It's not like we haven't seen it already.

134 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-06 17:14 ID:+paBlYiz

>>133 That is the quintessence of a review of his butt in this!

The Guardian has also jumped in to ask for an NTL broadcast: https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/06/kenneth-branagh-hamlet-tom-hiddleston-cinemas

135 Name: Sosorry : 2017-09-06 17:43 ID:zSl8T0x0

Tom, and his costar from The Hollow Crown and The Deep Blue Sea, Simon Russell Beale, advertise an evening featuring John Le Carre, at London's Royal Festival Hall. Apparently the evening is to recognize his most well we'll knwon character, George Smiley, in honor of his most recent book "A Legacy of Spies", and fund raise for MSF. It's being broadcast in cinemas, apparently.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9gHBRZGLElw

136 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-06 23:59 ID:LfjWE7CD

The supposed reasoning behind no DVD recording (not worth it for fundraising), per a student working on the show: https://twitterDOTcom/bourtney/status/905554262222098432

137 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-07 00:05 ID:LfjWE7CD

Another "review," with a few more details: http://imaginaryboyfriendcollection.tumblr.com/post/165058435932/hiddlehamlet-a-firsthand-account-part-i

In case it's taken down, here are a couple of pertinent paragraphs - "Important things must be addressed, so: couch humping. Was SO FUNNY. It wasn’t a full-on dry humping (oh god…I just had to take several minutes to think about what that would be like. I’m back now) but rather a couple of energetic thrusts. Which was enough. This was met with laughter and tons of quietly imploding vaginas, I assume."

"In this same scene (a great scene), Hamlet sits on the recently-violated couch with Polonius and laughs loudly with him. It’s rather forced (he’s putting on a show here), but also - seriously adorable. Because Tom. It gifted us with a huge Hiddles grin, which is so damn infectious (as you well know). In the third bout of this laughter, Hamlet dissolves into tears. One of the best things about Tom’s Hamlet was how perfectly and naturally he navigated the quick shifts in his mood - swinging wildly between grief, rage, lunacy, amusement, earnestness - and it all felt incredibly deft and real. Also, that man is gifted when it comes to crying. I think there were real tears in his eyes for about 75% of the performance. At one point, you could see the tears falling, illuminated by the stage lights. It was beautiful."

138 Name: Anon : 2017-09-07 08:09 ID:A3rZwPke

>>136 She is enjoying her 5 minutes of fame on twitter.

>>137 This, as I am sure you know, is the woman who recently accosted him on a Tube platform and shared his journey.

139 Name: Anon : 2017-09-07 08:40 ID:A3rZwPke

>>137 Actually I quite enjoyed this! She makes no bones about the fact that it's purely a description of how hot Tom looked while playing Hamlet, and not a review of the production.

PS I don't think of Hamlet as a sobber. He is too calculating for that. Were these tears of relief at TH's rehabilitation as an actor?

141 Name: Anon : 2017-09-07 15:54 ID:A3rZwPke

Costumes by Selfridges, I kid you not. And it is not the grey boots but a different pair!

http://tumblr.tomhiddlestonnews.com/post/165083312741/lolawashere-selfridges-as-partners-of

142 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-07 17:06 ID:+paBlYiz

>>140 So after all that fuss from The Stage about critics having to go through the ballot for tix, I wonder how this person got in to see it....?!

143 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-07 17:28 ID:+paBlYiz

Hmmm. They didn't sell ballot tix for yesterday (Wed) yet there are several tweets talking about seeing it last night, including for pre-show drinks with KB (@pargupta). Also tweeted by the CEO of a cinema advert firm (@cinemalover). And a musician associated with RADA. Look under #radahamlet. One was posted 16 hours ago, the others in the last hour or so. Very interesting. Wonder if that's how The Stage critic got in.

144 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-07 17:37 ID:+paBlYiz

And in the popular arts, (1) the Early Man trailer dropped today and (2) set interviews for T:R were released (see Collider and so on).

145 Name: Anon : 2017-09-07 18:09 ID:A3rZwPke

>>143

How. Very. Interesting.

146 Name: Anon. : 2017-09-07 18:38 ID:dNTGftcy

>>143 The half formed feet of clay are crumbling. All hail the fairness of the ballot system.

>>137 >>139 I suppose she deserves credit for shamelessly being the drooling, Tumblr stereotype, but I had to stop reading when she mentioned sniffing him whenever he passed. I feel this woman would keep him a pit in her basement: 'It puts the tight jeans on and humps the couch or it gets the hose.'

147 Name: NewAnon : 2017-09-07 19:39 ID:i0F27Diw

>>143 cough networking cough
Not surprised. I knew there would be something like this, and there will be more. This is Tom's comeback vehicle while also showcasing future promising talent. It's definitely not art for art's sake. But tbh stuff like this is just business, it's not anything underhanded.

148 Name: NewAnon : 2017-09-07 19:42 ID:i0F27Diw

>>146 That sniffing part made me eyeroll. Definitely sheds another perspective on her tube meeting with Tom.

149 Name: Anon : 2017-09-07 19:55 ID:A3rZwPke

>>147 I wouldn't disagree with any of this save for the pious backstory. If you are constantly banging on about how critics have to go in the ballot so as not deprive the charity of money, and about how the ballot is fairer because it allows ordinary theatregoers a fair chance to get tickets, then don't surrender your "dress rehearsal" night AND one performance to networking events.

I read that the dress rehearsal was only open to RADA alumni (and evidently from twitter, their plus ones). That makes me more sure than ever that the special event was not, as has been implied, about raising big ££ from donors. How many RADA graduates are in a position to donate £10k to the cause? Even if they paid for the tickets it wouldn't cover the cost of the canapé reception (I got married in London and I know how much this stuff costs). It was a networking event. Hence, of course, the presence of KB, TH and at least one agent that we know of.

150 Name: Anon : 2017-09-07 19:56 ID:A3rZwPke

>>146 I missed the sniffing part. HAHAHAHAHAHA re Lecter. No wonder he isn't doing a stage door.

151 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-07 23:04 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>149 And last night probably wasn't the last "special" performance. There's one more night in each remaining week that wasn't sold by ballot. (I was wondering why they'd do a Mon. show and be dark on a Tuesday. Now we know.) Wonder how they choose who got to attend last night - bet it wasn't by lottery! Interesting choices when it seems as if U.K. theatre is perceived by many as exclusive. It would irk me less if they could just have gotten their stories straight. "It's a fundraiser! No, it's not about making lots of money! Critics must do the ballot - but if your trade paper complains enough, one of your critics will get to see it by iinvitation!" Sheesh.

152 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-08 00:49 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>139 Yeah, I thought it was worth sharing a bit since it's well written for a lust posting! I could see Hamlet crying (he is in mourning, after all), but not for 75% of his time onstage. Tom does cry really, really well, though - another talent he got to showcase in this.

>>146, >>148, >>150 But - haven't many people who've met Tom commented that he smells really nice? (Every time he's on The View, at least one of the women comments on that.) My theory is that some women are already so attracted to him that when they meet him, they can pick up on his pheromones!

In the Early Man trailer, I think Tom got his accent from the French knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRiPQ8YNrVs (Lord Nooth enters at around 0:40).

153 Name: Unknown : 2017-09-08 03:40 ID:AIXVBE85

So let me get this straight, the woman with the mentality of a teenager who met Tom on the tube also went to the Hamlet play and sniffed him?

It must be creepy that Tom saw that girl yet again. Me thinks he has a stalker now.

Wish these losers actually got an actual boyfriend instead of trying to go after a fantasy.

154 Name: NewAnon : 2017-09-08 16:59 ID:i0F27Diw

>>149 Agreed. I have a problem with that as well. It just wasn't needed. Then again the whole authentic sincerity spiels where they are not needed is something I've always had an issue with when it comes to TH. I understand that he wasn't behind all of the RADAHamlet ones himself but these unnecessary authentic sincerity backstories seem to be a running theme with whatever he's involved in.

There's going to be more of these non public performances that are for networking and I don't know how the fans will react when they get wind of it.

155 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-08 17:46 ID:+paBlYiz

Haven't listened to it yet but this audio for one of the accessible performances is supposed to give some details of the staging: https://t.co/FGAHzL4z4n?amp=1

156 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-08 17:54 ID:+paBlYiz

>>155 A text version of that descriptive introduction is here: http://vocaleyes.co.uk/?request_file=4394 . I found it interesting especially for glimpses of how the other characters are being played.

157 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-08 18:13 ID:+paBlYiz

>>154 An anon posted yesterday to the crazy clever one' tumblr about the non-public performance on Wed. The CC one's response was to defend it basically as "it's all about the fundraising." Will be interesting to see if more people pick up on this after the private show next week.

Based on a tweet I saw describing the Gala/invitational final preview, they are trying to make these look a little bit about the building campaign. The tweeter mentioned that before the show they were in the old "Drill" space, which I believe is the place RADA wants to turn into its new theatre.

But I agree these are most likely for the networking, and showcasing the actors to important industry types who otherwise might not have seen the show.

158 Name: Whatsinaname : 2017-09-11 05:55 ID:qp6bfleN

>>137 Here's part 2 of the first row review. It's just as long as part 1: http://imaginaryboyfriendcollection.tumblr.com/post/165192560687/hiddlehamlet-a-firsthand-account-part-ii

There's more unabashed fangirling, mixed with the actual play review.

The former: "Dancing. IT HAPPENS. Only for a minute, but it is glorious. The first entry of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern comes with a beats pill playing danceable music (Kendrick Lamar, I think?) and they all bust out a few moves. I gasped. Snake-hipping, y’all! In the middle of Hamlet! Bless you, Sir Kenneth Branagh."

The latter: "His anger and sadness, though, were harrowing to behold. The scene in the very beginning where Hamlet comes out onto a nearly dark stage to play piano and sing is haunting - his pain is palpable, and the entire audience was hanging on his every word and motion. It was like a shot straight to the heart to begin the production...This is supposed to be Hamlet alone in his sorrow, not performing for anyone as he does in other scenes throughout the play. The moment feels incredibly authentic, illustrating perfectly Hamlet’s current frame of mind, and it sets the tone for Tom’s entire performance."

159 Name: Anon. : 2017-09-11 13:32 ID:b1jsOzcN

>>158 Is this going to be a six part series? Another 'review.' The fangirling is front and center and greatly colors any information about the play itself. She also indulges in that timeworn fallacy of assuming the entire audience felt the same way she did. '...the entire audience was hanging on his every word....' You mean they were quiet and watching the play, like a theatre audience, rather than trying to sniff him loudly?

160 Name: Whatsinaname : 2017-09-11 14:05 ID:ExvNoM03

>>159 'Review' is a relative term. Any place she was not talking about his body.

161 Name: Anon. : 2017-09-11 15:51 ID:Kj3VgzUL

From fans, this is probably the reaction he wanted. That slightly obsessive and very flattering gushing. It helps to drown out those Complaining about the ballot. Considering the reviews from critics are also very good, this is going to plan.

It will now segue into Thor promo, where he can shine if he isn't overexposed and handles himself well.

162 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-11 17:34 ID:+paBlYiz

>>158 Didn't I tell you? Snake-hips Hamlet!

>>158, >>161 Oh lawd. Funny voices for the skull? But Hamlet isn't supposed to be playing mad in that scene.... I don't know whether to be annoyed that the rest of us may never get to see this to judge for ourselves whether all the "business" works in context, or to be glad that we may be spared these ideas of what makes Hamet relatable.

>>161 The more I read about this, the more I agree that this production, or at least Tom's performance, was aimed as much at the fans as at his serious actor rep. Over the weekend, a fan's series of tweets talked about him saying some of the monologues right.to.her, and said he gave her a nod and a wink during the curtain call. Yes, a grain of salt needs to be taken, but the fan's mother also noticed Tom doing this. He really can't seem to control his need for attention/adulation, can he?

163 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-11 17:46 ID:+paBlYiz

164 Name: Unknown : 2017-09-11 17:57 ID:Pr0S03WB

Why is he catering to his fans so much when those same fans hated him with a passion for dating a pop star. He's 36 years old and still pandering to his over entitled annoying fanbase. He needs to grow up and this interpretation of Hamlet sounds incredibly dumb. I hope Andrew Scott takes awards for his Hamlet. Humping a couch and dancing...he's ridiculous. He's as immature as his fans

165 Name: NewAnon : 2017-09-11 19:11 ID:i0F27Diw

>>159>>161 Yeah, these Tumblr fan reviews aren't reviews of the play or his acting. It's just accounts of Tom's looks, his body, and a competition of "he looked directly at me!" "Oh yeah? Well he winked and grinned and looked at me" "pfft well he blew a kiss at me and now I'm carrying baby hiddles so take that bitches". It's all fantasy projection and fan competition.

>>162>>164 I'm sure he preens and adores the applause and attention but it's probably normal Tom levels. I don't think it's as ridiculous as these fans are making it sound. The music, the dancing, the couch humping (I've read such different accounts of the famous couch humping that I can't tell if it's actual humping anymore or just one quick suggestive hip thrust that's being overblown), it probably all works well within the context of the play but when these fans write it through their fantasy lens, it starts to sound like a montage of Tom's most embarrassing moments. Tumblr fan reviews on Tom anything are always focused on him and their fantasies than the actual work or truth of what actually happened so it always makes me laugh when these fans tack on the obligatory "but the play was true art! I wish he'd do more art"...yeah we can tell how much you appreciated the art lol

166 Name: Anon. : 2017-09-11 19:29 ID:wvgiOJ+E

>>164 I don't think these 'encounters' should be considered catering or pandering. And I didn't intend to suggest this with my comments. This would be pandering if he were actually making eye contact with audience members. Without knowing the theatre, I can't be completely certain, but it's hard to pick out a particular person in a darkened audience from a lit stage. The exaggeration may be giving a different impression of what is actually happening.

I've heard good things about the Pinter (I think that's where it is) Hamlet, but again reviews make it sound 'interesting' too. Will TH be eligible for any awards? I don't know the criteria well enough.

167 Name: Anon : 2017-09-11 21:23 ID:A3rZwPke

>>166 Once long ago I attended a party after a performance of the Histories at the RSC (both tetralogies over 4 days!). The actor playing Jack Cade and I talked about a soliloquy he did when Cade fantasises about the women he will get when his rebellion succeeds. I was on the front row (large theatre with thrust stage, lights down over audience during performance, i.e. bigger than this theatre but otherwise similar in feel and layout). He was standing very close to me and I felt he delivered the whole speech to me as he was looking right at me throughout. During the party I met the actor and told him how unnerving it felt - like the fourth wall wasn't really there any more (something the RSC does well but never better than at this moment). One of the things I asked him was whether he could actually see me. The answer I got surprised me. Absolutely he said. As long as the spots are not right in your eyes, which they aren't as they would dazzle you, on a thrust stage as opposed to a proscenium arch, you can see a lot. He told me that for that speech he always homed in on a young woman in the front couple of rows, and delivered the speech to her. It helped him capture Cade's mood in that speech. These women might not be entirely wrong when they say TH was looking right at them, choosing someone to wink at etc.

168 Name: Anon : 2017-09-11 21:38 ID:A3rZwPke

>>165

If I had just performed Hamlet I'd preen and enjoy the applause!! It's had good reviews and he is apparently one of the highlights (not just for the fans). I think he is entitled to bask in the applause for his performance. (I know you aren't saying he shouldn't)

My beef with it was always different - the readymade rehab from Uncle Ken and the problematic relationship of that objective to the fundraising objective, plus the "strange" way thag there turned out to be a show a week for all the mates, agents, hangers on etc.

Thank you for the insight that we are getting an edited perspective with the fangirling elements front and centre. I think you are right and that it's skewing perspective. Written like this Coriolanus would have been all about the shower scene and the snog with Aufidius (though there is textual support for the latter). It didn't feel like that when I watched it.

169 Name: Anon. : 2017-09-11 22:52 ID:5qdWEBEh

>>162 I think he and Sir K are trying to walk a very thin line in regards to 'audience.' He needs to win back fans, the Guardian, HW big wigs and Tumblr all while couching it in a robe of charity. It's a big ask.

>>162 I think he does have trouble controlling his need for attention and adulation. That seems to be part and parcel of wanting to be a big HW star. Toss in a desire for acceptance and recognition and it can be cringey. It's not terribly different from what most people want, but the scale seems bigger (maybe necessarily so) as he's an actor.

170 Name: Anon. : 2017-09-11 23:00 ID:5qdWEBEh

>>165 You're correct in that there is definitely a fantasy lens when it comes to TH, a pretty thick one smeared with vaseline. Hard to tell what it real and what is embellished beyond recognition with accounts from fans. I saw him at the Times Talk and instantly declared HL the winner of that evening - knock out in the first round winner. Reading accounts of it later on tumblr and twitter, I realized that I didn't have my fan glasses on because everyone was gushing about TH.

>>165 Do more art...where you're naked...and dance...and hump furniture...and I can smell your man musk.

171 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-12 01:49 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>165 Agree with Anon in >>168 re: thanks for the reminder that we are seeing the production largely filtered through fangirl write-ups. >>168 And thanks, Anon, for the comparison with Coriolanus. I was going to ask those of you who've been at this longer than I have how the tweets/tumbler/blogs for RadHam compare with those from TH's previous live shows.

>>166, >>167 It usually is hard to see from a stage into the audience, but it does depend on the lighting. I think some of the fan reviews have said that Hamlet's soliloquies are darkly lit, and this audience is practically sitting on top of the actors, so Tom may be able to see them more than usual. And I don't think it's really unusual for an actor to pick a point of focus, including an audience member; it's certainly a common technique in public speaking. That said, Tom is nearsighted, so he may just be making "eye contact" with what to him is a blurry oval!

>>169 I keep remembering the KSI promo interview he did with some Korean semi-celebrity guy. Every time he said or did something possibly amusing, Tom looked off-camera to his publicity person for her feedback/reaction. I think his neediness in this regard shows more than it may with other actors because when he was younger, he got away with it showing through because it was "cute," his face is very expressive even for an actor, and he might really have a bit more need for reinforcement than other actors do.

172 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-12 17:26 ID:+paBlYiz

No idea if this is a regular reviewer or not, but here it is: http://www.westendwilma.com/review-tom-hiddleston-hamlet-rada/

173 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-13 01:20 ID:LfjWE7CD

If anyone's interested in more staging details and some idea of which scenes were cut or moved, there's a four-part series here (yes, some fangirling, but not too much - at this point I'm just posting stuff if I think it adds some insight): http://hiddlescheekbones.tumblr.com/post/165272043814/hamlet-at-rada-a-very-long-and-very-detailed

I hope that the drama professor mentioned in these writes up her impressions at some point.

174 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-13 18:00 ID:yaeJgE+g

Yep, they're definitely doing invitation-only events on the "dark" nights. Someone from a PR firm posted a photo of the special invitation. She's since deleted the tweet, but it's captured here: http://insanely-smart.tumblr.com/post/165294258543/twittercomprmattersukstatus907907769193209857

I saw a few other tweets about last night's event - another PR person, an agent, and one random guy.

175 Name: NewAnon : 2017-09-13 19:50 ID:i0F27Diw

>>167 I've had similar experiences with actors/ actresses making prolonged or frequent eye contact during a performance. At a performance of Midsummer Night's Dream, the actress playing Helena made frequent eye contact with me throughout her scenes because I kept laughing at the humor she brought to her Helena, it was different than the usual way I've seen Helena done and I was loving it. The actress told me afterwards that I was one of the few in her line of sight who caught on to the humor and that's why she'd focus on me during some of her scenes, it helped with her performance. I think connecting with the character and audience through eye contact is probably a more common practice among theater actors than we realize, and not the love/ lust at first sight some of these Tumblr fans keep trying to insinuate.

>>168 From all non fan accounts, it does sound like Tom put on a great performance so kudos to him. Preen away, THids! I'm in the same boat as you when it comes to the hoopla surrounding the play. The "we've been wanting to work for 7 yrs!" flimsy excuse to hide lack of non-Marvel projects to the overblown charity and ballot bit when they knew there would be nights reserved for exclusive guests for networking. Maybe just stay quiet there, no need to address every single thing.

>>170 I agree. I like Tom, his personality has its own charm even if it's on the puppy side, and his acting talent is good. But I disagree with his fans when they act like he's the first good looking actor to ever have acted ever in the history of humanity and everything else doesn't matter. Currently, many of them are being so personally offended because they don't think Loki is being promoted enough for Ragnarok and are venting that Loki is the real money maker and should be front and center. Forget the fact that it's a movie about Thor (it's in the damn name ffs) and it should center around him, and not the secondary Loki character. I guess that's most obsessive fans of any celebrity but it doesn't make it any less obnoxious though.

176 Name: NewAnon : 2017-09-13 20:04 ID:i0F27Diw

>>172 The critic and non fan reviews just confirm what most of us knew all along, that Tom is a good actor and has potential to be a great one. Too bad he doesn't have the patience to keep at it and steer clear of the tabloid aspect. Succumbing to cheap tactics like PRmances with pop stars and pap walks with FWB co-stars take away from the talent he has to offer and make him a non option for good solid roles that may not be lead but could become award worthy with his performance.

>>174 This was all bound to come out. That's why they shouldn't have gone on and on about the fairness of the ballot bs. Clearly it's all business but to those unfamiliar, it seems underhanded and unfair. Some of TH fans who think he does art for art's sake and is all about the acting will certainly have something to say. Wait for the thesis length posts on Tumblr.

177 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-14 01:57 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>174 I'm surprised that there hasn't been more noise in the fandom about the reserved nights. (Anons have brought it up several times on the crazy clever one's tumblr, but she's shushed them each time.) Maybe RADA lucked out that the first one came to light long enough after the balloting had ended that people had recovered sufficiently from their disappointment and took the news stoically, or fans are still buying that those shows are for fundraising with bigger potential donors. Maybe those nights do have at least some donors, but the attendees who've tweeted about them are clearly in the business. The great chain of backscratching continues! (I wonder if the PR woman who tweeted a copy of her invitation took it down because she was getting questions, or because RADA asked her to nix it....)

Something good will come out of the backscratching nights, though - the newer actors in the cast are getting great exposure to agents, PR people, and so on!

178 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-14 02:01 ID:LfjWE7CD

In other news, this article about Cumberbatch's career contrasts him with Tom (though mostly in terms of Tom not having as many haters): https://www.dailydot.com/parsec/benedict-cumberbatch-whitewashing-gypsy-boy/

I think it raises an interesting point, though - has Tom been less successful than, say, BC because he's tried for variety in his choice of roles? (Loki aside, of course.) Or is the difference in their levels of success due to BC having a five-year head start? Or some other factors?

179 Name: Anon : 2017-09-14 06:51 ID:A3rZwPke

>>177

I am not surprised that the fans have sucked up whatever justification RADA provides about the freeloader nights. The well known blogs are by and large deeply and almost perversely uncritical of him and also of anyone/thing associated with him.

Until, that is, the person or thing ceases to be associated with him. The best example is TS. When she and Tom "got together" there was a lot of chat from anons and in the media about her habit of pap strolling with boyf and useful accessory such as small child. Also about her silence when far right organisations used her image without permission, her problematic squad version of feminism etc etc.

The big tumblr blogs just refused point blank to engage with this and said that if TH was with her she must be an amazing unicorn and that anyone who criticised her for any reason was a hater (of him). Then when they split all the blogs magically started posting articles about her problematic feminism etc!!

180 Name: Anon : 2017-09-14 07:13 ID:A3rZwPke

My favourite example was at the height of the relationship when GossipCop issued one of its usual bullshit denials of an obviously true story, and her fans leapt in to say that the "source" was Tree Paine (her publicist) and that she was the source for all GC's TS stories, therefore the denial was accurate.

I said, hang on, about 36 hours before she split with CH, didn't GC write a story denying that they had a problem? Did that come from Tree as well? And doesn't that mean that Tree lies to the press? The contortions that the fans went into in order to defend TS (and her publicist!) were amazing:

(1) there is a special wording that GC uses when it is using TP as a source ("sources close to TS say") and this wasn't one of those articles
(2) GC is a shit rag which makes stuff up like all the rest of the webloids (only not, of course, when it is supporting Tayto, when it is a reliable, biblically true source)
(3) the story was from Tree but she didn't know at the time that TS has split with Calvin, which TS had kept from her
(4) the story was from Tree and IT WAS TRUE because Taylor had not at that time decided to split with Calvin, which happened and was announced to the press within the next 36 hours

Many of these explanations came from the same people. I pointed out that these couldn't all be true and several people unfollowed me because I was a hater and ruining the fandom with my negative energy. They all piled onto TS as soon as the split happened, believe me.

181 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-14 22:17 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>179, >>180 Despite their claims to logic, some of those blogs don't take any hint of criticism or questioning kindly. The main nanny tumblr I watch jumped down the throat of an anon who dared to suggest that this pure fundraiser might also might benefit TH's career....

Speaking of which, kudos again to whoever planned this, for the timing in particular. The initial heavy RadHam coverage has segued beautifully into the next round of T:R videos/articles, and the first true trailer for EM. Links to any TS-related stuff have almost vanished from the first page of Tom's Google results.

Let's hope he doesn't pay too much attention to faces in the audience, because Berlinale got a ticket after all! Supposedly someone's +1, going next week. She's getting shit for it on tumblr. Perhaps this is why Tom's bodyguard was seen in the audience for at least one performance!

182 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-14 23:20 ID:LfjWE7CD

RADA may be watching for certain fangirls. This is the one who got a ticket by taking over someone else's successful ballot - sounds like she was questioned at the box office. Too bad RADA has no way of knowing whether or not money changed hands. https://twitterDOTcom/claireyfairy1/status/908458824381628416

183 Name: Anon. : 2017-09-15 17:15 ID:5qdWEBEh

>>181 Shiiiiiiiit. She's considering interrupting the play to ask about the scratches on his neck in a movie from 2007. Completely reasonable, right?? This is HER chance and mean ole HL isn't there to snatch it cruelly from her. Tom totally wants her to ask; she can see it in his eyes.

184 Name: Whatsinaname : 2017-09-16 03:11 ID:6LNXsSd5

>>182 Oooo yeah, she's blaming it on TH's fans - https://twitter.
com/claireyfairy1/status/908674015673356288

>>181 >>183 Yep, the new bodyguard has been there to help scope out the audience. There's an unconfirmed lady stalker rumor, but I think it's general security because of nutters.

Been waiting for the perfect moment to tell the following story. It's not about a nutter, and I'll give you the supershort version: a former huge TH fan with a very popular Tom tumblr went to a red carpet event and brought a couple of pictures for him to sign. It would be the 2nd time she'd seen him in person and gotten an autograph. He eventually got to her and her friend. He looks directly at her for several seconds like he recognized her, reached over to sign her friend's picture, then walked away to someone else. A deliberate snub. Was it because he thought she was just collecting autographs to resell on eBay? Was it because his security were watching her tumblr, and showed him her picture so he can be aware of her?

Like I said, hers was only a picture reblog tumblr. She almost never made original text posts about him, or participated in the back and forth with people lusting over him. Based on that I wouldn't have considered her a security risk but maybe she was doing something else on the side we don't know about. However, if not, If he snubbed her for no other reason than recognizing her from the first time and not wanting to give her more autographs, then 1. why are there other fans who he's taken selfies with multiple times and 2. what will happen if he spots Berlinale in the audience, mid-sentence?

185 Name: Unknown : 2017-09-16 04:06 ID:yPbo83GW

>>184 I've seen this girl on a very popular gossip site that i sometimes frequent. She loves showing off vids and pics of her meeting him and giving her hugs. Its gone so far that a foreign site that's dedicated to him has a lot of pictures with him with her to the point I think this girl is obsessed and she has admitted traveling far to his sets just to meet him. She's very nanny-esque with him obviously as well.

I mean his fans are ridiculous. Just because he's nice to you and even gives you a creepy hug--which btw is something he should've never have started to begin with--doesn't mean he's in love with you or you're his soulmate. These girl's and even women who should know better really step over a lot of boundaries, but then again so has TH. And this girl has seen him more then 2 times. I think because she's pretty i guess he doesn't mind giving her attention.

Maybe the reason he snub that girl that you mentioned is because maybe she's not attractive. I'm sure if it was a attractive girl like the girl i mentioned he wouldn't mind signing or taking multiple photographs.

I wonder if he's ever slept with any of his fangirls. I wouldn't be surprised if some of these fangirls lie about their age. TH is partly to blame for this. There's no reason he should be hugging total strangers, especially impressionable girls who get a bit too involved about his life.

186 Name: NewAnon : 2017-09-16 06:01 ID:i0F27Diw

>>184 Maybe it wasn't Tumblr or online related at all. If she had more than a few pics/ posters etc and he remembered signing other stuff for her before he might have thought she was collecting autographs to sell online.

>>185 That's a rather large leap...from hugging fans to sleeping with them (though I do agree he shouldn't go around hugging random strangers all the time like that because one never knows). I don't think he's been careless enough to sleep with a civilian groupie type fan, though I'm sure he's probably hooked up with ppl in the industry who are fans of his or fancy him. From what I've seen, it doesn't seem like Tom takes any fan's physical features into consideration when he's doing his usual greeting fans and posing with them routines. I've seen pics and vids of him with fans who range from conventional good looks to quirky to average to everything. That behavior sounds more like something Justin Bieber would do...

187 Name: NewAnon : 2017-09-16 06:07 ID:i0F27Diw

>>180 did they label you a "toxic" lol Seems like anyone who disagrees or points out any sort of logic to any of these big TH tumblrs, they're marked as a toxic and the faceless anons are set on them.

188 Name: Anon : 2017-09-16 06:40 ID:7ZjT5yCQ

>>187 I'm not important enough to be a toxic. Also I had been on here for some time before Tayto (and even before Theo) so I didn't care to engage on tumblr too much.

189 Name: Anon : 2017-09-16 06:55 ID:7ZjT5yCQ

>>184>>186

I think he has always been alert to those who sell autographs. I have seen footage from years ago where he refused to sign for people who had had one already. Most autograph sellers are male but he may have come to the conclusion that anyone with multiple pics on one occasion is a seller. Hence he would sign for or pose with fans he had seen before but only if they had one pic on each occasion.

>>185 I haven't seen any evidence that he goes with fans. Maybe he did in the early days when he wasn't so famous, but I am sure not now. I imagine it is industry types and friends of friends. The age of consent in the U.K. is 16. You would have to be very young indeed to be pretending you were not underage and I think most intelligent men could spot a 15 year old pretending to be older. I have never heard even a hint of TH sleeping with someone underage.

190 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-17 23:22 ID:LfjWE7CD

The little RadHam tickets mysteries continue. A young actor tweeted Fri. AM that he and at least one other person were being comp'd by RADA for that night's show. An attendee at one of yesterday's show tweeted that she saw at least four empty seats. A couple of well-known actors (Riz Amhad, Tom Hollander) have been spotted in the house. Did the shows not sell out after all? Are people with tix not showing up? Or (my strong suspicion) did RADA only sell 130 seats but has more seats available for people in the business? (Depending on how it's configured, that theatre can seat up to 160).

191 Name: Unknown : 2017-09-18 01:40 ID:z7DCfgBw

>>190 Its totally for industry people. That whole show is not only for Hiddles rebranding but also for Branagh's RADA graduates to get some jobs, agents etc.

I don't like how this play has been advertised. Making it seem like its some charity when its only for a bunch of elite people to meet other elite people. No wonder the UK have a diversity problem with students who can't afford to get into a very expensive school like RADA. It's very unfair for working class people to compete with a "charity play" like that.

192 Name: Anon. : 2017-09-18 14:05 ID:l63piwsn

>>190 Nanny response: 'RA and THo are such fans of TH that they entered the ballot like everyone else.' Yep.

I went looking for empty seat/comped tweets and the like. Found about a dozen from the start of the run. Also found a woman who described herself as a 'last minute seat filler' courtesy of a friend who works at Rada. Hmmm. The rottenness remains in the state.

193 Name: Whatsinaname : 2017-09-18 15:36 ID:6LNXsSd5

>>191 Unknown, to your knowledge, is this the first 'charity play' that RADA has ever done? Have other theaters had charity play short runs like this?

194 Name: Anon. : 2017-09-18 15:56 ID:i7607y1q

>>193 Good question, Whats. I don't know if Unknown has that specialist knowledge but I bet someone on the board does.

They touted the ballot system as all but revolutionary, so that element seems a first, at least for Rada. When I lived in London I was a semi-frequent theatre goer both on my own dime and on the boyfriend's Citibank client entertaining allowance. I never attended a play at Rada or knew anyone who had attended. Of course I knew of Rada. I don't think they have alumni back to perform/direct in this way but I could be wrong. I have no idea about the fundraising part of this. Maybe every play at Rada is technically a fundraiser as the students don't get paid for it.

This all is just more proof that this seems to be a beast constructed for a particular set of goals.

195 Name: Anon : 2017-09-18 16:36 ID:A3rZwPke

>>193>>194

I have lived in London for many years and have been a committed theatregoer for most of them.

I have never heard of a RADA event of this type

I am sure that they have always had fundraisers and I think I have in the past heard of carols services, concerts, drinks parties. I am also sure that they do graduation shows in which their students perform - this is not least because they can't accept work during the course, so there are well-established structures to enable them to be seen by agents and casting directors. But I haven't ever heard of an alumni play like this.

As for other theatres - they do have schmoozing events like meet the cast, drinks parties, talks. The Donmar has guaranteed allocations of tickets for significant donors (for which they pay) and for very big donors a complimentary performance with pre and post show drinks and talks: https://www.donmarwarehouse.com/support/membership/ Fair enough as you have to donate £1750 a year to get that.

But it is the other way around from how the nannies envisage - you donate first and you get invited to the event after, as a reward for your support. They don't go out on the streets looking for rich people interested in theatre and invite them along hoping they might donate.

196 Name: Anon : 2017-09-18 16:46 ID:A3rZwPke

>>193>>194

As far as I can see, the big difference for the RADA special performance nights, and the mysterious additional tickets, is that they are not pegged to a previous donation.

I am sure that some attendees have donated lots - David Attenborough clearly has, whether directly or through Richard Attenborough's legacies. I also imagine that KB himself has been a big donor as he has been a loyal supporter of RADA over the years. But the only actual criterion for attendance at the rehearsal do was being a graduate of RADA. I am also fairly sure that the "spare" tickets were, if not comped, sold for face value, whereas the Donmar special ticket allocation for sold out performances has to be paid for, and only goes to those who have made big donations.

Every person who goes to a special members' production at the Donmar "for free" has made a donation of at least £1750. If that was how they allocated these seats for the "dark" nights I am sure that nobody would query it. The fact that nobody at RADA has said this suggests to me that that isn't what is going on here.

197 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-20 00:31 ID:LfjWE7CD

Tidbits of possible interest:

  • Audience member who figured out that the balloting weighted the audience towards hard-core fans: "This was quite a safe way for Tom Hiddleston to try out the biggest role an actor can do in front of an audience that was likely to be predisposed to forgive any failings (if you make someone apply for a ballot for something your pool of audience members tends to be reduced to those desperate to see it…. Now that it’s clear both production and star are a triumph hopefully we’ll see it transfer somewhere sensible for a longer run where more people can see it." (http://www.inspiredfollies.org/2017/09/17/review-of-tom-hiddleston-in-hamlet-at-rada/) Immediately reaction on the I-S nanny tumblr: "How dare she imply this? Tom doesn't need a trial run!" (A phrase which doesn't even appear in the review.)
  • And contradicting that blogger's claim that the ballot prevented ticketing hoarding, I've seen two people tweet recently that they used their +1 ticket for themselves to see the show a 2nd time. Maybe not hoarding, but quite selfish.
  • At last, a truly snarky tweet from an attendee: twitterDOTcom/tara_mulholland
  • The running twitter debate among recent attendees about whether or not they could smell Tom is too funny!

198 Name: Whatsinaname : 2017-09-22 21:26 ID:6LNXsSd5

Tom, being cradled deep in Ken's bosom; never has his PR been this good. But who else would be as loving as a mentor who's also had his ups and downs.

"Kenneth Branagh interview: 'Tom Hiddleston and I were always honest about Hamlet' "

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/playwrights/kenneth-branagh-interview-tom-hiddleston-always-honest-hamlet/amp/

Excerpts:

Tickets for his pop-up performance at RADA – allocated by ballot for the three-week run – have been like gold dust and there has been much wailing and teeth gnashing from those, including critics, excluded from this collector’s item event. Even the Guardian’s film critic pleaded for the production to be “beamed into Britain’s movie theatres”.

That’s not going to happen, Sir Ken affirms as the final performances loom this weekend, arguing that the 160-seater Vanbrugh “isn’t set up to do a big-screen transfer – though I embrace that idea in other venues. I am pro accessibility”. He also rules out the production having a further life. “We have been honest from the word go. No one was in an option to go to the West End – and there have been no conversations with Tom about doing it again down the line.”

Rather incredibly, neither he nor Hiddleston seems to have fully anticipated the demand. “I’m very, very surprised at the amount of attention it has got,” he confesses, suavely dressed in dark blue blazer and jeans, still boyish at 56. His leading man even worried there might be empty seats. “We thought we should do a ballot, because we knew he had fans, but Tom was very sweet about it and genuinely asked ‘Do you think we’ll sell out?’”
***
For Hiddleston, a formidable Coriolanus at the Donmar in 2013, the challenge was to stretch himself at close quarters: “He wanted to discover an emotional depth that might have surprised people who consider him a cerebral actor.” In an interpolated opening scene, the audience sees the black clad prince of Denmark at the piano mourning his dead father in song – “He’s this raw, grieving thing,” says Branagh.
***
As for Hiddleston, fans shouldn’t feel distraught. “I’ve played Hamlet in four different productions, Derek Jacobi played it hundreds of times. And I’m sure Tom is interested in playing Benedick and Richard III. So, the public need to be assured that there will be a lot of pleasure coming our way.” Watch this space.

199 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-24 19:33 ID:LfjWE7CD

>>198 Oh yes - Tom's PR team should hire Sir Ken! (Though I did sense that KB might be a mite peeved that most of the attention for the production was for Tom, not for Tom and the director. Even this interview spent more time on RadHam than on KB's upcoming MotOE. And you'll note that KB doesn't talk about wanting to do more Shakespeare with Tom.)

I don't buy that KB is "very very surprised at the amount of attention." Everything about the production was designed precisely to get as much attention as possible - especially not comp'ing the critics, which probably got the show even more press than it otherwise would have received. I can see Tom being insecure about it selling out, though.

So that's that, except for some straggling reviews from attendees. We may be a little Hamletted-out on here, so I won't bother posting any unless there's something really unusual.

200 Name: Heynon : 2017-09-24 20:16 ID:LfjWE7CD

Oh, a question for the UK-theatre goers. What does it mean when a performance is described as "very RADA" or "too RADA"?

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