National Theatre

The National Theatre can usually be counted on to put on productions that are thought provoking and enjoyable. So I hadn’t given a second thought to get tickets to The Visit. The casting was top rate as was the producer, and yet it droned on and on. I left at the second intermission as the story had too much dialog of very little value.
The story is about a billionaire who returns to seek revenge on her high school boyfriend who did her wrong. She uses her money to tempt the small town folk to choose his life for their economic welfare. I dont know what they decided nor did I leave caring.
Shame as the set was very well done, and with a huge cast you would have thought they would have put more investment in presenting the plot.
Save yourself from the effort of seeing this, more exciting to sit along the Thames and watch the water flow.

Terrace restaurant at the National Theatre - strange greasy food . We have travelled widely and eaten ‘ odd and strange’ food, but I did not except to encounter this in the Terrace restaurant at the National Theatre . It’s billed as a tapas style place, but serves no tapas I have eaten before. The odd moisture of flavours, could at best be described as colourful at worst greasy, soggy and indigestible. I had black aubergine dip, with hazelnut biscuits which was probably the best one, followed by deep fried courgette sticks- these were greasy and inedible, black smoked haddock balls which were oddly dry yet greasy at the same time, the lamb courgettes were awful and the pasta filled with mashed potato heavy. No mixed salad available on the menu to help the digestion either

The National Theatre (Olivier) has yet again staged an impeccable production, right at the start when the disco number came on I so wanted to get up and boogie, got me hoping that this venue could put on the occasional club night as the sound quality is so on point!
Normal Heart National Theatre 6th Nov 2021 Mind blowing
For years I had wanted to see this rarely staged monumental classic Normal Heart written about the early years of the AIDS crisis written in 1984 and premiered 21 April 1985.
Worth every cent of the £39 for an excellent seat. The entire cast were masterful and a delight to experience Liz Carr in an all too rare stage performance.
By a stroke of good fortune I met Liz when I was leaving and asked what her next stage production might be, 'When they employ me' Delighted to get some photos with Ben Daniels and the very sexy Elander Moore.
Hey this was to date my best theatre production souvenir which I grabbed from the set as I was leaving, it is a copy of an authentic flyer 'The Gay Men's Health Crisis Showers' from 8th April 1982 at the legendary Paradise Garage and which was signed by five of the cast.
At times I was in floods of tears growing up myself in that generation I so easily could have become a statistic, ironically getting married in 1983 probably saved my life.
Delighted to catch up by chance with Tolu Live and his friend who performed at the Moovin Festival earlier in 2021

First of all, the National is a great, albeit modern and labyrinthine, theatre. Plays are of high quality and seats are comfortable even if you are tall like me.
You do need to check backpacks, which I did, but was then irritated to find that others weren't held to the same rule.

Came to see Tony Kushner's production of Duerrenmatt's The Visit. The play was an astonishing 4 hours long and two intervals, and none the better for it. It started entertainingly enough (this version is set in America rather than Europe), the set was great and costumes stylish. I liked the macabre and surreal touches and black humour. However, the American accents were poorly executed to the point of making me cringe a bit when the actors flip-flopped between accents. The play itself lacked depth, and the central story was too diluted in detail and unnecessary flourishes. I was quite entertained during the first two acts but the third was painful in its superfluous length and, quite frankly, pointlessness. I enjoyed aspects of this play but it does need serious editing.

I’ve seen plays in all three theatres at the national. The Olivier is the largest and is a good venue. Almost every play is an excuse to show that the stage can rotate and scenery can emerge from below. The seating is good and the acoustics are excellent. If the play is good it always gets five stars.

Whatever you think about the architecture (I like it), the National Theatre is an essential institution and puts on challenging large-scale theatre that nobody else does. it is a bit of a maze to find your way around inside, but the cloakroom system is very efficient and helpful, the staff nice and the theatres are the best anywhere. W"e went to the Olivier to see The Visit by Durrenmatt, which was stunning. All power to the NT!

The gift shop at this theatre was staffed, at the weekend, with the most terrible customer service assistants I have ever had the misfortune to encounter.

I have worked in retail for many years and I cannot believe the treatment that this store was providing for paying customers.

The individual who served me some books was busy doing something else during our transaction which ostensibly had little do with business needs. He was unbothered to smile or acknowledge my existence except to point to where my debit card needed to be shown.

We were warned as we entered the theatre that the store would be closing at 6. At 17:55, a disgruntled but excited and somehow jolly character came to discuss with colleagues about closing. He said, verbatim, with us in obvious earshot: "Why haven't you got rid of them yet?"

Somebody, a female, replied: "Well since they've stopped the announcements, we have to do it ourselves." He said: "Get rid of them." And, smiling, came over to repeat in a dry voice that the store was closing. It was not yet 6pm.

The security personnel had more manners than the people employed in the store.

Lovely books, though. There are standards evident in the presentation, thankfully. I think the heatwave of July 2022 contributed to the peaceful but uncanny (read: empty) atmosphere of the place.

With 3 theaters, a couple of book/gift shops, a few cafes and restaurants, free wi-fi and plenty of comfortable lounging areas, I argue that any fan of good theater may as well move into the National Theatre complex! Seriously, I have never been anything but stimulated, impressed, delighted, and at times, amazed, at the top quality of the National's productions. Recently I saw the two part presentation (all day, but worth the investment of my time) of, 'My Brilliant Friend', and on another day a brilliant production of Neil Gaiman's 'The Ocean at the End of the Lane'.
See anything here; you will be glad you did.

"The Visit" is to be avoided. It is over three and a half hours long, a self-indulgent mistake. An hour's trimming would make it a better play. The good points are an interesting set and some (not all) excellent actors. I never bought into the plot or invested in the characters. There are some nice comic moments, punctuated by set-piece speeches. We are tough and lasted to the end but it's three and a half hours we'll never get back. What were the critics thinking? You have been warned.

We usually stop here when walking along the Southbank for the cafe inside or on this occasion for the bar at the front. My husband and I stopped this time with our adult daughter and dog - it was a hot Saturday early evening and the Southbank was very busy but we managed to get a table. Drinks reasonably priced for London and the acts on the outside stage entertaining. There was a great atmosphere and we will stop off here again on our next walk.