The third and final performance of The Just Price Of Flowers was the best so far and the audience the largest. Though slow to get going this performance really picked up and thunderous applause and discussions after the show suggests it was much appreciated.
The question now is what happens to the show. It was made fast with no thought to onward exploitation, but it feels a waste to leave it there.
James
I’d say it has legs. The large-ish cast might make it less of an austerity production on tour, but there’s probably a way to make it work. Take out a loan or something.
I went to see The Just Price of Flowers on Saturday, and just wanted to feed back how much I enjoyed the show.
It appears that the 80’s are well and truly on trend at the moment: batwing sleeves, neon bright accessories, leggings and now – thoughtful, provocative, timely and urgent theatre of a political nature that’s also entertaining. I don’t think I’ve really seen a piece like this for 15 years. If the financial crisis means that there may be more theatre like this then at least there’s a silver lining to the fiscal cloud.
It reminded me of being a student again (except that the writing and acting were better): but I haven’t seen work that is fresh, reactive to a situation but also reflective of it for some time. Not in that context (not in any context). And it did help that we were huddled in the space with little heating and a sleeping bag for warmth. It added to the experience. It was a testiment to the writing and performing that I genuinely didn’t notice the impending cold.
I’d love to see this work elsewhere. There must be a disused warehouse in the City that could house this work: I’d like to see all the Lehman Brothers, RBS, TSB and other City types have a chance to see this. Perhaps the ticket price could be “0.1% of your bonus”. That might push the piece into solvency.
Thanks Helga that’s very kind. I saw you laughing.
I’d second Helga’s comments – I brought my husband, his nephew and his (the nephew’s, not my husband’s…) wife along and all of us really enjoyed the experience. Playful, creative, inventive, responsive; the austerity creation method worked really well and we all felt we played a walk-on part in supporting bringing this creativity to life, just by showing up on a wet December Saturday night to snuggle up in a cold factory space and cheer on brilliant local theatre makers. I really hope it has a further life, but there was something very special about being there on the site where it was made over the preceding week, rather than sitting comfortably on the velvet seats of a theatre. Congratulations to the ever wonderful Stan’s Cafe team!
We’re blushing, thank you.