National Theatre / The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other

For a moment, a bright, empty town square. And then a figure darts across, and another
and another -- businesspeople, roller-bladers, a cowboy, several street-sweepers, a halfdressed bride, a film crew, a line of old men, a tourist, a beauty in a mirrored dress, Abraham and Isaac, a family of refugees, a fool -- more and more people, the bizarre and the humdrum, fleetingly connected by proximity alone.

Surprising, funny, fast and physical, this is theatre to set the imagination on fire.

Twenty-seven actors, 450 characters and no dialogue: a play without words by the great experimental figure of European theatre, Peter Handke.

From 6 February

http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/thehour

E-trailer produced by Stephen Cummiskey, with music by Mel Mercier.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• National
• Theatre
• London
• The
• Hour
• We
• Knew
• Nothing
• of
• Each
• Other
• Peter
• Handke
• Dance
• Physical
• Movement
• Experimental

[vokshumana]

I have recording of radio play of ``Kaspar``, done by Yugoslavian actors. I suppose it is his best play, enough for Nobel prize for instance. It is better than ``Waiting for Goudot``, I think, but maybe Handke`s plays are better suited for radio.

[dowling1981]

It was not they who invented this

[gwinter00]

Nice typography Helvetica has upt its game here.

[steffandonnelly]

Seen a month ago. I'm still not sure if I liked it or disliked it. I didn't feel robbed of my money - the acting was wonderful, the characterisation work they must have done must have been immense...24ish actors playing 450 different people. I did feel robbed at the fact that Handke took the actors technique of observation and put it up there on stage for everyone to see, I feel that that's a private personal thing! I haven't read any of Handke's other plays - what do you guys think of them?

[spinynorman2710]

This production is the worst thing I've ever seen in the West End! It's not profound, it's about an hour longer than it should be, and, because of its expense, is an insult to any impecunious but more talented theatre practitioners who would have a showcase for their work if we could all overthrow the rarefied navel-gazing loons whose pretensions disfigure British theatre. I laughed all the way thru the second half like a small jeering child - it made feel better about paying £20 a ticket...

[SamarkandWheeler]

Brutal. Absolutely awful. I've probably seen worse productions (throw 27 skilled actors at something and there have to be at least glimmers of something here and there) but I've rarely seen anything that has made me so bleakly depressed about the state of, I don't know, civilisation. A small bunch of idiots acted like it was the funniest thing ever, holding their sides and calling out for fresh underpants when war veterans crossed the stage, five times, very slowly.

[cmarch5]

Saw it opening night - had very mixed responses....

personally i would rather watch paint dry - felt robbed of £17 when i could have just sat outside for an hour and a half and see the exact same thing. Became slightly absurd in places - felt very much like they ran out of ideas and just raided the costume department.

Difficult concept to get right, and in my opinion failed!

[ukboomerfl]

Interesting concept