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On Monday night Whatsonstage took 175 Theatregoers to the Comedy Theatre for the sell out Outing to The Lover/The Collection. The West End double bill features two dark and funny plays from Nobel Prize winner Harold Pinter. Both plays sizzled with sexual tension as they twisted and turned through the dark and often bleak world that Pinter creates.

All of our Theatregoers were treated to a free programme and interval drink as they watched the show from their top price seats. After the show everyone was invited to a post show Q&A which was well attended by all. We were thrilled to welcome all four cast members, Gina McKee, Timothy West, Richard Coyle and Charlie Cox. Roger Foss led the discussion which covered a variety of topics, including how to tackle Pinter, how to handle the infamous Pinter pauses, and how to work together as a cast. Gina McKee discussed her role as the only female in the production and addressed the problems arising from performing plays written in a different era. Timothy West discussed Pinter’s popularity and appeal.

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On Wednesday night (13 February 2008) Whatsonstage.com hosted an Outing to Speed-The-Plow at the Old Vic. The event proved extremely popular, with tickets selling out within a matter of hours. The Old Vic’s production, headed up by artistic director Kevin Spacey along with Jeff Goldblum and Laura Michelle Kelly has proved to be a hot ticket with very few spaces remaining for the run.

Our Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers were treated to a free drink in the Pit Bar and a free programme as part of their Outing package. As they settled into their top price seats all of our Theatregoers were able to enjoy high energy performances from three fantastic actors.

Following twenty four hours in the lives of two film producers and their assistant, Speed-The-Plow looks at the ups and downs of the movie business. This revival of David Mamet’s play had its press night on Tuesday (12 February) and received fantastic reviews from critics across the board, including a four star review from our own Michael Coveney.

 http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8821202897909

You can add your own comments about the event either here or on the main Discussion Forum. You can also add your verdict on Speed-The-Plow to our User Reviews for the show –
http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=206&action=users&show=L1866472063

I hope to see you all at the next Outing!

- Kate Jackson

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On Tuesday 5 February, Whatsonstage.com took 175 theatregoers to see Samuel West’s critically acclaimed revival of Patrick Marber’s poker based play, Dealer’s Choice at the Trafalgar Studios. As our theatregoers settled into their top price seats they were treated to a funny, poignant and challenging production which follows the staff of a small Italian restaurant as they prepare for a night of poker. As a special treat the first twenty people to book for the Outing were given a free programme signed by all the cast and the understudies.

After the show all our theatregoers were invited to attend a Q&A with cast members and director Samuel West. We had a fantastic turn out from the cast with Stephen Wight, Ross Boatman, Malcolm Sinclair, Samuel Barnett and Roger Lloyd Pack all answering questions and talking happily about their roles in the production. Samuel West discussed his thoughts on the plays significance, while Roger Lloyd Pack confessed to having to share less than glamorous dressing room accommodation with other members of the cast. All our theatregoers were amazed to find out that the cards the players used were carefully sorted and ordered every night to make sure that the cards they were holding and playing matched the cards they were discussing in the dialogue.

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On January 28 Whatsonstage.com took 150 Theatregoer club members to see the National Theatre’s acclaimed production of Much Ado About Nothing. Directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring Simon Russell Beale and Zoe Wanamaker, the production has become one of this seasons hottest tickets. Our Theatregoers were able to enjoy a free drink during the interval and were lucky enough to be offered the last minute opportunity to attend a post show Q&A with principal cast members.

We had an overwhelming response to this Outing, with all 150 tickets selling out to club members in a matter of days. The rush was well deserved and an enjoyable evening was had by all.

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On January 21 Whatsonstage.com took 175 Theatregoers to the Theatre Royal to see director Jonathan Kent’s production of Edward Bond’s  modern classic The Sea. All of our Theatregoers received a free programme on arrival and were able to enjoy their free drink as they settled down to watch Eileen Atkins and David Haig tackle this delightfully dark comedy.

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On Thursday night Whatsonstage.com hosted an Outing to Tintin at the London Playhouse. Herge’s Adventures of Tintin have been revived by the joint efforts of Rufus Norris and David Greig and are now playing at the Playhouse until January following a nationwide tour. The show was a great delight and was made even more enjoyable by ice creams for all the children during the interval.

Before the show all Whatsonstage.com theatregoers were given free Tintin posters which they had the opportunity to have signed by the cast during the post show reception which was a real success, with many members of the cast remaining in costume to sign autographs and chat happily with Whatsonstge.com theatregoers. Many of the cast were able to attend, including Matthew Parish (Tintin), Miltos Yerolemou (Snowy), Stephen Finegold (Captain Haddock) and Nina Kwek (Chang) amoung others.

Staff at the Playhouse offered our theatregoers wine, beer and ribena as well as mince pies to get everyone in a festive mood as they mingled with the cast of this charming show. Many of the cast commented on how much they had enjoyed meeting our theatregoers and discussing the show and they all left happily with a copy of our latest December/January issue magazine.

You can add your own comments about the event either here or on the main Discussion Forum. You can also add your verdict on Tintin to our User Reviews for the show –
http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=206&action=users&show=l01836265436

I hope to see you all at the next Outing!

- Kate Jackson (Editorial/Sales and Marketing)

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On Tuesday night, critics warmly welcomed the Theatre Royal Haymarket’s major new initiative – a year-long season of work under a single artistic vision in the heart of the commercial West End – and its opening production, Restoration comedy The Country Wife. And last night, Whatsonstage.com theatregoers got their chance to extend their own welcome to the team behind it.

We increased our allocation twice – to 200 tickets - to meet demand for this hugely popular event, which nevertheless sold out some time ago, generating a long waiting list of people desperate to get in.

After enjoying the show, and their free programmes and drinks in one of the Haymarket’s beautiful bars, theatregoers stayed on for our exclusive post-show Q&A. Director Jonathan Kent, the former artistic director of the Almeida Theatre who’s overseeing this inaugural season, stopped in especially for our talk, and he was joined by several members of The Country Wife cast - Patricia Hodge, David Haig, Fiona Glascott (the country wife of the title), Nicolas Day, John Hopkins, Tristan Beint and Elisabeth Dermot Walsh – all of whom were incredibly generous with their time and insights at the end of a demanding two-show day.

Amongst the fascinating topics discussed were the challenges of Restoration language and asides, the meaning of names, morality, corsets, rampant rabbits (versus squirrels), text pruning, Toby Stephens’ connection to Warren Beatty (did you know that the film Shampoo was based on The Country Wife?) and, unsurprisingly given the sexual obsessions of Wycherley’s play, lots of other pure filth. Jonathan Kent also offered a great overview of the Theatre Royal Haymarket Company and its aims – and encouraged us all to play our part in supporting it and the future of the West End.

Edited highlights of the discussion will be posted later today in the News section of the main Whatsonstage.com website here –
http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=198&types=Y

You can add your own comments about the event either here or on the main Discussion Forum. You can also post your verdict on The Country Wife to our User Reviews for the show –
http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=206&action=users&show=l02061978966

We look forward to seeing you all again soon.

- Terri Paddock, Editorial Director

WOS Outing to Glengarry Glen Ross - Thurs 4 October 07

 Our outing to see James Macdonald’s new revival of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross at The Apollo Theatre was a sell out outing. Starring West End legend Jonathan Pryce and TV star Aidan Gillan, the trip was sell out and all were in high antcipation to see this production. At only 90 minutes long including an interval it was thankful we had a Q&A to make the evening last just that little bit longer!

The Q&A had a wonderful turn out with all cast members, except Jonathan Pryce, coming out alongside the director, James Macdonald. Terri was onhand to ask the initial questions and afterwards the floor was open to you guys - with many of you asking some really insightful questions!

 Please do add your comments and look at the pics of this event!

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 Hope to see you all very soon at another exclusive WOS Outing!

 Until then…