Michael Sheen To Star in Live Streamed FAITH HEALER This Month

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/2/20 at 10:14am

The West End and the UK are continuing to do what Broadway won’t and provide new streaming content to people. The Old Vic’s next Live show will be “Faith Healer” from 9/16 - 9/19. Tickets for members go on sale tomorrow and then to the public on Monday.

Tickets

Updated On: 9/2/20 at 10:14 AM

[thatdarnzach]

Posted: 9/2/20 at 11:40am

It isn't Broadway, it's the US government. You all realize that the UK can only do this because of massive federal subsidies for the arts, right?

[ggersten]

Posted: 9/2/20 at 2:33pm

thatdarnzach said: "It isn't Broadway, it's the US government. You all realize that the UK can only do this because of massive federal subsidies for the arts, right?"

You do realize that's not true. The Old Vic is a charity and gets no government funding.Old Vic 

Shakepeare's Globe (the one in London) receives no public subsidy. 

However, the National Theatre gets/got 17M UK per year (at today's exchange rate, roughly 22.5 million US). But that was for all NT activities around the UK - not just the theatre complex.

 

 

Updated On: 9/2/20 at 02:33 PM

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 9/2/20 at 4:10pm

What? I applied for the streaming rights a couple months ago and was denied. Then again, I’m not Michael Sheen, so...

[Jarethan]

Posted: 9/2/20 at 8:21pm

I have only seen The Faith Healer once many years ago -- I seem to recall that James Mason was in it.  The production received great reviews, but I remember it as being a tough slog.  Maybe a streamed version with close-ups will help to make it more involving.  Did it say who was going to play the female role?

[sabrelady]

Posted: 9/2/20 at 9:06pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "What? I applied for the streaming rights a couple months ago and was denied. Then again, I’m not Michael Sheen, so..."

Well you are to me

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 9/3/20 at 9:00am

Haha my mom says so too!

[goodlead]

Posted: 9/3/20 at 6:43pm

I also saw James Mason in The Faith Healer. I'm a big fan of his, but the production didn't land much of a punch. Perhaps the theater (the Longacre) was too lorge because I saw another production at a smaller theater in San Diego that was so good I went back a second time.

[Tom-497]

Posted: 9/19/20 at 1:10pm

I just watched the matinee (which started at 10 am NY time). I loved Faith Healer with Ralph Fiennes years ago on Broadway, but I was still surprised that today I sat in front of my computer riveted, almost without exception, from start to finish, very much as if I were actually sitting in a theater.

Only toward the very end, when they introduced significantly more camera movement did I feel that some impact and coherence was lost (though perhaps, at least in regard to the coherence, that was the point).

Visually there was one particularly effective moment where, as Indira Varma spoke the tears welled up in her eyes but didn't fall. Then, at exactly the right moment, she blinked and they came pouring down her face. It could have just been chance, but if it was choreographed, it was a very impressive feat.

Anyway, overall I'd give the whole performance an A+ -- definitely worth the time and the $25 or $30 dollars it cost.

 

[LarryD2]

Posted: 9/19/20 at 1:18pm

I just watched the matinee as well. Thrilling, edge-of-your-seat "theater," even though the two-and-a-half hour, no intermission presentation tested my bladder. (TMI, sorry). Sheen, Varma and Threlfall were magnificent. I was hanging on every word. I've seen Faith Healer twice -- the Broadway production with Fiennes and a West End revival with Stephen Dillane -- and while I think the play is beautiful, it can be a little static in the theater. Matthew Warchus found a way to make it consistently engaging without losing any of the spellbinding effect that Friel is going for. 

[AllThatJazz2]

Posted: 9/19/20 at 7:27pm

Also saw the matinee today, and was blown away by the performances. Engaging all the way through. Definitely worth the price. 

One of the very few benefits of the pandemic has been that my 91 year old grandmother has been able to partake in theater in a way that hasn't been accessible to her in quite some time due to her age related disabilities. We've done a number of live-stream performances over the last few months. She and my mother watched today's performance with me, and she really enjoyed it, despite thinking from the description it wouldn't be her cup of tea. Raved about the acting. It's an experience I'm glad to be able to share with her.