What the audience thought

Audience Feedback from the London and Basingstoke performances of In the Penal Colony.
 

I was beside the action and found the performance riveting. Extremely moving – I’m not sure that ‘enjoyable’ is a word to apply to In the Penal Colony but the whole experience was fabulous.
(London)

Gripping. Theatre in the round essential for this and 100% effective. Sensitive acting from all 3 performers. Baritone role, performed hugely convincingly and beautifully developed. Glass music good scene in mood setting and pacing. The tension and audience emotional development fantastic. A truly visceral performance that will stay with us for some time.
(London)

Felt like being part of a jury. Observing the faces of my fellow jurymen and women across from me enforced the political parallel in unremitting Brechtian fashion
(London)

I had no idea when I booked the tickets that I would find myself in the front row of the acting area. It was an amazing and overwhelming feeling to be so close to the action. I felt drawn into the unfolding story, and at different times had feelings of guilt, felt sick, what can I do to help? I didn’t actually enjoy the performance, but I did feel very involved, and the whole experience was very rewarding. On a more general note, I couldn’t fault the production. The singers were wonderful – I could hear most of the words, and the acting convincing. I would come to another of your productions.
(London)

An engaging and startling performance. Glass plus Kafka made a powerful and potent mixture. I am still left pondering the moral questions explored.
(Twickenham)

Very, very powerful and disturbing. Beautiful music. Felt sick at the end. Generated one of the strongest ever reactions to opera. Very strong.
(London)

I did sit on the stage seats and loved it. Omar’s diction and stamina outstanding. Michael’s talk beforehand terrific and doubled the pleasure – must have given many of the audience much easier access.
(Twickenham)

A wonderful evening. The singing, acting and playing all superb and the set and design of the production made good use of the Haymarket’s stage. I go to many classical concerts at the nvil and to the opera in London (ENO) when I have the chance. I had never been to see anything quite so exciting and disturbing as in the penal colony. Philip Glass’s music is fairly new to me and I came because I had enjoyed his Violin Concert at the Anvil recently. I really hope that the new Turnage will come to Basingstoke.
(Hook Hampshire)

I attended the performance at the Haymarket Basingstoke and was glad I read the review in the Daily Telegraph after I arrived home because you deserved another star. The performance was powerful and disturbing as it was intended. The pre performance talk was well worth the effort by Mr McCarthy – enlightening. Look forward to you returning to Basingstoke.
(Farnham Surrey)