fri 29/03/2024

Antonioni Project, Barbican Theatre | reviews, news & interviews

Antonioni Project, Barbican Theatre

Antonioni Project, Barbican Theatre

Toneelgroep wrestle classic Sixties arthouse films onto the stage

Putting the mic into Michelangelo Antonioni: Marieke Heebink as Lidia and Hans Kesting as GiovanniImages by Jan Versweyveld

Back in the early 1960s, anyone with half a curious cultural brain in their heads would take themselves off to small fleapit cinemas like The Academy or the Classic in Oxford Street (now defunct). There you could catch the latest European art film. And at one of these I remember seeing Italian director Antonioni’s La Notte with Jeanne Moreau and Marcello Mastroianni. Such was its impact that neither I nor the flat mates I was with were able to utter a word until we reached home.

Back in the early 1960s, anyone with half a curious cultural brain in their heads would take themselves off to small fleapit cinemas like The Academy or the Classic in Oxford Street (now defunct). There you could catch the latest European art film. And at one of these I remember seeing Italian director Antonioni’s La Notte with Jeanne Moreau and Marcello Mastroianni. Such was its impact that neither I nor the flat mates I was with were able to utter a word until we reached home.

If you’ve never seen the original trilogy, the narrative dislocation and mixing of scenes from the three films must be confusing

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My memory of the Academy is that it was very far from being a flea pit. Academy 1 was red plush and gilt, Academy 2 (in the next room) more modern. Though this admittedly was in the very early 70s. A wonderful cinema (now M&S food department I believe) - saw so many incredible films there. I wish they'd bring it back.

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