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“The Daughter of Time”

19 replies

CurlewKate · 07/08/2025 06:43

Anyone seen the play at the Charing Cross Theatre? I have-and I’d love to talk about it!

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Scarydinosaurs · 07/08/2025 06:44

I looked at this and started to read the book but gave up on it as it was quite dull 😬

Was the play good?

CurlewKate · 07/08/2025 07:25

Oh-if you found the book dull you genuinely wouldn’t survive the play! It’s one of my favourite books, and even my mind wandered a bit!🤣

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starofsolomon · 07/08/2025 07:28

Is it about the princes in the tower? Very interesting story, but I found the book a bit slow. I think they were killed by Richard. I wish that grave in Westminster would be opened and DNA tested, to finally give those bodies a reliable name

Westfacing · 07/08/2025 07:33

I saw it two weeks ago and mentioned it on the Richard III thread - I enjoyed the play for the most part, but hadn't read the book so can't compare!

Gouache · 07/08/2025 07:39

I’m always baffled by how often the book is enthusiastically recommended on here — to me, it’s a man with some weird Victorian ideas about physiognomy in a hospital bed (let’s hope he doesn’t rely on them to solve crimes in his day job) making other people do his research.

CurlewKate · 07/08/2025 07:40

Westfacing · 07/08/2025 07:33

I saw it two weeks ago and mentioned it on the Richard III thread - I enjoyed the play for the most part, but hadn't read the book so can't compare!

Hey-I didn’t realise there was a Richard 111 thread-off I go!

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LegoLandslide · 07/08/2025 07:57

I've also had the book heavily recommended to me by many people as their "favourite book ever" and also slightly mystified by the hype. It's a pleasant read, but there are many books I would choose over it.

Not sure i will be seeking out the play!

Holluschickie · 07/08/2025 08:00

I saw this! Loved the book as I am a massive Wars of the Roses nerd.
But the play was a bit slapstick and with patchy acting. Nurse Darrell ( I think that's her name) was great! The other nurse less so. Didn't appreciate the romance either.

CurlewKate · 07/08/2025 08:25

Holluschickie · 07/08/2025 08:00

I saw this! Loved the book as I am a massive Wars of the Roses nerd.
But the play was a bit slapstick and with patchy acting. Nurse Darrell ( I think that's her name) was great! The other nurse less so. Didn't appreciate the romance either.

Yep-and there was a LOT of exposition-inevitably! The romance annoyed me too-and I didn’t much like the way that characterised Marta. But did you notice that she was played by Ronald Pickup’s daughter? And wasn’t that green dress amazing?

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Westfacing · 07/08/2025 08:30

Yes, that green dress dazzled!

As I said, didn't the book - was the romance not in the book?

BigFatLiar · 07/08/2025 08:33

Really enjoyed the BBC play on the radio. Still available to listen to on the player.

Holluschickie · 07/08/2025 08:35

I don't remember the romance and gay beard in the book. Would have been shorter and snappier without.
Also, as so much of the plot revolved around the portrait of Richard, they should have displayed it better. I was familiar with the plot, but my friends who were not were completely confused.
The green dress was amazing, but I wasn't familar with Ronald Pickup. Have since Googled!

CurlewKate · 07/08/2025 08:38

Westfacing · 07/08/2025 08:30

Yes, that green dress dazzled!

As I said, didn't the book - was the romance not in the book?

Not really. It’s the last of 5 books about Alan Grant. Marta is in all of them-and there’s always a bit of will they won’t they, but they don’t. He is her walker quite often, but mostly she is a friend and confidante-he is quite nervy in the books and he needs her.

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Westfacing · 07/08/2025 08:39

I was more interested in the theatre itself - love repurposed structures!

CurlewKate · 07/08/2025 08:43

Westfacing · 07/08/2025 08:39

I was more interested in the theatre itself - love repurposed structures!

Me too-I’ve never been there before. Apparently it’s having a bit of a rocky time-pretty crap reviews with this and their last production. 😢

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Westfacing · 07/08/2025 08:47

I think it's a hard time for most small theatres.

Holluschickie · 07/08/2025 08:51

I am a big theatre buff and went to see 'Mrs President' at this theatre a few montjs ago. About Mary Todd Lincoln and photography. A bit flawed but still a bargain for £15 front row seats!

TakeMeToAnIgloo · 07/08/2025 08:54

Yes I saw it - enjoyed the play, but feel the same as many about the book, not a favourite of mine and I got totally lost when reading it, ended up skimming pages of it as I couldn't tell the Edwards from the Richards from the Henrys etc. Not a part of history I knew anything about (grew up elsewhere) so really didn't make sense to me. The play was easier to follow in that sense (plus they give you a family tree when you go in). I thought the Carradine character was too slapstick and overplayed, but the others were good. I didn't realise/remember that the romance wasn't quite like that in the original. The gay actor that she pretended to be engaged to was a bit over the top in how strongly he reacted to the theories about the princes, though I suppose that may have been how he was written. But overall it was fine, if not one I am rushing to return to, but a pleasant way to spend a few hours.

I went because so many people said it was their favourite novel that I felt I must be missing something. But also (mainly) because I was reading a series of books about Josephine Tey as a main character (fictionalised but sort of based on her life - Nicola Upson books) and wanted to see/know more about what she wrote.

I do like how the time period was captured - very much how it was in my imagination after reading the book, too, and Marta had some amazing clothes and looked beautiful. And it was interesting to see the theatre, with the trains running overhead periodically! It wasn't very busy when I went, and people were encouraged to move forwards in the stalls. You can get day seats for £20, same seats as the £55 sold in advance, through todaytix or probably other places.

Scarydinosaurs · 12/08/2025 16:40

I loved The Man in the Queue by JT but this book was nowhere near as good.

I won’t be rushing to watch this performance then.

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