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Post by theatre2023 on Nov 14, 2023 22:49:32 GMT
Good performances but the lack of any sort of real drama or conflict in the story lets it down entirely. There’s certainly not enough plot here to justify an entire musical sadly.
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Post by Being Alive on Nov 14, 2023 22:58:00 GMT
I liked this!
It feels to me like a 90 minute no interval show - I think it struggled a little to pick itself back up after the interval, but largely a really strong score (one number in each half I didn't care for) and two super performances.
Strong 3 stars at the moment - I thought it has bags of potential.
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Post by anthony40 on Nov 17, 2023 9:02:14 GMT
Booked! Am going on 28th with the Q&A afterwards.
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Post by Mark on Nov 18, 2023 23:25:28 GMT
Loved this. Great writing, great performances. Yes it should be 90-100 minutes no interval and there’s a few numbers could be cut with limited loss (the tinder song for example) but overall it’s a great piece of new writing.
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Nov 18, 2023 23:41:10 GMT
Yeah I saw it this afternoon. Echo the thoughts that it should have just been straight through but I enjoyed basically all the songs on some level and the story was cute. Just a really sweet romcom essentially without much depth but very solid.
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Post by jampot on Nov 19, 2023 0:39:53 GMT
Really enjoyed this tonight..I was totaly swept up with the story more so than the music..The comedy aspect really worked. Audience reaction was strong at the end and great to see so many smiling people leaving the theatre...
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Post by TheOneOnTheLeft on Nov 19, 2023 20:37:56 GMT
I also enjoyed this little heart-warming show immensely and would recommend seeing this to each of my friends. Yes: it could be trimmed to one act without intermission, but personally, I did not mind at all spending a little more time with these two adorable characters and their stories. Hoping they will release a cast recording as some of the songs are quite catchy! I sat in the stalls slips seat closest to the stage (AA3, which seemed to be the third seat on the plan, but wasn’t) and this might actually be the perfect place to see this: very close to the action and at a perfect angle. 4 Stars from me (the last star is reserved for - hopefully - future and maybe even slightly more polished incarnations of this little gem).
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Post by zahidf on Nov 21, 2023 21:48:20 GMT
This was ace I thought! Funny, really likeable characters, good songs. Feel good musical of the winter.
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Post by capybara on Nov 24, 2023 1:21:48 GMT
OK, so I now have an answer to the question “what’s your favourite Christmas musical?”. I mean, I’d go to see this any time of the year but this really is a charming winter musical romcom.
Sam Tutty is wonderful as Dougal and brings a puppy dog excitement that he never really got to lean into as Evan Hansen.
But what a sensation Dujonna Gift is. Vocally as crisp and pure as anyone I’ve heard, she brings so much to this beautiful piece as Robin. Initially hilariously frosty, Gift brings the audience along on her character’s journey.
Jim Barne and Kit Buchan’s book and score is delightful. There are some truly great songs in there and I’d love a cast recording to be able to listen back to them.
And shout out Soutra Gilmour’s (The Crucible and Sunset Boulevard) masterful set, modelled on suitcases that open up to fit each scene to perfection. Gilmour understood this assignment and then some.
Don’t bother with all the overpriced forced fun Christmas shows in London this winter. Jump on the Jubilee line up to Kilburn instead and be part of this excellent show for a fraction of the cost!
Four stars.
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Post by anthony40 on Nov 28, 2023 18:39:43 GMT
Am here right now
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Post by mattnyc on Nov 29, 2023 17:11:53 GMT
Saw the matinee today and just loved it. Such a sweet little show with some really fantastic music in it. I do agree that it begs to be 90-100 minutes straight through but I can forgive that, since the material overall is so strong.
I’m also 95% sure I saw Imelda Staunton walking out afterwards.
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Post by Steve on Nov 29, 2023 18:43:00 GMT
I also saw the matinee, and very much enjoyed this. Some spoilers follow. . . Sam Tutty's manic pixie dream boy is endearing, and becomes increasingly winning as his character deepens over the course of the show, but it's Dujonna Gift's stone-faced refusal, to even crack a smile over his unforced but bonkers (his father has never wanted to know him at all before this wedding invitation, so why so cheerful lol?) effusiveness, that really makes the chemistry, makes the show. She is like the broken Jenna, from Waitress, unable to laugh and smile, and that's why this very formula rom-com set-up never grates, and in fact, the more stonefaced she is, the funnier she is. Personally, if we're doing formula rom-com set-ups, I admit I do miss the zany side characters (like Laura Baldwin and Marisha Wallace in Waitress) that keep you laughing through every beat of the story, but nonetheless, the opposites attract formula here is itself funny, and ultimately quite wistful and moving. Some of the songs, like the Tinder song, or the Credit Card Spending Spree song, or the I puked in Bed song, are also funny, so this is not Hallmark movie style schmaltz, despite being formulaic. I felt cheerfully Christmassy, as I did during the straight comedy "She Stoops to Conquer" at the Orange Tree, as well, to the tune of 4 stars.
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Post by anthony40 on Nov 29, 2023 19:38:47 GMT
I’m also 95% sure I saw Imelda Staunton walking out afterwards. You probably did. She lives locally. I live in North West London, between where she lives and the Kiln. I have seen her on several occasions; even spoke to her once or twice.
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Post by mattnyc on Nov 29, 2023 20:28:46 GMT
Is Dujonna American? Her accent was flawless and she was VERY MUCH a New Yorker in her attitude. She was just perfect and I hope to see her in many many more things.
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Post by theoracle on Nov 29, 2023 21:00:54 GMT
I really loved this - after a few dodgy new musicals this year, I found myself really quite swept away by this. The performances are excellent and this piece seems to sit very well in the Kiln. Plenty of witty moments and genuinely laughed our loud on various occassions. It's very sweet and a real winter warmer. Not all the songs are super strong but there's enough heart here to carry it forwards. Highly reccomend!
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Post by anthony40 on Nov 30, 2023 21:27:22 GMT
I saw this on Tuesday night and I too loved it!
In fact, I’ve been resisting posting anything for fear of echoing what everyone has already said.
Charming, poignant , witty well written and beautifully sung and performed. This is (simply) a breathe of fresh air! No big dance routines, no jazz hands, no ensemble- sometimes, less is more!
It made me think a bit of The Last Five Years- a two hander but other than the fact that this too is set in New York, that where the similarity ends.
Despite living relatively close by, this was my first time at The Kiln.
I was sitting towards the back so had a perfect view of the whole stage and audience.
The set is comprised of two sets of stacked suitcases that serve as tall buildings, a subway, a mini-bar, a wardrobe and a bed.
This was a full house and the show (deservedly) got a standing ovation at the end.
Both Dujonna Gift and Sam Tutty were terrific, especially Sam Tutty, bringing a child-like innocence and wide-eyed wonderment to his character Dougal.
I had some producer-type guy sitting behind me gushing over the show. He was telling a friend that after Dear Evan Hansen, Sam Tutty took a two-year break. He’d had plenty of offers but nothing tempted him back with the grueling schedule of 8 shows a week and then this came along.
I too am in the camp of wanting a cast recording and the good news is that it’s coming. The bad news is there’s no set date as yet.
I sat through most of the Q&A with the creative team who were explaining the grueling task and length of time it takes to write and create a musical, with some mentoring with Stiles & Drewe and then after try outs, transferring the show to London. So, with that, and trying to get the actors into a recording studio (let’s not forget they both have personal lives), the cast recording is on the agenda, but, at this stage, is a low priority.
As someone has previously stated, do yourself a favour and hop on a train out to Kilburn to catch this little gem!
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Post by mrnutz on Dec 1, 2023 13:13:52 GMT
He was telling a friend that after Dear Evan Hansen, Sam Tutty took a two-year break. He’d had plenty of offers but nothing tempted him back with the grueling schedule of 8 shows a week and then this came along. Wow, how much was he getting paid on DEH?!
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Post by alece10 on Dec 1, 2023 13:34:53 GMT
The more I hear of this the more I want to see it. I'm going to have to make an effort in Jan to head up to Kilburn.
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Post by Dr Tom on Dec 1, 2023 13:54:39 GMT
I thought this was quite charming last night. The first half is very good. The second half was a bit predictable, but performed well (it would be better without the interval). Pleasant music.
Regarding Sam Tutty and work, I'm glad he's financially able to be selective, although I expect the comment may have been slightly misheard. Dear Evan Hansen didn't close until October 2022, so he can only have been between jobs for one year. He remains very talented.
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Post by anthony40 on Dec 1, 2023 15:53:17 GMT
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Post by dlevi on Dec 2, 2023 8:22:46 GMT
I saw this two nights ago and thought it is one of the best new musicals I've seen in a long time. A gen Z Last Five Years . The music is charming and melodic and the lyrics are sharp and insightful. And the performances can't be topped. This a 5 star show with an open heart and without being manipulative or derivative. I expect it to have along life here and across the pond.
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Post by anthony40 on Dec 2, 2023 19:18:43 GMT
Seems this has been extended until 20th Jan.
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Post by coco on Dec 3, 2023 8:49:07 GMT
Saw this at matinee yesterday. Kiln is always one of my favourite regional theatres as I always enjoyed my time there.
My friend thought this should have more songs as to her, the first half felt a bit like a play, which I agree, but this is not a problem for me.
The set is simple but quite effective. And Sam Tutty is great. I would have watched DEH if I had seen his performance earlier.
If they could improve the second half a bit, this is definitely worth a transfer to bigger theatres.
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Post by anthony40 on Dec 3, 2023 11:55:29 GMT
They’re playing a song from the show ‘New York’ on Magic at the Musicals right now!
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Post by jr on Dec 3, 2023 21:56:06 GMT
I saw this last Wednesday. I liked it but I don't think it is a 5 star show. Both actors are really good.
The cons. I get tired of the wide-eye cheerfulness of the male character. The plot with the invitation lacks verisimilitude. A millionaire send you an invitation but no plane tickets or a hotel reservation? I can understand the guy falls for it, surely his mum wouldn't. They also use British clichés far too much (marmite, drinking at pubs).
I agree with other members that it would benefit from some cutting and it would be better as a one act musical.
The pros. Some songs are quite good. I liked the argument with the staccato dialogue. The New York song is fun. Not sure about the two solo songs in act 2. Both characters are expressing things we already now and they slow the action.
In any case, I had a good time and it could get much better with some minor adjustments.
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Post by usbuzzer on Dec 12, 2023 10:02:39 GMT
"New York" has to be my favorite new musical theatre song since "Independently Owned" from Shucked last year! I'm so looking forward to this extending further. If they have shows in February, I might be able to catch it.
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Post by anthony40 on Dec 14, 2023 20:03:15 GMT
A new trailer has just been released
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Post by zahidf on Dec 14, 2023 22:20:58 GMT
This would be a great transfer to the dorfman for Indu's first season
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Post by marob on Dec 14, 2023 22:42:41 GMT
Saw this tonight, lovely little gem of a show, though thought one of the plot points is pretty obvious from very early on.
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Post by merrilywereadalong on Dec 16, 2023 23:06:43 GMT
Made a return visit bringing my 80 year old mother who literally yelled in the blackout at the very end "Excellent!!!" and burst into wooping and applauding just as loud as the tik-tok crowd scattered throughout I'd originally caught this during the second week and loved it, echoing everyone's praises for both cast and creative team and I thought this if anything has only gotten leaps better, tighter, and the chemistry and connection between Tutty and Gift is transcendent. I cannot wait to see what kind of future life this show has and will be following whatever projects lay in store for either of these two actors who are just smashing it so hard in this show. I did want to just add for anyone curious about booking. I've seen this now from both center in the back of the stalls and today from that side row and while I really don't think there's a bad seat in the house to had, I absolutely LOVED the view from AA19 and AA20. It brought everything to a new level being that close (but elevated at the actor's eye level as the stage is a bit high, i don't know how crazy I'd be about sitting front row) you're on the side but it felt so intímate, it's staged with almost everything centre and forward and it was very sweet, being familiar with the show from the first viewing to watch the audience watch the show and completely fall for it. I loved the view from that left side row and can't recommend the view highly enough!
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