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Post by alece10 on Jun 11, 2023 13:57:58 GMT
Enjoyable afternoon at Wilton's to see The Mikado. I love the venue and even though they don't have air-con the walls of the building are so thick that it wasn't too hot inside.
It was up to the normal high standard, quite a few familiar faces but a lot of new talent there especially in the chorus.
It was great fun as always and very funny.
My only negative comment is that it was set in a 1950s boys school who seemed to be on a camping trip. However it just didn't make any sense as after the first song where the words had been changed it was clearly the "normal" Mikado for the rest of the show and no reference to a boys school so it really didn't make any sense at all. Some character names changes like Katisha was Kitty Shaw.
It didn't spoil me enjoying it at all.
They have new seats from when I was last there but they are still slight "bum numbing" and the front row (where we sat) had no leg room at all. Iv'e sat front row before and its not been a problem. I knew I wouldn't last 5 minutes not being able to keep my leg fairly straight so a lovely lady at the end of the row kindly swapped. The only problem was that I was now directly behind the piano and so had difficulty in hearing the singing as the piano was so loud, but again, didn't really spoil it for me.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jun 11, 2023 15:13:30 GMT
I have multiple issues with an all male production and depriving woman of jobs is one of them.
Iolanthe, with its public school setting worked but the others that I've seen just didn't cut it for me and I cant see an argument to justify the all male cast.
I'm not sure if this is the case for all them but to cast the soprano roles with a high tenor and mezzo to bass is just lazy and shows zero creativity. If you're not honouring the creatives intentions then why not really go for it?
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 11, 2023 17:19:17 GMT
Having heard of Regan's attitude towards paying people in some productions, I am more concerned about that than anything else.
There is a long tradition of G&S being done in single sex schools (my father was a fisherwoman in Ruddigore back in the day), so I see this as being part of that heritage.
But if the cast are not properly remunerated (as was reported to be the case with Regan's recent Betty Blue Eyes), then I find that indefensible.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jun 12, 2023 9:49:28 GMT
Renumeration is hopefully stuck at the Union Theatre but who knows?
I am afraid I don't get the tradition argument to carry on the male casting but that's me
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Post by alece10 on Jun 12, 2023 11:53:56 GMT
Wiltons is a much bigger venue than Union so will bring in a lot more revenue and on Saturday afternoon it was nearly full so I'm sure the cast are being paid.
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Post by n1david on Jun 12, 2023 13:10:18 GMT
Wiltons is a much bigger venue than Union so will bring in a lot more revenue and on Saturday afternoon it was nearly full so I'm sure the cast are being paid. Although not everyone may have paid for those tickets. |
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Post by alece10 on Jun 12, 2023 14:41:48 GMT
Wiltons is a much bigger venue than Union so will bring in a lot more revenue and on Saturday afternoon it was nearly full so I'm sure the cast are being paid. Although not everyone may have paid for those tickets. When I booked several months ago I didn't have a lot of choice seat wise so I don't believe the performance was ..... (misses out the banned word). |
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Post by tmesis on Jun 12, 2023 18:05:05 GMT
With previous all male G&S when on tour to theatres like Yvonne Arnauld, Windsor Theatre Royal et al the cast were definitely not paid. This was confirmed by the pianist/MD.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 12, 2023 20:31:04 GMT
I feared as much. Just isn't on.
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Post by n1david on Jun 12, 2023 20:58:00 GMT
Although not everyone may have paid for those tickets. When I booked several months ago I didn't have a lot of choice seat wise so I don't believe the performance was ..... (misses out the banned word). It was. Maybe not for that performance, but it has been during this run. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 13, 2023 7:13:08 GMT
Papering isn’t a banned word, and it’s not against the rules to discuss whether productions are being papered. What is against the rules is to specifically state which websites are providing free tickets for which productions. Even the papering companies themselves don’t want their members publicising that.
Rule 8
Papering is where free tickets to productions are distributed in order to fill seats. We don’t allow the naming of companies who are giving tickets away for specific productions.
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Post by willjam39 on Jun 15, 2023 12:58:57 GMT
The non paid element surprises me as ive seen this group in Cambridge a couple of times. Is it meant to be a profit share model if unpaid?
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Post by nottobe on Jun 16, 2023 17:10:52 GMT
I was interested in seeing this however if the actors aren't being properly paid then I am not sure I want to support the project. Is there any insight into why they might not be paid properly?
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 16, 2023 17:19:52 GMT
I was interested in seeing this however if the actors aren't being properly paid then I am not sure I want to support the project. Is there any insight into why they might not be paid properly? Regan's production of Betty Blue Eyes at the Union recently was on a profit share basis from what has been said. So questions have rightly been raised as to whether other Regan shows are run on a similar basis. |
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