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Post by viserys on Jan 14, 2017 12:42:33 GMT
I'll be seeing the show next month, I'll report back. But I expect "Für Immer" to still be in it along with all the other ear-curlingly awful changes.
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Post by PhantomNcl on Jan 16, 2017 12:48:24 GMT
Is the show still as it was for the 2013/14 cast recording, or have there been any song changes since. I really like "Fur Immer", but having just heard the awful English lyrics again for the first time in years, ironically I'd prefer them to perform that number in German! I completely agree! I'd seen the last UK tour that had 'I Do' in it, but must have totally blanked it from my memory. I love the German translation of 'Für Immer', then when I was browsing through YouTube a few weeks ago I came across a video of 'I Do'... oh dear!
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Post by steve10086 on Jan 16, 2017 12:55:15 GMT
Is the show still as it was for the 2013/14 cast recording, or have there been any song changes since. I really like "Fur Immer", but having just heard the awful English lyrics again for the first time in years, ironically I'd prefer them to perform that number in German! I completely agree! I'd seen the last UK tour that had 'I Do' in it, but must have totally blanked it from my memory. I love the German translation of 'Für Immer', then when I was browsing through YouTube a few weeks ago I came across a video of 'I Do'... oh dear! Haha Precisely! The music is a bit repetitive but very catchy and builds nicely. In German it sounds great. In English it's just a completely awful song
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2017 19:45:30 GMT
Going to be performed in english for one performance only - 28th march!
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Post by viserys on Feb 6, 2017 2:21:40 GMT
I returned to Starlight Express after a very long absence last evening, so since I know quite a few of you are making the trip over next month for the English performance, I thought I'd share a few thoughts here. Let me start with the good bits straightaway: The show still feels fresh and is in good shape - you wouldn't know that it's been going on for 28 years now. It helps that they have assembled a young new cast - the only name familiar to me at all was Carla Pullen (Pearl) who's been in and out of the show for some years now but still did a great job. Current Rusty is a young American performer, Jeffrey Socia, who's just the kind of fresh-faced sweet guy you need for the part. Greaseball and Electra were played by understudies, so you probably won't see these guys, but personally I was very taken with Dewayne Adams (Greaseball), a VERY good-looking young chap who I hope will resurface in London at some point. I can't really nitpick at the performances the way I would have done during my fan days about 20-25 year ago, but personally I didn't see a single weak link in the cast.
Understanding anyone has been as bad as it always has been (I notice this mostly with the new songs where I don't know the lyrics inside out) but that won't be a problem for you guys anyway and I think it has never really mattered in this show anyway.
A lot of whimsical little things have been introduced/added through the years, most of which were pointless (sparks flying from Greaseball's skates? The "stunt skaters" on inline skates?!) but don't detract either. One lovely thing that stood out to me was that during Starlight Express and I am the Starlight, the whole theatre ceiling is now covered in twinkly stars.
The bad bits: I had seen it last after a few new things had been introduced and more new things had been added in the meantime and all of them seem incredibly pointless. Why replace "Engine of Love" with "Call me Rusty", why cut the charming little ballad "There's me", what exactly does "Crazy" add to the show and most importantly: Why the heck replace "Only you" with two inferior songs (first "Next time you fall in love" now "I do/Fuer immer")? It was a good old-fashioned ALW power ballad and neither of the new songs come even close to it. "Fuer Immer" is typical German schlager sound, so it was probably written consciously with the German audience in mind and it's not a BAD song, it's just not as good as "Only you" in my book.
I was stunned by the small band that came up to take their bows at the end - I counted ten people, whereas I remember an orchestra with twice that number back in the day. It certainly accounted for the somewhat tinny overamplified sound.
It wasn't sold out by far - I'd say one-fifth to one quarter of seats were unsold, but considering it was a Sunday evening and the show has been going on forever, that's certainly not bad and it's still selling better than many Stage Entertainment shows in their first year.
The programmes/brochures are a joy at 9 Euro with many large colour photos.
Lastly: You are officially allowed (even invited) to film the "Megamix" at the end, so make sure your phone is charged and ready.
My wish? Go full circle for the 30th birthday and return to either the original Bochum version or the original London version with Belle the Sleeping Car and the power ballad Only he. But either way I'm starting to think that this show will possibly outlive me. It's still selling well and it's in good shape.
From my much older and much more experienced vantage point it is a bit of a silly mawkish show you shouldn't look too deeply into, but it's still a hell of a lot more entertaining than most of Stage Entertainment's overpriced shows around here. And if you stop for a moment to consider just how ground-breaking the show was when it first opened in 1984, how insane the whole concept of roller-skating trains sounds on paper, I think ALW deserves some kudos for having had the guts to go through with this thing. It was still so much more of a risk and crazy idea than the carefully crafted commercial entertainment shows that start life in board rooms rather than a composer's imagination these days. So, long may the Starlight Express roll on.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2017 8:19:44 GMT
I returned to Starlight Express after a very long absence last evening, so since I know quite a few of you are making the trip over next month for the English performance, I thought I'd share a few thoughts here. Let me start with the good bits straightaway: The show still feels fresh and is in good shape - you wouldn't know that it's been going on for 28 years now. It helps that they have assembled a young new cast - the only name familiar to me at all was Carla Pullen (Pearl) who's been in and out of the show for some years now but still did a great job. Current Rusty is a young American performer, Jeffrey Socia, who's just the kind of fresh-faced sweet guy you need for the part. Greaseball and Electra were played by understudies, so you probably won't see these guys, but personally I was very taken with Dewayne Adams (Greaseball), a VERY good-looking young chap who I hope will resurface in London at some point. I can't really nitpick at the performances the way I would have done during my fan days about 20-25 year ago, but personally I didn't see a single weak link in the cast. Understanding anyone has been as bad as it always has been (I notice this mostly with the new songs where I don't know the lyrics inside out) but that won't be a problem for you guys anyway and I think it has never really mattered in this show anyway. A lot of whimsical little things have been introduced/added through the years, most of which were pointless (sparks flying from Greaseball's skates? The "stunt skaters" on inline skates?!) but don't detract either. One lovely thing that stood out to me was that during Starlight Express and I am the Starlight, the whole theatre ceiling is now covered in twinkly stars. The bad bits: I had seen it last after a few new things had been introduced and more new things had been added in the meantime and all of them seem incredibly pointless. Why replace "Engine of Love" with "Call me Rusty", why cut the charming little ballad "There's me", what exactly does "Crazy" add to the show and most importantly: Why the heck replace "Only you" with two inferior songs (first "Next time you fall in love" now "I do/Fuer immer")? It was a good old-fashioned ALW power ballad and neither of the new songs come even close to it. "Fuer Immer" is typical German schlager sound, so it was probably written consciously with the German audience in mind and it's not a BAD song, it's just not as good as "Only you" in my book. I was stunned by the small band that came up to take their bows at the end - I counted ten people, whereas I remember an orchestra with twice that number back in the day. It certainly accounted for the somewhat tinny overamplified sound. It wasn't sold out by far - I'd say one-fifth to one quarter of seats were unsold, but considering it was a Sunday evening and the show has been going on forever, that's certainly not bad and it's still selling better than many Stage Entertainment shows in their first year. The programmes/brochures are a joy at 9 Euro with many large colour photos. Lastly: You are officially allowed (even invited) to film the "Megamix" at the end, so make sure your phone is charged and ready. My wish? Go full circle for the 30th birthday and return to either the original Bochum version or the original London version with Belle the Sleeping Car and the power ballad Only he. But either way I'm starting to think that this show will possibly outlive me. It's still selling well and it's in good shape. From my much older and much more experienced vantage point it is a bit of a silly mawkish show you shouldn't look too deeply into, but it's still a hell of a lot more entertaining than most of Stage Entertainment's overpriced shows around here. And if you stop for a moment to consider just how ground-breaking the show was when it first opened in 1984, how insane the whole concept of roller-skating trains sounds on paper, I think ALW deserves some kudos for having had the guts to go through with this thing. It was still so much more of a risk and crazy idea than the carefully crafted commercial entertainment shows that start life in board rooms rather than a composer's imagination these days. So, long may the Starlight Express roll on. Forgive me if I'm wrong but Only You was in the London production of SE over 25 years ago so hardly a 'new' song (unless of course you are referring to 'new' as in new to this production?) ALSO do we think this 'one off english show' may become a regular thing? Seems it's a littl OTT for the cast to learn practically a whole new show lyrics wise for one night? I do hope they do more as seeing The Stranglers that night in Brighton so can't get over
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Post by viserys on Feb 7, 2017 8:34:42 GMT
Forgive me if I'm wrong but Only You was in the London production of SE over 25 years ago so hardly a 'new' song (unless of course you are referring to 'new' as in new to this production?) ALSO do we think this 'one off english show' may become a regular thing? Seems it's a littl OTT for the cast to learn practically a whole new show lyrics wise for one night? I do hope they do more as seeing The Stranglers that night in Brighton so can't get over That's what I meant - "Only you" was the old song that was first replaced by "Next Time You Fall in Love" (in London during the big revamp and then sometime later in Bochum as well) and then "Next Time you fall in love" was in turn replaced by "I do" in Bochum. So Rusty and Pearl have gone through three different duets by now and I still think "Only you" was by far the best and should be re-introduced. Sorry if my phrasing was off, I wrote that long review around 3am after the show when I couldn't sleep. My personal guess is that the "one-off English show" is a test to see if there's demand for this. They keep tweaking and changing the show every few years, probably in the hope that the fans will keep returning to see each "new" version. So there could/should be demand to see the show in its original language as well, especially as there hasn't been a London production for some time (back in my fan days, I could still see it in London in English) and about 90% of the cast are British now anyway. Since I had already planned and booked this nostalgia trip a long while ago and went with a bunch of people including two whose English is meh at best, I didn't want to return this quickly, but I would certainly be tempted to see it in English some day. On another note, they are now flogging the old chairs from the theatre as new chairs are being put in for the 30th anniversary. One chair costs 30 Euro. But before anyone gets excited: You must pick your chair up in person in Bochum. And take it home somehow. And yes, I have bought one. I will have to go and pick it up in March, which gives me time to figure out where I would find a space for it in my small flat.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2017 8:40:35 GMT
If any of the producers read this thread then TOTALLY put this on in English again and me and the bf will come! 1st or 3rd December would be grand as my mate is performing in his boyband Caught in the Act on the 2nd so two birds and all that.....
THANKS ANDY
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2017 9:42:53 GMT
I do hope they do more as seeing The Stranglers that night in Brighton so can't get over So Meaty would rather be strangled than see "Starlight Express" in English, then? Odd. But each to their own.
And trust Brighton to have a strangulation service that you can pre-book and is so busy that you can't easily change your appointment. Just the sort of place that would.
We are nothing if not a city of deprived sex acts.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2017 9:44:37 GMT
I do hope they do more as seeing The Stranglers that night in Brighton so can't get over So Meaty would rather be strangled than see "Starlight Express" in English, then? Odd. But each to their own.
And trust Brighton to have a strangulation service that you can pre-book and is so busy that you can't easily change your appointment. Just the sort of place that would.
Ha! Just realised Meaty was referring to me, I thought u were referring to my bf! Ahahahahahaha!!!!!
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Post by The Matthew on Feb 7, 2017 9:48:12 GMT
We are nothing if not a city of deprived sex acts. Do you mean depraved sex acts, or are they just disappointing?
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Post by emicardiff on Feb 7, 2017 11:44:14 GMT
^ Do you SERIOUSLY want him to answer that, The Matthew? I think I speak for all of us when I say...no*
*actually yes, go on then.
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Post by magiccox on Feb 23, 2017 10:09:53 GMT
Hello everyone,
I'm going to see the English performance of this and will be writing about it for a UK national newspaper. I wondered if there were any other UK Starlight Fans going over to see it who I might be able to speak to?
Let me know!
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18,699 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 23, 2017 10:54:26 GMT
Can you give the TheatreBoard a mention in your piece please magiccox?
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Post by magiccox on Feb 23, 2017 11:29:16 GMT
we'll see!
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571 posts
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Post by westendwendy on Mar 14, 2017 23:51:53 GMT
I returned to Starlight Express after a very long absence last evening, so since I know quite a few of you are making the trip over next month for the English performance, I thought I'd share a few thoughts here. Let me start with the good bits straightaway: The show still feels fresh and is in good shape - you wouldn't know that it's been going on for 28 years now. It helps that they have assembled a young new cast - the only name familiar to me at all was Carla Pullen (Pearl) who's been in and out of the show for some years now but still did a great job. Current Rusty is a young American performer, Jeffrey Socia, who's just the kind of fresh-faced sweet guy you need for the part. Greaseball and Electra were played by understudies, so you probably won't see these guys, but personally I was very taken with Dewayne Adams (Greaseball), a VERY good-looking young chap who I hope will resurface in London at some point. I can't really nitpick at the performances the way I would have done during my fan days about 20-25 year ago, but personally I didn't see a single weak link in the cast. Understanding anyone has been as bad as it always has been (I notice this mostly with the new songs where I don't know the lyrics inside out) but that won't be a problem for you guys anyway and I think it has never really mattered in this show anyway. A lot of whimsical little things have been introduced/added through the years, most of which were pointless (sparks flying from Greaseball's skates? The "stunt skaters" on inline skates?!) but don't detract either. One lovely thing that stood out to me was that during Starlight Express and I am the Starlight, the whole theatre ceiling is now covered in twinkly stars. The bad bits: I had seen it last after a few new things had been introduced and more new things had been added in the meantime and all of them seem incredibly pointless. Why replace "Engine of Love" with "Call me Rusty", why cut the charming little ballad "There's me", what exactly does "Crazy" add to the show and most importantly: Why the heck replace "Only you" with two inferior songs (first "Next time you fall in love" now "I do/Fuer immer")? It was a good old-fashioned ALW power ballad and neither of the new songs come even close to it. "Fuer Immer" is typical German schlager sound, so it was probably written consciously with the German audience in mind and it's not a BAD song, it's just not as good as "Only you" in my book. I was stunned by the small band that came up to take their bows at the end - I counted ten people, whereas I remember an orchestra with twice that number back in the day. It certainly accounted for the somewhat tinny overamplified sound. It wasn't sold out by far - I'd say one-fifth to one quarter of seats were unsold, but considering it was a Sunday evening and the show has been going on forever, that's certainly not bad and it's still selling better than many Stage Entertainment shows in their first year. The programmes/brochures are a joy at 9 Euro with many large colour photos. Lastly: You are officially allowed (even invited) to film the "Megamix" at the end, so make sure your phone is charged and ready. My wish? Go full circle for the 30th birthday and return to either the original Bochum version or the original London version with Belle the Sleeping Car and the power ballad Only he. But either way I'm starting to think that this show will possibly outlive me. It's still selling well and it's in good shape. From my much older and much more experienced vantage point it is a bit of a silly mawkish show you shouldn't look too deeply into, but it's still a hell of a lot more entertaining than most of Stage Entertainment's overpriced shows around here. And if you stop for a moment to consider just how ground-breaking the show was when it first opened in 1984, how insane the whole concept of roller-skating trains sounds on paper, I think ALW deserves some kudos for having had the guts to go through with this thing. It was still so much more of a risk and crazy idea than the carefully crafted commercial entertainment shows that start life in board rooms rather than a composer's imagination these days. So, long may the Starlight Express roll on. Forgive me if I'm wrong but Only You was in the London production of SE over 25 years ago so hardly a 'new' song (unless of course you are referring to 'new' as in new to this production?) ALSO do we think this 'one off english show' may become a regular thing? Seems it's a littl OTT for the cast to learn practically a whole new show lyrics wise for one night? I do hope they do more as seeing The Stranglers that night in Brighton so can't get over As most of the cast are English or American and live and breathe the show most will know 80 percent of the show in English anyway. In phonetic rehearsals they learn both really anyway as you need to know what you are saying (although the translation is different). I do hope that the shows in English catch on, I think they will. As for the shuffling of songs they desperately need to bring back Leibessexpress (Engine of Love) and Du Allein (Only You) they are both two spinetingling moments in theatre and the new songs don't reach that emotional level. Exciting thought to bring Belle back into the show for the 30th anniversary. I hope creatives and the producer Debbie, Stephen and Meinolf in Bochum are reading this thread!
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Post by Michael on Mar 24, 2017 9:06:43 GMT
So who's seeing this on Tuesday?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2017 12:50:41 GMT
So who's seeing this on Tuesday? I'll be there - very excited! Feel free to say Hi in interval; don't have a forum badge but could wear the 42nd Street one I acquired on Thursday!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2017 12:52:30 GMT
Hello everyone, I'm going to see the English performance of this and will be writing about it for a UK national newspaper. I wondered if there were any other UK Starlight Fans going over to see it who I might be able to speak to? Let me know! Yup, I'll be there :-)
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4,369 posts
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Post by Michael on Mar 25, 2017 12:58:31 GMT
I'll be there - very excited! Feel free to say Hi in interval; don't have a forum badge but could wear the 42nd Street one I acquired on Thursday! Or maybe pre-show? I'll be going by car, it's roughly 270km or a 3h drive. Thinking of leaving the office at around noon, so depending on the traffic situation, I should be there at 3pm-ish.
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Post by magiccox on Mar 27, 2017 10:13:48 GMT
Hope to chat to and see some of you there. I'll be the one who looks like me (www.magiccox.com) do come say hi if you see me!
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Post by steve10086 on Mar 28, 2017 21:40:51 GMT
Well that was brilliant. You'd think they perform it in English every night! Loved the London bus outside the theatre (number 38 to Victoria Station - opposite Starlight's original home!).
Apart from the song list having suffered over the years (Yazbek... why?!), that was probably the ultimate staging of the show.
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Post by d'James on Mar 29, 2017 3:22:31 GMT
Just great. I really loved it. It's a shame it wasn't filmed or something. Oh well. I love the current orchestrations (even if I don't love the current song list (as above)).
The cast generally seemed to be loving it. I only noticed one and a half slip-ups at the very end. Actually, did Electra fall over at the end of It's Race Time?? If so, he styled it out well.
I love the laser effects throughout - they looked so great; they must've spent a fortune on this show over the years.
Was a bit worried by Pearl's singing at the beginning but by the end of the night I thought she was great.
Let's hope they do it again in English at some point in the future. (Or better still a revival with tracks and a bridge in the U.K. . .)
Well done to the amazing cast for learning it just for one night. If I was them I'd be a bit annoyed at having to do that, but maybe it made it extra exciting as it kept them on their toes!
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Post by d'James on Mar 29, 2017 4:21:54 GMT
Just had a thought, does anyone know which members (if any) of the cast last night were German??!
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Post by viserys on Mar 29, 2017 4:47:22 GMT
Glad you had a good time!
Judging by the cast list I've seen... no Germans. There were never many Germans around, though they had a German Rusty for a (long) while. But that way lies a whole long rant I rather not get into now.
Was it sold out? Did you all meet? Tell me more!
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Post by westendwendy on Mar 29, 2017 5:56:22 GMT
Just great. I really loved it. It's a shame it wasn't filmed or something. Oh well. I love the current orchestrations (even if I don't love the current song list (as above)). The cast generally seemed to be loving it. I only noticed one and a half slip-ups at the very end. Actually, did Electra fall over at the end of It's Race Time?? If so, he styled it out well. I love the laser effects throughout - they looked so great; they must've spent a fortune on this show over the years. Was a bit worried by Pearl's singing at the beginning but by the end of the night I thought she was great. Let's hope they do it again in English at some point in the future. (Or better still a revival with tracks and a bridge in the U.K. . .) Well done to the amazing cast for learning it just for one night. If I was them I'd be a bit annoyed at having to do that, but maybe it made it extra exciting as it kept them on their toes! The cast wouldn't have had to learn the show in English. You learn both as you learn the German version. Plus as you live and breath the show with so many rehearsals and covers you equally know the show in both languages anyway. Otherwise you wouldn't know what you were singing! I really hope they do the show in English again and I look forward to the 30th birthday celebrations next year. Amazing show.
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Post by steve10086 on Mar 29, 2017 8:03:31 GMT
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Post by infofreako on Mar 29, 2017 11:27:34 GMT
What a superb staging of what was my first West End musical. It needs to be staged properly in London again. As has been said some of the new songs aren't great but the energy was superb
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Post by steve10086 on Mar 31, 2017 8:50:49 GMT
For anyone thinking of seeing Starlight in Bochum in the future: fly to Düsseldorf, NOT Dortmund.
Dortmund airport is the equivalent of 'London Southend' !
Getting a bus, then the metro, then a train to Bochum isn't fun, and it's very badly signposted at the bus stop etc.
Stick with an easy train ride direct from Düsseldorf to Bochum.
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Post by infofreako on Mar 31, 2017 11:42:10 GMT
For anyone thinking of seeing Starlight in Bochum in the future: fly to Düsseldorf, NOT Dortmund. Dortmund airport is the equivalent of 'London Southend' ! Getting a bus, then the metro, then a train to Bochum isn't fun, and it's very badly signposted at the bus stop etc. Stick with an easy train ride direct from Düsseldorf to Bochum. I flew to Dusseldorf. A friend picked me up from the airport. Drove to Bochum then back ready for the early flight the morning after.
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