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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2018 14:04:40 GMT
As long as they keep the bit where Mica Paris scrabbles along the back of the stage looking for a paracetamol I will approve them bringing this show back.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2018 14:59:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2018 15:17:47 GMT
As long as they keep the bit where Mica Paris scrabbles along the back of the stage looking for a paracetamol I will approve them bringing this show back. Certainly, that was an iconic moment.
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Post by distantcousin on Sept 19, 2018 21:34:17 GMT
I love that description I think Starlight Express might well work still as a singular spectacle on roller skates, but it's hard to tell. Cats used to be a show that enchanted the masses and now it's being met with ridicule by many younger musical lovers (while I, as an oldie, fail to see what the fuss about many new shows is about). I don't think it would be worth completely redesigning a West End theatre the way they did with the Apollo Victoria in those days (even if a race track would get rid of those pesky hard-to-sell side stalls seats at the Dominion). They should consider a tour in a tent-like venue built for the purpose, which they could even take outside the UK later. Apart from Bochum Starlight Express has never been seen in continental Europe. Haha - that's sort of how I see them. I find the music in these shows so mediocre, but so many people (vast majority younger than me at 41) are clearly connecting with them. One thing in Starlight's favour is that think will still be a family show - kids love the spectacle and the skates. Gosh you've got me thinking about the Dominion. Stalls are indeed very wide and rarely sell out so removing seats for a fab stalls track wouldn't lose much income from unsold seats. Hmmmm and could it pretty please have a bridge and rise to the circle? (Or am I just living in the past lol) I love the term too - sums them up perfectly. I also call them "Post Rent generation" musicals. As they CLEARY use Rent as their reference point. Most leave me cold.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2018 21:43:02 GMT
As long as they keep the bit where Mica Paris scrabbles along the back of the stage looking for a paracetamol I will approve them bringing this show back. Still the best moment if theatre this past year. An iconic moment.
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Post by ceebee on Sept 20, 2018 7:22:52 GMT
Nurofen Express, answer me yes, are you there? Yes or no... Nurofen Express, please do your best, I want this ache to go.
(Momma you're blind, look just behind - the set, upstage right. Starlight Express is doing it's best to pull you through tonight.)
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2019 11:55:20 GMT
35 years yesterday Starlight was unveiled at The Apollo Victoria. Literally my favourite musical on earth (by quite a long way). No mention of said milestone by RUG on social media, not that that's that unusual. Pleased that the German site did acknowledge it though :-)
Anyway, did get me wondering, is a new London production still on the cards? It's all gone very quiet, and it's now almost a year since the new German version was launched. Have to confess I am getting increasingly doubtful. In which case I hope there could be a new tour soon.
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Post by jgblunners on Mar 28, 2019 11:57:49 GMT
In which case I hope there could be a new tour soon. Wasn't the latest rumour about a pop-up tent style thing, which could play in London then tour?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2019 12:00:48 GMT
In which case I hope there could be a new tour soon. Wasn't the latest rumour about a pop-up tent style thing, which could play in London then tour? I think that was very much fan fantasy rather than something that was ever on the cards!
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Post by distantcousin on Mar 28, 2019 13:25:37 GMT
35 years yesterday Starlight was unveiled at The Apollo Victoria. Literally my favourite musical on earth (by quite a long way). No mention of said milestone by RUG on social media, not that that's that unusual. Pleased that the German site did acknowledge it though :-) Anyway, did get me wondering, is a new London production still on the cards? It's all gone very quiet, and it's now almost a year since the new German version was launched. Have to confess I am getting increasingly doubtful. In which case I hope there could be a new tour soon. Frances Ruffelle posted a couple of pictures (now and then) of her and Ray Shell on her facebook today...
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2019 18:08:31 GMT
As long as they keep the bit where Mica Paris scrabbles along the back of the stage looking for a paracetamol I will approve them bringing this show back. I know I'm coming to this late, but can someone explain this to me (before I consign it to the '4th cover midwife' part of my brain.) I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2019 18:19:12 GMT
As long as they keep the bit where Mica Paris scrabbles along the back of the stage looking for a paracetamol I will approve them bringing this show back. I know I'm coming to this late, but can someone explain this to me (before I consign it to the '4th cover midwife' part of my brain.) I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. So in The Other Palace workshop version the actors sat on stage at the side and back during the parts when they were not in the scene (so entire cast visible all way through). They had scripts, water bottles, mascot cuddly toys with them etc etc. Mica Paris was (apparently) battling through a cough/cold virus during the run (have to say I thought it was just the way she sang). Anyway, during one show she was scrambling around at the back of the stage apparently looking for something and also looking through her bag. It may or may not have been paracetamol she was looking for but given her virus it's an amusing (ish) story. I can confirm it was an amusing image! If not slightly distracting.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Mar 31, 2019 18:57:29 GMT
There is an amateur staging of Starlight Express at Yeovil's Octagon Theatre in May. The website proclaims this will be "the last UK amateur group to perform this version of the show".
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Post by gmoneyoutlaw on Mar 31, 2019 19:25:32 GMT
Paul26 what does that mean? There is a new version of Starlight in Germany that opened a year ago. I saw it in December. Is that the new version you refer to. Poppa is now Mamma and there's some song changes.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2019 19:35:00 GMT
Assume it means the original - there isn't a full script available for the new version in English yet!
Does imply (I hope) that that will be coming though :-)
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Mar 31, 2019 20:08:58 GMT
My guess would be that they are withdrawing the rights from amateur companies to perform the original version, perhaps pending a professional staging of the "new version".
The Yeovil Octagon website says that Motiv8 were the first amateur group to stage Starlight Express in 2015 so they may have been invited to stage the last such production too.
There's also a youth group production next month at the Spotlites Theatre in Chatham Kent close to where I live. I've got both booked - two miles away or two hundred miles away I do'em all !
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Post by horton on Mar 31, 2019 20:30:16 GMT
Nobody has performed the "original version" in years.
The licensed version does not feature Ceebee, "There's Me", Belle the Sleeping Car, Ashleigh, Only You/ He but is "blessed" with that song written by Master Lloyd Webber.
Not remotely the show that opened at the Apollo Victoria.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Mar 31, 2019 20:38:43 GMT
I get that. The Bill Kenwright touring version I saw at Wimbledon in 2012 was very different to what I recalled at the Apollo about 25 years earlier. Still really enjoyed it.
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Post by chernjam on Apr 1, 2019 5:52:08 GMT
Dom - I agree with you that ALW/RUG is pretty bizarre when it comes to show anniversaries. They ignored Sunset's 25th last year... Aspects 25th (and now 30th). You would think they would try to maximize and utilize free publicity. But then again - I can't understand a lot with ALW and RUG. We never got a new recording of The Woman in White from last year or the last Cats revivals - but I won't be shocked if there's yet another new revival recording for Joseph this year.
As to what's going on with Starlight/no news - my guess is with Joseph revival, CATS movie, Sunset movie now semi-confirmed (at least a director is named) and his ongoing work with a "new Cinderella" ALW's plate is overflowing (oh and "Unmasked is finally having it's American premiere this fall) It does seem weird they would've workshopped a revised version without any long term plans, but who knows? There were rumors that he workshopped a revised Stephen Ward as well
(Man, what I'd pay for a video/audio of any of those things)
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Post by Oleanna on Apr 1, 2019 8:34:32 GMT
I saw this in Bochum a couple of months ago and it was hands down one of the best theatrical experiences of my life so far.
This is what we need in London, in a purpose built venue, or tent venue with the same set up as Bochum, not in a converted West End house.
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Post by musicalmarge on Apr 1, 2019 16:44:27 GMT
I saw this in Bochum a couple of months ago and it was hands down one of the best theatrical experiences of my life so far. This is what we need in London, in a purpose built venue, or tent venue with the same set up as Bochum, not in a converted West End house. Doing the Bochum show years ago almost killed me haHaha.... It is a theatrical experience unlike no other - everyone must see it. I just feel sad the current new show has lost so much magic and goosebump moments.
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Post by danb on Apr 1, 2019 16:51:49 GMT
I saw this in Bochum a couple of months ago and it was hands down one of the best theatrical experiences of my life so far. This is what we need in London, in a purpose built venue, or tent venue with the same set up as Bochum, not in a converted West End house. Doing the Bochum show years ago almost killed me haHaha.... It is a theatrical experience unlike no other - everyone must see it. I just feel sad the current new show has lost so much magic and goosebump moments. Just looking at the seating plan with a view to booking (you’re very convincing) and wondering where is best to sit/secret bargains etc?
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Post by steve10086 on Apr 1, 2019 17:33:48 GMT
Just wondering what people think RUG should be doing for all these anniversaries of ALW shows? When the show has actually been running 10 / 20 / 25 years then a celebration event is obvious. But what’s the point of marking the 25th anniversary of a show that ran for a few years?!
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Post by musicalmarge on Apr 1, 2019 20:50:47 GMT
Doing the Bochum show years ago almost killed me haHaha.... It is a theatrical experience unlike no other - everyone must see it. I just feel sad the current new show has lost so much magic and goosebump moments. Just looking at the seating plan with a view to booking (you’re very convincing) and wondering where is best to sit/secret bargains etc? The best place to sit in Bochum is personally for me right in the centre downstairs, followed by the first horseshoe section as you feel the wind of the skaters pass you!
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Post by Oleanna on Apr 1, 2019 21:19:43 GMT
Just looking at the seating plan with a view to booking (you’re very convincing) and wondering where is best to sit/secret bargains etc? The best place to sit in Bochum is personally for me right in the centre downstairs, followed by the first horseshoe section as you feel the wind of the skaters pass you! For me, it was the middle of the second section, so you get the benefit from both tracks.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Apr 2, 2019 10:42:59 GMT
The rehearsal process for this in Bochum sounds completely exhausting but the arena is something else!
Jessica-Elizabeth Nelson (who was the lead in Nice Work If You Can Get It at Upstairs at the Gatehouse over Christmas) has joined the production recently as a swing and has been sharing various updates and videos on her fan page on Facebook. It sounds like an amazing, if slightly overwhelming, experience!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2019 16:37:28 GMT
I saw this in Bochum a couple of months ago and it was hands down one of the best theatrical experiences of my life so far. This is what we need in London, in a purpose built venue, or tent venue with the same set up as Bochum, not in a converted West End house. Doing the Bochum show years ago almost killed me haHaha.... It is a theatrical experience unlike no other - everyone must see it. I just feel sad the current new show has lost so much magic and goosebump moments. I know I go on about it, but it really is the most incredible theatrical experience (no doubt to appear in, as well as to see!). I would urge anyone, even non Starlight non ALW fans to see this in Germany. Such an incredible scale yet still totally intimate and theatrical and not like pop star arena shows. And an incredible reminder of a time of great ambition and producers happy to spend money on a show!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2019 16:40:04 GMT
Just wondering what people think RUG should be doing for all these anniversaries of ALW shows? When the show has actually been running 10 / 20 / 25 years then a celebration event is obvious. But what’s the point of marking the 25th anniversary of a show that ran for a few years?! Well, I mean I don't massively expect them to do anything. Other than maybe a few posts across their social media channels just to show it's remembered. It did 18 years and was the second longest running musical in the world for many of those (and of course Bochum is currently the world's third longest running musical) so it meant a lot for a lot of people. Not suggesting RUG should go overboard for the birthdays of Whistle, Woman In White, Love Never Dies etc; but Cats and Starlight were pretty historic.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2019 15:06:40 GMT
Here's something we don't see too often. One for those too young to have seen it, or those too old to remember it. From Autograph - Audio company who did the original install.
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4,966 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Apr 11, 2019 15:49:54 GMT
Phwoar!!! Look at that beauty.
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