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Post by crabtree on Jul 29, 2017 19:29:27 GMT
This has to be one of my favourite companies, touring a good part of the year, but seldom getting the praise and publicity they deserve. I saw Pinafore several time last year, but only managed the matinee, today, on their last day of the tour. It is superbly staged, thought through, beautifully sung, sexy, and an utter joy. And simply the best Gilbert and Sullivan ever, delivering every laugh and much more. Bridget D'Oyly Carte might not approved, but heck the young audience did. an exhilarating performance.
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Post by alece10 on Jul 29, 2017 20:32:34 GMT
I've seen a few of her all male G&S productions and they are always excellent.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 29, 2017 20:39:32 GMT
I haven't seen it, so I'm intrigued to know what having an all male cast brings to these productions that can't be done with casting women in the female parts?
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Post by CG on the loose on Jul 29, 2017 20:43:26 GMT
"An utter joy" is right - I love these productions but haven't managed to get to this one at all. When I said as much to Sasha when last at the Union, she said she *might* try and bring it in there later in the year as it hadn't had a London run during the tour. I can but hope!
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Post by notmymuse on Jul 29, 2017 21:19:07 GMT
Burley, I've seen a few and it's hard to say why then being all male makes a difference. I'm not actually sure it does. The thing I love is it's G+S sung really well, but with musical theatre voices target than opera voices which I prefer and I can understand the words better, directed and choreographed really well, played in a pretty sincere and earnest way which lets the source material shine. It's more how an all male sixth form would approach it than anything else. You kind of forget it's all men after a while.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 29, 2017 21:37:06 GMT
White men taking women's parts without good reason then?
I'm playing devils advocate seeing as @baemax isn't chipping in.
(So far).
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Post by crabtree on Jul 29, 2017 21:49:47 GMT
Oh I think they bring a much more liberated feel to the show, liberated by the artifice. I surprised you weren't there burleyBear. The production values are hugely impressive, and inventive, and The Sun whose Rays was so moving. Exquisite. Katisha's costume was genius.
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Post by tmesis on Jul 29, 2017 21:59:03 GMT
All of Regan's male versions of G&S work really well, often better than more conventional productions; they are certainly a lot less twee.
When I saw the first one I was expecting it to be ultra camp but it's not (well not very.)
They are also surprisingly touching and, for me, an improvement on the originals.
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Post by crabtree on Jul 29, 2017 22:06:06 GMT
brilliant choreography and energetically performed......and very very funny, and not a little sexy.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2017 22:08:57 GMT
It's like Propeller - yes, it's taking roles away from women and I really don't think it justifies that at all, but the direction is just so good that you just wish you could shut your brain off and enjoy the show. As I believe the kids say, "your fave is problematic". (Thanks for thinking of me, BurlyBeaR. You're doing a grand job!  ) |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 30, 2017 1:13:00 GMT
It's like Propeller - yes, it's taking roles away from women and I really don't think it justifies that at all, but the direction is just so good that you just wish you could shut your brain off and enjoy the show. As I believe the kids say, "your fave is problematic". (Thanks for thinking of me, BurlyBeaR . You're doing a grand job! ) I wanted to give you the chance to chip in before I shouted: POINTLESS TOKENISM. Nice tknow you drop your feminist principles for a bit of good direction. I'll remember that!  |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2017 8:07:01 GMT
Slight misinterpretation of what I actually said, but hey. |
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Post by notmymuse on Aug 1, 2017 23:07:54 GMT
Yes, I do think this would be as good if it was a cast of mixed genders. It's the way it's performed straight, directed well, sung well in a more accessible modern MT style that makes it. A gender-blind production would likely work just as well, and perhaps bring a totally different edge.
I think the falsetto singing is also hugely impressive to be fair.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2017 8:26:17 GMT
Look I'm with Baemax on this. Do I want to roll my eyes and moan about MORE male roles in theatre? Yes. Do I think it could have been done gender blind for example instead? yes.
Did I have a bloody good time when I saw this? Yes. Was it a bloody well directed and performed piece? Yes.
But in the scheme of things to be riled up by, a well directed, well performed piece of G&S is one I'm probably going to let slide. And just marvel in that falsetto cos it was pretty damn impressive.
(A couple behind us were utterly horrified at the whole spectacle too which also improved the afternoon no end)
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2017 8:33:20 GMT
(A couple behind us were utterly horrified at the whole spectacle too which also improved the afternoon no end) Seriously?? Give Sasha Regan her dues, she delivers what she says on the tin: Sasha Regan's All Male The Mikado. Didn't they realise?? |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2017 8:52:34 GMT
(A couple behind us were utterly horrified at the whole spectacle too which also improved the afternoon no end) Seriously?? Give Sasha Regan her dues, she delivers what she says on the tin: Sasha Regan's All Male The Mikado. Didn't they realise?? Well I DID want to wave the programme in their face....it was Bath on a Saturday afternoon so the audience could be described as 'of a certain age' and 'conservative' without too much hope of generalisation. But come on people, look a the poster....
Sasha Regan is an utter marvel as a director though. And the 'tent-ography' (it's a word) was a marvel. As were the shorts.
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Post by crabtree on Aug 2, 2017 9:43:38 GMT
And let's remember how fond Gilbert was of Topsy-turvy stuff. It is a brilliant piece of theatre and I can't wait for her next show. And let's not forget the all female Shakespeare a while back. But I was wondering about this last night - theatre can play with gender, race, disability without question, usually, but why can't film. Oh film is so literal, I hear people say. Hardly - it has editing, close-ups, camera moves, all that grammar that it is alien to the natural eye and experience, and the credits still announce Judi Dench as whatever so we know it's not real, but there is something about the playful nature of the artifice of theatre that allows an all male Mikado to be an absolute rip roaring piece of work. What's not to enjoy about Katisha pumping up a bike as she sings. I won't have a word said against this company, and I'm sure they do it on a shoestring. Well done to that company.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2017 10:19:36 GMT
Just to clarify- I adore Sasha Regan and the all male company- I've been following them for a few years, and I will defend those boys to the death to Bath's snotty matinee crowds. Like Baemax says, you just have to turn bits of your brain off sometimes!
Also I spent many a misguided year of my youth singing Gilbert and Sullivan and we did some far weirder sh*t that they do...I've a picture of a set that has a Tardis in for a start and I've NO idea why...
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Post by tmesis on Aug 2, 2017 10:44:50 GMT
Yes it's a testament to Regan's approach that she has made me enjoy G&S again after a long hiatus. I too had a thorough immersion in the oeuvre as I was for many years, as a student, rehearsal pianist for all the well known operettas. I would then transfer to the pit and play clarinet in the orchestra for the actual run. Consequently, to this day, many decades later, I can play virtually all the well known numbers from memory (and parrot most of the dialogue.)
ps. Regan's Blondel, recently at the Union, was also an excellent production.
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Post by crabtree on Aug 2, 2017 11:20:10 GMT
and love them or hate them there is no denying that most of the operas are masterpieces. And without them, well they paved the way for musicals as we know them today. I've read Sondheim being quite dismissive of them, or perhaps he doesn't have much affection for them, but Gilbert's lyrics and internal rhymes must have given him some inspiration and challenges. I suspect that what people do not warm to are the perceived way of performing the operas. How ironic that the D'oyly Carte have saved the operas but also damaged them, with their frankly unimaginative productions. Countless amateur productions religiously following the Carte have not helped, but productions like Sasha Regan's show there is plenty of life in them yet. It was probably ENO's stained glad Patience that finally made people realise that things could be done differently.
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Post by Mr Snow on Aug 2, 2017 12:32:39 GMT
And let's remember how fond Gilbert was of Topsy-turvy stuff. It is a brilliant piece of theatre and I can't wait for her next show. And let's not forget the all female Shakespeare a while back. But I was wondering about this last night - theatre can play with gender, race, disability without question, usually, but why can't film. Oh film is so literal, I hear people say. Hardly - it has editing, close-ups, camera moves, all that grammar that it is alien to the natural eye and experience, and the credits still announce Judi Dench as whatever so we know it's not real, but there is something about the playful nature of the artifice of theatre that allows an all male Mikado to be an absolute rip roaring piece of work. What's not to enjoy about Katisha pumping up a bike as she sings. I won't have a word said against this company, and I'm sure they do it on a shoestring. Well done to that company. Did anyone see the film with several actors including Kate Blanchett playing Dylan? I didn't and I'm curious if I've just made that up, as it does seem weird to type? |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2017 12:38:13 GMT
Did anyone see the film with several actors including Kate Blanchett playing Dylan? I didn't and I'm curious if I've just made that up, as it does seem weird to type?  |
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Post by tonyloco on Aug 2, 2017 13:18:23 GMT
I only recently caught up with Jonathan Miller's highly praised 'Mikado' for English National Opera and was bitterly disappointed. I thought it was basically childish and silly and the only things I occasionally smiled at were some of Gilbert's original jokes in the dialogue. Maybe it was all wonderful when it was new but it certainly got 'nul points' from me a couple of years ago. On the other hand, I thought Sasha Regan's 'Mikado' was joyous, funny, occasionally moving and a theatrical triumph. The staging was highly imaginative (who would have thought tents could be so versatile?) and the singing was terrific and did full justice to Sullivan's inspired music. I am sure it would have worked equally well with mixed genders but there is a particular quality in men singing falsetto that has a special appeal of its own, as the late, great Dame Hilda Bracket demonstrated so clearly, especially when assisted by Dr. Evadne Hinge.
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