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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2018 14:36:47 GMT
Is anyone else watching this...?
Yes, it's another of those bring out some old celebrities from yesteryear and chuck them all somewhere a bit different, doing something they've not done for years and... the usual. This time they've got to put on a One Night Only show in a Vegas joint, and it's being produced by someone who looks like a cross between Michael Jackson and someone invented by Victoria Wood. (He looks better as a woman in his Divas show apparently.)
But it's actually really good.
There's a lot of our Teatime Favourites (at least for those of us of a certain age) like Canon and Ball (the one who wears the braces has forgotten to pack them); Jess Conrad (did anyone else see him in Joseph at the Westminster Theatre back in the 70s???) who won't lift a finger for himself let alone anyone else; Su Pollard who's 'singing' in the show not playing Peggy (did anyone else buy her 45rpm record called Starting Together?); Anita Harris who's gone to see the Vegas hotel where she used to be a showgirl only to find it's a parking lot, and Bernie Clifton who's brought out his ostrich to impress the producer only to be met with disapproval. He was asked, "Is the chicken drunk?" Bernie is now singing in the show (he has quite a good voice!) Mick Miller has agreed to tie his ("trademark") hair back for the performance, and Kenny Lynch can't be persuaded to saying anything unless it's got at least a dozen fs in the sentence. Bobby Crush is almost unrecognizable, and he's not very popular, but his story is one of sadness...
Anyway, I'm really enjoying it...
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Post by theatreian on Apr 19, 2018 14:38:57 GMT
Got it recorded but not watched any yet. Thanks for the recommendation.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2018 14:41:00 GMT
^ Like you I recorded it but I almost didn't bother with it as I've got a lot backed up...
Definitely worth a go. Very funny, and some of their stories are quite touching.
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Post by theatremadness on Apr 19, 2018 15:04:22 GMT
Yes I'm watching this and hugely enjoying it. At 23, I don't remember them in their heyday but certainly know of (most) of them. Not a fan of Jess Conrad, or at least how he's coming across. But the show is great! As it happens, I saw Bobby Crush getting into a cab after the JRB concert at the Palladium last Wednesday. I actually really like him and do feel quite sorry for him. And I met Anita Harris back in 2009 at the Michael Feinstein concert (incidentally also at the Palladium), got a picture with her somewhere, she was one of the loveliest women I've ever met!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2018 15:12:57 GMT
^ I was going to ask if anyone else had seen her play Grisabella in Cats and you did too!  Su Pollard was in the very first production of Godspell I ever saw... way before Peggy and she was amazing! (She's featured on that Hey Mr Producer! studio CD, singing Turn Back, O Man; it was much, much better live!) I don't know whether I should mention that I had a bit of a crush on Bobby when he used to be on Opportunity Knocks... Him first and then John Curry...  |
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Post by loureviews on Apr 19, 2018 16:02:55 GMT
It's really excellent.
Su Pollard is a fantastic singer.
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Post by theatreian on Apr 19, 2018 16:05:29 GMT
Yes I saw Su in a 60's musical shout a while back and she had the best voice in it.
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Post by The Matthew on Apr 19, 2018 16:15:57 GMT
Su Pollard ... (did anyone else buy her 45rpm record called Starting Together?); No, but I do have Come To Me (I Am Woman). Her voice is like being licked all over with a huge silk tongue. It's unfortunate that most people think of her solely as someone who plays goofy characters in sitcoms. |
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Post by theatreian on Apr 19, 2018 16:22:02 GMT
Her voice is like being licked all over with a huge silk tongue. Well you do have a way with words I will say that!!! |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2018 16:24:09 GMT
She is also completely bonkers which has huge appeal. She was in the bar at the Soho Theatre when Soho Cinders was on there and I just had to go over to her to tell her how much I had enjoyed her in Godspell all those years ago. She seemed geuninely pleased that someone remembered it, and gave me chapter and verse about all the different theatres they’d had to move to during the run in London because of problems with things like falling ceilings... She also insisted on asking my name and introducing me to her two male companions, one of whom had the same name as me which seemed to confuse her: “No, that’s his name...! Oh, it’s your name as well...!” etc . The other chap was introduced as “Mr. Michael.” I don’t think either was her partner as such.  At the interval she calls down from the top of the auditorium to the bottom, “Hey, Caiaphas! (Not real name, obvs) What do you think? In’t it great?!” She made my night... |
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Post by groupbooker on Apr 20, 2018 0:08:07 GMT
A really good series, very funny and also rather sad in parts. Last programme next week but remember to swap to ITV£ right after to see the complete show!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2018 8:04:04 GMT
The ‘goat yoga’ in episode three was priceless! Comedy gold! 😂
On a completely different note, we have already seen the end of programme trailers showing the unfortunate timing of their show in Vegas history which must have been incredibly difficult and upsetting for all of them...
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Post by loureviews on Apr 20, 2018 8:38:05 GMT
Yes I saw Su in a 60's musical shout a while back and she had the best voice in it. Exactly. She sang You're My World if I remember correctly. |
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Post by peggysue on Apr 20, 2018 15:16:41 GMT
Also loving this programme mainly because of Su Pollard. I too have the 45rpm record of Starting Together. She has a fantastic voice. I also saw her in Godspell back in the 80s. I only wish I had all her energy.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2018 16:47:08 GMT
Also loving this programme mainly because of Su Pollard. I too have the 45rpm record of Starting Together. She has a fantastic voice. I also saw her in Godspell back in the 80s. I only wish I had all her energy. I hate to break this to you but I think it was the 70s! Late... Can you remember where you saw it??? I've a feeling I saw it with Su Pollard at the Shaftesbury. After a bit of research I see that was July 1978. Can you remember who played Jesus??? I can't and Su couldn't, and when I offered Allan Love, who sings the role on the much later recorded Turn Back, O Man, she thought not...! More sleuthing has brought me to ebay where someone was selling the OLC recording from 1977 but signed in 1978 by the then cast featuring Su and... Anthony Head!  I really should get those old programmes down from the loft! |
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Post by peggysue on Apr 20, 2018 17:32:58 GMT
Have managed to find my Godspell programme. It was indeed 1978 and at the Shaftesbury Theatre. I saw it in August with Anthony Head as Jesus and the rest of the company with Su were: Ron Emslie, Sally Bentley, Louise Papillon, Verity Anne Meldrum, Andrew Secombe, Tony Jackson (who was in the original production with David Essex) and a young Neil Reid (Opportunity Knocks winner). I recognise the name Allan Love whom I have seen in something but can't remember what.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2018 17:39:51 GMT
^ I double liked your last post peggysue... for confirming the theatre for me and for managing to put your hands on your programme so quickly! (***must do better***) |
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Post by peggysue on Apr 20, 2018 18:12:13 GMT
Happy to help 😊
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Post by drowseychap on Apr 21, 2018 3:09:19 GMT
I’m really enjoying it great tv very funny and heartwarming interesting seeing these seasoned performers again on tv ...if ratings are good I can see another series easily .....bet Melvyn Hayes .roy Walker les Dennis ... and the krankies are sat on the phone awaiting the call
Su Pollard. Makes the show as an a side I saw her in a show north pier Blackpool around 1990 with Les Dennis waited after to say hi at stage door she was so lovely ended up walking all the way down the pier arm in arm chatting all the way while les Dennis followed looking totally miserable lol
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Post by macksennett on Apr 21, 2018 8:44:35 GMT
I'm also loving this programme. ITV3 are showing the actual show 10-11.30pm straight after next episode on Tuesday.
I saw Su Pollard in Babes in Arms in the mid 1980s. She was staying nearby and I bumped into her in the street - she was an absolute delight! Great singer too.
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Post by bimse on Apr 21, 2018 12:11:24 GMT
I’m really enjoying it great tv very funny and heartwarming interesting seeing these seasoned performers again on tv ...if ratings are good I can see another series easily .....bet Melvyn Hayes .roy Walker les Dennis ... and the krankies are sat on the phone awaiting the call Su Pollard. Makes the show as an a side I saw her in a show north pier Blackpool around 1990 with Les Dennis waited after to say hi at stage door she was so lovely ended up walking all the way down the pier arm in arm chatting all the way while les Dennis followed looking totally miserable lol Now that would be worth seeing ! I’d love to see what the Americans would make of The Krankies. I’m told Su Pollard is quite zany but delightful in person, and she’s a fantastic singer , I saw her in the Hi-de-Hi stage show . Anita Harris is another fantastic singer too , the very brief clip of her singing in her younger days was brilliant, I remember her as the best principal boy ever , good fun and a great singer . Very talented , and I of course had no idea her husband is so ill . They seem devoted to each other . |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2018 20:54:29 GMT
I found a lovely picture of Anita Harris as Grizabella on tinternet, painted by her husband back in 1988 and now owned by the V&A Theatre Museum dept. And then I came across this, which must have been taken when a lot of the West End and Broadway casts (and others) recorded that Christmas CD for Save the Children. Anita was obviously appearing as Grizabella at the time, and Elaine looks none too pleased about it...   |
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Post by theatreian on Apr 21, 2018 22:34:04 GMT
Yes she seems to be giving a very catty look!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2018 11:51:06 GMT
I think Elaine looks like she's about to topple backwards from the weight of that fringe. Perhaps she's concentrating on steadying herself.
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Post by peggysue on Apr 22, 2018 17:29:04 GMT
Also loving this programme mainly because of Su Pollard. I too have the 45rpm record of Starting Together. She has a fantastic voice. I also saw her in Godspell back in the 80s. I only wish I had all her energy. I hate to break this to you but I think it was the 70s! Late... Can you remember where you saw it??? I've a feeling I saw it with Su Pollard at the Shaftesbury. After a bit of research I see that was July 1978. Can you remember who played Jesus??? I can't and Su couldn't, and when I offered Allan Love, who sings the role on the much later recorded Turn Back, O Man, she thought not...! More sleuthing has brought me to ebay where someone was selling the OLC recording from 1977 but signed in 1978 by the then cast featuring Su and... Anthony Head! I really should get those old programmes down from the loft! Have managed to unearth another Godspell programme. This one is dated August 1977 and does star Allan Love as Jesus but Su Pollard wasn’t in this one |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2018 18:21:35 GMT
I hate to break this to you but I think it was the 70s! Late... Can you remember where you saw it??? I've a feeling I saw it with Su Pollard at the Shaftesbury. After a bit of research I see that was July 1978. Can you remember who played Jesus??? I can't and Su couldn't, and when I offered Allan Love, who sings the role on the much later recorded Turn Back, O Man, she thought not...! More sleuthing has brought me to ebay where someone was selling the OLC recording from 1977 but signed in 1978 by the then cast featuring Su and... Anthony Head! I really should get those old programmes down from the loft! Have managed to unearth another Godspell programme. This one is dated August 1977 and does star Allan Love as Jesus but Su Pollard wasn’t in this one You’re not going to believe this but... You prompted me to get my box of programmes* down from the loft today. I couldn’t find the Su Pollard Godspell one (although I did find a Richmond panto one featuring her as Dick Whittington!) But I did find the Her Majesty’s one featuring Allan Love! (I see that Tricia Deighton was in it. Her name seemed to keep cropping up in lots of other musicals I saw in the 80s.) I also found a Godspell programme from the Fortune Theatre featuring Davy Jones as Jesus. Hey, hey with the monkees! *Most now in the recycling bin...  |
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Post by peggysue on Apr 22, 2018 18:40:25 GMT
Have managed to unearth another Godspell programme. This one is dated August 1977 and does star Allan Love as Jesus but Su Pollard wasn’t in this one You’re not going to believe this but... You prompted me to get my box of programmes* down from the loft today. I couldn’t find the Su Pollard Godspell one (although I did find a Richmond panto one featuring her as Dick Whittington!) But I did find the Her Majesty’s one featuring Allan Love! (I see that Tricia Deighton was in it. Her name seemed to keep cropping up in lots of other musicals I saw in the 80s.) I also found a Godspell programme from the Fortune Theatre featuring Davy Jones as Jesus. Hey, hey with the monkees! *Most now in the recycling bin... Well done for getting your programmes out but I could never thrown any of mine away! I never knew that Davy Jones had been in Godspell but did see him in a play called The Point at the Mermaid Theatre. |
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Post by firefingers on Apr 22, 2018 19:06:44 GMT
Having worked with Su, what you see is most definitely what you get. She is lovely, but very eccentric so just trying to deal with her can make her a little bit of a handful. Very, very funny though.
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Post by justfran on Apr 22, 2018 19:57:35 GMT
I’ve also worked at a venue a few years ago when Su Pollard appeared in panto. She sent boxes of chocolates and Christmas cards to each department, which was a lovely gesture.
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Post by wickedgrin on Apr 22, 2018 20:27:49 GMT
Yes, loving this series - it's very bitter sweet.
Some inevitably come out better than others in the edit of course. Loving Sue Pollard.
I also love Anita Harris who I saw many years ago at Leeds Grand Theatre as Peter Pan - she was excellent. I feel that she never got the big breaks in her career really. That's show business of course you either get the break or you don't - lady luck plays a huge part.
The bits I most enjoy though are Frank Moreno rehearsing with them. Las Vegas is very different to the UK and some of the British acts will undoubtedly struggle but then I think he would probably struggle here - mime drag isn't big in the UK with audiences preferring live singing. Frank would probably just be working the drag pub circuit here!!! Again lady luck plays a big role.
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At the interval she calls down from the top of the auditorium to the bottom, “Hey, Caiaphas! (Not real name, obvs) What do you think? In’t it great?!”
