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Post by edi on Oct 10, 2019 18:10:42 GMT
I was near the front and it was ok. I think best place for this a bit further back frankly. Thank you Lynette. I keep getting giants sitting in front of me so I'm a fan of front row
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Post by gregsp on Oct 10, 2019 19:58:12 GMT
Saw it last night. Very unimpressed.
I didn't laugh at all in the first half and only a handful of times in the second (and that was at one character). I could see what they were trying to do with regard to the plot and how the different acts played out, but it just seemed so heavy-handed and forced. The ending, in particular, I just found embarrassingly bad.
Such a shame as I generally love their stuff and have been looking forward to seeing it for months. Oh well, you can't strike gold every time I suppose. At least it'll save me the money I usually spend on repeatedly seeing their shows.
On the plus side, I still have a thing for Nancy...
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Oct 10, 2019 22:22:18 GMT
Two stars from the Evening Standard.
"What’s worse than a stage full of screaming children? A stage full of screaming adults pretending to be screaming children."
Ouch.
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Post by zahidf on Oct 10, 2019 23:26:58 GMT
2 stars in the times. 3 stars in the guardian.
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Post by drmaplewood on Oct 11, 2019 10:19:34 GMT
2 stars in Time Out too
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Post by gregsp on Oct 11, 2019 10:46:51 GMT
2 stars is probably what I'd give it too - if someone wants to pay me to review it!
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Oct 11, 2019 11:35:54 GMT
Four stars from WhatsOnStage, The Telegraph and the Daily Mail. That's more like it.
As much as I enjoyed it though, I do wonder how it will come across on the Royal Variety. The opening act is the weakest but I imagine that's the one we'll see an excerpt from on TV.
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Post by lynette on Oct 11, 2019 11:49:11 GMT
What I found interesting was that unlike the previous Mischief plays, they decided to cut out the kiddie audience. This isn’t ‘suitable ‘ for younger theatre goers and coming up the Xmas therefore misses out on the lucrative Xmas outings. But I suppose they are sure of their adult audience. I thought at one point that they could have more imaginatively done it backwards with the infant scene coming at the end. Would need some heavy rewriting but the linear approach looks to me like an early draft but with some moments of polish. I’m being critical because I admire these guys so much. They are super talented and obviously very hard working.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Oct 11, 2019 12:51:22 GMT
I've waited to comment because I did think I might have been having an off night. I'd give it 3 stars overall, I loved the premise of it (saw it on the first preview and I know changes have been made). I loved the music too - loud didn't bother me as I'm not chatting to people, I can see how it would bother others. I thought the first act was clunky and overlong, milking the idea just too far. The second act was a bit better (Oh, how I love Nancy). And I certainly laughed throughout, some big laughs at points. Hamsters worked for me too. But the overall - I'm sure there's a better word for it , but - despair - of the characters in the last act. I know I'm a sensitive old bird but when I'm expecting to be out for an evening of laughs I don't want to feel sad for the characters; unrequited love and sad unfulfilled lives.
It's probably because I love these guys I wanted a happy ever after ending for all and it just left me unsettled. Laughing at misery. I wish them well with this, I hope it's tightened up but I think I'll save my £'s and see the Magic show.
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Post by Steve on Oct 11, 2019 15:15:00 GMT
Some of these reviews seem to grade this as if it's a serious drama, which deserves to be spanked because the plot points are lame. And honestly, as a serious analysis of human nature, it's thin, with some characters behaving irrationally malignantly and others irrationally benignly, deflating the drama. But I judge this show by whether it made me laugh, and while I only chuckled in the Act 1 set-up, I laughed consistently and naturally throughout the payoffs of Acts 2 and 3. I laughed at the performances, but also at the writing of the character throughlines that were consistently paid off by the performances. I think there is one defining scene in this show that demonstrates the priority of the creators: that comedy trumps drama - SPOILER ALERT: it's the scene where the most dramatic thing in the whole show happens in the foreground, but behind a glass door in the rear, two incredibly horny characters loudly make out. When I saw it, the audience were in hysterics. The implication is: the most dramatic scene in the show is just fodder for laughs, and that's ok with me.
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Post by Dawnstar on Oct 11, 2019 18:11:00 GMT
FYI for anyone wanting to try to see this with the full original cast.
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Post by Dawnstar on Oct 12, 2019 17:56:38 GMT
This afternoon was my first time seeing the Act 1 to Act 2 scene change. With apologies to Mischief & their designers & technicians, I actually preferred the second teachers scene that was used to cover for the first couple of weeks. And I still enjoy Act 3 the most by a long way.
Per previous comments, I arrived early because it was too wet to hang around outside, walked into the auditorium then walked out again because the pop music was so loud. Oddly it seemed okay in the interval. I don't know if that's due to different songs or for some reason they play it louder beforehand.
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Post by NeilVHughes on Oct 17, 2019 10:04:44 GMT
WhatsOnStage
Save up to 44%, Flash sale valid on Tuesday to Friday and Sunday performances until 1 December 2019. Book by 20 October 2019. Subject to availability.
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Post by Dawnstar on Oct 17, 2019 12:13:54 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2019 12:52:52 GMT
Arghh, it’s another one of those Stage pieces that convinced me years ago to stop reading it. Is it a factual piece or an opinion piece? Smacks of “Ooh, I’ve wandered too close to having a thought of my own, I’d better get back to the boring middle ground right now!”
On the reviews for Groan-Ups: I had much more fun than some critics clearly did, and the serious storyline hit home for me as I discovered, years later, I’d been in a similar situation with a friend who married and had children before a very amicable divorce, and who is now happily married to her female partner and starting a young family with her.
So I struggled to understand the problems some people had with the serious storyline and how quickly it was resolved. And it’s clearly set out to be different from the ‘Goes Wrong’ style so I hadn’t expected to laugh quite so relentlessly as I usually do.
Good for them for trying something different. If they hadn’t, you can be equally sure the critics would be knocking them for that too!
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Oct 17, 2019 13:26:51 GMT
That is interesting, thanks. I thought the comparison with "Right Size" (who I have to admit I'd completely forgotten about!) was a good one.
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Post by Dawnstar on Oct 17, 2019 20:35:01 GMT
I'm sorry you were so annoyed by the article @jeanhunt.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2019 21:28:25 GMT
I'm sorry you were so annoyed by the article @jeanhunt . Oh no, it’s not your fault Dawnstar! Just me indulging in a spot of hyperbole, as I’m baffled that The Stage continues to limp merrily and resolutely on, straight down the middle of the road. ;-) The arts world is full of opinions, so it seems bizarre to me that a paper supposed to represent the theatre continually plays it so safe.
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Post by NeilVHughes on Oct 18, 2019 21:55:42 GMT
Really enjoyed this, plenty of laughs, not knowing their other work maybe an advantage as definitely not a farce even though it has its moments.
Will likely be considered a transition piece and look forward to their next ‘straight’ comedy.
Got an upgrade on my TodayTix £15, G9 from P9, central, 6 rows back, one of the best seats at an outrageously low price.
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Post by zahidf on Oct 20, 2019 20:38:54 GMT
Saw this today. I liked it! Was charming and funny. Not as hysterically funny as their other stuff but I thought the added characterisation made up for it. Some of it didn't work but 3.5/5
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Post by Mark on Nov 3, 2019 23:10:08 GMT
I really liked this! Followed my own school years, about two years ahead so I picked up all the pop culture references. Definitely agree, act three was the strongest, but that was mostly due to the setup
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Post by djp on Nov 4, 2019 22:45:45 GMT
There's room somewhere for a comedy about critics - starring the, liberal, pretentious, and the politically correct - struggling to achieve their potential - a third in being a critic. This does what it says on the tin- it makes people laugh, and it attracted a broad age range to a pretty full house, and had a great reception, when i went . Mischief fans seemed to love it Most other people got the humour. Act one is a bit too long, Henry Lewis's line revealing his adult occupation is well up there with the very best of British comedy for the reaction it gets, and Charlie Russell gets to display some serious acting chops. The only danger to the brand is they are running out of good theatres - the Vaudeville has seats designed for Victorian midgets , and a mountaineering excursion was required to find a gents toilet.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Nov 28, 2019 15:57:05 GMT
Looks like this is touring next year. It's coming to The Lowry from Wednesday 27th August - Thursday 5th September 2020. On sale to members now and the public tomorrow.
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Post by pianowithsam on Nov 30, 2019 13:59:53 GMT
Looks like this is touring next year. It's coming to The Lowry from Wednesday 27th August - Thursday 5th September 2020. On sale to members now and the public tomorrow. Anymore information on this? Can't see it listed anywhere.
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Post by TallPaul on Nov 30, 2019 14:03:34 GMT
Anymore information on this? Can't see it listed anywhere. That's The Lowry for you! I got an email straight from the horses mouth, so it's definitely true. thelowry.com/whats-on/groan-ups/
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Post by pianowithsam on Nov 30, 2019 14:05:31 GMT
Anymore information on this? Can't see it listed anywhere. That's The Lowry for you! I got an email straight from the horses mouth, so it's definitely true. thelowry.com/whats-on/groan-ups/I see, thanks! They should really put it on the website. I mean, that's pretty normal...
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Post by pianowithsam on Dec 1, 2019 19:34:24 GMT
Is this only going to The Lowry? Bit strange that nothing else has been announced.
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Post by Dawnstar on Dec 1, 2019 22:24:02 GMT
I'll probably be proved wrong but I'd hazard a guess that The Lowry might be the first tour venue. Mischief seem to be building up a bit of a relationship with it, given it was the only place to have a Magic Goes Wrong try-out. Given it's scheduled for The Lowry in August then if my guess if right other venues would be September onwards & many of them may not have announced their Autumn 2020 programming yet. For instance my local theatre, which has had all the previous Mischief tours, hasn't even got Spring 2020 on sale yet, let alone Autumn 2020.
The last performance of the West End run is now done. All 4 covers came on for the curtain calls & to do the last song, plus some of the backstage crew came on during the curtain calls when Jonathan thanked them (he did the speech, as is usual).
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Post by marob on Dec 1, 2019 22:47:39 GMT
Is anything known about what they're doing after Magic Goes Wrong?
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Post by pianowithsam on Dec 1, 2019 22:54:26 GMT
Is anything known about what they're doing after Magic Goes Wrong? Would be absolutely smashing if the original cast toured Groan Ups.
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