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Post by jgblunners on Mar 26, 2017 22:19:40 GMT
I understand what she's trying to do in that performance, but to me it just sounds messy and off-pitch. If you're going to riff, know what you're doing and make it special, don't just mess around. It's not fair on the audience for performers to just do whatever they want without thinking about it, and to me that's what it sounds like she's doing here. Ive heard some of her less riffed-up performances and thought they sounded incredible just with her usual embellishments.
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Post by jgblunners on Mar 26, 2017 8:52:55 GMT
Well that was quite a journey 😜 Although I might've done the same myself if it were Luke Evans...
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Post by jgblunners on Mar 24, 2017 8:12:54 GMT
Wasn't there Tuesday, but Monday was a 7pm start and also finished around 9pm poster JThanks, just trying to figure out roughly when I'll be braving the night tube after her late gig on Sat! Yep, Tuesday was also a 7pm start!
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Post by jgblunners on Mar 23, 2017 19:39:48 GMT
They stuck the extra song in for the Lee Mead Adelphi version - and it's on the re-release of the Palladium CD. Hope they leave it out of any future revival. Come to think of it, has BK added it in? Yes, it was definitely there in last year's tour. I agree that it should be taken out.
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Post by jgblunners on Mar 23, 2017 18:12:26 GMT
I grew up listening to the Jason Donovan/Linzi Hateley recording and absolutely loved the music - Linzi Hateley in particular gives a stunning performance on that recording. It was the first show I saw as a kid (it must've toured in the late 90s/early 00s, I don't precisely remember how old I was), I was too young to remember any details, but it sparked my love of theatre. Saw the BK your last year and was thoroughly disappointed. Joe Mcelderry had a good voice, but the production values were an insult to theatre. I was so sad that it didn't live up to my memories, so if this is going to be a new production or a revival of the praised Lee Mead production, it might just tempt me, but I'm never seeing the BK version again.
Out of interest, when did they add the additional song for the pharaoh? Can't remember what it's called, but it's not on the Hateley recording and i thought it was completely pointless when I saw the show last year - struck me that it was probably just added to extend the running time.
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Post by jgblunners on Mar 23, 2017 18:04:19 GMT
What is the approx running time for her show please? Finished just after 9pm on Tuesday
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Post by jgblunners on Mar 21, 2017 15:23:34 GMT
Ahh Asmeret Ghebremichael was great in Mormon, she should be fab in this!
Hasn't Ibinabo been off a lot - as much as, if not more than, Amber? The Lorell covers have certainly been on a lot. If she's not recovering from whatever it is that's keeping her from performing then maybe this was for her own health - taking a break in order to recover rather than carrying on trying to perform but not getting better. All speculation of course, but she's a fantastic performer so whatever the reasons lets hope she'll be back on the stage again soon!
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Post by jgblunners on Mar 21, 2017 12:35:13 GMT
Selling my spare ticket for Rachel Tucker's concert tonight - check the noticeboard for more info. Message me if interested!
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Post by jgblunners on Mar 17, 2017 18:27:16 GMT
Saw it this afternoon and absolutely loved it - brought back all the childhood nostalgia without ruining my memory of the original. I was very nervous going in but it exceeded my expectations in almost all ways (I won't mention the autotune...). Thought the gay themes that there's been all the hoo-ha about recently were actually very tasteful and subtle, it didn't feel shoehorned in to me. I actually didn't think any of the cast were weak, but I can understand why people are saying they're underwhelmed with Emma Watson's performance. I thought Belle was a much more genuine character in this than the original though. However, the music was definitely the best part - it sounded stunning and I thought the new material and alterations fitted well, with one exception that I'll put in a spoiler just in case: Did they change the time signature of the title song? It sounded quite drastically different to the original, which I believe is in 4/4. I couldn't quite figure it out while watching so I'll listen to the soundtrack and try to make it out, but my thought is it's been changed to 3/4 to make it feel like a Waltz for the dance scene? I may be wrong though! Unfortunately it was quite distracting as it changed it felt like the rhythm of the lyrics didn't really fit. This is perhaps the most iconic song from the movie, so I don't think they should've messed with it as much as they did. Oh well, the magnificent additions to Be Our Guest and Gaston made up for it!
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Post by jgblunners on Mar 3, 2017 12:13:46 GMT
I agree that the rape was absolutely chilling, it feels wrong to say but it was done brilliantly for maximum effect.
Interestingly, at the Q&A Drew McOnie and Paul Taylor-Mills were saying that originally, as it is in the libretto, Black is the one who shoots Burrs, but after a few previews they decided to change it to Queenie as they felt it was more fitting.
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Post by jgblunners on Feb 25, 2017 14:56:47 GMT
Just seen that Entry Pass members can buy Circle tickets to the NT Live dress rehearsal for this, at 2pm on the 8th of March. Looks like none of the tickets have sold yet - just nabbed myself the centre of the front row!
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Post by jgblunners on Feb 24, 2017 17:10:06 GMT
This made me so mad. Yes there are worse shows to do it in. But I'd be furious if I'd been in the audience. I'm watching. Chicago, not Mel B making a prat of herself Oh for goodness sake, lighten up!! It was her final show. She was once part of the biggest group on the planet. People in that audience are probably fans of her and will know who she is. She came out of character for what 5 seconds and it's not like she did that each show, is it? Yes she is playing Roxie in Chicago but she is Mel B (who people might've booked specifically to have seen) and Mel B would do that. Fair enough if she did the whole show as Mel B but she didn't. The audience obviously loved it and I'm sure you wouldn't be so "mad" if say you were at Wicked for one of those muck up matinees and they did something different?! I don't think its fair to compare this to West End muck-ups. From what I've heard, they are often full of silly little things that don't break character and would be mostly un-noticable to people who haven't seen the show before. This was a blatant break of character and the clip that was posted earlier makes her look very unprofessional. I know people are entitled to their own opinions on these things, but surely just because she's an ex-pop star it doesn't give her licence to behave like this when any regular musical theatre performer would surely face untold scrutiny for breaking character so blatantly?
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Post by jgblunners on Feb 23, 2017 15:28:17 GMT
I've not seen her at all - her last run in Wicked was before my first time seeing it.
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Post by jgblunners on Feb 23, 2017 0:09:59 GMT
Wow. What an amazing production - I loved every second of this tonight. An outstanding cast, brilliant design and chaotic, energetic, raunchy choreography. Drew McOnie has outdone himself with both the direction and the choreography here, and the music is stunning. I can see why it might not be some people's cup of tea, but I thought it was the best production I've seen since Groundhog Day. Think I might have to make a return visit now that they've got those £10 tickets in the splash zone...
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Post by jgblunners on Feb 22, 2017 12:07:15 GMT
Had no idea this was happening, but I'm suddenly very happy that I had to change my ticket from last week to tonight!
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Post by jgblunners on Feb 21, 2017 22:32:37 GMT
The rear stalls was probably fuller than it sounded, but either way it felt like a ghost town in that auditorium.
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Post by jgblunners on Feb 21, 2017 22:24:28 GMT
Just back from seeing this in Oxford, and I enjoyed it (and would recommend it to others) but it definitely has its flaws.
First off, the good aspects: I really liked the music, and thought that the score was pretty strong throughout with a couple of stand-out numbers. I also really liked the set and costume design (although the set itself was a bit clunky at times) - I thought they fitted perfectly with the Wonderland setting. The most impressive aspect of the show for me though was the cast - firstly, for keeping the energy up despite playing to an auditorium that was almost empty (I reckon there can't have been more than about 60 people throughout the Stalls and Dress Circle, and the Balcony was closed) and secondly for doing such a good job with the characters, from the leads right down to the ensemble parts.
Unsurprisingly, the people who really impressed me were Natalie McQueen, Wendi Peters and Rachael Wooding. Natalie in particular was perfection - vocally brilliant, and absolutely nailed the characterisation. The same can be said of Wendi Peters, again wonderful characterisation and a really good voice. Both of them brought out their characters' quirks fantastically, making them believable and avoiding going over the top. Rachael Wooding was also very impressive vocally, and acted well, but I felt she was slightly going through the paces tonight. That may be a product of the empty house and the pretty dreadful book, though.
Speaking of which, the book is dire. In places I found it completely unbelievable that characters would be saying their lines, and it was so cheesy (particularly towards the end) that I just couldn't take the characters seriously sometimes because of the nonsense coming out of their mouths. I'm probably being overly critical, but I think that if the script was less cheesy and tried to take itself a bit more seriously then the show would be massively improved. My only other real complaint was the sound - I was sat in the front row of the circle, and while the volume was pretty much perfect, the balance was pretty dodgy. The band and ensemble were fine, but as soon as a soloist started to sing on top of them they got lost pretty easily. There were also a few missed mic cues at the start of the show, if i'm being really picky about sound.
So there you go. I hope this wasn't too long or too harsh, but those are my thoughts. In conclusion: a brilliant production of a pretty mediocre show that would be miles better with an overhauled book.
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Post by jgblunners on Feb 20, 2017 10:47:52 GMT
I don't have any problem with Half a Sixpence being classified as a new musical - given that there's more new material than old in the show, I think it would be a bit of an insult to Stiles and Drewe if it was considered a revival! I am also shocked at School of Rock winning, though. I haven't seen the show, but Dreamgirls, Half a Sixpence and Groundhog Day (which had my vote) were so sensational that I was convinced it was going to be a close competition between those three and SoR wouldn't stand a chance! Maybe I'll be even more blown away by School of Rock but somehow I doubt it.
Without wishing to stoke the fire on the legitimacy of these awards, I also find it very telling that Carrie Hope Fletcher was nominated for best supporting actress for a limited run in a touring production - I believe all the other leading/supporting nominations for both plays and musicals were for West End or Off-West End productions? I have no doubt that she was very good, but I think it's probably quite clear that she got the nomination because she has such a large and dedicated fanbase.
EDIT: scratch that, Ian Hallard was nominated for Boys in the Band which didn't make it to the West End until after nominations closed, and I don't think the Park Theatre counts as Off-West End. Pixie Lott also got nominated for Breakfast at Tiffany's which was a tour, although it did do a run in the West End. My point still stands for the musical actor/actress categories though.
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Post by jgblunners on Feb 20, 2017 10:39:57 GMT
Seeing Wonderland in Oxford on Tuesday, then The Wild Party on Wednesday. Might nab a student ticket for the Wicked matinee on Wednesday as well, depending on who's on
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Post by jgblunners on Feb 17, 2017 9:41:04 GMT
Wasn't Natasha part of the ensemble anyway? That would be the key difference I guess. Yeah when Natasha became alternate she didn't play in the ensemble anymore. Only know this because I saw the show when she was covering as Fanny on her scheduled Monday night shownand one of the ushers told me Are you sure? I'm pretty sure she was on in her usual role (Jenny, I think? Fanny's maid?) when I saw the show towards the end of the run, at which point she would have been alternate.
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Post by jgblunners on Feb 8, 2017 7:05:40 GMT
The Play That Goes Wrong in London tonight
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Post by jgblunners on Jan 19, 2017 14:48:34 GMT
Despite having discovered the cast recording several years ago, I only made my first trip to Wicked in 2015. Since then I've racked up 9 shows - 4 over the course of about 18 months during Emma and Savannah's time, then 5 since Rachel and Suzie came in. Those first four were definitely down to love for the show rather than wanting to see particular performers (although the last one was also out of desire to see Daniel Hope before he left - his Boq was so adorable!). At the time I had only heard the OBCR, so when I saw Emma I actually thought she was really good but wondered what it must have been like to see Idina, and as my love for the show grew I began to listen to recordings of other Elphabas, which was when I realised just how massive the show is and what a diverse range of performers have taken on the roles in the past decade. Although Emma was my first Elphaba, and I genuinely enjoyed her performances, the first time I heard a recording of Rachel I was affected in a way that I haven't been by any other Elphaba, and I realised that if Emma had impressed me, seeing Rachel live would be completely out of this world. Hence, 5 shows (with a 6th lined up - her last) since Rachel returned. I just can't get enough of her performance, and I feel so lucky that she was given the opportunity to come back to the London production so soon after I had discovered her. I definitely want to see Willemijn too, and Alice since she's gotten such good reviews, but I think after Rachel's last I'll take a break - 6 shows over 4 months is saturating me a bit and while Rachel still thrills me every time I see her perform, I don't want to go so often that it stops feeling special.
I don't really understand why I feel such a strong connection to Wicked - It's my most seen show and probably my favourite, but I just can't put my finger on why. There are many aspects of the show that I absolutely love, but there are several shows that I could say that about. What is it about Wicked specifically that keeps me coming back? It's strange to think about.
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Post by jgblunners on Jan 11, 2017 22:59:35 GMT
Saw the show tonight and thought I would post a few thoughts here, since reading all the previous posts got me thinking quite a bit. Helen Moore was on as Glinda, and her voice was beautiful. Not as much vibrato as other Glindas, which was refreshing and nice to hear. I thought she played Glinda less playful than others have, but I also think that, more than any other actress I've seen in the role, her Glinda was really struggling to put on the 'good witch' facade and hide her concern for Elphaba, which was an interesting element. Do you mean Helen Woolf was on as Glinda? Oops! Yes, thanks for pointing that out. Corrected now 🙂
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Post by jgblunners on Jan 11, 2017 22:54:31 GMT
Saw the show tonight and thought I would post a few thoughts here, since reading all the previous posts got me thinking quite a bit.
This was my 4th time seeing Rachel, and once again I noticed aspects of her characterisation tonight that I've not noticed before - every show from her really is unique and she is so at one with her Elphaba, it's really wonderful to watch. Vocally, she was very impressive as usual and (without wishing to start mockery of riff obsession) she did the 'things I've never felt' riff in the wizard and I, which sounded glorious. I only have Emma Hatton to compare her to, but she seems like the perfect Elphaba to me.
Helen Woolf was on as Glinda, and her voice was beautiful. Not as much vibrato as other Glindas, which was refreshing and nice to hear. I thought she played Glinda less playful than others have, but I also think that, more than any other actress I've seen in the role, her Glinda was really struggling to put on the 'good witch' facade and hide her concern for Elphaba, which was an interesting element.
I don't want to make this too long, so a few closing thoughts - Oliver Saville was brilliant as usual and Idriss Kargbo has come on leaps and bounds since I first saw him when he started as Boq. Katie Rowley Jones was vocally strong, but quite bland with her acting tonight. Anita Dobson is much better than when she started, especially vocally, but I still think she's not quite sure how to deliver some of her lines. For me, Mark Curry is a bit too over the top as the wizard, and weak vocally.
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Post by jgblunners on Dec 16, 2016 0:32:15 GMT
Baz is saying on twitter that there are 4 different shows in talks to go into the Piccadilly when Jersey Boys closes
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Post by jgblunners on Dec 13, 2016 11:15:05 GMT
Does anyone know who the understudy is? I'm booked in on the 1st of Feb through GILT and although I would love to see Charlie Stemp again it will certainly be interesting to see how the understudy shapes up given that he doesn't get much time on - someone correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Charlie's missed a show yet, in Chichester or London!
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Post by jgblunners on Dec 12, 2016 14:08:37 GMT
Apparently there's going to be a live action version of The Little Mermaid to follow the new Beauty and the Beast that's coming next year, and Lin-Manuel Miranda is working on the music with Alan Menken!
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Post by jgblunners on Nov 19, 2016 22:13:55 GMT
Saw this tonight and was really impressed after hearing many mixed opinions. Brilliant performances from the 3 leads, and I actually didn't mind the cinematic style - it took a couple of scene changes to get used to, but then I embraced it and found that, in combination with the set design, I found it quite effective. Speaking of set - wow! Thinking back, I just want to pull those screens back and see how it all fits together. I always find sets at the National to be wonderful, probably because of the unique and diverse nature of the theatres.
As for the play itself - probably the quickest 2 hours I've ever spent in a theatre. Despite many pauses and atmospheric spaces in the dialogue, the pace felt very good and carried me through without losing my attention. I was sceptical about how much of a thriller it would turn out to be as it progressed, but found that in the last 20/30 minutes my heart was pounding and I was genuinely quite invested and begging to find out what would happen next. Yes, there are moments where the speech seems a little unnatural but all in all I was very impressed.
Now I just wish that Entry Pass tickets for it hadn't sold out so that I could watch again and look out for all the little things that I'm sure will jump out with knowledge of how the plot unfolds!
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Post by jgblunners on Nov 19, 2016 11:37:17 GMT
The Last Five Years then The Red Barn for me today!
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Post by jgblunners on Nov 18, 2016 15:39:15 GMT
Just thought I'd mention that the Cast Recording was released today and it's glorious - the score sounds sublime, all the performances are brilliant and Cam Mac really has perfected the art of live recording - apparently this was recorded over the last 3 shows in Chichester but it sounds like studio quality!
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