177 posts
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Post by tal on Feb 13, 2024 8:27:39 GMT
Prices definitely not as bad as I thought. Seats in the middle of the stalls for £80 and £95, which I guess is way less than what they were charging for Sunset.
I got corner front row of the upper circle for £25.
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Jan 2, 2024 23:09:16 GMT
I saw it on the 30th. Tiffany Graves was playing Grand High Witch and Danielle Coombe was playing Gran. Both were great!
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Oct 16, 2023 21:28:13 GMT
I did not notice her twerking, but I did see her absolutely nailing As If We Never Said Goodbye. Oh my goodness, can she perform that song! It was a whole journey, and she did get half a standing ovation at the end of that number. Her second act overall was amazing. I feel that she was a bit more contained in the first one - while Nicole was full on from the beginning. I think Rachel is even scarier than Nicole, which is a feat. Both actresses are giving outstanding performances, and I’m very happy I got to see them both.
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Post by tal on Oct 16, 2023 20:05:56 GMT
Does she go all Yass Qween like NS? I can confirm she does snap her fingers a couple of times, yes.
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Post by tal on Oct 16, 2023 19:55:52 GMT
She is, and her Norma slightly different from Nicole. They didn’t change the actress playing young Norma, for instance, who looks more like Nicole. Plus Rachel is not really a dancer. So the parallels between her young and older self are quite different.
I’m having a great time!
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Oct 12, 2023 13:52:32 GMT
Has anyone won the lottery for this? I won for next week and wondering where I’m likely to be sitting. I won last Saturday matinee and got Dress Circle Row E. Great seats!
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Oct 12, 2023 12:29:45 GMT
I read the script before going, to make sure I'd be able to follow the story. I was able to follow everything, but I was very bored by the whole thing and could not wait to get out.
I disliked the set so much that it distracted me - if you want to have a simple set design, then don't make it busy. I suppose they were going for more abstract, but I was not buying the concept - I guess I just didn't get the vision.
I liked everything I saw Andrew Scott in, but I could not find enjoyment in this. It was nice to see him acting multiple parts, but they were so many that I could not really get much involved with the story.
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Oct 11, 2023 9:29:57 GMT
I went to see Vanya last night and afterwards went walking towards the Strand. By doing that, I ended up being across the road from the Savoy Theatre at the precise time the outside scene happens, which was fun to watch from outside the theatre as well.
Just leaving that here in case someone wants some extra quick entertainment after seeing Vanya.
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Sept 24, 2023 2:50:06 GMT
Bit of a technical mishap during today's matinee: {Spoiler - click to view}The remote controlled trigger for the blood didn't work. So we only got the voice over for Diana's suicide attempt, not the visceral visual effect. Poor Jamie Parker continued to mop up the perfectly clean floor, but I think people probably got what it was meant to be.
I was there too, and almost freaked out thinking they had changed the scene from the last time I saw it. But yeah, it seems it was just a mishap. My friend was seeing the show for the first time, and she reported she understood what the cleaning scene meant and thought the whole way of the scene was on purpose.
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Sept 21, 2023 10:26:10 GMT
I am attending, got an email last night! I'm jealous, I would love to see that! Enjoy it!
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Sept 21, 2023 10:24:54 GMT
Ha, I was AT the performance that was recorded - super awkward close up cameras at times for the intimate scenes which obviously quite impacted the live performance enjoyment. But I bet they got amazing footage so can't wait to see this again. I was also there and was glad it was not my first time seeing the production, as I think the cameras did impact the experience. But I remember tickets were cheaper for that performance, so I was happy.
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Sept 21, 2023 9:33:45 GMT
Anyone found out about the understudy performance? I got the email this morning saying I didn't get it. My friend's friend did get it and received the email yesterday.
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Aug 29, 2023 9:34:51 GMT
I've just listed a ticket for tomorrow night on the noticeboard if anyone's looking for one. I've sent you a DM!
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Aug 25, 2023 15:11:28 GMT
Worth noting that a lot of the recent shows have been two loops again, instead of three, due to heat and humidity. Would it be an earlier finish time in that case? Or would they pad it out to finish around 10pm Thanks On a two-loop day, the audiences start to enter at 7:00pm, actors start to enter at 7:30pm, and the show ends at around 9:30pm.
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Aug 25, 2023 8:58:27 GMT
Important things first, Theo's pizza ? I really like the place. Merrily, Act 2 has 1 more scenes than act 1 but this isn't about symmetry its the general pacing with many scenes lingering. Also, I'm not sure if Beth's parents really add anything. If we see them why not Frank's? Yeah, I'm pretty sure it would be possible to do away with Beth's parents. They help understand Beth's decisions to leave, but I think a good part of their appeal is just a bit dated, and the "at least he's not black" line just does not sit well with me. But I am glad I caught this production, and well done to the actors and musicians for putting up with all that heat.
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Post by tal on Aug 25, 2023 0:00:28 GMT
Please could someone who has seen this give some insight on... {Spoiler - click to view} How graphic the 'post suicide attempt' moments are/is? The is a trigger warning on the Donmar site about it saying there is blood cleanup involved too?
The suicide attempt is depicted by Diana leaving the stage dancing, and then a large pool of blood slowly appearing on the floor, while the doctor describes that she was found there. It is a shocking image and a strong moment, but we don’t see Diana on the floor at all. In the following scene, her husband uses towels to clean the blood while he sings. Shortly after, her daughter arrives and finds her father rushing to finish the cleaning.
Hope that helps!
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Aug 21, 2023 11:29:33 GMT
Does anybody know if the book from Nick Hern Books promoting this production is available for purchase in the theatre or is it online only? I can confirm that the book from NHB (the cover is the current poster with Cassie) was available for purchase at the theatre when I went.
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Aug 20, 2023 23:44:09 GMT
By the way, how did people interpret that “fine” sign they had when Diana was seeing the doctor in the first act? I was expecting more signs like that to come so I could derive some meaning, but they never did and I was lost. Ohh, I had that answered just now by looking at the program. That’s the name of the doctor!
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Aug 20, 2023 20:12:57 GMT
By the way, how did people interpret that “fine” sign they had when Diana was seeing the doctor in the first act? I was expecting more signs like that to come so I could derive some meaning, but they never did and I was lost.
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Aug 20, 2023 1:09:57 GMT
Also, I read there were balloons in the first previews? There weren’t any tonight. Anybody can shed a light on when and how they were used?
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Aug 20, 2023 0:54:45 GMT
I am so curious to see hear this 19-musician orchestra now. Let’s hope Rebecca actually gets a run this time and does not repeat its Broadway curse.
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Post by tal on Aug 20, 2023 0:27:21 GMT
I saw this tonight and it did not disappoint.
I agree the production is not too dissimilar from the original one - they trust the material and mostly update things here and there to make it more current. Dan repeatedly taps his phone to pay for Diana’s treatment, Henry mentions X, the first scene contains an iPad, Natalie reads a contemporary book (“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and Tomorrow”, from what I could see), among others.
However, I got a the impression that the ending was more hopeful and positive than what I remember. When Diana has her final conversation with Natalie, she seems very sure and mature, and the way she talks about her trauma (if I’m not mistaken, they changed some lines slightly there to show that things actually changed a bit this time) gives the audience more hope that she might be ok. To add to that, in the final song, she is seen taking medicine and a pamphlet from the doctor, which I’m almost sure was not present in the original production. I loved that, as it gave me the impression that it’s not that she’s abandoning treatment, she’s just taking more control of it.
I have so many good things to say about this production, but if I had to single out one thing, it would be Jack Wolfe’s portrait of Gabe. It gave me creepy child who will kill you vibes, at the same time as a pretty face who can and will manipulate you in many ways to get what they want. Worked way better for me than the more sexual previous version.
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Jul 22, 2023 22:00:05 GMT
Show stop tonight in the middle of act two. All lights went off all of a sudden, then the emergency lights went on. They were able to continue after a few minutes, and the fact that they started the scene from the top made for an extra layer of “we’ve seen this before”, which was funny.
A few other mishaps during the show. For instance, when Andy Karl turned to ask Nancy for her high school and English teacher name, she was nowhere to be found. He improvised and ended up ending the scene without talking to her, so it didn’t make as much sense when he knew all the info about her in the following scene.
But all of that made a bit more sense when Andy Karl made a small speech after the bows, calling out the swings who were on tonight and who saved the show by replacing many cast members who were sick.
Still, a fantastic show! And I’m obviously very thankful it wasn’t cancelled so I could watch it again.
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Jul 17, 2023 14:32:38 GMT
Yep, two pop stars and not Billie Piper! Just checking, are we talking London or Broadway?
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Jul 7, 2023 14:40:56 GMT
Me too! I was very happy when I saw those tickets. I still don't get why they call this a lottery, though. Everybody who signed up gets the link, and the tickets are on a first-come first-served basis, right? Well I think the info text includes a reference to ‘if you’re selected…’ you’ll receive the email and can buy the tickets, but so far I’ve received the email every Mon and Fri, so they’re probably flexing how many emails are sent based on sales and number of sign ups. Perhaps right now they’re just emailing everyone who’s signed up! I suspect the seats available are better in the Friday lottery (upcoming week) than the Monday one (next four weeks) as they’ve got a better idea of what they need to sell for imminent performances. Just a theory though as of course it’s only been running a few weeks. That makes a lot of sense, especially about the seats being better on Friday. What made me think that they're emailing everybody was that the email didn't say anything about me being selected or anything like that. It just said "The Crazy 4 You Ticket Lottery is now open!". In any case, that works for me! I'm really looking forward to watching the show next week. I fell asleep during a very boring production of the show I saw many years ago, but I have a feeling this one will not put me to sleep .
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Post by tal on Jul 7, 2023 13:08:31 GMT
I went to this expecting the worst, based on what I had read here and in reviews. But while I definitely would not call this a good play, I was quite entertained by it, mainly with the first act. However, neither the text nor the direction seem to know where they're going.
I think the whole thing lost focus, and I left the theatre longing for what this could have been.
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177 posts
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Post by tal on Jul 7, 2023 13:01:33 GMT
Gotta love the Crazy 4 You lottery! I’ve just got centre row F of the stalls for £30 for next week. Very happy 😀 Me too! I was very happy when I saw those tickets. I still don't get why they call this a lottery, though. Everybody who signed up gets the link, and the tickets are on a first-come first-served basis, right?
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Post by tal on May 26, 2023 23:53:29 GMT
This was outstanding tonight. What an incredibly talented cast and what a beautiful score. I’m so happy I was not put off by the news it would be a concert.
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Post by tal on May 26, 2023 17:26:40 GMT
I'm glad they haven't cancelled tonight. I messaged them to ask if Rachel John was performing and they said yes. Hopefully the concert version still contains some of the staging.
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177 posts
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Post by tal on May 24, 2023 11:14:34 GMT
I'm supposed to go on Friday, but now I'm getting scared that they might cancel all remaining performances. I really wanted to see this!
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