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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 23, 2023 16:28:30 GMT
Do not apologise, I loved every word, well done! Nice review.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 23, 2023 16:24:18 GMT
ALW / Directors changed loads of things, staging - originally it opened to Fleck huddled on a scabby bit of beach and being found and made to tell what had happened (the story of LND being as how Fleck recalls it). Isn't it Mme Giry? Mme Giry is walking along the pier several years later and she sees an old poster advertising the Ooh La La Girls and a performance by Christine Daae. Then Fleck crawl out from coats on the floor? "Of course we are still here. The freaks, where else could we exist but here?" and then the Coney Island Walz starts, if I recall correctly? Fleck starts singing and then Mme Giry takes over, Fleck is escorted off stage and Mme Girl is alone on the pier - you're then left alone with Mme Girl as Coney Island comes alive through her eyes. The original Coney Island Waltz was 100% superior! The Waltz is the one thing I think could have been done better yesterday - surely they had some of the old props from the original waltz lying around? My other half (who didn't know the plot!) had no idea what was happening and didn't understand why all of the ensemble were sitting on the floor randomly!) 12 years, this week ... but - you are right! I've found an Unhappy Eric on YouTube who was, in 2010, very naughty ...
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 23, 2023 8:50:04 GMT
Completely agree. Ran for 18 months. Was similarly there at the start and the end. Though it was certainly up there with Sunset Boulevard and Cinderella for backstage drama. Was quite the ride! Adored the Adelphi version though and found it way superior to the Aussie/Hamburg one! That set was stunning. Cinderella and sunset I knew about. Didn’t realise there was drama on LND - can anyone elaborate pls? The idea of C & Mr E when gorgeous R exists was a huge fan ick for the diehard phans. ALW painted the gorgeous Grade II listed Adelphi black. www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/black-day-for-lord-lloydwebber-as-legal-threat-looms-over-theatre-paint-6459825.htmlAs mentioned above, the nitty gritty of "the night it all went down" lyrics and accompanying ick from audience. ALW / Directors changed loads of things, staging - originally it opened to Fleck huddled on a scabby bit of beach and being found and made to tell what had happened (the story of LND being as how Fleck recalls it). It was reworked to be curtain up and Ramin singing the Til I Hear You Sing - while people around me were putting phones away and that, frankly p*ssed me off. Loads more. Anytime someone types the PND I lose my mind. Have a look at West End Whingers and their review (search bar on their website) ... (I will not link as it will rage me).
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 22, 2023 16:18:16 GMT
I'd pedantically take issue with calling the London production a flop. I was at the first preview, I was at the last matinee (furious still I missed the last performance) and many (many) performances between the previews in February 2010 to August 2011. Just saying. Completely agree. Ran for 18 months. Was similarly there at the start and the end. Though it was certainly up there with Sunset Boulevard and Cinderella for backstage drama. Was quite the ride! Adored the Adelphi version though and found it way superior to the Aussie/Hamburg one! That set was stunning. OMG me too! I thought I must be missing something when everyone raved about the Australian version (saw it at a special screening I think the Really Useful put on). I thought ALW was spectacularly unfair to the London direction/cast & crew when he said he preferred that version to the UK version - there were so many changes to the London production I practically had whiplash. Putting the main song right at the beginning still doesn't work for me - people are just getting into their seats and settling in and getting into the vibe .... Anyhow. Back to the Drury Lane show .. I wasn't going to add my comments until tomorrow after the last show as I didn't want to put my thoughts (the pre-recording, other issues) but ... Christine's first dress looked like something Scarlett O'Hara would knock up from curtains, and what the heck with the dangly things hanging off her chesticles? Just me?
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 22, 2023 15:02:30 GMT
I'd pedantically take issue with calling the London production a flop. I was at the first preview, I was at the last matinee (furious still I missed the last performance) and many (many) performances between the previews in February 2010 to August 2011.
Just saying.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 22, 2023 12:19:53 GMT
Second row centre stalls. I really enjoyed this last night, I really did - it's been a long wait to see this performed again even with the "Concert" premise.
Delighted to see stage sets. Even more so to see costumes!
Celinde was excellent, I thought. Really very, very good. All the supports, too. I just wasn't feeling Norm at all. The opening song and the voice crack on the big finish made me wince. And I then found myself listening for flaws ..
And The Beauty Underneath was in comparison good, too good to be an in-the-moment performance, I felt, and found myself watching the mouths (as above comment); I'm sure that was pre-recorded.
And as for leaving before the Orchestra have finished - No! Stay to the last moment, absolutely worth it.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 22, 2023 12:05:24 GMT
Did anyone who was there last night think that The Beauty Underneath sounded pre-recorded with Norm lip-synching? I thought this during the song and then heard two separate groups of people during the interval saying the same thing. They were all sitting in the same area as me, so possibly just a sound issue… I thought the same! Looked over at one point the child’s mouth was moving out of synch to the music. Strange. Yup again.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 22, 2023 12:04:53 GMT
Anyone else feel Norm Lewis' voice wasn't quite up to par? Felt like he was struggling at times / didn't have the necessary impact? Celinde was amazing. Yeah, thought he was mostly very good but the two voice cracks on the last line of Till I hear You Sing kinda showed he was struggling at the top end of his range. Yup to both.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 20, 2023 11:53:23 GMT
I may have had better evenings at the Theatre in the 40 something years I've been buying tickets, but I hand on heart can't think of any. Yesterday were trips 6 and 7 this run, and I think I saw it 6 times last run; it's such a joyful show for me. Oh my word last night, played to an audience where clearly many had come back for the last night, was superb. As Jamb0r above, prolonged and enthusiastic applause after each song. Loud and rapturous cheers at the end that went on and on. I really hope the cast felt the love. Still feeling emotional - isn't a lovely thing where a piece of theatre touches you and makes a profound impact. It's a comical musical, OK, but it's got such HEART, clever witty lyrics, it's performed so well and by a terrific cast. I will admit to having a few tears through the last few songs too.
Walked out the exit closest to the Stage Door to have a looksee at what was happening and found myself ushered into a queue .. being a Brit I joined it although wasn't sure what for. And the cast that were willing to sign autographs and pose for pics made their way along which was an absolute delight for me. Tanisha Spring (Rita) was absolutely charming and engaged with several people, bless her. Andy Karl - what an absolute star - took time with people and chatted and was such a gent. I'd taken my 2016 programme off the wall in a hope of an autograph, he looked at it and said "are you sure (you want me to sign the front page) - it's so pristine". Like his autograph would somehow cheapen it for me. He was so lovely and I'm so glad I fought shyness to join the queue.
So sad it's gone, so glad I was here/there to see it. Again and again.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 18, 2023 16:29:08 GMT
Saw him in 2009 and loathed every minute I’m afraid. I just remember interminable screeching. He was under the impression he had this amazing rock falsetto thing going on. I remember it being brutal. It’s a no from me! I love the man, I love his twitter feed, but I also saw him in 2009 and it was, well, an odd night. Everything sang in the same falsetto, didn't feel much of the persona. It's not that I didn't enjoy the evening, I really enjoyed the songs, but - Most memorable about the evening was the fact that I was sat in front of Ronnie Corbett and his bejewelled wife and felt I should slip down in my seat so he could have a look at the bloke on the stage.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 17, 2023 13:28:59 GMT
Saturday Matinee : Groundhog Day Saturday Evening & Last Performance : Groundhog Day .....
Monday evening - Love Never Dies.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 15, 2023 17:26:12 GMT
Jekyll & Hyde - butn it with fire and then bury the remains in the deepest trench of the deepest ocean. Just so horribly misjudged when you have a wonderful story from which to begin. ....and it wasn'y purely a musical, more a musical/comedy/drama but if anyone at the National ever mentions reviving their absolutely fecking awful version of "A Matter of Life and Death" then I'll be voting for Tory budget cuts for the arts. I haven't seen a professional Jekyll and Hyde but I did see an amateur production where Hyde dry humped a dining room chair while singing. I remember nothing else about the show, other than a jaw ache from my open mouthed horror.... I do, however, remember something of the music of A Matter of Life And Death. I quite liked it ....
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 10, 2023 22:05:55 GMT
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 8, 2023 17:17:46 GMT
I saw La Cava on the other thread and had a touch of the PTSD's. I vividly recall walking out the doors and feeling I should throw myself under a bus.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 8, 2023 17:12:26 GMT
Did it a Miss Saigon a few years ago - guy in my row bang on centre front stalls (not front row, about row D or E), turned his phone on to check the time, then 5 minutes before the interval decided that was a time to scroll through Facebook. As people left for their ices or drinks I walked over and said to the young man "Was that your phone" - no, he pointed in a resigned fashion to the man sitting next to him - possibly his dad, and I said - and politely - it's really distracting. Oh, right, said the man, huffily, I only did it once. No, I said, you did it twice, it's really very distracting. It was once, he said and rolled his eyes. No, it was twice, you checked your phone and then you checked facebook, I said. That would have been enough if his wife, the other side of him, hadn't done a comedy "OooOooooOOo" and giggled .. I really think I might not do it again ... Repeating this because it's still in my head and I don't know that I'd be brave enough to confront the phone user again. After we'd had this confrontation *April 1st, 2015!* I walked back to my seat, and stood back to let the group pass by (phone offender, sarky wife, polite young man) off for their G&T's and the phone offender waved at me to move, full on both hands, loudly saying "move along"!... I said, somewhat startled, "this is my seat", and he huffed past. They went back to their seats through the opposite aisle. The arse. It's nothing new, but I do feel people now are - generally - more up for kicking off about stuff after Covid. It just seems to be the thing, with Twitter, with TicTok, up for a ruck.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 8, 2023 16:52:20 GMT
I've returned a last performance 2nd row stalls (showing on the Old Vic website), in case anyone is thinking of a last night visit. I do love me a last night (still going - and the matinee - you know, because I can).
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jul 31, 2023 16:25:47 GMT
Eve was on when I saw the show on Friday and she was great as Nancy. I was there on Friday too. I've seen this a few times (think that was number 5 of this run, + possibly 6 on the last run) and MAN the atmosphere on Friday night in the audience was amazing. The cast were superb. I mean, really electric, absolutely buzzing. It's a lovely thing to sit next to someone who clearly hasn't seen it before and all the lines and lyrics are new (bow to the lady next to me). I can't think there were any *understudies on Friday - however, on Friday the *Conductor had hair!! Changes - the "cow tipping was last month" has gone. Nothing else springs to mind. Each time I come away with a new appreciation for something - the lighting (!!), the staging, the dances, the flag choreography .... Loved Friday night (apart from small child in the audience at the end of Ned's song kicked off and had to be taken away).
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jul 21, 2023 10:30:06 GMT
Ahhh! This crap again! The three days I'm in London next week, bloody tube strike each day and I'm booked out in a Travelodge at Wembley to save a bit of cash so I'll have to rely on buses. I'm screwed, totally screwed! If it's Travelodge Wembley Central the Overland trains will be running (although probably mad busy) - Euston to Wembley Central, Travelodge literally above the Station (which you probably know). Other routes - Thameslink (Farringdon etc) to Hendon Overground, cross the road and a number 83 bus to Wembley High Road. Chiltern Rail from Marylebone to Wembley Stadium and a 15-20 minute walk (or that 83 bus again, don't cross the road). Make sure it stops at Wembley Stadium though! I was booked for next Friday night after another Groundhog Day at the Wembley Park Premier Inn, but I've changed it to Travelodge Waterloo.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jul 20, 2023 12:03:42 GMT
Matinee yesterday and lots of understudies on. Aimee Fisher for Nancy. Jasmin Colangelo for Joelle. Jacqueline Hughes as Debbie (her first performance, from Twitter, got a special acknowledgement at curtain call from Andy Karl). Zack Guest as Freddie (really enjoyed his performance). Started 20-25 minutes late due to "technical difficulties".
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jul 16, 2023 13:01:32 GMT
Fabulous info, thanks DaveB.
I'm normally a quiet life, sigh and get on with it person, but .... The customer service was poor - who tells someone you're no longer Row B, you've been moved to Row F - and stick smiley face on the email when you complain? Lack of response to emails, zero response to signed for letter to Gigantic on 03.03.23 - and my second signed for letter to STAR, cc Gigantic on 30.03.23 ... neither responded; telephone call message to STAR, message through the STAR website end of April finally got a response - then months of waiting for STAR to respond despite their "within 14 days" - it's just crap, isn't it?
I've got copies of everything, I'll compose something and then edit it probably tomorrow to cut out the whiney bits!
I'm got it in my head it's an age thing bearing in mind the bloke I've booked to see - it's Donny Osmond - the show is on Donny's birthday in December, there will be bunch of people going that I haven't seen since before lockdown (except those that came to my best friend & fellow Osmond fan's funeral 18 months ago) so I'm mucho emotional, to be honest, and the thought of Gigantic cancelling me and doing a refund makes me fretful.
Thanks again -
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jul 14, 2023 13:58:07 GMT
UPDATE - email received an hour ago (!) after sending yet another chaser through their website yesterday - following my request for an update on 06.06.23 and 30.06.23 after initially emailing them in April and May! And it's still "hard cheese".
Email says - The retailer have fulfilled their T&C's by offering me a refund if I am not happy. Quote - "Having reviewed this information, we can confirm that we are able to accept this dispute under ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution). However, after consideration of the information, we do not consider that we would be able to change the outcome for you through ADR ... "
I'm still grumpy, I'd purchased the tickets without really looking into what the different tiers involved, purchase confirmed within 3 minutes of going on sale at the price I was willing to pay. I was not interested in merch tat for the big money which is what I presumed the Gold £££ got, just wanted a good seat. I didn't see any information about what the Gold / Silver etc involved prior to the pre-sale (literally only heard about the tour the evening before) and the 3 minutes of the link going live and putting in the card details I'd bought them.
Won't use those B*ST*RDS* again (Gigantic* letters).
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jul 7, 2023 12:20:43 GMT
But yeah, it wasn’t a nice experience and I hope it’s not a common occurance. Bloody hell! Just !!!!!!
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jul 7, 2023 9:33:14 GMT
Young Marx at The Bridge Theatre (Rory Kinnear) Macbeth at The Barbican (Christopher Eccleston)
I think I gave both a good chance to capture my attention, but .... you know, when you find your head thinking about a nice cuppa tea and/or an early night during the first act, then why hang on in?
I can't think of any others, and I've been looking at stages for 40+ years. Maybe my tolerance level has changed.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jul 2, 2023 13:52:55 GMT
I loved Alex Gaumond in Seven Brides/Seven Brothers at the Open Air ... He's been in my head as a "UK" Phil. Damian Humbley as Ned, please. He'd be a great Ned.
I'm *thrilled* at West End transfer.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jul 1, 2023 15:25:21 GMT
I know this ticket thing happened in a time of extreme stress for me - new bathroom being fitted which was supposed to start on 6 Feb and actually finished on 6 May (awful workman, started day late, finished on the Friday at 8pm, new flooring hadn't arrived and was another 16 days .. with no bathroom sink - I could go on), but I was properly fed up of dealing with shoddy, shoddy workman and the blase office contact. A week after those works started I got home late from work - 9pm - to find this artist was touring and tickets were going on presale the next day .. checked the goss on facebook to find a friend had died really suddenly that day - had been reading her posts from her weekend away literally hours earlier. And. Boiler had stopped working a few weeks earlier and had a shocking quote from local plumber for new install (deemed existing boiler too old to repair, natch), which would mean new pipe work, flooring up, kitchen cupboards out etc - when my boss saw the quote he absolutely lost his mind (I adjusted the water pressure myself and old boiler started working again, and my boss is sorting a new for me).
I truthfully rolled my eyes at myself at Dave B's - why not use the @info email .. This week I've emailed two long-term contacts at clients to find they've gone. Perhaps my contact at STAR has gone, and there's a simple explanation and I'm not just the old bird shouting at clouds ....
For fairness the quotes from the RETAILER (excuse GIGANTIC ((hint to retailer)) text) in their emails:
1. Due to an administrative error your seats were mistakenly sold. You have now been moved to the correct seats for the Silver package.
(responded - Me having a moan)
2. If you wanted a guaranteed seat in the first 5 rows, you would have had to have purchased a Gold VIP package, Your seats are in the 6th row which is the best available in our allocation for the Silver VIP package, If you want to try to get better seats, please rebook through our website the new tickets you’d like. Once you have done this if you email us your new order number we can refund the original order at face value minus the booking fee. Apologies for the confusion (SMILEY FACE EMOJI)
(Me replying I don't want a refund and what the heck with your smiley face emoji).
3. Unfortunately, your seats were labelled incorrectly, those seats aren’t available as they belong to a customer who purchased the Gold VIP package, If you don’t want to take up the previous offer, we are happy to offer a full refund if you no longer want the seats you have been allocated, Would you like me to process this for you?
The phone call to them, I have notes and it really was condescending.
I've dithered about posting and I'm glad I did, thanks all. I'll keep the updates coming (if there are any). I did deal with one of the Directors of the retailer in a past employment - I used to run the office of London Flyposters until 2003 when Camden Council started issuing ASBO's (I still have my Court paperwork).
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jun 30, 2023 14:22:46 GMT
London theatre is fighting an uphill battle: - Anyone coming into London by train won't book except at short notice because of the risk of cancellations due to strike; - Even at short notice, operator incompetence (particularly the First Group franchises) means that trains often get cancelled for other reasons too; - Train services home from London after evening shows do not exist for much of the country, so you are looking at a hotel or matinee; - London hotel prices may be affordable to overseas tourists, but for those of us who still earn our living in Pounds Sterling whose value has tanked, we are often looking at £200+ just for a three-star hotel and often much more, which is crazy; - Energy costs had a big impact that hasn't entirely gone away; - Equity pay deals have matched inflation (rightly); - The resulting seat prices for a half-decent view are now unaffordable for many; - Those of us who are lucky enough to still have some disposable income left are being a lot pickier about where we spend it. It's a great pity for Aspects as it's very much worth seeing in my view, but I imagine many of Michael Ball's fans and casual listeners to his Radio 2 show will have checked out the inital pricing options and decided that it was not special enough to save up for and be unaware of later offers. This Aspects would sell much better on a tour where there are fewer obstacles in the way of actually getting to the theatre. A case in point - and not quoting the post above mine, but: I will admit to cancelling my Shirley Valentine for the very last show due to train strikes. Couldn't do it, drive in/drive home or overnight hotel - stress / mad expensive. ATG bless them refunded. I work in London 2 days a week and try to do an overnighter to incorporate a show on my night in London. Hotels are insane prices now, though - I'll Travelodge or Premier Inn out to Wembley (where I used to live) which can *sometimes* be the same cost as my train ticket + car park (Grantham). Re Equity/ticket prices - I'd actually not booked the Wiltons Mikado for Tuesday night after comments on this board about cast not being paid - went out to dinner instead after considering and rejecting costs for Op Mincemeat / Guys & Dolls. I had a bit of interest in seeing Aspects, as I hadn't seen it before. But reviews put me off - I'd rather spend my £ on another viewing of Groundhog Day which is a show that makes me very, very happy.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jun 30, 2023 14:06:25 GMT
Gawd, do you know, with all the festering and sulking I've done on this ... that is such a reasonable and well balanced solution ... I'm on edge over this and am properly taking it personally; the bloke on the phone at the retailer was so condescending, and STAR blanking my original letter and now not answering my email from earlier this month ....
Deep breath. Thanks DaveB. Have emailed the info@, and copied in the other STAR email. Thanks!!
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jun 30, 2023 13:11:02 GMT
I have a ticket problem (gig, not theatre) - anyone had experience using STAR?
Purchased tickets from a retailer who is a member of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR) in a pre-sale back in Feb 2023, got 2nd blooming row, well chuffed, paid my £££ and got the email confirmation through. Two days later email from the retailer saying they'd had an admin error and I'm now 6th row, 2nd row has gone to people who'd paid more £ (tiered ticket thing, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Plebs). I've missed the pre-sale, general sale is now on and rows 80+ are up for sale ...
I've contacted the retailer by email in February and March, and was told "tough". On the advice of Citizens Advice Bureau (they quoted breach of contract, not the tickets I'd purchased in good faith etc, by retailers admission it's their admin error, seats haven't been shifted around) I wrote polite letter in April 2023 to the retailer with copies of relevant information, sent recorded delivery - no response. Phoned the retailer and was told over the phone "tough" (and they don't open letters, he'd worked there 18 months and they don't "do" letters).
I contacted STAR in end of April 2023, and May 2023. They confirmed they've received my emails and messages on 9 May 2023 and would respond within 14 days. I emailed again on 6 June 2023, no answer. Now, I know 6th row isn't row 80+ and I should be happy, I guess, but I'm peed off I wasn't given the option of spending the extra £ to keep my original tickets, and the attitude I've had off the retailer over - *by their own admission* - their admin error. And cherry on the cake from STAR by not responding to me since 9 May 2023.
Any advice? Thoughts? Gig is in December 2023, I'd already booked the non-refundable hotel (Birmingham) the evening before the pre-sale tickets went on sale, going with a friend who was utterly delighted at the prospect of 2nd row.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jun 29, 2023 17:20:51 GMT
Being an old bird I went to the matinee yesterday - £33! - thank you very much! 3rd time this run, and I'm still finding little gems. The lighting made an impact on me this visit - it's so important to get the stage dark for the change/repeat scenes, but the falling snow too. I can't tell you just how much I'm loving this show. As BVM above, I can't find a weak spot, and for me the music, the lyrics, are in my head (and I was "1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8" stepping to the tube for ages after).
Busy matinee too, saw a bunch of school children heading towards the theatre but didn't hear a thing from them (would a few of those lines would be 15+ rating)?
Love it.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jun 20, 2023 9:18:04 GMT
"Is it a real Groundhog"? Followed by "If they use real children at Matilda it should be a real Groundhog". Said several times to several people by a grown woman.
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