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Post by londonmzfitz on Dec 5, 2016 17:20:08 GMT
Highs - in order - Groundhog Day, Sunset Boulevard, Funny Girl at the Savoy. Special mention for Harry Potter, Comedy About A Bank Robbery.
Lows - The Entertainer, Dr Faustus, Guys & Dolls both Savoy and Phoenix (won the Phoenix tickets), the Spoils.
Next year I plan to travel a little more so am going to be way more selective in what I see. In fact I haven't got one musical lined up as yet; 2017 = Kite Runner, Don Juan of Soho, Rosencrantz and The Ferryman - all plays, which is very unlike me. And a second viewing of Harry Potter from a much better seat!
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Post by londonmzfitz on Dec 5, 2016 14:20:58 GMT
Awww, just out from seeing this. It's such a delightful show with a great cast. Agree with some of the comments on Scarlett. She was very good and very endearing but she didn't blow me away. Les Dennis seemed to be overdoing his dialogue at points but I warmed to him in the end. Rest of the leads were excellent. The set was beautiful and costumes were nice enough, though I preferred the men's to the women's. Only element I was unsure on were those wigs. They looked a bit plastic-y and the curls didn't look brushed out enough. That being said, I was in the front row. Further back perhaps it wasn't so noticable? Of course the story isn't the strongest but at the end of the day it's fluffy festive fun. Absolutely delightful! Ah, how could I have missed the wig comments? 'Cos I was scrolling quickly past Parsleys hate. I was front row too. Nylon wigs. Tsk! Wonder if the discontent fellow next to me was Parsley ....
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Post by londonmzfitz on Dec 5, 2016 11:14:26 GMT
Generally I am not a fan of projections. I don't think the technology is there yet really. It mostly is a lazy way to create different scenes or ambiance. The Woman in White projections at the Palace Theatre ( mentioned above) were dreadful!! Who will ever forget the cast "walking" up the animated stairs. The cast were dwarfed by performing in front of what appeared to be giant IMAX screen. The stage lights "bleaching out" the projected light.Just dreadful. When I read the title of the thread I immediately thought of the Woman in White at the Palace and those appalling stairs, where the cast skipped upstairs and how the audience - as a whole - tittered. Tittered!!!! But then the train in the same show was - for me, where I sat - incredible. I think projections on stage it's place, but has to be done in a way that avoids tittering. The HP projection - we "wowed" at that, one of the stand-out pieces of the show(s).
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Post by londonmzfitz on Dec 5, 2016 9:54:10 GMT
Saw this on Friday night. I thought it was very pretty. Well performed throughout. Well acted for the most part (Les Dennis could do with more gravitas as Mr Maraczek and the accent is awful). Kathleen Kingsley and the adorable Callum Howells as Arpad are the best things about the show. That little Welsh lad is one to watch. He's adorable.
No mentions from anyone about the ghastly wig that Scarlett wears? Jeez, from front row it felt like it needed it's own animal trainer in the wings. Unnecessary, surely. Special mention for the costumes, generally lovely (the Where's My Shoe - I have those shoes!!).
Nice Christmassy show, glad I've seen it.
And lovely too to meet Phantom of London *waves*
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Post by londonmzfitz on Dec 5, 2016 9:36:28 GMT
Ditto to Steve above.
No romances, no uncomfortable bickering, no two-faced b*tching. No playing to camera (well, I think Martin did a fair bit). Sad Danny Baker didn't last longer, he make me laugh. I really liked the last 3 and would have been happy with any to win. Scarlett is a funny little thing and I hope lots of good stuff comes her way. She's got a radio DJ contract with Capital Radio - that can only be good for her.
It's been a joy.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Dec 1, 2016 11:32:17 GMT
Yes, Barking In Essex was pretty bad but at least enjoyable for me, in part, because of its cast. Even though it was pretty recent, I'm really struggling to find any part of The Entertainer that I enjoyed at all. Ditto to both above. I'd throw Dr Faustus in there too, altho I enjoyed Kit Harington's bum and the lovely Jenna Russell.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Dec 1, 2016 11:26:31 GMT
Hppy Brthdy TM. I often find friends telling me I should check the theatremonkey websites for tickets when they find out I love the theatre. Great resource, great guy.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 30, 2016 14:30:00 GMT
Ah, for a dislike button ...
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 30, 2016 11:13:19 GMT
Did anyone else sing descant harmonies when they were younger?? Carols like Once In Royal Davids City, Hark The herald and Oh Come all Ye faithful have fantastic harmonies to them. Having been brought up a catholic, the only time i'll step into a church now is for carols. I had a little kid - 4 or 5 - singing We Three Kings last night in Asda's. His mum was in the changing room and he stood in the doorway and sang to me and the lady on the till. Melted my heart.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 29, 2016 22:50:19 GMT
Programme also has some of the costume designs, which are mostly lovely.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 28, 2016 12:26:05 GMT
Friday night - She Loves Me. As I work near London Bridge I'm going to stay late and decorate the office so will be in a lovely Christmassy mood
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 25, 2016 14:43:40 GMT
Comedy About A Bank Robbery for me, haven't seen it since early previews.
I've found myself with at least 4 sets of tickets for stuff in the past, not so much this year. Was looking at Half A Sixpence but seats offered seem pretty far back and not that cheap. I'll hold out I think.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 22, 2016 9:14:01 GMT
I went to The Palladium last Sunday (3rd row, fabulous seat) and to Brighton the following Tuesday (front row, fabulous seat).
I loved this, found it hugely entertaining. Plugged the album shamelessly, it's gone Silver (so I read on a fan site). Michael Ball has a lovely voice and is charming with the audience. Alfie Boe blows him out of the water in terms of vocals, giggles a lot and comes across as very sweet.
There are plans to release A Thousand Years as a single, I believe. I loved the show, the backdrops throughout, the Bond medleys. Great entertainment.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 21, 2016 23:28:14 GMT
Was a couple of rows behind you, Westendclub. Love the set, especially wow at the end. Costumes are just terrific, male and female. Bling bling bling! Amber Riley is stunning in the role, as the lights went up in the interval I was drying tears -as were the 3 women next to me, and a woman in the row behind. She's not just voice, her performance really touched me. So good to see an audience rooting for the show, great buzz at the beginning. And how I loved Adam J Bernard as Jimmy Early - gave a great performance.
Few things need work, where the applause should fall naturally sometimes crashes into dialogue. But the positives - Amber - wow.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 19, 2016 9:56:31 GMT
Anyone going to the first preview? Me. Row B stalls. Now I'm excited!
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 19, 2016 9:42:00 GMT
They've just shown this on BBC Breakfast News (Saturday) as filmed from front stalls.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 18, 2016 16:35:31 GMT
In my head I queried "Carol"? God I'm old .... But there's a sparkle in my eye after watching this ...
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 17, 2016 10:34:18 GMT
I've returned my ticket for Saturday night (last performance at the MCF) as I'm a sick bunny. Heads up in case anyone wants it.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 17, 2016 10:32:43 GMT
And Saturday night is Travesties. I've returned my Travesties ticket as I'm a big snotty coffy thing. Wait and see if they managed to sell it on.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 17, 2016 10:30:55 GMT
No suggestions, just a note to say I'm madly jealous of you seeing the Groban live Have a great time and report back! I was raving about how sweet Michael Ball was with fans at his Meet & Greet with Alfie Boe on Sunday at The Palladium. Someone I used to work for sent me this message the following day re The Groban ... I went to see the new Josh Groban musical when I was in NYC the other week with his tour manager and his business manager. It opened last night. It was a fantastic show. Weird but really good. Anyway, we popped into his little (and I really do mean little) dressing room afterwards, it was more like a broom cupboard, and he was the most self deprecating, lovely person. Apart from the fact he ripped the piss out of my accent something awful! (does a very good Scottish accent too). I always like him when I see him interviewed, and they (TM & BM) both say he is THE nicest person they've ever worked with. Thought I'd share.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 14, 2016 11:02:15 GMT
The Entertainer Saturday night - wonder if there's a snowglobe left I can pinch .. Sunday night is The Palladium with Mr Ball & Mr Boe. Be still my aged beating heart Got my snowglobe, just in time for the C word that I refuse to mention 1st December. Tomorrow I'm off to see Mr Ball and Mr Boe in Brighton. Sunday Night at The Palladium was just fabulous, they have such a rapport, great set list. Alfie can out sing Michael but Michael is such a showman. I loved it all. Smitten moggie. And Saturday night is Travesties.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 14, 2016 9:57:17 GMT
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 14, 2016 9:41:31 GMT
Michael Ball and Alfie Boe at the Palladium last night, their second (and last) night there. Introducing the next song, Michael made comment as to news stories in the last week, said they had sung this song the previous evening with a nod to the American election and a man had walked out in disgust ... www.metrolyrics.com/tell-me-its-not-true-lyrics-the-blood-brothers.htmlMade me laugh.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 13, 2016 0:09:23 GMT
The Entertainer?
Trades Description Act
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 10, 2016 16:59:25 GMT
I refuse to pay those prices and have told all my friends not to go and that it is a bad musical in protest. The Elf effect needs to learn from the Harry Potters. Too expensive and you price yourself out of the market - especially if the set doesn't do loop the loop of Madonna isn't in it! (You get my drift!) Vote for worst post of the year. Hey, throw a temper tantrum a'la Violet Elizabeth Bott and scream and scream until you are sick.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 10, 2016 13:50:12 GMT
ldm2016 makes a very fair point. Quite a lot of the voters who are being castigated for the way they voted are in just such a situation s/he describes, ie a close-knit predominantly white community that either has factually been, or perceives itself to have been, vastly changed by immigration. It's not just about your neighbour having a different skin colour (which clearly would be racist). It's about pressure on local council services, the NHS, schools. The political response so far - on whatever side, other than UKIP and the far right - has been to either ignore the problem hoping it will go away, or criticise those raising concerns as 'racist'. It should surely be clear to anyone that if you fail to ignore a problem in that way, then the people who are being criticised and/or ignored will register their discontent in the only way they can - voting in an extreme fashion. I suppose they think, 'Maybe NOW they'll listen.' So it's even more ridiculous when in fact even then the elite don't listen - they just shout 'racist' even louder. I'm not taking sides here. I'm just saying that, objectively, the evidence does suggest that this is the issue - we've seen it in the UK, we've just seen it in the US, and within a year or two when voting rolls around again, the news seems to suggest we'll see it in France, Germany, Italy etc also. The handwringing political elite/journalist class etc don't need to suddenly swing to the far right, or swing to the far left. They just need to stop, listen, make a considered judgement, and then come up with solutions, rather than curse people out and hope they'll go away. Ah, articulate post clears the fog. Got it. Ta. Except. I was actually born in a Council Estate in Kilburn, brought up in a street of council houses in Willesden, educated in Harlesden; I've lived all my life (still live) within the London Borough of Brent, *Brent was the first local authority in the UK to have a majority black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) population. In the 2011 Census, 63.7% of the population were BAME. By contrast, 14% of people in England and Wales and 40% of people in London were BAME. (source intelligence.brent.gov.uk/BrentDocuments/Brent%20Diversity%20Profile.pdfDoes this frighten me, do I feel my community has been "decimated". No, this is my community.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 10, 2016 13:33:41 GMT
Wait - What happened? I was doing some stuff, stepped away and now I'm supposed to be ashamed of having a view because I wasn't brought up in a council estate ...
Eh?
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 9, 2016 23:33:37 GMT
I'm so glad I started this thread. Although the consensus here is heatedly pro-Clinton, it's been nice hearing everyone's views Donald campaigned aggressively I regard this thread as not being Pro Clinton but Anti Trump. It's done, the fat lady has sang, tomorrow's chip wrappings. But lessons simply must be learned. This has been a nasty, personal attack campaign. No one is leaving this squeaky clean. The next President of The United States of America openly ridiculed a disabled man trying to do his job. Disparaged the parents of a dead serviceman and when pulled up about it didn't apologise but did it again! And this isn't historical stuff like the puss-y grabbing stuff, this is the last few months while campaigning. Aggressive campaigning indeed but not classy. Admire him, stand when he enters a room, hold his picture up to your kids and say if you work hard this could be you. But everyone should know they should and could have done very much better. I don't give a hoot about Hillary Clinton and the whole First Female President; it should always be the best person for the job regardless.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 9, 2016 17:29:58 GMT
I wonder how long it will take before Pence is president. A year maybe? Secret Service detail assigned to Trump - never a braver man/woman.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Nov 9, 2016 12:15:11 GMT
The Entertainer Saturday night - wonder if there's a snowglobe left I can pinch .. Sunday night is The Palladium with Mr Ball & Mr Boe. Be still my aged beating heart
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