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Post by dizzieblonde on Apr 21, 2020 18:15:23 GMT
DMT have offered me an option of a full refund or a credit note for my Mary Poppins tickets in May. Does anyone know what the restrictions and risks are on a credit note - how long do I have to use it? The website has no information on these - are they treated like gift vouchers?
I just can't figure out what to do - the only sweetener offered to take the credit is a year's membership for the DMT+ (worth £35 according to the website). Is it worth it, or is the situation too fluid even to hold onto a credit note with an expiry date? I know that the fair thing for the theatres is to allow them to keep my money, but I have concerns that this is my only opportunity to make my choice. If I decide to take the credit note, I'm fairly sure that's irreversible. Has anyone had any experience of changing their minds, and getting anywhere to get a credit note turned into a full refund?
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Post by dizzieblonde on Apr 14, 2020 18:10:01 GMT
Does anyone know what the next ALW musical is going to be? Also, the B'way livestream is going out pretty late at night UK time - I can't see any indication that the show will be available after the stream ends, any idea?
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Post by dizzieblonde on Aug 31, 2018 7:40:10 GMT
I have to echo the votes for Premier Inn - unless I'm combining a business trip (and so getting accommodation on my company's expense account!), Premier Inn is the one I'll consistently choose. The one near Euston station (there's another just a few minutes walk away towards Kings Cross on Euston Rd) is fantastic. The staff are brilliantly friendly - not the most usual occurrence in London, I've found - and the breakfast (with discount vouchers) is great value.
Another person mentioned it, but it's worth saying - look at hotels located in the City or Docklands, if you want to get a weekend bargain compared to their weekday rates. Those business centric hotels are pretty much deserted by Friday night, and heavily discount their rooms pretty regularly. Slightly more expensive than the budget chains, but I've had a 5-star hotel room for just £20 more than a budget hotel! My favourite is the Grange hotel chain - there's one near St Pauls cathedral that has a separate 'aparthotel' block just down the street. Really lovely studio room, with a mini kitchen (very useful) and easy walking distance from various tube routes, as well as bang in front of the cathedral, so plenty of eating options!
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Post by dizzieblonde on Aug 30, 2018 8:26:23 GMT
I'm curious to know exactly where Harry and Meghan sat. I've seen a couple of pictures and it looks like they were sitting somewhere a few rows back in the Royal Circle but, notably, not on the front row - for obvious lack of comfort reasons! That really should tell everyone all they need to know about the awful seat layout in the theatre, that they can't even offer honoured guests - or the shows own creator - front row circle seats, because they're so f-ing bad!
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Post by dizzieblonde on Aug 28, 2018 21:03:01 GMT
It did feel like the judges and presenters were going through the motions a little bit - Sandy and Noel looked particularly bored, and not really engaged in it all. The loss of Mel'n'Sue is keenly felt this year, even more than last year, I have to say. It's only the consistency of the contestant casting that gives the show it's attraction. Kim-Joy, Briony and Terry are my early favourites, Karen and Manon are marked down as the 'annoyingly perfect ones' so far, and Ruby is clearly the 'weekly meltdown' contestant, who can't cope with the timing restrictions!
Let's face it, no one would actually make wagon wheels in real life - a giant faff, and the cost of the ingredients is likely way more a packet of Burton's version, which is less than a quid for 6! Mind you, it's possible to say that about everything baked on the show. I still love it though! It's the start of autumn, for me, getting my pj's on, and watching the show with a (bought) biscuit and a cup of tea!
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Post by dizzieblonde on Aug 3, 2018 23:12:23 GMT
Do you think Ruthie will only do a few performances? I would love to see her in action! I'm sure she came all the way to London with the intention of playing the role throughout the rest of the run. Given her physical limitations (I didn't know she couldn't walk unaided still - what a trouper!), I'd bet they've already set up her schedule with an eye towards Naoko and her splitting the performances fairly evenly between them. I certainly can't imagine she'll be allowed to push too hard, especially with all of those extra double show days coming up in September. I'm going in September, and will love to see either Ruthie or Naoko in that role - rather selfishly, it's Kellie that I'm relieved to see is scheduled to perform the day we are going! Regarding Kellie's rather late announcement about the dates she won't be performing, it is a bit naughty that these dates weren't publicised earlier. She even tweeted, just a few weeks ago, that there were no additional scheduled dates for her to be off, and then she goes and announces quite a lot, for such a short run. Did she have a pre-planned reduced performance schedule during the B'way run? If not, it's pretty unfair to those ticket holders, who bought in good faith, only for the lead (in a very short run production) to announce lots of days/performances off extremely late in the day.
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Post by dizzieblonde on Aug 1, 2018 10:07:55 GMT
Avenue Q is also touring in 2019. I hadn't heard anything about the Book of Mormon tour - when is this happening?
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Post by dizzieblonde on Jul 30, 2018 19:04:58 GMT
Bought my ticket a few weeks ago so hopefully no bad reveiws, but I bought Row H Seat 1 of the Royal Circle because the seat in front and back of it are full price and supposedly full views, but this was marked restricted view and sold at that price. I’ve seen the show over 5 times now here in the states, so know I’ll miss action on the left balcony, but was wondering if there’s something specific about the seat that makes it restricted and not the ones in front or behind it. My brother sat there, when we saw the show in May (I was in one of the side boxes), and he said it was a great view. There is a very slight overhang of the level above, but not enough to really impede the view. I wondered if there were issues with being on the side, but he said he could see all of the stage, except a tiny bit of the far right balcony. I guess it's enough to classify it as restricted, but definitely not enough to affect your enjoyment of the show!
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Post by dizzieblonde on Jul 26, 2018 11:12:28 GMT
I saw the film last night and enjoyed it. I'm not sure I liked it as much as the first film - that plot was all over the place, and wafer thin - but the songs are incredible, and the cast were clearly having a whale of a time! Lily James carried that film all the way from beginning to end, she was a revelation to me! I've not liked her in almost everything she's been in, and I'd written her off as an entirely one-note actress, trading on her prettiness rather than her ability! Not any more - she was great, and captured a lot of Meryl's essence in her performance, as well as having the best voice in the cast (save for Cher - obviously!).
Cher was hilarious, and the segue into Fernando was ridiculous and perfect! I wish we'd got more of her - it felt like there was a missing plotline with her and the young Donna - but I suppose the grand entrance, and the camp value dialling up to 100 at that exact moment, was enough for the film! I knew about Meryl's cameo beforehand, and still cried, I'm such a sap! Best number of the film was Andante Andante - I'd entirely forgotten about this gem of a song, and instantly remembered it from my mum playing the ABBA albums throughout my entire childhood! Gorgeous song, really well done. I did have some gripes about the music production values - a few of them sounded slightly 'cheap' if that makes sense - but that was a song that felt true to the original, and worked well because of it.
Just one last thing - when will Hollywood films employ men who can really sing (excluding Hugh Jackman, obviously)?! Broadway and the West End are packed with outstandingly talented men, young and old, and still they choose guys who can only just passably carry a tune (and Pierce is still a croaking frog, bless him!). Part of me wants to believe it's deliberate, and that it's a film designed to specifically showcase female talent, but it's so depressing when I see so many outstanding voices on stages around the country, and almost none on screen!
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Post by dizzieblonde on Jul 22, 2018 21:38:55 GMT
I'm just wondering if this still holds true? Kelli was nominated for a Best Actress Emmy, in the short form category. That's a category awarded at the Creative Emmy ceremony, a week before the Primetime Emmy's. Has there been an word if she plans to attend the ceremony in Los Angeles the weekend of 8/9th Sept, missing a few performances around that date, or if it's just too many shows to miss (and just too far to travel), during this short run?
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Post by dizzieblonde on Jul 15, 2018 9:13:43 GMT
I’m excited by this! The opera house has become my local recently with more and more tours now including a stop. The only problem is so many shows look lost on that stage and it’s often half empty due to the sheer size so hopefully this will go some way to rectifying this. Although it would be nice to see the Grand get some more tours, this explains why Selladoor have been going there over the grand which would be more suited imo. I agree - Blackpool has been getting some good shows in recent years, but the Grand Theatre seems to be losing out on a lot of shows that would, on paper, be tailor-made for a theatre of its size. Like I said, the Opera House is far too big for many of these tours - even just a week's length of a tour there means the need to fill 3000 seats per show - an impossible task. I'd say most touring shows have managed about 800-1000 seats filled (balcony closed, rear circle mostly empty and large gaps in rear stalls). Selladoor giving favourable business to the Winter Gardens, perhaps even loss leading, in advance of the Pavilion deal makes more sense now.
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Post by dizzieblonde on Jul 13, 2018 9:55:51 GMT
The entire Winter Gardens complex is being redeveloped over the next few years, so its great that the Pavilion is being included in this renovation. It's a lovely space - I've been to a couple of events there in the past - and you can see what a beautiful theatre it once would have been.
Perhaps they'll also refurbish the Opera House whilst they're at it! I was there a couple of weeks ago, to see 'Beautiful', and I was frankly horrified at the state of the theatre. Actual chunks of plaster missing from the walls, flaking paint everywhere, plus a weird hole in the auditorium floor on my row, bodged up so that you sank into a sizeable dip as you walked over it!! Perhaps the Pavilion will take precedence over the Opera House for some touring productions. The Opera House auditorium is just too large, IMO, for many of these shows. It's great for the one-night gigs (and any time Peter Kay comes to Blackpool!) but the other shows fail to fill it in a fairly embarrassing way!
The Grand Theatre, Blackpool, is a wonderful place - beautifully restored, and a Frank Matcham gem of a theatre - but it's exciting to think that Blackpool will perhaps, once again, become a town with a multitude of outstanding live theatre venues, and even more choice for us locals to find good theatre, without having to schlep to Manchester or London to access them!
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Post by dizzieblonde on Jul 6, 2018 20:34:05 GMT
When dressing for hot weather, ladies are generally advised to wear loose-fitting lightweight garments. The hoops can be pretty hefty, but if the dresses are made of the right fabric, then it's certainly going to be more comfortable than, say, tight-fitting jeans. For all that the hoops would have been a certain weight to carry, the fact that they held the fabric away from the legs, as well as the loose fitting linen undergarments (with a rather large strategic split!) would have ensured maximum air flow to keep their bodies cool. As you say, wearing natural fabrics would also have helped. It sounds counter-intuitive, but very lightweight wool garments would have wicked sweat from the body, and kept someone a lot cooler, than the synthetic mix fibres we are used to today. As for Kelli's slightly short skirts, I imagine that's been done for assistance with her dancing. For all that historical accuracy is great, these women would have had to hook their dress trains up in order to dance (either through their wrist with hooks or by bustling them).That's not feasible for this show, so they've made them a little shorter so that the skirts don't risk tripping her in the fairly energetic dance numbers.
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Post by dizzieblonde on Jun 18, 2018 11:15:46 GMT
I am sure it’ll go to someone in house at the BBC, but I would like to see someone like James O’Brien do this, I’m sure he could be more impartial than he is on the radio for a gig like this. Doubt it!!
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Post by dizzieblonde on Jun 18, 2018 11:12:27 GMT
Agreed - Kirsty is one of the very best journalists and presenters around today, and is the chair that the programme deserves, if they have any sense. Thank god Jeremy Vine has signed up to take over from the Matthew Wright show, otherwise I suspect he would have been the lead option, given he is for almost everything these days! Kirsty Wark is probably the other leading candidate - again, a monumentally talented journalist and presenter. I'd guess it's time for a female presenter though - sure it's 'PC', but there are a plethora of talented women, who could easily do this job.
I just hope whoever she is, she's ready to chuck unruly audience members out, as Dimbleby once did, or able to control insane panel members with firm rebukes! It really is the end of a (very) long era though - there's been a Dimbleby on the telly since TV started! I'm guessing this also means he won't be anchoring election nights - at nearly 80(!), those long, long nights are a bit much - they're a bit much for me and I'm decades younger! He retired from that once before, and got persuaded back. He might not be persuaded any longer - especially if no snap elections are called before the next scheduled general election in 2022.
I wonder if a New Year's honour will be on the cards now? The Dimbleby's were a bit out of favour with the royals, after Jonathan's book about Prince Charles, but there aren't many others to whom the reason 'services to broadcasting' are more deserving. He might also feel he can accept once retired, given I suspect he's adhered to a pretty strict, self-imposed sense of journalistic impartiality.
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Post by dizzieblonde on Jun 11, 2018 9:34:30 GMT
It's a fascinating topic, linking obsessive fans with the paps and gossip news. It really is an 'industry' all of its own, and is a treadmill that appears to be hard to get off, for those obsessive fans. It is a form of addictive behaviour, IMO, where the news cycles and internet feed the addiction, and the fans push harder and harder for more intimate access to the actors' (and other's) lives. I suspect you really could write a thesis on whether stage-dooring is some kind of gateway drug to the fans having excessive expectations about the availability of the stars and their private lives!
However, I think the kind of fandoms that surround stage actors are significantly more innocuous than those of TV or movie stars. Always 'fun times' when those two intersect, and the fans who are normally held back from any physical interaction by the remoteness of film and TV, find opportunities to see their obsessions in the flesh - literally sometimes. I've never seen worse audience behaviour than when Daniel Radcliffe was doing Equus at the Gielgud - that was years ago, but spoiled the play entirely with the awful fans that were there, and they then created utter mayhem at the stagedoor afterwards. I felt so sorry for Radcliffe, just imagining the problems he must have had to deal with, just to lead his life! Of course, some people think because they're paid vast sums of money to do their job, that all rights to living a trauma-free live are given up!
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Post by dizzieblonde on Jun 4, 2018 11:50:10 GMT
They rarely raise the height of the Palladium stage, and my guess is that it will not change for this, as I can't ever recall the show having a revolve? If it is regular height, B will be fine. I'm sitting in that row anyway and am happy to take the chance. Thanks - the front rows seemed fine from my estimations of the theatre, but I just didn't know the logistics of the specific show. I'll definitely be booking this soon!
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Post by dizzieblonde on Jun 4, 2018 11:04:48 GMT
Does anyone know, or could estimate, what the stage height is likely to be like for this production? I know people have commented on the orchestra likely being in view rather than covered, but how do we think that will impact on the first few rows? I had an awful view from the side stalls (not that far back either) last time I was at the Palladium, so want more central seats, but don't want to be stuck in row B or C. not able to see anything because the conductor is blocking the view and the stage is too high!
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Post by dizzieblonde on Jun 3, 2018 20:19:36 GMT
I wonder what they didn’t show us in this film, saving some for a future film.... Hopefully there's an extended cut for the DVD (if they release one). I'd enjoy watching hours of them just talking and laughing!
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Post by dizzieblonde on Jun 3, 2018 10:01:01 GMT
It was a fantastic documentary, and all 4 women are absolute towering legends of their craft, over the past 50-60 years. I actually didn't realise that Joan Plowright had the same macular degeneration condition that Judi Dench has (or that Maggie Smith's separate condition meant she was near blind in one eye - her comments that there were 'only 3 working eyes amongst us' and her offering around of her hearing aids, were hilarious, though! I wondered about the cinema screenings, in advance of the TV showing. Could this be in aid of qualifying the documentary for specific awards? I know the Oscars have incredibly rigid rules about documentary screenings, and I would have thought the showing on BBC2 would automatically disqualify it - unless it's been shown at a film festival somewhere beforehand (I don't think a UK cinema release is enough). Anyone know? Whatever the case, this goes straight to the top of my list of documentaries of the year. I hadn't seen any advance press about this, so stumbled upon it by accident - very happy I did! I cried with laughter at Judi's story about the hornet sting to her bum - the idiot young paramedic treating her like an incapable old woman (and not recognising Judi Dench - what is the world coming to?!), asking '...and do we have a carer?'; Judi: 'F*ck off, I've just done 8 weeks in The Winter's Tale at the Garrick' was legendary stuff!
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Post by dizzieblonde on May 31, 2018 18:11:05 GMT
I'm curious about the number of pro dancers, they've lost one man and one woman, still got Neil Jones (who ought to be partnered this year and added 2 more men and a woman. That means there's 8 women and 10 men, strangely imbalanced, unless Neil is continuing to sit out the main competition, and at least one of the new guys is being hired for 'troupe' purposes, along with a girl. There've been 15 couples for the past 5 years. I wonder if they are increasing the number of competitors (and extending the show by 1 week), needing 3 spares seems to be major overkill.
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Post by dizzieblonde on May 16, 2018 21:02:47 GMT
Totally my guilty pleasure show - it's addictive! Like others, I am amazed at the insanity of some of the dresses, and the (over)reactions of their relatives and friends. You can always tell the early season episodes from the later ones, as the earlier stuff ran like what I imagine was a 'normal' dress appointment - you know, 3-4 dresses, a woman who vaguely understood what she wanted, and who'd brought her mother and a couple of best friends, for moral support.
The later series have insane women, who have the most unachievable demands possible, accompanied by 15 of their 'closest' friends and relatives, all mugging wildly for the cameras (and, yes, the voting paddle thing became de rigueur after a while!!!!)! The 'Bridesmaids' version also introduced me to the slightly bemusing concept that American brides make their bridesmaids pay for their own hideous frocks! Seriously can't understand that one - a woman asks her friends and relatives to be part of the wedding, and then makes them pay for the 'privilege'! And everyone falls out over the dress choice anyway! That's the version of the show with the most obnoxious bridezillas, but the original is insane.
I've also been suckered into the southern one (Atlanta), which seems to be populated with 21 year old girls aiming to please their fundamentalist christian daddies (who you just know have an extensive fire arms collection) whilst they're trying on the lowest cut dresses possible! That one's good for a laugh!
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Post by dizzieblonde on May 10, 2018 16:42:58 GMT
Apologies for another seat question, but Ticketmaster aren't being too much help at the mo. Anyone know what the restriction on the low end of Row H in the dress circle is? Apparently they're the only seats in the dress circle with an obstructed view but then they're cheaper because of it...just wondered if anyone knew why just those couple of seats and how bad it may be? Thanks! Two of our party sat in the two end seats of row H (1 & 2) on Saturday, and had absolutely no issues with sight lines. I think the only comment was the very slight overhang and a tiny part of the far right of the stage cut off, but not enough to really impede the view of anything on stage. The verdict was good seats, that are very easy to get out of the auditorium to the bars etc, as well as being very close to a small (hidden) Ladies loo at the top of the stairs of the dress circle, on that side!
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Post by dizzieblonde on May 7, 2018 15:27:32 GMT
The box itself (Box D) was restricted viewing - there's no escaping that - for anything on the far left of the stage, but being so close to the stage offset that inconvenience. Being able to see the performers so close (you feel like you're nearly on top of the stage there), gave a fantastic perspective to the experience. A couple of moments missed on that side of the stage are fine with me, if they're keep that box priced at that level! My rear stalls seat, from my last visit, is now priced way higher than that box, and was the far inferior seat. Looking at the pricing chart, both now, and when the prices increase again in August, it's hard to fathom that the box stays the same price, and yet they are increasing almost every standard seat (not premium ones, or the few side aisle ones) in the stalls and royal circle to £100. My recommendation - go for the box seats, if you want a comfortable theatre experience, combined with being able to see the performers up close! There's that tiny disadvantage of losing a few lines/moments due to the restricted view of the extreme side of the stage, but what you lose there makes up in so many other ways, not least that they are a total bargain now, compared with most of the rest of the theatre! Thanks for this. I’m sitting in Box D in September (price was £57.50 each) and was wondering about the restricted view - so far I’d only heard about the more expensive Box C. Taking my housemate for her first time and she needs leg room as recently had an operation, so this was my only shot of getting her to come, As long as your friend can manage the flight of stairs to the royal circle level (there's no lift), it should be a far more comfortable experience, in that there is so much room in box D to spread out. I remember looking at the old theatre plan, back when Billy Elliot was playing, and they put 4 seats in that box! So, even between box C and D, box D is bigger and offers the most room per seat of any of the boxes in the theatre, now that there are just 2 seats. The extra cost per ticket for Box C is purely for the very slightly better angle of the box, that means there is just a bit less missed from the side restriction. Honestly, I'd rather have the complete bargain seat in box D any time!! The £17.50 difference in ticket price would buy me (maybe!) a couple of drinks in the interval!
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Post by dizzieblonde on May 7, 2018 10:10:53 GMT
This was more than just singing higher or lower notes than normal. It was like she was singing completely different songs at times. I didn't dislike it, particularly, but in a world where the performers are always drilled to sing to the score it is an unusual departure. I thought her acting was fine, yes, it's not going to win awards but this role can get away with it. I saw her at stage door after and she was raving at how much she was enjoying it. Clare her usual shining star. Flawless. Emsemble incredible. Never put a step wrong. I did miss a couple of the standout ensemble boys who have left. I liked Ashley but there was something missing for me. Phillip just had that extra special something that made him stand out. First time watching the show from upstairs, am usually in the front row. Loved the new perspective and saw lots I don't normally see. The staircase unravelling from up high is pretty damn spectacular. I'm in agreement with all of this - except I saw it from the front row, and was just blown away with the show. Without question, the hardest working ensemble in the West End, and certainly the hardest working leading lady, which isn't Lulu, no matter what they try and do with the curtain call! I've never experienced a situation where the applause and cheers have been louder for the person not being presented last in the curtain call. The sound level actually (to my ears on the front row) audibly dipped as Lulu came on for her bows (she sure does milk them, doesn't she?)! I have a horrible theory that the Oliviers didn't pick Clare, in part because her own show doesn't declare her to be their leading lady at curtain call time! Clare is spectacular in the role, thoroughly deserves all the praise already said on this thread, and really should have been elevated to be give the final bow at curtain call time. At least the encore gives her the rightful front and centre position as the curtain falls. As for the Lulu controversy, I'm afraid I have to agree with the detractors. She doesn't ever attempt to style her performance - singing or acting - to the requirements of the role. It's Lulu singing, never ever Dorothy, and there's only a couple of songs that even suit her vocal abilities, the rest are just poor versions of what the songs should be. I'd have liked to see Sheena in the role, and am hopeful that the replacement will be a good pick, not just some stunt casting - which Lulu clearly is, on the evidence of the show I saw. I know the show is coming on tour, and I'm certain Clare won't be on it, but I think I'd like to see it again, just to see the role of Dorothy Brock done decently! I'd also like to see a Dorothy who's not tottering around the stage on 5 inch platform heels, in an attempt to make herself look a bit taller! What were they thinking letting her wear those shoes?! Saying all that, it's the ensemble pieces that are the real triumph of this show, and I was suitably impressed. It is an incredible spectacle, with just joyful dancing and incredible choreography. I could watch that opening, with the utter thrill of just the tapping feet visible, over and over again!
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Post by dizzieblonde on May 7, 2018 9:34:32 GMT
So, I saw the show on Saturday, with Ash, and have been able to digest it and compare it to the performance I saw with 99% main cast in December. My opinion is that Ash is better than Jamael. I really enjoyed Ash's vocals (it may have just been the show I saw, but Jamael was off-key several times), and I think Ash got the 'scrappy, argumentative' aspect of Hamilton absolutely spot on. Ash seemed to meld well with the other cast members - My Shot was better than the first time I saw it, and his duets with Rachelle were more emotionally believable. When I saw Jamael, he certainly wasn't emoting to the back of the stalls (where I was sat), and the performance read as wooden to me.
Miriam-Teak was a servicable Angelica (great soulful voice), but she struggled with enunciation at times, whereas Rachel's version was impeccable. Seeing other cast members for the second time really solidified my opinions of them. Obioma is spectacular, his stage presence is mesmerising, and his voice is so beautiful that I could listen to him sing forever! Honestly, I think he's the best thing on that stage, possibly the best Washington (I love Christopher Jackson's performance, but Obioma is incredible). Rachelle is still pure Disney princess in the first act (this is deliberate, I'm sure, and is a perfectly valid choice to play Eliza), but seems to have developed more in the second act, and now has a wonderful depth to her performance. 'Burn' was much, much better to watch this time. Jason Pennycooke is still an annoying Lafayette, and improves when he switches to Jefferson, but I'm not sure anyone can match what Daveed Diggs did for this role - the vocal style was tailormade for Diggs, and every other actor who has to follow him, has to reach a ridiculous standard of speed rapping. The result, twice now, is Pennycooke delivering the rapid fire songs with just too many mumbled lyrics. If you can't hear the words he's saying, you lose so much of the song. But his Jefferson is so entertaining, and the vocal demands slightly less, so it becomes a better performance later in the show.
As for the theatre itself, we were extremely late getting into the theatre. 2 of our group got stuck when they closed Victoria station for a fire alert! They ended up having find an alternative route and then speed walk from much further away, managing to get there for just after 2.15pm. Luckily, this proved to be a bit of an advantage - the queue to get in was short and quick, toilets were basically empty, so we dashed in and out. The Royal Circle merchandise stall was completely free, and we purchased a couple of things, before strolling round to our box and settling in, mere moments before the performance started.
The box itself (Box D) was restricted viewing - there's no escaping that - for anything on the far left of the stage, but being so close to the stage offset that inconvenience. Being able to see the performers so close (you feel like you're nearly on top of the stage there), gave a fantastic perspective to the experience. A couple of moments missed on that side of the stage are fine with me, if they're keep that box priced at that level! My rear stalls seat, from my last visit, is now priced way higher than that box, and was the far inferior seat.
Looking at the pricing chart, both now, and when the prices increase again in August, it's hard to fathom that the box stays the same price, and yet they are increasing almost every standard seat (not premium ones, or the few side aisle ones) in the stalls and royal circle to £100. My recommendation - go for the box seats, if you want a comfortable theatre experience, combined with being able to see the performers up close! There's that tiny disadvantage of losing a few lines/moments due to the restricted view of the extreme side of the stage, but what you lose there makes up in so many other ways, not least that they are a total bargain now, compared with most of the rest of the theatre!
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Post by dizzieblonde on May 3, 2018 21:59:14 GMT
Did the notices mention the reason for Lulu's absence? I'm trying to figure out if she'll definitely not be performing tomorrow night, or if she might be back. If it's illness, it's often not just a single performance missed.
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Post by dizzieblonde on May 3, 2018 21:56:24 GMT
I think I may have sourced the issue with this show’s pricing after a discussion today. It’s a show that embodies diversity in its cast and creative team, but it isn’t made accessible for those who need to see it most. The people represented on stage who would gain lots more theatrical confidence from seeing it can’t because the pricing is too high. Coming from a rural and diverse area with a lack of frequent diversity in theatre, I feel like there’s a big mistake there. I think in NY they did some sort of generous ticket offer for school and low-waged/unwaged people. At least I think that's what I read. I just assumed, given LMM's social conscience that the same offers would be happening here. In the US, each company does regular low cost performances for schools, and they are pretty socially engaged with the local communities. CamMac seems to have resisted any urge to do the same in London. Another difference in the US, is that they deliberately rolled out touring productions very quickly after the Broadway one - something you rarely see over here. Again, this was because LMM wanted the show to be as accessible as possible, not just to people who could afford the huge costs of attending the B'way production (mind you, even the US tour tickets are horrendously expensive, in comparison to the average UK price). I suspect the difference in pushing for disadvantaged groups of people to see the show, is that Miranda considers the show to be his personal crusade, Mackintosh sees this as a purely commercial venture, with no social responsibilities attached (at least at the moment).
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Post by dizzieblonde on May 3, 2018 13:30:50 GMT
I'm going tomorrow - I wonder if Lulu will be on then?!
BTW, the official blurb says: "Please note, Lulu will not be performing on Thu 29 -Sat 31 March, Wed 16 May, or Fri 22, Sat 23 & Sat 30 June". - so it's either an additional holiday, or unforeseen circumstances. Anyone got a clue whether it's illness/injury?
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239 posts
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Post by dizzieblonde on May 3, 2018 8:37:42 GMT
Not sure if it is the case here but shows really seem to be stopping performers tweeting when they are on these days and it's becoming more and more common. Very sad. I'm not sure I understand that. Hamilton's own twitter (for example) seems to be happy to announce understudies, so why can't the performers themselves tweet about it? Are the performers in violation of contract, or something, if they announce they're performing a particular role that night?
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