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Post by SageStageMgr on Mar 9, 2020 5:36:38 GMT
Covid-Nine
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Post by SageStageMgr on Mar 8, 2020 15:00:47 GMT
Small stuff happens in previews. At a Palladium "Wizard of Oz" preview, Crawford went to put the shutter up at his window, it came off in his hand. He just held it there until the scenery went out. I could write a short essay on this, but solely from my own experiences if I tell a producer/higher up "this say, window blind is weak/cheaply made and will break" at a production meeting raise this, I have never been turned down. Often actors do inexplicable things with practicals, stuff they never did in rehearsal, but due to adrenaline/nerves are rougher than usual, then things break regardless of quality/cost. I've found that budget tightness for little expenses like that isn't really a thing in larger shows, but rather budgetary concerns are towards the much larger expenses - the actual fabrication/hiring of the set/costumes.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Mar 8, 2020 14:40:05 GMT
A long time ago before I started working in theatre, I ran theatre review blogs and regularly visited the Octagon. Incredibly underrated venue which put on some wonderful stuff, which I reviewed very favourably. I'm not sure if he's still there but the AD David Thacker was working miracles. I can't imagine it's easy to attract serious talent (Clare Foster was phenomenal in "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "The Hired Man"...) to the sticks, but he managed it.
It must be near impossible to get "proper" press in and I really wonder how many fantastic productions have played to tiny regional rep audiences when they could've been so much more.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Mar 8, 2020 14:30:12 GMT
Ooh the temptation to mess with his head and sigh loudly at bits that are obviously good or that he enjoys enough not to make notes about... I did just this with ALW two seats down from me at "Stephen Ward". Except none of it was obviously good, of course.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Sept 21, 2019 11:54:21 GMT
Seeing this today :-)
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Post by SageStageMgr on Sept 21, 2019 10:33:43 GMT
Saw the show last night ahead of closing today. Beautiful weather, first visit to the venue and I was very impressed. Staff very friendly and a sold out show - the atmosphere was electric!
I am a huge Evita fan and was very grateful for a genuinely fresh take; it is refreshing for a director to have carte blanche and not get trapped in the same staging. That said, I think in this production Jamie Lloyd’s good ideas are often lost under the weight of the ones which really don’t work.
The whizbangs and flashy lighting are fun showstopper moments and ideal for the venue. Are they ideal for this show? Can they replace old fashioned notions like having a set? I found this a very abstract production. Perhaps too much so, bordering on pretentiousness and delusions about how clever it is.
The problem for me is in stripping away the literalism of this show, Lloyd ends up actually hurting the narrative. Or in other words, stuff can look silly instead of metaphoric.
“Rainbow High” springs to mind; gone are full length mirrors, impressive quick changes and lush costumes - in with spray paint. Cue the Christian Dior and Lauren Bacall dressed “fantasy of the bedroom” shimmying around in a poorly graffitied nightdress.
Gone is the classic “Evita” look, short of a cameo in the closing seconds. This is the Phantom without his mask. Lloyd might argue he is deconstructing exactly who the real “Eva” was under the finery. A handheld microphone used to communicate her “public image”. A giggle, wink and gurn at the audience as she quips. “I don’t always rush in like this” - indeed - yes, we get it!
What was with Che and Eva drinking after every big number from strategically placed water bottles? Why am I thinking about that instead of investing in the characters and story?
This is the danciest “Evita” I’ll ever see. Which was a shame because was dancing was diabolical. Being generous I’d suggest the out of sync chorus must’ve had issues hearing the track, because it was as bad an ensemble performance as I’ve seen for a show with an otherwise excellent level of care shown in its production.
Samantha Pauly’s Evita will giggle as she knifes you in the back. She is petite, but otherwise bears absolutely no resemblance to Evita. She is shouty and shrill - but despite this she is still the wildcard of a weak cast. I didn’t quite know what she was going to do next; painfully blow another big note (“Buenos Aires”, “Rainbow High”) or absolutely knock it out of the park (“Peron’s Latest Flame”, “A New Argentina”.). She has a lot of the Idina’s about her. Sub-Elena Roger.
The slightly “less than gruff” Jon Tsouras was on as Che. He has a good voice, easily the best of the principal trio vocally. He lacked however in charm, charisma... or really anything to remember him by. Indeed, my lasting memory of his performance is being forced to sit in shivering in just his pants for the last 20 minutes, covered in a water-based paint substance. I wonder if this is what Mr. Tsouras always dreamed of when he decided to become an actor.
“Ooh”Ek-tor Rivera plays Perón just as a calculating cynic. He looks more like Che than Che does. Lovely accent and underwear model looks. Just like the real Peró... oh.
Why is Adam Pearce playing Magaldi? I know he has an “Evita” connection but, just why? He’s a bass-baritone for starters, never mind his “look”. (Although to be fair in this version it was made clear he is unpopular and unsuccessful as a heartthrob).
Frances Mayli McCann is lovely as The Mistress and, much like Lorna Want back in the 2006 Grandage production, ends up absolutely shining as a one-song-wonder.
I haven’t seen as much dancing around (badly) with balloons since “All the Fun of the Fair” but at least that had (albeit an old and croaky) David Essex.
So in all, glad I saw it - a fresh take and some brave choices from director Lloyd. But much like wearing your underpants on the outside (or stripping down to your pants in front of a thousand people and getting covered in blue and white paint) it might be “different” and make you stand out from the rest - but most people will still wish you hadn’t.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 25, 2019 21:19:08 GMT
”H” FROM THE POPULAR MUSIC GROUP STEPS
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 25, 2019 18:18:02 GMT
Reminder to all board members: please DO NOT post photographs of current productions in threads. It isn't permitted and could get this board into serious trouble with copyright holders, thank you for your co-operation. And it shows off how everything is really held together with gaffer and stage weights. Nobody needs to see that stuff,
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 25, 2019 17:47:58 GMT
I went to one of these “evening with” things once - and never, ever will again. I was at the Hannah Waddingham one at the Delfont Rooms many years back and it was ghastly. All the simpering, mincing smugness of the theatre “set” juxtaposed by the awkward, outsider fans who had actually paid to be there.
Absolutely cringeworthy. Alexander Hanson (who I love) did some Sinatra song, like your drunk Grandad doing karaoke. Can you imagine what one with CHF would be like?
A fantastic opportunity to pay to be closer than usual to your favourite “star”. A step up from following them from the stage door into the pub on a Saturday night - but only just.
No thanks.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 25, 2019 17:39:43 GMT
Well. I've always been partial to a fiddle on a roof but this one was particularly fabulous and I didn't have to brush up against a chimney for it! I always forget what a great score 'Fiddler' has and in this cast it's in safe hands. The band are AMAZEBALLS too. I almost threw on my kippah and joined in during 'To Life' and while they almost kneecapped several patrons on the front row, the dancers in this number are outstanding. The set is simple but effective and the 'Sunrise, Sunset' and the wedding sequence is just heartstoppingly beautiful, both in performance and lighting. And don't even get me started on 'The Bottle Dance' sequence. Oy! The cast are utterly glorious and Andy Nyman gives the best leading man performance in London's glitzy West End around, they should be throwing awards at him he's so good. Topol is so synonymous with the role of Tevye but Andy makes it his own and gives us a younger, funnier Tevye but still with a heart as big as an ox. He's matched by Judy Kuhn as Golde and that voice of hers is still a thing of glory. She's also so gracious to Andy during the bows, what a class act. There are also stunning performances from Molly Osborne, Harriet Bunton and Kirsty McLaren as Tzeitel, Hodel and Chava and even better are Joshua Gannon as Motel and Stewart Clarke as Perchik. In fact there's not a weak one among the whole lot of 'em. But that ending? Oh my. It breaks your heart. And I shall be heading to the Playhouse to see it again when it transfers to experience it all over again. Would’ve loved to have seen this, a guy Rob Maskell I once worked with is in the ensemble and is a brilliant actor and a brilliant bloke.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 25, 2019 17:21:52 GMT
I found “The Hutch” far too old 10 years ago - it was comical. Same with Jones, Dan Taylor and all the others in their 40’s-50’s playing kids for over half the show.
There does a come a time to say goodbye.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 25, 2019 17:18:09 GMT
Not sure if this has already been mentioned on here but this was booked with Harry Styles to headline, he has since pulled out. Barry Styles from One Aloud?!
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 24, 2019 13:59:18 GMT
Especially if a character changes race and ages 18 years without explanation
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 18, 2019 23:49:52 GMT
Just been at Company sat in the seat I’ll be in for the concert. E24. Legroom a go-go and a brilliant close up view. Is Alfie a spitter by any chance? You’d have to ask La Ball, those two are awfully good friends.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 16, 2019 16:09:45 GMT
Everybody is entitled to that little box in their head that says "tickle me here and I'm happy" and if Mr Barnaby needs tickling elsewhere, then it's great that something else out there makes him happy. And on a side note, I thank Mr Barnaby for his Beat-Baz-to-the-News insider knowledge. That said, I absolutely loved this. Some spoilers follow. . . Sure, it doesn't reinvent the wheel, or more specifically, it just patches up an old wheel with love and affection, and repackages it as musical theatre. But it works beautifully, because this show has a big heart and cares about everybody: (1) It cares about fans of the show: this show is packed with scenes and jokes and characters I remember from the show. The rendering of Rodney and Trigger and Boycie in this are nigh on perfect, and the other characters come close; (2) It cares about theatregoers generally, because this still all makes sense as a story that you can follow from beginning to end, which references both the beginning and the ending type storylines from the actual show. This is important because the first three seasons of the show were super jokey, and not conducive to a storyline, or characters, that could engage emotionally for two and a half hours. But after three seasons, one of the main actors died, his character died with him, remaining characters were deepened, and romantic story-lines for Del Boy and Rodney were introduced, expanding their horizons beyond provoking each other for laughs. And these expanded horizons inform the storyline here, and engage as a story; (3) It cares about musical theatre fans specifically, as in Raquel (Del Boy's girlfriend from the latter seasons of the show), this show finds a traditional "I want" character, someone modest and hopeful for a life beyond limited horizons, and her intro song "The Girl" is the perfect "I want" song, an utterly engaging and tender expression of the hope we all have for a life beyond our own lonely limits. Of course, her intro storyline from the show is thrown in for good measure, but this song strips that intro of it's inherent jokiness, and informs her progression through the story with the kind of deep emotional engagement that musical theatregoers tend to prefer; (4) It cares about fans of historical British music stylings, referencing in it's new compositions the cheeky chappy jauntiness of eighties style Madness, but also the cheeky chappy jauntiness of music hall and "Me and My Girl" decades earlier. Of course this cheeky chappy jauntiness was present too in John Sullivan's original intro and outro songs from the show, which become here a mash-up to form this show's principal theme: "Only Fools and Horses/Hooky Street." This bright cheeriness is balanced musically by more emotional original songs, like the aforementioned "the Girl," and well-placed covers like "Holding Back the Years" and "Lovely Day." (5) And for good measure, this show cares about human beings generally, about how short our lives are, how everything changes around us whether we like it or not. This show defies time while ultimately surrendering to it. SPOILERS. . . . It defies time by giving us a world where Lennard Pearce's Grandad can coexist with his brother Buster Merryfield's Uncle Albert, who in the show was drafted in after Pearce's death, both here played by Paul Whitehouse. It defies time by simply existing, if fact. But it surrenders to time in a glorious and poignant image of the characters overwhelmed by a backdrop of a future London they will never know, one which includes the Shard, which of course they instantly discount and disbelieve. The characters are framed in the past, they are part of that past, and they will stay there, just as we are framed in the soon-to-be-past for those who come after us. It's wonderful really. And so are many of the performances. Dianne Pilkington's sweet (and superbly emotive) Raquel is a catalyst for everything heartbreaking and meaningful about the show, her song "The Gift" as soft and soppy as anything in a Gary Barlow musical. Paul Whitehouse is at his beautiful best, muting his every mugging instinct to serve the characters of gentle dopey (yet sly) Grandad and boastful raucous (yet soft) Uncle Albert, and as a consequence he's terrifically funny. Equally funny are Ryan Hutton as whinging Rodney, Jeff Nicholson as brash Boycie and Peter Baker as single-minded Trigger who are all effortlessly accurate and funny in their portrayals. Baker is also inadvertently moving in the accuracy of his portrayal, given the show's underlying theme regarding the passage of time, as Roger Lloyd-Pack, whose comic perfection as Andrew Aguecheek at the Globe I was lucky enough to see, recently passed away, and Baker looks so very young as he brings Lloyd-Pack's Trigger back to us. There are flaws to the show. Sometimes the need to rehash old comic bits trumps story progression. For example, Boycie's sudden trip to a sperm clinic seems utterly unrelated to anything in the story, and is there simply to rehash an old laugh from the show, but ultimately, even that can be forgiven, as there is a hilarious Pythonesque image associated with this sequence. Also, many old laughs fall flat now as the plot can't pause enough to give them shrift. And Tom Bennett's Del Boy struggles to connect for the first twenty minutes just because Bennett has the impossible task of filling the shoes of Britain's best-loved actor in the prime of his comedy life. And though he doesn't have David Jason's instinct for a punchline, Bennett makes his Del Boy work as well as anyone could. All in all, this is a fabulous show that will run and run, as like a Jack of all trades, it may be the master of none, but its often better than the master of one. 4 stars from me. I’ve just booked off the back of this excellent review, thank you.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 15, 2019 21:19:20 GMT
I think when it's a "name" they often don't do photos as if someone is selling a signed item an accompanying photo makes the item more authentic. I also like when people insist on writing "to ...." on the autograph to prevent it being sold. It's also really nice for the genuine fan to have a personalised item. I think you're right about the photos which is kinda sad for the genuine fans.
I don't mind dedicated autographs...they're only for me!
Just an experience on this - I split up with my ex-partner of 10 years. Every photo with people, including performers, and every autograph was dedicated to both of us as we came as a pair. When we split up this made the items’ personal value essentially zero to either of us...
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 15, 2019 20:35:47 GMT
I went to buy tickets for a few upcoming shows at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow on my lunch the other day and I noticed two older gentlemen standing near the stage door with bundles of programmes for different shows. On my way out the theatre, I noticed that there was a lady standing, chatting, laughing and happily signing the bundles they had. It was Jodie Prenger who was on her way in for a matinee. She seemed almost jovial with these two punters who had clearly been waiting on her turning up. Not often you see someone wait at stage door before a show, is it? Jodie is really nice from anecdotal and personal experience. I wasn’t there but my friend who is disabled and uses a wheelchair was actually helped into her car by Jodie, who stopped to help her. My friend wasn’t there to see Jodie Prenger specifically but it was a classy gesture from a very solid and, in my opinion, hugely underrated performer.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 14, 2019 21:39:15 GMT
I think mrbarbaby is fixing a drainage problem in the lower field. ‘I wouldn’t know about that, sir.’ Which-potato-is-turnip-just-fennel-as-garlic-well-because-carrot-I’m-broccoli-just-cauliflower-a-suede... hunka hunka burnin’ love!
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 14, 2019 20:24:28 GMT
Rose’s Turn made us red, Violet Beauregarde went blue Miss Honey is sweet, Love Never Dies blew
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 14, 2019 20:17:18 GMT
Alfie Boe is doing the more convenient shows to be fair. I'm seeing him, I live on the South Coast and prefer to do Saturday matinees. But also I hate to admit this but I'd not heard of John Owen Jones and had heard of Alfie Boe. I'm not a hard-core Les Mis fan, I've seen it once before now, and I'd call my general musical theatre fandom pretty casual until recently. Similarly I cared enough to book to see the original Les Mis again before it closes but didn't even think to book the last night. I guess there's quite a lot of people in my position, where they recognise it's a big deal that it's ending in it's current format but haven't thought about being there for the last night. I appreciate your honesty actually and it’s refreshing to hear an opinion from someone who is clearly passionate enough about shows to join and post here, but who may not be as obsessive as some of us (myself included). I’ve said to everyone’s boredom hundreds of times on here and it’s predecessors over the years, having seen most of them in the last 18 years or so, John Owen-Jones is the definitive Valjean. I strongly recommend you see him if you can.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 14, 2019 20:12:21 GMT
Not sure. Has he seen it? Have you seen it madam? Eh? Where’s me washboard? (Sorry, wrong Paul Whitehouse project - I’ll get me coat) I think mrbarbaby is fixing a drainage problem in the lower field.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 14, 2019 20:01:01 GMT
So some thoughts...
I find the show enormously repetitive and it reminds me musically of some of ALW’s other (better) works, particularly Sunset Boulevard. I found the story largely watchable but the characters somewhat unsympathetic. The performances were fine. Jerome was indeed weird, as I hoped, but not laugh-out-loud bad. He actually had a certain odd charm to him and I thought he was very well cast. He really was the quirky, strange Uncle!
Elsewhere, I rather enjoyed the performances and the cast certainly left nothing behind.
I did not enjoy the plink plonking piano arrangement, which was wafer thin. Again, I understand it is purely financial reasons which force such decisions but it really hurt the score.
Truthfully I don’t think this show really has much going for it. It isn’t “marketable”, the characters are very hard to like. Having a flawed hero in Alex is all well and good, but despite the show’s length and recititive nature, I came away feeling only Rose and George’s characters had any sort of journey.
“Anything but Lonely” stole the show. A break from the tedium of constany leitmotifs perhaps, but that was clearly the big number of the show. Not “Love Changes Everything” which is repeated to the point of irritation. Brilliantly performed, it was my biggest take-away until I got a big take-away afterwards.
Despite the budget production, a lack of musical oomph and basic staging, it was the show itself I had qualms about. It’s just not to my tastes.
I’m no prude. I just truly didn’t give a toss about anyone except Jerome and even that was for purely fan-ish reasons. “Anything but Lonely” aside, there wasn’t much to remember.
I felt some moments were just plain weird in the storytelling too; time passing wasn’t adequately explained, for one. A character walks off, then a new scene starts and I have no idea if this is the next day, 2 years later, or why their relationship has changed. It felt like an adaption of a novel, despite the way too lengthy run-time.
I giggled at the mincing, twirling scene changes, which felt almost comically over the top. Like a wilful pastiche of the essence of theatre. They looked stupid, which made me laugh.
2*’s until “Anything but Lonely”, which made it 3*’s... but Jerome was in i, so 5*’s and a RAVE from me.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 11, 2019 8:45:37 GMT
I was wearing a grey hoodie but I don’t match that description! 😂 That’s a matter of opinion. Single...? 😜 😂😂 which one were you?
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 10, 2019 16:00:54 GMT
I’ll be at tomorrow’s matinee with a dear friend in the wheelchair seats. @theatremonkey Steve what’s the disabled seating and access like mate? I’ll also be hanging around with a pint for a selfie with Jerome either before or after. Big fan!! 😂 Ah, were you the rather handsome man in the grey hoodie? I was wearing a grey hoodie but I don’t match that description! 😂
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 8, 2019 20:04:28 GMT
If you’re in come up and say hi - we don’t bite!
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 8, 2019 20:03:33 GMT
I’ll be at tomorrow’s matinee with a dear friend in the wheelchair seats. @theatremonkey Steve what’s the disabled seating and access like mate? I’ll also be hanging around with a pint for a selfie with Jerome either before or after. Big fan!! 😂
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 8, 2019 17:33:58 GMT
What I’m most amazed about is that Michael “One Step Out of Time” Ball is playing Javert. It just seems so wrong on every level. Anyone seen him lately? Is he Michael Balti or Michael Ballet at the moment?
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 8, 2019 1:55:38 GMT
The least said, the better. He was... bizarre! Ahhh I can’t wait!!! I’m not too familiar with the show (despite having seen it on tour - David Essex was in it and had an absolutely hilarious fake heart attack bit). Is Pradon doing the same bit? Why do I suspect this is going to be really special?
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 8, 2019 1:52:42 GMT
I'm sorry to say this but I hated it. I never thought that ALW could write such a monotonous and repetitive score... the performances were mediocre in my opinion, apart from one that was really hilarious - even though that wasn't the intention. It's one of the few times that I really wanted my money back. Was it “my boy”? Please say it was. I’m loving the sound of this more and more with every post.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 7, 2019 22:01:22 GMT
It needs more instruments - a couple of pianos is not enough. Staging was OK, but see this for the two female leads. They are what makes it worth a visit (not the blokes though!) And Jerome?
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