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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 7, 2019 21:55:39 GMT
A “semi” insider’s view:
It is worth mentioning that personalities play a huge part in casting of shows. If you know the right people and are of limited talent you may “get on”. Particularly if you’re on your knees or bending forward with decision makers. If you’re supremely talented and could go so much further, but are a nightmare to everyone, with HR involved multiple times for instance, this may work against you. I’m not suggesting this is always the case. People may very well think that. I’m not commenting as I don’t have any info about this specific case. Speaking generally though, if we think about our own jobs - if it’s in a shop, a call centre, an office - people are people. People will hire people they like as people. In theatre, as I’m sure loads will know here, the audition is part of the process. Verbal references decide the casting process.
Some performers can be absolutely brilliant but may treat people (by people, it could mean co-stars, ushers, stage crew, anyone) very poorly. If this behaviour isn’t corrected, even the most talented of performers can find themselves “out of favour”.
It’s all about playing the game a bit and business needs. Much smarter people than I could come up with a clever formula; personality>talent=work or something but I’ve seen casting decisions I can’t explain.
Personal opinion; JOJ is the best Valjean out of the 25+ I’ve seen live “in the wild” and based purely on that is the best in terms of both acting and singing. He is definitive in my eyes, speaking purely as a fan.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 7, 2019 21:40:53 GMT
The same people who moan about this situation are the ones who are queuing up to give their money.
It’s always the hardcore, the fans who are let down.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 6, 2019 21:29:12 GMT
Think of Norma Desmond's face and eyes saying ' I'm still big, it's the pictures that got small' and that is Jerome's performance in the Southwark Playhouse. I’ll see how the matinee is before booking the evening as well.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 6, 2019 21:23:44 GMT
I am definitely more excited about the ticket buying experience than I am about the actual 'concert' lol. #ThrillSeeker In all seriousness though - I'll be booking a JOJ performance. He was stunning in the 25th tour. He and Hans Peter Janssens were the best JvJ/Javert pairing I’ve ever seen. John Owen-Jones is brilliant (and knows it). What a voice yet equally as talented an actor. Amazing nuance when he wants to.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 6, 2019 21:17:48 GMT
Seeing this Sat mat mainly for Jerome. PLEASE tell me he gives his usual understated and subtle performance? He’s one of my favourite performers. 100% theatrical entertainment in everything. Yes he does. And if you happen to be in Southwark station during the show, you'll still be able to witness the subtlety of his performance. More info needed. xxx
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 6, 2019 21:16:55 GMT
Seeing this Sat mat mainly for Jerome. PLEASE tell me he gives his usual understated and subtle performance? He’s one of my favourite performers. 100% theatrical entertainment in everything. There's NOTHING understated and subtle in his performance in this. Sorry! Brilliant!!!! Can’t wait!!!! Tell me more?
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 6, 2019 19:23:16 GMT
Seeing this Sat mat mainly for Jerome. PLEASE tell me he gives his usual understated and subtle performance? He’s one of my favourite performers. 100% theatrical entertainment in everything.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 6, 2019 19:16:39 GMT
Can someone explain to me, as you would a child, in simple terms what is going to happen? And please only if you actually know for yourself
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 6, 2019 8:25:30 GMT
I saw this a few weeks ago. I’ve written extensively about Les Mis throughout this thread, it’s a show very close to my heart and probably my favourite ever. What I saw was the worst cast since around early 2005, when it was set to close. At that point they brought in an entire new cast and resident creative team to rescue it - and it worked, thanks to the likes of John Owen-Jones and Hans Peter Janssens. Two top quality stage performers with exceptional voices, experience and presence. It has been going downhill for years now, but this was a new low. Everyone is SO young. There was no finesse, no pacing - it was just nonstop rushing. This show has been taking liberties for nearly a decade with younger and younger casts, faster shows with more cuts and everything in fast forward, higher ticket prices and smaller bands. Frankly, after 100+ visits to Les Mis all around the world, this production really deserves to close, because the producers have lost the creative meaning of the piece and my respect.
I can’t see, short of a full blown 2005 massacre and reboot, any reason to see this production again.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Feb 6, 2019 8:19:20 GMT
Gutted, but not surprised. I can’t be bothered to go back and quote the relevant parts of my posts and responses. When I saw it last year I opined that the show looked on last legs, with extremely dubious casting and an influx of much younger performers in key roles and the emsemble. I predicted closure within a year. I was told I was being dramatic, but it was always going to happen - in my near-century of LM visits around the world, my visit last autumn was comfortably the worst.
Not that I’m happy with this. I enjoyed the tour previously and it made a refreshing change to see new sets, costumes and touches of new direction from Laurence - a really strong cast (JOJ and Earl Carpenter) and a mixture of experience and youth in the ensemble. But I really did miss the revolve.
The casting of Ball as Javert, however temporarily and in a “staged concert” version (whatever that means), I take as a tacit admission of failure with the current casting policy.
Finally, this whole situation is a mess in my mind. I’m still a little confused about what is happening. The run can no longer be “continuous” if there is a month break. If it’s a fully staged concert it is a different production. If it’s a different, new “full” production that reopens, it shouldn’t count as continuous anyway.
So it closes in July at the Queens, rests for a month, opens as a staged concert in August for 16 weeks, then the touring production goes into the Gielgud?
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Post by SageStageMgr on Nov 27, 2018 16:52:50 GMT
If Dearman isn’t even doing stuff in town to be close to her family, I doubt she’ll do anything on tour.. Louise has a history of touring to be fair, with Evita and Guys & Dolls to name her more well-known touring credits. Loathed her in Evita, she was solid in Guys & Dolls though.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Nov 27, 2018 15:05:42 GMT
Finally, nobody actually voted for Evita. She was the wife of the president who led a military junta in extremely volatile times. She was a hardcore socialist in an outright fascist government. Yeah, but she had a nice singing voice... I love you.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Nov 27, 2018 14:18:17 GMT
Guys, I just heard Evita will be playing the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre next year! You heard it here first!
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Post by SageStageMgr on Nov 27, 2018 14:16:01 GMT
Terrible news. That's Phantom out for another year.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Nov 27, 2018 14:02:24 GMT
There are tons of interesting books about the real Evita for those who are interested.
The musical is based off a book by Mary Main, which was hyper critical of the Perón's, as she grew up in Argentina with a British ancestry I believe. There are portions of the biography which have been discredited and disproven beyond doubt. However, the sentiment is accurate. Perónism did indeed bankrupt society - that is a key point.
But Main's novel, and therefore the famous musical it is shaped from, have indelibly imprinted on us the lasting legacy of Evita as we know it. Well, "we" outside of Argentina - in her homeland she is still worshipped by many as the Goddess she was pitched as towards the end of her life.
In short, I've read three books and watched countless documentaries on Evita and Perónism and I'm still none the wiser. Like Thatcher, Perónism seems to be entirely subjective to one's political opinions - marmite.
Although I would say, if one looks at the results, economically and from an ambassadorial perspective, they don't come out of it well from an international democratic perspective. They did of course enable the 'ratlines' which allowed thousands of German nazis and war criminals to escape to South America. They gave free harbour to same and refused extradition - and committed their own atrocities of free speech upon their own society.
Finally, nobody actually voted for Evita. She was the wife of the president who led a military junta in extremely volatile times. She was a hardcore socialist in an outright fascist government.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 31, 2018 21:44:54 GMT
“Desperately underwhelming tour gets worse each time!” - they should put this on the posters.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 31, 2018 21:43:49 GMT
I’m back for a 2nd viewing this week. First time seeing Leo Tavaro Valdez as the Engineer. I quite like him. He reminds me a little of Jon Jon but then not as he has his own spin on the character and i’m A fan of his comedic delivery. At times I feel Ashley Gilmour gets swallowed by the music and he doesn’t seem to be in control. But he has some lovey moments with his Kim. On Monday I saw Sooha, my 2nd time as I saw her in London when she was the understudy. But tonight I’m seeing Ayrand Ferrer who is quite sweet yet powerful and her acting is very good. Sunderland has Tam’s who are all girls and it looks like they’ve had their hacked off in the cruellest way. I thought tonight’s Tam was going to cry in i’d Give my life for you. The tempo of the music does seem to have been speeded up since London but i’m still very much enjoying it. Not their HEAD hacked off, I beg of you?!
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Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 24, 2018 20:33:19 GMT
Has Valdez started in this yet?
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Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 17, 2018 11:40:22 GMT
The woman playing Cosette happens to be black and they felt she was the best person for the role this time around. So why does having a a white young Cosette matter? In Billy Elliott, they had a black and Asian Bill with a white father. People survived and it didn't lead to the premature closure of the show. While discussing race is worthwhile, I feel like there are overtones to this critique that aren't fair to the performer or the performance in general. Are you saying they should have a black young Cosette and then if Amara is out, make sure they put a white little Cosette on to match? As you know, that wouldn't happen. Its called suspension of disbelief. In Joseph, some of the 12 bothers were black and Jacob was white. People didn't lose thew fact that they were still related in the show. I know people hold this show very close to their hearts but people need to relax a bit and just enjoy the piece for what it is and the amazing message that we need more than ever right now. Once again: The reason is matters in this particular case is because the actress in question is portraying the SAME CHARACTER, in a plot central role, who a few scenes earlier had been a little girl of a different race. The actress who is supposed to be her maternal mother in the story also bears no resemblance whatsoever. In the context of the story, it makes absolutely no sense. I reiterate, for the third time now, that my issue isn't that she is a black Cosette, but rather that the casting of a black Cosette within this cast, in the context of the story, simply makes no sense. Zero. Please try to forget any preconceived ideas of my opinions of race or equality, and look at it in simple, non-partisan terms. The example you gave of Billy Elliott is near-identical to the one I gave about Gary Wilmot in Chitty, as I'm sure you know if you're replying to my posts on this matter. Just a reminder, in case you actually hadn't read my reasoning, this is absolutely fine as it in no way distracts or detracts from the telling of the story. What would be weird though, would be if half-way through the second Act the car changed into a pink minibus without any in-story explanation whatsoever. Incidentally, Billy Elliott is now closed. In its old theatre is a hugely successful and diversely casted show called Hamilton, about a bunch of dead white guys. It's a good show. Not historically accurate, but in French revolutionary times people didn't burst into song while fighting on the streets, so 'willing suspension of disbelief' is ALWAYS in play when visiting the theatre. Both tell a good story in their own style and both are phenomenally popular. Having re-read my original post (the review) I do feel I perhaps wasn't harsh enough as to how poor the performance was in general terms. The actress playing Cosette (I assume that's Amara? I'm not on first name terms with the cast there), was okay. Quite a good voice. Nothing special; out of the Cosettes I've seen, she'd be in the bottom third - by no means the worst. There were far less convincing performances elsewhere talent-wise. As for your Joseph point, once again, does it matter if the cast are made up of different races, heights, generations and so forth? Absolutely not. The story gets told just fine regardless. I appreciate people get very sensitive (squeamish almost) when anybody mentions anything to do with race. For the fourth time, unless critical to the plot ala Hairspray (a show explicitly about race issues), anybody could potentially play any part in my view - as long as they were talented and right for the part performance wise. What would really piss me off would be a completely random little white child playing Cosette for a song in an all-black cast, then nobody ever mentioning it again. It's taking liberties with the show and being incredibly self-indulgent. As I say, I don't think she was even anything special in this show.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 12, 2018 18:22:10 GMT
Re: my review a few pages back, I must be one of the only people here who really enjoyed this! And I went expecting to loathe it!
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Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 12, 2018 18:20:48 GMT
l]I wonder if they're having to frantically re-write the book if they were expecting to be able to use certain songs? They’ll have to give the monkeys at typewriters overtime and bonus bananas! And who will pay for THAT?
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Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 12, 2018 18:17:36 GMT
I suspect this will be garbage, but I also suspect I’ll love it. I love some cheap trash from time to time. As long as I’m not paying £75 for it.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 11, 2018 7:14:28 GMT
(Both of us, by the sounds of it)
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Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 11, 2018 7:13:41 GMT
Crumbs. Only listened to the cast recording for the first time yesterday - which I thought was meh. Maybe context will change my opinion when I see it, like has so often happened in the past!
But I’ve got to say that rendition was not at all flattering, struggled to make it to the end.
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Company
Oct 11, 2018 7:09:16 GMT
via mobile
Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 11, 2018 7:09:16 GMT
Does Arwen do the thing with the horses?
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Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 11, 2018 7:08:45 GMT
Tell me something I don’t know...
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Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 9, 2018 1:36:21 GMT
I know it's sacrilege to say it but 'Only Fools and Horses' kind of passed me by and I can't say the times that I have seen it have made me laugh that much. At least the great unwashed will all be flocking to see it so they might not be at any of the other theatres in London's glitzy West End so every cloud and all that. ‘The great unwashed’? Wow.Please tell us that was a jest and not a genuine statement. If meant as it reads in that quote, it does seem a little unkind and dismissive. I’m a theatre bod and I happen to also really like Only Fools and will see this - but I wash regularly. I’m assuming a joke or something got lost in translation because Ryan wouldn’t mean to be offensive 👍
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Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 9, 2018 1:32:58 GMT
Duncan James seems to be quietly carving out a good stage career for himself and if he can pull off Frank ( no pun intended honky tonk|) could be very good as the role. I think Joanne will be fun as Janet too. Hopefully they get someone good as the Narrator. I liked it because of the handjob reference.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 8, 2018 19:51:09 GMT
'Company' on Thursday night. Please do share your thoughts on the Company thread in the Musicals board.
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Post by SageStageMgr on Oct 8, 2018 19:49:09 GMT
Today the penny dropped, like an apple upon the head of Newton. I was reading posts on Twitter earlier on when Climate Change was trending (it's not hot anymore, Strictly IT2 is now far more important) and the reckoning is that climate change is down to the perpetual need for growth, in both industry and business. The need to linearly increase profit annually has driven this situation. This powerful desire to fuel growth is the root of the issue. HOWEVER! The UK has it sussed. We're going to be saviours of the planet and pioneers of the process. It's all clear now. By triggering Brexit all growth will cease and industry across the UK will grind to an unprecedented low. We won't be able to afford our luxurious holidays abroad, so the amount of plans flying in/out will drop. Our imports will drop due to rising costs, clearing the Channel. Fuel will exponentially rise in cost, again, so people will use less. It's genius. Why didn't we all realise this was the incredibly intelligent, fore-thinking plan of Cameron and co. Anyway, more seriously. I'm increasingly conscious every day of the implications of my activities on my carbon footprint. I now walk to work instead of driving (partly down to moving 45 miles closer to work) and Tram it to regular hospital visits I require instead of driving now. But I live alone, so I'm less economic with some resources than say a couple or a family. I'm constantly conscious of not leaving lights on and being economic with electronics - trying to get more people in work to turn their computers off overnights etc. I watch less tele and don't use a microwave which means again lower electricity requirement. Over the last year I've phased out all meats (fish I'm finding harder to do) and replaced Dairy milk/cream with soya/oat substitutes (which generally taste nicer - Alpro Soya Cream for Scrambled egg!) The big area that lets me down is the amount of reliance I have upon hospital treatment and the amount of waste that goes into/comes out of that. Huge amounts of plastic wrapping/single-use needles/blister packs etc going into incinerators or landfill. Climate change is a myth... Only joking. We’re all going to die.
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