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Post by showoff on Jan 10, 2019 11:09:20 GMT
For me, some of the casting for this show is very odd and quite uninspiring. I don't imagine that Kenneth from 30 Rock will sell more than a handful of tickets, and casting him seems like a misguided act of desperation on the part of the producers. And shouldn't Old Joe be a twinkly old man (not someone like Shaun Prendergast?) Is Jack Mcbrayer in this? When I wrote my 30 Rock post I had no idea that a cat member was actually in this! But then again I have no interest in it at all, it seems like such an odd choice for a film to musical adaptation, it's not like Waitress was a runaway blockbuster.
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Post by showoff on Jan 8, 2019 14:28:23 GMT
I don't know if there are any 30 Rock fans here, but this musical always reminds me of Jenna performing in the musical adaptation of Mystic Pizza.
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Post by showoff on Jan 5, 2019 18:00:36 GMT
Is this true? I'm guessing it must be as the thread is still here.
Please be true this time!
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Post by showoff on Jan 2, 2019 13:13:49 GMT
Last year Dreamgirls was very emotional for me and it was much less this year. Maybe I was distracted tonight. Also I absolutely loathed Curtis last time and this time I was like meh. 🤷♀️ I still enjoyed the show though. Marisha was just as fabulous and the audience loved her, as did I. Standing ovation by some after I'm telling you and by everyone at the end, in the stalls. I saw this just before Christmas and was surprised that they had removed any mention of it being during the civil rights movement, last time there was at least some mention, this time none.
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Post by showoff on Dec 28, 2018 23:07:33 GMT
Watched the recording last night with the husband. I saw the show in the West end but with Natasha Barnes when she stood in for SS. I much preferred Natasha but in a way hard to judge live against recorded however I did find SS annoying at times. Husband never saw it live he enjoyed it last night but said that SS reminded him of the woman in The Krankies. As I'm not British born and have no idea who they are I couldn't comment. My mother said the same thing when she watched it, that she reminded her of Jimmy Krankie!
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Post by showoff on Dec 27, 2018 11:07:29 GMT
I don't feel she went too big, because it's a stage performance and you have to reach the back of the top tier.
However, I didn't really gel with her faces she pulled at certain times, and this is in no way an insult, but certain ones she did, she looked very like Ricky Gervais, especially in Extras (in his show within a show, When the Whistle Blows) and once that thought popped into my head, it would not leave!
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Post by showoff on Dec 26, 2018 22:51:21 GMT
I watched this today on TiVo.
Have to say, I first watched the production with Natasha Barnes when Sheridan was not on at all. I was blown away by her and her voice (I've never been a fan of Sheridan's voice) so much so that when Sheridan returned I booked on the Monday with Natasha.
I have to say that watching this today I felt I made the right decision by a long shot. Sheridan's voice just doesn't fit the songs, I'm sorry to her fans, but it really doesn't, certain songs she just skips over the singing completely.
Those who never saw Natasha missed a trick, she was amazing, this made her look all the better.
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Post by showoff on Dec 24, 2018 18:21:54 GMT
Tomorrow, Christmas day, The Greatest Showman is on Sky One in the evening.
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Post by showoff on Dec 19, 2018 9:11:57 GMT
Can't wait for Funny Girl. I loved the musical at the Savoy, I saw Natasha and was so blown away with her that when Sheridan returned I booked for Natasha on a Monday instead.
It'll be good to see Sheridan. I'm just no fan of her voice, so preferred to see Natasha, whose voice I really rate.
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Post by showoff on Dec 18, 2018 8:42:14 GMT
There's usually a thread on here with lists of the musicals on TV over Christmas.
Does anyone know any good ones that'll be shown this year? Feel free to post them here. It's always a great thread for me that I refer back to.
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Post by showoff on Sept 25, 2018 10:27:59 GMT
Well, there's nothing more to add to this thread, but I will just go with the majority here and say this show is simply stunning. There's no other words really.
The three women, Kelli, Ruthie and the actress who plays Tuptim are all so amazing, beautiful voices and portrayals, I loved them all. The children were delightful. The whole cast were sublime.
The sets, to me, were beautiful too, simple, but perfect for the show to allow the cast to shine in the space. And I adored the Uncle Tom ballet, it held me captivated throughout.
I have to say, it's one of my all time favourite performances of any show. It blew me away, and that was hard to do as my expectations were already very high with everyone's praise. I'm so happy and privileged to have seen this wonderful show. It was a true delight.
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Post by showoff on Sept 11, 2018 13:51:01 GMT
However, looking at it, it seems to be an endurance event, which includes camping out from 3AM until 9AM and then coming back again for further queues and sitting in extremely uncomfortable chairs for the duration of the show, which finishes gone 10 and then further queues for the phones they take off of you, an extremely long day. I can’t think of an event in the world that would get me to do that. And clearly a huge bias against anyone who isn’t a local. Imagine if you were coming down from the north and didn’t even get in? Not on. And you’re not telling me that they couldnt have a reserve list of people who would fill any empty seats at very short notice. I think it's crazy, and I agree about the bias with where it's set, even though I live in London, I'd still have to stay in a hotel as it's too far to go home after validation. They let you go at 9am and then you have to get back around three. Honestly, this has really been an experience. The BBC call centre have been really quite rude to me in this, and in an almost mocking way. Every time I've said anything they've come back with a no, cannot work, we cannot treat you any differently to everybody else. I've even used valid points in the equality act where you are expected to even make a one off change, but it was met with derision, quite honestly. I won't be able to go, and it's quite sad that it's because my body isn't up to it, through no fault of my own.
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Post by showoff on Sept 11, 2018 13:30:16 GMT
She literally is just that - superhuman. It’s such an emotional performance that she deserves so much. When tens of thousands of people lose their partners/children/parents every day and still have to go to work - are we all superman too? I admire her tenacity to continue after such a tragedy but you don’t really have much of a choice. You just have to keep going... Grief does not make you superhuman - it makes you a warrior and a survivor. Actually, you don't. Many people take extended bereavement leave from work, take a break. Some people just fall apart, and you know, that's OK too. I saw a family who had lost their three children in a car accident and they said, some weeks you just cannot get out of bed the grief for them was so huge. Even if they just lose a spouse. What's happened here is on another level to lose a young child, and then her unborn one is horrific. Then add in that she herself has injuries whereby she would be eligible to take leave from work just for that. And then add in what her job involves. It involves giving so much of herself, and to have everybody in the audience looking at you every night. No matter how you want to describe it, I don't think this is an average thing, just like any other grieving person does.
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Post by showoff on Sept 8, 2018 14:24:12 GMT
I was lucky in the ticket draw to be given tickets to th he show. However, looking at it, it seems to be an endurance event, which includes camping out from 3AM until 9AM and then coming back again for further queues and sitting in extremely uncomfortable chairs for the duration of the show, which finishes gone 10 and then further queues for the phones they take off of you, an extremely long day. I'm a big fan of the show, but think this is just too much for me. Surely there has to be a better way for the public to get in. It excludes a lot of people being able to do this? I'd love to go, but this doesn't even seem like a pleasurable experience, more a survival of the fittest! They have to overbook it in case people don't show up. The queue used to be at a reasonable time but people seem to be getting there increasingly early to try to get front row seats, which go to the first dozen or so in the queue. If you dont mind being seated upstairs, people seem to still get in if they start queuing around 8am for ticket validation at 9am, then once your ticket is validated you don't have to be back until about 3.30-4pm (which makes sense as they need to get everyone seated to record the music acts and pro dances before the live show). I don't think it's half as bad as you're making out to be honest, but if you don't want to use the tickets you were so lucky to get them that's your prerogative. I'd happily suffer a bit of queuing and a one-off long day for the opportunity to be in the audience as I've applied for tickets for about a decade without success! Yes, they have to overbook, however apparently they do it by 100% and let's face it, I think most people would turn up to the show. But, I have read people being turned away who arrive at 8am. From what I've read, it seems like it's pretty rough on a lot of people. I also have physical limitations which prevent me from doing certain things, so this does seem quite bad to me. Don't get me wrong, in the past when I was 100% healthy, I wouldn't mind a bit of suffering for the chance to see this, but given how it'll probably end up with me being bed-bound afterwards, it's a lot to weigh up.
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Post by showoff on Sept 8, 2018 9:14:51 GMT
I was lucky in the ticket draw to be given tickets to the show.
However, looking at it, it seems to be an endurance event, which includes camping out from 3AM until 9AM and then coming back again for further queues and sitting in extremely uncomfortable chairs for the duration of the show, which finishes gone 10 and then further queues for the phones they take off of you, an extremely long day.
I'm a big fan of the show, but think this is just too much for me. Surely there has to be a better way for the public to get in. It excludes a lot of people being able to do this? I'd love to go, but this doesn't even seem like a pleasurable experience, more a survival of the fittest!
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Post by showoff on Aug 24, 2018 18:51:22 GMT
Over the moon Ruthie will be on in the performance I'll now be going to.
I do think I'll feel quite emotional though, knowing everything she has been through and she's still here and giving us the gift of her performance.
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Post by showoff on Aug 23, 2018 17:51:07 GMT
I've had a bad relapse and I wouldn't be able to even get there. Hope you feel better soon showoff . This is a very long show, and you are wise not to chance it unless totally well. Thank you TM. That's what I thought, it's just a bit too much and also the travel to get there (I'm in London, but the outskirts so it would be underground) it's just not feasible. Fingers crossed for September now!
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Post by showoff on Aug 23, 2018 12:31:29 GMT
I was due to go to tomorrows show, however I've had a bad relapse and I wouldn't be able to even get there.
Thankfully the man was very helpful and I've managed to book for September instead, but I was really looking forward to tomorrow.
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Post by showoff on Aug 8, 2018 15:09:45 GMT
I've booked now for a date where Kelli is scheduled. I was very surprised though, I called the other day to check it was the accessible booking line as I am 'registered disabled' and asked what prices they were offering. The man said it was a free ticket for a carer and a discounted ticket for the disabled person. I called to book today and he said they offer that on every other show, but not The King and I. It's £20 off of the tickets instead, which is quite a difference really. Not really complaining, but I don't understand why they do that for every other show except this one. That really stinks doesn’t it? That and the star’s sudden decision to have time off after tweeting that she wasn’t, which is also questionable. Thanks, it does a little, I don't understand why the difference for this show. I haven't read all posts, I hope your tickets weren't for one of the shows Kelli is no longer performing in. It's awful when the other day she did say she only had the one day off too.
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Post by showoff on Aug 7, 2018 9:59:20 GMT
I've booked now for a date where Kelli is scheduled.
I was very surprised though, I called the other day to check it was the accessible booking line as I am 'registered disabled' and asked what prices they were offering. The man said it was a free ticket for a carer and a discounted ticket for the disabled person.
I called to book today and he said they offer that on every other show, but not The King and I. It's £20 off of the tickets instead, which is quite a difference really.
Not really complaining, but I don't understand why they do that for every other show except this one.
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Post by showoff on Aug 7, 2018 9:19:48 GMT
And an update on Kelli O'Hara's performance schedule: Is this every date she won't be performing? Did I read on here she isn't on the 28th August either? I'm intending to book today and everybody's rave reviews on here, I really don't want to miss Kelli if I can avoid it.
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Post by showoff on Jul 28, 2018 18:23:37 GMT
I mean, I don't expect to get a longer show, or a larger cast, or a greater number of intervals if I'm paying £50, just as I don't automatically expect to get a shorter show, a smaller cast, or fewer intervals if I'm paying £10, so it's fascinating to me that people have decided that the set is the one thing that simply MUST reflect itself in how much the ticket cost. For me, if you are charging a lot, you have a lot to live up to, maybe you shouldn't be sparing expense. I don't see why you would a longer show though, or more intervals, that's not dependant on money, whereas the expense of a set does depend on money you are taking. I don't see how it compares with where the actual money goes from a production.
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Post by showoff on Jul 28, 2018 15:55:02 GMT
It is interesting how higher ticket prices may create in some a false expectation for the staging. For me, if you are paying top prices, you would expect top quality sets. And if not, it's at least worth mentioning that you found them lacking.
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Post by showoff on Jul 28, 2018 15:24:52 GMT
That may well be, and it may be a convenient set, however, when you are paying £150 per ticket, I doubt you think about what's convenient or most cost effective. I haven't seen it yet, so have no opinions on the set. I'm looking forwards to going in August. But I still think the set can be criticised, even if it is only being used for a short run. What you pay is irrelevant to what the set is going to be, the set is there to serve the book and make it look realistic nothing more, which this set just does that. As said you are not going to get something with pieces being flown in and out for just a 3 month run. Another good example would be the Titanic tour, completely different from Titanic on Broadway, where they tried to put the ship on stage. Some of the best sets are where you have a suggestion of a piece and let your imagination do the rest. We are very lucky to have this production in the West End. I'm not so sure it is. When you pay a lot of money you expect, to a certain degree, that the set pieces will reflect that. A cheaper production, well you can't really complain, but with paying £300 for two tickets, you might expect them to put a bit more money into the sets.
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Post by showoff on Jul 28, 2018 12:30:05 GMT
Just come out of tonight's performance. Well, I had extremely high expectations for this which weren't met on a number of levels, although on the whole I enjoyed it. The good... The children are fantastic; talented and just adorable. The orchestra sounds marvellous and it is very well conducted. The sound balance is superb. All principals (apart from the King) sing and act really well. Kelli o' Hara was just superb in every way. I can't think of Anna being better performed today. The not so good... It's a very basic production. I expected something more sumptuous at The Palladium. It looked no better than the recent Kiss me Kate. Scene changes were quite clunky too. The dialogue portions dragged a bit, it needs more pace. The biggest let down is Ken Watanabe as the King. He seriously lacks charisma and there was no frisson in the scenes between him and Anna. His dialogue wasn't clear a lot of the time and I missed some of his lines. So a bit disappointing, but it's worth seeing for Kelli's performance alone. btw, on this extremely hot day The Palladium was fabulously cool! You are being a bit harsh on the production, I assume the set is the one used on the US Tour and will go out to Toronto next, You cannot build a glittering set for just a 3 month run, aside you have one of the best female sopranos in the world to enjoy along with Audra McDonald, saw Kelli again tonight and she is incredible, in one of the best musicals written - I left the theatre on cloud 99. Not picking on you tmesis as a fair few have complained about the set and wanted to put a bit of logic out there, well from my perspective. That may well be, and it may be a convenient set, however, when you are paying £150 per ticket, I doubt you think about what's convenient or most cost effective. I haven't seen it yet, so have no opinions on the set. I'm looking forwards to going in August. But I still think the set can be criticised, even if it is only being used for a short run.
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Post by showoff on Jul 23, 2018 21:27:32 GMT
There was a thread about this a few months ago but I think it was deleted.
I so hope this is true and if so, I'll be booking tickets right away, no question.
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Post by showoff on Jul 12, 2018 13:21:08 GMT
Is Cher playing Streeps mother?
Only, I saw the first one this weekend again and noticed she said that someone up there has it in for her, probably her mother. By that I took it to mean her mother was dead.
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Post by showoff on Jun 30, 2018 16:34:16 GMT
I've been in the Coliseum twice in the past few weeks for Chess and Kiss Me Kate. Both times I've arrived very early so there's nobody waiting to get their bag checked. Both times they've let me go through with water bottles that are open too. I had just the opposite of them 'going through the motions' at the Coliseum. I knew about the drinks ban, so didn't have any with me, but I had bought a small bottle of make up before the show (note to self: do shopping afterwards, in future). The bag checker virtually turned out my bag, before he even found the offending object - which he then picked up to examine before returning it to me. Wow, that's strange. When I went yesterday I had a small back, but it's a flap over but there's two zip departments to actually get into the bag. He didn't even undo and look in the zip departments.
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Post by showoff on Jun 30, 2018 15:35:52 GMT
Changing the subject quickly, how long are they spending on bag checks and am I going to have to fight to keep my bottle of water on me? To be honest, I think keeping hold of your water is a simple game of chance. I know there was a big discussion about this during Chess at the Coliseum. By the time I got to the theatre (around 2:00 for a matinee), the bag check was very ‘going through the motions’ in terms of the way it was done. I opened my bag, they took a quick glance and let me through - there were two bottles of drink on the top, clearly visible, but they said nothing. I sat and drank (quietly) quite openly. I think it’s just luck depending on who checks your bag and how busy they are at the time you turn up. The priority at certain times is to get the audience in quickly and on-time. I've been in the Coliseum twice in the past few weeks for Chess and Kiss Me Kate. Both times I've arrived very early so there's nobody waiting to get their bag checked. Both times they've let me go through with water bottles that are open too.
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Post by showoff on Jun 30, 2018 11:41:41 GMT
I saw this last night and was a little worried looking at the reactions here.
I have to say I really enjoyed it, I went in blind, but really found it funny and engaging. The audience seemed to enjoy it, lots of laughs and a lot of the numbers well received, I particularly loved the tap solo.
I didn't see a big problem with the set, it seemed to fit the show. I know a lot of people on here love the set for 42nd street, but I had more issues with that and the backdrops.
I'd say it was about 4 stars for me.
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