2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 8, 2023 10:24:46 GMT
30 minutes queue with 3000 people in front of me on ATG presale. Seems it's more popular than we imagined.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 6, 2023 20:17:13 GMT
Just seen a post elsewhere with a seating plan along with a disclaimer that due to the nature of the production, seats cannot be allocated during presale
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 6, 2023 20:13:12 GMT
I've been at some performances of Priscilla where the audience behaviour has been pretty bad so I can imagine what this will be like. I read an interview with Tony Sheldon (who played Bernadette in Australia and London for a long time) where he said he was quite happy to leave when he did because he felt the production had lost some of the sensitivity and subtlety from the quieter moments of the show, and that audiences were increasingly treating the characters as comic figures rather than rounded characters - to be honest, they were always archetypes, but there were deeper moments in the book. I can imagine that. One of the last times I saw it, people were treating it like a Panto, shouting out things and laughing at inappropriate moments.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 5, 2023 15:48:14 GMT
Given what's been going on in Manchester at the SAW musical, I dread to think how rowdy this could be on a weekend evening. I've been at some performances of Priscilla where the audience behaviour has been pretty bad so I can imagine what this will be like. I was initially quite excited by the idea but think I'll be giving this a wide berth.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 5, 2023 13:16:57 GMT
Just had a message from a friend who was there and as I suspected he said it was alcohol fuelled. People were turning up at the theatre already worse for wear and still drinking. He said he'd expected some singing but it was at such a level that he couldn't hear some of the vocals onstage.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 5, 2023 0:09:44 GMT
Oh dear, show stopped for rowdy audience members to be thrown out tonight. couple of videos have surfaced on X, looks like it was alcohol fueled as the individuals involved are waving glasses around.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 4, 2023 22:16:28 GMT
Is this impressive visually if you put the cheese to one side? Not particularly. You can just about see the extent of the scenery in that Twitter video. There's very few set pieces, including a "hot-air balloon" which gets overused, a few bits of furniture and wafty curtains and the device in which Kylie makes her appearances. The back wall is a giant video screen which is used to set scenes. It's all very bright and garish.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 4, 2023 22:04:39 GMT
Oh dear, show stopped for rowdy audience members to be thrown out tonight. Well I expected it, but not quite this early into the run
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 4, 2023 17:44:49 GMT
For me, reading these comments and seeing the clips I feel it's a double-edges sword. It's somewhat re-assurring that Mamma Mia! it isn't. It means that, again, ABBA and their music is still leading the way and after 20 + years everything else is a poorer version. On the other hand, in these financially tough times, if it's getting bums on seats and it's going to bring in those who may have never been to the theatre, well, that can't be a bad thing, can it? It's not actually getting that many bums on seats. Just been looking at availability and there's loads of seats left for the rest of the run. It's being heavily promoted around Manchester. ATG don't seem to have many offers on this either which is putting me off booking again. I'd like to see it again but there's no way I'm paying the full prices they're asking for it, it's not worth that.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 4, 2023 9:44:01 GMT
Someone in the show said on Twitter that this show was destined to become the next Mamma Mia… which immediately put me off. It's nowhere near being in the same league as Mamma Mia.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 3, 2023 19:48:05 GMT
Pretty sure there was gunshots the night I went.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 3, 2023 19:44:56 GMT
Are they full songs or snippets? A bugbear of mine is never actually completing a song in jukebox musicals… They're pretty much full songs in the main. There's a few which are shortened versions but it's not as bad as something like Moulin Rouge which jumps from song to song
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 3, 2023 19:11:40 GMT
I'd be interested to see what the show numbers were as SAW did write a lot of original hits and a lot could fit pretty well into this type of show. It's all the basic ones you'd expect. Very Kylie heavy. There was some Brother Beyond and Hazell Dean and a nice Mel and Kim medley
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 2, 2023 22:46:36 GMT
So some thoughts whilst on the tram home... Totally brash and over the top as was to be expected. Bit disappointed they've included several stereotypical overly camp gay characters. And a few dodgy punchlines including one about dementia There are hearts everywhere.. in the set (which is never ending), the costumes, the props and it gets a bit nauseating. A few more obscure song choices but very Kylie oriented. And some cute appearances from the goddess herself who looks stunning. Plot paper thin and could see the ending a mile off but in the end I stopped caring and just enjoyed the tunes. This is soo going to attract the ladies night out crowd and so glad tonight's audience was fairly restrained though there was some singing and clapping. So on the whole,Ok. Would probably go back to see it again
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 2, 2023 12:45:32 GMT
Will be there tonight. Not particularly excited about it, predicting bad behaviour as mentioned above. But maybe will be another &Juliet and I'll be eating my words.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Nov 2, 2023 6:38:12 GMT
Tour went on ATG priority sale for a whole two hours this morning. Booked for the opening night at the Opera House. Some early bird offers but no more than a tenner off. Very disappointed with the offers. Didn’t bother booking.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Oct 31, 2023 23:15:03 GMT
When I'm sat at the end of a row I expect to have to get up for a few people, but I got annoyed tonight with a group of about a dozen people who all arrived, drinks in hand, just as the show was about to start. However they didn't all arrive together but in twos and threes. Show starts and about 15 minutes in one of the guys gets back up, making the whole row move for him. OK I thought, maybe he didnt have time to use the loo before getting there and is now desperate. But no, he returned a few minutes later with a handful of drinks. I might have said something rude under my breath as he tried to get past. When they returned after the interval again leaving it to the last minute, all carrying drinks, I did mutter passively aggressively "oh I see you've all got your drinks this time"
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Oct 29, 2023 13:03:36 GMT
HM are giving away tickets to Manchester drag queens to see a special performance. Possibly a high risk strategy if the guests turn up better dressed than the cast. I know of several Manchester Drag artists who saw the show last week and were later quite damning onstage about it, so this could backfire. On a related note,I saw three different offers for ticket discounts yesterday so they're obviously struggling to sell this.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Oct 25, 2023 9:01:07 GMT
This sounds dreadful. How many more films are they going to pillage for 'inspiration'
The press release made me cringe "It’s an amazing show with a soundtrack loaded with all the greatest ‘90s guilty pleasure songs. Even people who hate musicals will love it!”
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Oct 25, 2023 8:03:44 GMT
Oh I love To Wong Foo!!! It’s a comfort film for me. I rented it on VHS from Blockbuster for a sleepover when I was about 15 and never returned the video :-) I’m not sure how comfortably all of it sits with how attitudes around gender have shifted over the last 30 years, I wonder how they will update things….this is a memorable quote “When a straight man puts on a dress and gets his sexual kicks, he is a transvestite. When a man is a woman trapped in a man's body and has a little operation, he is a Transsexual. When a gay man has WAY too much fashion sense for one gender he is a drag queen. And when a tired little Latin boy puts on a dress, he is simply a boy in a dress!“ They've kept this in. It was the best part of the show
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Oct 25, 2023 5:53:27 GMT
In the interval of To Woo Fong at Hope Mill last night, an elderly lady who I think was part of a coach party, stood up as soon as the lights came on and loudly proclaimed "Ooh, Aren't t'frocks fabulous"
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Oct 24, 2023 22:19:37 GMT
Oh dear. I was not impressed. Clichèd with dreadful songs and poor acting. Very brief first act (about 45 mins following a very late start) The majority of the budget has clearly gone on the drag costumes. The car is just embarrassing and the song with actors playing the wheels was just cringy. The set was ok, some good use of projection but hadn't been designed well as there's an archway that they make a lot of entrances through and it was too low for the actors to fit through when in drag and they had to bend over to get through. I think Hope Mill are facing pretty tough times ahead, there was a plea for donations afterwards, to help them get through the next year.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Oct 24, 2023 22:08:08 GMT
Not to take anything away from the Nicole and Rachel, but I've seen six productions of Sunset and Norma;s two big numbers have always, always, received rapturous ovations from the audience. They are two of the most foolproof ALW songs and the only surprise would be if they somehow fell flat. I assure you sir…not to this extent. I'd totally agree with this. I have never heard an audience applaud like they did for AIWNSG last week.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Oct 24, 2023 11:47:35 GMT
It had been my original plan to see Rachel, but I booked for one of Nicole's after all the positive feedback on here. Now I'm wanting to see Rachel too!
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Oct 22, 2023 23:29:43 GMT
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Oct 22, 2023 15:27:25 GMT
Elaine Paige reviewing it on her show now. She's very enthusiastic about it! Called it a tour de force... with a little sly dig at ticket prices. But EP is lovely and enthusiastic about everything she talks about. She’s not going to rubbish any show when she champions all theatre! 😜 I’m hoping to get to see this at some point. It sounds amazing! I seem to recall she wasn't particularly enthusiastic about the OAT Evita.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Oct 22, 2023 13:27:19 GMT
Elaine Paige reviewing it on her show now. She's very enthusiastic about it! Called it a tour de force... with a little sly dig at ticket prices.
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Oct 22, 2023 12:09:41 GMT
Absolutely loved this from start to finish at today’s matinee viewing and for £10 at the back of the stalls was an absolute steal. Somebody needs to either get this on a full tour and/or find a home in the WE ASAP. For me it ticked all the boxes - a brilliant cast,(not a weak link amongst them) a really funny book with great songs ( I would get a cast recording for this show) and a lovely set design. A show with so much humour and heart. An easy 5⭐️ from me. I'd second this. Saw it last night and loved it. Funny with some great songs. Definitely would fit into the WE
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Oct 22, 2023 11:32:10 GMT
I think if the Hope Mill can’t find an adequate balance between set and costumes (both being sub par isn’t acceptable certainly for the ticket price of around £40) then they have made the right decision to stop staging musicals. I have to agree sadly. The last musical I saw there was Head over Heels and was very underwhelmed, especially as their ticket prices have rocketed in recent years. I'm there to see Woo Fong on Tuesday so will be interested to see what it's like. On a related note, there is another ticket discount offer on this weekend
|
|
2,150 posts
|
Post by richey on Oct 21, 2023 14:59:58 GMT
Saw this on Thursday matinee and really enjoyed it. Great positive message and loved the use of colour throughout the show ( saw Sunset Boulevard in the evening so total contrast!) I thought the big cast songs worked better than some of the solo numbers. All the cast were good. I'd only gone to see Linzi but was impressed with all the performances. Amy Trigg was a standout for me, her timing was brilliant I had my seat upgraded as I'd booked the second balcony, but they closed it so I ended up in row B of the stalls and felt totally immersed in the show as I was so close to the stage with one of the walkways next to me.
|
|