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Post by viserys on Mar 12, 2019 8:41:31 GMT
Rent is an odd one - I saw it a grand total of 8 times, but I really only count 5 times: The original version 3x in London and 1x in New York, plus the recent UK tour at the Other Palace.
The "foreign" versions I saw were all weird and only the Swedish one in Stockholm pretty well-done - they even had the guts to kill Mimi at the end. The German version was the "original version" but the usual cack-handed mess of a godawful translation and incomprehensible foreign performers and the less said about the godawful turd Ivo van Hove produced in the Netherlands many years ago, the better.
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Post by viserys on Mar 12, 2019 8:35:08 GMT
Serious question: With all the "leave no single seats" policies in place, how come there are always single seats dotted around the place anyway?
I've not often come across the problem because either there's so much availability that I can pick a single seat in an half-empty row or indeed just pick a left-over single seat.
I agree it's annoying though. It has something of the old stupid vibe of "only sad losers do things alone, we keep our nice seats for the normal people who only ever do things in pairs or groups". And surely people who do go in pairs could bear to be parted by sitting in different rows, if only single seats are left, seeing as they aren't meant to talk during the performance anyway.
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Post by viserys on Mar 12, 2019 6:27:21 GMT
With the advantage of old age I can say, I've seen many shows several times such as Starlight Express and Cats which were my go-to musicals in the 90s and each totalling around 30-40 times now, followed by other long-runs like Phantom and Les Mis at 10-20 times (often across various places and countries).
Guess Cats was the one I've seen in most places: Hamburg, Vienna, London, New York, Amsterdam, Antwerp and Copenhagen plus the more recent tours here (Berlin, Oberhausen, finally at home in Cologne). Followed by Les Miserables (Vienna, Amsterdam, Antwerp, London, Duisburg plus non-replica productions in Bonn and Tecklenburg Open-Air)
In the last 20 years I rarely managed to revisit the same shows more often as I don't bother with Germany anymore and there are always so many new shows to see in London.
Although last year was an exception - saw that little rock jukebox musical at the Dominion 8 times in as many months (and once in Germany, though I'd like to banish that one from my mind) and ended up seeing 42nd Street 3 times, because I mostly went for Ashley Day and he was off the first two times!
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Post by viserys on Mar 10, 2019 13:58:04 GMT
I'll be there next Saturday, can't wait!
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Post by viserys on Mar 10, 2019 13:47:24 GMT
I confess I'm also among those who order "An Americano with milk" since plan regular black coffee seems to have been abolished in the modern coffee shops with all their fancy names.
Cappuccino is, as Emily and Burly say, something different with a lot of froth, Flat White something with less froth but still frothy and Latte has a completely different different milk:coffee ratio than "black coffee with a bit of milk in it".
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Post by viserys on Mar 5, 2019 15:39:50 GMT
Unpopular opinion, but Six getting nominations instead of Hadestown is the biggest joke of the decade. Well, we can be unpopular together then. I loved Hadestown, but don't get the hype around Six at all. It's all just noise to me (showing my age here). Either way, I'm sure Come from away and Company will scoop up most of the awards anyway (hopefully), so it doesn't matter all that much.
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Post by viserys on Mar 5, 2019 7:02:15 GMT
I liked it, but found the love story contrived and unbelievable. I did like Elite better and the TV version of Marie Dueñas' El Tiempo entre conturas, so there's quite a bit of good Spanish TV around! Oh yeah, I liked Elite! It's been a good couple of years for Spanish TV. Another good one is Vis A Vis (I guess Conjugal Visit would be a translation for that), which is kind of an adaptation of Orange Is the New Black, but much darker. I think it was on Walter Presents/Channel 4 in the UK as "Locked Up" but not over here in the cultural wastelands of Germany. I still want to try and get this somehow as I have a bit of a crush on Alba Flores who was in both "El Tiempo" and "La Casa" and is in this as well.
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Post by viserys on Mar 5, 2019 6:00:51 GMT
By the way, if anyone is willing to see a show in Spanish, I highly recommend Money Heist (La Casa de Papel). I've never been prouder of a Spanish TV show (we normally produce sh*t). I liked it, but found the love story contrived and unbelievable. I did like Elite better and the TV version of Marie Dueñas' El Tiempo entre conturas, so there's quite a bit of good Spanish TV around!
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Post by viserys on Mar 1, 2019 11:24:53 GMT
I got my booking link at 11.59 and accessed the booking page instantly. Was hoping to book tickets as a post Christmas treat. However booking only appeared to be until 21st December. I have just noticed it now seems to be until mid January, but the Saturday I selected is now sold out. Does anyone know why these tickets were unavailable to begin with? Initially they meant to sell to 21 Dec only. I guess the huge demand took them by surprise and so they extended to mid January later to give everyone stuck in the queue for hours a chance to actually book tickets.
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Post by viserys on Mar 1, 2019 9:16:30 GMT
Obviously it was my comment that was deleted. Can we only say positive things about performers and musicals now? People must must realise when talking about casting we are not talking about the actual person but the suitability for the role and often the role that’s been played by a certain type, size, colour, singing style and voice, look, tone, height, personality for 30 years. Sheriden is very talented and she was great in Funny Girl - but we have the right to say that she isn’t the right match for the Narrator in a show we’ve all seen dozens of times (or have even been in). I’m all for not being nasty or hurtful but to white wash any slightly negative comments is a dangerous alley to go down. None of the posts that questioned her singing style/voice was deleted. But her size, which you bitched about, has absolutely nothing to do with whether she can play the role or not, so give it a rest.
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Post by viserys on Mar 1, 2019 8:25:01 GMT
I liked Sheridan a lot both times I saw her - for me the disappointment stems from the fact that the Narrator is such a wonderful "breakthrough" role for a young MT performer, the way it was for Linzi Hateley back then, so I'm sad that nobody is getting that opportunity now. Though if they reverse it - cast a name for the Narrator and then give a young male performer his big break as Joseph (instead of making this the star casting to draw punters), I suppose that's fine, too.
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Post by viserys on Mar 1, 2019 7:17:07 GMT
"Splashy pop-spectacle shows, whether for a date night or part of a hotel’s weekend getaway package, sell far better in Hamburg than almost anywhere else"
""[T]here are plenty of high-quality international productions which we regrettably have to decline showing over here," Jaekel confirmed. "Sometimes the subject matter of the book lacks relevance for Germans, sometimes the score uses musical patterns too far away from what we are used to, sometimes the title just leaves German audiences bewildered, and most of the times it's a mixture of all," he observed."
So what in the world makes them believe that Hamilton has any chance whatsoever in Hamburg in German?
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Post by viserys on Feb 28, 2019 13:27:39 GMT
Agree with Emily and Baemax, granted, since I work from home, I don't have a boss looking over my shoulder, but I also just leave the tab open and get on with other things in the meantime. So it's just 5-10 mins total out of my work day.
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Post by viserys on Feb 28, 2019 13:11:23 GMT
Anyone else fed up of feeling like the least important person in this triangle? People that work are unlikely to be free at midday to Tw*t about with multiple windows! Most successful likely to be teenagers with hours of free time to tweet about it whilst they’re doing it...grrrr. Tab left open whilst phone unlocked, but sends you back to the start if your phone locks. Rubbish. Oh how I wish I'd still be a teenager (...not really).
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Post by viserys on Feb 28, 2019 12:26:56 GMT
Got through at 12:22, so 22 mins after receiving and clicking on the link.
Got one of the grand circle slips for £15 - the ones closest to the circle say "moderately restricted", the ones further to the stage say "very restricted".
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Post by viserys on Feb 28, 2019 12:06:20 GMT
I'm in the queue with 15 mins to go...
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Post by viserys on Feb 28, 2019 11:27:30 GMT
No problem here either. First matinee is 9th November, press night 19th November, booking to 21st December. Premiums are stalls E to N except outermost pairs, and dress centre block A to E. Rest of stalls is £80, rows S and T £47.50, A, U and V not on sale yet. Dress only the restricted ends of A and B are £47.50, the rest including H is £80. Uppers, centre block B to E except outer 2 on the aisles are £47.50. Outer pairs B to E, plus all rows A and F are £32.50. Slips £12.50, 4 seats closest to the stage not yet on sale. Balcony A to E £25, slips all on sale £12.50. Looks like a lighting rig in the centre balcony rows D and E. No boxes on sale yet. Add £2.50 to all prices booking fee. Excellent info, gives me time to plot and consider while I wait for my link to arrive
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Post by viserys on Feb 28, 2019 7:59:38 GMT
I dread to think what will happen on Sunday when closing performance hysterics meet drunk carnival audiences.
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Post by viserys on Feb 28, 2019 6:33:54 GMT
Very Loud and Very Stand Up was their remit (for context in the circle, most everyone stayed seated like the old as balls people we were, until the encore, except this group of say 8-10 women who then blocked the view for so so many of us) Then there was The Whistler to our right. Who at periodic intervals, usually at the most inappropriate moments, would let out a loud two fingered whistle. Again this wasn't particularly that sort of crowd- more a polite cheer and clap kind of crowd. Welcome to the world of German fandom. I invite you to sit through one of the super popular musicals here (coughtanzdervampirecough) to enjoy the whistlers, whoopers and hollerers in their full glory!
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Post by viserys on Feb 26, 2019 19:00:37 GMT
I also got mine only 10 mins ago. You do need to be registered as:
"You will receive your early access booking link via email at noon (GMT), Thursday 28 February"
Really not impressed by the pricing, will it sell that well?
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Post by viserys on Feb 25, 2019 14:54:45 GMT
I just can't resist a good offer: The UK Tour of Miss Saigon is ending in Cologne now and while I have no love for this show, I've heard a lot of good things about this particular production and cast. In a move which I think London theatres should copy, the German producers are offering left-over single seats dotted around the auditorium at the price of the cheapest seat category a few days ahead. Today they opened this offer for the last week and I leapt at it. Now I'm sitting in what must be one of the best seats in the house (Row 9, in the middle) for 39.90€ (£35) instead of 115€ (£100) at the very last performance on Sunday evening Which also happens to be the height of carnival season here... (I wonder what the English/Asian cast will be making of it all )
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Post by viserys on Feb 22, 2019 5:39:21 GMT
Thanks for the review. I've booked for this in March and this makes me look forward to it even more!
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Post by viserys on Feb 21, 2019 9:51:12 GMT
Well, that was easy, ticket for a tenner on a Saturday I COULD possibly make. Still quite some availability, so don't fret if you're in the high numbers!
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Post by viserys on Feb 21, 2019 9:33:28 GMT
the queue is moving again
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Post by viserys on Feb 21, 2019 9:02:14 GMT
853 here!
I don't even plan to book, but I love the excitement of a good queue!
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Post by viserys on Feb 20, 2019 10:39:23 GMT
Edit: Accessible Seats may also be more expensive than other seats in the auditorium. People shouldn’t be penalised either. Er, no, they shouldn't be. If you book via an access line, and are registered as having an "access" issue, then you are normally sold the seats at the lowest possible price e.g. an accessible stalls seat for the same as the cheapest upper circle ticket. Anything less would be against the DDA anyway. If you do have a problem with prices for a registered person, take it up with the management immediately, as they will do their best to help every time. I was just going to say... Everytime I've booked access seats, they have been reduced, often to half price. And when I booked two tickets, the second ticket would be reduced too (even though I'm perfectly capable to attend the theatre alone).
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Post by viserys on Feb 19, 2019 13:08:04 GMT
I certainly don't think the 15-year old girl who wants to see Hamilton because friends were hyping it on Instagram is in any kind worse than the 50-year old Wall Street banker, who wants to see Hamilton because it's the hype of the season and readily pays $1000 for a ticket, thus contributing greatly to the massive increase in premium seating and prices in general.
I'd also say, that if only one out of ten "Instagram kids" gets bitten by the theatre bug and starts seeing other shows as well and develops a lifelong interest in theatre, it's worth it.
The problem is short and simply people who can't behave. Hyped-up kids who whoop and holler throughout the show or sing along loudy (and aren't checked by their parents) are annoying, but so are drunk hen parties and grannies who keep exchanging gossip about Aunt Lucy even after the curtain's gone up because they just MUST finish their juicy tale.
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Post by viserys on Feb 19, 2019 9:39:47 GMT
Can anyone remember what the professional reviews for CFA in New York were like? Did the show succeed there on word-of-mouth or were the critics more kindly disposed to it?
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Post by viserys on Feb 18, 2019 21:41:47 GMT
He plays Romeo's older brother, not the father.
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Post by viserys on Feb 18, 2019 18:44:52 GMT
I bet half the people booking this will think it's about Lewis Hamilton...
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