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Post by andromedadench on Dec 14, 2016 19:11:32 GMT
Earlier today, while I was searching for something else, I found this website - it seems fairly new and has a lovely archive with lots of material related to The Half Moon's history, past productions and artists involved, including little video interviews. I still haven't browsed through it all, but I remember there was a thread on the old board about The Half Moon Theatre with lots of people sharing their fond memories of it, so I thought I'd post the link in case anyone's interested. Stages of Half Moon
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111 posts
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Castro
Nov 28, 2016 11:09:30 GMT
Post by andromedadench on Nov 28, 2016 11:09:30 GMT
Castro is the most important world figure to die since... I don't know who. Whatever you think of him, the man played a huge role in the 20th century. There's nothing cynical about making it a big deal - it IS a big deal. And once again, mallardo voices my exact thoughts, only more concisely and to the point, and in much better English.
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Post by andromedadench on Nov 9, 2016 18:43:58 GMT
Slovenia about to become the boss-country of the EU. Sorry, Germany, you're dismissed. Dear Melanija, we were born in the same country, help a sister out, send over some $$$, I really really want to see the NT's Follies next year! It does rather beg the question of what sort of First Lady she will be though doesn't it? After the plagiarised speech one wonders about her judgement. Not to mention the fact that she married Donald who could be considered a risky bet as a husband with his liking for younger models. Perhaps she'll do a Nancy who spent her entire time planning dinners at the Whitehouse and choosing her next Bill Blass gown. I bet Ivana is bloody LIVID. Haaa, one must feel for poor Ivana. She'd have been a delightfully kitschy and amusing first lady. But I don't really know anything about Melanija, I'd never even heard of her before Trump started his presidential campaign. And if she didn't hail from former Yugoslavia, I wouldn't have paid her much attention. That whole speech disaster was hilarious, but I suppose Trump's PR team (or whoever is in charge of those things) is to blame more than her. I doubt she could have had any say in it. Who knows, she might turn out to be interesting. There are so many beautiful gold-diggers in this world, but very few of them this accomplished. Perhaps she does have some brains after all, I'm really curious to find out!
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111 posts
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Post by andromedadench on Nov 9, 2016 17:39:39 GMT
That Melania as First Lady though Slovenia about to become the boss-country of the EU. Sorry, Germany, you're dismissed. Dear Melanija, we were born in the same country, help a sister out, send over some $$$, I really really want to see the NT's Follies next year! Seriously though, out of the two human disasters that were presented to the US people as their only options, I'm quite glad they chose the one who is less likely to officially start a WW3. Otherwise, I agree with the posters who reckon that Trump's loony-talk is just hot air and that he won't (be able to) make any significant changes to the US policies. As Dario Fo noted some 50 yeas ago in La signora e' da buttare - the manager of this circus is always the same person who just keeps changing clothes.
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111 posts
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Post by andromedadench on May 31, 2016 16:33:47 GMT
Advice for "Day Seat" folk. A reader of theatremonkey just sent me this message, "Day Seat: Woke up early, was a very solitary first at 7:30am. Apparently the Savoy Hotel is rather posh and they frown upon German tourists having a healthy breakfast in front of the box office, so they (very politely) sent me away. Came back at 9, two guys in front of me." The hotel own the street, and can - and apparently do - send away anyone making a mess, being noisy etc. SO, if going to get in line early, don't eat / drink / look scruffy / be noisy etc, seems to be sound advice... Oh my! That would be the first day-seat queue I'd be kicked out of!
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Post by andromedadench on May 24, 2016 21:40:28 GMT
Meh. Saw Sam Spiro in Guys & Dolls first week at the Phoenix, not impressed - she forgot the words in Take Back Your Mink, unless the lyrics have been changed to include the line "I don't know what I'm singing any more".Sheridan in this sold The Savoy, original run to July and extension to September, then on to October. I'll be wording my correspondence asking for money back. She really sang that? Heee!
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111 posts
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Post by andromedadench on May 15, 2016 16:16:52 GMT
I thought I was dying. Once or twice.
I helped myself to a filler ticket for the NT's 50th anniversary celebration even though I had no way of knowing if it belonged to someone else. I didn't notice anyone complaining about being left ticketless, but that's still one of the worst things I've ever done, generally speaking.
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111 posts
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Post by andromedadench on May 10, 2016 20:25:53 GMT
Oh I 100% agree it should be about the talent, and I loathe the 'famous for being famous' types, I just meant that twitter etc can be a fun 'add on' but only when someone is actually good at the 'real' job they do! (and indeed the 'don't be a dick' rule applies unanimously) Twitter can be a great way for celebrities to "give back" to their fans too. For example David Duchovny has been sorting out free tickets to his concerts for some fans through Twitter. Some celebrities do Q&A sessions on Twitter or simply send out the occasional tweets to fans. I really like Kevin Spacey. I once tweeted him after I'd seen him on stage. He responded which made my day (not ashamed to admit it). I'm not saying celebrities need Social Media but if used thoughtfully it can be a good thing. There definitely is a difference between using Twitter as a fun add on or having a hissy fit on Twitter everytime someone dares to criticise you though. Most of the West End performers I follow seem to use Twitter primarily to vent their anger at TfL and various train companies. I think it was Jodie Jacobs I once saw wishing plague upon some train company. It was quite amusing. Rebecca Caine was a quite entertaining tweeter too the last time I checked. But Sheridan Smith should definitely stay away from Twitter at least until the papers have moved on to someone else.
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Post by andromedadench on May 2, 2016 15:19:14 GMT
True that. I (almost) envy your plight, Daniel. I can't make up my mind if it's worse to have a friend obsessed or not to have a single friend who cares about musical theatre, sigh. But I do know what you mean. I get obsessed about all sorts of things fro time to time, but each obsession is bound to blow over eventually. Haha I understand it may sound stupid to many. I myself am obsessed with musical theatre. It is more just the way she goes about her obsession rather than the actual obsession itself. Nonono, I didn't mean to call any of it stupid! It was just an opportunity to whine about my lack of friends who share my interest in MT. And I do know what you mean. There are many ways in which various people's various obsessions manifest which I find embarrassing, but then again, I'm pretty sure I've unwittingly embarrassed others on occasion, too. (Hell, I've even found my own behaviour embarrassing now and then...)
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Post by andromedadench on May 2, 2016 14:55:07 GMT
Given that most of the output of the tabloids could generously be described as speculative fiction, I doubt that deleting her twitter account would make much difference. What I meant is that it seems it's how she first attracted unwanted attention of the rags like the DM - by tweeting about how upset she was with her boyfriend or ex-boyfriend or something equally silly and god-sent to tabloid journalists. Now they probably keep an eye on her in case of any similar outbursts, and that's perhaps why they so readily jumped on this incident which could have otherwise gone relatively unnoticed by the wider public.
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111 posts
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Post by andromedadench on May 2, 2016 13:05:50 GMT
I understand your plight, Daniel, but, as obsessions go it's not the worst one to have. And she'll get over it. People do. True that. I (almost) envy your plight, Daniel. I can't make up my mind if it's worse to have a friend obsessed or not to have a single friend who cares about musical theatre, sigh. But I do know what you mean. I get obsessed about all sorts of things fro time to time, but each obsession is bound to blow over eventually.
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Post by andromedadench on May 2, 2016 12:55:39 GMT
The Mirror are reporting that she's made her Twitter account private on Friday following the previous nights incident which we all know is rubbish. She did that months ago. Considering what a fodder for tabloids her twitter feed is, she should just delete her account altogether and forget about using it ever again.
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Post by andromedadench on Apr 25, 2016 15:27:37 GMT
I wish all theatres sold their snacks in fabric bags with string fasteners. I'd like some kind of lids for people to put on their cups of beer or wine as not everyone enjoys the smell. More on topic: I do realise I don't get to see half as much theatre (in the UK) as most people here, but for what it's worth, I've never witnessed any memorably bad behaviour. Quite the opposite, I've had some really heart-warming experiences with complete strangers showing kindness and understanding when I had to leave in the middle of a show due to a panic attack (an usher sat down with me in the hall and engaged me in solving a crossword puzzle with him to distract me from panicking and the lady who had been seated next to me brought me my bag and jacket after the show), and another time I got a hug and a chocolate from another complete stranger in the audience for letting her husband, a fellow panic disorder sufferer, have my aisle seat (I couldn't let him sit on the stairs as he was much older than me and looked mortified).
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111 posts
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Post by andromedadench on Apr 24, 2016 15:42:02 GMT
Sorry Matthew, I've seen numerous understudies over the year and understood the whole "you bought tickets to a show" concept, but I honestly think this might be one time that can be legally challenged. The producers plainly weren't simply selling tickets to a production of Sunset Boulevard, they were selling tickets tickets to see Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard. As I posted earlier there is a legal concept that it doesn't matter what you state in a contract, if it's plainly something else, that's what matters (a five-pronged implement will always before a fork, even if you call it a spade). As much as I'm one of those who weren't particularly interested in seeing Close in this production, yet now lament the fact I don't live in London so that I could pop by the Coliseum and snatch a ticket to see Ria Jones's take on the role, I wholeheartedly agree with ll of the above. Duping customers is duping customers even when it's done without officially breaking any part of the 'contract'. The producers didn't sell an ENO production of Sunset Boulevard, but a show starring Glenn Close. And charged people accordingly. So, not to offer any kind of compensation is at best disrespectful and harmful for ENO in the long run, at worst, immoral and unfair. The worst case of 'bending' the rules I've seen is the Verona summer opera festival - when buying a ticket, you accept the risk of the organisers' stopping the performance and sending you off home without any compensation should the show be interrupted by rain after it's run longer than half an hour. So, every time it starts raining, they let the show go on (with short breaks if necessary) until they've hit the 30 minute mark and then just cancel it altogether. So, the fact that this 30-minute rule is stated on the ticket doesn't exactly make this practice any less fraudulent and immoral. On the other hand, this (I don't necessarily mean Glenn Close's coming down with the flu, but the comments on her voice not being able to cope with so many performances) just goes to show how underrated actors who specialise in musical theatre are. It seems that both producers and non-MT actors themselves can sometimes perhaps underestimate how much stamina and practice and skill it takes to perform in a musical 8 times a week.
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111 posts
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Post by andromedadench on Apr 1, 2016 16:05:20 GMT
My parents used to be avid theatre-goers who couldn't always find someone to babysit me and theatre used to be affordable enough to buy an extra ticket for a child who won't understand much, so I was lucky to get to see lots of both children and grown-up theatre. So there's a distinct possibility that neither of these shows that have stayed with me the longest were the first ones I ever saw, but I remember seeing a production of A Flea in Her Ear because I found it extremely funny without understanding anything that was going on (not that I understand what the heck is going on in that play to this day, but that's beside the point) and a children's production of The Snow Queen which has left me so traumatised for some reason that I still feel nervous when I enter the theatre I saw it in. My first London show was The 39 Steps at the Criterion because I liked the poster.
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Post by andromedadench on Jan 23, 2016 23:05:01 GMT
I love these bigger avatars too, I can finally see what's in the pictures. Mine doesn't have any particular story behind it, I just wanted a pretty, theatre-related picture. It's Josefina Gabrielle in Sheffield's The Crucible production of Me and My Girl which I really loved and still remember fondly.
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Post by andromedadench on Jan 22, 2016 19:37:06 GMT
Andromeda Dench reporting for duty. I've got this registration through family connections as I don't get to visit the UK theatres that often, or at least not nearly as often as I'd like to, but nevertheless I love British drama and theatre very, very much and spend all my money on it. Still haven't received a thank you note from the queen for my outstanding contribution to the UK economy, must have got lost in the mail. I love musicals but am tone-deaf and have a very dodgy taste in general - for instance, I didn't mind Tamsin Greig's singing at all and loved The Women on the Verge... overall. So there.
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