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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 10, 2017 7:25:26 GMT
I like this play and will try and catch the tour. It is great if you have never seen it - delivers some real shocks! I remember seeing it at the Garrick Theatre originally with Gareth Hunt and the audience screaming with the twists in the plot! Great fun!
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 10, 2017 7:17:27 GMT
I avoid actor / musician productions - cannot abide them. Not to say that occasionally they can work but for the most part they are just "cheap" and a way of charging musical theatre prices without an orchestra.
Again, lots of musical shows can be scaled down very successfully into a small space with a three piece band but others really need a BIG production because really that is all that there is to them. Crazy For You is one such show where it's all about the music and the dance. 42nd St would be another
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 10, 2017 7:08:23 GMT
Well if Charlie's Dick is anything like Natasha's Cinderella last year he wont have much to do other than be the butt of Julian Clary's jokes!
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 9, 2017 10:54:11 GMT
It's unusual for me to have a bad experience, to be honest, but it does seem to depend on the whims of the box office staff/producers at that particular performance and time. Unless it is a really hit show (Harry Potter, Hamilton) they have a balancing act to perform of maximising revenue and filling seats. You win most, you lose sometimes. You cannot take it personally!
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 9, 2017 10:45:22 GMT
Yes, I clearly caught them at a busy period....but I got a good seat at a reasonable price in the end. All's well that ends well, and I did enjoy the play.
Regarding rows AA and BB - they are close and the huge kitchen table must affect sight lines. I am surprised they put the rows in to be honest, unless they were expecting sell out audiences and anticipated extra revenue. However, this play does not appear to have caught on - quiet for a Friday night I would have thought.
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 9, 2017 9:12:48 GMT
First - a rant.....
I have often posted my great experiences with Box Office staff at WE theatres - getting deals on tickets at the last minute by just rocking up and being charming and polite...so I think it only fair to report when this doesn't happen and my irresistible charm proves ....well resistible!
I was unexpectedly free in the WE last night and too late for TKTS or Today Tix so I rocked up at the box office at the Trafalgar Studios at 7.15pm to buy a ticket and of course in search of a deal. The foyer was busy. I asked the girl on the box office when it was my turn to be served if she had a single seat for tonight (with a smile of course) and her response was " You want to buy one?" "Yes" I replied. "You're not picking up a ticket?" "No, I'd like to purchase one" I responded. "Oh, just wait a minute while I serve people picking up tickets". She then proceeded to deal with other people in the queue behind me. Several minutes went by and I was stood there like a lemon. Eventually her male colleague called me over and said "Can I help?" "Yes" I responded. "I would like to purchase a ticket for Apologia, sorry to be a nuisance, it seems buying a ticket from a box office is unheard of!". The girl, who was stood doing nothing now looked sheepish! "I can offer you £35 at the back or £65 at the front". "Can you do me a deal on a good seat?" I asked oozing what little charm I could muster at this point. "No" - he responded " We are very busy tonight". "Excellent" I said "I'm delighted you have managed to sell a few tickets, I'll leave it, thank you for your time anyway". "Just a minute" he says "I can offer you a mid side stalls ticket with a slightly restricted view for £35". "OK I'll take that" I said and bought the ticket. When I got into the auditorium at 7.28 there were swathes of empty seats - it was around 60% full. The row behind me was empty - so I moved back a row and along and sat in a £65 seat! The box office guy must have known the seats were empty on the screen......? No-one challenged me about moving just before the lights went down and I thought if they did they were going to get their head ripped off!!!
Rant over!
So....to the play. I was glad I wasn't sat at the back as I simply would not have heard several members of the cast.
A mixed bag I thought. Act One was excellent, good plotting , lots of laughs and really enjoyed it. But I thought the play fell apart in Act Two and did not live up to the promise of Act One.
Performances mixed too. Loved Laura Carmichael, who stole the show for me and Desmond Barrit was hilarious - no projection issues there. Joseph Millson, I thought was unconvincing as the two brothers and his monologue in Act Two was almost completely inaudible.
Stockard Channing, was OK, looked amazing for 73, and a dream of a role but I could not help but think what a better actress could have made of it - think Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Julie Walters.
An enjoyable evening though as I was not familiar with the play and some really good laughs - loved the business with the dress!! LOL.
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 9, 2017 8:35:50 GMT
A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic?
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 9, 2017 8:29:10 GMT
Did you check out the menu- kale? I have been offered eating places for this as a supporter, no ballot. I'm just horrified frankly unless I have got it completely wrong. What comes to mind is the kind of trickery we witnessed in the play about mobile phones at the Donmar when a member of the audience, ho de ho, was exposed in such an uncomfortable way. Not to mention what you have already mentioned, the mishaps of eating! I look forward to hearing about this show. The Donmar play was called Privacy (I think). Not the best of plays but it certainly gave food for thought (see what I did there!) Obviously when you make a booking these days with a credit card - they know your name and where you are sat in the auditorium and as most people have their lives online now, a quick pre-show search clearly flagged up several potential victims on Facebook etc. of drunken hen parties etc. and a quick check of Google Earth and your street and house are up on the screen for all to see. The audience and the person in question seemed horrified that 200 people in the audience saw her house and her antics on her hen night, but of course this information is readily available to the world should it be searched for......
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 8, 2017 9:55:37 GMT
An amazing opportunity for him and there must be dozens of young American actors who could have played the role too.
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 8, 2017 9:48:30 GMT
I saw an ad for a TV show called something like "Celebrities face their trolls" or something. Apparently some celebs get masses of vile tweets and death threats etc. I couldn't help but feel the problem could be solved by a press of a button and delete their social media. Sorted. Clearly they need it though.....
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 7, 2017 18:21:00 GMT
Yes, huge congratulations to Charlie - an amazing opportunity. However, I assumed he would be playing Cornelius Hackl (the Michael Crawford part in the film) but is playing Barnaby Tucker the sidekick which is quite honestly a much smaller role.
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 7, 2017 18:12:24 GMT
Not easy to transfer into town then if it is a hit?
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 7, 2017 3:12:27 GMT
Excellent drama. Brilliant script and acting.
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 7, 2017 3:10:33 GMT
I do love Strictly and of course I will be watching, but it is so formulaic now and predictable - I really should find something better to do - like go to the theatre!
I caught an hour of the X Factor last weekend (I will not be watching any more) and felt I was in a time warp. It was like I was watching the show 8 years ago or something with Louis, Sharon and Simon, sob stories, mediocre, karaoke singing, interviews, relations crying etc. They could have shown a repeat, saved the money and no-one would notice.
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 7, 2017 2:56:25 GMT
No-one has blocked me as I really don't do social media. If I did, I really would use basically two rules -
1. If you have nothing nice to say - say nothing at all.
2. Don't say anything that you would not be prepared to say to the persons face.
I try to follow those rules on here....which is why, sometimes, if I have seen a show that is just dreadful I will not admit to even seeing it on here! So my "reviews" of stuff are mainly positive if that makes any sense.
However, that's just me. If performers choose to do the "social media" thing (and it is not compulsory) then they have to accept criticism of their views and performances. Most performers use social media to plug their latest show etc. and expect comments to just be a "love fest" of "positive energy" and "mindfulness" and adoration. Life isn't really like that - you cant "block out" the bits of life you don't like! So they live by the sword, I'm afraid they die by the sword. Some of the comments on social media are completely unacceptable of course and that is why (to come full circle) I don't participate.
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 6, 2017 14:46:02 GMT
This sounds like my idea of absolute hell.
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 6, 2017 14:25:33 GMT
I hate those bench seats too where people inevitably encroach into your space. They just try and cram too many people on. The last time I went the person sat next to me was half sat on my space when I arrived and very huffily moved over. You wouldn't mind for £15-£20 but for over £40 I do at least expect a seat to myself! It will take more than this show to get me to the Menier again unless they cast someone awesome!
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 6, 2017 14:20:08 GMT
Apparently John Barrowman and the Krankies come as a package.
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 6, 2017 14:05:20 GMT
I would agree with oxfordsimon above, however, the show is almost sold out for its week in December at the Brighton Theatre Royal where very little sells out these days. The prices are top dollar too - £58 top price and £65 premiums!! I assume it is Mrs Redknapp that is responsible for this - surely not Will Young?
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 6, 2017 9:51:16 GMT
Joe did not strip down to swimming trunks in the original production. This was only done in the Coliseum production. We will see if it happens in this incarnation.....
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 6, 2017 9:47:25 GMT
Press Night tonight! It has to get 4 and 5 star reviews I would have thought?
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 5, 2017 21:17:44 GMT
OK - full list of covers
SALLY - Liz Izen PHYLLISS / HEIDI - Gemma Page BEN/DIMITRI/THEODORE - Adrian Grove YOUNG BUDDY - Barnaby Thompson BUDDY/ROSCOE - Ian McLarnon STELLA/SOLANGE/CARLOTTA - Julie Armstrong HATTIE - Liz Ewing YOUNG PHYLLIS -Aimee Hodnett YOUNG SALLY -Emily Langham YOUNG BEN - Michael Vinsen YOUNG HEIDI -Anouska Eaton
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 5, 2017 9:09:58 GMT
Can you aficionados of JCS tell me whether this production is good enough and significant enough for me to brave the elements tonight to attend, come what may, or should I trust my gut feeling and give it a miss. It won't be the first time I have booked for a show then decided at the last minute not to go. HELP! Go, go, go! It is a thrilling production!
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 5, 2017 9:06:30 GMT
So....no-one going to Leicester to be the first to see this production then?
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 5, 2017 0:15:06 GMT
Saw that last year in Birmingham!
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 4, 2017 22:18:48 GMT
Petula was the worst Norma at the Adelphi IMO. Not a patch on EP or Buckley. But of course it is all subjective.
Quick Petula Clark story. I was sat outside a fish restaurant in Brighton with some friends and two women wearing sunglasses stopped to look at the menu. After rather too much wine I said rather loudly to my companions "oh look, that woman looks just like Petula Clark!" One of the women removed her sunglasses and said "I AM Petula Clark!" She was appearing in SB in London at the time. She smiled and was lovely but I just wanted the ground to swallow me up!
BUT to drag the thread back to the topic - who is going to see Sunset at the Curve Leicester at the start of the tour later this month. I am very undecided. It is a trek for me, but I love the show and the score - one of my ALW favourites but perhaps I need to keep my memories of Glenn Close and the fabulous orchestra at the Coliseum in tact! Although there is a "full" orchestra for this production apparently of 20 musicians - so it should be OK? Decisions, decisions?
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 4, 2017 22:06:19 GMT
At least this production will keep the Bad Behaviour thread busy!
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 4, 2017 14:05:36 GMT
Yes, the producers are chasing the hen party crowd that loves Mamma Mia, The Bodyguard, Motown etc. A hit, romantic film with some well known songs - they are hoping to hit the jackpot. So much harder to create a hit with a new show and unknown score.......
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 4, 2017 7:28:45 GMT
Yes, the prices are eye watering! I snagged a front row side stalls seat for £55 ages ago for a performance mid December. I hate sitting at the back. How do families afford it?
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 3, 2017 9:23:12 GMT
Yes, Bryan Dick did the revival of Hobsons Choice which went into the West End. He was either contracted or chose to and the dates clashed. Kipps is a star vehicle and can make star which hopefully it will do for Charlie! Such is the luck of this business we call show!
There are lots of revivals of musicals that Charlie would be ideal for - Me & My Girl, Crazy For You, Barnum, Billy etc. He needs to create a role in a new hit musical ideally...
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