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Post by garetha on Jan 8, 2023 7:12:33 GMT
Saw the show a few weeks ago when back in the UK. Was sat in Manhattan in the front row so closeup to the performers. Pretty sure my review will be contentious but hey! Overall the technical design and integration of the show sets into the building is fantastic. What a way to utilise a black box space. Lighting - Pretty good. Hit and miss in a few places, but lighting in the round is never easy though so can be largely forgiven. Loved the back wall box lighting Sound - Act 1 - Just awful. Thought it was being mixed by someone who never had mixed a show before, but had friends see it since, and the reviews here and it all still says the same! Act 2 - better. Cast - I liked everyone except the male lead. Sadly to say he hardly had any visible emotion and I am pretty sure there is more chemistry between 2 bricks. Rest of the cast were great. I use to work on something called "Summer Youth Projects" and the only way we could fit 150 performers onstage at the same time was utilise the auditorium like they did here. Was very hard not to think of it like that. However when we say SYP - we did shows like West Side Story with the touring set and the touring orchestra (not small budget or scale). ! However ill admit my love for the filmed version is a lot more now
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Post by garetha on Sept 8, 2019 21:23:47 GMT
I saw this last night. I went in with real thoughts that I would hate it, and actually the moment SS came on, I really did hate it. Was it because I didn't like her, or because I had read so many things that it almost programmed me not to like her? I won't lie. She grew on me. It took while, but I got use to her silliness and her multi role casting, but I actually liked it. Unfortunately Im not sure if she is still recovering from illness or her voice is just destroyed, but vocally she struggles. Cant quite hit notes, had to cut them short.
I really liked Jac. He was really good. A honour to watch and I hope has a good future. Jason actually was much better than expected based on the reviews on here. His voice held well. His song was cheesy, but damn the whole audience loved it.
I really liked the new set and direction. Getting rid of the stairs was a stroke of genius and the new orchestration are to die for. The band were on form! The only band I have heard sound like that in recent years was the 42nd Street band. The lighting was a vast improvement on the last versions. Very panto style, but again it just works. It does help having the sound design by Gareth Owen however!
I wouldn't call this a panto. Its definitely better than that, but this show is staged for audience to laugh and enjoy themselves, and I can tell you last night over 2000 people did. Very rare to see a standing ovation before the actual end of the show, and well deserved it was.
In general, I loved it. Really i did. If you take it for what it actually is - its spot on. If you want decent theatre, go watch Hedda Gabler.
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Post by garetha on Jun 11, 2019 10:37:03 GMT
Definitely a kids show - Baker is a 10 year old I just saw on facebook. .
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Post by garetha on Feb 19, 2019 20:32:49 GMT
Another clip which I don't think was posted on here before.
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Post by garetha on Jan 15, 2018 23:38:08 GMT
Re FFE, they were part of ATG, who decided (for whatever reason) that FFE wasn't working for them. And then signed a contract with Qdos for 9 of the 10 former FFE pantos. The one that didn't move across being Aylesbury which went to UK Productions instead. I can only think this must be because it's close to the Qdos/HQ stronghold of the Wycombe Swan. Yes Wycombe Swan was the main reason they didn't do Aylesbury, but there was also Oxford and Milton Keynes within a 40 minute drive of Aylesbury so they chose not to compete. I believe the logic was that ATG essentially "privatised" the panto wing that is FFE, sold it off believing that someone else running it could be more profitable. I imagine they were also able to sell off a load of costumes and sets etc, and possibly even warehouse space that was used to store all that. If only it was that simple! Its actually much much more complicated than this. Warehouse space was only hired anyway.
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Post by garetha on Dec 13, 2017 17:41:38 GMT
Band from memory were on a balcony with black drapes to hide them. The children were on a balcony. . the worst bit was the venue didnt have cue lights, so we haver to programme in red and green parsons to use as cue lights when they should come to stage etc. The dressing rooms were - fun!!! Never seen so many people in just 2 dressing rooms there! Was an interesting place. Company office I got to use an entire studio upstairs all to myself! I certainly wasn't complaining. For flying - we just cut most of it. Luckily our show didnt need so much of it. Saying that, was great times there, and the most amazing digs. ! The venue which we did after - Castlebar was certainly a wow wow. We were the first show back in after their major refurb / build . . . now THAT was interesting. . .they were still outfitting, but would loose too much money if we cancelled. So as they say, the show must go in Thanks so much for the detailed reply. I find the workings of backstage and sets really interesting so really appreciate the reply No problem at all!
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Post by garetha on Dec 12, 2017 13:20:55 GMT
Band from memory were on a balcony with black drapes to hide them.
The children were on a balcony. . the worst bit was the venue didnt have cue lights, so we haver to programme in red and green parsons to use as cue lights when they should come to stage etc.
The dressing rooms were - fun!!! Never seen so many people in just 2 dressing rooms there! Was an interesting place.
Company office I got to use an entire studio upstairs all to myself! I certainly wasn't complaining.
For flying - we just cut most of it. Luckily our show didnt need so much of it.
Saying that, was great times there, and the most amazing digs. !
The venue which we did after - Castlebar was certainly a wow wow. We were the first show back in after their major refurb / build . . . now THAT was interesting. . .they were still outfitting, but would loose too much money if we cancelled. So as they say, the show must go in
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Post by garetha on Dec 6, 2017 17:08:14 GMT
Actually I was CM on a tour that went there years ago! Though its very random, its a great place and the apartments that we stayed in were awesome! Was a great great week!
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Post by garetha on Sept 18, 2017 18:52:36 GMT
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Post by garetha on Mar 18, 2017 21:09:51 GMT
Having nightmares about Joseph at this time!
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Post by garetha on Jan 20, 2017 12:50:50 GMT
I saw it in December. Was very disappointed. Very rare i spend as much money on a ticket as I did however with the hype, was very disappointed. Before I am lambasted, my background is theatre in roles varying from CM / CSM / LX1. So i have done my years of touring and residency to really understand theatre from a technical and creative perspective. Genie - Amazing. Cant say anything bad about him Jafar - Amazing. Costume changes - magnificent. Aladdin - Miscast. Maybe he was tired. However less vocal energy and acting than a recent graduate (And i know they are better) Jasmine - Ok. Nothing special. No vocal energy. Set - Magnificent. Especially the cave. Very interested that the front line arrays were actually encased in a black gauze so it no longer looks like the messy front portal! Ingenious if you ask me! I have to add - the flying carpets impressive. Ok, i already know how its done, but still to have technology and a visual experience like that in conjunction with the reveal scene was just impressive even to me. Lighting - Overlit in places. Couple of nice moments, but really nothing new or creative Sound - Abysmal. The live tracking that is being used doesn't work well. The energy from Aladdin / Jasmine also makes it hard work for the engineer to really get some energy from it. However the tracking was not working. Band - Nice band, but just playing through the motions We actually contacted the theatre about the sound as it really wasn't good, and actually they have responded and that Aladdin themselves wish to discuss it further with us. Im sure I will be shot for this. Im sure this show will do its 3 - 5 years, but its not got a long life in it I don't believe. What was interesting, not a single person standing at the end.
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Post by garetha on Jan 19, 2017 21:54:44 GMT
And having friends inside RUG - its not selling well overall. Its doing "ok" however not expected to run long.
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Post by garetha on Jan 19, 2017 21:45:21 GMT
I saw it in December. Was very disappointed. Very rare i spend as much money on a ticket as I did however with the hype, was very disappointed. Before I am lambasted, my background is theatre in roles varying from CM / CSM / LX1. So i have done my years of touring and residency to really understand theatre from a technical and creative perspective.
Genie - Amazing. Cant say anything bad about him Jafar - Amazing. Costume changes - magnificent. Aladdin - Miscast. Maybe he was tired. However less vocal energy and acting than a recent graduate (And i know they are better) Jasmine - Ok. Nothing special. No vocal energy.
Set - Magnificent. Especially the cave. Very interested that the front line arrays were actually encased in a black gauze so it no longer looks like the messy front portal! Ingenious if you ask me! Lighting - Overlit in places. Couple of nice moments, but really nothing new or creative Sound - Abysmal. The live tracking that is being used doesn't work well. The energy from Aladdin / Jasmine also makes it hard work for the engineer to really get some energy from it. However the tracking was not working. Band - Nice band, but just playing through the motions
We actually contacted the theatre about the sound as it really wasn't good, and actually they have responded and that Aladdin themselves wish to discuss it further with us.
Im sure I will be shot for this. Im sure this show will do its 3 - 5 years, but its not got a long life in it I don't believe.
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Post by garetha on Jan 9, 2017 0:08:42 GMT
He watched most of the show from the control booth.
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Post by garetha on Dec 15, 2016 21:31:13 GMT
As cheap as UK Productions was in comparison to Disney, actually the UKP one pound for pound was more successful.
The last time i saw the original Beauty set, it was stashed away in a aircraft hanger near Milton Keynes. The tour lost a fortune as it was so large and back then the appetite for the musical was not as good.
That being said, with the movie release in March, ANYONE doing it has a surefire hit on their hands.
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Post by garetha on Nov 13, 2016 6:18:57 GMT
Anyone know the website for this production?? Its a UK Productions tour I believe. Seen on an article about the casting that the tour will kick off in Bromley and travel to places like Manchester, Southampton, Woking etc until April 2028
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