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Post by d'James on Mar 16, 2024 17:26:55 GMT
Hopefully this fits into the topic and is deemed to be acceptable. Do actors receive sick pay if they are not able to perform (either the odd performance or slightly longer term)? I’ve always wondered this, too.
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Post by d'James on Mar 13, 2024 20:10:01 GMT
I love the Milton Keynes Theatre. It tends to be the modern ones that are best designed for today's needs, although some refurbished theatre have done a great job In a similar vein, The Waterside theatre in Aylesbury is also a delight to visit. Modern, well laid out, and good views and legroom from all seats. I actually just remembered the Aylesbury Theatre. That was great, too.
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Post by d'James on Mar 13, 2024 19:14:53 GMT
Can anyone provide a short synopsis of what the musical is about? Spoilers follow. . . A middle-aged actress, Myrtle, is worried about being typecast as old, and wants her part in a new play, "The Second Woman," to be rewritten to focus on her uniqueness rather than aging. Outside the theatre, a 17 year old fan tells her how much she loves her, but is run over by a car. Now, Myrtle has a guilt-ridden breakdown where she starts seeing the 17 year old everywhere, who taunts her about her age. There is zero narrative thrust as everyone around her worries about what will happen to the play if Myrtle can't perform. The dead girl sits around giggling and tormenting Myrtle. Myrtle deals with the dead girl and performs opening night. Everyone else is pleased that they got through one night, but god knows what happens next. . . It's basically the story of this musical, in which Sheridan Smith has to go to places that must hurt, and noone knows what will happen after opening night. 😬 The principal idea is that creativity eats a hole in everyone involved, and everyone involved could die a creative death at any time, but creatives love the buzz so much that they will always return to the flame to be burned again. Again, its the meta-story of what is happening right now to all the creatives on this show. Honestly, this is all so bonkers. Cassavetes is not adaptable for a West End show unless you have the creative madness depicted in this show. For the above reasons, I think attending the Opening Night of this will be a legendary theatrical meta-moment to dine out on forever lol! I'm so tempted to book to see it, just so I can say I've seen it. I have no desire to otherwise.
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Post by d'James on Mar 13, 2024 19:06:28 GMT
Big fan of the Bridge, doesn't seem to be any bad seats there and best theatre toilets in London! Really? The toilets seems to cause much confusion when I was there. I love the Milton Keynes Theatre. It tends to be the modern ones that are best designed for today's needs, although some refurbished theatre have done a great job. I quite like The Other Palace. I'm sure there are more that will come to me.
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Post by d'James on Mar 9, 2024 19:00:33 GMT
Does anyone know if they’ll be doing rush tickets? I know it’s far in advance.
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Post by d'James on Feb 1, 2024 18:17:38 GMT
Would Wendi be the first ever 'celeb' Mother Superior in Sister Act that can actually SING? I thought Denise Black had a nice voice. Is Sue Cleaver not doing it now, or is this for different dates?
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Post by d'James on Jan 23, 2024 22:35:49 GMT
I ordered the CD for this years ago and it never arrived :-(
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Post by d'James on Jan 23, 2024 22:34:48 GMT
All of us Strangers I predicted would do well at BAFTA but be snubbed by OScars as its British and indie. Saltburn just isn't as clever as Emerald Fennell seems to think it is - the acting categories are stacked though but I wouldn't have been mad if Pike had been nominated Yeah Saltburn is way overrated. I think there’s just a lot of *now*people involved.
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Post by d'James on Dec 17, 2023 22:32:15 GMT
I was hoping Linzi Hateley was going to sing it as she was there, but still a very good performance.
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Post by d'James on Dec 15, 2023 1:09:51 GMT
Well, haven't you hit the nail on the head there. The operative word being 'actor.' Actresses on the other hand... (I know, actor can be for everyone, I'm just using it to make a point.) There's a fair amount of actresses and female celebrities out there whose mugshots have graced the pages of the tabloids yet all has been forgotten not too long after. Heck even Martha Stewart bounced back! And Winona Ryder popped back up after a couple of years from her shoplifting arrest. I seem to recall Lindsay Lohan being a bit of a wild child too... You really think people have forgotten about the three you mentioned? I know nothing about Martha Stewart, but the other two are really nowhere near recovered career-wise.
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Post by d'James on Dec 14, 2023 18:49:26 GMT
A criminal record would end the majority of people's career, irrespective of their talent. Hopefully she's thanking her lucky starts that she can continue in any capacity but I doubt it. Would it? In Hollywood a criminal record seems to be part of many an actor's CV... Those whose careers "ended" were usually in a career decline anyway, and even then they often pop back up a decade or so later with a new image and a new TV show. Her crime was very white-collar by Hollywood standards. That being said, I'm am always a bit surprised to see big names playing smaller venues outside the West End, but I like it. I mean don't we currently have Woody Harrelson at Riverside Studios? Well, haven't you hit the nail on the head there. The operative word being 'actor.' Actresses on the other hand... (I know, actor can be for everyone, I'm just using it to make a point.)
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Post by d'James on Nov 18, 2023 0:54:25 GMT
That was horrendous. It was like the worst drunk family karaoke wedding - then again, maybe that’s the idea.
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Post by d'James on Nov 12, 2023 2:35:08 GMT
I disagree. I think Saunders isn’t a good actor. She cant play anything that’s not her own invention. She’s a very good mimic though. French is a bit better but not much. It’s always Dawn isn’t it? I saw them tour as a comedy duo several years ago and it was embarrassingly bad. Literally gags being put out and no reaction from the audience. It was embarrassing and totally cringe but when the end came the audience stood up as if they were goddesses. The strength of reputation presumably. Baffling. What is this post I relation to?
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Post by d'James on Nov 11, 2023 16:59:42 GMT
Have to say, I didn’t love her singing choices but her acting was great. Julie Atherton was the best Mary Robert I ever saw.
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Post by d'James on Nov 10, 2023 23:18:58 GMT
Volta is more like a drag queen now though, isn’t he? I find the new Bochum costumes very underwhelming.
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Post by d'James on Nov 10, 2023 13:22:05 GMT
Joel Dommett is the wrong choice for this. His "witty" asides and tongue-in-cheek tone aren't quite right for a show that wants to about plotting and scheming. Claudia got the tone right in Traitors where she knew when to be light and when to be serious. When ITV did the original series they got the newsreader Mark Austin to host. Joel is perfect for the absurd Masked Singer but not here. I'm watching it because I started watching it and it keeps popping up on my box but I doubt I'll stick with it. Disagree. Love him on this. I’ve given up on it because of him.
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Post by d'James on Nov 9, 2023 17:09:43 GMT
I agree. I think a bowl would be great. They need something for Trax to do flips off (assuming they’re still in it) and I didn’t like the things they wheeled on and off stage on the last couple of tours. Yeah they were somewhat underwhelming weren't they. I get that it meant that they could get into all the small theatres in year 2 of the tour but was a shame they didn't bring back the bowl for year 3 when they returned to the bigger venues. Simpler and cheaper I guess. I reckon there will be Trax. Rumours I've heard (and this is friend of a friend level - so HUGE pinch of salt) is that they really wanna concentrate on singing/story telling abilities of cast and skating level required will be more akin to UK tour than the kind of level Bochum requires. If that's true reckon Trax might even be expanded for flips and tricks and spectacle on wheels. I really like the Trax. Follow a lot of them on Instagram and the stuff they do on blades is so cool. Yes, that's what ALW wanted after he went to see it in Bochum one time, he said the music was really different to what he had written or something. It's a shame because the spectacle of them dancing and singing on skates is part of it.
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Post by d'James on Nov 9, 2023 12:58:29 GMT
Not a massive fan, but an interesting choice I guess.
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Post by d'James on Nov 9, 2023 12:56:16 GMT
What do we think are the chances of a bridge? Awwww the bridge! Am a massive set design geek and the Starlight bridge is probably my fave set "item" of all time (sorry Sunset house - relegated to second). My hunch sadly is very unlikely. I've been wondering a lot what the set will be like and this week's unveiling of the seating plan has obviously fuelled that. Completely guessing as obvs the plan doesn't tell you much but I do wonder if it's all on one level - kind of like the Parkett tracks in Bochum and paddock in London. Unless it goes uphill to the horizontal section at the back behind Platform in front of Locomotive. But I don't think there will be linking of different levels via a bridge of similar. Plus new design means they won't want to copy Napier. I kinda think - just cos of well everything, there won't be vast amounts of physical (expensive) set and the race tracks won't be particularly "built up" like the outer AV track. That huge bank of Locomotive seats very much behind and above all the set. Massive use of projections as is normal now and possibly video and my guess is a large back wall to take projections. You'd hope stage will be bowl shaped so perhaps a higher level along the back wall like the US tours and very first bowl UK tour (not cos bowls are a Starlight thing but cos they are a roller skating thing). Michael Harrison also not exactly known for big expensive sets! (That said you'd think this won't be cheap!) So something technically impressive but not with huge amounts of physical set is what am thinking. This is all a complete guess though! I agree. I think a bowl would be great. They need something for Trax to do flips off (assuming they’re still in it) and I didn’t like the things they wheeled on and off stage on the last couple of tours.
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Post by d'James on Nov 9, 2023 8:41:06 GMT
What do we think are the chances of a bridge? The Troubadour seems about as stable as a house of cards, so I don't think they could install an extremely heavy bridge in there. And the bridge in Bochum keeps breaking down and is often out of commission for weeks on end, so it seems a lot of trouble and cost for something that isn't really needed. I'd rather see a completely fresh approach to the stage sets. Yes, but that bridge is 35 years old. I haven’t seen the new version there because it sounds like they’re determined to ruin the magic. The bridge may not be essential to the show, but it IS spectacular. I am interested in seeing new ideas for the show but I really hope it’s on more than one level.
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Post by d'James on Nov 8, 2023 23:42:01 GMT
What do we think are the chances of a bridge?
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Post by d'James on Nov 8, 2023 23:41:25 GMT
Zeta Jones.
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Post by d'James on Nov 7, 2023 22:49:00 GMT
I always thought Nathaniel Morrison would be an amazing Rusty and Josie Benson could be a great Momma.
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Post by d'James on Sept 29, 2023 22:35:04 GMT
Take it to New York, get Cher to do a few weeks (or whatever’s necessary) and get her the T in her EGOT.
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Post by d'James on Sept 21, 2023 0:06:45 GMT
So what do we think the new plot will be if the “steam is old and old of date” narrative is gone? Presumably Rusty can’t be “rusty” anymore? What is Poppa/Momma/Themma’s role? Or it could just be a retro piece set in the 80s still… That would be the dream.
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Post by d'James on Sept 20, 2023 19:17:31 GMT
He gets an overhaul and emerges for the final race as Sunny, the solar-powered train. But apparently he’s still “steam” powered?! And I guess Electra is no longer “the engine of the future”. It’s the world turned upside down!!! Steam doesn’t only have to come from coal. Maybe he’s nuclear. Rewrite Light At The End Of The Tunnel instead of ‘Nuclear Fission Leaves A Nasty Emission,’ they will sing ‘Burning Coal Leaves A Nasty Ozone Hole.’ Maybe they’ll all convert to clean energy at the end but it gets way too complicated.
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Post by d'James on Sept 20, 2023 12:40:00 GMT
With 'immersive' a lot of set spectacle can be substituted by the spectacle of fellow-audience reaction. So MH may not short change even if physical set doesn't wow. Cost goes into audience management; though here (with dangerous skating) the audience won't be interspersed with performers when skating at least. Some kind of velodrome shape might work with higher tiers of track too so they're not just circling. Main dramatic action in the middle like field events in athletics. Audience sections for fans of particular racers? Could be hilarious: self declared misogynists all corralled into the Greaseball area; geeks and dreamers in Rusty; and people who switch and change their frequency being fabulous in the Electra zone. Food court opportunities: Dinah's Diner. Sadly they got rid of Buffy, but I guess Carrie could be in charge of the cloakroom.
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Post by d'James on Sept 20, 2023 11:39:44 GMT
I think people underestimate the affection for this show. I posted this news on my Facebook yesterday and people from all over the world (who I have met heard from in a while) are all so excited. For a lot of them, it was the first show they saw, and the memories are of such a spectacle. A lot of them have children now and have wanted to take them for ages but there hasn’t been a full English language production for eleven years (not counting the workshops or the one night in Bochum). My cousin has been wanting to take his kids for ages.
I’m not saying it will sell out, but I think it’s got a solid six months-one year in it. As others have said, the pricing will be key. Also, as I said, if they can get a Met Line train covered in Starlight logos that’d be great, even more so if they can get it to leave at the same time every day from Baker Street so it can be part of the experience, even better.
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Post by d'James on Sept 19, 2023 13:59:57 GMT
I assume it’ll be Reva Rice.
Hope they do something big for the fortieth!
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Post by d'James on Sept 19, 2023 12:00:20 GMT
If they’ve got any sense, they’ll cover one of the Met Line trains in Starlight branding. (Maybe Jubilee too, but Met Line is only two stops from Baker Street.)
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