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Post by princeton on Feb 16, 2022 15:45:59 GMT
Both scheduled to be in it until 19th March I believe.
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Post by princeton on Feb 16, 2022 13:19:31 GMT
I was just doing slight wild - but impractical and unlikely - casting. I think we've more change of seeing Dorries in the show than either Josh O'Connor or Emma Corrin - they are both riding high on the back of numbers awards for The Crown and I suspect have film and TV roles stacked up (that covid backlog is real) and both would want to originate rather than take over roles I'm sure. O'Connor is definitely a theatre animal, I remember seeing him at Stratford, the Donmar and Southwark Playhouse.
He's no name at all - but Patsy Ferran's Camp Siegfried co-star Luke Thallon would make a great Emcee. He was amazing as Bobby Childs in the Guildhall production of Crazy for You - a proper song and dance man - including tapping!
I'm speculating that the relatively late announcement about the replacements is because they are such big names that there will be a huge demand at the box office and another spike of publicity - or, possibly more likely, they are selling as many tickets on the strength of Redmayne/Buckley - as they are worried that sales may fall off post announcement. I guess we'll know soon enough.
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Post by princeton on Feb 16, 2022 12:21:34 GMT
Nadine Dorries watched it a few week back too......
Obviously Andrew Scott would be amazing (much better than Redmayne I think) - but unless it's part he's been wanting to play for ever I can't imagine that he's going to take over a role at this point in his career. He's also filming the Showtime version of Ripley at the moment alongside Johnny Flynn who would also be an amazing MC.
I know there was speculation a long time ago about regular Rebecca Frecknall collaborator Patsy Ferran playing Sally Bowles, and that's something which would be interesting - possibly opposite her co-star from the cancelled Broadway production of Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf - Russell Tovey.
And if not Erin Doherty, how about her 'sister in law' Emma Corrin - who can apparently sing. Josh O'Connor as the Emcee - we can but dream.
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Post by princeton on Feb 12, 2022 0:04:41 GMT
Call me old fashioned - and I am as I think twitter does more harm than good - but Lauren Byrne was asked a direct question (as clarified by Marob) "does anyone know why" which also included supposition that 'something seems a bit off". Lauren responded explaining the reason that Carrie Hope Fletcher wasn't performing at that performance and that there was nothing untoward about the change - she even apologised that the original poster wasn't going to be seeing Carrie. Now it seems as though she's the one in the wrong with someone else weighing in - posting that "The attitude displayed from this actress is appalling". Personally I thought her response was accurate, helpful and friendly. I didn't see that she got into a spat or was being defensive - even if, in trying to keep the tone light it was occasionally clumsily written. Bet she'll not attempt to be helpful in future!!
But hey, what do I know, I come from an era when you discovered that an actor was off when you saw a typed notice on the box office window - and you just accepted that there was a good reason for the change.
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Post by princeton on Feb 11, 2022 20:07:37 GMT
Baz and the Daily Mail have been quite uncomfortable bedfellows for quite some time. His political and cultural views are somewhat removed from those of the paper particularly in recent years, and some theatre producers have been reluctant to give him scoops and they don't want to be seen to support the Mail. Also, producers no longer want to have to wait until Friday to make their announcement, and the very nature of his late night tweets mean that it's not really an exclusive in the print edition as by that time everyone else has picked it up.
After 40 years I hope he's managed to get a huge pension from the Mail, and I think Deadline will be a great home for him in the future. If truth be told he no great writer, but he loves theatre, he's good at making the connections and getting the stories - and I think he'll be better at finding and reporting those scoops once he's freed from the constraints of the Mail.
And yes Mail Online is one of the most used news sites in the world - certainly, as Jan, says top of the newspaper related sites - beaten only, I think, by the BBC and CNN.
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Post by princeton on Feb 9, 2022 12:53:59 GMT
James Brining directed and Simon Higlett designed the Leeds production and subsequent tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and they also did the Leeds production of Wizard of Oz in 2019/20 which might give some indication of type of production this is likely to be. I suspect it will be as lavish as a regional theatre budget allows - which will hopefully prevent it being completely overblown, but not too scaled down. Also, in both of the productions mentioned they had children playing the children.
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Post by princeton on Feb 1, 2022 18:50:26 GMT
I remember the McKellen/De La Tour version being about two and a half hours, and a more recent Donmar at Trafalgar Studios version (in an adaptation by Connor McPherson) moving at a fair lick but still coming in at around 2 hours. I think 1hr 40mins (poss without interval) or 2hrs 40mins are more likely - 40 minutes would be one heck of a radical adaptation. Definitely will be interesting to see a real life couple playing the parts.
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Post by princeton on Feb 1, 2022 17:38:51 GMT
If I recall this adaptation/director (though no cast) was announced as part of the Arcola's 20th anniversary season and should have happened in June 2020 (the Barney Norris play which has just been rescheduled was also announced for that season along with a Philip Prowse directed Death in Venice - and lots more). So I guess there's a chance that this will transfer to the Arcola after the Bath run - the dates would seem to fit.
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Post by princeton on Jan 29, 2022 21:24:27 GMT
I wonder whether the absence of any Mackintosh musicals was to do with his deal with Sky over Christmas - there may have been some sort of window of exclusivity. Or, of course, he may have just been demonstrating his customary control freakery!
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Post by princeton on Jan 16, 2022 23:57:17 GMT
And Nick Hytner directed his own adaptation of A Christmas Carol at the Bridge in 2020.
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Post by princeton on Dec 14, 2021 17:09:27 GMT
I believe that officially you have to wait 12 weeks (91 days) from your second dose though you can book that after 2 months (61 days) so I suspect that if you book online it will stick to the 91 days but if you go to a smaller walk-in place you may be able to get it before. As with everything to do with this Government the messaging is is completely unclear and I'm sure that pharmacies haven't been given clear guidance if indeed at any all. And of course everything is a moveable feast......
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Post by princeton on Dec 14, 2021 16:33:06 GMT
Is this musical based on the Rufus Norris version of "Sleeping Beauty", which was staged at Chichester in 2018? The Rufus Norris version of Sleeping Beauty was originally done at the Young Vic in 2001 and then again at the Barbican with largely the same cast in 2004 and it was marvellous in both versions - and really well received. It was based on the traditional Charles Perrault version and featured a baby eating ogre queen and a dishevelled flightless fairy - but its strength was in its simplicity. It sounds as though everything that was good has been lost by trying to turn it into a large scale musical. Not due to see Hex until the new year, but I suspect I'm going to be very disappointed.
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Post by princeton on Dec 7, 2021 17:28:54 GMT
I'm interested to see the reviews for this production. I suspect that much will depend on how well acquainted people are with the original Michael Bennett version. I have a longstanding personal and professional relationship with the Bennett production and found this version very flawed. I don't think that every revival has to slavishly recreate the original staging - and indeed the Curve creative team have made it clear that they wanted to shake things up a bit - but I do think it has to remain true to the spirit. There's a reason why the original was billed as "Conceived, Choreographed and Directed by Michael Bennett" and that's because every element of the production is there to serve Bennett's original vision - be that book, music, lyrics or design. The Curve version was full of directorial, and other creative, missteps - some minor, some fundamental which kept pulling you away from the source material instead of drawing you in. Never for once did I think I was watching people audition for a Broadway musical in 1975 - rather I was watching technical trickery, lightning effects and inappropriate footwear! Which was a shame - as I thought many of the cast were very good and there were lots of powerful individual moments but overall I felt that they were being hampered by what they were being asked to do.
I'm glad that people are enjoying this version - but slightly saddened by the missed opportunities.
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Post by princeton on Dec 7, 2021 0:49:33 GMT
The Drowsy Chaperone was written and originally performed as a one-act piece. As noted above there's even a gag about the lack of an interval. However when it was on a post-Broadway tour (by the time it had become non-equity) some venues were not willing take it without an interval, and therefore agreement was made for an interval to be included. There were only a couple of extra lines of dialogue added. This version is available in the UK for amateur use, and often preferred so that organisations don't have to pay a premium for venue hire. It should still only run 90-100 minutes plus the length of the interval - any longer and they are playing it at a very pedestrian pace.
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Post by princeton on Nov 29, 2021 0:21:34 GMT
The same is true for John and Rose This is from John when he was announced as a contestant: "Between the ages of 10-14, I did ballet, modern and tap. So I may have a few dancing bones in my body, but I'm not necessarily very good rhythmically. Ballet is very stiff and I can do a triple timestep but who knows what I will be like at Ballroom or Latin! "
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Post by princeton on Nov 24, 2021 20:11:19 GMT
Actually Fun Home when originally produced at the Public Theatre was in the Newman Theatre which is a traditional end on stage (it's where Hamilton and A Chorus Line both started), it was restaged in the round when it moved to Broadway, and then back to proscenium arch production for the US tour and the Young Vic.
I suspect that Oklahoma will be either traverse or use thrust staging at the Young Vic, but, if it has a life beyond, there's already a blueprint for staging it in a more traditional theatre.
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Post by princeton on Nov 24, 2021 17:12:19 GMT
The production has recently started a US tour where it's playing traditional proscenium arch venues - and has been restaged accordingly. So there's no reason why, depending on the reception it receives at the Young Vic, it shouldn't transfer to a regular west end house.
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Post by princeton on Nov 21, 2021 0:53:00 GMT
Eleanor Kane had previously been announced as playing the Prince.
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Post by princeton on Nov 19, 2021 17:02:59 GMT
Do you think theyve mixed Joel Benjamin up with Joel Montagu? No - Joel Benjamin is in the ensemble Full cast hereDivina De Campo leaves the production tomorrow.
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Post by princeton on Nov 15, 2021 22:54:04 GMT
They’ve lost 80%in capacity 80 seats not 80% though the way it's worded - 80 in capacity - is a bit odd.
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Post by princeton on Nov 3, 2021 9:56:44 GMT
So disappointing - yet somehow predictable. This interview is fascinating, truly reveals himself as someone with much ego and little vision What's On Stage article
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Post by princeton on Oct 29, 2021 11:41:04 GMT
The Old Vic doesn't have the West End rights for Into the Woods - they are held by Scenario Two productions who was the co-producer. Scenario Two is run by John Berry the former Artistic Director at ENO. He commissioned Gilliam to make his operatic directorial debut with The Damnation of Faust and then Benvenuto Cellini, and says that they were amongst the greatest successes of his time at ENO.
So I'm guessing that they took Into the Woods to the Old Vic with Gilliam already attached to it, the Old Vic now seemingly doesn't want to work with Gilliam and Scenario Two is trying to find another venue for the production.
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Post by princeton on Oct 26, 2021 12:43:12 GMT
Playful Productions were involved in the first two parts from the beginning. They either commissioned it and took it to the RSC, or else it was a joint commission. It was very much positioned as an RSC production at the time, though Playful was billed as lead producer by the time it reached the Aldwych.
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Post by princeton on Oct 25, 2021 23:02:39 GMT
In fairness to Hampstead - this was scheduled long before the lockdown as part of a season of 'Hampstead Classics' (it was originally supposed to play July 2020) and in fact they are one of the few theatres which have now produced all of their postponed shows. And to be even more fair - they did try to open in November of last year (albeit with another two hander!) which most theatres didn't - but that was delayed due to lockdown mk 2 and when they did manage to reopen in December it was cut short because of lockdown 3. They also reopened both main house and studio in May/June.
That said - I'm going to 'night, Mother later in the week with a fairly heavy heart. I saw the Broadway revival with Brenda Blethyn and Edie Falco and found it to be pretty tedious, inauthentic and the actors miscast - but hoped that it was just that particular production (the original version is spoken about in the most hallowed of tones!). I fear my initial response is how I may feel leaving Hampstead.
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Post by princeton on Oct 25, 2021 16:12:46 GMT
It is indeed pretty much equidistant from both Angel and H&A. Depending on which line you are using Angel is probably easier to get out of (fewer tunnels) and it's a slightly nicer walk past Islington Green - but it's really down to which of those is easiest for you to get to.
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Post by princeton on Oct 19, 2021 22:05:48 GMT
I have no evidence that the building works is behind schedule - I was surmising that they had only previously released the stalls seats as a precautionary measure. I'm thinking, like you, that putting all these dress circle and upper circle seats on sale four weeks in advance means they may now be more confident that the work will be completed on time.
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Post by princeton on Oct 18, 2021 22:56:58 GMT
I do wonder whether a large number of seats for the preview period were held back because there weren't quite sure whether all the building work would be completed in time - and they were prioritising getting the stage and expensive stalls areas ready before the dress and upper circle.
Who knows - but it's all very odd.
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Post by princeton on Oct 18, 2021 21:53:38 GMT
Another batch of seats released, this time for w/c 22 November - inc upper circle at £40 and £25.
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Post by princeton on Oct 15, 2021 11:49:51 GMT
a youngster who might not have had their 2nd one yet I definitely don't fall into that category being only a handful of years away from getting my free travel card!
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Post by princeton on Oct 15, 2021 9:26:24 GMT
The Daily Mail has picked up the story and covered it in its own particular way (ie with no specific detail) for one reason alone......
Also how did it take two people to write an article which says almost nothing - and yet still manages to include factual errors?
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