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Post by HereForTheatre on Jul 8, 2023 9:45:02 GMT
Alan Carr at Groundhog Day. Well he was in Penny's before the show anyway. I always remember half of his stand up routines had a rant about not disliking and not understanding musicals!
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jul 7, 2023 17:20:24 GMT
I remember Jeremy Jordan doing Why God Why (i think) at one of his concerts and always thinking he'd make a great Chris. Not relevant to this production sorry but whilst we were on the subject on how Chris should be sung or how he should be cast....
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jul 7, 2023 17:15:53 GMT
Interested to know any changes anyone who has seen both the Curve and Palladium productions noticed? I just saw a video with some of the casr where they said it was different from Curve and "bigger"? How so? I also noticed in some production images that the video/projection, seems, from memory anyway, to have disappeared from the proscenium in some scenes and only now on the back screen? Is this so?
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jun 19, 2023 18:49:18 GMT
That doesn't appear to happen on a Saturday though!
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jun 18, 2023 8:57:38 GMT
I didn't go this year but was in London so I did swing by just to see if I could find a spot somewhere around the site to watch for half hour but it was so packed you literally couldn't even move to walk round to try and have a look for anywhere. It was absolutely crazy. Also I don't really understand why, when it's a free event, they cover all the gates and hoardings so you can't see through? People might not all be gathered in a few places if the whole thing is viewable. I didn't realize they have big screens though in some places, but that area was crazy. Anyway whilst I was walking round I think I heard a bit of Jamie Muscato and then Grease but I think their music wasn't working or something. Bloody hell I chose the wrong day to visit the yesterday what with everything going on!
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jun 18, 2023 8:49:32 GMT
I went to see this yeaterday afternoon, it was my first time seeing a show in London for over a year so nice to be back.
I saw the original production a few years ago and loved it and I really enjoyed it this time too. I did miss the revolve to be honest, I did think it added a bit of magic and extra layer of emotion somehow to some scenes, which I felt was missing slightly in this version. It might just be that it was my 2nd time watching so I just didn't quite have the wonder of first time viewing but something felt a little less magic and emotional to me and maybe it was that. On the other hand, my seating was drastically different, first viewing I was first row, and whilst at times a lot was cut off from there ans you could only see the top half of people sometimes, obviously it was a very intimate experience, whilst this time I was at the other extreme in the Bayliss Circle, so it was nice to see the full stage and take the whole show in but obviously it was quite far away so didn't get that intimacy of the first viewing.
The show has some great songs in my opinion, One Day (if that's what it's called?) is actually up there with my fave theatre tunes, it's so beautiful to me with this harmonies. Andy Karl was great as per and I liked Tanisha Spring but I think i might have just preferred the lady who played Anita in the original production acting and chemistry wise with Andy Karl.
I'm glad it's back and that it's got another chance. I'd be quite interested to see someone else play Phil, I'm sure i'll get that chance if it tours or transfers to the WE.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jun 11, 2023 18:29:56 GMT
Jut watched a clip of Alex Newell perform a song from the show on The Voice America and I was blown away not only by their voice, which was sensational, but the song, which I absolutely loved. I know nothing about this show apart from that one performance but I'm sold on seeing it when it comes and I really hope Alex comes with it!!
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jun 6, 2023 9:31:05 GMT
How long does it take to get to the theatre from St Pancras by tube? Google maps is telling me about half hour, does that seem about right?
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jun 4, 2023 19:27:08 GMT
I'll be interested to see if anything has changed for the London transfer, it's safe to say it wasn't Curve's best work and had quite a few problems. I didn't enjoy the choreography for one, the choreographer was quite inexperienced for such a big project and it showed, it was just a bit weird, but then I actually thought it looked pretty good in the BGT clip so maybe their have been some improvements. I don't imagine the set will change much but the problem was that it just relied too much on the video and projection to me but some of the set pieces were great and the costumes were great too. Having just mentioned about the Tin Man in my post above, that was the only character that didn't work for me at all, it's a very strange concept, but it doesn't look like it changes here based on that BGT performance. Indeed some of the illusions were dodgy like the melting but I'm not entirely sure why because the illusions guy is the same one who works on most big WE musicals and even did the Harry Potter stuff, so that's weird. My thoughts are they might rework that for London. There's definitely stuff to improve and I'll be interested to hear about any changes.
Of all the things that could of got a WE tranfer from Curve this is a disappointing choice though, it's their weakest production recently. They should stay away from stuff like this, they have an in house style that was working quite well for them (even though it's clearly not to some peoples taste on here....) and then this just seemed entirely different. I think they are going back to it for Evita which is good.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jun 4, 2023 18:57:42 GMT
Christ how cheap and tacky did that look...what IS Ashley Banjo doing?! Thank god for Louis Gaunt eh? No not really I thought it looked rather nice. The costumes are pretty good. I don't recall Ashley doing anything wildly different to the original performer of this tin man, the role isn't a traditional tin man in this version.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Mar 27, 2023 19:31:51 GMT
Agree that her performance of the song was the highlight of the show for me. She was sensational.
Anyway, so is this definitely touring? I've heard it mentioned but I don't think we've actually had any concrete announcements right?
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jan 3, 2023 12:54:33 GMT
It was certainly ahead of its time, but I remember it being a real disappointment. Following on from the extravagance of the Moulin Rouge film and its Bollywoodesque moments- I thought this was going to be incredible. I’m no Bollywood expert, but it felt too westernised and inauthentic to me- probably because most of the key creatives were white Brits. Needless to say it was all Andrew Lloyd Webbered to death. The only highlights I remember was Shakalaka Baby and the Kitty character. And Raza Jaffreys absolute gorgeousness. I’d say it was ripe for a revival though as the score is (mainly) fabulous and with the correct creative team (it would never be so white now.. and rightfully so) it could be wonderful. But not a cheap version at Curve though please. Is the implication there that Curve only do cheap versions of things? Because that's not the first time you've implied something like this and it's just not true. They of course do some smaller scale or stripped back versions productions yes but they also do very high quality productions too. They could do a very good production of this actually and it would suit Leicesters demographic very well.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Dec 11, 2022 10:04:49 GMT
Yep will go too, there's another exhibition I want to see as well so it works out quite well they are both running at the same time.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Nov 30, 2022 16:15:43 GMT
You need a Jack Kelly who can really pull off the big numbers at least. Amen I've not seen him yet so can't comment on the actor in the role in this production, I'm just saying generally that this is the case. Though to be honest I'd have thought it wouldn't be that hard to cast. He doesn't need to be a great dancer as we saw with Jeremy Jordan, so they don't need to find a triple threat, they just need someone who has a great voice and a bit of charisma.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Nov 30, 2022 13:04:46 GMT
I don't agree that you go for the dancing mainly, one of my fave things about the show is some of the songs and powerhouse vocal moments, and especially I love the male vocal harmonies. If the actors can't sing the songs well, pull off the power needed and we don't get the goosebump inducing choral sound of the boys singing as one then the show won't work for me regardless of how amazing the dancing might be. You need a Jack Kelly who can really pull off the big numbers at least.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Nov 13, 2022 17:52:09 GMT
As you can probably tell...it's definitely a rather different concept to the classic and original production...
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Post by HereForTheatre on Nov 13, 2022 8:17:31 GMT
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Post by HereForTheatre on Nov 8, 2022 18:27:47 GMT
Is it the same Lloyd Webber produced WOO as before or a different production? I think it’s the same production as far as same book and score including the new songs but a different set and director, probably a smaller production if it’s starting in Leicester and possibly touring. It's quite radically different in the whole concept and design. Also in the music too, it's been completely reorchestrated to fit the new concept and even new bits of music added. ALW has given them pretty much free reign (though he of course is having to sign it off and is involved...). Oh and it's definitely not a small production! The set is pretty huge and it's going to have a 16 piece orchestra! Hopefully it will get a run at The Palladium and that rumour is true. Would be good to get a major Curve production in such a prestigious west end venue.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Nov 8, 2022 18:15:54 GMT
Predictions - Wizard of Oz - Palladium (from mrbarnaby) Sister Act - I recon back at Hammersmith or a West End venue. Billy Elliot - Barbican Totoro - Gilly Lynne We Will Rock You - Heard a rumour this is coming in for a season. Hadestown Devil Wears Prada - London before Broadway (as suggested in the variety article) Will we finally get Mean Girls? Jagged Little Pill? From the new Broadway season I recon Some Like it Hot could be the next big hit show. As in the Curve Billy Elliot? Have you heard something about this transferring then and specifically to that venue? I had thought that they only had the rights for that limited run at Curve and nothing more but I guess the success of it could have changed things and also it did hint it wasn't the last we saw of it in the season brochure.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Oct 27, 2022 10:09:13 GMT
Caught this yesterday in Leicester. I'm going to be controversial and say I honestly think I might have enjoyed the last UK Tour more. I guess that could simply be because that was my first time seeing it so it was fresher, but I don't know. It really only got going for me towards the end of the first act in this one for me, that said, once it did get going I did really enjoy it but i just thought the CRH tour was funnier. I disliked the cheap backdrop for what was meant to be some kind of city skyline and there were these two set pieces that came on that were supposed to look like skyscapers that just looked tacky and weird, but other than that I did like the set.
All the performances were very good, Sandra Marvin is clearly a better actress than Alexandra Burke, though i found her a bit over shouty during her dialogue. Lesley Joseph was good, after reading some comments on here I expected her to be poor and forget lines and all sorts but none of that at all, she was really quite good. The only thing was that during the duet with Deloris towards the end she literally just stopped singing and went "blimey this is getting rather low isn't it" and Sandra Marvin was in hysterics. I think the star was Lizzie Bea, she was hilariously just with her facial expressions and how she danced and then her voice was stunning and got a part standing ovation for her big solo.
So yeh, all in all i enjoyed it but I just found it really rather slow and disjointed until we really got to the big fun nun musical numbers, and I'm not sure I felt that way when I saw the last tour and as I say, I just don't feel like this was as funny?
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Post by HereForTheatre on Oct 8, 2022 9:32:25 GMT
I doubt I'm going but I think it looks a pretty good line up? It seems perfectly convention like to me? Panels. Meet & Greets. Demonstrations. Workshops. Q&A's. Performances. Show previews. Opening & Closing Ceremonies. Most if not all the normal convention aspects are there. I'm not sure what else they could do. Plus the line up of theatre stars and shows is pretty good.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Oct 7, 2022 21:52:43 GMT
Fantastic choice.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Oct 7, 2022 9:26:25 GMT
I had an idea about Christina for a wile but never wanted to say in case it didn't happen, but it's inspired!
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Post by HereForTheatre on Sept 24, 2022 18:22:54 GMT
What about the tour then? The UK Tour was announced in March LAST YEAR for a start in "early 2023" but it's been silent since and there was no mention of a tour in the casting press release yesterday? If it's indeed set for The Palladium maybe it will tour after that and plans changed?
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Post by HereForTheatre on Sept 23, 2022 18:35:34 GMT
Lovely bit of casting there. I think she will be fab. Excited to see who else is cast in the other roles.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Sept 13, 2022 11:11:07 GMT
That's great news.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Sept 5, 2022 8:47:02 GMT
Such a shame to see Clive Carter and Jason Pennycooke leaving - they were my favourites when I saw this back in January. Lots of new faces and looks like some of our board members were right with Jamie Muscato and Melissa James! As they often are! And often much copied too.... Got to give it to our little board, you can always get the goss!
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Post by HereForTheatre on Aug 21, 2022 15:01:59 GMT
Potentially a bit niche this but there's a musical based on the kpop (Korean Pop Music) craze being developed called Icon, which has had some workshops. I can actually see it doing quite well if it makes it because the kpop scene is really quite big even here in the UK and there's already a musical based on Kpop i think just opening or about to open on Broadway,
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Post by HereForTheatre on Aug 17, 2022 14:39:38 GMT
I regret not seeing Hadestown when it was on, both times. Also I wish i saw the OAT Into The Woods in person rather than just on film, but it was before my time of even going to London for theatre, so.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Aug 17, 2022 12:00:35 GMT
I always thought that Curve would be a good place to stage this, with there being a really large Indian community in the city. Interestingly Curve sent out a questionnaire to it's members I think last year asking for opinions on which Musicals they would like Curve to stage in the future and Bombay Dreams was one of the musicals you could pick, so I guess they are at least thinking about it.
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