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Post by Rory on Mar 31, 2023 8:02:56 GMT
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Post by Jon on Mar 31, 2023 8:06:20 GMT
Quite an eclectic cast!
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Post by benny20 on Mar 31, 2023 8:22:15 GMT
I'm guessing as usual the tour cast will be different...fingers crossed its not awful casting
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Post by oxfordsimon on Mar 31, 2023 8:26:06 GMT
I do wish when they design posters with cast headshots, they would get them together for a dedicated shoot. This sort of Photoshop collage looks very amateur
Almost Billy K in awfulness
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Post by Rory on Mar 31, 2023 8:28:57 GMT
I do wish when they design posters with cast headshots, they would get them together for a dedicated shoot. This sort of Photoshop collage looks very amateur Almost Billy K in awfulness Agreed, it's terrible but I suspect it's not the final artwork. At least I hope not. Almost as bad as the McKellen/Allam monstrosity discussed elsewhere. |
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Post by theatrefan62 on Mar 31, 2023 8:39:07 GMT
Thats a very solid and funny cast, except CHF. Will wait to see if she has days off
And yeah that post looks like it was designed in 5 mins
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Post by djdan14 on Mar 31, 2023 8:57:42 GMT
Announced for the Lowry in September with the same cast
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Post by alicechallice on Mar 31, 2023 9:05:59 GMT
Well, this is about as welcome as a yeast infection.
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Post by londonpostie on Mar 31, 2023 9:20:26 GMT
Not for me but it's just going to be an old-fashioned lark, isn't it - summer fun for all the family, etc.
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Post by talkingheads on Mar 31, 2023 10:11:24 GMT
Very excited about this. I love Simon Nye (Men Behaving Badly is one of the funniest sitcoms of the 90s), and have been waiting for him to go back to comedy writing after so many years writing The Durrells. Nice to see a reunion with Neil Morrissey in the cast. Instant booking for me.
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Post by d'James on Mar 31, 2023 13:04:45 GMT
Mellie for me. Yay.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 31, 2023 16:50:28 GMT
CHF doing comedy now?
Oooooookaaaaay! 😐
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Post by d'James on Mar 31, 2023 21:41:41 GMT
Are there outer aisles in the Upper Circle?
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Post by mrbarnaby on Apr 1, 2023 3:08:43 GMT
Sounds hideous. Would rather stick pins in my eyes. And that poster…. Someone should be fired for that.
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Post by theatreliker on Apr 1, 2023 6:01:25 GMT
"April Fools is on a Saturday this year"
"I'm not logging in on a Saturday, post it on the Friday instead"
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Post by theatrescribe on May 7, 2023 12:11:28 GMT
Yikes - trailer looks as cheap as the poster!
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Post by Rory on May 7, 2023 12:16:51 GMT
The new poster is a bit better to be fair!
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Post by keyspi on Jul 9, 2023 17:27:25 GMT
Has anybody seen this yet? Is it as cheaply made as the promo campaign suggested it might be?
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Post by ladidah on Jul 9, 2023 21:54:02 GMT
Haven't seen any reviews yet
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Post by fiyerorocher on Jul 10, 2023 8:48:25 GMT
Has anybody seen this yet? Is it as cheaply made as the promo campaign suggested it might be? Yes, and yes. It's not really my kind of thing anyway so I was never going to love it, but I went in with low enough expectations that I wasn't actually disappointed. But the costumes and wigs feel very amateur, as does some of the acting. The plot also really makes no sense and just sort of trips and tumbles into an unsatisfactory conclusion. Not the worst thing I've ever seen, but there's many, many better options right now. I heard it described as a 'fancy panto', and that felt about accurate - so maybe go if you want a panto fix in July. |
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Post by ladidah on Jul 10, 2023 13:04:21 GMT
It looked a bit carry-on to me.
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Post by iwanttix on Jul 10, 2023 13:48:49 GMT
I have a feeling this is going to not be great, but I've booked a cheap (£13) for when it tours to my local. I'm not willing to pay West end prices for something I don't have a lot of faith in - unless I get a rush ticket then I'd give it a go.
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Post by musicbox on Jul 10, 2023 23:11:46 GMT
I went to this tonight with a front row ticket that cost me just £13 and I'll keep it short - it was absolutely terrible.
If you're into dated, cheesy and slightly offensive humour that would be at home on Blackpool's north pier, then this is for you. Al Murray relies heavily on audience participation (Something to keep in mind if you're a shy person - I was at the front and was on edge all night), picking people out and making jokes about their general appearance, accent, nationality etc. Some may find this funny, but I found it a bit embarrassing and out of place in the year 2023, especially when he picked on a female audience members weight, referring to her as the 'fat one in the third row'. To be fair, she seemed to find it funny, but I didn't.
To add to the totally unfunny jokes, the plot was also so boring and paper thin. This would usually be ok in a comedy focused show, but the jokes were just so bad that so many parts of the show felt tedious and pointless.
The only redeeming features for me were Mel and Carrie, who did really well with the material they've been given. As expected, Mel is so naturally funny and saved many potential tumbleweed moments with simple facial expressions and quips. She came down into the first row and told me off for eating crisps (I ate them during the interval and had sat the empty box next to my seat), and kicked the box away with her fan saying get rid of this mess at once in her character. She totally stole the scene from Al at that moment, which was expected as there wasn't any opportunity to just slag off the audience at the time.
Carrie had a relatively short part and was off stage for long periods at a time, but I thought she played the role of the spoiled brat Elizabeth really well and also sounded wonderful in her songs, the best I've heard her sound in a while to be honest. Her comedic timing still isn't the best and a couple of her joke lines didn't land, but this was never Carrie's strong suit and her really great singing made up for it, receiving quit a big applause. I'd say she did great here, but to be honest I feel that both her and Mel are a bit above this show.
Overall, I try to give everything a fair chance, but this was just unbearable for me and the first show that I was genuinely considering leaving at the interval in a very long time.
*On a completely show unrelated note, I also experienced one of the rudest audience encounters in a while when getting to my seat. I was in the front row on the far left, but I'm not familiar with the Garrick so accidentally entered from the right side door and had to cross over to my seat, passing the stage. There was more than enough space for me to walk and no one batted an eyelid, until I got to an older man who decided to extend his feet to touch the stage as I approached, blocking me from walking. It was clearly deliberate, but I politely asked him, "Sorry, can I please get past you" to which he answered "Sorry are you a part of the show? NO". I was slightly taken aback by how unnecessarily rude he was, so just said no I'm just trying to get my seat, then had to walk over his leg, almost losing my balance and falling into the stage. I was there alone tonight and the exchange made me feel really anxious and annoyed as I was waiting for the show to start. I just don't understand why some people go out of their way to be horrible to others, especially since there was about a metre of space between the people at the front and the stage, and he was clearly just trying to make an example of me for entering through the wrong door.
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Post by Rory on Jul 10, 2023 23:28:22 GMT
*On a completely show unrelated note, I also experienced one of the rudest audience encounters in a while when getting to my seat. I was in the front row on the far left, but I'm not familiar with the Garrick so accidentally entered from the right side door and had to cross over to my seat, passing the stage. There was more than enough space for me to walk and no one batted an eyelid, until I got to an older man who decided to extend his feet to touch the stage as I approached, blocking me from walking. It was clearly deliberate, but I politely asked him, "Sorry, can I please get past you" to which he answered "Sorry are you a part of the show? NO". I was slightly taken aback by how unnecessarily rude he was, so just said no I'm just trying to get my seat, then had to walk over his leg, almost losing my balance and falling into the stage. I was there alone tonight and the exchange made me feel really anxious and annoyed as I was waiting for the show to start. I just don't understand why some people go out of their way to be horrible to others, especially since there was about a metre of space between the people at the front and the stage, and he was clearly just trying to make an example of me for entering through the wrong door. Very annoying but don't let that miserable old sod's attitude get to you. I often go on my own and love chatting to people but if anyone is rude and pisses me off, I won't miss and hit the wall. |
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Post by ladidah on Jul 11, 2023 6:51:46 GMT
What an idiot, you did nothing wrong. I go to 99% of shows by myself, love it.
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Post by ladidah on Jul 11, 2023 9:52:17 GMT
I went to this tonight with a front row ticket that cost me just £13 and I'll keep it short - it was absolutely terrible. If you're into dated, cheesy and slightly offensive humour that would be at home on Blackpool's north pier, then this is for you. Al Murray relies heavily on audience participation (Something to keep in mind if you're a shy person - I was at the front and was on edge all night), picking people out and making jokes about their general appearance, accent, nationality etc. Some may find this funny, but I found it a bit embarrassing and out of place in the year 2023, especially when he picked on a female audience members weight, referring to her as the 'fat one in the third row'. To be fair, she seemed to find it funny, but I didn't. Sorry, just re-read this. There are fat jokes about the audience?! |
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Post by musicbox on Jul 11, 2023 10:36:34 GMT
I agree the man who wouldn’t let me past was just an entitled pest! I also go to the theatre alone a lot as I have a habit of buying last minute cheap tickets on the day, so it defiantly won’t affect me doing that, but it was just very annoying at the times!
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Post by musicbox on Jul 11, 2023 10:43:38 GMT
I went to this tonight with a front row ticket that cost me just £13 and I'll keep it short - it was absolutely terrible. If you're into dated, cheesy and slightly offensive humour that would be at home on Blackpool's north pier, then this is for you. Al Murray relies heavily on audience participation (Something to keep in mind if you're a shy person - I was at the front and was on edge all night), picking people out and making jokes about their general appearance, accent, nationality etc. Some may find this funny, but I found it a bit embarrassing and out of place in the year 2023, especially when he picked on a female audience members weight, referring to her as the 'fat one in the third row'. To be fair, she seemed to find it funny, but I didn't. Sorry, just re-read this. There are fat jokes about the audience?! Yeah, unfortunately there is and I found it pretty tasteless. There is a long monologue in the first act that felt more like an Al Murray stand up than a play, where he basically picked on the audience and used cheap humour. The exact joke off the top of my head was he asked a lady where she was from, she replied Denmark and he said you’re shaped just like your country, round with no features, and then a few moments later when talking to someone else referred back to her again as the “fat one in the third row”. He also “selected” a lady who he found the most attractive in the stalls and had one of the cast come down and pretend to escort her to his bed chamber (as the king). The cast member basically came over in character and was like the king wants you at once and took her over to the side door and then said ok go back to your seat when the lights went off at the end of the scene. The lady was sitting just behind me and sounded really confused and panicked, it was all just very bizarre and like I said before something you would see on a Blackpool pier! Also something I forgot to mention in my initial review - if you’re in the front row prepare to get wet as Carrie “Accidentally” spills a bowl of water she’s holding multiple times onto the audience in the opening song. It was again a silly gag that added nothing to the show: |
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Post by mrnutz on Jul 11, 2023 10:55:43 GMT
I agree the man who wouldn’t let me past was just an entitled pest! I also go to the theatre alone a lot as I have a habit of buying last minute cheap tickets on the day, so it defiantly won’t affect me doing that, but it was just very annoying at the times! You've just reminded me of an experience I had last time I went to see a play on my own - Dancing At Lughnasa in the Olivier. I'd sat down and I took a photo of the stage - I often do this partly so I can look back at what the seat view was like for future bookings and partly as a visual record of what I saw and when. I don't post them anywhere. Anyway, I'd taken the photo and the elderly couple behind me tutted to each other really loudly and then said "SETS ARE COPYRIGHTED". I ignored them and took another. |
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Post by zephyrus on Jul 11, 2023 11:07:23 GMT
I wasn't going to bother with this production, but a friend had a spare (free) ticket so I tagged along. I suppose it could get a bit zippier before press night, but at the moment it's kind of a mess and one of the weakest and most pointless things I've seen all year.
I'm not especially a fan of Al Murray but both he and Mel Giedroyc (who I do like) undeniably have comedic skill, and they are the highlights of a disappointing evening in the theatre. They both have a lot of interaction with the audience (yes, it's that kind of show) and aside from the fact that (as has already been mentioned) this did occasionally veer into uncomfortable territory, the audience responded positively to both of them.
The question of what Carrie Hope Fletcher might be doing in this strange confection is immediately answered, as the show opens with a song - and she sings it very well.
But, boy oh boy, the rest of it is a real slog. In the scenes without Al Murray or Mel Giedroyc when the 'plot' (such as it is) takes centre stage, the energy - along with audience engagement - totally vanishes. Entire minutes pass with silence from the audience, and no laughter. Aidan McArdle and Neil Morrissey struggle gamely on with lame gags and feeble attempts at slapstick; but, to be fair to them, they're not exactly helped much by Joe Thomas (who has no real stage precence, and whose less than half-hearted attempt at an Irish accent is staggeringly - almost offensively - amateurish) or by Tanvi Virmani (who doesn't seem, on the evidence of this production, to possess a particular talent for comedy.) On a positive note, I did enjoy Adonis Siddique as Charles II's footman.
Oh, there's also a chase scene that is staged in a way that felt very famililar. (Did I perhaps see a similar scene in the same director's production of The Ladykillers...?)
Running at nearly 2 and a half hours, it really outstays its welcome. What takes the biscuit is that, just when you're desperate for the whole thing to come to an end, there's a long scene in which Blood (McArdle) is granted an audience with Charles II (Murray) - any attempt at comedy has largely been ditched at this point, and the scene feels like it should be in a different play.
Maybe this will find its audience but I couldn't recommend it to anyone.
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