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Post by TallPaul on Jun 29, 2023 12:27:18 GMT
I'm far too young, obvs, but those of a certain age will remember that Ronnie Corbett, sitting in an armchair, usually wearing a stylish Lyle & Scott sweater, was a master at telling a shaggy dog story.
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3,935 posts
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Post by Dawnstar on Jun 29, 2023 12:29:21 GMT
Thanks for the explanation.
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1,184 posts
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Post by joem on Jul 3, 2023 9:28:53 GMT
Having read the posts here on the Chocolate Menier's latest offering I went zither with trepidation and ended up.... relieved. Certainly no-one can accuse this of being a masterpiece but it is no better and no worse than many other musicals I have watched over the years.
On the plus side: the stage is nicely done, evocative but neutral enough to suggest most of the crucial arenas. It is an atmospheric piece and the first song sets the scene and ambience and period very well (unfortunately there are few musical highlights after that). The singing is good if not spectacular and the musicians do their work effectively too.
Minus side. The songs aren't strong enough, at times it feels like a play with music. Too much jaw-jaw and, as tends to happen in musicals, this is of a flat informative nature, which is fine when it's between great songs but less so when it bridges nondescript music. Sightlines are terrible in certain seats, despite not having been warned on booking there are severe restrictions on some of the side seats. Why on Earth is Harry Lime given an English accent?
I noticed that at one point the film music was quoted for a few notes - there was a recurring motif which referenced but didn't copy it - and wondered if this was a copyright issue?
Sam Underwood as Holly Martins carries the show, in narrative terms, and did well. Natalie Dunne was good as Anna Schmidt but (I felt) a bit within herself. Simon Bailey as Orson Welles, sorry I meant Harry Lime, is flashy and extroverted (he actually has a passing resemblance to the Artemus Gordon character from tv's "The Wild Wild West". The ensemble work well together.
I was expecting a 1/5 and got a 2.5/5 but there were empty spaces - perhaps 10 to 15% - and not sure this augurs well. Has to be said the audience were supportive and appreciative.
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404 posts
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Post by dlevi on Jul 15, 2023 17:31:33 GMT
Well I made it through the first half but just barely. This was as sad a theatrical experience as I've had in recent years. This has a terrific creative team and all of them failed. It simply shouldn't have been produced. Trevor's direction is leaden. There were musical numbers ( not a lot in the first place) where there was a place for applause but no one did. ( we're not talking Sondhiem's Passion here) I don't blame the performers because they had nothing with which to play. Just awful and there were 82 people in the audience ( I had time to count) - this is supposed to r un through the 9th of September. I doubt they'll even get to the end of July at this rate.
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160 posts
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Post by bee on Jul 16, 2023 11:38:20 GMT
Musicals aren't really my thing - I've seen a few, and enjoyed them, but somehow never got bitten by the bug. But in an effort to broaden my horizons a bit I though I'd try this since the movie is so great.
Anyway, in short, I liked this. For such a small scale production they did a fine job of recreating the atmosphere of the movie and even made a decent fist of some of the iconic scenes like the Prater Wheel and especially Harry's first appearance.
Regarding the songs/music, I thought it was fine, though none of the songs really stuck in my head, and as noted by other posters, some of the rhymes were a bit clunky. The quality of the singing was good, with Natalie Dunne in particular having a great voice.
In summary, a decent night out.
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Post by colelarson on Aug 12, 2023 11:23:46 GMT
Just in case anyone hasn't received a message...I have just been informed due to illness the show has been cancelled. I was due to see the Matinee so don't know if evening also cancelled?
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Post by colelarson on Aug 27, 2023 22:49:34 GMT
Finally saw this after the cancellation last time. Positives are the staging, harmonies and atmosphere. Also nice interval ice cream!
The showtunes are just not memorable,funny with some of the lyrics and the rhyming dictionary being used like Harry Lime and Slime!
Glad I saw it, but think a play would be better than a musical. Kudos to the cast there is a plethora of talent and interesting to see the Menier look different to my last visits for concerts there.
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Post by mkb on Sept 12, 2023 13:20:41 GMT
At Friday night's performance, the house was only two-thirds full, and there seemed to be many thespians in the audience who all ovated enthusiastically at the end. I could put a name to Jamie Bogyo, but others also looked familiar.
The empty seats were not deserved because The Third Man is a thoroughly enjoyable musical; act 1 is quite marvellous in fact, conjuring up a cinematic mood of noir and post-war underground superbly. The set, music, movement, performances and direction all blend magnificently to achieve that effect.
And then we peak. The denouement comes at the end of act 1, and the shorter act 2 has little to do. The fault is the writer's -- and I think I had the same feeling when I watched the movie, but that was some while ago so I may be wrong -- and I don't know how you solve that. (The careless inclusion of one character in the programmes' cast list rather gives the game away to anyone not familiar with the story.)
Sam Underwood is on good form as the hapless American out of his depth in Vienna, but Simon Bailey is too busy trying to ape Orson Welles from the movie for my liking.
I am at a loss to understand why this show has taken such a critical mauling. (Nunn seems to be like Lloyd Webber, and in everyone's target crosshairs right now, whether deserved or not.) The running time suggests it might have been tightened up by ten minutes during the run, now ended, so possibly it improved? Either way, it was a solid evening of entertainment for me, despite dipping a little after the break.
Four stars.
Act 1: 19:32-20:46 Act 2: 21:02-21:51
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Post by Fleance on Sept 12, 2023 13:35:23 GMT
At Friday night's performance, the house was only two-thirds full, and there seemed to be many thespians in the audience who all ovated enthusiastically at the end. I could put a name to Jamie Bogyo, but others also looked familiar. The empty seats were not deserved because The Third Man is a thoroughly enjoyable musical; act 1 is quite marvellous in fact, conjuring up a cinematic mood of noir and post-war underground superbly. The set, music, movement, performances and direction all blend magnificently to achieve that effect. And then we peak. The denouement comes at the end of act 1, and the shorter act 2 has little to do. The fault is the writer's -- and I think I had the same feeling when I watched the movie, but that was some while ago so I may be wrong -- and I don't know how you solve that. (The careless inclusion of one character in the programmes' cast list rather gives the game away to anyone not familiar with the story.) Sam Underwood is on good form as the hapless American out of his depth in Vienna, but Simon Bailey is too busy trying to ape Orson Welles from the movie for my liking. I am at a loss to understand why this show has taken such a critical mauling. (Nunn seems to be like Lloyd Webber, and in everyone's target crosshairs, right now, whether deserved or not.) The running time suggests it might have been tightened up by ten minutes during the run, now ended, so possibly it improved? Either way, it was a solid evening of entertainment for me, despite dipping a little after the break. Four stars. Act 1: 19:32-20:46 Act 2: 21:02-21:51 I agree with you. The reviews were unnecessarily cruel. It's a decent, enjoyable show. I think the sanctity of the film clouded critics' judgment.
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