3,057 posts
|
Post by ali973 on Dec 4, 2018 18:27:25 GMT
So all four Rachel Marrons are schedule to perform while in Glasgow! Alexandra Burke (obviously), Carole Stennett (again, obviously) and the two cover Rachels, Micha Richardson and I forget the other girl’s name, have been given specific days as well. Micha is performing on the matinee of the 20th, with the 2nd cover Rachel playing Nikki, and then 2nd cover Rachel will be playing the role in the evening. I’m going to try and see both covers on the 20th so I can compare all four. I feel like I'm talking to myself from four years ago. Good luck and you go and you overdose on all the Rachels out there young man!
|
|
696 posts
|
Post by cheesy116 on Dec 4, 2018 21:11:09 GMT
I agree about the guy playing the Bodyguard, I wasn't keen at all but the rest of the cast were great, especially the lady playing Nicki.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2018 21:27:48 GMT
I'm a fan of this show, having seen it 9 times now. Yet I've never seen the previous touring production, which, from what I've heard, is the same as the Dominion production. So I intend to see this production too.
|
|
|
Post by anthem on Dec 9, 2018 11:50:03 GMT
Good reviews after press night; 4 stars from the Stage and Broadway World and 5 stars from the Evening Times.
|
|
124 posts
|
Post by emeraldbaudelaire on Jan 7, 2019 23:17:25 GMT
How's the souvenir brouchure this time around?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2019 18:09:52 GMT
When did this turn into a world tour? I've just seen on the website it is booking into February 2020, but is doing a September/October run in Asia also starting Alexandra!
|
|
124 posts
|
Post by emeraldbaudelaire on Jan 17, 2019 18:14:06 GMT
As far as I'm aware they did one before similarly only with Carole as lead.
|
|
776 posts
|
Post by latefortheoverture on Jan 24, 2019 0:53:53 GMT
Saw this tonight in Southend- all round a nice evening.
I hate to put any performer but oh my lord, the man playing Frank, the bodyguard, has to be one of the worst performances I've ever seen on stage. At the start he was American, and by the end, he was eastern European! I didn't care about him leaving in the end, he was like a walking brick tbh! I think the stalker did a better job tbf.
Say what you like about Alexandra Burke but she can sing, yes she doesn't stop giving us runs, but she has got a voice. Acted the part well, I believed her! I thought Micha Richardson was great as Nikki- a beautiful voice. The run to you duet gave me goosebumps.
I found the book a bit basic in some parts, but it is to be expected I imagine! I imagine this show was in it's prime in the Adelphi, especially with Heather Hadley (!!!!) and Debbie Krups!
Did particularly enjoy some elements to it; the smoke part where the bodyguard picks her up and the silhouette is shone onto the smoke. And I also enjoyed the dramatic background music, which made it a bit more intense and likened it to a film or play.
All in all a nice production that I imagine will continue to tour for years to come; sold out two week run at Southend is quite a good sign. Couldn't help but think it was feeling a little tired in a couple of areas, which isn't an amazing sign as it's only the tours 3rd stop!
|
|
14 posts
|
Post by onair on Jan 24, 2019 20:30:13 GMT
Just seen this production too. I totally loved the last tour and had to see it again.
Agree with the comments on the guy playing Frank it was the only weakness of the show. Stuart Reid on the last tour was so so much better.
|
|
372 posts
|
Post by hitmewithurbethshot on Feb 1, 2019 17:37:21 GMT
Saw this in Southend and wow, never seen a leading man so devoid of charisma. The stalker was far more appealing. Plus I appreciate that English is probably his second language but there was no effort to mask his accent. Maybe just call him Francois Farmer.
Have the projections always been there? SO cheesy, and sometimes were out of time with what the actors onstage were doing, mostly where the stalker was concerned. Are they filmed with every Rachel/Frank combo in case understudies go on?
Alexandra’s acting leaves something to be desired, but she has a hell of a voice and is a true performer. The same cannot be said for the audience who decided to sing along to IWALY. I suggest the theatre invest in cattle prods for each usher to use in these situations.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2019 17:44:23 GMT
Have the projections always been there? SO cheesy, and sometimes were out of time with what the actors onstage were doing, mostly where the stalker was concerned. Are they filmed with every Rachel/Frank combo in case understudies go on? Yeah the projections have always been there. In my experience, they have changed it for whomever is on. Even when I saw Rachel John, she wasn't an official understudy for Beverley, but she still had video of her and Ben in the projections. Is it just me though, I love this show, I've seen it nine times since 2012 over the two West End productions, so I've seen both incarnations of the show. I miss the Adelphi production so much. I still enjoy it, but the original looked so much better and the show worked alot better, it felt very cinematic, whereas this production is just so bare bones.
|
|
|
Post by stagey on Feb 1, 2019 17:45:07 GMT
When I first saw this show in the original production at the Adelphi, I fell in love. I thought it was amazing! However, since then, the recent version (same as the tour and Dominion version) didn’t have the same spark. Still great though. Wish they would produce a biographical musical about Whitney using her hits, like Tina!, instead.
|
|
|
Post by anthem on Feb 4, 2019 20:31:23 GMT
Is Carole’s performance worth seeing? I’ve booked for an evening show but may also check out a matinée.
|
|
124 posts
|
Post by emeraldbaudelaire on Feb 12, 2019 13:30:12 GMT
Seeing Carole tomorrow looking forward to it. I hear middling reports I suppose it really depends on what people expect. I've seen a lot of performers in the past who divided opinions on here who I quite enjoyed and others that were loved that I disliked.
Either way from the sounds and looks of things it's still got great choreography and Whitney's best hits just don't go in expecting Sondheim or Phantom.
|
|
3,057 posts
|
Post by ali973 on Feb 12, 2019 17:41:08 GMT
Is Carole’s performance worth seeing? I’ve booked for an evening show but may also check out a matinée. I only saw her when she understudied the part in London back in (yikes? 2013?!). She struggled in some singing parts, but that was one of her early shows. By now she's played the part as understudy and alternate on and off for many years. On top of her vocal limitations (at times), what Rachel needs is to be believable as a megasuperstar, and I don't think she pulled this off. The only understudy/alternate who really got this and managed to pull it off was Gloria Onitiri, who at one point was as good as Heather Headley.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2019 11:45:50 GMT
Is Carole’s performance worth seeing? I’ve booked for an evening show but may also check out a matinée. I only saw her when she understudied the part in London back in (yikes? 2013?!). She struggled in some singing parts, but that was one of her early shows. By now she's played the part as understudy and alternate on and off for many years. On top of her vocal limitations (at times), what Rachel needs is to be believable as a megasuperstar, and I don't think she pulled this off. The only understudy/alternate who really got this and managed to pull it off was Gloria Onitiri, who at one point was as good as Heather Headley. Let's not forget the incredible Zoe Birkett!!!
|
|
124 posts
|
Post by emeraldbaudelaire on Feb 13, 2019 16:16:22 GMT
They paused the show due to technical problems for about 45 minutes but when it's come on again Carole gave it her all.
|
|
|
Post by anthem on Feb 16, 2019 20:43:28 GMT
Saw the show last night in Belfast. I’ve seen it quite a few times before with various casts so I guess it’s no surprise that I loved it. Alexandra is fabulous as Rachel- terrific voice, moves and stage presence. Her voice has such a richness to it. She acted the part well, I felt she seemed more comfortable and natural than I’d seen her at times before. Micha Richardson is an excellent Nicki- she acts the hell out of it and I found her performance quite moving. Benoît Maréchal is very understated as the Bodyguard but he wasn’t bad all the same, though I preferred Stuart Reid on the last tour. The stalker inspired an interesting reaction- he seemed to be too hot for people to find him truly menacing. There were some minor changes in the staging which I found interesting/ enjoyable. Fletcher was a hit! In my book, if you haven’t seen it before, it’s definitely worth a look, and perhaps even if you have.
|
|
124 posts
|
Post by emeraldbaudelaire on Feb 21, 2019 0:58:11 GMT
This is probably one of the most complex stage shows in terms of physical sets and effects I've seen in Belfast or even in bigger venues like Dublin it was definitely West End quality in its production values no doubt about that.
I seen the matinee on the 13th and they stopped the show because of a set malfunction around 15 minutes in, it paused the show for 45 minutes but when the cast came back out there was still heaps of energy and boy did Carole deliver she belted out every song and riff she could and I wasn't disappointed.
My one complaint was that there was a group of drunken female audience members in the stalls who decided they'd start shouting at the actors on stage and ruining the more intimate and quiet moments with their ad libs.
It wasn't enough to ruin the show but it was certainly distracting and disrespectful to the actors on stage especially Benoit who they focused a lot of their more negative comments toward.
I'd definitely pay to see it again for the spectacle alone. The book could have been better but all in all it was a solid 4* for me. Best sets I have seen on tour yet.
|
|
|
Post by anthem on Mar 11, 2019 18:48:54 GMT
Whilst AB is on holiday, Jennlee Shallow will play Rachel Marron at evening performances in Wolverhampton from 25th June-2nd July.
Alexandra will be back for evening performances from Tuesday 2nd to Saturday 6th July.
I’m surprised they didn’t just ask Carole Stennett or Micha Richardson to cover those performances? Could be an availability issue I guess.
From the blurb: Jennlee Shallow’s many theatre credits include Nala in The Lion King in both Australia and Germany, Deena in Dreamgirls and Sarah in Ragtime. Jennlee has also performed in the Cirque du Soleil shows Kooza and Viva Elvis.
|
|
|
Post by anthem on Mar 13, 2019 22:47:58 GMT
Jennlee Shallow is alternate Rachel for the Japanese dates, so I presume that’s why she’s doing some Wolverhampton dates.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Mar 26, 2019 9:45:33 GMT
Now, call me a spendthrift, but I’ve just shelled out a whole fifteen English pounds to see this in a currently threadbare Bristol Hippodrome tomorrow. What are my chances of staying for act 2?
|
|
2,585 posts
|
Post by viserys on Mar 26, 2019 12:05:33 GMT
Whatever you do, stay for act two. Better yet, COME for act two. The show really only gets good when it stops trying to tell a story and goes into a 20 minute Whitney tribute with her greatest hits at the end.
|
|
|
Post by FrontroverPaul on Mar 26, 2019 12:18:36 GMT
I'm there too. I assume the reason for there being so many seats left is that Alexandra Burke doesn't usually do the matinees. Evenings seem to be well booked.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Mar 26, 2019 12:22:10 GMT
...that may be why I’m going then. 😂
Can I expect Lisa Stansfield to turn up and do her one off the album?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2019 15:59:39 GMT
Saw it with Bev Knight in London and Zoe Birkett on tour.The orchestration on this was dynamite both times.Seems to attract the hen crowd.At the Hippo in Birmingham,one of the door staff said that they were confiscating loads of voddie that patrons were trying to smuggle in.Had similar stylistic touches as the original staging of Ghost,I felt.
|
|
84 posts
|
Post by littlefluffychick on Mar 26, 2019 16:56:27 GMT
I saw the Bodyguard in Milton Keynes on Saturday night. It was ok but unfortunately Alexandra Burke cannot act and guy playing the Bodyguard REALLY cannot act or sing. He had the charisma of a plank of wood. I felt more chemistry between Alexandra Burke and her microphone than I did between the two of them! It’s a shame, as it seems such a waste of what could be a fantastic show as the music is tried and tested. Alex has a superb voice though, so full credit to her as the score is very demanding. Unfortunately the kid playing Fletch also couldn’t sing in tune and we hardly understood a word he said in his bad fake American accent,
The musical seemed confused to me - was it a serious piece of theatre or a concert or chopping and changing between both? Were we watching a musical or supposed to be in the audience of Rachel Marrons show? God knows! I wouldn’t see the show again.
In other Bodyguard related news... A moronic pea-sized brain Neanderthal man seated near me in the front stalls and his chavvy partner were actually thrown out of the theatre at the interval due to their bad behaviour. It was an utter disgrace - loud talking throughout, eating crisps, drunken singing, clapping, clicking and when the stalker first came on stage the pea-brained man heckled the actor and shouted across the theatre “woah you’re ripped- whip it out mate”. Who are these people and why do they even bother going to the theatre in the first place?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2019 17:57:17 GMT
I think we are meant to see it as Rachel’s story both on stage as her public persona and off stage as her private life and the obvious conflicts,stresses and pressures between the two.The story resonates on many levels as a study of celebrity expectations and how the price of fame is often a case of ‘be careful of what you wish for because you might just get it’ ,which is ironic when thinking of Whitney’s own rise and fall.I think that the character of Frank does need to be that of a faceless, robotic alpha-male because he is ,after all, a very focussed ex-forces bodyguard and for an actor playing this role,it must be a thankless task.Must admit this show is a guilty pleasure and includes my all-time favourite song and one which professional singers have told me is an incredible test of singing ability,namely,‘I Have Nothing’.If the story doesn’t do it for you..well, just enjoy the damn songs! I must try and see this with La Burke at some point.
|
|
84 posts
|
Post by littlefluffychick on Mar 26, 2019 18:48:44 GMT
Hmm, I think there’s a case here for you reading what you want to read and not what I actually wrote, which is a shame.
I said nothing about the story ‘not doing it for me’, nor did I say I didn’t enjoy ‘the damn songs’ as you call them. I simply noted that, in my opinion, the show as a whole is confused as it skips between jukebox/concert-esque style and serious drama.
And as for justifiying a leading man as being wooden in his performance? Well I suggest you get yourself pronto down to the tour and watch the guy currently playing Frank before you reassure us all. He was dire - again, in my opinion. And I obviously know the kind of character he is supposed to be portraying.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2019 19:19:17 GMT
Very sorry for being another moronic pea-brained Neanderthal in trying to explain what I think the writers are trying to portray in this show.I must try harder,I must try harder....
|
|