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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2020 6:56:09 GMT
Haha, fabulous! Thank you. So almost as many as current Phantom orchestra. Very much in line with the mega musicals. My next geeky interest is how many musicians the original Phantom tours had.... Looking at the Chess programme was pleasantly surprised that at the Prince Edward there was a 27 piece orchestra. (Should probs start a separate orchestra based thread....)
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2020 8:59:26 GMT
Haha, fabulous! Thank you. So almost as many as current Phantom orchestra. Very much in line with the mega musicals. My next geeky interest is how many musicians the original Phantom tours had.... I've just had a quick dig and found programmes for the following: - Sunset Boulevard (Adelphi): 23 musicians
- Sunset Boulevard (2001 Faith Brown UK Tour): 14 musicians
- Phantom (1993-1996 1st UK Tour): 27 musicians
- Phantom (1998-2000 2nd UK Tour): 18 musicians
- Phantom (2012 New Production 3rd UK Tour): 14 musicians
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2020 10:14:23 GMT
Haha, fabulous! Thank you. So almost as many as current Phantom orchestra. Very much in line with the mega musicals. My next geeky interest is how many musicians the original Phantom tours had.... I've just had a quick dig and found programmes for the following: - Sunset Boulevard (Adelphi): 23 musicians
- Sunset Boulevard (2001 Faith Brown UK Tour): 14 musicians
- Phantom (1993-1996 1st UK Tour): 27 musicians
- Phantom (1998-2000 2nd UK Tour): 18 musicians
- Phantom (2012 New Production 3rd UK Tour): 14 musicians
That's really interesting thanks for digging this out Furet. So Sunset at the Adelphi did sound sensational, so not surprised was a big ish orchestra. The Faith Brown tour I saw once in Birmingham but I honestly don't remember how it sounded. Or looked! (Was there a souvenir brochure for this tour? I only had a programme....) That's very interesting that the second original Phantom tour cut the orchestra from 27 to 18. I saw the tour once, in Bristol but honestly have no idea if it was the 1st or 2nd. Was it just the orchestra that was cut or were there other changes, in the set for example? Not surprised re 25th anniversary version. 14/15/16 ish pretty standard these days for the largest pit orchestras (current London Phantom aside).
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2020 13:59:00 GMT
I've just had a quick dig and found programmes for the following: - Sunset Boulevard (Adelphi): 23 musicians
- Sunset Boulevard (2001 Faith Brown UK Tour): 14 musicians
- Phantom (1993-1996 1st UK Tour): 27 musicians
- Phantom (1998-2000 2nd UK Tour): 18 musicians
- Phantom (2012 New Production 3rd UK Tour): 14 musicians
That's really interesting thanks for digging this out Furet. So Sunset at the Adelphi did sound sensational, so not surprised was a big ish orchestra. The Faith Brown tour I saw once in Birmingham but I honestly don't remember how it sounded. Or looked! (Was there a souvenir brochure for this tour? I only had a programme....) That's very interesting that the second original Phantom tour cut the orchestra from 27 to 18. I saw the tour once, in Bristol but honestly have no idea if it was the 1st or 2nd. Was it just the orchestra that was cut or were there other changes, in the set for example? Not surprised re 25th anniversary version. 14/15/16 ish pretty standard these days for the largest pit orchestras (current London Phantom aside). I can't remember if there was a souvenir brochure for the Faith Brown Sunset tour, but I saw it quite late on in the run (as Earl Carpenter had already left), so if there was one, I should have it. I'll check.
It would have been the second Phantom tour you saw in Bristol, as the first tour wasn't so much of a tour but more a sit-down production in Manchester (for almost two years at the Opera House) and then Edinburgh. As it was a sit-down production, it was an exact replica of the London/Broadway show, including the set and orchestra. However, the second tour was designed to visit a lot more venues, so some things had been simplified (and the orchestra reduced) to allow it to tour, but I can't remember how much was noticeable to the audience. It still took two weeks to set up at venues though (and played some 16-week runs), so was still a large production.
Like you, Dom, I miss the extravagance of the 90s mega musicals and the money that was thrown at them. Even the first tour of Les Mis (which only played Manchester, Dublin and Edinburgh) used the original Broadway barricades from before it moved to the Imperial Theatre, and I remember they had to knock down the back wall of the Edinburgh Playhouse to load them into the theatre.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2020 15:45:08 GMT
The first Phantom tour was gorgeous. I went to see it in Manchester in 1994, with a friend who had been Theatre Manager at Her Majesty's for years. We went back stage and visited all the leads in their dressing rooms, as most had been in the London production and got to go on stage and look around. Then we had a debaunched night in the city. Good times!
I think the last time i saw Phantom was around 12 years later, in Vancouver of all places. The theatre was enormous. the only thing i remember was them stopping the show because the chandelier got stuck in the opening.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2020 16:55:29 GMT
That's really interesting thanks for digging this out Furet. So Sunset at the Adelphi did sound sensational, so not surprised was a big ish orchestra. The Faith Brown tour I saw once in Birmingham but I honestly don't remember how it sounded. Or looked! (Was there a souvenir brochure for this tour? I only had a programme....) That's very interesting that the second original Phantom tour cut the orchestra from 27 to 18. I saw the tour once, in Bristol but honestly have no idea if it was the 1st or 2nd. Was it just the orchestra that was cut or were there other changes, in the set for example? Not surprised re 25th anniversary version. 14/15/16 ish pretty standard these days for the largest pit orchestras (current London Phantom aside). I can't remember if there was a souvenir brochure for the Faith Brown Sunset tour, but I saw it quite late on in the run (as Earl Carpenter had already left), so if there was one, I should have it. I'll check.
It would have been the second Phantom tour you saw in Bristol, as the first tour wasn't so much of a tour but more a sit-down production in Manchester (for almost two years at the Opera House) and then Edinburgh. As it was a sit-down production, it was an exact replica of the London/Broadway show, including the set and orchestra. However, the second tour was designed to visit a lot more venues, so some things had been simplified (and the orchestra reduced) to allow it to tour, but I can't remember how much was noticeable to the audience. It still took two weeks to set up at venues though (and played some 16-week runs), so was still a large production.
Like you, Dom, I miss the extravagance of the 90s mega musicals and the money that was thrown at them. Even the first tour of Les Mis (which only played Manchester, Dublin and Edinburgh) used the original Broadway barricades from before it moved to the Imperial Theatre, and I remember they had to knock down the back wall of the Edinburgh Playhouse to load them into the theatre.
Ahhh yes that would make sense - recall that Manchester had sit downs of Les Mis and Phantom. Gosh, two years at the Opera House. That's insane! Imagine a musical doing that now (I can't!). So the 2nd tour was still pretty lavish - I can't recall what differences there were from the original, but was such a long time ago. Yeah, I know I bang on about it, but I really do miss the extravagance of the 80s/90s. The whole attitude seemed to be that they wanted to create the most ambitious and spectacular shows possible and they didn't mind what they spent to wow people. It worked though as people flocked to these shows for years so it was ultimately highly profitable. Nowadays it always seems to be how much can they save and how much (immediate) profit can they make. I do feel lucky at least to have witnessed musicals on epic scale of cast, orchestra and sets. No idea if we will ever see such things again.
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Post by richey on Jul 2, 2020 16:58:12 GMT
That's really interesting thanks for digging this out Furet. So Sunset at the Adelphi did sound sensational, so not surprised was a big ish orchestra. The Faith Brown tour I saw once in Birmingham but I honestly don't remember how it sounded. Or looked! (Was there a souvenir brochure for this tour? I only had a programme....) That's very interesting that the second original Phantom tour cut the orchestra from 27 to 18. I saw the tour once, in Bristol but honestly have no idea if it was the 1st or 2nd. Was it just the orchestra that was cut or were there other changes, in the set for example? Not surprised re 25th anniversary version. 14/15/16 ish pretty standard these days for the largest pit orchestras (current London Phantom aside). I can't remember if there was a souvenir brochure for the Faith Brown Sunset tour, but I saw it quite late on in the run (as Earl Carpenter had already left), so if there was one, I should have it.
There was a brochure for Faith Brown's tour, have had a look through my collection and found it
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2020 17:05:16 GMT
I can't remember if there was a souvenir brochure for the Faith Brown Sunset tour, but I saw it quite late on in the run (as Earl Carpenter had already left), so if there was one, I should have it.
There was a brochure for Faith Brown's tour, have had a look through my collection and found it Wonderful - thanks. Can't believe I didn't get one... Perhaps they weren't on sale when I went in Birmingham!
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Post by distantcousin on Jul 6, 2020 15:39:18 GMT
I've just had a quick dig and found programmes for the following: - Sunset Boulevard (Adelphi): 23 musicians
- Sunset Boulevard (2001 Faith Brown UK Tour): 14 musicians
- Phantom (1993-1996 1st UK Tour): 27 musicians
- Phantom (1998-2000 2nd UK Tour): 18 musicians
- Phantom (2012 New Production 3rd UK Tour): 14 musicians
That's really interesting thanks for digging this out Furet. So Sunset at the Adelphi did sound sensational, so not surprised was a big ish orchestra. The Faith Brown tour I saw once in Birmingham but I honestly don't remember how it sounded. Or looked! (Was there a souvenir brochure for this tour? I only had a programme....) That's very interesting that the second original Phantom tour cut the orchestra from 27 to 18. I saw the tour once, in Bristol but honestly have no idea if it was the 1st or 2nd. Was it just the orchestra that was cut or were there other changes, in the set for example? Not surprised re 25th anniversary version. 14/15/16 ish pretty standard these days for the largest pit orchestras (current London Phantom aside). There was a souvenir brochure for the Faith Brown Tour - I have it!
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42ndBlvd
Ensemble
come and meet those dancing feet!
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Post by 42ndBlvd on Jul 6, 2020 21:27:00 GMT
I can't remember if there was a souvenir brochure for the Faith Brown Sunset tour, but I saw it quite late on in the run (as Earl Carpenter had already left), so if there was one, I should have it. I'll check.
It would have been the second Phantom tour you saw in Bristol, as the first tour wasn't so much of a tour but more a sit-down production in Manchester (for almost two years at the Opera House) and then Edinburgh. As it was a sit-down production, it was an exact replica of the London/Broadway show, including the set and orchestra. However, the second tour was designed to visit a lot more venues, so some things had been simplified (and the orchestra reduced) to allow it to tour, but I can't remember how much was noticeable to the audience. It still took two weeks to set up at venues though (and played some 16-week runs), so was still a large production.
Like you, Dom, I miss the extravagance of the 90s mega musicals and the money that was thrown at them. Even the first tour of Les Mis (which only played Manchester, Dublin and Edinburgh) used the original Broadway barricades from before it moved to the Imperial Theatre, and I remember they had to knock down the back wall of the Edinburgh Playhouse to load them into the theatre.
Ahhh yes that would make sense - recall that Manchester had sit downs of Les Mis and Phantom. Gosh, two years at the Opera House. That's insane! Imagine a musical doing that now (I can't!). So the 2nd tour was still pretty lavish - I can't recall what differences there were from the original, but was such a long time ago. Yeah, I know I bang on about it, but I really do miss the extravagance of the 80s/90s. The whole attitude seemed to be that they wanted to create the most ambitious and spectacular shows possible and they didn't mind what they spent to wow people. It worked though as people flocked to these shows for years so it was ultimately highly profitable. Nowadays it always seems to be how much can they save and how much (immediate) profit can they make. I do feel lucky at least to have witnessed musicals on epic scale of cast, orchestra and sets. No idea if we will ever see such things again. Yep pretty much the old days of large orchestras seem to be long behind us... I remember when they did the revival of sunset boulevard 3 years ago in London and broadway with an orchestra of 40 and god did it sound fantastic, though the glamour of the set design was gone...
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Post by TallPaul on Jul 10, 2020 9:47:18 GMT
Apapros of nothing, but I watched ENB's Royal Albert Hall production of Cinderella last night, filmed in June 2019. The chandelier, "By kind arrangement of Sir Cameron Mackintosh", was credited above the assistant creatives, and far above all the craft and technical staff.
Ironically, just like from my cheap seat at Her Majesty's, I can't even remember seeing a chandelier!
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Post by 49thand8th on Jul 14, 2020 20:46:22 GMT
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Post by scarpia on Jul 15, 2020 10:45:29 GMT
Tearful goodbyes as cast members were just informed they would be let go today and had to pack out their dressing rooms. A few of them shared photos of dead plants and empty dressing rooms on Instagram. Scott Davies who’s been with the show for 20+ years as the standby phantom is gone as well... I thought they had been told about this a few weeks ago? That the dressing rooms have to be emptied makes it feel very final...
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Post by richey on Jul 15, 2020 12:46:10 GMT
And on the same day, the official Twitter account posts video of them producing the iconic original choreography. How hypocritical
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Post by westendboy on Jul 15, 2020 19:57:19 GMT
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42ndBlvd
Ensemble
come and meet those dancing feet!
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Post by 42ndBlvd on Jul 15, 2020 20:18:36 GMT
And on the same day, the official Twitter account posts video of them producing the iconic original choreography. How hypocritical They are literally teasing us
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2020 12:06:29 GMT
And on the same day, the official Twitter account posts video of them producing the iconic original choreography. How hypocritical They are literally teasing us Now hear me out, what if this was a deliberate, calculated post? It does feel slightly antagonistic. Response across all social networks for this post has been pretty defensive and outraged. If ALW, who has openly said he'll fight for the original as much as possible, had the social teams put quite a salient post out at the same time he knew cast/crew would be returning to Her Majesty's to collect their belongings, you could pretty much predict the response online. Fans interacting with the social team shouting plight of the original, strengthens the argument back to CML that changes aren't being received well.
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Post by theatregod on Jul 16, 2020 13:07:00 GMT
Guess this is just business at the end of the day! Revamp, improve, cut costs, get rid of who ever you please (it’s his product after all) he is not providing a public service, he’s a limited private company!
Feel for those involved! But he doesn’t really owe anyone anything.
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Post by steve10086 on Jul 16, 2020 15:28:06 GMT
Guess this is just business at the end of the day! Revamp, improve, cut costs, get rid of who ever you please (it’s his product after all) he is not providing a public service, he’s a limited private company! Feel for those involved! But he doesn’t really owe anyone anything. If “getting rid” includes the original creatives (as with Les Mis) then he certainly does “owe them”. They created the show that made his “private company” millions.
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Post by richey on Jul 16, 2020 20:46:59 GMT
This is an interesting one, to see how it developed from Sydmonton
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Post by theatregod on Jul 16, 2020 23:28:47 GMT
Guess this is just business at the end of the day! Revamp, improve, cut costs, get rid of who ever you please (it’s his product after all) he is not providing a public service, he’s a limited private company! Feel for those involved! But he doesn’t really owe anyone anything. If “getting rid” includes the original creatives (as with Les Mis) then he certainly does “owe them”. They created the show that made his “private company” millions. Yeah, you have a point there... greed seems to drive producers. What would be interesting is who asked who to make the product ? Did he beg the creatives to put it on, or did they go to him in the beginning to invest his money? I guess anyone knowing a product was going to involve ALW back in the 80s then you would surely have a hit. It’s all a mess and covid does not help anything atm... And regarding the musicians situation, sad, but 27 and in the year 2020 wow! The pit was too small for that amount anyway and most of them were probably deaf from not having up to date sound proofing and space to play correctly (for years). I bet the new version will be just fine, more expensive to watch, but will still last another decade or two and be way more safer and cheaper to operate.
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Post by deej4life on Jul 19, 2020 23:56:33 GMT
I originally saw the show back in 2014 and I was not a big fan. Would anyone recommend giving the show a second try?
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Post by carmella1 on Jul 20, 2020 3:23:48 GMT
I originally saw the show back in 2014 and I was not a big fan. Would anyone recommend giving the show a second try? Since its been running since 1986 I think a few people have seen it more than once.
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Post by scarpia on Jul 20, 2020 17:25:28 GMT
I originally saw the show back in 2014 and I was not a big fan. Would anyone recommend giving the show a second try? Since its been running since 1986 I think a few people have seen it more than once. We can only hope the production will return though; I worry there's a lot in the rumours of Cameron chucking the original under the bus. A picture of the chandelier being taken out of Her Majesty's today circulated on social media. I can hope the intention is either to renovate it, to keep it safe while they do up the theatre, or to replace it with chandelier no. 3 (but NOT the Laurence Connor production chandelier or a watered-down version of Maria Björnson's design).
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 20, 2020 17:43:46 GMT
Love these Who Sang It Best vids by Mister Golightly. Sarah Brightman “let your soul take you where you long to booooooooooooo”. Colm Wilkinson “let your soul take you where you long to baaaaaaaaay”. 😆
Who does it best for you?
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Post by richey on Jul 20, 2020 17:44:53 GMT
Just seen that picture. So sad
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42ndBlvd
Ensemble
come and meet those dancing feet!
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Post by 42ndBlvd on Jul 20, 2020 18:41:39 GMT
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Post by 49thand8th on Jul 20, 2020 20:42:53 GMT
Whose instagram acct is that?
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Post by richey on Jul 20, 2020 21:02:27 GMT
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