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Post by wickedgrin on Apr 9, 2017 11:20:04 GMT
A great review (as usual) Steve - thanks.
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Post by sondheimhats on Apr 9, 2017 15:04:18 GMT
Well said, Steve . Seems like we felt much the same way about the production. I totally agree with you about tapping into that "primal power," as you so eloquently put it. I think many of R&H's other shows are more well-constructed than Carousel, but none of them achieve the same visceral emotion. There are some moments in which I feel like I can hear all the hopes, dreams, and mistakes of mankind in a single musical phrase. Just curious: why on earth is this considered/marketed as a "semi-staged" production? To me, there was nothing "semi" about this staging in the slightest. There entirety of the stage was utilized as playing space, plus there was a revolve, and additional set-pieces (not many, but enough). Plus it was fully costumed, fully lit, with whole dance sequences. I've seen Tony-winning Broadway productions that felt significantly more "semi-staged" than this.
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Post by mallardo on Apr 9, 2017 15:36:38 GMT
Indeed, Steve, a brilliant analysis. It would be wonderful to have a Billy Bigelow with a glorious voice who could do full justice to the songs while being a powerful and sympathetic actor, but if it's an either/or situation I would always opt for the strong actor. I saw the Hytner production in New York with Michael Hayden as Billy and I well remember the criticism that was heaped upon him for, basically, not being John Raitt. He lacked that rich baritone sound that everyone seemed to feel was the essence of the role.
In fact he sang the role just fine - listen to him on the cast recording - but, much more importantly, he created a lost and vulnerable character, desperate to earn Julie's love and be worthy of her yet lacking the essential confidence in himself - resorting instead to violence. The vocal stars were in other roles in that production - Audra McDonald was Carrie! - but the show worked so brilliantly because of Hayden's performance.
If we, the audience, don't see in Billy what Julie sees, then Carousel makes no sense.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Apr 10, 2017 13:51:26 GMT
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Post by mrbarnaby on Apr 10, 2017 13:57:57 GMT
Is Jenkins carrying an iPad with the script on it?
That wig is hilllaarrrriouusss!!!
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Post by zak97 on Apr 10, 2017 13:59:49 GMT
I'm glad I've not booked - those photos have really put me off.
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Post by Being Alive on Apr 10, 2017 14:27:34 GMT
I'm really looking forward to this on Saturday. Not the biggest fan of either of them if I'm honest, but nothing against them. It's Carousel as a show that I just adore, it's one of my favourites. I always say the two productions I wish I'd been alive to see were the NAtional's Carousel and Betty Buckley as Norma Desmond in London. Looks a lot more than semi-staged though!
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Post by nrets001 on Apr 10, 2017 15:26:28 GMT
Haven't posted for a 'long long' time - but I saw it on Saturday matinee and the dancing was magnificent, the musica too, the staging was brilliant - Katherine Jenkins surprised me - although her accent dropped a bit, I thought she did a very good job, Alfie Boe was Alfie Boe, as wooden as a plank, strutting around the stage like a peacock just because he could - fluffed his lines. He can sing, but I'm not really keen on his voice. I went because it was a cheap seat in the balcony and I love Alex Young, she is my girl crush lol
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Post by Steve on Apr 10, 2017 18:01:13 GMT
There are some moments in which I feel like I can hear all the hopes, dreams, and mistakes of mankind in a single musical phrase. Just curious: why on earth is this considered/marketed as a "semi-staged" production? To me, there was nothing "semi" about this staging in the slightest. Sondheimhats, I agree about all the hopes, dreams and mistakes of mankind. Lovely description. I think they only describe it as "semi-staged" because there are no helicopters (like in Miss Saigon) or spaceships (like in "I Can't Sing") or other massive set constructions, so I agree. After all, AAIP also uses projections as a backdrop, and like that, this features lots of choreography and dance. I expect the description lingers from the producers' initial cost-saving philosophy adopted in their previous two productions that did at the Coliseum, Sweeney Todd and Sunset Boulevard, but that they have grown increasingly ambitious since then. if it's an either/or situation I would always opt for the strong actor. I saw the Hytner production in New York with Michael Hayden as Billy and I well remember the criticism that was heaped upon him for, basically, not being John Raitt. He lacked that rich baritone sound that everyone seemed to feel was the essence of the role. In fact he sang the role just fine - listen to him on the cast recording - but, much more importantly, he created a lost and vulnerable character, desperate to earn Julie's love and be worthy of her yet lacking the essential confidence in himself - resorting instead to violence. The vocal stars were in other roles in that production - Audra McDonald was Carrie! - but the show worked so brilliantly because of Hayden's performance. If we, the audience, don't see in Billy what Julie sees, then Carousel makes no sense. I agree completely, Mallardo. Acting is everything to make this really work. Otherwise it feels like a concert performance. I also regularly listen to the recording of the Broadway cast you saw, and I love it!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2017 22:41:36 GMT
Hands down the most disappointing and dull evening I've spent at the theatre in a long time. After Lonny Prince's stunning Sweeney & Sunset, I was so exicted for this show, but I have never been more bored in my life.
Dismal leading performances bring this beautiful show to a grinding halt. Gavin Spokes, Alex Young & Derek Hagen shine in their supporting roles, but Alfie and Katherine have 0 charisma or stage presence. Both as awkward and wooden as planks of wood. Sure, they can sing, but semi-staged does not mean semi-acted.
What a waste of Nicholas Lyndhurst who does the most with his seven or so lines...
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Post by dlevi on Apr 11, 2017 23:37:26 GMT
Was there tonight ( press night) The orchestra was great, all the supporting people were just fine, the choreography terrific ( especially the second act ballet) and visually it was Lonny Price's usual smart staging. But the two leads were bad. They have no connection with one another and the "bench" scene one of the best scenes ever written for a musical was dull. Neither of them can act well in the first place but this was rather agonizing. However, the most appalling thing was Mr Boe 's bow which he milked for what seemed like forever. If you've never seen Carousel it's worth it for the scale of the production. But if you have seen it, well you can give this one a miss.
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Post by wickedgrin on Apr 12, 2017 0:22:29 GMT
Even Mark Shenton did not like it - 3 stars in the stage and he likes everything!
It seems as we all suspected that the leads are simply wrong. It is musical theatre not opera and needs acting as well as singing. Huge amounts of availability for this as well, but the prices remain high!
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Post by ali973 on Apr 12, 2017 5:31:34 GMT
I saw pictures of it and it looks tacky as hell. Billy's wig is atrocious, and Julie looked like she stepped out of a M&S ad from the '80s. I also don't think I want to see a Carousel without an actual Carousel.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Apr 12, 2017 6:44:50 GMT
Well this was bad. I went to the press night last night and left at the interval. What a naff production.
Katherine Jenkins wasn't terrible but Alfie Boe, good lord. What a useless lump of a performer. He sounds like a cliche of an 'opera' singer and his acting is as atrocious as his wig. His 'performance' consisted of him walking around with his arms out (attempting to be butch?). Such a spectacular piece of mis casting. The whole evening was thrown off by this so me and my partner didn't care to waste a whole evening watching it. I knew he'd be bad but this was impressive.
The male chorus dancing during Blow High (or whatever it's called) was some of the most excruciating I've seen in a long time. Always great comedy value seeing west end Wendy's try to be butch. And it's obvious attempt to try and be a showstopper was laughable.
Sound was terrible, the large orchestra sounding like it was being pumped out of someone's iPhone speaker.
Empty seats everywhere. On press night. The peak of celebrity there was Gok Wan, says it all.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 12, 2017 6:58:21 GMT
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 12, 2017 7:01:29 GMT
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 12, 2017 7:33:20 GMT
The Times: 4 ⭐️ WOS: 4 ⭐️ The Stage: 3 ⭐️ Time Out: 3 ⭐️
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Post by CG on the loose on Apr 12, 2017 7:47:53 GMT
Arts Desk 2*
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 12, 2017 8:56:09 GMT
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Post by dlevi on Apr 12, 2017 10:21:04 GMT
The peak of celebrity there was Gok Wan, says it all. To be fair Ian McKellen, Maxwell Caufield, Juliet Mills, Hayley Mills and quite a few others - but Gok wan was the only one courting anyone with a camera.
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Post by Steve on Apr 12, 2017 13:51:28 GMT
4 stars from The Telegraph and The Guardian: The Telegraph sent their opera critic, Rupet Christiansen, so I'm not surprised he privileged voice over performance, as opera critics tend to be forgiving of performance, but exceptionally picky about voice. But the Guardian sent Michael Billington, who wrote that Alfie Boe "admirably conveys the character’s complexity, combining a bear-like roughness with hints of an underlying gentleness." Complexity? Gentleness? Is he referring to the shampoo they clean the wig with, or are we just being trolled?
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Post by loureviews on Apr 12, 2017 16:46:05 GMT
Someone is clearly a fan of the 'stunner'. Selectively quoting 2 and 3 star reviews hardly makes them raves.
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Post by Dawnstar on Apr 12, 2017 20:18:27 GMT
The Arts Desk review seems to be nearest to most of the opinions expressed on here & its paragraph on Boe is amusing reading (I do enjoy a good hatchet job!).
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Post by chinatoy on Apr 12, 2017 21:20:14 GMT
The Arts Desk review seems to be nearest to most of the opinions expressed on here & its paragraph on Boe is amusing reading (I do enjoy a good hatchet job!). Nowhere near the hatchet job that this review gives!
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Post by tmesis on Apr 12, 2017 21:43:34 GMT
Love the artsdesk review headline:
'Boe out-acted by wig'
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Post by wickedgrin on Apr 12, 2017 21:56:10 GMT
The wig looks TERRIBLE! I simply do not understand how this got past the creatives? Surely someone should have said something.
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Post by groupbooker on Apr 13, 2017 1:10:14 GMT
With regards to Theatre Monkey's question about what souvenirs are for sale - nothing other than programmes. Strange programmes showed plenty of "Julie's" pictures but apart from a small picture of each of the leads - no pictures of the production at all. I did ask is there any souvenirs for sale and told "there are chocolates??" I would say it was full from what I could see this afternoon. Has some excellent points, dancing, musicians and singing. Stunning opening - very different from other productions. Both leads were far better than I thought, with Alfie really giving it welly singing wise, but very wooden in the acting stakes. Katherine was better than thought she would be and maybe relax into the role as she progresses.
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Post by gra on Apr 13, 2017 1:12:51 GMT
Re mrbarnaby 'crit' of the first half of the musical.
I understood the ENO orchestra were in the pit, so am baffled how their acoustic sound could appear to be as though pumped out from someone's IPhone.
Whatever other reservations they have, many reviewers comment on how great it is to hear the orchestrations played in their full glory by this fine orchestra.
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Post by martin1965 on Apr 13, 2017 3:40:29 GMT
Lets be honest people the reviews have been much better than most of the glass half empty posters thought.
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Post by loureviews on Apr 13, 2017 6:36:36 GMT
The reviews of Alfie Boe's performance have been atrocious.
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