4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Sept 13, 2017 21:20:00 GMT
Saw this tonight.
Andrew Lloyd Webber introduced his show, bu saying "he recently revisited the show in Bochum and the score didn't sound right, so he visited the orchestra pit and asked the players where is the score?" And was told "it was done from memory," hence why he is revisiting the piece this week.
2 new songs in the score;
"I Got Me" - Lyrics by Lauren Aquilina "I Do" by Nick Coler and Alistair Lloyd Webber
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Post by d'James on Sept 13, 2017 21:21:08 GMT
Where does I Got Me fit in? Is I Do where it was in the last tour?
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Post by d'James on Sept 13, 2017 21:48:48 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2017 21:59:53 GMT
As mentioned above, Andrew said that he didnt recognise the score that was being played in Bochum and that it was being played from memory and the score wasnt in sight. I bet heads rolled for that one! Arlene Phillip who staged the concert said that this was a new Starlight, reflecting how things have changed over the year and something about the role of women... SPOLIERS AHEAD! Though as Andrew also said, this is very likely to change. I might miss bits out but here are my random thoughts on what i saw, also, I havent seen Starlight for many years so wasnt sure what was brand new. It started with a a little boy (control) playing a game on his ipad in his room, mum tells him to go to bed. Overture played, which i really enjoyed. I must admit to getting chills during this, hearing the old score again, and the band sounded AMAZING all night, especially during the races! But then it was ruined by the little boy saying 'stop that stupid music' Didnt like that.... Intro to trains. Not sure what trains were new but the new British train was called Brexit. Its a cheap laugh and was also referenced later on. To me its not needed and will date the show pretty quick. Oliver Thompson was very good as Greaseball and sings Rolling Stock. Rusty sings 'Crazy' along with the female carriages. The female carriages dont really get an individual introduction, so at first i was a bit confused and then they sing 'I Got Me' Where lotta Locomotion was. To me this song sounded like a poor rip off, of 'I Don't Care' by Icona Pop. I think it was about being independent and doing it for themselves or something... but the next minute they're all fawning over Greaseball and the other Locomotives and desperately trying to race with a man. It didnt make much sense. Also, i got the impression that Rusty and Pearl were just old friends but when Pearl sings Make Up My Heart, she's singing about how 2 lovers should be twice the fun... confused. Electra was good, but Liam Tamne was wearing the ugliest red high heeled shoes. ACDC was the same, but he seemed upstaged by a member of the ensemble, who actually stood out all night - Jamal Andreas. What a great performer. He has some sassy, fierce moved during ACDC and has great comedy as well. And he's very easy on the eye. Mica Paris is playing Momma, but singing songs in what seem like the same keys as Poppa was singing them. Its very low. I wasnt sure if she was having vocal issues or not... She sang a version of Poppas Blues. Yikes. I wasnt going to write this much.... other songs included Freight, Starlight Express, UNCOUPLED, I Am The Starlight, One Rock and Roll Too Many, and also CB. CB seemed to have very little to do at the beginning, but then just came in to spoil the races. Why? Money? He seemed to be the villain, but the character needs more prominence to succeeed. Its only Pearl and Dinah that get solos, the other two were nameless and sing back up. Then we come to the song 'I Do' UGH.... what a terrible, mawkish song. When was this brought in?? Its a weak tune, terrible lyrics and doesnt go anywhere. And then it's reprised. Considering its place in the show, it doesnt work at all and didnt get the response the 11 o'clock number should. It finished with Light At The End Of The Tunnel, with clap along and stand up finale. I HATE forced audience patricipation! Overall i really enjoyed it alot. It was great to hear the songs again. Its never meant to be Shakespeare, or Ibsen, but more focus on the story would be nice. I'll shut up now, i've gone on WAY too long! Oh and Trevor Nunn was also there, along with other men who sounded like they producde in numerous eupean countries. Yes i was evesdropping It was said that they just need to find the right space for the show. I wish i was going again at the end of the week to see what changes have been made.
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Post by d'James on Sept 13, 2017 22:05:48 GMT
I Do was added for the 2012-13 Tour. It's been added in Germany too.
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2,563 posts
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Post by viserys on Sept 14, 2017 5:25:00 GMT
Thanks for the first report! Doesn't sound like the big overhaul that was first suggested.
"I got me" is "Nie genug" presumably? It replaced "A lotta locomotion" in Germany a few years ago and nobody likes it. Ditto "I do".
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Post by d'James on Sept 14, 2017 5:33:03 GMT
Thanks for the first report! Doesn't sound like the big overhaul that was first suggested. "I got me" is "Nie genug" presumably? It replaced "A lotta locomotion" in Germany a few years ago and nobody likes it. Ditto "I do". We'll see. Nie Genug was first in the UK in 2004. It doesn't sound like they're taking any risks.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2017 8:43:21 GMT
Electra was good, but Liam Tamne was wearing the ugliest red high heeled shoes. ACDC was the same... I did wonder if something like this might happen. A bit affected post-Rocky Horror. Glad ACDC didn't get the 'Rum Tum Tugger' treatment though.
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746 posts
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Post by horton on Sept 14, 2017 10:14:47 GMT
Thanks tbfl, good to hear from someone who remembers the original incarnation on this.
It sounds rather disappointing. I was hoping for a much bigger re-do: especially of the plot. This seems like a little tinker around the edges. It has always been a muddle- for a show allegedly written for his own children, ALW's show has always smacked massively of sexism and to be honest Rusty and Pearl battling a substantial villain would surely be more interesting to kids than watching a girl who is perplexed over which lover to take.
'I Do' is a real clunker of a song, too.
Come on, creatives: if this is meant to be a lab, EXPERIMENT!
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1,638 posts
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Post by fiyero on Sept 14, 2017 10:47:59 GMT
I assume that's what they are doing in between and at each performance. If we all see the same show then what was the point?
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746 posts
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Post by horton on Sept 14, 2017 10:55:59 GMT
Did the really have to wait during rehearsals up to this point?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2017 11:32:26 GMT
At the start of the show, Andrew said they would be making revisions to the show based on audience feedback, but I wasnt given a questionaire or asked for feedback so i'm wondering how that will work. Maybe they'll just go on audience reaction, if so, I Do should be cut by now Maybe he keeps it because his son part wrote it. The song that opened act 2 was called something like 'I Got This'. It was led by the 3 Rockies and was a rap type song. Anyone know if this was new? 3 of the 4 shows that were nominated for Best New Musical at the 1984 Olivier Awards have all been in London this year, Starlight, 42nd Street and The Hired Man. The other one yet to make a come back is Pump Boys and Dinettes.
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Post by d'James on Sept 14, 2017 13:28:23 GMT
If anyone is going multiple times, write up your opinions after the first show and take them with you for the next show.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2017 14:22:12 GMT
Looking at the credits, its great to see Gareth Owen Sound Designing for ALW. He always a great, full sound compared to some other designers so this is good, hopefully leads to even more work for that team.
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2 posts
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Post by toulouse on Sept 14, 2017 16:06:35 GMT
Thanks Phantom of London of London and @tbfl for the information! "I got me" is "Nie genug" presumably? It replaced "A lotta locomotion" in Germany a few years ago and nobody likes it. Ditto "I do". Maybe not..."Nie Genug" already exists in English as "Whole Lotta Locomotion". It replaced "A Lotta Locomotion" in the 2003 US tour before being adopted in Bochum in 2013. @tbfl also mentioned Buffy and Ashley aren't named, but they are in "Whole Lotta Locomotion" and the lyrics themselves are...far from feminist. It does sound like a lousy Icona Pop ripoff though! You can listen to it in English here. Pretty sure "I Got Me" is something totally new! The song that opened act 2 was called something like 'I Got This'. It was led by the 3 Rockies and was a rap type song. Anyone know if this was new? Sounds new to me! IIRC "The Rap" usually opens act 2, but it's already been rewritten ~3 times so perhaps "I Got This" is another lyric overhaul. Does anybody know if "There's Me" was restored? Or who the new character Tassita is?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2017 16:14:30 GMT
viserys Avatar Sept 14, 2017 6:25:00 GMT 1 viserys said: ...You can listen to it in English here.... hahahhahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahhahaha thats dire.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2017 16:30:17 GMT
toulouse - A whole Lotta Locomotion was definitely not in it last night. I'd never heard that before. I recall that one of the carriages last night was a Quiet Carriage, or something like that. I would have loved 'There's Me' to be back in some form, but it wasn't there at lasy nights performance. Even though she's listed on the programme sheet, i dont recall anyone called Tassita in the show. Maybe she was one of the new carriages?
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Post by d'James on Sept 14, 2017 16:54:17 GMT
Could Tassita be the Quiet Carriage as in 'tacit/taciturn?'
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Sept 14, 2017 17:25:31 GMT
I'll be there tonight, do say hi if you're there too!
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131 posts
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Post by blobble84 on Sept 14, 2017 17:34:25 GMT
Anyone else there Friday eve?
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316 posts
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Post by ABr on Sept 14, 2017 17:41:58 GMT
Anyone else there Friday eve? I'll be there Friday with my other half ☺️ I can't wait, I've been listerning to both the Original London Cast recording and the 'New' London cast recording to get myself ready for it tomorrow night!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2017 17:58:19 GMT
I look forward to hearing everyone's thoughts about it. Especially about 'I Got Me'
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2017 18:01:41 GMT
Such a social oppertunity this show! With onlya week of performances, its a great chsnce for some of us to meet as odds are a few of us are at each performance! That being said, the three other members I know going Saturday I am already social with so that kinda defeats the purpose but still!
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2,563 posts
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Post by viserys on Sept 14, 2017 18:15:38 GMT
Maybe not..."Nie Genug" already exists in English as "Whole Lotta Locomotion". It replaced "A Lotta Locomotion" in the 2003 US tour before being adopted in Bochum in 2013. @tbfl also mentioned Buffy and Ashley aren't named, but they are in "Whole Lotta Locomotion" and the lyrics themselves are...far from feminist. It does sound like a lousy Icona Pop ripoff though! You can listen to it in English here. Pretty sure "I Got Me" is something totally new! Ah thanks for that - yea, that's the awful Nie Genug. It's even worse when filmed in close up like this. So who knows, maybe I Got Me is an improvement, but I doubt it. They just have to accept that it's not a feminist show and no tweaks in the world can change that. It would need a bigger overhaul, like having Electra be female or something. But I don't really see the necessity either. It's a silly fairy tale, it doesn't try to be anything serious.
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1,638 posts
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Post by fiyero on Sept 14, 2017 20:05:19 GMT
viserys Avatar Sept 14, 2017 6:25:00 GMT 1 viserys said: ...You can listen to it in English here.... hahahhahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahhahaha thats dire. I'm having flashbacks of the tour!
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426 posts
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Post by alison on Sept 14, 2017 20:44:12 GMT
Maybe not..."Nie Genug" already exists in English as "Whole Lotta Locomotion". It replaced "A Lotta Locomotion" in the 2003 US tour before being adopted in Bochum in 2013. @tbfl also mentioned Buffy and Ashley aren't named, but they are in "Whole Lotta Locomotion" and the lyrics themselves are...far from feminist. It does sound like a lousy Icona Pop ripoff though! You can listen to it in English here. Pretty sure "I Got Me" is something totally new! Good grief, that was even worse than I remembered it (and that's saying something). Count me in as being there Saturday afternoon too (row L somewhere off to one side, I think). Not gonna lie, I'm way too excited about this, mainly for the cast.
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Post by toulouse on Sept 14, 2017 20:56:40 GMT
Just talked to a friend who saw it and says Tassita is the name of the quiet carriage. They just have to accept that it's not a feminist show and no tweaks in the world can change that. It would need a bigger overhaul, like having Electra be female or something. I think that would be awesome. Electra has had female covers before - and if they can do it to Poppa I don't see why not! Electra's components are already gender neutral roles too...I think it would be cool if all of the roles were like that. They could even have Rusty and Pearl as a gay/lesbian couple if they wanted to be really progressive
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Sept 14, 2017 21:10:48 GMT
I absolutely LOVED this tonight! It's just such a great show.
And I was sat next to Richard Stilgoe who is, it turns out, incapable of clapping in time. Arlene Phillips on the other side of him along with another crew member, both taking lots of notes throughout.
ALW at the start said they'd already changed some things from last night, and would continue to do so at each performance. I wish I could go again to see what they do with it. Sadly, I assume it won't be taking out the limp I Do.
More thoughts when I'm back on a computer.
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499 posts
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Post by chernjam on Sept 15, 2017 3:49:01 GMT
Im happy to see that ALW found his Gramercy Concert approach to School of Rock so effective that he's trying it with other things (one wonders if Love Never Dies would still be running in its original london production had he done something similar and gotten audience feedback like this)
Very curious to see if this evolves into some full-fledged revival. I could've sworn I had read in a recent ALW interview that Starlight would never be revived - which struck me as odd as it ran for so long in the UK and seemingly everywhere else other than here in the US. Will be curious about what comes of this...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2017 4:21:35 GMT
i think he meant it would never be revived in a production like its original form, mainly due to cost and possibly health and safety these days
it screams to be an arena tour
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