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Post by Sam on Jun 18, 2018 14:35:22 GMT
Looking to go to this in a couple of weeks, but never been to the palladium and am a bit overwhelmed by all the info on seating choices. Anyone have any reasonably priced seating recommendations?
Legroom isn't really an issue as neither of us is particularly tall.
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Post by TallPaul on Jun 18, 2018 14:41:25 GMT
As it happens, Sam , you've come to the right place. For that sort of query we have very own @theatremonkey . What 'he' doesn't know about seating plans isn't worth knowing!
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Post by wickedgrin on Jun 18, 2018 15:49:23 GMT
Sam The Palladium is an amazingly intimate theatre for its size and you get a good view from all seats generally. It all depends really if you want to be nearer or further away.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 18, 2018 17:26:16 GMT
I’m super-dooper excited for my first visit to The Palladium in a couple of weeks.
*gurgle*
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Post by wickedgrin on Jun 18, 2018 17:42:18 GMT
It's one of my favourite theatres in London! It is a beautiful theatre - amazingly intimate for its size as I have already said. Every visit I have had there over the years seems to be "an occasion" rather than just another theatre trip!
This production will be my 3rd King & I at the same theatre! First with Yul Brynner and Virginia McKenna and the second with Elaine Paige! Not her best role, as being short the costumes made her look like a tea pot cover!
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Post by Stephen on Jun 19, 2018 13:00:08 GMT
Slightly off topic but I'm working 7-8 shows per week of this mostly behind the bar. If anyone sees "Stephen" please do say hello and have a chit chat!
Really excited for this now!
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Post by jamb0r on Jun 20, 2018 11:15:10 GMT
Just sent the show Facebook page a message. They’re going to be announcing their day seat/rush policy tomorrow.
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Post by Stephen on Jun 20, 2018 18:51:01 GMT
This is going to be VERY good!
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Post by bob2010 on Jun 20, 2018 19:50:35 GMT
£25 rush tickets is showing up on Todaytix app!
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Post by jamb0r on Jun 21, 2018 9:04:54 GMT
TodayTix rush tickets look to be Royal Circle rows H to L at the extreme sides. Not too bad! Only 2 per transaction though which scuppers my plans of taking my parents. Fingers crossed for in person day seats too.
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Post by Sam on Jun 21, 2018 9:06:30 GMT
Had a look at the rush to see what tickets were being offered as it may influence my decision whether to book in advance or not.
Was very tricky to get any, but was offered K1 of the Royal Circle. Have released it back into the wild!
Anyone manage to get any?
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Post by kiwi on Jun 21, 2018 9:13:26 GMT
I had a look as well and got offered seats F37/38 in the Royal Circle. Released them though as i'm hopefully gonna see it in a couple of weeks.
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Post by bob2010 on Jun 21, 2018 9:16:18 GMT
I had a look as well and got offered seats F37/38 in the Royal Circle. Released them though as i'm hopefully gonna see it in a couple of weeks. Excellent seats!
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Post by Dr Tom on Jun 21, 2018 22:13:26 GMT
Phenomenal for a first preview!
Rush ticket this morning, very back of the Dress Circle at the extreme side. Still an excellent view, missing only the extreme edge and decent legroom.
Chaotic to try and collect tickets and get in. Collection is the extreme left door. The positive of fhe Dress Circle is you don’t have to go back outside and queue up again.
Quite a few latecomers either due to the queues or not realising the 7pm start. Finished bang on 10pm.
Audience generally good. I had a bottle presser next to me but he calmed down in the second half after being stared at. The ushers could be quieter, loud floors and an annoying phone which went off just loud enough to hear.
Staging is quite different to both the Lincoln Centre and the tour, probably due to the shape of the stage, but all works well. Closer to the tour staging, but with a bigger cast.
A few line fluffs and Kelli and Ken hit some of the moving scenery during Shall We Dance, which got a laugh. Some inopportune laughing at other times, but that happens a lot with people who just think every show is a comedy.
Sound levels way better than the Lincoln Centre too.
As for the cast. Kelli O’Hara fantastic. Hello Young Lovers the highlight.
Ken Watanabe good. The same problem as NYC in that he just doesn’t pronounce a lot of the words clearly enough to understand. But excellent timing and presence.
The children all good, including Louis (not sure which one). Believe they have three casts.
Loved Naoki Mori as Lady Thiang. Don’t think I’ve ever heard her sing before and she has a perfect voice.
I wasn’t sold on Na-Young Jeon as Tuptim as she struggled with some of the notes. Hopefully just first night jitters. Dean John Wilson was fine.
Am sure there’s loads more to write but the three hours just sped by.
Full standing ovation at the end of course. Will be a big hit.
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Post by Jon on Jun 21, 2018 22:25:11 GMT
Great to hear the show is in good shape for a first preview! Must have been nerve wrecking for Kelli O'Hara and also Ken Watanabe considering this is their West End debuts.
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Post by Dr Tom on Jun 21, 2018 22:27:20 GMT
Great to hear the show is in good shape for a first preview! Must have been nerve wrecking for Kelli O'Hara and also Ken Watanabe considering this is their West End debuts. Must be. They both got entrance applause from a selection of the audience (myself included), but don’t think they were consistently known.
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Post by Rukaya on Jun 21, 2018 22:47:31 GMT
Was there tonight, first time seeing the show and thought it was fantastic! Had a seat on the second row of the Grand, view was fine despite a safety rail in the way but the legroom is awful! Can't complain too much for £15 but I'll definitely be trying to see it again in July via TodayTix rush with better seats hopefully!
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Post by bob2010 on Jun 22, 2018 9:13:58 GMT
Just tried the rush tickets this morning and was offered seats L10 and L11 in the stalls worth £95!
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Post by Sam on Jun 22, 2018 10:38:31 GMT
I was offered row N stalls for £22 each.
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Post by bob2010 on Jun 22, 2018 11:37:09 GMT
I was offered row N stalls for £22 each. Was that in person at box office?
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Post by Sam on Jun 22, 2018 11:39:43 GMT
I was offered row N stalls for £22 each. Was that in person at box office? On Todaytix
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Post by bob2010 on Jun 22, 2018 11:48:30 GMT
Was that in person at box office? On Todaytix Oh ok the £22 confused me, as todaytix are £25 (inc fees)
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Post by Sam on Jun 22, 2018 11:49:56 GMT
Oh ok the £22 confused me, as todaytix are £25 (inc fees) The £22 was probably less the fees. I didn't really look properly, I just acknowledged the seating location and then released them.
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Post by poster J on Jun 22, 2018 14:41:22 GMT
I've just had a reminder email from the theatre that the show starts at 7pm - clearly a lot of people last night must have assumed 7.30pm!
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Post by latefortheoverture on Jun 22, 2018 20:23:45 GMT
In the process of booking tickets- anyone sat in the front row for the palladium, or even better this production? They’re rather cheap (£50) in comparison with the rest of the stall which makes me think they aren’t the best of views?! A big production so I imagine there’s a big orchestra.
Has anyone sat here and can comment on the height of the and view etc.?
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Post by dontdreamit on Jun 22, 2018 20:58:26 GMT
I used to book A19 and 20 back in the day when it was restricted view (the centre of A used to be full price) and we didn’t miss much at all.
Was a fair few years ago now, so someone with more recent knowledge might be better informed!
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Post by poster J on Jun 22, 2018 23:01:42 GMT
Well that was exquisite! If you didn't know it was a second preview I don't think you would have been able to tell - no line fluffs as far as I could tell, and no prop/set issues apart from an ensemble member losing an earring centre stage at one point.
Kelli O’Hara is quite simply sublime. I've waited a long, long time to see her perform and she didn't disappoint - vocally stunning, acted everyone else out of the park and she really does own the show. Deservedly got a huge ovation at the end.
Ken Watanabe is fine - acting wise he is good and he can sing, but his diction is poor and at times I struggled to understand him - a lot of the potential humour of A Puzzlement in particular got lost as a result.
Naoko Mori is a revelation vocally, she sounded fantastic and commanded the stage acting-wise as well. She was excellent.
Na-Young Jeon and Dean John Wilson have little chemistry but he in particular is hardly in it so in a way it doesn't matter much. I didn't find them believable as lovers though. His singing is fine, nothing to write home about. She struggled badly on the higher notes but sounded lovely when within her vocal comfort zone.
The children were all good. The ensemble were generally good and the choreography will undoubtedly tighten as the run goes on - a few minor losses of balance and the like tonight that did stick out a bit watching from the gods.
Sound balance was also a bit off up that high (they need to turn O'Hara's microphone up for her opening dialogue), but the orchestra were still great and the choreography and the sets (especially the beautiful cloth backdrops) can be fully appreciated from above.
Overall though, this is exceptional and I understand fully why it got the Tonys and the reviews it did on Broadway. Definitely made my £15 Row B Grand Circle seat (legroom fine given I'm short, on the aisle and the safety rails didn't bother me at all, plus I had two empty seats next to me) the bargain of the year so far! I'd pay about 10 times the price for O'Hara's performance alone! What a fantastic evening.
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Post by poster J on Jun 22, 2018 23:10:43 GMT
Oh and for those who care about this sort of thing, all the principals except Dean John-Wilson came out of the stage door and signed.
I've never seen anything quite so crazy - they put barriers up and they were swamped by a hoard of over-excited Ken Watanabe fans who were pushing each other and everyone else out of the way to get close to the barrier. He came out looking like he'd rather be anywhere else (I don't blame him!), signed about a dozen programmes (skipping half the line in the process) and went back inside. Security then removed the barriers and told everyone that was it so that the crazy fans would disperse.
A small crowd of us who were waiting for some of the others instead hung around a bit further back from the stage door and it was another 25-30 minutes before the others came out, and probably more like 50 mins after the show ended before Kelli emerged. She was lovely, as was Naoko.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2018 23:18:26 GMT
Well. I am in love and her name is Kelli O'Hara. Don't get me wrong, I still loves me the mens but OMGosh, she's simply divine. Every leading lady and wannabe leading lady in London's glitzy West End should go and watch her performance which is just a masterclass. She's so natural and funny and seemingly completely spontaneous and her chemistry with Ken Watanabe is hot hot HOT. I almost burnt a finger from it and I was sat in the middle of the stalls. Her voice is also just a gift from heaven and it's such a thrill to see her live in London. I can't imagine there will be a better Best Actress nominee next year.
Ken is marvellous too. His accent is a bit on the strong side so some of it was a bit hit and miss but he's so very commanding on the stage and so funny, plus he's fantastic with the little kiddies. Obviously everyone knows that the show is one of the three best scores in musical theatre history but the whole show is just gawgeous and sumptuous and has the best glitzy West End curtain since 'Dreamgirls'. In addition to that there's a blooming great SHIP on stage too! I almost gave that a standing ovation!
We had Naoko Mori as Lady Thiang and she was marvellous although if you had told me it was Imelda Marcos I would have believed you. She forgot a few words during 'Western People Funny' but she saved it by walking around a bit. Probably thinking about shoes I should imagine. Na-Young Jeon was lovely as Tuptim and everyone will be pleased to know that Dean John Wilson sticks to the second amendment and gets the guns out in act one and saves the pecs for act two. You know they're coming because you see them come on stage before the rest of him. If he hadn't been singing two of the loveliest songs in the score then I would have been completely distracted.
Oh and when Ken says "come" before swinging Kelli around the floor during 'Shall We Dance' my nethers got all hot and bothered. I defy you to find a sexier moment than that on stage this year that doesn't involve Tom Bateman whipping his shirt off.
Don't miss it! I'm definitely going again.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2018 10:08:28 GMT
Does anyone know what is happening with the currently schedules with casts? Is everyone doing every show? To be honestly I’ll be going several times to see it but just wondered? Thanks
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