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Post by anita on Nov 6, 2017 14:01:07 GMT
I love her in the "Love Never Dies" DVD too but prefer the original Walter & the full orchestra.
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Post by notmymuse on Nov 6, 2017 18:47:39 GMT
Thanks for posting. Really enjoyed seeing that. Looking forward to it even more now!
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Post by Dawnstar on Nov 6, 2017 19:12:50 GMT
Anna O'Byrne sounds lovely as usual but I can't say I think much of the song. The music might be improved if there was an orchestra rather than a piano but the lyrics seem pretty clunky to me.
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Post by ali973 on Nov 10, 2017 4:19:16 GMT
Some pictures of the model set...Looks pretty.
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Post by chernjam on Nov 10, 2017 4:35:40 GMT
I have to say the video and those images really got me excited. I hope that this does well and evolves into an open-ended run
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Post by spendleb on Nov 10, 2017 10:48:43 GMT
Some pictures of the model set...Looks pretty. Fantastic, I presume by this they have dropped the mostly hated projections from the original run?
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Post by chernjam on Nov 20, 2017 21:34:36 GMT
Break a leg tonight as TWIW starts previews... can't wait to read reports
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Post by tom on Nov 20, 2017 22:06:47 GMT
Break a leg tonight as TWIW starts previews... can't wait to read reports Still looks very empty most nights. I am booked to see this early December - wondering if I should have a plan B in case it doesn't last that long!
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Post by ali973 on Nov 20, 2017 22:56:18 GMT
Just came back from the first preview. I haven't seen the original Palace Theatre version, besides the clips that are/were floating on YouTube. I can reassure everyone that this is a projection/video free zone. Thom Southerland made an introductory speech on how this is the first preview and how things might look strange at times because it's a first performance, or just not work altogether. Luckily, the latter never happened, but there were instances when things did look half-cooked and not quite finished. It's a unit sit, just like the design miniature shows.. There's a fireplace downstage, and in the middle of the stage, a wall structure that glides into the wings and back in various points on the stage while scene changes happen behind it. Though overused, it's pretty well done and is put into dramatic use quite effectively. Otherwise, the actors shift furniture, book cases or doorways to change the scenery. Carolyn Maitland gives it her all as Marianne, although I thought they didn't do such a great job making her the less attractive homey sister. I also feel that she didn't have the awkwardness or wallflower quality at the beginning, which would have been interesting for an audience to see her change into a stronger character throughout the piece because of the trauma and violence in her life. But she delivers her "All For Laura" pretty nicely, and that's half the work. She struggled a lot with her costumes towards the beginning and needed to be zipped up on stage. Anna O'Brien (Laura) and Sophie Reeves (Anne) look nothing alike, so it wasn't too believable that they'd be confused by anyone. Chris Peluso (Percival Glyde) is a boring villain, but Greg Castiglioni (Count Fosco) is a scene stealer. It's funny how I never realized that "You Can Get Away with Anything" is an ode to "La donna è mobile". No fat suit, and the mice are now replaced with cash. The music is pretty much the star of the show given it's ALW, and the lyrics are quite witty and fun. I've always thought that Love Never Dies borrowed so many motifs from Woman in White, but sitting through tonight I just thought that Woman in White is the first draft of Love Never Dies altogether. Orchestrations were very good: I'd say a piano keyboard, a synth keyboard, a flute, a string or two or three, and drums/percussion. It sounds like the string quartets and arrangements they put together for shows at the Menier. The scene where Marianne is snooping on Glyde and Fosco is very clunky and needs to be restaged. She's standing on tables as though she's listening from the outside while it's raining. Didn't work at all. The final scene {Spoiler - click to view} where Glyde is run over by the train felt like a fly-less Defying Gravity. Glyde just drops on the stage in spread-eagle and there's a lot of smoke. I don't know (but hope) that there was an effect in there that they weren't quite able to pull off by this first performance. I thought All For Laura was performed in the interior of the mansion, but once the song ended they talk about how Marianne is outside, but the staging did not look like it was set in the outdoors (though they've done the interior/exterior scenes quite clearly in other scenes), so that needs to be redone. Poor attendance in this rather shabby theatre that is in desperate need of carpet replacement and paint. Surprisingly, the bathroom is in mint condition and looks new. There was absolutely no buzz despite it being a first preview, though from what I can see, serious ALW fans sporting their Phantom t-shirts. There are times that I dozed off and started thinking about work during some of the overdone recitatives, but it's an overall good show if you like the music, ALW, any of the cast, or if you just want to tick it off your list.
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Post by steve10086 on Nov 20, 2017 23:01:28 GMT
Doesn’t bother me because I’ve seen the musical before, but maybe be a bit more careful when saying what happens to characters at the end of a show in future?!?
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Post by ali973 on Nov 20, 2017 23:07:25 GMT
Ditto. Thowwy.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Nov 20, 2017 23:35:53 GMT
Oh dear nothing about your review compels me to book this!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2017 23:44:16 GMT
Oh dear nothing about your review compels me to book this! All for LOOOOOOOOOORAAAA
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Post by chernjam on Nov 21, 2017 4:01:45 GMT
ali - can you give us any ideas of the changes to score/storyline?
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Post by anita on Nov 21, 2017 11:19:18 GMT
I was there too. Most of the storyline changes are in the second half. I have to say I think the projections worked better than some of this.It could be a bit tricky to follow if you haven't seen it before.
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Post by ali973 on Nov 21, 2017 11:57:06 GMT
^ I don't know about that. I haven't seen it before, but didn't have issues. You really need to be zoning out, not speak English or thick not to be able to figure out this pretty basic piece of musical theatre?
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Post by mallardo on Nov 21, 2017 12:23:10 GMT
It sure sounds like the train/tunnel solution doesn't work. There was a reason Trevor Nunn went for those projections.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Nov 21, 2017 12:25:02 GMT
So if this production doesn’t work what will ALW blame it on ?!!!
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Post by anita on Nov 21, 2017 14:11:11 GMT
It was very hot in the theatre & I was surprised to find no programmes available. If I had been casting I would have swapped Chris Peluso to play Walter & Ashley Stillburn to Sir Percival Glyde.
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Post by freckles on Nov 21, 2017 14:18:21 GMT
What time did the show end?
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Post by anita on Nov 21, 2017 14:29:04 GMT
About 9:55
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2017 14:59:43 GMT
Does anybody actually pay £53 for a show at the Charing Cross? I mean, those are West End prices for an very much Off-West End venue.
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Post by freckles on Nov 21, 2017 22:37:15 GMT
Andrew Lloyd Webber in the audience tonight.
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Post by lonlad on Nov 21, 2017 23:56:32 GMT
Was he sober?
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Post by freckles on Nov 22, 2017 8:45:44 GMT
Hard to say. It was quite full though. I enjoyed it, but have never seen it before so have nothing to compare it to. The set worked well, although the "tunnel moment" drew a bit of sniggering from the audience (I don't want to spoil it completely). The front stalls disappeared under a cloud of smoke; I see now why his Lordship sat a bit further back! There was also an unfortunate incident with a stuck door towards the end, which the cast had to walk around to make their entrances. The cast is excellent all round, and I followed the plot fine until the very end, when it was a little confusing and I'm not entirely sure what happened. Another beautiful production from Charing Cross.
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Post by distantcousin on Nov 22, 2017 9:20:30 GMT
It was very hot in the theatre & I was surprised to find no programmes available. If I had been casting I would have swapped Chris Peluso to play Walter & Ashley Stillburn to Sir Percival Glyde.
Yes, I always saw Peluso as the natural fit for the romantic lead.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2017 10:10:48 GMT
I keep being followed/unfollowed/followed on Twitter by this show...stop being so needy I'm still not following back haha.
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Post by stageyninja83 on Nov 22, 2017 10:55:42 GMT
I keep being followed/unfollowed/followed on Twitter by this show...stop being so needy I'm still not following back haha. Maybe they've asked Jon Moses to run the account
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Post by Seriously on Nov 22, 2017 18:55:54 GMT
Gawd, don't get me started on Jon Moses' twitter. I get regular private messages asking me to plug stuff.
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Post by spendleb on Nov 23, 2017 9:43:41 GMT
Just came back from the first preview. I haven't seen the original Palace Theatre version, besides the clips that are/were floating on YouTube. I can reassure everyone that this is a projection/video free zone. Thom Southerland made an introductory speech on how this is the first preview and how things might look strange at times because it's a first performance, or just not work altogether. Luckily, the latter never happened, but there were instances when things did look half-cooked and not quite finished. It's a unit sit, just like the design miniature shows.. There's a fireplace downstage, and in the middle of the stage, a wall structure that glides into the wings and back in various points on the stage while scene changes happen behind it. Though overused, it's pretty well done and is put into dramatic use quite effectively. Otherwise, the actors shift furniture, book cases or doorways to change the scenery. Carolyn Maitland gives it her all as Marianne, although I thought they didn't do such a great job making her the less attractive homey sister. I also feel that she didn't have the awkwardness or wallflower quality at the beginning, which would have been interesting for an audience to see her change into a stronger character throughout the piece because of the trauma and violence in her life. But she delivers her "All For Laura" pretty nicely, and that's half the work. She struggled a lot with her costumes towards the beginning and needed to be zipped up on stage. Anna O'Brien (Laura) and Sophie Reeves (Anne) look nothing alike, so it wasn't too believable that they'd be confused by anyone. Chris Peluso (Percival Glyde) is a boring villain, but Greg Castiglioni (Count Fosco) is a scene stealer. It's funny how I never realized that "You Can Get Away with Anything" is an ode to "La donna è mobile". No fat suit, and the mice are now replaced with cash. The music is pretty much the star of the show given it's ALW, and the lyrics are quite witty and fun. I've always thought that Love Never Dies borrowed so many motifs from Woman in White, but sitting through tonight I just thought that Woman in White is the first draft of Love Never Dies altogether. Orchestrations were very good: I'd say a piano keyboard, a synth keyboard, a flute, a string or two or three, and drums/percussion. It sounds like the string quartets and arrangements they put together for shows at the Menier. The scene where Marianne is snooping on Glyde and Fosco is very clunky and needs to be restaged. She's standing on tables as though she's listening from the outside while it's raining. Didn't work at all. The final scene ... spoiler removed. See original post for missing text... I thought All For Laura was performed in the interior of the mansion, but once the song ended they talk about how Marianne is outside, but the staging did not look like it was set in the outdoors (though they've done the interior/exterior scenes quite clearly in other scenes), so that needs to be redone. Poor attendance in this rather shabby theatre that is in desperate need of carpet replacement and paint. Surprisingly, the bathroom is in mint condition and looks new. There was absolutely no buzz despite it being a first preview, though from what I can see, serious ALW fans sporting their Phantom t-shirts. There are times that I dozed off and started thinking about work during some of the overdone recitatives, but it's an overall good show if you like the music, ALW, any of the cast, or if you just want to tick it off your list. We've booked the side benches, do they look OK for being able to see what's going on?
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