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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2018 23:14:47 GMT
Extended for a week until 9 September (prior to a world tour next year)
Also a fab new trailer has been released
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Post by stefy69 on May 11, 2018 5:52:43 GMT
Extended for a week until 9 September (prior to a world tour next year) Also a fab new trailer has been released Stunning trailer, thanks for the alert.
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Post by Mr Snow on May 19, 2018 7:54:31 GMT
Sorry to be a party pooper but found this very ho hum. Was it a comedy? A pastiche? Ground breaking? Charming? Heart rendering? A. You do get bits but None of the above really.
Plus to be frank if you are going to put new songs alongside classics form the 30’s they’d better be rich and strong, merely pleasant will not do. One lyric mentioned Brando who was 14 in 1938. Then to bring in an electric guitar and rock beat. Oh dear.
On the plus side, almost enough to save the evening the really beautiful singing of Jos Slovic who thankfully is given most of the songs.
Saw their Flying Lovers of Mtensk earlier this year and loved it. It had lots of things that were weak or missing here. Real charm, tenderness, lightness of touch, and purpose.
Q Why do their shows get listed in plays on here? I think stylistically they fit the Musicals category far better.
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Post by Mr Snow on May 19, 2018 13:19:53 GMT
Why do their shows get listed in plays on here Because it really is a play, and the music is more "incidental" than driving the plot, I'd say. I take your point. But if I was being argumentative you could say the same about nearly every Musical before Showboat or Oklahoma. But the sun is shining and I'm never argumentative (well, hardly ever ).
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Post by hal9000 on May 19, 2018 14:16:21 GMT
It wasn’t really romantic in the manner in which the film was swooning in it.
I didn’t feel much for the lovers in this at all; but it also had that quality, thanks to the setting, that you are looking in a window and peering into these strangers lives, and that the same could be happening in station tea rooms everywhere.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2018 6:31:50 GMT
I loved Kneehigh’s rather wacky Umbrellas of Cherbourg some years back, although I don’t think many did as I remember paying £20 through lastminute’s website and the front dress circle seat included a decent three course meal somewhere before the show! So I was looking forward to this yesterday after reading all the positives on here, expecting something a bit different just as Umbrellas had been. And it was. Not often do you feel you get treated to the whole package when you go to a show these days, but we had a Haymarket cinema looking glorious with roses around the doors, and ushers and usherettes complete with little button hats entertaining us in the foyer to get us in the mood. We had a huge cinema screen which swallowed up the characters, a piano doubling as a counter in the station tea room, leather armchairs wheeled in on luggage trolleys and a film of a man and a woman in a boat which became real before our eyes. There was singing, a little bit of dancing, puppets, swaying movements to the sounds of the sea, a heartbreaking story of an opportunity missed and slapstick comedy involving a child’s scooter. At one point there were even people swinging from chandeliers! The actors and musicians were spot on. Special mention must go to Jos Slovick whose name I know from my Soho Cinders CD. Why don’t we hear more of him? All I missed was an interval during which I could have sampled a china cup of tea and a bun (“fresh this morning”) served from the back just like they did in tonyloco ’s day. I jest- in fact the ninety minute- no interval- playing time suited this entertainment perfectly and made a lovely afternoon out with a friend. It won’t be to everyone’s taste, I know that, but it’s certainly the kind of thing that appeals to me. Why isn’t there ever a dashing chap like Jim Sturgeon on hand when you get that annoying bit of grit in your eye...?
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Post by Cardinal Pirelli on Jul 1, 2018 10:31:04 GMT
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Post by caa on Jul 7, 2018 7:56:45 GMT
Just had an email saying its closing on 22nd July
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2018 10:04:10 GMT
What a shame. I liked this, didn't love it, but liked it a lot and thought it would have some sort of popular appeal.
Wonder what made them decide to extend by that extra week, if clearly it wasn't selling enough?
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Post by david on Jul 15, 2018 17:48:11 GMT
Having decided to skip this when it first toured at Salford’s Lowry theatre earlier on this year as I wasn’t too sure about it, but the positive reviews that the production has had by people on this board, I decided to take @theatremonkey ’s advice and book the A14 seat for the matinee today. For £20, it was an absolute bargain and great value for 90mins entertainment for a Sunday afternoon’s theatre viewing. Apart from being sat on stage, I couldn’t be any closer to the performers. Though imagine my surprise when the two leads sat next to me. I certainly wasn’t expecting that!
For me, the standout performances came from Bev Rudd and Lucy Thackeray. To see them two was worth the ticket price alone and gave a great double act. I was really impressed with the musical interludes and enjoyed listening to Jos Slovick interpreting the songs.
The use of the projections was really effective and blended well into the live action parts. I think being sat front and centre helped with some of the more visual gags such as the model steam train and the toy dogs used later on.
It was well attended for the matinee and it’s a shame that it’s closing next week as I think that compared to some of the more in your face (shows like BOOH)currently playing in the WE, sometimes it’s nice just to sit back and enjoy shows like BE as an alternative.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2018 13:20:44 GMT
Just announced its closing date has been brought forward from September 9th to July 22nd. Wanted to get to see this during the summer but no chance I can afford an emergency trip to London this weekend.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2018 13:28:12 GMT
How come they only just announced it when caa got an email on the 7th July (confirmed by @theatremonkey checking the website) stating this? They've really done themselves out of a last couple of weeks of ticket sales, unless they were hoping that keeping the announcement low-key would allow people to panic-book enough to re-extend out to the originally planned closing date?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2018 14:15:03 GMT
No idea. WoS just posted an article without an explanation. World Tour expected next year though.
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Post by stefy69 on Jul 20, 2018 5:46:53 GMT
Great shame as I loved this production saw it originally and upon it's return.
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Post by jek on Jul 20, 2018 7:58:57 GMT
Having missed this first time round (my kids were then of an age then when going out meant complex babysitting arrangements) I have been prompted by the closure notices to book tomorrow's matinee. Have seen mention on here about the advisability of getting to the theatre early for the pre show entertainment. Any suggestions as to how early this starts? Many thanks.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2018 8:05:02 GMT
Not that long beforehand, I think it's only about 15/20 minutes, if that? If you give yourself half an hour, you definitely won't miss it.
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Post by jek on Jul 20, 2018 8:12:23 GMT
Thank you @baemax . That's really helpful. This is one of those reasons why this board is so great.
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Post by jek on Jul 21, 2018 17:19:19 GMT
I'm afraid I am with Mr Snow on this. Really disappointed. Maybe I love the film too much. There was just something wrong about the tone for me. It's interesting because in her programme notes Emma Rice is really insightful about the film, the desperate longing at its heart, but this didn't seem to translate to the actual piece. But while my party (of three) didn't enjoy it there was certainly a lot of love for it in the theatre today.
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Post by TallPaul on Nov 2, 2018 17:04:55 GMT
Sorry to resurect an old thread, but this seems like as good a place as any to post this exciting news.
Those of us with a passion for 'entertainment' architecture will, I hope, be interested to learn that the Empire Cinema has now been granted Grade II listed status.
There was a very real danger that it could have been demolished and replaced with an office block, but the 20th Century Society, Theatres Trust, and many others, made what must have been a compelling case, that was accepted first by Historic England, then DCMS.
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Post by Jon on Nov 2, 2018 19:57:10 GMT
^If anything, they should demolish the office block built on the stage, and bring it back into use as a theatre. It would require someone with very deep pockets to do that. I imagine Empire will hold onto it as a cinema for a while longer but I think personally think it'd be better in the hands of a chain like Everyman who have done a great job restoring old cinemas.
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Post by Theatre Fan on Sept 1, 2021 10:57:46 GMT
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Sept 2, 2021 15:44:05 GMT
I thought it was stunning (opposite the Haymarket) and would love to see again (albeit a different production team) However the Watermill is not that accessible if you don't drive, factoring in taxis etc etc.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Sept 2, 2021 16:44:18 GMT
I can't really find much on the director Robert Kirby. He is an associate of the Watermill so I'm guessing he is starting out on his career?
The production does have a foley artist credited so I'm naturally excited!
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Post by TallPaul on Jan 17, 2022 12:22:13 GMT
Announced this morning as the summer production at Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre. 22 July to 27 August. Directed by Paul Robinson, who is the SJT's AD.
A co-production with Bolton Octagon and the Theatre by the Lake in Keswick.
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Post by capybara on May 17, 2023 11:32:22 GMT
Seeing this in Guildford later this week, having been encouraged by the reviews.
I note the publicity around it mentions music. Is this a play, a play with music or a musical?
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Post by capybara on May 23, 2023 0:47:17 GMT
A play with music, the answer ended up being then.
I enjoyed this for the most part. Well staged, I liked the musical interludes and it just had a nice vibe about the production, as you would come to expect from this sort of play.
Sad to see how empty the auditorium was on a Friday night though. I know touring productions, especially plays, are struggling but it was probably not even a quarter full.
A pleasant evening, nonetheless. Three stars.
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Post by edelweiss on Jun 1, 2023 16:02:50 GMT
I would concur that this is a play with music. Auditorium was also sadly half empty (though perhaps this is more expected for a midweek matinee). Having never seen the film, I only had a vague idea of what to expect - I am planning to watch the film so I can compare the two now. An entertaining couple of hours with a talented cast of 8 playing multiple parts and instruments. The singing and dancing were particular highlights - there are some really great voices in that cast. It was properly funny at parts and zipped along nicely, I would agree with capybara that it was a nice vibe. 4*
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