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Post by 49thand8th on Mar 18, 2018 0:04:13 GMT
I'm about 20 pages in and it's pretty entertaining!
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Post by anita on Mar 18, 2018 10:33:02 GMT
I'm enjoying it a lot. Very entertaining. I'm about 60 something in.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2018 14:05:56 GMT
I guessed you’d be enjoying it, anita ... I’m finding it very hard to put down- now 200 pages in... He’s a great storyteller, very real inasmuch as he repeats his favourite little sayings time and time again, as we all do. (“Full-frontal” crops up here, there and everywhere.) There’s an odd mixture of honesty, modesty, false modesty, self promotion with a sprinkling of forgetfulness. (He tells us about the casting of Dana Gillespie as Superstar’s Mary without remembering that she hurriedly replaced the one that had been sacked; he throws Elaine Paige’s name into the original cast list when she was replacement cast...) But I can forgive him as he’s incredibly witty and truly entertaining. I’m loving Auntie Vi who’s writing a ‘Gay Cookbook’ (in the 1960s this was quite a thing) and whose recipes include Boyar’s Soles. It’s not clear whether this is included in the chapter: “Too Many Cocks Spoil The Breath”. A favourite saying of hers he’s coined is “clotted bollocks on stilts” and the advice she gives him on entering a cock measuring contest backstage at the Palace Theatre is just priceless...! He’s coming across as far more likeable than the oddball we’ve all seen in the BBC talent-spotting programmes. Yes, it’s a tad long-winded, as has been mentioned in several newspaper reviews so far, and we could do without the ins and outs of contracts, but he’s openly gossipy, throwing all sorts of names about, which is making it a great read so far. Oh, and it’s comforting to read that even he acknowledges the “OSO” (the Obligatory Standing Ovation)!
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Post by fiyero on Mar 18, 2018 19:40:24 GMT
Not sure if this is the right place for discussion of the accompanying album too but am I mistaken that there are no songs from The Likes of Us, Cricket and The Wizard of Oz? I love it but four from School of Rock seems too many too! (when they are all OBCR, no reinterpretations like they have for other shows)
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Post by CG on the loose on Mar 19, 2018 0:36:51 GMT
Not sure if this is the right place for discussion of the accompanying album too but am I mistaken that there are no songs from The Likes of Us, Cricket and The Wizard of Oz? I love it but four from School of Rock seems too many too! (when they are all OBCR, no reinterpretations like they have for other shows) You remind me that he said at the "In Conversation with..." event the other evening that after Phantom, things went off piste for a while, which he'd really rather not relive, but that he felt with School of Rock he got back on track... so Volume 3 would probably pick up there, and he may just leave Volume 2 unwritten!
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Post by chrismis on Mar 19, 2018 22:44:44 GMT
Imagine-Andrew Lloyd Webber just about to start on BBC1
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Post by tonyloco on Mar 19, 2018 23:20:24 GMT
There’s an existing theatre in London named after a woman, there may be more actually but I immediately thought of one. I’ll leave it as a quiz question. I mean a specific named woman, I’m not accepting Queens Theatre etc. There's the Lilian Baylis Studio at Sadlers Wells... Yes that's the one that occurred to me. Also, the Jeanetta Cochrane theatre in Holborn opened in 1964 and closed in 2012 to be demolished as part of a hotel redevelopment but the last time I was in the area a few months ago the theatre still seemed to be standing. The name was supposed to be transferred to a new theatre in Granary Square near King's Cross as part of the University of the Arts, London, but I can't find any reference on the internet to this having happened.
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Post by loureviews on Mar 20, 2018 7:43:42 GMT
I have never known a theatre to be named after a choreographer and a lady, but there are always firsts and this is well deserved too, nice to name the New London Theatre, where Gillian had tremendous success with Cats. Cannot say I saw this announcement coming. There’s an existing theatre in London named after a woman, there may be more actually but I immediately thought of one. I’ll leave it as a quiz question. I mean a specific named woman, I’m not accepting Queens Theatre etc. The Questors in Ealing has the Judi Dench Playhouse as its main auditorium.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 20, 2018 8:51:15 GMT
Imagine-Andrew Lloyd Webber just about to start on BBC1 Very enjoyable it was too. Sarah Brightman though.... barely recognisable! I wonder who the new musical he has in mind is about. Someone who is still alive, he said.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2018 9:04:52 GMT
Loved this, excellent programme really enjoyed it. ALW has remained my favourite composer since his shows sparked my interest in musical theatre 32 years ago and I find him such an interesting character.
Small gripe though - whenever they make these programmes, my favourite show of all, Starlight Express, is always omitted or glossed over very quickly. 18 years in the West End is fairly monumental and I would love to hear ALW talk more about it.
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Post by TallPaul on Mar 20, 2018 13:19:18 GMT
The name was supposed to be transferred to a new theatre in Granary Square near King's Cross as part of the University of the Arts, London They decided, presumably because of its location and history, to call the new facility the Platform Theatre instead.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2018 17:13:24 GMT
Alan Yentob made a rather good voice over for this 90 minute special, I thought, and I particularly liked his gentle teasing of Andrew’s rather pompous nature which was evident even as a young boy!
The use of old films added to the context of his rather peculiar childhood, as did the revealing and much more interesting photographs than those used in Unmasked, the book, and I found it touching that his father’s compositions were used as background music to much of this footage.
Some of the highlights of this programme over the book (so far) was the interview with mysterious interloper John Lill, brother Julian dobbing him in for exaggeration (“I first fell in love with the cello when I was four, not three...!”) and Sarah Brightman making absolutely no sense whatsoever! (He’s obviously still head over heels in love with her...)
The BBC really should have checked the credit for the video of Music of the Night which was wrongly attributed to Ken Russell, and it was madness to make no mention of Variations and Sunday before the incredibly brief reference to Starlight. Why?
I loved the sight of the LP of Joseph- the same one that I used to borrow from the music library and play over and over again on my Dansette record player, and I think I preferred that stunningly beautiful and simple piano version of Pie Jesu.
Of course what I really loved was Andrew’s excitement when he rattled off all the shows he’d gone to as a youngster, during a kind of musicals Golden Age (My Fair Lady, Gigi, West Side Story, South Pacific...) with tears in his eyes, because his story is one that many of us have shared. Well it’s certainly my story. Although the Golden Age I experienced was largely down to his works.
Thank you for the music, Mr Lloyd Webber.
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Post by Jon on Mar 20, 2018 17:51:34 GMT
I do wonder if Sarah Brightman has considered doing a West End or Broadway comeback?
I am curious what ALW's new show is, Baz mentioned that one idea was about the relationship between Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams but given both are dead, I imagine it's not that.
Given ALW's love for My Fair Lady, I wonder if Drury Lane doesn't get Frozen after its refurb, they'll transfer the Lincoln Center production of My Fair Lady, would be a fitting way to reopen the theatre
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2018 17:57:07 GMT
I do wonder if Sarah Brightman has considered doing a West End or Broadway comeback? I am curious what ALW's new show is, Baz mentioned that one idea was about the relationship between Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams but given both are dead, I imagine it's not that. Given ALW's love for My Fair Lady, I wonder if Drury Lane doesn't get Frozen after its refurb, they'll transfer the Lincoln Center production of My Fair Lady, would be a fitting way to reopen the theatre God, I wish she would. She is bonkers but utterly fabulous and with an incredible range. A wonderful leading lady, she was underrated in 1986!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2018 18:00:37 GMT
It was madness to make no mention of Variations and Sunday before the incredibly brief reference to Starlight. Why? Twas ever thus sadly. Much as I love them, Cats and Phantom (and to a lesser extent Superstar and Evita) always hog the limelight. I really hope he writes his follow up. Would absolutely love to hear more on the writing and creating of Aspects, Whistle, Beautiful Game etc. And to hear it from the horses mouth on the behind the scenes antics of Sunset and Love Never Dies would be epic!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2018 18:15:59 GMT
I do wonder if Sarah Brightman has considered doing a West End or Broadway comeback? I am curious what ALW's new show is, Baz mentioned that one idea was about the relationship between Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams but given both are dead, I imagine it's not that. Given ALW's love for My Fair Lady, I wonder if Drury Lane doesn't get Frozen after its refurb, they'll transfer the Lincoln Center production of My Fair Lady, would be a fitting way to reopen the theatre God, I wish she would. She is bonkers but utterly fabulous and with an incredible range. A wonderful leading lady, she was underrated in 1986! I can’t ever see her returning to the West End or to Broadway... She earns megabucks now from her recordings and from her successful one-woman shows which are a big deal in the US and many parts of Asia. I last saw her recording her Dreamchaser PBS special over at Elstree. Fab-u-lous (although I didn’t go overboard on the album). Previously I saw her in her La Luna concert at the RAH and the Harem concert at Wembley where I reckon poor ticket sales puts her off adding the UK on her tour schedule now. Such a pity... Her shows really are spectacular and she is a great performer. (And ALW was in the audience for Harem!) The best Christine Daae ever. Just stunning!
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Post by Jon on Mar 20, 2018 18:21:49 GMT
I do wonder if Sarah Brightman has considered doing a West End or Broadway comeback? I am curious what ALW's new show is, Baz mentioned that one idea was about the relationship between Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams but given both are dead, I imagine it's not that. Given ALW's love for My Fair Lady, I wonder if Drury Lane doesn't get Frozen after its refurb, they'll transfer the Lincoln Center production of My Fair Lady, would be a fitting way to reopen the theatre God, I wish she would. She is bonkers but utterly fabulous and with an incredible range. A wonderful leading lady, she was underrated in 1986! I suspect she makes more money doing her concerts than a limited run of a play or musical,
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 20, 2018 19:44:38 GMT
Those clips from the phantom video where she’s staring bug-eyed at the camera while Crawford fannies about behind her. I don’t know how they kept a straight face.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2018 21:03:59 GMT
The only thing I took away from it, was what has Sarah Brightman done to her face??
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2018 23:00:37 GMT
Those clips from the phantom video where she’s staring bug-eyed at the camera while Crawford fannies about behind her. I don’t know how they kept a straight face. I think that's the one that was directed by Ken Russell!
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Post by distantcousin on Mar 20, 2018 23:26:17 GMT
Manchester cancelled due to “unexpected work commitments to Jesus Christ Superstar - The Live Broadcast” Otherwise known as lack of ticket sales (I was still getting ads for the event yesterday, it's not exactly a large venie to sell!) Yet the London one sold out - and was much more expensive - bizarre.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 21, 2018 12:55:16 GMT
Oh I don’t know tm. I knew nothing about his early life, childhood and the “cuckoo in the nest” situ. It was an odd family which may explain why he’s a bit odd himself. Or the suicide attempt, the interest in architecture, the lone travelling as a 14 year old or the toy theatre. You could argue that the stuff they rushed through was all the well known well documented “oh yes I got the idea for phantom one day when...”.
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Post by alece10 on Mar 21, 2018 17:51:41 GMT
I've just finished watching it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Interesting to hear about his childhood and early years which I knew nothing about. When he talked about his early shows it was a bit of a trip down memory lane and loved the footage especially that of the outside of the theatres. Made me think about how good my life has been and all the amazing things I have seen over the years which I probably didn't appreciate at the time. From seeing one of the first performances of JCSS, sitting in a box for Evita next to a man who had flown in on Concorde just to see it, being in one of the revolve seats for Cats and Paul Nicholas sitting on my lap and marvelling at the lunacy of Starlight Express. And the book arrived as I was watching the documentary so looking forward to delving into it.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 21, 2018 18:12:59 GMT
I’ve asked about this before but I still don’t really get it. What exactly happened with the seats at Cats? Are those seats, to this day, on some sort of mechanical turntable or was this done just for one production? And which seats moved because from being there last year for SoR I couldn’t see how it could happen.
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Post by danb on Mar 21, 2018 18:19:46 GMT
I’ve asked about this before but I still don’t really get it. What exactly happened with the seats at Cats? Are those seats, to this day, on some sort of mechanical turntable or was this done just for one production? And which seats moved because from being there last year for SoR I couldn’t see how it could happen. Basically the thrust bit of stage and the front block of seats were in each others place, and they revolved during the overture to create a more traditional theatre arrangement.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 21, 2018 18:21:54 GMT
You mean they slid in some way? I still don’t get it!
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Post by danb on Mar 21, 2018 18:34:57 GMT
“Audience will not be admitted while the auditorium is in motion” it said on my ticket.
I only saw it once and don’t really remember. I’ve tried googling it but it just keeps showing me car seats for cats!!!
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Post by danb on Mar 21, 2018 18:45:24 GMT
Try contacting Ian Grundy and see if he has any photos of the auditorium in it’s Cats days. That might help.
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Post by alece10 on Mar 21, 2018 18:46:44 GMT
I remember that written on my ticket too. Was such a long time ago but from what I remember it was some kind of massive revolve which moved during the overture and those sitting in those seats ended up facing the stage at the start. It was very spectacular at the time.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2018 19:06:16 GMT
Try contacting Ian Grundy and see if he has any photos of the auditorium in it’s Cats days. That might help. Somewhere in the depths of this board I've asked about this also, and someone replied with a picture. I'll try hunt.
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