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Post by lynette on Dec 31, 2019 22:28:47 GMT
I could pick holes in this til the cows come home but it is NYE.. It comes over a solid 3 star. It could squeeze a fourth star for some of the second half. I’d be holding my breath.
i don’t know why the RSC put all their eggs into this basket. I really don’t. My first reaction to the proposal would have been we’re over this, it is no longer an issue and you can’t cross the same river twice - Billy Elliot/Matilda/most other kid musicals you’ve ever seen.
But let us hope it brings in the punters - I understand they are getting a lot of new ones to the theatre - and has a comfortable run in the West End.
Nod to Asha Banks as Lisa James, best voice on the stage and to Jackson Laing, Dennis, a credit to his training but I noted in particular Ethan Dattani as Darvesh, a real natural, will I hope be with us a long time.
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Post by simon on Jan 15, 2020 13:45:30 GMT
i don’t know why the RSC put all their eggs into this basket. I really don’t. My first reaction to the proposal would have been we’re over this, it is no longer an issue and you can’t cross the same river twice - Billy Elliot/Matilda/most other kid musicals you’ve ever seen. Interesting point this but we always need new musicals even if they cover previous ground and aren't of the time'. I really enjoyed it. Really catchy tunes, great acting, ok story I guess. Good 4.5/5 from me!
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Post by xanady on Jan 19, 2020 15:50:46 GMT
For any Rufus Hound fans,just had an invite to a recording of ‘My Teenage Diary’ in Stratford-Upon-Avon(TOP) for tomorrow,but can’t make it.It is also on BBC audience members ticket site.Also doing one in London in Feb I believe.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Jan 30, 2020 13:01:32 GMT
I'm in the front row for the matinee and while the theatre is fairly full, mainly school parties admittedly, there's nobody else in the other 11 front row seats. Very odd, not as if it's a look up or poor legroom and the rows behind are full
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Post by simon on Feb 3, 2020 20:00:50 GMT
I'm in the front row for the matinee and while the theatre is fairly full, mainly school parties admittedly, there's nobody else in the other 11 front row seats. Very odd, not as if it's a look up or poor legroom and the rows behind are full Midweek matinees and high ‘premium’ seat prices.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Feb 4, 2020 0:31:01 GMT
I'm in the front row for the matinee and while the theatre is fairly full, mainly school parties admittedly, there's nobody else in the other 11 front row seats. Very odd, not as if it's a look up or poor legroom and the rows behind are full Midweek matinees and high ‘premium’ seat prices. Maybe, but rows BB, CC and DD are the same price and were all full, plus for this coming Thursday at the same time there's only one front row seat currently unsold. The lady sitting behind me asked if I was the Director which I thought amusing. Oh and I also loved the show and hope it gets a further life after Stratford. Preferably London asap !
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Post by Being Alive on Feb 4, 2020 1:31:41 GMT
Shame they only decided to highlight one lyric. Fairly sure that's because there's only one lyric in the whole song? Sorry this show irritates me with its laziness so much....
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Post by simon on Feb 4, 2020 19:57:55 GMT
Oh and I also loved the show and hope it gets a further life after Stratford. Preferably London asap ! Almost certain from what I hear!
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Post by zahidf on Feb 5, 2020 4:40:21 GMT
Doran confirms that negotiations are underway for a london transfer.
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Post by learfan on Feb 8, 2020 16:59:17 GMT
Saw the matinee today. Very enthusiastic full house from what i could tell. This is certain to transfer. Staff at the shop were telling punters who were asking about a cast recording that "they were waiting for the transfer". The farting dog almost stole the show! The football scenes though cleverly done bore no resemblance to any game ive ever played in! The climactic penalty went hilariously wrong and nearly bought the house down. 4 stars.
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Post by anthony40 on Feb 28, 2020 19:46:56 GMT
So I caught the matinee of this yesterday. Bit late to the party, I do realise but I have some annual leave to use so had a day off and caught the train up yesterday.
A really great show, not perfect, but lots of fun.
Firstly, I LOVED the dog and the whole disco sequence. Especially at the start of the song where the panels slid back and you could see the cast posing. I also loved the whole summer sequence at the start of Act 2. Kudos to the costume designer.
The football matches we extremely well staged. In fact great use of the whole stage. A really hard working ensemble
I must admit that in terms of the actual show I really hadn't done too much research so was completely unaware, yet pleasantly surprised that Rufus Hound was in this and the emotional arc his character takes.
I thought the who cast we great! What a brave little boy the male lead was; to sing, dane and act, remember all of this likes and cues, etc
The only character I really didn't take to was the headmaster. I just found him to be totally over the top and very panto, even after his transformation. (Quite frankly) if i was close enough to the stage, i would have panted a hiss.
A relatively full house. Quite a few school groups in who (I must admit) were really quite behaved throughout the performance.
Despite the extremely length train journey- I was truly exhausted by the time I came home- I was so pleased to have caught this. The lady that I spoke to at the merchandise stand indicated that despite all the positive reviews and word-of-mouth it looks like a transfer to London isn't going to happen; well, it it does, it won't be for a good while which is a shame because the amount of thought, detail and effort that has gone gone into this production can be clearly seen.
As a Robbie Williams fan it was also good to see his partnership with Guy Chambers still flourishing and the maturing of the work they are producing. Also their partnership with David Williams.
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Post by xanady on Feb 28, 2020 22:23:14 GMT
^I hear on the grapevine that it has had a lot of support particularly from students doing GCSE Drama who have to do a live theatre review as part of their final written paper in the Summer...not sure if next Christmas’s offering will be similarly supported but am looking forward to it as part of a nice day out. Great review btw😀
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Post by pianowithsam on Feb 28, 2020 22:44:17 GMT
So I caught the matinee of this yesterday. Bit late to the party, I do realise but I have some annual leave to use so had a day off and caught the train up yesterday. A really great show, not perfect, but lots of fun. Firstly, I LOVED the dog and the whole disco sequence. Especially at the start of the song where the panels slid back and you could see the cast posing. I also loved the whole summer sequence at the start of Act 2. Kudos to the costume designer. The football matches we extremely well staged. In fact great use of the whole stage. A really hard working ensemble I must admit that in terms of the actual show I really hadn't done too much research so was completely unaware, yet pleasantly surprised that Rufus Hound was in this and the emotional arc his character takes. I thought the who cast we great! What a brave little boy the male lead was; to sing, dane and act, remember all of this likes and cues, etc The only character I really didn't take to was the headmaster. I just found him to be totally over the top and very panto, even after his transformation. (Quite frankly) if i was close enough to the stage, i would have panted a hiss. A relatively full house. Quite a few school groups in who (I must admit) were really quite behaved throughout the performance. Despite the extremely length train journey- I was truly exhausted by the time I came home- I was so pleased to have caught this. The lady that I spoke to at the merchandise stand indicated that despite all the positive reviews and word-of-mouth it looks like a transfer to London isn't going to happen; well, it it does, it won't be for a good while which is a shame because the amount of thought, detail and effort that has gone gone into this production can be clearly seen. As a Robbie Williams fan it was also good to see his partnership with Guy Chambers still flourishing and the maturing of the work they are producing. Also their partnership with David Williams. I haven't seen the show, but the comments in regards to the headteacher were exactly as I felt about Mr. Shakespeare in the Nativity! musical adaptation. In the Boy in the Dress movie he's not pantomime-like at all and a very serious man. Feels unecessary to make the change, unless it makes the character explicility more easy to hate? I don't know.
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Post by latefortheoverture on Feb 29, 2020 18:56:45 GMT
From the looks of the cast instagram, they have been in the studio all week. Looks to be recording something big due to them being in there days on end.
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Post by showgirl on Mar 5, 2020 5:09:45 GMT
Saw this at the 5 pm performance yesterday as it made a neat double bill with the early matinee of The Whip in the Swan (perfect contrast, too.) I had no idea what to expect from the work or audience as I hadn't read the book or been interested in seeing the show until the positive reviews were published. When there was talk of a London transfer I considered waiting, but then I wanted to see The Whip, which is unlikely to transfer & now it sounds as though this may not either, so I'm all the more glad I saw it. The frequent 5 pm performances puzzled me - convenient as one was for me - until I emerged from the peaceful Swan & found the foyers heaving with groups of children: schools, brownies, etc - then I got it, whilst fearing the worst. And yes, it was pandemonium beforehand & during the interval & the ushers were out in force yet struggling. I was surrounded by one school group with manic seat-kickers behind me & despite admonitions from parents & teachers, some of the kicking continued during the performance. But the children were obviously SO excited, loving every aspect of their visit, even before the show started, & from my conversation with the parent next to me, most were probably having their first experience of theatre. Much as I still love going, I'm lucky enough to be able to take it for granted so to be sitting amongst what I hope was the audience of the future was an unusual bonus for me. Great show, too!
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Post by learfan on Mar 5, 2020 6:58:13 GMT
Glad you liked the show but amused you were surprised to see lots of children at at a midweek matinee of a family musical.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Mar 5, 2020 7:27:41 GMT
From the looks of the cast instagram, they have been in the studio all week. Looks to be recording something big due to them being in there days on end. Erm... the cast recording ? Just a mad guess.
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Post by showgirl on Mar 5, 2020 15:33:04 GMT
Glad you liked the show but amused you were surprised to see lots of children at at a midweek matinee of a family musical. It wasn't that I was surprised; as I said, I'd been puzzled by the 5 pm performances as I couldn't think who they were aimed at. And I'd call them "early evening" rather than "matinee" as the latest normal matinee time I'm aware of is 3.30 pm at a few London venues and the few early evening performances I've come across have been on Friday evenings, also in London, and followed by another evening performance at 8 or 8.30 pm. But that's just terminology. It didn't occur to me that they could be aimed at school groups as 5 pm is surely well outside the official school day (though we all know that teachers' working hours and indeed days extend well beyond that) and when travel home afterwards is factored in, means a very long day and late night for pupils and teachers alike. So 5pm seemed too late for school trips (though it obviously wasn't, actually) yet also too early for family groups as most parents would still be working or travelling home. The parent next to me explained that the children in her group had had a "normal" morning at school (though doubtless distracted by the forthcoming outing); had then travelled by coach to Stratford and had some sort of tour or educational visit, followed by the show. They weren't going to be home until quite late so would probably either be too hyped up to sleep or half-asleep already, and as for having school again today... but I bet they all thought it was worth it and would do it again like a shot!
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Mar 5, 2020 16:20:57 GMT
I'm really sad if the news of no London transfer is correct.
I absolutely loved this show, superior to both versions of Billionaire Boy and just a notch or two below the wonderful Matilda. Cannot believe this will just fade away after the current run but very glad I made the trip to Stratford to see it.
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Post by Mark on Mar 5, 2020 16:50:33 GMT
I'm really sad if the news of no London transfer is correct. I absolutely loved this show, superior to both versions of Billionaire Boy and just a notch or two below the wonderful Matilda. Cannot believe this will just fade away after the current run but very glad I made the trip to Stratford to see it. I don’t think we will get much in the way of transfer news until the Covid-19 has settled. I’m sure bookings are down anyway and we have no idea yet how it will affect tourism in London this summer and beyond.
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Post by xanady on Mar 5, 2020 19:27:29 GMT
showgirl,I love your positivity and empathy with the youngsters and how you were patient and understanding with them. It’s not easy at all to take hyped-up youngsters out of school on a trip.Mind you,I’ve led adult parties in the past and they can be a flaming nightmare as well. I’ve taken hundreds of teens to the theatre,many for the first time.Seen ‘Blood Brothers’ over 30 times with school parties.The teachers and youth leaders on trips need to hammer home strict rules on behaviour and sit in amongst the students to maintain order.The key thing myself and colleagues always say is that it is a PUBLIC performance and that the youngsters must show respect to the other paying customers.Honestly never had a problem or a complaint.It can be very stressful for the adults who are leading the party. At Crongton Knights a few weeks ago at the Belgrade in Coventry,I was there as a ‘normal’ member of the public and I admit that my heart sank when three harassed-looking teachers arrived with a very boisterous and noisy school group who were sitting right behind us.Once the action started they were golden! From snatches of conversation before the show it was clear that they were new to the theatre and as the show began they were enraptured by the magic. After another epileptic seizure recently and all my other ailments,old fossils like me can’t go on forever so my greatest wish for theatre is that they actively reach out to the youth whilst,of course,holding on to their loyal older audiences.
Gutted if this show doesn’t transfer...it deserves to.
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Post by Rory on Mar 5, 2020 20:26:42 GMT
Where has it been said it's not transferring?
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Post by anthony40 on Mar 5, 2020 21:22:35 GMT
When I saw it last week the lady behind the counter explained that because they had so much of it all of the merchandise was heavily marked down because, despite it's hopes too, it looked like a transfer was not happening for a very long time, if at all.
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Post by simon on Mar 8, 2020 17:51:23 GMT
When I saw it last week the lady behind the counter explained that because they had so much of it all of the merchandise was heavily marked down because, despite it's hopes too, it looked like a transfer was not happening for a very long time, if at all. I'm not sure how much I'd read into what a girl behind the counter said. Merch will be heavily discounted as they won't want to store any of it for any length of period. I'm still optimistic on it going to London.
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Post by simon on Mar 8, 2020 17:51:53 GMT
From the looks of the cast instagram, they have been in the studio all week. Looks to be recording something big due to them being in there days on end. Erm... the cast recording ? Just a mad guess. Ooooh I *really* hope so!
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Post by simon on Mar 8, 2020 17:53:53 GMT
Well that's it over then. Really hope it transfers to London.
Saw it yesterday again but was hugely disappointed by Dennis who mumbled throughout and stumbled over lots of lines. His voice was so weak he was drowned out when singing with others. Really disappointing end to the run.
That said, the whole cast were amazing and I can't wait to see it again. Hopefully!
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Post by mrbarnaby on Mar 8, 2020 18:12:47 GMT
This show needs a pretty big stage.. I’d be very surprised if it gets a transfer -due to theatre availability.
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Post by learfan on Mar 8, 2020 18:45:27 GMT
This show needs a pretty big stage.. I’d be very surprised if it gets a transfer -due to theatre availability. As i understand it,that is the issue. I think it will transfer but not for months maybe.
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Post by paddy72 on Mar 8, 2020 19:05:24 GMT
Didn’t twig I was watching the final performance this afternoon till the curtain call and heart felt speeches. Great atmosphere throughout but it cannot hide the fact that this is a thin show. Six songs in and I was fearing it would be a quick interval exit for me. However it all suddenly changed with the Disco song which is a genuinely great musical number perfectly conceived for the message it delivers. The best Show tune I’ve seen all year. That was followed by a second good song and then it all fell apart again. As for the story line it goes no where other than into a finale pantomime dame knees up. With the boy in the dress and his cool pretty young girl friend sniggering at the dastardly headmaster villain, an old man who secretly cross dresses, the whole moral in the story was shot to pieces. The takeout was that if you are young and different celebrate now ‘cos old age is going to get rough. All the usual top quality production values you’d expect from the RSC but ultimately for me not a patch on Matilda and in need of serious show doctoring if it is to have a life beyond today.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Mar 8, 2020 20:42:36 GMT
This show needs a pretty big stage.. I’d be very surprised if it gets a transfer -due to theatre availability. As i understand it,that is the issue. I think it will transfer but not for months maybe. If at all. I know that various west end theatre owners and producers saw it and none were too impressed.
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