193 posts
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Post by groupbooker on Nov 7, 2016 23:20:20 GMT
Opens in Palladium June 2017 for a limited season. Rufus Hound continues as Toad.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2016 9:07:36 GMT
Previews from June 17th. Opening June 29th, currently booking through September 9th. Tickets currently on sale.
Ticket Prices:
Stalls - £30/£40/£50/£70 Royal Circle - £30/£40/£50/£70 Upper Circle - £15/£20/£25
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367 posts
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Post by Ade on Nov 8, 2016 9:26:45 GMT
Previews from June 17th. Opening June 29th, currently booking through September 9th. Tickets currently on sale. Ticket Prices: Stalls - £30/£40/£50/£70 Royal Circle - £30/£40/£50/£70 Upper Circle - £15/£20/£25 Those do go up outside of previews by a bit, but even then it looks like a much fairer pricing structure than we've seen recently!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2016 9:38:46 GMT
Previews from June 17th. Opening June 29th, currently booking through September 9th. Tickets currently on sale. Ticket Prices: Stalls - £30/£40/£50/£70 Royal Circle - £30/£40/£50/£70 Upper Circle - £15/£20/£25 Those do go up outside of previews by a bit, but even then it looks like a much fairer pricing structure than we've seen recently! I thought so but I couldn't wake myself up enough to go searching further than the first preview! but thank you for letting us know!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2016 10:09:18 GMT
Such a shame Rufus is transferring. He was by far the worst thing about it.
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18,801 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Nov 8, 2016 10:14:26 GMT
Such a shame Rufus is transferring. He was by far the worst thing about it. I soooo disagree!
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2,763 posts
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Post by daniel on Nov 8, 2016 10:34:11 GMT
Preview Pricing (Until Friday 30 June) £50, £40, £30, £20, £15 (Premiums £70) Main Run Pricing (Monday - Thursday) £55, £50, £40, £35, £25, £15 (Premiums £80) Main Run Pricing (Friday, Saturday) £65, £55, £45, £40, £30, £20 (Premiums £95) reallyusefultheatres.co.uk/performances/about/the-wind-in-the-willows/91Nice to see a show (more) sensibly priced for a change...
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2016 10:48:33 GMT
Such a shame Rufus is transferring. He was by far the worst thing about it. I soooo disagree! Really? It was like he was doing his own show. The other leads are fantastic.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2016 11:03:09 GMT
I realised I've never gave my thoughts. I saw this on Sunday afternoon and positively loved it. I've been a fan of Stiles and Drewe for a while and this is possibly their best yet. A beautiful score full of charming and brilliant numbers. Particularly highlights were Spring (what an opening number!), Messing About In A Boat (delightful) and We're Taking Over The Hall. As others have mentioned previously however, some of the best songs go to minor characters; The Headgehogs Nightmare and Wassailing Mice are wonderfully done.
The show is beautifully designed and there is so much set; trains, barges, cars you name it, it's in this show. And the sets are beautifully done. Subtle use of the revolve too. This is a production where no penny has been spared. Likewise, the costumes are lush and extravagant. A unique blend of animal and human.
Fra Fee and Thomas Howes stole it for me. Their friendship as Mole and Ratty really won me over and David Birrell is marvellous as Badger. Neil McDermott has some wonderful moments as Chief Weasel also, Taking Over The Hall and The Wild Wooders are excellently led by him.
As I've confessed above, the only cast member I was not impressed with was Rufus Hound. It just feels like he's doing his own show. There's no direction and he's throwing away genuinely funny lines. Not to mention the fact he can't sing the role. Toad is the character audiences should be leaving talking about, and this just isn't the case.
Really excited to be seeing this at the Palladium. Not been there in a while, so will be nice to revisit. Preferably on a day where Hound is indisposed.
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18,801 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Nov 8, 2016 12:56:55 GMT
Really? It was like he was doing his own show. The other leads are fantastic. Really! He's supposed to be totally "out there" and he was. He's quite slapstick too (I was reminded of the Ruprecht scenes in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) which again worked for me, and that scene on the barge with the buckets of soapsuds lol. I thought his voice was better in DRS but again it seemed to suit the character of Toad. I found him very likeable. My pal bumped into him in a bar in the Northern Quarter last week and they compared moustaches. He said RH was absolutely charming.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2016 16:27:58 GMT
I'm glad that something big and new is coming to the Palladium! And it's good to see something where the ticket prices are a little bit more modest than what would be expected of a theatre that size. Hopefully more and more new shows opening will do the same.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2016 7:34:04 GMT
I like Styles and Drewe stuff, I really do. I still remember Just So at the Tricycle years ago with a very young Jenna Russell, Linzi Hateley and a host of other names we still know now (poster framed and treasured on a wall of my home) and Chichester did a great production of it a couple of years back. Honk was really enjoyable in the tiny Watermill. I loved their work on Mary Poppins and on Half A Sixpence, and would urge people to give the latter a chance in its London run. And Soho Cinders is a gorgeous little piece, so I am rather looking forward to this at the Union next month...
But much as I would love to see this (it sounds right up my street from some of the positive comments on here) I'm worried that this is going to turn into one of those Kiddies' Bawlin' And Behavin' Badly Shows, with them bringing along their equally badly behaved parents who couldn't care less about those of us who genuinely want to see and enjoy the show. The run at the Palladium is slap-bang in the school holidays. I've kept clear of Aladdin too for the same reasons, even though I love Disney and its creators. I'm cutting off my nose, I know, but I don't want my blood to boil for an evening, when I will have paid good money to enjoy something.
(Interesting to note is a sort of "warning" to parents on the RU booking page that there are to be no babies or under 6s and that children but be able to sit, pay attention and not cause a distraction to others, so I will be interested to hear what the score is once it opens.)
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1,936 posts
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Post by wickedgrin on Nov 9, 2016 10:35:52 GMT
I agree Caiaphas on the above post! After my visit to Aladdin at a midweek matinee OUT of the school holidays I have vowed never to attend a "children's" musical ever again!
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Nov 12, 2016 4:58:41 GMT
Bit of pointless trivia for you, that I stumbled upon.
Wind in the Willows has already been done as a musical with Music by William Perry and Lyrics by Roger MCGough, it played the Nederlander Theatre back in 1985 and only lasted 4 performances. It had a very young Nathan Lane in it as Toad.
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1,002 posts
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Post by David J on Nov 12, 2016 13:23:33 GMT
I enjoyed this
I like how Julian Fellowes captured the charm of the book. The first 30 minutes goes as long at a leisurely pace, and I couldn't ask for anything more following Ratty and Moley up the riverbank and on the caravan
Some people may take issue with the pace here but the chemistry between the adorable Fra Free and the stalwart Thomas Howes keeps this going, along with some fantastic songs like Spring and Messing around on the river
David Birrell excels as badger.
There were some obvious songs about friendship and hiome. Thankfully they are kept to a minimum
I'm in two minds about the songs given to the minor characters. On the one hand it's nice to see the other riverbank dwellers get some attention. On the other hand the subject songs do break up the pacing a bit. You could have easily gone straight from the caravan crash into "Here comes mr toad"
Still I liked to manage to fit them in. I half wondered if they had included the Piper at the Gates of Dawn, but oh well. It did mean though that mr toads adventures on the train and barge were a tad rushed.
And we don't get the whole toad becoming a sensible animal at the end. He's just the same as he was from the start
Sophia Nomvette is pretty wasted here. Trying to take a semi-minor character from the book, change gender, and add her to the gang didn't add up to much. She was just a token character
I was a tad disappointed by Rufus Hound. I thought Toad would be perfect role for him but he doesn't take it by the horns. With so many interpretations from Rik Mayall, David Jason, Hugh Laurie, Terry Jones and Desmond Barritt he could have done so much more. He's pretty much playing himself, with passable singing. Even Matt Lucas being Matt Lucas did better
If you want to know who was really enjoying their role it would be Neil McDermott as the Chief Weasel. Very animated and led some dance numbers with aplomb.
I wander having him and the weasels as the jury in Toads trial was a call out to the terry jones movie (just realised Antony Sher was the chief weasel in that)
There is still lots to like here especially the colourful sets and costumes.
Not perfect but a good time nonetheless. Was received very well by the families that packed the audience
I may even give it another go at the Palladiun if there's day seats
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Post by couldileaveyou on Jan 27, 2017 14:15:45 GMT
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5,274 posts
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jan 27, 2017 18:52:59 GMT
I believe he's about to be announced in a play opening soon
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2017 14:43:57 GMT
They've not announced any of the other principals. I'd hope Fra and David Birrell transfer as they were wonderful .
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2017 11:29:47 GMT
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18,801 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 23, 2017 11:33:41 GMT
I saw Denise Welch play the mother in Little Voice once and she was rather good.
Not sure how much acting was involved of course but....
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1,936 posts
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Post by wickedgrin on Mar 23, 2017 12:21:43 GMT
So they have replaced all the cast apart from Rufus Hound and the guy playing the lead weasel?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2017 12:35:37 GMT
So they have replaced all the cast apart from Rufus Hound and the guy playing the lead weasel? Not sure if they've been replaced or if they were just unavailable. Fra Fee is doing the Ferryman at the Royal Court. Disappointed that David Birrell isn't transferring. He was marvellous!
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2,763 posts
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Post by daniel on Apr 22, 2017 20:44:01 GMT
Looks like they're doing a cast recording!
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2017 12:06:04 GMT
Looks like it won't be extending, as Beverley Knight's tour date at Drury Lane has been rescheduled for The London Palladium on October 13th (Friday) due to illness. So they seem to be going back to one night only shows until panto.
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2017 12:17:23 GMT
London Cast Recording due out June 16th, day of the first preview!!
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7,505 posts
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Post by alece10 on May 26, 2017 16:42:29 GMT
Just had a nice surprise and found out I'm being taken to see this in July.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2017 0:01:09 GMT
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Post by d'James on Jun 12, 2017 0:21:03 GMT
I didn't really like the first song on Elaine Paige earlier until it got to the key change. The accents were very annoying throughout.
However, as I don't like hearing Cast Recordings in advance, it did have the desired effect and I will be looking at tickets for this.
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Post by daniel on Jun 12, 2017 0:30:16 GMT
There's a revolve. I'm sold.
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4,960 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Jun 12, 2017 13:57:51 GMT
I didn't really like the first song on Elaine Paige earlier until it got to the key change. The accents were very annoying throughout. However, as I don't like hearing Cast Recordings in advance, it did have the desired effect and I will be looking at tickets for this. Me too, even after the key change! Had EP not cued it beforehand, I genuinely would have thought it was from Made in Dagenham.
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