404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Nov 16, 2019 19:29:05 GMT
I was there this afternoon and while I found the show often incomprehensible , I also found the cast terrific and enjoyed Molloy's gift for melody ( something which wasn't always apparent in Preludes a few months ago). I thought the staging was smart and I think the venue is great. Truly a happy surprise. I did a "roulette" seat and ended up in the first row.
|
|
|
Post by emj892 on Nov 16, 2019 20:59:52 GMT
If anyone has already tried roulette tickets, please share your experiences! I got roulette tickets! I was in the second row with a sea of empty seats both sides. I actually found it took me longer to get into the performance as I felt quite self conscious in such an intimate space.
|
|
451 posts
|
Post by pianowithsam on Nov 16, 2019 21:12:37 GMT
I was there this afternoon and while I found the show often incomprehensible , I also found the cast terrific and enjoyed Molloy's gift for melody ( something which wasn't always apparent in Preludes a few months ago). I thought the staging was smart and I think the venue is great. Truly a happy surprise. I did a "roulette" seat and ended up in the first row. I’d be surprised if Dave himself understood the story
|
|
|
Post by intoanewlife on Nov 16, 2019 22:11:19 GMT
I was there this afternoon and while I found the show often incomprehensible , I also found the cast terrific and enjoyed Molloy's gift for melody ( something which wasn't always apparent in Preludes a few months ago). I thought the staging was smart and I think the venue is great. Truly a happy surprise. I did a "roulette" seat and ended up in the first row. I’d be surprised if Dave himself understood the story The big clue is in when and where the songs appear within the different sides of the album being played...it is a song 'cycle' so the various chapters of each of the 4 stories plays out in the same position within each cycle of songs.
|
|
|
Post by intoanewlife on Nov 16, 2019 22:35:25 GMT
and enjoyed Molloy's gift for melody ( something which wasn't always apparent in Preludes a few months ago) Think about it, what was Preludes about...
|
|
451 posts
|
Post by pianowithsam on Nov 16, 2019 22:45:35 GMT
I’d be surprised if Dave himself understood the story The big clue is in when and where the songs appear within the different sides of the album being played...it is a song 'cycle' so the various chapters of each of the 4 stories plays out in the same position within each cycle of songs. Sure. But it's safe to stay that the story isn't exactly easily understandable. Especially compared to that of other shows in the West End.
|
|
|
Post by intoanewlife on Nov 16, 2019 23:07:02 GMT
The big clue is in when and where the songs appear within the different sides of the album being played...it is a song 'cycle' so the various chapters of each of the 4 stories plays out in the same position within each cycle of songs. Sure. But it's safe to stay that the story isn't exactly easily understandable. Especially compared to that of other shows in the West End. It is understandable, but it's ridiculous lol It's meant to mimic people sitting around a campfire telling scary tales. They each tell a chapter of their story and then it moves onto the next person etc en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Quartet
|
|
451 posts
|
Post by pianowithsam on Nov 16, 2019 23:13:30 GMT
Sure. But it's safe to stay that the story isn't exactly easily understandable. Especially compared to that of other shows in the West End. It is understandable, but it's ridiculous lol It's meant to mimic people sitting around a campfire telling scary tales. They each tell a chapter of their story and then it moves onto the next person etc en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_QuartetYeah, I see. Had I have not done reading, I wouldn’t have understood the plot. I think it’s unlikely to be understood after a single listen if it’s the first time seeing the show and hearing the music, which is a point that has been stated previously on the thread.
|
|
404 posts
|
Post by dlevi on Nov 17, 2019 10:41:53 GMT
and enjoyed Molloy's gift for melody ( something which wasn't always apparent in Preludes a few months ago) Think about it, what was Preludes about... Well yeah, but I had a hard time with Preludes because so many aspects of it remained elusive ( plot, character, melody etc.) and here whatever the elusiveness of the plot or obscurity of the lyrics, there was at least a flood of melody.
|
|
451 posts
|
Post by pianowithsam on Nov 17, 2019 12:15:46 GMT
Think about it, what was Preludes about... Well yeah, but I had a hard time with Preludes because so many aspects of it remained elusive ( plot, character, melody etc.) and here whatever the elusiveness of the plot or obscurity of the lyrics, there was at least a flood of melody. Indeed. When the melody from the opening track “Let me read you a story, let me read you a romance, let me read you will listen, and this terrible night will pass”, is then re-used in a later track. Literal goosebumps. A genius, Mr Malloy.
|
|
416 posts
|
Post by schuttep on Nov 20, 2019 9:51:10 GMT
I did no pre-reading and didn't understand it at all. Some of the songs were great as songs and the performances were wonderful.
But, IMHO, if it doesn't work as presented then it's not doing its job.
|
|
541 posts
|
Post by andrew on Nov 20, 2019 11:24:34 GMT
I did no pre-reading and didn't understand it at all. Some of the songs were great as songs and the performances were wonderful. But, IMHO, if it doesn't work as presented then it's not doing its job. I completely agree with you. Nothing justifies that mess of a plot, and it’s a shame for the wonderful music and performances. And btw I did all the pre-reading and I still didn’t understand it at all. 😂
|
|
|
Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Nov 20, 2019 11:36:15 GMT
I just don't think it's really meant to be understood? As the characters say, it's a circular story. The characters are all reincarnations of each other and things that happen to future incarnations affect past ones and there's no logical understanding of how that can work but I think that's the point since it adds to the strange atmosphere and plays into the supernaturalism of it all. I think of it much like David Lynch's work in that I'm sure Lynch knows what's going on but for the average audience member you're only going to pick up on themes and the film is just meant to be experienced and felt, not really understood in terms of narrative and I don't think there's anything wrong with that, it just isn't for everybody.
|
|
451 posts
|
Post by pianowithsam on Nov 20, 2019 17:04:52 GMT
I just don't think it's really meant to be understood? As the characters say, it's a circular story. The characters are all reincarnations of each other and things that happen to future incarnations affect past ones and there's no logical understanding of how that can work but I think that's the point since it adds to the strange atmosphere and plays into the supernaturalism of it all. I think of it much like David Lynch's work in that I'm sure Lynch knows what's going on but for the average audience member you're only going to pick up on themes and the film is just meant to be experienced and felt, not really understood in terms of narrative and I don't think there's anything wrong with that, it just isn't for everybody. Dave puts it very nicely in the programme. “It’s very much a puzzle; the piece is deliberately confusing, but there is a plot that weaves its way through four interconnected stories that you can unravel if you want to.”
|
|
|
Post by xanady on Nov 20, 2019 17:20:24 GMT
Anybody heading to see this will hopefully have researched the structure of the piece via Theatreboard and other sources and therefore have picked up on the fact that this work is a conundrum wrapped in a puzzle. Not always necessary to have every plot point spelt out in an obvious way.Sometimes it is nice to decipher a piece and let it speak to you personally.
|
|
|
Post by intoanewlife on Nov 20, 2019 18:42:00 GMT
I did no pre-reading and didn't understand it at all. Some of the songs were great as songs and the performances were wonderful. But, IMHO, if it doesn't work as presented then it's not doing its job. I completely agree with you. Nothing justifies that mess of a plot, and it’s a shame for the wonderful music and performances. And btw I did all the pre-reading and I still didn’t understand it at all. 😂 The point is to sit back and enjoying the the 'wonderful music and performances' and not let the fact it is doesn't make sense ruin your enjoyment of whats on display x
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2019 23:13:02 GMT
So many thoughts. I wanna talk about the show and the theatre.
THE SHOW: It is very risky opening a brand new theatre, considerably close if not in, the West End. What's even riskier is the debut show this theatre has chosen. Has it paid off? I'm not sure. Ghost Quartet is odd, quirky. You're not quite sure where you stand with it. The cast are great. Great voices on everyone. They sound better singing solo than together as a group, I'm just not sure all their voices blend well together. That or something is a bit off technically. The songs are ok. I think the melodies are pretty but alot of the lyrics had me very confused. Some of which referred to someone getting pushed infront of a train, which after the tragic accident at Oxford Circus earlier on. It was difficult to stomach. There is a story, possibly stories, but it's messy. It wasn't for me. The book felt like it was complex, just for the sake of it. Pretentious, almost. I felt that I was stupid for not getting it and that's not cool. But the acting wasn't pretentious and the cast are warm and inviting. There is audience participation but it's very jovial and not overly forced. Do I remember any of the songs? Something about wind and rain? And ghosts, obviously. The lighting is very nice. It is subtle, but really effective. I was sat very close to a very loud drum played wonderfully by Maimuna Menon but this did result in alot of vibration through my seat, that was off-putting. It's not the actors fault, the floor is suspended, not on the ground floor, if thats makes sense. Errr, hollow underneath! So vibrations go right through the entire floor. I'm sure something could be done about that. I'm also not sure health and safety would like that there is a massive gong blocking the fire exit for the entire show. Yes, I notice small, possibly silly things like that. There's not much more to say on the show really. It was pleasant, perhaps a bit long. 75 minutes would have been much better. Do I recommend you see this? Maybe. It's different. It's a bit edgy. There's plenty of offers around as it's not selling particularly well at the moment. I also consider a roulette seat at £12, I don't think thats a bad deal.
THE THEATRE: Hmm, where to begin. From the outside, it looks clean and modern. A bit bland, no character. Looks like an office block. There's a building directly opposite that looks the same. I didn't check to see what use it's going to have. It's slap bang in the heart of grungy Soho and this theatre doesn't really fit that aesthetic. There's a shop just opposite selling extra herbal Viagra and poppers. Very Soho. Once inside, it's kind of bare bones; minimalist? Looks like someone opened a Made.com catalogue and said I'll take it all! For me, it's basic. Not very cosy feeling. The general ambience of the place felt a bit try hard. I have never had someone formally walk up to me before to tell me the house is open, a tannoy announcement would be far more relaxed, in my opinion. The box office attendant didn't seem to care about his job and was standoffish. The building also felt claustrophobic. Oddly low ceilings for what looks like a new build. They have tried to combat this by putting lots of big windows everywhere but the restaurant is completely boxed in, apart from a far window up the other end. The theatre space itself is tight in its current configuration. I believe it can also be turned into a more traditional end on layout. So that will be interesting to see, as it looks like a whole section of the wall and balcony needs to be removed to do it. But I have no idea. The seats were ok. Not very padded, but it was nice to get two slim armrests and feel like you had your own personal space, no overspill from anyone either side. I appreciated that. As the theatre has only just opened, I'm sure it will get better with time. But much like the Turbine, it does feel a bit like a pop up. Who knows what the future will bring?
|
|
|
Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Nov 29, 2019 23:07:03 GMT
I really want to see this. How likely are we to get front row seats if we get roulette tickets? It's not selling all that fast so I'm thinking it's a pretty safe bet right?
|
|
1,907 posts
|
Post by sf on Dec 6, 2019 9:11:32 GMT
Really loved this last night - even though I found myself onstage playing the glockenspiel in the finale (and I'm, let's say, not always massively enthusiastic about audience participation). Yes, it's sometimes too pretentious, but the music is gorgeous, the four performers are all thrilling singers, and I found it surprisingly moving. And I don't think it was just the whiskey.
|
|
1,907 posts
|
Post by sf on Dec 6, 2019 11:30:11 GMT
I really want to see this. How likely are we to get front row seats if we get roulette tickets? It's not selling all that fast so I'm thinking it's a pretty safe bet right? You can certainly get a discounted front-row ticket via TodayTix - I did yesterday.
|
|
|
Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Dec 6, 2019 11:49:21 GMT
I really want to see this. How likely are we to get front row seats if we get roulette tickets? It's not selling all that fast so I'm thinking it's a pretty safe bet right? You can certainly get a discounted front-row ticket via TodayTix - I did yesterday. Right now I think my plan is to wait until closer to the date I want to see the show and guage how much of the stalls is booked up to see what chance I'd have getting a seat there with roulette tickets. But I'll keep that in mind if roulette tickets are unlikely to work out thanks.
|
|
Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
|
Post by Xanderl on Dec 7, 2019 11:22:02 GMT
Supposed to be seeing this tonight but it’s cancelled due to a “mechanical problem”
|
|
123 posts
|
Post by terrylondon79 on Dec 7, 2019 11:32:25 GMT
Supposed to be seeing this tonight but it’s cancelled due to a “mechanical problem” I wonder if the theatre's broken on the change over. A lot changes between shows. All the sets taken out. Seating in stalls changed, floor tasked instead of flat. The balcony rotates 180 degrees as well. A lot to go wrong mechanically, I was there for cabernet last Saturday, you wouldn't have thought they had the ghost quartet set up in the earlier that night.
|
|
|
Post by intoanewlife on Dec 16, 2019 22:36:00 GMT
|
|
451 posts
|
Post by pianowithsam on Dec 16, 2019 22:48:22 GMT
Just brilliant - such a haunting number. Really need to try and catch this again before 4th January.
|
|
4,589 posts
|
Post by Someone in a tree on Dec 17, 2019 7:41:47 GMT
Wonderful video of of some brilliant performances. I would like to catch it again before it closes, perhaps I'll understand it more a second time
|
|
|
Post by intoanewlife on Dec 18, 2019 0:05:58 GMT
Wonderful video of of some brilliant performances. I would like to catch it again before it closes, perhaps I'll understand it more a second timeYou won't LOL I've been listening to the soundtrack for 2 years and still don't fully understand it...
|
|
1,329 posts
|
Post by Dave B on Dec 22, 2019 9:35:26 GMT
90 minutes with a grin on my face - despite not getting any whiskey!
|
|
451 posts
|
Post by pianowithsam on Dec 23, 2019 23:11:07 GMT
Another video!
Two in a week - smashing.
|
|
2,379 posts
|
Post by robertb213 on Dec 28, 2019 21:53:34 GMT
Great venue and a great cast. Also clever lighting (loved the blackout) and staging, and the audience involvement at the end.
Unfortunately I don't have anything good to say about the piece itself, and I would've left at the interval if there had been one.
|
|