|
Post by Seriously on May 10, 2023 22:19:33 GMT
Apparently Oliver's pulled his back!
|
|
88 posts
|
Post by tommy on Jun 4, 2023 16:02:50 GMT
Didn't know what to expect from this musical, but what a very strong production full of energy, remarkable performances! If like me you don't know what to expect, you might be very well surprised if still going to see it I think.
|
|
1,199 posts
|
Post by Steve on Jun 14, 2023 23:41:21 GMT
Saw the matinee, and despite three years passing, a whole new set of principals and a different theatre, my love for this romantic fluff remains strong lol. Some spoilers follow. . . I booked for Oliver Tompsett, who, in my experience, usually brings a harder edge to characters he takes over, like his sleazier Sky Masterson and/or Charlie Price, but despite his more rough appearance, I felt his internal life was appealingly even softer and more sensitive than slightly more stoic Danny Mac, and Tompsett really has such subtlety in his emotional singing range. He was immensely touching. Ely Jay's Cover Vivian was the opposite: less sensitive than Aimee Atkinson, but to wonderful comic effect, channelling a Bill and Ted boyish immaturity in her exhilarating exuberance, like Mrs Maisel on an extended bender: nothing like Julia Roberts, but funnier for it, and coupled with Tompsett's sensitivity, they were a supremely winning couple. Courtney Bowman's immense belt made for a fiery and funny Kit, and astonishingly, Andy Barke's strike-a-pose playfulness, as Happy Man/Mr Thompson, matched the sheer performative joy of Bob Harms, just with slightly more hair. And if there was one performance I really wanted to see again, it was Alex Charles's light and joyful Giulio, and wonderfully, there he was, cheekily inspiring permasmiles in the audience every time he graced the stage. The final act of the show is a wonder: I adore the way opera is mashed up with Bryan Adams's rock in "You and I" and how the supreme theme about how important, despite how difficult it is, to make a change in our lives, flows directly out of that moment in "I can't go back." I mean, you know the show is a fantasy, cos how often does anybody really make a change, but by god did the heretofore endearingly childlike Ely Jay become a full grown woman with intention in that magnificent song, combining her zaniness and belt with the subtlety and sensitivity previously absent. Such a fun show! It was great to sing the "Pretty Woman" theme one more time before this loveable fantasy vanishes at the end of this week. 4 stars of glorious silly romantic fun!
|
|
4,451 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Jun 17, 2023 22:50:38 GMT
As this closes tomorrow I finally caught it and...yikes.
Badly directed and poor choreography from Jerry Mitchell which is most unlike him. Very cheap design from David Rockwell too which is again most unlike him. Poor score but pretty much what I expected from Bryan Adams.
Olli Tompsett was good, and Courtney Bowman much suits the comedy sidekick character here as opposed to Elle in Legally Blonde (sorry she just isn't a leading lady). The thing for me was I couldn't believe how poor Aimie Atkinson was. There was a note in her first number that she missed so monumentally that I sat bolt upright. She was wheezing her way through it and at no time was I relaxed watching her. It wasn't Miriam Teak-Lee in &Juliet bad but like, it wasn't far off.
I just think that it's a really badly out together piece, with 0 development for a single character. Even the relationship between Edward and Vivian is completely flat.
I left it this late to see it because I expected audience behaviour to be poor and it was - lots of getting up for the loo (and it's not a long show!), Phones, chatting, and when the two leads finally kissed a woman went 'cor blimey' and the whole audience fell about in hysterics (I was livid).
Went in expecting it to be 2 stars. It was. I got what I expected so I guess I'm not a dissatisfied customer!
|
|
5,278 posts
|
Post by mrbarnaby on Jun 18, 2023 8:35:44 GMT
David rockwells sets are always terrible.
Good riddance to this show
|
|
4,451 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Jun 18, 2023 9:34:36 GMT
I don't actually think that's true, his set for the 2016 revival of She Loves Me was STUNNING - I just was super disappointed that what was on display here was from someone who could also create stuff like that
|
|
150 posts
|
Post by Sean on Jul 5, 2023 16:25:16 GMT
Tour Cast......
|
|
4,451 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Jul 5, 2023 16:35:22 GMT
Oh Ollie Saville come on, you're better than this.
|
|
1,098 posts
|
Post by theatrefan62 on Jul 5, 2023 16:36:00 GMT
They've ignored him in the video but is that Oliver Saville as Edward in the thumbnail? Assume he is in the cast too
|
|
1,098 posts
|
Post by theatrefan62 on Jul 5, 2023 16:37:55 GMT
Oh Ollie Saville come on, you're better than this. He would actually have been a good Joe in Sunset
|
|
4,451 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Jul 5, 2023 16:48:13 GMT
Far too old for this version.
Had heard amber was off on the road with this - can't say I see her being particularly suited to it, but hey.
|
|
1,098 posts
|
Post by theatrefan62 on Jul 5, 2023 16:53:11 GMT
Far too old for this version. Had heard amber was off on the road with this - can't say I see her being particularly suited to it, but hey. He's early 30s, if they go much younger it'll be hard to buy a jaded experienced Hollywood writer
|
|
4,451 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Jul 5, 2023 19:02:39 GMT
Far too old for this version. Had heard amber was off on the road with this - can't say I see her being particularly suited to it, but hey. He's early 30s, if they go much younger it'll be hard to buy a jaded experienced Hollywood writer Convinced he was like...nearly 40. Certainly looks older than he is!
|
|
665 posts
|
Post by westendcub on Jul 6, 2023 11:19:48 GMT
I saw Amber in ‘Bring It On’ & was impressed so I think this is a good casting choice for the tour!
|
|
2,379 posts
|
Post by robertb213 on Jul 6, 2023 11:22:12 GMT
Yeah my heart kinda sinks when I see Amber's name, and then I remember I've seen her twice and thought she was great both times! 🤣
|
|
18,811 posts
|
Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 6, 2023 11:25:16 GMT
Is Ore Aduba now considered to be a bona fide MT performer?
|
|
2,379 posts
|
Post by robertb213 on Jul 6, 2023 13:09:58 GMT
Is Ore Aduba now considered to be a bona fide MT performer? He's in our panto in Northampton this year as well, so unquestionably yes 😉🤣🤣
|
|
|
Post by ladidah on Jul 6, 2023 13:39:45 GMT
Considering how good the original actor was in that role, he has big shoes to fill
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2023 14:28:21 GMT
Amber is a good choice IMO as she was very competent in 9 to 5. I never saw her in bring it on. Its ironic how Ore who was a pretty well known TV presenter won Strictly and has now moved into theatre work. I thought after he won Strictly his TV career would skyrocket given he was a young accomplished BAME TV presenter so he pretty much ticked every box. But I do wonder if he really was a frustrated performer and this is what he really wants to do instead of presenting say the One show or Morning Live.
|
|
|
Post by fluxcapacitor on Jul 6, 2023 17:25:23 GMT
Am I missing something with Ore Oduba? He’s a BBC Sports presenter who did a respectable stint on Strictly right? There’s nothing I’m forgetting or overlooking? Because I just don’t understand how or why he keeps getting these MT roles. He’s not a huge name - I doubt many people on the street would really recognise him - so he can’t be a massive draw… but then again he can’t be auditioning and winning roles over trained and experienced performers who have devoted their lives to theatre, can he?
A one off billing as Teen Angel* immediately after Strictly to ride off the popularity of his stint I’d understand, but that’s years ago now and more than any other stunt casting I really struggle to fathom why his name keeps popping up on the marquee like this.
Is he actually any good?
*I actually wrote this as a snide, jokey example of a stereotypical role that a Strictly star might glide into… then I looked him up on Wikipedia and see that this is exactly what his first musical role was post-Strictly!
|
|
|
Post by Matt on Jul 6, 2023 20:48:00 GMT
Am I missing something with Ore Oduba? He’s a BBC Sports presenter who did a respectable stint on Strictly right? There’s nothing I’m forgetting or overlooking? Because I just don’t understand how or why he keeps getting these MT roles. He’s not a huge name - I doubt many people on the street would really recognise him - so he can’t be a massive draw… but then again he can’t be auditioning and winning roles over trained and experienced performers who have devoted their lives to theatre, can he? A one off billing as Teen Angel* immediately after Strictly to ride off the popularity of his stint I’d understand, but that’s years ago now and more than any other stunt casting I really struggle to fathom why his name keeps popping up on the marquee like this. Is he actually any good? *I actually wrote this as a snide, jokey example of a stereotypical role that a Strictly star might glide into… then I looked him up on Wikipedia and see that this is exactly what his first musical role was post-Strictly! He won strictly, so more than just a stint. He was really good in rocky horror, he’s a great dancer, he can sing. I don’t see him as celebrity or stunt casting, I feel that strictly gave him an opportunity to switch careers, so I feel he is getting roles on merit rather than status.
|
|
5,278 posts
|
Post by mrbarnaby on Jul 6, 2023 23:08:55 GMT
Is Ore Aduba now considered to be a bona fide MT performer? Not by anyone with any standards and taste. He checks the ‘off the tv’ box I suppose.
|
|
1,718 posts
|
Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 30, 2023 18:05:16 GMT
Just like Bonnie and Clyde, this has been moved from the Opera House in Manchester to the Palace Theatre due to "scheduling conflicts".
|
|
6,338 posts
|
Post by danb on Aug 30, 2023 20:18:21 GMT
Wonder what’s getting a big Manc run that means kicking everything out of the Opera House?
|
|
42ndBlvd
Ensemble
come and meet those dancing feet!
|
Post by 42ndBlvd on Aug 30, 2023 22:46:03 GMT
Wonder what’s getting a big Manc run that means kicking everything out of the Opera House? didn't someone suggest Devil Wears Prada...
|
|
6,338 posts
|
Post by danb on Aug 31, 2023 6:46:40 GMT
‘Prada’ would certainly play best in Manchester outside of the capitol, but I thought Mr B had already said that it wasn’t Manc?
|
|
5,278 posts
|
Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 31, 2023 6:51:56 GMT
It’s not playing Manchester
|
|
|
Post by interval99 on Nov 7, 2023 22:56:14 GMT
This is doing strong business at the bristol hippodrome for a fortnight and was actually an enjoyable and entertaining couple of hours mainly due to it being full on sold by a hard working cast.
Oliver and Vivian sound great but aren't given much freedom to do much more than replay the films main lines and moments verbatim. It's the supporting cast who have been given more leeway in the characters and this cast snap up the opportunity. Biggest surprise is Ore Oduba who maybe there for his strictly win but does the role full justice and has a good voice. But its the bellboy Giulio everyone was talking about in the interval. The role may have been created as a scene stealer but in Noah Harrison hands its grand larceny especially as its chiefly reactions and a physical role rather than vocals. But even on a welcome Sunday matinee all the large cast seemed to be having fun and giving energy which connected to the packed audience. Was overwhelming female audience i did think the films appeal was a bit more universal, pity they didn't have a bit more freedom to expand away from the film as the opera scene did show some creativity before it went back to script. Nothing taxing but was more enjoyable than expected but really down to a great cast.
|
|
|
Post by ThereWillBeSun on Nov 7, 2023 23:04:56 GMT
|
|
|
Post by doornumberthree on Nov 8, 2023 0:17:59 GMT
I found her incredibly wooden and didn’t think her voice suited any of the characters songs either. I thought Amber was a great Vivian and the ensemble were fantastic
|
|