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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 15, 2022 13:39:45 GMT
With very limited rehearsal time, this is not going to see huge amounts of polished interpretations.
That is just the inevitability of such concert performances.
No matter the experience of the individual performers, they just haven't had the time to fully inhabit their roles and build the relationships with the other characters.
So I fully understand the scepticism that has been expressed.
I saw the original cast and don't want my memories of that damaged by what, on paper, looks like a weaker line up overall.
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Post by Being Alive on Jun 15, 2022 14:14:43 GMT
I'd argue one has been cast for box office, and two others 'because they were free and could hop in last minute'
The proof will be on Monday, at, what sounds like it might be a pretty under-rehearsed concert
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Post by LaLuPone on Jun 15, 2022 14:20:58 GMT
and they wouldn’t have been cast if they weren’t right for the parts. Guessing you haven’t seen Isaac Hesketh in Legally Blonde…
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2022 16:00:50 GMT
People said the same about Michael Crawford going into Phantom and he gave a career defining performance.
I’m always surprised at theatre fans being so closed off.
Theatre is excitement and danger.
Everyone wants no risks anymore, just safe. Boring.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2022 16:02:58 GMT
and they wouldn’t have been cast if they weren’t right for the parts. Guessing you haven’t seen Isaac Hesketh in Legally Blonde… Is there a clique forming? Was there an open and transparent casting process or were people gifted the parts based on previous working relationships?
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Post by inthenose on Jun 15, 2022 16:14:51 GMT
Because We’ve Seen The Show Before. Okay and? No one performing in the show next week has done it before. You can’t judge someone for a performance they haven’t even given yet. Well that's the thing, isn't it? In many ways you can, and people do, both positively and negatively. I mean, there is no guarantee someone who was good in a prior role will be great in the next one. But it's a lot more likely than say, me seeing John Partridge who I've previously really not enjoyed him in Miss Saigon, Chicago and La Cage Aux Folles, then suddenly *this* performance is the one which blows me away. Especially considering he's a replacement made after tickets have been sold, and especially seeing as the person he's replacing was desirable to see. I think it's fair to have assumptions based on knowledge/taste, having seen performers prior. I wouldn't book to go and see Marti Pellow in anything, for instance, because he is always unfailingly terrible.
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Post by inthenose on Jun 15, 2022 16:18:39 GMT
But if you've seen the show before, and know the roles and whats required of them, you can judge whether established performers are right for the parts... Laura P-P is very similar to Joanna Riding in a lot of ways, so will be a great Jane. The other three? Very questionable. They’ve still not done the show so they could give a performance you’re not expecting. Plus this is an entirely new production, and they wouldn’t have been cast if they weren’t right for the partsOuch! My soul hurts reading that! The police would never arrest someone who was innocent, either. People make mistakes with casting all the time. This might be great, who knows, but I passed on it when CHF was announced.
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Post by Steve on Jun 15, 2022 16:22:56 GMT
I also was really looking forward to seeing Giles Terera in this, as he has been great in musicals like Avenue Q and Hamilton, and in a bunch of straight plays as well, but hey, Maria Friedman "saw" "The Witches of Eastwick" a lot more times than I did (having originated the part of Sukie lol), so if she thinks she can make something out of John Partridge, I'm totally open to it, and looking forward to it. Glass half full and all that lol.
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Post by cezbear on Jun 15, 2022 16:38:55 GMT
People said the same about Michael Crawford going into Phantom and he gave a career defining performance. I’m always surprised at theatre fans being so closed off. Theatre is excitement and danger. Everyone wants no risks anymore, just safe. Boring.
Well but but but casting the likes of CHF is not risk taking because they see something in her that's going to astonish people, it's picking a name they think will sell tickets because she's got a social media following. It's why she gets cast in these things time and time again despite putting the 'me' in 'mediocre' - this IS the definition of 'safe', boring casting.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2022 17:25:12 GMT
People said the same about Michael Crawford going into Phantom and he gave a career defining performance. I’m always surprised at theatre fans being so closed off. Theatre is excitement and danger. Everyone wants no risks anymore, just safe. Boring.
Well but but but casting the likes of CHF is not risk taking because they see something in her that's going to astonish people, it's picking a name they think will sell tickets because she's got a social media following. It's why she gets cast in these things time and time again despite putting the 'me' in 'mediocre' - this IS the definition of 'safe', boring casting.
Whether you or I like it or not CHF is bona fide musical theatre performer, she’s not a Gemma Collins. Lots of people are going to see Legally Blonde to see Courtney because of her Six following and reports are from some she has been miscast. John Partridge has a following because of his advocacy and outside theatre work does that take away from his decades in the West End? is there an element of gate keeping, snobbery of people who have made it outside theatre. At what percentage of an audience does the performer become miscast? 10% 50% or are they miscast because the audience there to see them are only there because they like their instas or when they were on Masterchef?
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Post by cezbear on Jun 15, 2022 19:04:48 GMT
Well but but but casting the likes of CHF is not risk taking because they see something in her that's going to astonish people, it's picking a name they think will sell tickets because she's got a social media following. It's why she gets cast in these things time and time again despite putting the 'me' in 'mediocre' - this IS the definition of 'safe', boring casting.
Whether you or I like it or not CHF is bona fide musical theatre performer, she’s not a Gemma Collins. Lots of people are going to see Legally Blonde to see Courtney because of her Six following and reports are from some she has been miscast. John Partridge has a following because of his advocacy and outside theatre work does that take away from his decades in the West End? is there an element of gate keeping, snobbery of people who have made it outside theatre. At what percentage of an audience does the performer become miscast? 10% 50% or are they miscast because the audience there to see them are only there because they like their instas or when they were on Masterchef? Not being Gemma Collins is the lowest possible bar though. Whether 'bona fide' or not, my issue with her casting is that she will not have been chosen because she's the best for the role, nor because she's going to give an extraordinary performance. She's been chosen for her following and because she can sing the notes. It is NOT gate keeping or snobbery to be disappointed in that, because 'can sing the notes' is not what I want when I buy my ticket. I think audiences have the right to expect so much more. ^ This isn't ALL aimed at CHF, she's just an easy example. I don't actually have any issue with the rest of the casting for this, but that's easy for me to say since I'm not going! I'd have liked to see Danielle, I imagine Claire will be glorious.
Anyway, I was disputing your risk taking comment, nothing else.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 15, 2022 23:47:43 GMT
People said the same about Michael Crawford going into Phantom and he gave a career defining performance. I’m always surprised at theatre fans being so closed off. Theatre is excitement and danger. Everyone wants no risks anymore, just safe. Boring. He had months of training and rehearsal with one of the best teams ever to work on a musical. That is how that performance was created. A concert version will have a few days at best. It will be fine. But it is naive to think that it will be anything more than that Performances take time to mature. Time that a concert version with a cast that hasn't played those roles before just simply doesn't have.
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Post by squidward on Jun 16, 2022 1:10:34 GMT
Very odd that both Giles Teresa and Danielle Steers we’re both suddenly unavailable so close to the performance date. I wonder what happened there. Re-casting so late in the day must have been a deeply unenviable task.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2022 1:16:34 GMT
People said the same about Michael Crawford going into Phantom and he gave a career defining performance. I’m always surprised at theatre fans being so closed off. Theatre is excitement and danger. Everyone wants no risks anymore, just safe. Boring. He had months of training and rehearsal with one of the best teams ever to work on a musical. That is how that performance was created. A concert version will have a few days at best. It will be fine. But it is naive to think that it will be anything more than that Performances take time to mature. Time that a concert version with a cast that hasn't played those roles before just simply doesn't have. Yes but people still didn’t believe he was capable of the role. Some people are never happy. In your experience. In my professional experience magic happens where you least expect it. That’s not naive.
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Post by carriesparkle on Jun 16, 2022 6:46:35 GMT
Very odd that both Giles Teresa and Danielle Steers we’re both suddenly unavailable so close to the performance date. I wonder what happened there. Re-casting so late in the day must have been a deeply unenviable task. I know that Danielle Steers' fiance has been off Rocky Horror with Covid.
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Post by ceebee on Jun 16, 2022 7:05:03 GMT
Very odd that both Giles Teresa and Danielle Steers we’re both suddenly unavailable so close to the performance date. I wonder what happened there. Re-casting so late in the day must have been a deeply unenviable task. I know that Danielle Steers' fiance has been off Rocky Horror with Covid. That's astounding. Time is fleeting... Let's do the lockdown again.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2022 9:38:59 GMT
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Post by Being Alive on Jun 16, 2022 10:17:26 GMT
All just very...vanilla isn't it
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Post by cezbear on Jun 16, 2022 10:23:11 GMT
Hmm, bit underwhelming. Perfectly serviceable but no more. Hopefully it'll have more oomph when they do it in the theatre.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2022 10:31:29 GMT
All just very...vanilla isn't it They don't seem to be blending well vocally
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Post by Peter on Jun 16, 2022 10:55:41 GMT
Well, I really liked it Bit of a rough and ready recording and I'm assuming the sound balance will be much better in the theatre! Having said that, I'm not why Make Him Mine is the song chosen to publicise the show - I remember the lyrics (and possibly an instrumental midi version?!) were one of the first things on the website for the London production, and it was performed as promo on some variety programme before the show opened (complete with random pop up Ian McShane), but I've never felt that it works standalone (despite being the 'I Want' song and having the pretty harmonies), as it plays much better when following the book scene that leads into it.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2022 11:22:27 GMT
Hmmmmm I know it is going to be a concert version but there (in view of that video) seems to be little to no characterisation. Fingers crossed it comes through in performance.
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Post by PhantomNcl on Jun 16, 2022 15:19:22 GMT
Think this is what happened when you shove a video camera in the room when rehearsal have only just begun. Really not fair on the performers. I love this song though. And I think they sound good. Although they’re all a bit similar sounding for my taste. Why can’t I get excited about this concert? I love the show. I just can’t be bothered. 😕 I completely agree. I love the show, and I love the song, especially the harmonies, but although they sounded good they were too similar in voice. The three originals (who I saw umpteen times on stage, and still listen to on the cast recording) all had very identifiable voices, which made the harmonies stand out more as you knew who was singing which line. I was really excited at the thought of seeing it again, but like you I just can't be bothered. I would LOVE to see Claire Moore as Felicia, but the rest of the casting leaves me cold. What I wouldn't give to see Joanna Riding reprising her role as Jane - I loved that she even learned to play the cello to help with her performance of 'Waiting For The Music'. Mind, I'd listen to her sing the phone book (showing my age there - do we still have phone books these days??)
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Post by partytentdown on Jun 16, 2022 15:35:41 GMT
I also love the show but am not very excited (although I have a ticket). I think there is just nothing special to get excited about, really. I think in my head we were getting something like the recent 'Taboo' concert, with some of the original cast and some special guests filling in the extra roles, curtain call speeches etc.
I understand they aren't going to get all of the originals back to do their parts (we all know they weren't the best of friends), but even if they'd promised 'extra surprises' or 'special appearances from some original cast members' at the curtain call, or even just one 'wow name', or SOMETHING, that would be good. But this just sounds like it's going to be like seeing the show without particularly appealing casting and no sets, effects or much rehearsal...for the price of a West End show. Then again, they didn't promise anything otherwise, so more the fool me.
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Post by Being Alive on Jun 16, 2022 16:23:36 GMT
Unfortunately we'll never see that original cast perform together again as they really didn't get on at all
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Post by Seriously on Jun 16, 2022 16:38:42 GMT
Are "one off concerts" on CHF's list of things she can't cope with?
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 16, 2022 16:53:52 GMT
Are "one off concerts" on CHF's list of things she can't cope with? Looks like she’s got over herself it.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Jun 16, 2022 16:55:09 GMT
Are "one off concerts" on CHF's list of things she can't cope with? No?? She's done them before. She's just said in the past that standing on a stage as herself rather than as a character makes her a lot more nervous.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jun 16, 2022 20:41:38 GMT
If they’d brought back Josefina Gabrielle, Rebecca Thornhill and Joanna Riding again- I would have paid any money.
This cast? Nah.
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Post by FairyGodmother on Jun 16, 2022 20:42:03 GMT
All just very...vanilla isn't it I got very distracted by how the répétiteur's beard seemed to appear and disappear based on how he turned his head. I admit I don't know the musical at all though.
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