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Post by ruthieh on Jan 29, 2022 23:25:09 GMT
John Owen Jones just tweeted that he’s made a mistake and isn’t on iPlayer after all. By all accounts he got a standing ovation for singing Bring Him Hime….seems absolutely absurd!
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Post by danb on Jan 30, 2022 0:09:24 GMT
I liked that by Chelsea Halfpenny, I didn't know what to expect from her. So pleased I’ve seen this before seeing her next week. I hadn’t heard any reports and was getting worried but that was lovely. Bizarre big finish…surely the Disney bit would have been a more obvious and more enjoyable finale?
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Post by alece10 on Jan 30, 2022 9:26:45 GMT
I liked that by Chelsea Halfpenny, I didn't know what to expect from her. So pleased I’ve seen this before seeing her next week. I hadn’t heard any reports and was getting worried but that was lovely. Bizarre big finish…surely the Disney bit would have been a more obvious and more enjoyable finale? I think it was a good choice as they wanted the audience to leave on a high so Tina had them on their feet singing and dancing and you can't really dance to Let it Go apart deom wave your arms around 😀
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Post by h86 on Jan 30, 2022 9:35:22 GMT
I liked that by Chelsea Halfpenny, I didn't know what to expect from her. So pleased I’ve seen this before seeing her next week. I hadn’t heard any reports and was getting worried but that was lovely. Bizarre big finish…surely the Disney bit would have been a more obvious and more enjoyable finale? Maybe having Disney earlier so kids could watch before bed?
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Post by cezbear on Jan 30, 2022 11:10:22 GMT
Quite enjoyed that, was really good to see some different shows featured. The BTTF song seemed an odd choice and wouldn't get me interested in going, but Drifter's Girl really showcased well. Beauty & the Beast - I didn't think the Belle sounded good at all but maybe she's better singing 'her own' songs. The beast sounded magnificent however. Keala Settle unfortunately has put me off going to & Juliet after cast change - she had huge shoes to fill but I found her awful. Tina sounded fine to me, though it's not a show I'd go to.
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Post by h86 on Jan 30, 2022 12:23:03 GMT
Quite enjoyed that, was really good to see some different shows featured. The BTTF song seemed an odd choice and wouldn't get me interested in going, but Drifter's Girl really showcased well. Beauty & the Beast - I didn't think the Belle sounded good at all but maybe she's better singing 'her own' songs. The beast sounded magnificent however. Keala Settle unfortunately has put me off going to & Juliet after cast change - she had huge shoes to fill but I found her awful. Tina sounded fine to me, though it's not a show I'd go to. I listened again to quite a few performers and lots had breathing issues I thought - it’s more apparent on the quieter and and softer songs like beauty and the beast but her tone and riffs were really good I thought and their chemistry was very strong.
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Post by Jon on Jan 30, 2022 14:54:02 GMT
I wonder whether the absence of any Mackintosh musicals was to do with his deal with Sky over Christmas - there may have been some sort of window of exclusivity. Or, of course, he may have just been demonstrating his customary control freakery! It might explain why Poppins wasn't part of the Disney medley as it's co-produced with Cameron Mackintosh. I assume Cinderella wasn't there due to being on hiatus.
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Post by og on Jan 30, 2022 15:23:12 GMT
I wonder whether the absence of any Mackintosh musicals was to do with his deal with Sky over Christmas - there may have been some sort of window of exclusivity. Or, of course, he may have just been demonstrating his customary control freakery! It might explain why Poppins wasn't part of the Disney medley as it's co-produced with Cameron Mackintosh. I assume Cinderella wasn't there due to being on hiatus. Either way, it's refreshing for the occasional reminder that the West End universe doesn't revolve entirely around Mac & Cheese (or as they're professionally known Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber)
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Post by craig on Jan 30, 2022 16:30:18 GMT
I didn't particularly enjoy this show, and didn't think was a very... highbrow... representation of British musical theatre. But if it's sold some theatre tickets and brought people some joy, it's all good.
I did really enjoy The Beast, Dear Evan Hansen and Tina. I also though Chelsea Halfpenny sang beautifully. A great replacement for Lucie!
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Post by danb on Jan 30, 2022 16:44:12 GMT
I’m really looking forward to Chelsea now, especially after her interview on radio 2 this afternoon. When asked how she prepares herself to sing SUTBM, she gave a very down to earth reply about after having gone through all that comes before in the show it just comes out. I’ll look forward to seeing more of her on stage and in the future.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 30, 2022 18:31:02 GMT
I’m surprised JOJ somehow got left out of the broadcast. We had a lot of unnecessary (IMO) “filler” at the expense of one of the UK’s best MT stars? I mean I’m sure some people preferred to hear about the lottery, or the interview with the cast of The Wiz, or CHF wittering on about her costume change but I’d rather like to hear JOJ sing. Stupid I know! 🙄
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Post by steve10086 on Jan 30, 2022 19:11:49 GMT
Kinda disappointed to hear there was a Les Mis song, even though JOJ is one the best musical theatre performers ever.
One thing I really liked was the lack of the old West End war horses (except Lion King I guess). So boring seeing Bring Him Home again and again and again…
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Post by crabtree on Jan 30, 2022 19:34:19 GMT
A feat or organisation getting everyone and everything there, but I couldn't make it past a few minutes really. i guess the scale of the arena, and a slight phobia of so many songs totally out of context
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 30, 2022 19:47:24 GMT
The Manchester arena is horrible. I absolutely hate it as a venue. If your seat is on the floor level you basically have to walk down a huge flight of stairs from the rafters down to the floor with no handrail. I’m staggered that no one’s been killed from falling down them. If you’re sitting in the middle or top tiers you may as well be watching the act on tv. Except that you’d get a better view on tv. When I saw Barbra Streisand we paid a fortune for seats up at the top to find that much of the video wall, the only chance of seeing her close up, was obscured by the huge suspended speaker rig.
If I never go to another arena show I’d be very happy.
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Post by stagebyte on Jan 30, 2022 22:31:20 GMT
Quite enjoyed that, was really good to see some different shows featured. The BTTF song seemed an odd choice and wouldn't get me interested in going, but Drifter's Girl really showcased well. Beauty & the Beast - I didn't think the Belle sounded good at all but maybe she's better singing 'her own' songs. The beast sounded magnificent however. Keala Settle unfortunately has put me off going to & Juliet after cast change - she had huge shoes to fill but I found her awful. Tina sounded fine to me, though it's not a show I'd go to. Totally agree. Keala Settle. Just full on screaming at David Bedella.
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Post by n1david on Jan 30, 2022 23:50:17 GMT
Put me in the "disappointed" column. Some amazing performances, but showcasing musical theatre with jukebox songs out of context makes this look like musical theatre is one endless tribute show. The performances from Tina, The Drifters Girl and &Juliet were great performances, but out of context they just become tribute performances. I've seen jukebox musicals that make this work, but I need the context that tells me why the song is significant at this point in time of the story. Understand that they were making a primetime BBC1 show but for me there was little that engaged me as a theatre fan. Hope it sells tickets but not to the people who think that they're coming to see a tribute concert and can sing and dance along.
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Post by A.Ham on Jan 31, 2022 9:26:03 GMT
Kind of agree with the comments here about this not being as mind-blowing as we may have hoped… but I think it’s probably worth remembering that avid-theatre goers like those of us on here, who see dozens of productions a year, aren’t the target audience for this sort of show.
The audience reactions in the arena, and the feedback that booking websites had virtual queues on Saturday evening was what the show was about - appealing to people who perhaps only go and see a musical once or twice a year and for whom it’s a big night out rather than a regular habit. Getting 90 minutes on prime time TV to showcase some of the shows they can choose from was a pretty big deal in my mind, and will hopefully give the industry a much needed boost at what’s still a really tough time. I also thought it was great they had a mix of West End and touring productions, reminding people that a night out seeing a fantastic musical isn’t just for those who live in or can easily travel into London.
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Post by ladidah on Jan 31, 2022 9:32:39 GMT
Really loved this show.
I understand the need for handheld mics, but they looked awful.
That woman dancing in the aisle moving to the front infuriated me!
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Post by craig on Jan 31, 2022 10:11:00 GMT
I also thought it was great they had a mix of West End and touring productions, reminding people that a night out seeing a fantastic musical isn’t just for those who live in or can easily travel into London. Very much agreed. That said, The Wiz and Bat Out Of Hell looked like dreadful community theatre productions. If anything, they served to underline that what's touring in the regions isn't always up to the standard of the West End. Chelsea Halfpenny's wonderful performance helped buck that trend though. I do think all of the performers had a tough job trying to fill that cavernous space and huge open stage though. Musical theatre and arena venues do not work well together, for the most part. Even the Royal Albert Hall is too big for the Oliviers, let alone Manchester Arena.
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Post by A.Ham on Jan 31, 2022 10:12:11 GMT
That woman dancing in the aisle moving to the front infuriated me! Me too! Not sure what the AO Arena’s policy is but at The O2 she’d have been marched back to her seat!! 😂 The girls making faces behind Jason Manford annoyed me as well! Still, I’m sure they thought they were hilarious…
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Post by ladidah on Jan 31, 2022 11:01:27 GMT
I guessed their were reluctant to move her in case she made a fuss and disturbed the show.
I actually thought The Wiz looked fun.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jan 31, 2022 15:02:49 GMT
Was this really something that should have been on BBC1?
Not saying it shouldn't have been broadcast but it was essentially an advert for the shows involved with urging from the host to buy tickets.
Now we all want theatre to recover and recover quickly. And I know the BBC covers theatre on things like Children in Need and The One Show. But this was so explicit in the advertising that ITV would have been a more appropriate channel to my mind.
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Post by ladidah on Jan 31, 2022 15:13:35 GMT
I didn't mind that at all - everything is advertising at some level.
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Post by og on Jan 31, 2022 15:22:10 GMT
Maybe they shouldn't talk about about the Political parties* in the news, because talking about them is promoting them. And all those pesky guests on Breakfast and The One Show, talking about their new book/album/single/series/film; bin them off too. Static white noise thats all they should be broadcasting in the true pursuit of impartiality.
*'parties' in the sense of 'team' not lockdown discos
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Post by alece10 on Jan 31, 2022 15:25:33 GMT
Also ifnit was on ITV we would have had an ad break after every single song.
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Post by Jon on Jan 31, 2022 15:45:26 GMT
The Big Night of Musicals was no different to the Musicals: The Greatest Show which the BBC showed last year.
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Post by ruthieh on Jan 31, 2022 16:46:18 GMT
Absolutely was the right place for it on prime time BBC1. No advert breaks. It’s just what the BBC should be doing as part of its Charter.
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Post by FairyGodmother on Jan 31, 2022 20:03:46 GMT
The Manchester arena is horrible. I absolutely hate it as a venue. If your seat is on the floor level you basically have to walk down a huge flight of stairs from the rafters down to the floor with no handrail. I’m staggered that no one’s been killed from falling down them. I remember going to see Disney on Ice there when I was very little and we were at the front of one of the middle-height blocks, and my mum spent the whole thing with her arms sticking out in front of us as an extra barrier!
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Post by peggysue on Jan 31, 2022 20:10:59 GMT
The BBC have added John Owen-Jones singing Bring Him Home to their website. Whoever decided to cut it from the tv broadcast should hang their heads in shame.
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Post by stevemar on Jan 31, 2022 23:31:37 GMT
Although none of the shows in the programme were in my list to see (and that almost * remains the case), it did the best in bringing a new audience to a part of our culture that deserves support, and good on the BBC for broadcasting at prime time. I can’t find the source but it got 2.9m viewers overnight - compared to the Masked Singer 4.9m at the same time.
And I knew the bad behaviour alert would ping too!
* The only exception was Dear Evan Hansen which I’ve seen and their fantastic performance. And Waitress which I have to say never appealed to me personally - great performance by Chelsea Halfpenny - these songs were also well chosen to showcase the musicals.
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