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Post by Being Alive on Jul 20, 2022 14:24:48 GMT
Maybe it'll tour, and they'll do a summer at Sadlers - I'm not against that being a model for Chichester if I'm honest
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Post by alicechallice on Jul 20, 2022 14:58:33 GMT
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jul 21, 2022 10:32:07 GMT
What are the set designs like?
Looking on Insta they look a bit low key and designed for a room with a low ceiling
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Post by david on Jul 21, 2022 10:56:14 GMT
On my to Chichester for todays matinee. I’ve got a side seat for £20 so hopefully I won’t miss too much based on earlier posts.
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Post by david on Jul 21, 2022 20:47:19 GMT
Another summer and another trip to the beautiful city of Chichester and the CFT to watch their summer musical. After last years stunning production of “South Pacific” I was hoping that this years offering would be just as good. I am happy to report that Daniel Evans and his team have gone and done it again and produced another fantastic production for 2022 in “Crazy For You”.
Firstly I will say regarding the seating for this production I was sat in G4 which was a £20 seat along the sides of the stage and found the view from my seat not to be that great. Historically, I’ve always gone for the cheap £10/20 front tickets without having any issues seeing the performance. However, in this production this didn’t pay off unfortunately. Whilst not having a blocked view of the stage from patrons in front of me, my view was considerably impacted from bits of on stage set or when cast where stood in front of me on the stage. This meant that I missed a fair amount during the show and because I was sat at the side I really couldn’t fully appreciate the wonderful ensemble choreography, particularly when the cast danced in line as I was looking across the stage. Overall, I did spend a lot of time seeing people’s backs this afternoon. I would therefore strongly recommend if are you want to sit on the sides to either to try and get a seat near to face onto the stage or to upgrade your ticket to a more central view to get the most out of the visit to this show.
Ok so with all the negative stuff done, despite the seat view, this really is a fun and uplifting show to watch. Seeing Charlie Stemp as Bobby on stage was worth every penny. He completely steals the scenes he is in. A great song and dance man in this show along with fantastic comic timing and with that cheeky chappie look of his, you cannot but help but fall in love with this character. His dancing is sublime and it’s at his best when the stage is empty and it’s just either him or with Carly Anderson dancing along to the Gershwins score.
Carly Anderson as a feisty Polly works well with Stemp’s Bobby and her solo number of “Someone to Watch Over Me” was a real highlight thus afternoon. Tom Edden as Bela Zangler was a great comedy character and his and Stemp ‘s comedy duet in Act 2 “What Causes That” really does bring a smile to your face.
Susan Stroman’s choreography really is breathtaking and makes full use of the stage. As I said, being sat on the side, I couldn’t fully appreciate the intricacies of some of the dancing but the big ensemble numbers, particularly the closer of Act 1 really was something special. For me it was when Stemp was dancing solo or with Anderson on an empty stage that I could really take in the beauty of Stronman’s choreography.
The ensemble work hard in the full company numbers and there really isn’t a weak link in the company.
The Gershwin’s score is brought to life by a wonderful 16 piece orchestra led by MD Alan Williams. There weren’t any issues with sound mixing and cast vocals could be heard clearly alongside the orchestra.
This show has definitely been designed for a proscenium stage and as such the CFT stage design means that unless you sit directly infront, any sets / video screens/ projections are lost to those like me not sat there. At the interval I went down to the front stage and was surprised to learn that there was a screen featuring a computer generated image of the Nevada Desert. I’m not too sure if there was any text in the screen. The sets they weren’t very big. They were just mainly two tiered towers to present the Deadlock setting. These towers were wheeled in and out when needed. There was also a small set of steps. Overall, the set wasn’t that fancy to be honestly. Again from I was sat I really couldn’t fully appreciate the set from where I was sat.
Overall, whilst the day may of been tainted by the view, I still had a great time with the score and watching the dancing and came out if the theatre with a smile on my face.
Rating - 5⭐️
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jul 21, 2022 21:16:15 GMT
That wasn’t a screen or computer generated image of a sky- it was a drop (painted or printed) that is there all night.
I agree that everyone should avoid sitting on the sides for this. It’s absolutely a proscenium production with little care talked about the side seats, particularly choreographically
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Post by showgirl on Jul 22, 2022 4:11:02 GMT
I was also at yesterday's matinee (sorry to have missed you, david ) and glad I went as though, having seen a previous production so not feeling that bothered when I booked, the reviews persuaded me that I wouldn't want to miss out. And it was every bit as good as everyone says and really won me over. Charlie Stemp was familiar and not my idea of a romantic lead (he looked so much better in his Bela Zangler guise!) but Carly Anderson was the perfect, spirited match and there were so many other cast members who were equally well-suited to their roles. Think this will be my benchmark version and that I won't want to see it again because it's unlikely even to be equalled, let alone bettered. I too had a side-facing seat, though in the high numbers, and whilst I agree that this production seems aimed at the front of the auditorium, you don't know what you're missing; I wasn't aware of losing out in any way and with 9 trips to CFT booked this year and train fares on top, paying more than £10 for the main house isn't an option for me. Plus as several of my bookings are for the Minerva, where even the cheaper seats cost nearly 3 times as much, booking the cheapest ones in the main house evens out the overall cost somewhat. The only slight disadvantage for me is that as ever, at any matinee where I am stuck mid-row, there was the usual frustration with others not even showing any sign of wanting to get up at the end, let alone to move out of their way to allow them to leave and as the performance had started slightly late, I had a mad dash for the train afterwards. Fortunately I know I can reach the station in under 15 minutes but the occasional 20 would be welcome.
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Post by anthony40 on Jul 22, 2022 12:36:43 GMT
Do we know approximately what time the matinee finished?
Thanking you in advance
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Post by anthony40 on Jul 22, 2022 12:51:37 GMT
Do we know approximately what time the matinee finished? Thanking you in advance Actually, ignore that. I got the running time.
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Post by lynette on Jul 22, 2022 15:23:03 GMT
So designed for pro arch th, when and where do you think it will come to in west end?
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Post by alece10 on Jul 22, 2022 16:20:54 GMT
So designed for pro arch th, when and where do you think it will come to in west end? I hope they wait until they can get Charlie Stemp for it. He seems to be the man of the moment.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 22, 2022 16:21:35 GMT
Barbican should snap it up. Unless they’re planning to recycle Anything Goes again!
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Post by Jon on Jul 22, 2022 16:24:19 GMT
I think if Cameron is willing to push Ain't Too Proud then Crazy For You could be good for the Prince Edward.
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Post by Phantom of London on Jul 22, 2022 16:38:20 GMT
I was meant to see the matinee tomorrow, but it is not Crazy for You - unfortunately now Covid for Me.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jul 22, 2022 19:41:20 GMT
So designed for pro arch th, when and where do you think it will come to in west end? The point is nobody knows at the moment. It’s only just opened.
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Post by westended on Jul 25, 2022 11:31:02 GMT
With the announcement of the Curve’s new ‘42nd Street’ production taking the Summer 2023 slot at Sadler’s Wells, I guess that pushes a potential transfer of CFY there out of the mix?
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jul 25, 2022 11:43:39 GMT
Perhaps Sadlers could ditch the obligatory crimbo Bourne ballet. They won't but no harm in wishing.
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Post by lem on Jul 25, 2022 19:52:31 GMT
Perhaps Sadlers could ditch the obligatory crimbo Bourne ballet. They won't but no harm in wishing. please don’t wish that - I’ve been waiting years to see Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty live on stage. However, I really want this production to see a West End run somewhere.
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4,594 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jul 25, 2022 20:06:36 GMT
SB is on this Christmas
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Post by Jon on Jul 25, 2022 20:23:39 GMT
Charlie will be back in Poppins in December so a Christmas transfer is unlikely.
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Post by c4ndyc4ne on Jul 25, 2022 22:46:30 GMT
it'd fit the gillian lynne after lehman and stemp would be free...
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Post by justfran on Jul 29, 2022 18:51:25 GMT
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Post by theoracle on Aug 3, 2022 22:37:25 GMT
Half standing ovation tonight but still no denying that this production is something special. There aren’t many shows like this these days are there? To hear an overture player feels like a luxury. On the show itself, the costumes, the choreography and performances are all top notch. I sort of envy Chichester locals for having such a brilliant producing house but living in London, I shouldn’t complain. There’s nothing more euphoric than hearing Gershwin played by a live orchestra and when you add choreography by a 5x Tony winner, this Crazy For You is a bona fide spectacle that deserves every inch of praise received so far. No doubt, plans to transfer are already brewing and I hope we get a new cast recording too as the vocals are lovely in this as are the new orchestrations.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 4, 2022 0:15:32 GMT
There is a very good reason why full standing ovations don’t happen at Chichester.
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Post by alicechallice on Aug 4, 2022 10:38:47 GMT
There is a very good reason why full standing ovations don’t happen at Chichester. Cheeky!! There was a full standing ovation when I went on Tuesday night. Plenty of wee nippers in the audience. Lovely production of a particularly wafer-thin entertainment. But I suppose that’s part of its charm. Charlie had a little slip in one of his early tap numbers but recovered incredibly well.
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Post by fiyero on Aug 4, 2022 12:47:08 GMT
There is a very good reason why full standing ovations don’t happen at Chichester. I was told off by a patron for standing at the end of South Pacific!
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Post by TallPaul on Aug 4, 2022 14:33:44 GMT
There is a very good reason why full standing ovations don’t happen at Chichester. I was told off by a patron for standing at the end of South Pacific! I was told off by a patron for standing before the performance had even begun! What is it about theatregoers in Chichester?
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Post by inthenose on Aug 4, 2022 14:36:39 GMT
I was told off by a patron for standing at the end of South Pacific! I was told off by a patron for standing before the performance had even begun! What is it about theatregoers in Chichester? They don’t like the whippersnappers coming into their theatre!
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Post by TallPaul on Aug 4, 2022 14:39:04 GMT
Anyone calling me a whippersnapper is my new best friend. 👍😀
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 4, 2022 19:55:16 GMT
I was told off by a patron for standing at the end of South Pacific! I was told off by a patron for standing before the performance had even begun! What is it about theatregoers in Chichester? Perhaps because you are tall Paul?
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