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Post by showgirl on May 18, 2023 4:56:32 GMT
The varied opionions so far tempered my expectations; I went hoping only that it wasn't a complete dud or that I left at the interval. In the event I found it well worth seeing and though it was indeed long and slow, once I'd accepted the pace and engaged with the narrative, it held my attention and by the end, felt quite epic.
I saw yesterday's matinee, which was officially sold out but as there were a few helpful gaps in the right places, those in the RV seats in my row and the one in front and behind were all able to shift around to improve their view, which was a bonus and a first for me at the Almeida. The performance started a good 30 mins late as an understudy was rehearsing and there was an annoucement before it did start, but the substitution made no discernible difference and at the end there was an immediate standing ovation in the stalls from almost everyone I could see.
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Post by n1david on May 20, 2023 10:44:24 GMT
Tonight's performance cancelled due to cast ill-health; rest of run sold out so refunded. This happened to me with Spring Awakening too; I don't have much luck with musicals at the Almeida!
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 20, 2023 10:53:59 GMT
Tonight's performance cancelled due to cast ill-health; rest of run sold out so refunded. This happened to me with Spring Awakening too; I don't have much luck with musicals at the Almeida! Matinee cancelled too. I'm on the train down from Liverpool and the email came through just after we'd left Milton Keynes! Got Rush tickets for Once on this Island now instead for this afternoon!
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Post by frankubelik on May 20, 2023 13:50:02 GMT
Ouch, sorry for you! Saw last night and enjoyed it very very much. No obvious signs of anyone struggling. Had read the book too so knew what to expect (with a few changes and a major character plotline alteration); perhaps cutting the interval and a couple of "samey" songs would tighten, but overall good!
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 20, 2023 19:49:56 GMT
Ouch, sorry for you! Saw last night and enjoyed it very very much. No obvious signs of anyone struggling. Had read the book too so knew what to expect (with a few changes and a major character plotline alteration); perhaps cutting the interval and a couple of "samey" songs would tighten, but overall good! You definitely got lucky seeing it last night! From social media, it seems that it was cancelled on Thursday evening as well as both shows today. Gutted not to get to see it but enjoyed Once on this Island this afternoon in its place. Hopefully those unwell in the cast of The Secret Life of the Bees recover to enjoy its sold-out final week.
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Post by mkb on May 22, 2023 23:10:25 GMT
I managed to pick up a couple of returns late on Friday night for tonight (Monday). Reading here about cancelled shows on Thursday and Saturday, it seems I was pretty lucky to get to see this show. If there were any understudies, the fact was not made known.
This was a pleasant enough way to while away an evening, but I could not get on board with the rapturous applause and ovation from nearly everyone present. The reasons have pretty much been covered thoroughly by earlier posters.
If there's blame, it rests not with the fine cast. It is mainly the script, which has the narrative pacing all wrong (especially in Act 2) and leaves characters under-developed. As is often the case in dramas involving racial tensions, the playwright draws heavily on extreme stereotypes. But partly, it's the direction. More skilled hands could have ironed out the flaws in the material.
A key problem is that I did not warm to Lily and her relentless melancholic disposition. The book has her repeatedly ignoring sage advice for self-centred reasons, and being annoyingly weak until suddenly she isn't.
Finally, there is no resolution. The material simply peters out.
And what is the significance of the bees of the title? They are entirely incidental, apart from a half-formed, love them and they love you message, whatever that was meant to mean.
The music is good but the lyrics need a lot of work. For example, when given a notebook as a present, Lily sings, "It's not too big and it's not too small". Really?
The set design proves you can do small and simple yet still evoke the feel of the American Deep South. (Are you watching Rebecca Frecknall?) The lighting design helped tremendously here, but the frequent use of back lighting was blinding for us in the front row.
The sound design was poor. Many vocals were drowned out by the music, and the quality of the reproduction of the musical instruments lacked fidelity. It was the sort of sound you hear in nightclubs with cheap speakers.
Three stars.
Act 1: 19:37-20:45 Act 2: 21:07-22:10
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 23, 2023 15:55:16 GMT
Cancelled again tonight.
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Post by nash16 on May 23, 2023 15:59:37 GMT
Yikes. Saw a great cover on when I went, but now it seems the leads and their covers are down too.
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Post by theatrelover123 on May 23, 2023 19:28:24 GMT
My feeling is that there is a stronger tighter 90 mins musical in there, especially if they lose a lot of unnecessary songs (which may make the ones that stay sound less samey) and scenes that don’t move the action forward.
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Post by Mark on May 24, 2023 8:30:21 GMT
Hoping this can go on for the matinee today, otherwise that’s some seriously bad luck for me with the Almeida and musicals (have had cancelled performances of Spring Awakening and Tammy Faye before).
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3,101 posts
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Post by Rory on May 24, 2023 8:34:20 GMT
Hoping this can go on for the matinee today, otherwise that’s some seriously bad luck for me with the Almeida and musicals (have had cancelled performances of Spring Awakening and Tammy Faye before). Fingers crossed for you Mark. That would be an unbelievable hat-trick of bad luck otherwise!
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 24, 2023 10:26:00 GMT
It sadly looks like both today's performances may have also been cancelled. Both performances have changed from showing as "Sold out" to "Tickets not on sale" on the Almeida website. The same change has appeared for all previous cancellations. Nothing announced by the theatre as of yet though.
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Post by Mark on May 24, 2023 10:45:41 GMT
Sadly, yes... Cancelled. I'll make sure to inform everyone the date I book for their winter musical as a precaution to not go!
Any ideas of a future life planned for this one? It seems to have had fairly positive, if not "must see" word of mouth.
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Post by tal on May 24, 2023 11:14:34 GMT
I'm supposed to go on Friday, but now I'm getting scared that they might cancel all remaining performances. I really wanted to see this!
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 24, 2023 12:17:18 GMT
I'm supposed to go on Friday, but now I'm getting scared that they might cancel all remaining performances. I really wanted to see this! They were giving out free programmes on Saturday after the cancellation and they do have an understudy Lily and understudy Neil and Zachary listed in there. Presumably they are multiple cast members/understudies down. Hopefully only cancelling on the day is cause for optimism that the remaining performances have at least some chance of going ahead. Such a shame if the cast don't get a proper closing night together! Sadly, yes... Cancelled. I'll make sure to inform everyone the date I book for their winter musical as a precaution to not go! I should maybe join you in that regard! Spring Awakening cancelled, The Secret Life of Bees cancelled. I was so happy to secure a returned ticket for this coming Saturday but now my second attempt at seeing the show is looking in doubt too!
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Post by mattnyc on May 24, 2023 13:31:15 GMT
The Almeida has quickly become the theatre I know I’ll need to have a backup plan for, when I book for a show.
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Post by Jon on May 24, 2023 13:46:24 GMT
The Almeida has quickly become the theatre I know I’ll need to have a backup plan for, when I book for a show. I think that's a little unfair, it doesn't happen with all of their shows. Musicals seem to be an issue compared to plays.
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Post by mattnyc on May 24, 2023 14:14:08 GMT
Not really unfair or even “blaming“ them but they’ve cancelled performances for every production they’ve done recently that either i was supposed to attend or had tickets right around then. Again, not blame, just a fact about how I’ll book with them and always have to hope the show happens.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 25, 2023 14:01:04 GMT
Going ahead as a concert performance this evening.
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Post by fiyero on May 25, 2023 17:59:58 GMT
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Post by Mark on May 26, 2023 11:56:14 GMT
Concert version going ahead today, I've been keeping an eye on the website all morning and scored a £25 ticket. There's around 20 other tickets available although all in the £40+ range currently. Just glad I will be able to see this show in some form.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 26, 2023 16:46:28 GMT
Looks like the show is just one cast member light now but for a role with no understudy. I've seen only glowing reviews for last night's concert performance. Enjoy tonight, Mark.
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Post by tal on May 26, 2023 17:26:40 GMT
I'm glad they haven't cancelled tonight. I messaged them to ask if Rachel John was performing and they said yes. Hopefully the concert version still contains some of the staging.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 26, 2023 18:44:39 GMT
Concert version tomorrow afternoon now too, although the evening performance which is the last of the run is still listed as the full show for the time being.
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Post by lou105 on May 26, 2023 19:23:28 GMT
Chrystine Symone was on as understudy Rosaleen when I went back in April but maybe she's off or needed elsewhere..
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Post by Mark on May 26, 2023 20:24:17 GMT
I thoroughly enjoyed it. No dialogue but a synopsis of the songs and context provided. The score is glorious and sung so beautifully. The cast have rallied together to provide a great evening of music and performance.
I really hope this does have a future life because I’d love to see the full show with dialogue (runtime act one 40 mins, act two 30 mins).
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Post by tal on May 26, 2023 23:53:29 GMT
This was outstanding tonight. What an incredibly talented cast and what a beautiful score. I’m so happy I was not put off by the news it would be a concert.
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Post by thistimetomorrow on May 27, 2023 11:38:36 GMT
Looks like the show is just one cast member light now but for a role with no understudy. I'd assume the normal Rosaleen and the understudy are both off
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Post by theatrefan77 on May 31, 2023 23:57:28 GMT
Saw the final matinee on Saturday. Nice concert version of the show. The whole cast sounded great. Pity the couldn't do the staged version which I saw earlier in the run and loved it.
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Post by theatrefan77 on May 31, 2023 23:57:38 GMT
Saw the final matinee on Saturday. Nice concert version of the show. The whole cast sounded great. Pity the couldn't do the staged version which I saw earlier in the run and loved it.
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