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Post by stevejohnson678 on Nov 4, 2021 9:00:20 GMT
Musical offerings coming up at the Union THE DROWSY CHAPERONE 4th - 8th December 2021 CHILDREN OF EDEN 14th - 18th December 2021 I see both of these offerings are courtesy of the London School of Musical Theatre. Their production of Grand Hotel at the Bridewell was excellent a couple of years ago so I'm very tempted to see both The Drowsy Chaperone and Children of Eden.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Dec 6, 2021 22:31:28 GMT
Rather disappointed in Drowsy Chaperone at the Union tonight. It's being run as 90 minutes with no interval which meant most of the storyline was lost. What was left was well done, but I wouldn't have booked if I'd known it had, as I recall about 30 minutes cut. Will give Children of Eden there a miss now.
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Post by Mark on Dec 6, 2021 22:52:26 GMT
Rather disappointed in Drowsy Chaperone at the Union tonight. It's being run as 90 minutes with no interval which meant most of the storyline was lost. What was left was well done, but I wouldn't have booked if I'd known it had, as I recall about 30 minutes cut. Will give Children of Eden there a miss now. Drowsy isn’t meant to have an interval though?
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Dec 6, 2021 23:12:14 GMT
Rather disappointed in Drowsy Chaperone at the Union tonight. It's being run as 90 minutes with no interval which meant most of the storyline was lost. What was left was well done, but I wouldn't have booked if I'd known it had, as I recall about 30 minutes cut. Will give Children of Eden there a miss now. Drowsy isn’t meant to have an interval though? I've seen it twice before and definitely had intervals both times and ran around 2 hours 15.
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Post by Mark on Dec 6, 2021 23:25:27 GMT
Drowsy isn’t meant to have an interval though? I've seen it twice before and definitely had intervals both times and ran around 2 hours 15. Well it shouldn't have an interval. Original Broadway and West End productions were both interval-less, and there is a whole gag about how the man in the chair hates intervals and so just puts on the act two record straight away.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Dec 6, 2021 23:49:59 GMT
I've seen it twice before and definitely had intervals both times and ran around 2 hours 15. Well it shouldn't have an interval. Original Broadway and West End productions were both interval-less, and there is a whole gag about how the man in the chair hates intervals and so just puts on the act two record straight away. Interesting. At the Elgiva Theatre in Chesham the 2019 production ran from 7.45 until 10.15pm. Previously the 2018 ELODS production at the Wyliotts Theatre in Potter Bar has a review which specifically mentions an interval. They're the two I've previously seen. I was beginning to think my memory was playing tricks but not so.. Maybe there are two versions and the Union have gone with the shorter interval-free one ?
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Post by princeton on Dec 7, 2021 0:49:33 GMT
The Drowsy Chaperone was written and originally performed as a one-act piece. As noted above there's even a gag about the lack of an interval. However when it was on a post-Broadway tour (by the time it had become non-equity) some venues were not willing take it without an interval, and therefore agreement was made for an interval to be included. There were only a couple of extra lines of dialogue added. This version is available in the UK for amateur use, and often preferred so that organisations don't have to pay a premium for venue hire. It should still only run 90-100 minutes plus the length of the interval - any longer and they are playing it at a very pedestrian pace.
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Post by distantcousin on Dec 7, 2021 14:47:50 GMT
I haven't been there in YEARS. There was a time when they were performing so many musicals that were up my street (between about 2011-2016) but there's just been nothing that's appealed in SO long. The last thing I saw there was "The Fix". (in the VERY hot new venue)
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Dec 7, 2021 14:57:38 GMT
One little point to note about the Union Theatre. The seats are close together and hard plastic. Long before 90 minutes I was seriously uncomfortable. I noticed one person walk in with a cushion which if practical is a good idea.
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Post by Mark on Dec 7, 2021 15:05:12 GMT
I haven't been there in YEARS. There was a time when they were performing so many musicals that were up my street (between about 2011-2016) but there's just been nothing that's appealed in SO long. The last thing I saw there was "The Fix". (in the VERY hot new venue) Agreed, only seen two things there since the move across the road - Soho Cinders (which I really enjoyed, the basis of the production which transferred to Charing Cross), and "H.R. Haitch" (bloody awful). They don't seem to have done many in-house musicals as of late. It's a shame because they had a great run of things at one point - I loved "Once Upon a Time at the Adelphi", "Baker's Wife" and "A Man of No Importance" at the original venue in particular.
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Post by distantcousin on Dec 7, 2021 15:14:04 GMT
I haven't been there in YEARS. There was a time when they were performing so many musicals that were up my street (between about 2011-2016) but there's just been nothing that's appealed in SO long. The last thing I saw there was "The Fix". (in the VERY hot new venue) Agreed, only seen two things there since the move across the road - Soho Cinders (which I really enjoyed, the basis of the production which transferred to Charing Cross), and "H.R. Haitch" (bloody awful). They don't seem to have done many in-house musicals as of late. It's a shame because they had a great run of things at one point - I loved "Once Upon a Time at the Adelphi", "Baker's Wife" and "A Man of No Importance" at the original venue in particular. I ADORED their production of The Beautiful Game. I still remember it vividly - found it so moving. Their Closer To Heaven was not so good for me (for a number of reasons).
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Post by David J on Dec 7, 2021 16:17:19 GMT
I became acquainted with a number of musicals thanks to the old theatre. The Beautiful Game, The Dreaming, Spend Spend Spend, The Spitfire Grill, Our House, Loserville, See Rock City and other destinations.
Even the sound of trains above added to the quaintness of the place.
The two productions I have seen at the new theatre, Three Sisters and Midnight, I did enjoy. Made great use of the space which made for an intimate show.
I do wonder though whether the theatre is hindered by the set up of their space, particularly that staircase which any show inevitably has to use as an entrance. Makes most sense in a domestic scene.
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Post by Dawnstar on Dec 7, 2021 22:10:51 GMT
I haven't been there in YEARS. There was a time when they were performing so many musicals that were up my street (between about 2011-2016) but there's just been nothing that's appealed in SO long. Same here. I saw 9 different shows there between 2011-14 & enjoyed all of them. Since they moved there's been nothing I want to see so I've never been in the new venue.
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Post by theatrefan77 on Dec 8, 2021 0:59:44 GMT
The only show I enjoyed after they moved was Strking 12 with Declan Bennett and Bronté Barbé
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Post by distantcousin on Dec 8, 2021 9:13:01 GMT
I haven't been there in YEARS. There was a time when they were performing so many musicals that were up my street (between about 2011-2016) but there's just been nothing that's appealed in SO long. Same here. I saw 9 different shows there between 2011-14 & enjoyed all of them. Since they moved there's been nothing I want to see so I've never been in the new venue. Sorta glad it's not just me thinking that. Perhaps they decided to take a different artistic direction....
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