1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on May 7, 2016 8:26:53 GMT
I don't have objections to regional theatres taking on large scale musicals. Quite the opposite, and I have been amazed by the imagination production teams use to overcome their limitations. But for a musical like this, a bit more investment clearly goes a long way. I totally agree. I always thought a regional/subsidised production of Chitty would be great to see, and it is great that theatres like the West Yorkshire Playhouse are prepared to take the risk, but the scale and investment really is needed if it has any chance of living up to the original production. After all, the Palladium car cost £750,000 - the most expensive stage prop in history!
{Spoiler - click to view} Speaking of Toot Sweets, does this production have the dogs run on at the end? And who is singing Hushabye Mountain with Caractacus in this version? Truly? Michael Rose was one of the original producers who could invest in this musical before he found himself in everybody's bad books. I suppose nowadays somebody like Cameron Mackintosh can only put on a production like the original. {Spoiler - click to view} There's no real dogs. You know those toys where you have a pole that you hold on one end, and on the other there is a wooden animal with a wheel underneath it to trundle along the ground, with legs attached to the sides going round and round. Thats what they use. A shame, since the appearance of real dogs always got a huge reaction. I remember the time the first tour came to the Mayflower, it was in the news that the production team had lost one of the dogs, but found it had been sleeping on one the seats of the car all night.
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on May 6, 2016 23:09:10 GMT
Little Carrie Hope Fletcher is also in those videos
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on May 6, 2016 22:48:58 GMT
There's a lot of videos of the London, Broadway and Australian productions on youtube
I know comparing them to this is like comparing apples to oranges. But really...
I mean yes the original car was controlled by a lift that was built in beneath the Palladium stage from which the car is kept. All the tours including this have some sort of arm lift at the back. But apart from this, they all were sturdy enough to stop the car wobbling all over the place, breaking the illusion
I don't have objections to regional theatres taking on large scale musicals. Quite the opposite, and I have been amazed by the imagination production teams use to overcome their limitations. But for a musical like this, a bit more investment clearly goes a long way.
By the way, the second video shows the original Grand Prix/'Never was a car' song, which admittedly doesn't get the actual story moving. Just as the beginning of the film is just watching a lot of cars going round a race track. The first tour got it right. Introduce the characters, tell a short version of the Grand Prix with some of the verses from the song sprinkled in. Boom, the show is under away.
As I said before this version takes about 10-15 minutes before it even moves away from the junkyard.
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on May 5, 2016 17:05:50 GMT
I don't know, unless you don't like actor/musician productions I'd recommend the Watermill's musicals.
They are so creative fitting shows like Oliver and Calamity Jane into such a tiny space.
I can't wait to see how they are going to stage Watership Down in there.
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on May 5, 2016 16:08:27 GMT
Are there day seats for the new season?
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on May 5, 2016 13:57:20 GMT
Some production photos have been released on Facebook
Now I'm REALLLY keen to see this!
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on May 5, 2016 11:28:21 GMT
It's funny then that the Sun is doing exactly one of the things that the play is addressing.
By the way I forgot to mention this but do avoid the extreme side seats. Those closest to the front end of the stage are fine, but I can just imagine at the other end you'll be watching the play with a wall blocking some of your field of vision.
The production I went to wasnt sold out anyway, with a lot of empty side seats, so hopefully the same will apply for the rest of the run.
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on May 5, 2016 11:18:04 GMT
does the floor have to be so painfully solid? Well I'm in no hurry to see the earth's core, so... Anyway I am going to approach this debut season with an open mind. If there's anything I've taken away from 10 years of attending the RSC, is that I always want to see Shakespeare done in fascinating (and indeed strange) ways. Just as long as it works within the context of the plays. You can't just hammer them into a shape that suits your vision (I'm looking at you Wooster Group)
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on May 5, 2016 9:31:33 GMT
Finally got through
I took the plunge and got £10 seats in row f behind a pillar
I personally think the intimacy of theatres like the Almeida negates the fact that you've got to look round a pillar
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on May 5, 2016 9:11:40 GMT
Website is not working for me. Been in the queue for 11 minutes
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on May 4, 2016 22:11:05 GMT
I'm still convinced that the original production and 1st tour translated the film to stage very well.
It's just the changes that were made in the subsequent tours that have done the musical no favours. The second tour added the lesser songs from the film whilst cutting out the childcatcher's only song. This current version takes ages to get going whilst the songs have been slowed down
Does the car still wobble up and down whenever anyone clambers on it? And simply making it go up and down in the air doesn't cut it for me.
Cant fault West Yorkshire Playhouse for giving this musical a try, but this needs a fully-fledged production to be truly magical.
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on May 4, 2016 11:33:11 GMT
What a thrilling, thought provoking play
There's a large ensemble that is only used in a public meeting scene in the second act. But the scene alone is very gripping, using the entire auditorium
Whatever your views, this play will make you look at yourself by the second act and realise that despite the title, we are all our own enemy. Even the final image of Hugh Bonneville may leave you perturbed
Hugh Bonneville alone gives a riveting performance by the end
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on May 3, 2016 19:38:15 GMT
Wow, just wow!
For a 136 year old play this is highly topical and in this political climate the timing couldn't be perfect to put on such a relevant play
You could clearly hear the audiences reactions to such quotes like "as an employee you have no opinion"
Hugh Boneville plays an idealistic scientist, Dr Stockmann, who came up with the idea to build a prosperous spa town. Except the people who had it built placed the water supply in a bog that is polluting the spa
Stockmann has written a report that could change the spa for good but as soon as word gets out all sorts of parties vye for his attention. From the house owners association to the people's paper
By the interval there's a heated argument between Bonneville and William gaminara as the doctors brother and mayor, who is adamant the plans will bring ruin to the town and stockmann
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on Apr 28, 2016 12:05:17 GMT
There really does seem to have been a lot of holiday cover from what I've seen online. I'd love to see Edwin Ray as Bert but as far as I know both of the cover Berts have only done one show each. Any idea if Matt Lee has any planned holidays? Would also love to to see Edwin as Burt, unfortunately don't know if Matt has any planned holiday...will see if I can find anything out. Is it possible to find out whether Zizi Strallen has any holiday dates during the Mayflower run? I don't mind seeing her again when I go to the 29th May performance. I'd just like to see what Jennifer Davison is like
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on Apr 27, 2016 20:11:35 GMT
Oh thank goodness, I'm absolutely enjoying this.
I recently saw the currently touring Creative Cow production as my introduction to the story. One of the few occasions I left at the interval. Made the book look like a old fashioned, quintessentially tip top jocular travelogue quite frankly.
This production has both humour and sincerity, and theres some lovely songs by Stiles and Drewe to give dimension to the characters
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on Apr 26, 2016 22:04:39 GMT
Wow this is a great play
Took time to warm up to in the first act but the second was quite thrilling. As stevejohnson says it is fascinating to watch these people play the self righteousness act when you can see the lies they are holding back from each other.
The acting is uniformly exquisite. I read that David Tennant once before played Jack Lane and I can just imagine it based on Matt Whitchurch's flamboyant performance.
But boy is Michael Mears' calm, seemingly assuring, but cold demeanour as Goche, with his meticulous interrogations, enough to leave you fearing for the main characters. The power he gradually reigns in the second act leaves you quaking.
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on Apr 22, 2016 8:14:14 GMT
Took some time to warm to but in the end I loved it
I was enjoying it as much as anyone else, but I initially thought the comedy could have been more consistent. Rufus Hound's interaction with the audience comes and goes, and there were other moments that initially felt random, such as an ensemble member vying for attention. The dark moments too rather clashed with the light-hearted moments
But in the end it all came together beautifully, and as Rufus Hound says at the end, no matter what people think of you be proud of what you do. This production commits to the comedy and the story
Sitting up in the top gallery though, I did think that the cast got drowned out by the music, especially David Threlfall. His delivery was a bit garbled at times. Also why bring on the pregnant woman again to sing a song about he waiting for the husband, which doesn't come to anything
But really I had a great time with such a heartfelt ending
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on Apr 20, 2016 15:32:52 GMT
I'm afraid I was bored by this
The problem is is that this is the first time I saw the play performed, with only a general knowledge of the story
This is not the perfect production for newcomers. Heavily cut to make a 1 hour and 45 minute show with no interval (which I felt tick by), with lots of filler and choreographed moments sprinkled in.
Watch out Barbican and be amazed at watching Faustus do some tidying up and draw the magic circle for 5 minutes max
Never really felt Faustus 24 year magical mastery pass by, some of the costumes were confusing (the Devils minions dressed up as Jews?), and the whole Faustus/Mephistopheles being one went over my head. Maybe I'll get it if I saw the two swap roles, but I am not prepared to see the show multiple times before I get to see that
The funny thing is is that (despite divided opinion) Maria abergs bizarre King John was a great introduction to the play for me. With White Devil and this, she's going way over head with her gimmicks and directorial decisions that I'm just left out in the cold. Whatever masterful writing is in Marlowes piece was lost to me, and I was unengaged
enjoyed the music, and enjoyed Sandy Grierson as Faustus, picking through the different books of study before picking magic at the start
I am going to watch the globe recording before I even set foot in the Duke of Yorks for the Jamie Lloyd production
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on Apr 18, 2016 11:55:38 GMT
I didn’t start a thread on it because currently due to the small size of the venue I don’t imagine the vast percentage of forum members will have seen it (admittedly if I had seen much earlier in the run in March, I would have likely set-up a thread to get some attention on it and say go see everyone if you can!). I've actually set up a thread theatreboard.proboards.com/thread/581/princess-caraboo-finborough. Such a shame it has been pushed back so much in the last 9 days There's plenty of shows I don't create threads about. I could talk about the productions at the Watermill Theatre if I wasn't the only person near enough to go regularly. On the other hand saw All-Star Production's Out of this World yesterday, but have no interest really to make a thread. An acceptable production but nothing I'd recommend anyone rushing up to Walthamstow for.
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Show Boat
Apr 17, 2016 15:33:26 GMT
via mobile
Post by David J on Apr 17, 2016 15:33:26 GMT
I agree that the way the musical addresses racism and marital issues is a bit leightweight
The whole racism part is really addressed in the first act up untilJulie and Steve is forced to leave. And the resolution at the end doesn't quite ring true
Everyone likes to say hammersteins famous musicals alongside Rodgers raises important issues. I find that the Nazis in The Sound of Music are just there, and I've seen racism addressed better than South Pacific. Only Carousel and it addresses love really works for me
Then again I suppose musicals like Show Boat couldn't be so hard hitting as musicals can be today
I just took Show Boat for what it was and enjoyed it
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Show Boat
Apr 17, 2016 12:37:48 GMT
via mobile
Post by David J on Apr 17, 2016 12:37:48 GMT
I got £19.50 day seat in the front row (well second row at the side but there was no row aa seats in front of me)
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on Apr 16, 2016 23:11:33 GMT
Are they afraid to show the set and projections or something, because why are they showing the dark void of the auditorium in a lot of the trailer.
Ooh that bit where they have Manford singing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on a loop!
And there's only brief shots of the car (which is small and when I saw the show it jiggles around when people board it). The last shot I should see in the trailer is the car, not Truly hitting her motorcycle
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Show Boat
Apr 16, 2016 16:21:15 GMT
via mobile
Post by David J on Apr 16, 2016 16:21:15 GMT
Er how old are the main characters meant to be at the end? Gabriel looks as old as the Captain, who'd may as well be in his hundreds
But seriously this is a glorious production, and I couldn't keep my eyes off Gina Beck and the way she matures during the musical
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Show Boat
Apr 16, 2016 15:07:51 GMT
via mobile
Post by David J on Apr 16, 2016 15:07:51 GMT
Really enjoying this sitting in the day seats in the front rows. Though the view is blocked at times by props being placed at the front. An A-Board is placed in the left hand aisle so that could affect some people's views
Gina Beck gives a fantastic performance
A few understudies on this afternoon. Including the stern mother and the comedy actress
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on Apr 15, 2016 22:38:54 GMT
I can't wait.
Combine one of my favourite childhood books with the writers of the additional songs for Mary Poppins and I am in heaven!
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on Apr 15, 2016 22:10:36 GMT
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on Apr 9, 2016 22:42:28 GMT
What day of the week did you see her? Maybe that's when she's scheduled to perform
Don't get me wrong, Zizi's finest moments came in the quieter moments such as "When every job when it's complete", when she sang the lyrics softly.
On the other hand, when she has to pull off high notes alone in songs like "Practically Perfect" that vibrato is distracting and at times harsh to listen to. You can hear it on the Variety recording.
Out of interest Sue when you saw Mary Poppins in Bristol, did confetti cannons go off to announce Mary Poppins arrival at the end of Precision and Order (Reprise), showering the stalls with pink flower-like confetti like the projections? I too saw the show in Bristol and I definetly don't remember that. The sudden pops of the cannons felt so out of place.
By the way I had an odd occurrence tonight. When I went to the correct door to the stalls I offered my ticket to the usherette. Out of nowhere she asks "Do you know where you are?" before she even looked at the ticket
No lady, I am a bit lost. I was meant to be seeing "You can always hand them back" at the Skycity Theatre in Auckland, New Zealand. Could you point me in the right direction?
Maybe Birmingham Hippodrome employs philosophical ushers
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on Apr 9, 2016 20:13:59 GMT
Seeing this again at Birmingham.
Anthony Lawrence is on as George Banks, and although his youth plays against him he does a Stirling job
We also have a white Mrs Corey with a Scottish accent. Don't know who the understudy is
As much as her acting is great Zizi's vocals are still bothering me. I kinda like to see what her understudy is like
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on Apr 3, 2016 10:15:34 GMT
Okay this was slightly better in the second act when it focused on the misunderstandings.
But the resolution is so sexist.
Also, whilst the concept of the two couples is nice, I was confused for the first 10-15 minutes.
The problem was the set design. So the idea is that both couples houses are melded together. Yellow and ourple-grey.
Thing is, grey can get overwhelmed by yellow. The rich couples bright house took up more space than the grey walls and the other couple's orange chair and wooden play pen didn't help
Also, I was sitting at the back and to the left. It was a while before I realised that there was another grey wall with a window to the left of the stage. So all I could see was the rich couple's house with these two odd grey strips at the back. This show is best seen centre row and towards the front
Therefore, I was sitting there thinking "why are these people phoning themselves?", "why is this couple not reacting to the other couple?", "why are these people not in a mental institute?"
|
|
1,014 posts
|
Post by David J on Apr 2, 2016 21:20:55 GMT
This is absolutely great!
The cast performs enthusiastically
There's some beautiful use of limited props and lighting to establish setting and atmosphere in the tiny space
But most of all there's some fabulous and beautiful songs from Phil Wilmot and Mark Collins. 'Bring on the 1820', a pleasing 'Home', a mischievous 'Truth: A portrait of the princess' to start the second act, and 'Bad News' is quite salacious but leaves you flinching by the end.
Not sure about some of the music and dancing styles. I'm no expert but some of them looked like what I'd expect from a golden age of broadway musical. And this is meant to be Victorian times. Still they are fantastic to watch
But 'I am my own person' is stuck in my mind and Nikita Johal delivers this with passion.
I still think the musical could have conveyed some aspects of the characters rather than mentioning them. Show don't tell. I'd like to have seen more of Lady Worrall's grief for her dead daughter that leads her to adopt Caraboo. Same for Eddie Harvey being weighed down by his fathers behaviour. A song about that would have been nice
The story feels rushed occasionally, including the ending, and it isn't helped by the limited space.
Not quite as good as the Clockmakers daughter but I was beaming by the end. One of my favourite new musicals this year.
I highly recommend this
|
|