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Post by singularsensation10 on Jun 10, 2017 23:19:54 GMT
Saw the show today - Ben was off still and Colton Ryan was playing Evan.
As far as the show goes, I wanted more. I feel like the staging and production in general was too minimal. I don't have any negative comments at all - in fact I enjoyed it, and cried twice. But the show just didn't give me anything more than I wanted or expected.
Colton as Evan did a good job, but his portrayal was inauthentic, a carbon copy of Ben's characterisation. If he had his own interpretation of the role I dont think you would have realised he is the understudy. That being said he was incredibly well received - I think this show will do well without him IF the guy playing Evan has his own interpretation.
Loved everyone else - I liked Mike Faist but I'm not sure exactly what made his performance tony worthy??
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Post by singularsensation10 on Jun 10, 2017 23:12:03 GMT
I think she's a solid, great understudy. Can't see her much past understudy in this role but she sounds like she can do a good job. Although that being said, stranger things have happened....
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Post by singularsensation10 on Jun 10, 2017 11:10:08 GMT
I didn't get why the audience went so crazy for the dancing waiters??
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Post by singularsensation10 on Jun 10, 2017 11:08:34 GMT
Would be highly surprised if Jackie returned, having discussed this with her a couple of years ago. However I suppose if there are no other roles, Elphie is a nice gig if you can get it!
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Post by singularsensation10 on Jun 10, 2017 3:10:05 GMT
Just in from seeing the show.. not even sure what just happened in there. Something other worldly. I think the only plausible explanation is that Bette Midler wasn't acting in Hocus Pocus and genuinely sucks the life out of children because she was radiant up there. A beacon of life, charisma, buoyancy and elegance. Boys and girls, THIS is how you work an audience.
Words cannot describe Bette's performance so I will move on - the set, the costumes, the choreography, the orchestration & orchestra, the ensemble... unbelievably perfect. Impeccable. Gavin Creel deserves that tony and if he doesn't get it I'll eat my hat. This show deserves all the Tony's. This show needs to be preserved for eternity. Absolutely, undeniably flawless.
Kate Baldwin has the most luxurious voice, like butter melting slowly on a hot summers afternoon.... Trensch and Creel work together like a modern day Laurel and Hardy... each and every performer is graceful and appropriate to the style and setting of the show.
I'll be honest I didn't love much of the score but this collective could sing the phone book as part of this production and it would still be fantastic. Absolutely unbelievable. Perfection.
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Post by singularsensation10 on Jun 9, 2017 20:59:32 GMT
I'm going to the show tomorrow matinee (visiting from London) - I'm usually one to be all open to understudies but in this case I was very much looking forward to seeing Ben. Hoping he'll be back tomorrow but equally want him to properly recover. I was working through some of the score today and it's not an easy sing at all, I'm surprised he's lasted this long without a proper standby/alternate to be honest.
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Post by singularsensation10 on Jun 9, 2017 3:03:10 GMT
Saw the show tonight. Absolutely loved it from start to finish. Delightful score and one of the strongest casts I've seen in a show in years. All of the leads had at least one standout moment but worked together as a team. Loved it.
Hillary Clinton was also in the audience tonight and everyone went crazy for her!!
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Post by singularsensation10 on Jun 7, 2017 7:27:35 GMT
Looking back on it, I suppose for Ruth it wasn't a question of talent. It was a question of being ready - she wasn't ready to go on when they needed her, and they had two other girls who were ready to go so she was costing them unnecessary money paying her and having to cancel performances. Never say never for her, I reckon.
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Post by singularsensation10 on Jun 2, 2017 16:25:37 GMT
Feelbad musical 😂😂😂😂
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Post by singularsensation10 on Jun 2, 2017 13:06:43 GMT
Bridges and N2N are two of my favourite shows and I sobbed through both of them - my mum and gran saw N2N with me and slate it as one of the worst shows they've ever seen. Unfortunately, my mum and gran are the ones that West End producers favour. The ones that come to London every few months and pay full whack to see an upbeat show (like Mamma Mia or Dreamgirls) and aren't fussed by proper theatre (although Dreamgirls does fall into the proper theatre IMO category). Most theatre goers choose something that will uplift them rather than something that will hit home emotionally. I think Bridges, N2N (and DEH) will only work at somewhere in London like the Menier or Southwark Playhouse, which are known for putting on proper shows rather than crowd-pleasing jukebox musicals for the masses. (Don't get me started on Bat out of Hell...Colloseum has lost all credibility for me!!)
EDIT: on reading my response, I realised my theory is irrational when thinking of the success of something like Les Mis or Phantom. I personally think Bridges and N2N could be modern day successes in London like LM or Phantom, given the chance....
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Post by singularsensation10 on Jun 1, 2017 15:21:30 GMT
I have always seen Elphaba's entrance applause from two separate stances. On one hand, I can't help but think that she hasn't done anything yet - so why the applause? First time audience members must always find this a little strange, as though they've missed something. On the other hand, the crescendo in the music and the run downstage make it awkward if there isnt an applause... I'm firmly on the fence!
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 31, 2017 19:30:18 GMT
Saw the show for the second time today, first time with Sheena Easton. I'm just going to go out there and say it - does she realise this isn't pantomime? Show still as fantastic and spectacular as ever, just didn't adore Sheena!
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 27, 2017 15:43:08 GMT
For those who want to look at the hat and dress in more detail (and who wouldn't?!) they have been added to the theatre and performance galleries at the V&A. didn't know this! I live close to the V&A so will pop in one day soon. The old hat or the new one?? I was watching early London bootlegs 2006-08 yesterday and noticed quite how different the hat was!
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 27, 2017 15:40:20 GMT
Would there be any possibility that Angels In America might transfer for a limited run? I hope not - I saw it and loved it (minus the accents) but it definitely needs to be a blaze of glory type production IMO.
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 26, 2017 22:20:29 GMT
I'd love to see Waitress open..and now Cassidy Janson is free she can play Jenna? Hey stick it in the Aldwych she wouldn't have to move out her dressing room!!
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 26, 2017 21:59:40 GMT
Question - when did they change Elphaba's hat design in London? From the taller and thinner hat to the current one? I have a feeling it was Rachel but it could've been Alexia...
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 26, 2017 9:50:43 GMT
I suppose none of the current crazies are Ellis style crazies. Another level of crazy that lot!!!
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 26, 2017 9:22:55 GMT
Sorry to continue the crazy debate but when I was in the height of my wicked craziness about age 14-15 I know for a fact I wasn't the craziest. People double my age at the time we're going multiple times a week, camping for front row seats (even though they were still the only people in the queue at 9am the next morning), would buy presents and know which trains the actors got on....when I went I used to wait outside the stage door for pictures and chats but I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I don't think being a 'crazy' has anything to do with age. These Team cast member Twitter accounts are only a Generation Y (bearing in mind they are the generation that were born with technology vs the Millenial's growing up with the constant development of technology - we as Millenials can see both sides of the coin) continuation of the obsession with stage dooring.
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 25, 2017 14:38:38 GMT
I personally think letting an actress develop her Elphaba portrayal as understudy or standby before putting her on as lead makes total sense - a marathon role like Elphaba is really, really hard to determine in an audition process. If you listen to (not sorry) audios of Alice's first performances, they are nowhere near as strong as her performances now. So her developing as standby will only be of benefit to her and the show when she absolutely SMASHES her first lead show.
If they had a brand new Elphaba and Glinda at the same time who were fantastic in audition but get them in front of an audience and it all falls apart, it could massively massively backfire and even a show like Wicked couldn't handle a flop of that scale.
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 25, 2017 8:11:36 GMT
Well I've still not seen Ms Fearn so plenty to keep me going, plus a new Standby Elphie and it looks like Jessamy is leaving too so another green person to try to catch too! My thoughts exactly. Looking forward to a refresh and a completely new generation of Wicked.
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 25, 2017 7:46:11 GMT
I'm putting money on Alice. Just a thought... what's Bradley Jaden up to now the tour has been cancelled?
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 25, 2017 7:08:42 GMT
I feel I should pre-warn you, once you KNOW about fifth cover Midwife, you can't ever unknow it, so if you want to remain innocent then stop reading now... Fifth cover Midwife is a mythical being, forged in the fire of a 500 year war between the Wicked fans and the "Rent-heads". She is not a person but rather an idea... I prefer to think of it less as an idea but more of a way of life...#WWFCMD
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 16, 2017 20:06:04 GMT
I can see them putting something in where the interval is in the stage show. There's a big 10(?) year gap there. And also making more of Elphaba's early life, growing up with Nessa. I wouldn't be surprised if NOMTW is double the length, making it more about her early life, putting more context to her attitude in the 'no I'm not seasick' lines. I also wouldn't be surprised if the screenplay is entirely different to the script, with minimal resemblance from a word perspective. If Winnie doesn't write the screenplay, the person that does write the screen play will have a borderline impossible job to fit Winnie's book around their own perception of the characters and make the writing merge seamlessly.
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 16, 2017 11:49:31 GMT
Voulez-vous....A-HA
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 15, 2017 20:48:08 GMT
Wow. Usually I cringe when girls sing that in concerts but that was phenomenal. The band sounds pretty solid too!! This is why it annoys me when the casting team recycle girls despite there being girls like this out there...!
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 15, 2017 18:54:12 GMT
Similarly now they have a British Nabulungi on their present tour, because that show is consistently sending over American leads to the London company. side note - saw this tour while on holiday in Montreal a few weeks ago and she is FANTASTIC.
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 15, 2017 16:22:24 GMT
I personally reckon the Wicked marketing team are behind it and they're doing it to drive us all nuts so that when they make their announcement we go doubly crazy, whether it be over or underwhelming. I bet they have a right giggle at this board 😂😂
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 14, 2017 8:38:48 GMT
I think Lucie Jones will make a remarkable Elphaba one day. I love her characterisation of Maureen - I do think she's a bit too young still at the moment, but her time will certainly come and when it does, boy will she be good.
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 11, 2017 15:10:46 GMT
LOVE that idea!
All this talk of new cast makes me think of when Alexia was in rehearsals and pictures of them on the street (think there was a fire drill) in costume surfaced, everyone went crazy for it on the old WoO board.
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Post by singularsensation10 on May 11, 2017 10:53:04 GMT
Glindas: Charlotte can't remember her surname Scott if it was in London. Jenni (Broadway Glinda, can't remember her surname) Barber. Loved her. Spot on for both - think when I saw Jenni Barber it was a case of bad seats and jetlag so hard to really form an opinion!
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