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Post by paddy72 on Aug 1, 2019 23:00:08 GMT
I really tried to enjoy this and it all started so promisingly. You walk in and see an impressive set. Not quite age authentic but expertly crafted. The lights go down and the first song you hear is sung by the great John Partridge and it is terrific. Alas from then on it’s all down hill. So many, many, many songs. A long, long, long finger wagging script that meanders nowhere except through a role call of cliches. (Musicals that include pretentious dismissive material about social media are now just boring). A real shame. Maybe the original story material is so dark that it could never be translated into a musical. Certainly it deserves better eulogies that continuous torch songs. And it didn’t help with silly things like mic-ing all the performers for an auditorium no bigger than your average Tesco metro. Hearing them sing and speak live may have given it a more authentic reality. Finally a strange coincidence for me. The show is set at exactly the same time - 1973 - that Rocky Horror was first tearing up the musical sexuality rule book down the King Road here in London. The historical picture of black and white morals that are portrayed in The Room Upstairs might be taken as being seriously remiss. Apologies. The show is, of course, called ‘The View Upstairs’ and not ‘The Room Upstairs’. No offence intended.
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Post by paddy72 on Aug 1, 2019 22:03:46 GMT
I really tried to enjoy this and it all started so promisingly. You walk in and see an impressive set. Not quite age authentic but expertly crafted. The lights go down and the first song you hear is sung by the great John Partridge and it is terrific. Alas from then on it’s all down hill. So many, many, many songs. A long, long, long finger wagging script that meanders nowhere except through a role call of cliches. (Musicals that include pretentious dismissive material about social media are now just boring). A real shame.
Maybe the original story material is so dark that it could never be translated into a musical. Certainly it deserves better eulogies that continuous torch songs. And it didn’t help with silly things like mic-ing all the performers for an auditorium no bigger than your average Tesco metro. Hearing them sing and speak live may have given it a more authentic reality. Finally a strange coincidence for me. The show is set at exactly the same time - 1973 - that Rocky Horror was first tearing up the musical sexuality rule book down the King Road here in London. The historical picture of black and white morals that are portrayed in The Room Upstairs might be taken as being seriously remiss.
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Post by paddy72 on Jul 15, 2019 23:32:46 GMT
London has three Dreams up and running now and this gets my vote for being the most fun and happy. A magical riot of colour and imagination. There are too many good things in it to shout out about and purists will struggle to appreciate its rawness. However what it lacks in reverence it makes up for in charm and ingenuity. Like a cross between a great panto - including audience participation where Starvling is played by ‘one of us’ plucked from the Yard - and a Mexican carnival - sets and costumes are by the designer of The Grinning Man. The cast are universally great. Most hilarious scene is between Bottom and Titania getting it on in a refuse dumpster. Any Shakespeare show that gets in the first line of Circle of Life from the Lion King and ends with 80s sing along Caravan of Love has got the rest beat. And it’s in London’s best theatre ever where you get to take as much booze and pasties in with you as you like. Everyone came out beaming with happiness and love on the night I went. Just what summer is for.
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Post by paddy72 on Jun 20, 2019 22:44:17 GMT
Saw this tonight and loved it. Renee Fleming is stunning. Dove Cameron great but her Disney Musical tone is not really my thing or appropriate to the role. But Rob Houchen is breathtaking. This is the first production I’ve seen with him where I think you get to see what he can really deliver. He and Renee get the final two songs and his singing off Love to me is way superior to the original recording. This production won’t be to everyone’s taste but the positives out weight the negatives. Especially Adam Guettels music played by one of Europe’s greatest orchestras. No sound issues by the way. It completely swept me away. I came away thinking that since it was written nothing has come close to its beauty.
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Post by paddy72 on May 16, 2019 23:11:42 GMT
Dawn star, seating is on three sides of a thrust stage (more of a small platform). Go for the centre block. Only on the far ends of the two side blocks and at the rear might you feel a little behind the action. You get two bums per bench so it’s not a squeeze and yes it is a small space. They usually let you in about 15 mins before and it’s all very civilised. Generally the last in are those who’ve been buying drinks at the bar. Hope you enjoy the show.
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Post by paddy72 on May 15, 2019 22:12:52 GMT
Also saw this tonight and whilst I can’t say I’d rave about the production itself I am certainly not going to be negative. Not least because where else can you get to see and hear a whole completely new musical and all for an embarrassingly little ticket price of just £14. Way to little to pay for so much quality work. I really hope it gets a bigger showcase. It’s classic Matthew Warchus material so how about The Old Vic.
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Post by paddy72 on Apr 19, 2019 0:41:12 GMT
Yes. It was at the old Union Theatre. Had a really good cast of recent graduates and worked really well there. Miss the old venue a lot. It may have been damp and smelly but shows like closer fitted in there really well.
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Post by paddy72 on Apr 16, 2019 17:56:13 GMT
Phantom of London just to correct you it was Retired Pope Benedict that wrote the letter regarding the 1960s sexual freedom being to blame for the Roman Catholicism paedophilic wrongs and not the current Pope Francis or his church. And his letter was widely condemned in the catholic press and media. So if you too want to wade in on this subject, if only you to diss other people’s faith be that Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism or even The Force, you may want to check your facts. A virtuous man would have the respect to do so first.
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Post by paddy72 on Apr 3, 2019 15:38:02 GMT
Really clever idea to put this by City Airport. As only a 50 min hope to Schiphol. I reckon it will sell well as part of euro visitor weekend breaks. Bit like Madame Tussaud’s. It’s very middle of the road Dutch event time stuff which I mean in a very positive way as you come away thinking only in Nederland would you sit on revolve in a shed on an old airfield for an emotional ride with a 1000 people you’ve never met before. It has that streak of Dutch off kilter creativity that gave us Big Brother and The Toppers. I can’t see Brit theatre lovies thinking much of it however. I found the music straight out of the 80s Mega musical vogue but the story is dramatic and it will be interesting to see if the play up the Brit angle more.
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Post by paddy72 on Mar 8, 2019 19:28:36 GMT
Apologies ... Meant to say... Adrian is a school kid - not in the cast - who was spotted online singing she is mine to his phone. You can see what happened next at the link.
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Post by paddy72 on Mar 8, 2019 19:16:45 GMT
Apologies if you’ve seen this already but go to this link to see the kid called Adrian performing for the broadway cast of Waitress. Really touching and what a voice....
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Post by paddy72 on Mar 6, 2019 20:30:24 GMT
Also saw it this afternoon. Certainly the audience loved it. I was a bit more luke warm. A lovely way to pass an afternoon beyond question but it felt more like a US sitcom with tunes to me. I couldn’t go with with the themes at all. Maybe because I was distracted by the idea that it was too big a theatre. Having the band on stage just like CFA - is it economics? - suspends belief when played out on such a big stage. Had it somewhere more intimate like Southwark Playhouse I might have felt more included in what is clearly intended to be an empathetic shared experience. A couple of other similar traits to other new shows in town ... the diction on the big ballads was not good and I couldn’t make out the words at all. Belting out a big number is not much good if you don’t know what is being sung... and why another high stage?
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Post by paddy72 on Feb 23, 2019 21:33:56 GMT
Just sat through the wonderful Billionaire Boy musical with a bus load of kids. We were all universally thrilled by it. Best new musical this year by far. The new musical book is way superior to mr Walliams original book not that the kids seemed to care as they loved both. But it’s the catchy songs and brilliant lyrics that really stand out. Way superior, instantly infectious and memorable. The song writing teams pop hits track record really hits home with a couple of instant Hits. So much so that I was left wondering why Mr Walliams wasn’t insisting on them for The Boy in the dress. The production itself will probably not match the glitz and polish of an RSC production but who cares as it is an absolute joy. Getting the right producer behind it (Jamie Wilson perhaps) Billionaire Boy could trounce Dress Boy this Christmas.
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Post by paddy72 on Feb 21, 2019 23:28:57 GMT
Big big thank you to all of you who posted pictures of The Stoll Theatre. I’ve only just discovered this thread. Anyway I’ve just showed them to my 80 something year old mum who was in Kismet there which you also showed a pic of. She says it was a cold old barn of a building. The audience was so far away that they all had to exaggerate every move and wear thick cake make up just to get seen. She remembers doing two shows daily and three on matinees. In between they used to go for a smoke up on the roof. She can’t remember if they were mic’d for sound but thinks not. At least they had a full orchestra which she said sounded wonderful every night and made Kismet her favourite show she ever did. Finally she told me it was also the theatre where she first met my dad who was a very young ASM on the same show. Thank you all so much for making a very old lady very very happy tonight.
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Post by paddy72 on Feb 21, 2019 23:07:52 GMT
The Stoll Theatre on Kingsway, where Kismet was playing at the time of this photograph.... Inside it looked rather grand apparently... And now we've got this (so we can imagine what that looks like on the inside even if we haven't been in and had the misfortune of sitting through The Snowman... ) Is there anything else I can do for you, my old china, TallPaul ? The mention of the Barbican Theatre (not my idea of "cosy" to be honest) made me think of two things I love about that place- the long, long rows of seats, each with its own door, all closing as if by magic just before the performance starts! And yes, I agree, I feel that certain magic when I first walk into an auditorium. There's a smell too... I always have to look around before I sit down, and then once I've sat down, and if there's no-one to disturb, I might have to get up and walk to the front, look back, look up, look into the orchestra pit. Drink it all in... Mmmmmmmmm, yes. (As Kate Bush once said.) When I go to the theatre I want the experience to begin outside- the building should make me want to go in. Then the foyer's got to welcome me. I want to feel excited on my journey, walking up, down, along to the auditorium. Touring Radio City Music Hall in NY some years back, we were told that the architect wanted patrons to feel that they were boarding a magnificent cruise ship, at a time when cruises were only for the rich and famous. There's a vast sloping foyer you take in before you discover the beauty inside.
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Post by paddy72 on Feb 21, 2019 23:06:31 GMT
The Stoll Theatre on Kingsway, where Kismet was playing at the time of this photograph.... Inside it looked rather grand apparently... And now we've got this (so we can imagine what that looks like on the inside even if we haven't been in and had the misfortune of sitting through The Snowman... ) Is there anything else I can do for you, my old china, TallPaul ? The mention of the Barbican Theatre (not my idea of "cosy" to be honest) made me think of two things I love about that place- the long, long rows of seats, each with its own door, all closing as if by magic just before the performance starts! And yes, I agree, I feel that certain magic when I first walk into an auditorium. There's a smell too... I always have to look around before I sit down, and then once I've sat down, and if there's no-one to disturb, I might have to get up and walk to the front, look back, look up, look into the orchestra pit. Drink it all in... Mmmmmmmmm, yes. (As Kate Bush once said.) When I go to the theatre I want the experience to begin outside- the building should make me want to go in. Then the foyer's got to welcome me. I want to feel excited on my journey, walking up, down, along to the auditorium. Touring Radio City Music Hall in NY some years back, we were told that the architect wanted patrons to feel that they were boarding a magnificent cruise ship, at a time when cruises were only for the rich and famous. There's a vast sloping foyer you take in before you discover the beauty inside.
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Post by paddy72 on Feb 13, 2019 17:26:37 GMT
I’m on the positive side for this one. I’m not sure ‘loved it’ would be the right sort of expression for such a dour piece. It has many negatives like a left over story from the bad old drugs and gay coming out days and the lyrics are trite or often worse. However the music is thumpingly brilliant. Fresh and the most original of all the new musicals currently opening. The hooks have stayed with me.
The whole show moves almost like a ballet which makes it fluid and contemporary. One scene - a family dinner around a table - stands out as a real gem as it is choreographed to capture the energy and vacuousity of social media. It was so fresh and memorable. A little work of art. Like wise a coming down (off of crack) scene which felt tragic and despondent. Performances were universally great and I felt engaged and empathetic.
The lyric theatre is a bit off my beat but I’m really pleased I got to see this. Certainly I’ll be watching out for the next piece from the same team. Especially the composer. If you fancy a night out that has a bit less saccharine and sweet sentiment then this will appeal. It has a morose atmosphere all of its own and one that genuinely captures the spirit of Londons clubland sub culture.
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Post by paddy72 on Feb 5, 2019 23:24:07 GMT
Saw this tonight and thought it was very good. Felt very comfortable in so much as everything and everybody delivered seamlessly. It reminded me a lot of Once if only because it was the same venue and there was an obvious and quite appropriate Gaelic/Celtic influence in the music and accented delivery. It’s only 100 minutes straight through so all in all, it will make a good start to a longer night out in the west end. The story itself was a little to sugary for me but checking it out online afterwards it does appear to be an honest and approprite telling.
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Post by paddy72 on Oct 16, 2018 19:56:20 GMT
Saw this last night and ‘harry’ is right. It isn’t ready yet. Which is not to say it won’t be great but my advice is to wait a bit before seeing. Jim Broadbent is really funny and the only one I thought that was on point. Regardless, it is an odd piece of work. Very short, ( it says 1 hour 30 in the programme but I reckon we were done by 1 hour 15) and I think it could really be made much darker and given more meaning with some extra work on the writing. I also kept thinking that it would have worked better in an older house. Suspension of both rational and belief are crucial to getting what’s going on and so a nice clean anodyne auditorium didn’t help. I wouldn’ want to bet on which way the critics will go it. Positive I hope.
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Post by paddy72 on Oct 1, 2018 18:36:32 GMT
I really enjoy this show on Saturday. I can’t believe that it was Clare Burt that I saw in Miss Littlewood as she was wonderful in this. I loved the music which had two stand out songs and was true to form for the composer. He definitely has a signature tone in his work. Melancholic and sad which was good to hear and made it a different sort of show to the usual. I doubt it will make it in to London however and it was not a full house. Shame but let’s hope for a cast recording. It still got a rousing ovation when I saw it. My only beef was with the Dior ‘costumes’ which to make the tale believable should have been heart stoppingly beautiful and the models. Alas the gowns were just costumes. Dior models were notoriously slender and beautiful with waspish waists, long necks and perfect skin. I’m afraid they were not Dior models by any stretch which for me cracked the illusion just a little bit. Forgivable though as it was otherwise a classy show with a universally fine cast. More of the same from the writers please.
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Post by paddy72 on Sept 24, 2018 17:23:38 GMT
I haven’t chastised you for having a positive opinion, I just said you’re entitled to it. How can that be chastising you? Pretty much everyone whose seen it has had some positive feedback about it but even if it was the greatest show on earth people are still entitled to call out where they think things are wrong with either the show or how it’s being managed. That doesn’t make them “angry”, it makes them people with different opinion to yours. We’re here to discuss all aspects of it, positive and negative, not close down other points of view by implying that people are being unreasonable. BurleyBeaR without wishing to drag this out, I would like to point out that your new note is not really practicing what you preach. You write that you haven’t chastised me but then go on to do so again writing I am shutting down different opinions to my own by implying people are being unreasonable about the show. Are you now trying to shut me down? You object to my use of the word ‘anger’ as a reflection of some of the comments about the show that went before mine. When other reviews have used expressions like ‘incredibly insulting’, ‘good grief what do people have against this show’ and ‘why the hatred’ I don’t think that my expression of surprise that some people were angry about the production was unfounded. You also need to re read the feedback reviews by everyone who has seen the show as they are by no means wholly positive as you imply. Differing opinions on theatreboard about any production are always great to read. Even more so when they are at odds with my own. I would suggest, in a non combative way, that we both should stick to doing just that. Neither of us really needs to teach the other a lesson in how to have a valid opinion.
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Post by paddy72 on Sept 24, 2018 10:00:25 GMT
BurleyBeaR you say that everyone is entitled to an opinion yet the way you chastise me for having an ‘overwhelmingly positive one’ suggests to me that you actual believe otherwise and that opinions that do not align with your own should not be allowed air time. My view of this production is overwhelmingly positive and in the light of a negative previous trail regarding production issues I wanted to express that. And Seriously we’ve all been let down by cancelled and changed previews at some time but it does not make this a bad production or the producers bad people.
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Post by paddy72 on Sept 23, 2018 22:45:27 GMT
Wow. People are really angry about this but I still don’t get why. I don’t work in theatre but for what I paid - a fair price in my opinion - what I got to see was a show that genuinely thrilled and excited me. Part of that was its rawness and hearing and seeing a cast of exceptional talent presenting something new and original for the first time. I felt like we the audience were part of what was happening here. And I certainly don’t think any other members of my audience felt short changed in any way. It was a shared experience that sent us all out buzzing with excitement. Most gratifying was seeing the many school kids in attendance leaving singing and acting out some of what they had just seen up on stage. If this was there first experience of theatre I am genuinely pleased that it was Sylvia and that it was in a theatre that had the guts to produce such a different show. Congratulations Old Vic. As for laying into Matthew Warchus.... well if I could do just half of what he does, I would be a proud man.
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Post by paddy72 on Sept 23, 2018 14:49:17 GMT
Very interesting and enlightening article on Sylvia in The Stage with Matthew Warchus. ‘Triumph over adversity’. He clearly and Honestly explains what has been going over the last few months. At the end of it all he says it will be back (yippee!) as it has had more positive reaction than any production at TOV during his tenure.
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Post by paddy72 on Sept 19, 2018 17:20:06 GMT
Yet more trivial hype in the Standard tonight about a show in trouble. Blah blah blah... If you have not seen it yet then I urge you to do all to break down doors to get in. It is a thrilling piece of work with a cast, crew and audiences to match. No production in recent memory has so much passion and heart, energy and punch. It’s rawness is part of its magic. The best new show in the best new old theatre for decades. The Old Vic is unbeatable at the moment.
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Post by paddy72 on Sept 13, 2018 16:11:52 GMT
Before there was Hamilton there was ‘Into the hood’ from Kate Prince and Zoo Nation. Way ahead of their time. Their influence can be felt all over this amazingly brilliant new show. It is so thrilling that all I can say is that everyone has got to scramble to get to see it. Beverley Knight as Emmeline Pankhurst has created a new musical character on a par with Evita. She is simply awe inspiring. The understudy replacement for Sylvia is the stuff of theatrical legend. The whole cast are really really really special. I loved Churchill and his mother Jenny. I overheard staff in the interval saying that people have been rebooking instantly and that producers are flying in to see it, before it’s short run ends, and urgently looking for a transfer to a larger house whilst the cast is still together. Please god they manage it as I will go again and again. This is a production that crosses over and beyond everything that has gone before it. Another new Old Vic smash. See it. See it. SEE IT!!!!!!! before it’s too late....
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Post by paddy72 on Aug 27, 2018 14:24:52 GMT
I agree with so many others. These concerts are undemanding easy listening entertainment if you accept that they are a fraction of what a full blown musical really is. Especially a great big show like Onthe town and WSS were, with all that dance, the book, the costumes, the sets, the staging, the lighting etc etc etc.... I really hope that these concerts are not the future for musicals but with no big original new creations (as opposed to jukebox shows) on the horizon I fear they are. I’ll miss the sum of the whole musical which at its best thrills me like no other sort of entertainment I know.
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Post by paddy72 on Aug 16, 2018 20:52:59 GMT
Got to thinking... what is the best and greatest theatre poster of all time? For me Cats would be up in my top ten but probably my best loved would be the artwork for the 60s production of Hair. It’s the first one I remember even though I wasn’t even born!
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Post by paddy72 on Aug 11, 2018 21:16:44 GMT
OK so I know they were not in the West End .... but Carrie in Stratford was so insanely spectacularly bad that it was pure joy and is a memory I treasure to this day. And then the first crazy, messy performances of Les Mis at the Barbican which I have in my brain as being five or six hours long. Still kept going back to see it over and over however. And it got better.
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Post by paddy72 on Aug 11, 2018 20:59:07 GMT
PPS. Disagree totally with earlier comments that the sound is too loud and that the performers are struggling to sing through. It was at pitch perfect volume and every word of every song was crystal clear at the performance I saw. I certainly only heard people coming out saying how fantastic it all was. No complaints.
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