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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Aug 11, 2016 11:21:02 GMT
God, yes, it was boiling in there tonight, wasn't it! (and someone used my TodayTix code tonight, if that was you skildpadde, thank you) I really enjoyed it. I think it's a good ensemble piece - interestingly, and unusually for me at least, I found the ensemble numbers much stronger than the solo/duet songs. Partly the volume and the excellent harmonies, which create a real wall of noise, but also I think those songs are more striking and memorable. The show's strength is in its ensemble cast, but that's also its weakness too, in that it means we only get a shallow amount of characterisation on a lot of the characters, which has the result that the songs (particularly the love duets between the various couples) fell rather flat for me. My favourite part was the scene where they manhandle the women into the lifeboats - I thought that was exceptionally well done, in the music, the acting and the staging. Whereabouts were you sitting? I was in N9 - perfect view, though I wouldn't want to be any further back. I was in E8 - I would probably rather have been a couple of rows further back. You aren't too close there, and at least it's raked, but with a lot happening on different levels, there was a lot of looking up.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Aug 10, 2016 22:06:59 GMT
God, yes, it was boiling in there tonight, wasn't it! (and someone used my TodayTix code tonight, if that was you skildpadde, thank you)
I really enjoyed it. I think it's a good ensemble piece - interestingly, and unusually for me at least, I found the ensemble numbers much stronger than the solo/duet songs. Partly the volume and the excellent harmonies, which create a real wall of noise, but also I think those songs are more striking and memorable. The show's strength is in its ensemble cast, but that's also its weakness too, in that it means we only get a shallow amount of characterisation on a lot of the characters, which has the result that the songs (particularly the love duets between the various couples) fell rather flat for me.
My favourite part was the scene where they manhandle the women into the lifeboats - I thought that was exceptionally well done, in the music, the acting and the staging.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Aug 10, 2016 21:47:32 GMT
Titanic tonight, woman behind me with her daughter, I'd guess the girl was about 10. She was fine until about two thirds of the way through the first half, but after that seemed to get very fidgety and was asking her mum questions incessantly, and having them answered. I'm all in favour of parents introducing their children to theatre, and to their credit, the child's questions seemed to be about the show, but surely sometimes a child is just too young - the questions were mainly the standard 'who's that? what did he say? why's he doing that?' style of thing, but honestly... part of introducing children to the theatre is introducing them to the concept of shushing and listening.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Aug 6, 2016 9:19:49 GMT
I only just realised now, and it's mostly done, but the BBC Radio version from 1996, starring Roger Daltrey, Tony Hadley, Frances Ruffelle and Julian Clary is on BBC Radio 4 Extra right now. Hopefully it'll be available on demand afterwards. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07mqkng
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Aug 6, 2016 2:41:48 GMT
Mine was the seats that would normally be £29.50, down to £22, rather than the 'offer' they keep promoting of £39.50 down to £29.50, which, as you say, are nothing of the sort.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Aug 4, 2016 19:00:51 GMT
Ahh, I didn't think of trying that! I think the tickets I got were alright though. (and my code is HHQCI )
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Aug 4, 2016 18:24:02 GMT
Think I will get ahold of a ticket for the final week. I have been meaning too but I kept forgetting it was on until now and I didn't realise it was ending next week! Despite being almost sold out for most performances this week, there are LOTS of tickets available for next week, including some discounts on decent seats on TodayTix.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 29, 2016 18:57:22 GMT
Thank you! I was confused especially for the citizenship. I'll send an email to the theatre then... just to be sure. Senior 'citizen' has nothing to do with being a citizen of the country or not. It's just a nicer way of saying OAP (Old Age Pensioner). So assuming your parents are over 60 or so (or look old enough), you'd be fine.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 29, 2016 11:28:09 GMT
I was disappointed how much the prices were for the 25th anniversary screening. I know going to the cinema is pricey these days, but the Miss Saigon showing is several pounds more expensive than the other films at my local cinema.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 29, 2016 11:25:04 GMT
Out of interest, did anyone else think the £8 programme / brochure was actually decent value for a change? Good photos, really interesting articles, nice quality paper. More of a mini-souvenir book. I was impressed. Way better than the expensive "Hamlet" programme last year, for example. To be honest, I never got that far. My thought process was just "£8?! No."
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 28, 2016 10:36:12 GMT
I don't know if there's ever been any comments before about the very beginning (or indeed, if this version is the same as the original London version or the tour), but my colleague who was there on Monday too mentioned this today (and I'll put it in spoiler tags). {Spoiler - click to view} The way the show begins immediately with the gunshots. I get that it's meant to shock and bring you right into the show, but is it wise in today's world, with so many attacks in public places?
My colleague is Turkish, and was genuinely scared for a moment, believing something had happened. I'm a little surprised they do it like that, and don't at least have some musical cues before it happens.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 26, 2016 20:29:44 GMT
The Dominion has good air-conditioning, parts of the auditorium (particularly the rear of the stalls) was actually quite chilly.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 25, 2016 21:53:49 GMT
Saw this tonight, found it rather disappointing. Good (though not great) singing performance, mediocre acting and a paper-thin plot. Particularly the ending, which is really fast - like several other scenes, there just seems to be a lack of character motivation for their actions.
I did wonder if I might have enjoyed it more with Beverley Knight. I thought Carole Stennett was excellent on the higher, belty stuff, but less good on the lower notes, and a lack of emotion in her singing at time (I didn't care at all about I Will Always Love You, for example).
Perfectly diverting night out though, and most of the rest of the theatre seemed to love it, with a full standing ovation at the end, so maybe I'm just hard to please! I'm not a huge fan of jukebox musicals where the way of shoehorning songs in is "and then [lead character] did a concert" (Sunny Afternoon is also guilty of this), so perhaps it was never going to be the show for me.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 18, 2016 13:15:54 GMT
Now I know nothing about it but didn't Ian Dury do a show called Apples? 1989 at the Royal Court! He starred in it along with Frances Ruffelle. I have the soundtrack, it's... odd.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 17, 2016 21:57:39 GMT
Damon Albarn's wonder.land :-D
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 17, 2016 21:43:52 GMT
Tickets now on sale, and I'm booked! Ultra-excited!
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 17, 2016 10:16:17 GMT
Yes, I agree - there's been quite a bit of marketing around this show, but most of it is poor. Michael is wonderful, but they could do better than simply selling the show around him.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 17, 2016 10:11:50 GMT
Having gone to the box office of The Go Between yesterday instead of the tkts booth, and getting the same tickets there for £25 as would have been £29.50 at tkts (i.e. day seat price), it got me wondering - how common is this? That going to a box office in the day will undercut what you get at tkts? Do theatres generally also offer their leftover seat at dayseat prices, as well as sending them to tkts?
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 16, 2016 22:44:00 GMT
Saw this tonight and really enjoyed it. Wasn't entirely sure what to expect, having heard about the 'chamber' style and the fact it's only a piano and not a full orchestra, and I think that works in some ways and not in others. It really grounds it in its time period, and gives it a real feel of its own, but at the same time, it does mean many of the songs are 'all on one level', and the numbers run into each other. I certainly couldn't hum you any of the songs now.
Despite that, I still really enjoyed it, mainly thanks to the fact it's an excellent, engrossing story in the first place, which has been very well adapted for the stage. Added to that the cast are fantastic, particularly Michael Crawford, who captures the eye whenever he's on stage (so basically all the time), and who sings and acts with a real delicateness and realness.
It's a shame this isn't getting the audience it perhaps deserves. It certainly really has its place among the glitzier shows and jukebox musicals, but maybe the West End isn't right for it. I'm definitely glad its in the Apollo and not somewhere bigger, as it did suit the confines of a small theatre, but even then, it was woefully undersold. We went to the box office this afternoon about 1pm and got given three seats in the centre of Row J for £25 (whereas tkts had them for £29.50, and going to the box office meant avoiding the tkts Saturday queue). And other than two people directly behind us, there was literally nobody else further back than we were, and it wasn't fully sold ahead either. Quite sad, but the audience were very appreciative, with the full standing ovation for the cast at the end.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 16, 2016 22:32:51 GMT
I saw the show this evening, having seen it previously at the Southwark Playhouse. There were some improvements on the previous production - the lifeboat scene was staged differently and more effective, the names of those who lost their lives really shows how big of a tragedy it was. I preferred the cast at the SP, but this cast still give it their all and the choral singing still gives me goosbumps. All except the actress who was playing Ida Straus, because she didnt sing a note all night. She spoke her lines and 'Still' became a solo. I presume she is unwell and unable to sing? I didnt find the actor playing Bride to be camp at all, more of a public schoolboy personna, though my companion thought he was a reclusive gay man.... the venue wasnt sticky or smelly but it was very warm. Our seats were in Row S as expected and I wasnt upgraded to 'Premium' though i did get the free drink and programme. Thanks very much for this. Made my decision for me when I read this earlier, and I opted for The Go Between instead. Might try and see if there's any 'proper' £29.50 tickets available further forward later in the run.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 14, 2016 19:47:17 GMT
I'm going tomorrow night. I'm booked into row S, which isnt their 'premium' seats, despite what the offer says and I wont have saved any money like it says on the Today Tix app. I will be contacting Today Tix if im still in Row S. Let us know what happens, I'll be basing my purchase for Saturday on it
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 14, 2016 19:43:05 GMT
OMG YES YES YES
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 14, 2016 11:50:31 GMT
The bubbly and programme really dont bother me, but if they're telling me i'm getting a premium seat and saving money then thats what i exepect! still, i've got to pay £29.50 regardless, so i'll book anyway, but it's very dodgy advertising on Today Tix. Has anyone not used their referral code yet? When are you going? Curious to know what the result was of this... Having a similar dilemma, but in my case, I don't want to go if I'm going to be sat in Row V (which is what it's giving me for the £29.50-reduced-from-£39.50 ones). Getting a 'free' program and glass of champagne isn't much use to me, since I'm booking three tickets and don't have the use for three programs in my house, and only one of the three of us drinks. On the other hand, I'd be sozzled before it starts!
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jul 7, 2016 20:54:57 GMT
Regarding G&D, I think producers took a gamble by transferring it to the Phoenix from April-October and then extending the period until Jan. It was a sell out at the Savoy and maybe they should've left it at that? It definitely wasn't a sell-out at the Savoy. The night I went was half-empty up in the Upper Circle, and I'd got a £10 ticket for it discounted from £25.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jun 24, 2016 9:05:27 GMT
Just to say thank you once again to TheatreBoard for my prize of two tickets to The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, which I saw last night and thoroughly enjoyed. It's not without its flaws - the first half is rather flimsy and overlong, and {Spoiler - click to view} Ray's character changes rather too quickly but the last 20 minutes or so majorly make up for that - stunning performances from all the cast. Only three more days, go see it!
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jun 23, 2016 16:37:12 GMT
I never knew this about click tracks, and it makes me sad, knowing it now. One of the reasons I love going to the theatre is to hear wonderful singers achieving amazing things with their voices - I don't want to be going now and thinking that some of the most impressive stuff I'm hearing is on tape.
Incidentally, on the Phantom example - do they get all Christines to pre-record it, including understudies, so they're at least miming to their own vocal?
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jun 21, 2016 14:57:11 GMT
In the revival, it wasn't. Chris is getting bugged by people trying to sell him things, buy a passport, the guy cycling round...
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jun 21, 2016 13:25:38 GMT
The sets looked a bit minimal and cheap I think you miss the point, joe10086. The "village" and "desert" scenes are meant to be minimal, to contrast with the gloriously opulent scenes in the cave and sky. The contrast between "have" and "have not" is vital to the show, as is the dramatic need to have a couple of "take your breath away" moments. Trust me on this, I've got the press pack, and according to those figures, NOTHING is cheap about this show LOL. I'm with Joe on this. I thought the marketplace in particular felt cheap. I get that it's minimal, to provide a contrast, and that does work - it shouldn't look cardboard, however. I'd compare it with Kim's shack in Miss Saigon, on this same stage immediately beforehand. She was clearly very poor, living in minimal surroundings, but it looked real. The Aladdin marketplace doesn't.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jun 20, 2016 9:50:56 GMT
Is the mash-up of I Dreamed A Dream/On My Own that they did at WEL the same as this one?
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jun 18, 2016 20:07:36 GMT
I saw Miss Saigon twice towards the end of the recent run. One time the Engineer got the final bow, however the other time, Jon Jon Briones was off, and his understudy got the penultimate bow, with Eva Noblezada instead getting the last bow.
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