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Post by amadeus on Mar 6, 2019 22:40:47 GMT
The fact is that Michael Jackson was found innocent in a court of law in 2005. These two guys swore under oath that no abuse took place. So were they lying then ( under oath in a court of law ) or lying now? All of this is explained in Part 2. I suggest you at least listen to what the other side has to say before leaping to his defense...
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Post by amadeus on Mar 6, 2019 15:51:50 GMT
The first part is on Channel 4 tonight.
This is such a powerful documentary. The second part really illuminates the long term effects of abuse and how it destroys self-esteem and families. James Safechuck in particular still seems so damaged. I hope they both continue to heal and wish them strength to endure the torrent of hatred coming from Jackson fans.
It's sad how many people I'm seeing on social media writing this documentary off without even watching it. I advise you to watch it and make up your own minds.
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Post by amadeus on Dec 14, 2018 17:50:41 GMT
Adore her!
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Post by amadeus on Mar 18, 2018 0:09:06 GMT
Does the show still start stupidly quietly or have they sorted the sound out on this tour? I definitely didn't notice any sound issues and I was at the back of the stalls.
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Post by amadeus on Mar 18, 2018 0:05:06 GMT
Caught the final performance this evening. It was nice to see the Crucible 3/4 full; when I saw this a few weeks ago it was practically empty. Daniel Rigby and Jonathan Hyde are just wonderful in this. Hopefully they'll get the chance to revive their performances some time soon.
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32 posts
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Post by amadeus on Mar 18, 2018 0:01:33 GMT
Caught a matinee performance this Wednesday. I agree, all the cast were strong - Gwen truly shone. The performances make up for a lackluster set (why was it playing in a theatre as big as the opera house??!) and direction that could do with being a tiny bit more inventive, though perhaps it's best not to tamper with a classic. Wilde's lines really hold up so well. I booked for this ages ago as ATG were doing a £15 Under 25 discount; I wish ATG would do student/under 25 discounts more... Alas...
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32 posts
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Post by amadeus on Mar 16, 2018 0:05:49 GMT
Saw the opening for this tonight at the Curve. What an amazing production; it barely feels scaled down at all. The cast were brilliant... Annalise Bradbury was on as Matilda (I think... I was at the back of the stalls and couldn't find a cast board). She gave a faultless performance, her diction when singing was most impressive! Carly Thoms is a delightful Miss Honey, but Craig Els steals the show as Miss Trunchbull. The audience loved him.
Truly cannot fault this tour; don't let the steep prices put you off (you definitely get your money's worth!!)
(Also... shout out to the person who suggested changing "shoot you in the face" to "punch you in the face"...)
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Post by amadeus on Mar 15, 2018 1:48:03 GMT
Definitely one of the best things I've seen all year. April De Angelis has done a wonderful job with this adaptation - she retains the emotion and the drama of the piece very well. When I go to see a story I know well I always lower my expectations, especially if it's anything remotely horror/sci-fi/supernatural related. But this production gets the balance of drama and spectacle just right; it's both a traditional and inventive production. Half of the banquette seats were empty so if you want to see this for £10 then giving the box office a ring is definitely worth it.
All of the performances are strong. Harry Attwell is brilliant as the Monster - terrifying then heart-wrenching!! The staging is equally strong. The first 20 minutes felt a tad slow but once it got going every five minutes brought something brilliant. After The Almighty Sometimes last month and this, The Exchange is quickly becoming my favourite theatre in the country. Hopefully the rest of the year will be of this quality.
Don't read the spoiler if you're going to see this - I'm glad I went in knowing nothing about this production. {Spoiler - click to view} I love how creative this was -Frankenstin's brother Michael is portrayed by a puppet, for instance. Darkness and the fear of the unknown is used effectively. I was perched down on the banquettes so every time there was a black out I was convinced something was right in front of me. The staging was great - rain, fire, blood... all the things that make drama great, eh??
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Post by amadeus on Mar 5, 2018 12:31:30 GMT
Yes, definitely go if you can. I saw it last week and loved it. The cast are exceptional, and the production itself is very well done.
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Post by amadeus on Feb 20, 2018 1:18:55 GMT
What a stunning debut from the playwright Kendall Feaver. Her writing is clever and humorous and doesn't shy away from acknowledging the complexity of living with mental health issues - ultimately we are left unsure what the 'moral' or argument is in this play. She delivers this massive story through her characters and the relationships that unfold between them, making us empathize with them in even their most spiteful moments. The performances are excellent all around - riveting and sensitively understated.
If you're in or around Manchester this is definitely something to try and catch before it closes this Saturday.
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Chess
Feb 16, 2018 18:26:24 GMT
Post by amadeus on Feb 16, 2018 18:26:24 GMT
^Rail in view, and you can lose the front of the stage. Also, if anyone leans in A, you are in big trouble. Ok, sounds as if it is then! Thanks.
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Chess
Feb 16, 2018 18:14:16 GMT
Post by amadeus on Feb 16, 2018 18:14:16 GMT
Is Row B of the Balcony worth avoiding?? Just wondering why it was so reduced.
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Post by amadeus on Feb 12, 2018 12:42:10 GMT
I started watching this yesterday and I've almost finished season one. It follows a woman's life in 1950s NY as she tries to establish herself as a stand up comedian, but i'd say it's as much a drama as it is a comedy series. It sort of reminds me of Feud, so if you liked that then this is something worth checking out.
Also the soundtrack is essentially show tune after show tune which I'm rather enjoying...
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Post by amadeus on Jan 23, 2018 21:56:44 GMT
I adored this film too. It's a rare treat when a film comes along that is bold and unapologetic yet still manages to be an intelligent and subtle piece at the same time. I never really laugh at movies any more but this had plenty of moments I found humorous. I agree the ending wasn't perfect but on reflection I think going for a clean-cut kind of ending would have betrayed the complexity of the characters. Go and see this if you can!
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Post by amadeus on Jan 20, 2018 23:26:36 GMT
The Secret Garden was probably my favourite read of last year. I hadn't read it as a child (I'm 18... so I no longer count as a child...bleugh), I'd only seen the 90s film. Just such a lovely little story! Inga Moore's illustrations were wonderful too, worth googling if you're into that sort of thing.
I can't remember what books I used to love as a child. All I can remember is my primary school feeding us on a diet of Roald Dahl.
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Post by amadeus on Jan 20, 2018 20:51:55 GMT
Three days later and I still have tunes from this running around in my head. Almost cinematic in it's presentation at time, this was so engaging. The puppetry was incredible. Almost lifelike in the movement, especially Mojo - although I'd have preferred it if they'd changed his name slightly, Moja even, Mojo just made me think of Austin Powers every time his name was mentioned. Loved so many of the characters. Especially Julie Atherton's Queen Angelica, whose performance was almost comparable to that of Miranda Richardson's Queenie in Blackadder, comic brilliance. Sat in row J I was glad Grimpayne & Dea made their way through into the audience for the finale as I got to see Grimpayne's prosthetic smile up close, which was incredibly detailed. Having snatched a ticket up with my ATG Theatre card for £12 I left feeling like I'd stolen a seat. Absolutely crazy value for such an amazing show! How did you manage a ticket for £12? Ive got an ATG card but it doesn't seem to offer any discount for this? is it a last minute thing? The National emailed a discount code to entry pass members. I think it runs out today though.
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Post by amadeus on Jan 20, 2018 20:41:06 GMT
I manged to see the 3:00 matinee of this in Sheffield today. Firstly, the set is AMAZING for a touring production... For half a second I thought a train was about to nosedive into the front stalls of the Lyceum. I'd never been to the Lyceum before so it was nice to discover a theatre so beautiful on a rainy Saturday afternoon. I sat at the back of the stalls and there was no overhang. In terms of production values I truly can't fault the show. Smart use of music and lighting...
I don't think this play is particularly well written/structured. It could lose 20 odd minutes because it just doesn't feel half as dramatic as it could easily be. The cast carried it well though. I was at a captioned performance and I was quite tired because I had an exam earlier in the day, so perhaps my concentration levels had something to do with it. And I'm sure the people unwrapping sweets every 2 minutes didn't help.
Anyone else seen/seeing this??
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Post by amadeus on Jan 19, 2018 18:28:57 GMT
I caught this last night too. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would... It's great to see something with a concept so unique produced at this standard. The cast were wonderful and deserved the 3/4 standing ovation they got. The score isn't particularly strong if you're looking for individual stand-alone songs, but I think cohesively it works really well to achieve atmosphere and further the story...
I'll definitely be catching this again before it closes in April.
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Post by amadeus on Jan 9, 2018 14:55:24 GMT
NT are offering an Entry Pass discount for this. I just got a £62 ticket for £12.50... lucky me...
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Post by amadeus on Jan 8, 2018 18:20:18 GMT
Does anyone know what the running time for this show normally sits at? Thanks!
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Post by amadeus on Dec 21, 2017 15:01:42 GMT
Sadly the exchange don't offer student tickets for matinees It may involve a little work and/or getting up early, but I think you can book £10 seats on the day. Thanks! I'll definitely give that a try.
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32 posts
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Post by amadeus on Dec 21, 2017 14:52:24 GMT
I saw this a few weeks back. Guys and Dolls is one of my favourite shows so I can quite easily overlook production faults, but this production was one of the better ones I've seen. The cast were strong and sang the score beautifully. Vocally they embraced the 'jazz' style the director was going for. I didn't take to some of the musical arrangements (like The Oldest Established) but on the whole this wasn't a problem; the dancing certainly made up for it! The lighting and the production design in general worked really well in the space. The stage never felt overcrowded, yet at the same time never bare. The direction wasn't particularly innovative, but this was only noticeable in the first few scenes. By the time we reached the nightclub scene I was full immersed.
I'd love to see this again when I head back up to Uni. I had to leave after Sit Down Your Rocking to catch a tram to the station. My train was delayed for 25 minutes so I'm gutted I missed the last 10 minutes! Sadly the exchange don't offer student tickets for matinees!!
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Post by amadeus on Dec 9, 2017 21:11:46 GMT
I just saw the first half of this. Dreadful. I can’t believe they charging around £40 for these tickets - I only paid a fiver, thank god. What can I say? I cant believe Sheffield Theatres conjured up something this tacky. I’ve seen amateur productions with more aesthetic appeal. Slippers that were more white than red. A blue dress that turned green under the lighting... haha. I don’t think I have the vocabulary to describe the munchkins and the witch. The whole thing was so poor for Sheffied - I wish I could praise the direction or cast or something, but sadly I can’t. Interesting to know what others think. Hopefully I haven’t turned into Scrooge. I love the film. I’ve hated every single stage version. I just don’t think it works! This production makes the London ALW revival look like a masterpiece, honestly. Oh, Toto turned into a yellow straw puppet when they landed in Oz... how could i forget! I’ve always preffered The Wiz as a stage version of the WOZ.
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Post by amadeus on Dec 9, 2017 21:00:17 GMT
I just saw the first half of this. Dreadful. I can’t believe they charging around £40 for these tickets - I only paid a fiver, thank god. What can I say? I cant believe Sheffield Theatres conjured up something this tacky. I’ve seen amateur productions with more aesthetic appeal. Slippers that were more white than red. A blue dress that turned green under the lighting... haha. I don’t think I have the vocabulary to describe the munchkins and the witch. The whole thing was so poor for Sheffied - I wish I could praise the direction or cast or something, but sadly I can’t. Interesting to know what others think. Hopefully I haven’t turned into Scrooge.
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32 posts
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Post by amadeus on Dec 3, 2017 22:02:19 GMT
Does anyone know if the walk from the Exchange to Manchester Piccadilly station is doable in 15/20 mins?? I'm thinking I'm going to have to miss the last 10 minutes of the show to catch a 22:28 train. It’s doable in 15/20 but it’ll have to be a brisk walk!! Brisk walking to catch trains just happens to be one talent I am possessed with!
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32 posts
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Post by amadeus on Dec 3, 2017 21:20:40 GMT
Does anyone know if the walk from the Exchange to Manchester Piccadilly station is doable in 15/20 mins?? I'm thinking I'm going to have to miss the last 10 minutes of the show to catch a 22:28 train.
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32 posts
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Post by amadeus on Nov 22, 2017 21:31:04 GMT
I saw this on Monday. The production was really beautiful and there wasn't a weak link in the cast. There was a 20 minute break in Act 2 due to a technical issue, but aside from that you'd never of guessed it was only their second preview...
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Post by amadeus on Nov 18, 2017 22:38:09 GMT
Hey,
Do entry pass tickets booked under the 'mates rates (£10)' pricing have to be used exclusively by someone OTHER than the entry pass member??? Any cunning theatregoers figured out how to see the same show twice without going in disguise?!
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Post by amadeus on Nov 7, 2017 22:36:20 GMT
I keep a trusty word document that includes times, dates and costs of things I'm seeing and shows to book. I don't want to sound dramatic but I'd be a MESSSS without it...
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Post by amadeus on Nov 7, 2017 22:34:21 GMT
I know this should be in the plays section but I doubt many of you have seen this...
Has anyone caught this production so far? It runs until the 18th of November. I saw the first performance and I still don't know what to make of it. The production just lacked any sense of vision... It just sort of plodded along... Not terrible, but not great either. I loved the stripping away of the scenery though... Very Pippin-esque. Luckily I was sat on the front row at the right side of the auditorium - half the audience missed all the dancing scenes. Seems a strange thing to do.
I'm thinking of giving it another go considering I was a bit tired and it was the first night.
What did you guys make of it? Hope you're all well x
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