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Post by johartuk on Jan 20, 2017 13:04:20 GMT
It was fascinating. A good mix of information and performances.
I agree about the performers being credited. It could easily have been done.
Also agree about Stephen Schwarz - a good interviewee who I could listen to all day! I didn't know he could sing!
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Post by johartuk on Jan 18, 2017 15:57:27 GMT
Sings "...I am fat and i'm your friend, will my eating ever end? to my toes I cannot bend, and never will again..." Also includes the hits:- As If I Never Ate The Pies Munchies Of The Night Close Every (Fridge) Door Food Glorious Food Consider Yourself (Obese) Eat Me, Seymour If I Was A Fat Man You Can't Stop The Weight (Piling On) Lady In Weight
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Post by johartuk on Jan 12, 2017 16:29:10 GMT
Can this discussion please be given its own thread? That way everyone who wishes to discuss the subject can, without derailing other threads (as is happening here).
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Post by johartuk on Jan 11, 2017 16:14:15 GMT
Comes back from where? She hasn't been anywhere! You know what I mean... no disrespect to Ruth, but if it is her or Marisha... bye Ruth, shoulda been "ready" at the start, not "i'll be ready by February". To be fair, I suspect that the rehearsal situation was probably out of Ruth's control. No-one expected Amber to come down with pneumonia. It sounds to me as if Marisha was brought in to effectively take over the role of Effie until Amber was well again (a recent WoS article suggested as much). If that's the case, it's likely that Ruth had had very little (if any) rehearsal time when Amber went off sick. Add to that some other cast members getting ill, and it would have been very difficult for Ruth to get any rehearsal time in!
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Post by johartuk on Jan 9, 2017 12:23:17 GMT
The bit on the mountain is very 'Sound Of Music' - I half expected a group of children clad in curtain fabric to appear!
Emma's voice sounds thin and nasal. Not great.
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Post by johartuk on Jan 7, 2017 21:14:48 GMT
I liked the opening number - good fun. However, I wasn't keen on the Star thing - just tell them if they're through or not! I preferred the way they did the auditions in the ALW shows - one ep showing the auditions/call-backs, one showing the Maria/Joseph/Nancy/Dorothy school stage and final choosing of the ones who'd made the live shows, then into the live shows. I miss that simplicity.
The standard of the auditionees in tonight's show wasn't great. Did they really put someone who had never performed before through to the TV stages (the fireman)? Bonkers!
I was surprised that there weren't more good-looking auditionees. The lad who sang 'New York, New York' wasn't boyband material!
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Post by johartuk on Jan 6, 2017 13:48:53 GMT
Wasn't it interesting. Bernsteins daughter was a bit "stagey" though. And wasn't Sondheim handsome in his youth! Yes to both! I thought Sondheim came across really well - liked him a lot. I also thought the 'original' Maria seemed lovely - I was moved to tears by her account of the reaction of the actor who played Tony to the additional song that was written for him ('Something's Coming'), and by her account of opening night. It's a shame that there weren't any clips of the original cast performing. I just went on YT and managed to find a clip of the two leads. Sound and picture quality isn't great, but it gives an idea:- Incidentally, I found myself thinking that the story of the creation of WSS would make a good film.
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Post by johartuk on Jan 3, 2017 17:44:03 GMT
He also says that teenagers live lonely lives on their phone and this programme will teach them about the challenges of working in a team. Wow, just like ur music Gary u sure know how to make exciting tv To be fair, again he has a point. His problem is that he seems to be coming across in interviews as a bit 'Head Teacher addressing the first assembly of the New Term'. Luckily, he's not making the TV show - he's just the ALW figure (and even he was a bit school teacher-ish at times). I think that as long as he doesn't attempt to be 'down with the kids' he should be fine! I think Graham will step in if Gary does start to take himself too seriously...or waffle on for too long!
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Post by johartuk on Jan 3, 2017 13:22:56 GMT
Gary Barlow "I feel jukebox musicals have got predictable" he says announcing his jukebox musical. Awful man To be fair, you only have to look at posts on here (and posts on the previous board) about jukebox musicals to see that he has a point. Whether his musical is going to bring anything new or original to the genre remains to be seen, but I see nothing wrong with his comment. I find him pretty inoffensive, really. The only thing that bugs me a bit about him is that he seems rather dour. When he pops up on TV being interviewed, I find myself thinking "I wish you'd attempt to crack a smile occasionally!" I hope he's slightly more cheerful on Let It Shine - even ALW managed a bit of levity on the TV casting shows he was involved in. Come to think of it, I'm going to miss his eccentricity on LIS, and his gallery of facial expressions! Incidentally, LIS starts this Saturday.
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Post by johartuk on Jan 1, 2017 22:09:36 GMT
She's hardly going to sound Broadway quality or to the quality of the original is she? That's not the point. The point is that I don't believe a word she sings because it's too inadequate. That just won't do. Edit: There are solutions for this in film, voice over, sung thoughts, dubbing, casting, etc etc. As long a it's believable. This is not. I agree. This is supposed to be a moment where Belle is realising that her relationship with the Beast is changing. It's supposed to be a happy (if slightly tentative) moment. Emma just isn't conveying that in her voice, which also seems too thin. She can carry a tune, but I'd expect more from a Disney film. They're synonymous with great vocals - even getting singers in (many of them Broadway people) to do the singing for the characters, while Hollywood 'names' supply the speaking voices. The one exception I can think of being Tom Hulce, who was both the speaking and singing voices of Quasimodo in Hunchback, and managed to convey the emotion in his vocals wonderfully. Emma sounds thin and reedy. It's sad that they didn't either get someone else to be Belle's singing voice (there are plenty of musical theatre performers who'd be up to the task) or just get a different actress with a better singing voice (again, there are plenty of musical theatre performers, including Sam Barks, who has previous film musical experience). I don't think they needed Emma Watson to get bums on seats - Cinderella was a hit without a big name in the title role. There are enough other roles in Beauty & The Beast that could be (and have been) filled by 'names'.
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Post by johartuk on Dec 31, 2016 20:20:13 GMT
So will Amber be missing Saturday nights to appear in that naff looking Take That talent show on BBC? I'm presuming they are doing live shows..? I think she's just around for the audition stages, which have been filmed.
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Post by johartuk on Dec 26, 2016 23:30:20 GMT
Team Emma Hatton are on a misson to take over the board. Emma is Queen after all Rachel isn't for me, personally I don't think Rachel can act, sorry!🙈 Alice is so much better (in my opinion) You don't like Rachel as Elphaba and that's fine - we're all entitled to our opinions. However, to say that she can't act is a complete nonsense! Someone who can't act wouldn't have had her contract at Wicked renewed during her first West End run. Nor would she have been invited to play Elphaba on Broadway. During her stint in I'd Do Anything her acting wasn't, as far as I can recall, ever criticised by the judges. Others were, so if there had been an issue with Rachel's acting ability, it would have been mentioned. She also had a career prior to IDA, understudying in various touring productions, something which would have been a near impossibility for someone who couldn't act.
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Post by johartuk on Dec 26, 2016 0:58:33 GMT
Very sad and a real shock. RIP George.
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Post by johartuk on Dec 23, 2016 0:33:34 GMT
Obvious choice of panto for the Palladium - I was surprised they didn't do it this year, TBH. It'll be interesting to see who they cast.
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Post by johartuk on Dec 21, 2016 16:27:11 GMT
I blame the TV talent shows, where the audience are actively encourage to applaud at random moments - two bars into a song, mid-song, tempo change, chorus, keychange...etc! The weirdest one was during this year's Strictly final, when the audience started clapping along to the tense 'waiting for the results to be announced' music!
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Post by johartuk on Dec 16, 2016 15:11:33 GMT
Quentin Letts in the The Daily Mail writes.... "Prince Charming is played by Lee Mead, running to podge a little but still blessed with a lovely head of curls and those Bugs Bunny upper teeth" and he's meant to be a serious critic, but then he does write for The Daily Mail.... It wouldn't be the Daily Mail without a bit of body shaming thrown in! BTW - Hope you make a swift recovery DJ14 - food poisoning is vile.
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Post by johartuk on Dec 15, 2016 17:44:08 GMT
Just had another look and noticed them. Shades of Shrek!
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Post by johartuk on Dec 15, 2016 13:29:48 GMT
To be fair, that clip is a few seconds long and the sound quality (and balance) is terrible, so it's difficult to tell anything from that, even when using headphones to listen (as I was).
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Post by johartuk on Dec 9, 2016 0:58:31 GMT
I just got through watching it - I thought it was really enjoyable! The actress playing Tracy was fab! I also loved Edna, Wilber, Amber, Velma, Seaweed...in fact, pretty much everyone! The only issue I really had was with Jennifer Hudson being too glam/slim for the role (in one of the songs, she sings about being big and blonde, when she's obviously slim). I also agree with the person who mentioned Ariana Grande - her voice seemed weak compared to the others (the duet with J-Hud at the end was a mistake, because that really showed the weakness of her voice up). Incidentally, I loved the nod to the original 1988 film Edna in the first scene:- {Spoiler - click to view} In the 'Good Morning Baltimore' scene, there's a pet shop called DIVINE PETS which has a pink flamingo as its logo.
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Post by johartuk on Dec 8, 2016 14:57:05 GMT
I was a bit disappointed in that clip - poor diction, lots of shouting and she looks way too young and glamorous for the role.
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Post by johartuk on Nov 29, 2016 1:08:37 GMT
Should we meet again I will not recognise your name You can be sure what's gone before Will be concealed Your friends will never learn That once we were on easy terms
From 'Easy Terms' (Blood Brothers). In fact the whole song is desperately sad, but that verse is the one that really gets me for some reason.
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Post by johartuk on Nov 26, 2016 22:06:02 GMT
Also, ain't they too old? And by quite a lot? (I appreciate Glennith was 20yrs too old but it actually fit) That was my first thought actually, over and above their acting which I know nothing of. He's mid 40's isn't he? And she's no spring chicken either. Alfie Boe is 43 and Katherine Jenkins is 36. Age wouldn't be a problem if they looked a bit younger, but they both look their ages.
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Post by johartuk on Nov 24, 2016 1:17:10 GMT
Right? A broadway cast recording that was released 14 months ago is currently the 6th best selling album in America and we're supposed to believe the music is weak? Not to everyone's taste sure, but it's not weak. Come on now. To be fair, just because something's a chart hit doesn't necessarily mean that it's 'good'. There's been plenty of dross that's hit number 1 in the charts, just as there has been truly brilliant stuff that hasn't hit number 1. All being at number 6 in the album charts means is that loads of people have bought the thing. Personally, I have no real opinion on the show either way. The bits I've heard seem interesting, and LMM seems to have a lot of charisma. However, the hysteria surrounding it is something I just don't understand. It's all a bit bizarre, though it's also interesting to be on the outside, watching everyone get worked into a lather over how wonderful/worthy Hamilton is.
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Post by johartuk on Nov 21, 2016 12:24:49 GMT
Kim Exum's post reads like a spoof, which I hope it is (and if you read it as a comedy piece, it's actually pretty funny), because I'd hate to think that anyone could really be that up themselves.
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Post by johartuk on Oct 20, 2016 22:19:10 GMT
He might have been brooding in the West End but all i can think of now is his awful performance on Casualty Oh dear. Don't remind me. Most remembered for fake tanning Lee Mead's bum! I bet he doesn't put that on his CV!
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Post by johartuk on Oct 11, 2016 13:29:50 GMT
I agree. It's ridiculous! People need to get a grip - it's just someone singing a song from a popular musical (and being a popular musical, it's no surprise that MT performers will want to perform songs from it, just as they perform songs from Wicked, Phantom, Les Mis, etc). Nothing offensive and no offence meant, as far as I can see.
I do think that it's a good idea to actually read the lyrics when choosing a song, whether it be for a performance, music for a TV drama soundtrack, a TV ad or a youtube vid, because you can easily end up making a mistake. TV ads are particularly bad for using songs chosen by advertising bods who obviously haven't bothered to listen to the whole song or done any research on the song/performer/writer - at the moment there's an ad for some car insurance company using a T-Rex song!
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Post by johartuk on Oct 10, 2016 9:08:10 GMT
I am happily gonna put forward the suggestion, I want to see Carrie Hope Fletcher play the role. And not for fangirl purposes or anything like that, I just want to see her do it! I think she'd make a better Glinda.
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Post by johartuk on Oct 10, 2016 0:13:41 GMT
I've enjoyed watching this, but I found Jenna Coleman a bit hammy at times (both she and the actor who played Albert seemed to be channelling their 'inner stroppy teenager', complete with bouts of sulking and general moodiness). Jenna's vocal delivery was a bit strange and forced at times - as if she was speaking how she thought a queen should speak, which was OK in scenes when she was dealing with courtiers/subjects, but odd when she was supposed to be having a private conversation with Lord M, Prince Albert or anyone else she was close to. Rufus Sewell acted her off the screen in every scene they were in together - she often seemed a bit OTT, while he managed to often convey something with just a glance or a slight flicker of a smile (or frown).
I found it pretty slow - they could probably have wrapped things up in 6 episodes if they'd cut out some of the repetitive waffle (how many times was it mentioned in the final two eps that Victoria might die in childbirth, and how many times did we hear the words 'poor Charlotte'?) and moved things on at a brisker pace.
I felt a bit sorry for the Duke of Cumberland in tonight's ep - wrongly accused of plotting to murder his niece, and then not so much as an apology when it turned out that he was innocent, and the would-be assassin was actually a lone nutter. I suspect that in reality, Cumberland was more sinned against than sinning (apparently, he was disliked by politicians and the media, so they were more than happy to spread negative gossip about him, whether true or not). I read an interesting book on him, and he was accused of all sorts during his life, including having an affair with his sister which resulted in the birth of an illegitimate child, murdering a footman, murdering his wife...blimey, that would make a heck of a TV drama!
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Post by johartuk on Oct 3, 2016 14:26:22 GMT
I remember seeing Jennifer in American Idol. She was good, but so were other contestants, so she wasn't a standout performer (I preferred both eventual winner Fantasia Barrino and LaToya London). One thing I do remember about her was that she had attitude (in a good way) and an individual sense of style (on the first live show, she wore a bright pink dress she'd made herself). What saddened me was that once she was in the Hollywood machine, she seemed to shed that spark along with her weight - nice, attractive but rather bland.
I really hope she has the spark back for The Voice, or I can see her being a bit underwhelming as a coach.
I agree that it's annoying when someone invariably asks "Who?" or says "I've never heard of her/him/them!" It's easy enough to google them or search on the tubular website.
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Post by johartuk on Sept 29, 2016 12:54:46 GMT
Dame Norton mentioned on the radio last week that he'd been in Salford filming the show and that there were some incredible singers. Well, he would say that wouldn't he. He also pronounced it "Sall-ford". God knows why, Any mention of when the show will air? Early next year was what was said in the press release, so I'd guess either in the slot vacated by 'The Voice' or end of March to beginning of June, which was when the previous BBC shows aired.
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