2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Feb 11, 2019 14:28:36 GMT
Fopp should still be open. They have a small selection on the upper floor. The shop itself is in the middle of the West End, roughly between Harry Potter and Matilda.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Feb 11, 2019 10:35:25 GMT
Che cazzo Thanks for the warning, lol, time to dig out my 20 year old "Italian for Beginners" book...
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Feb 11, 2019 9:12:22 GMT
Has anyone here read "Space Opera"by Catherynne M Valente? It may be the maddest book I've ever read, about an intergalactic song contest (clearly modelled on the ESC) and the hapless Earthlings getting caught up in it.
It's screaming for a stage adaptation that would probably be something of a love child of Eugenius and SpongeBob weaned on Acid and babysat by the Rocky Horror Show.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Feb 11, 2019 9:06:10 GMT
I know the cast is mainly Italian, but... don't tell me they speak Italian except for the director? I booked this merely to indulge my crush on Luke Pasqualino, so please don't tell me it's going to be a dud
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Feb 11, 2019 8:20:55 GMT
Justin Beiber making his stage debut.Trying to show his acting ability before being cast as Fiyero in Wicked. Will be difficult covering his tatoos. The tats will be his very unique coat of many colours then
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Feb 10, 2019 17:24:25 GMT
I went to a Tim Hortons in Toronto Airport. The ...whatever it was (donut thingy?) with maple syrup was like the sweetest thing I ever encountered and I thought nobody could out-do the Americans in the sugar department. But yes, a few Tim Hortons amid the sea of Starbucks, Costa and Caffe Neros would be nice in London. Have you tried the sausage and egg bun? Delicious! (and unhealthy, but oh well) No, I was just in Toronto Airport on a stop-over, only chance I had to try fabled Tim Hortons at all. It was a tiny in-the-wall-place, too. Otherwise the whole airport seemed to consist of shops flogging maple syrup in all shapes and sizes.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Feb 10, 2019 17:08:19 GMT
I love Tim Hortons. There are a few in Madrid and I decided to give it a go last time I was there. Better than Starbucks in my opinion! And great breakfast deals! I'm surprised there's no Tim Hortons in London at all. I went to a Tim Hortons in Toronto Airport. The ...whatever it was (donut thingy?) with maple syrup was like the sweetest thing I ever encountered and I thought nobody could out-do the Americans in the sugar department. But yes, a few Tim Hortons amid the sea of Starbucks, Costa and Caffe Neros would be nice in London.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Feb 10, 2019 14:29:16 GMT
Can't read the one from the Times, but the story on Sky with all the photos is fantastic. Made me well up a little, actually. How I'll get through the show, I don't know.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Feb 8, 2019 19:50:18 GMT
I got the same - thanks for alerting me to it, as I had to fish it from the spam folder.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Feb 8, 2019 12:48:41 GMT
There was talks of that a long time ago when the mega-blockbuster-schmaltz-musicals were in their heydays in the 90s. Especially around the time Princess Diana died, because there were so many similiarities between her and Elisabeth.
I don't think today's cynicism would treat Elisabeth kindly. Yes, she didn't have it easy in her life, but she was still a hugely neurotic contrary mopey person, who hardly lifted a finger to help the people in her Habsburg Empire but spent most of her life just feeling sorry for herself. And I really don't think the Eurotrash pop music would go down well with the London audiences weaned on Broadway.
I loved Elisabeth back then and I still think it has some kick-ass good tunes, but just like Björn and Benny's Kristina it was a product of its time that I don't think would work well now.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Feb 7, 2019 14:36:03 GMT
I was able to get in just now and took a peek around. Sadly the slips seats where I sat for £25 for Company are either gone or not on sale. Cheapest I saw was £32.50 on the sides of the Upper Circle, classified as Restricted View. But there was lots of availability across the board, so no worries if you're stuck in a queue. Didn't book anything as I really can't be bothered. I loved Alfie Boe's Valjean (yea, so shoot me) and I like Michael Ball in general (shoot me again), but I'm just not that excited about it all.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Feb 5, 2019 7:12:31 GMT
If it follows recent patterns, this might mean it will move from Zürich to Cologne then. The UK-Tour of Miss Saigon also played exclusively in Zürich and Cologne. And it seems, mercifully, that Stage Entertainment haven't got their mitts on this show to ruin it like they ruin most everything in Germany. So perhaps don't hold your breath for the Mormons to visit other cities in the UK... producers are realizing there's money to be made from these international tours.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Feb 3, 2019 14:09:03 GMT
I was lucky enough to see The Fantasticks in its original home Sullivan Street Playhouse in NY where it ran for decades. I think its secret was its simplicity - very basic set, costumes, etc., making it all come alive through great lyrics (which are rarer than hen's teeth these days) and great performances in a very small theatre. I think it's probably too naive-sweet-innocent in its tone for today's cynic times and of course the whole "Rape" stuff is impossible to sing today (I think it was changed to "Abduction" at some point though) and I also can't see it work well in a bigger space/normal theatre. Southwark Playhouse thereabouts would be the right size for it.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Feb 3, 2019 3:50:39 GMT
Hmm...so Tom Burke plays Strike, and JK Rowling’s latest Strike novel quotes extensively from... Rosmersholm. I’m not a detective but my hunch is this casting may be more than mere coincidence. ;-) I JUST read the book on the beach, so that also stood out to me. Though considering that JKR worked on the novel for a very long time, I can't imagine this to be more than a very amusing coincidence. Waiting for dayseats on this one, but would love to see it if I get the chance.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 29, 2019 0:56:33 GMT
Not surprising though, is it? Rent is much lesser known than any of the others and long past the time when it was a massive hype (like Hamilton is now). Plus, people may have become tired of the concept. I mean, I've been a musical lover for +30 years but even I couldn't be bothered to watch ALL of them because either the show or the cast didn't appeal to me (or both). The only one I enjoyed was The Wiz, I thought Grease was pretty awful. Anyway, still want to see Rent as it's been a favorite of mine ever since it came out in the mid-90s. I had hoped this would create enough buzz to get a new generation of musical lovers interested in it, but seems it's not to be. Glad to read a somewhat positive review though, thanks latefortheoverture
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 27, 2019 9:46:43 GMT
Could this become this year's Chess? High prices, higher anticipation about the cast, lots of rumours and then a "meh" announcement?
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 22, 2019 10:24:55 GMT
Each to their own. Forgive me for having a different taste.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 22, 2019 9:48:04 GMT
Germany is just early when it's a show co-producted by Stage Entertainment, such as Anastasia and Pretty Woman. Stage also brings Tina to Hamburg and Utrecht first before it will open on Broadway. Basically they always develop their shows with their own primary markets like Germany and the Netherlands in mind.
Come From Away IS a Canadian show and I guess they never expected it to do as well as it has on Broadway or that it might travel to Europe.
What else? Frozen now? Well, a) it makes sense for them to wait for the theatre they want rather than try for another one and b) it's not the massive juggernaut people were expecting, so does it really matter? While Aladdin did okay now and Lion King is its own phenomenon, London has never been that big of a market for them, while Germany and/or the Netherlands (again, through Stage Entertainment) got all their mediocre shows like Tarzan, Little Mermaid and Hunchback - probably because they knew they aren't good enough for the West End.
London IS still the first to get "hot" new properties like Hamilton, Come From Away and soon Dear Evan Hansen.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 17, 2019 13:56:43 GMT
Yea, it was definitely not a person attack, nor was it meant in some religious sense. But I'd rather see a ticket go to some massive Blanchett fan from, say, Newcastle, who spends a night in a hotel, so she/he can start queuing at 5am, enjoy her idol on stage, then take the night coach back or something than someone who just by luck lives in London and snatches up a ticket simply because it's the hottest ticket in town and they want to feel smug.
Thanks to living on the continent, I have also missed out on MANY things I would have loved to see and will continue to miss lots of things. Yet last year I wanted something really really badly, so I did throw a lot of money into the wind for it and I have no regrets.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 17, 2019 9:54:32 GMT
It's a national theatre but is excluding non-Londoners from the chance of getting tickets. Yea, but it gives all us foreigners, who were completely excluded from the ballot a fighting chance to get in. I'm not trying, mind, but if I were a massive Blanchett fan, I'd know now that I could book a weekend trip to London and get a dayseat. As could non-Londoners by the way. This simply rewards people who want to get in most badly. Actually, I wonder if this is partly why they’ve decided not to NT Live it? This sort of content would find difficulty getting mainstream distribution if it was in a film - there’s all sorts of issues with various international ratings board That makes sense. I guess it's also different for the performers to show themselves in front of a small live audience (sitting in the dark) or have it all exposed on screen across the world.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 16, 2019 13:35:28 GMT
I'm fine with everything here really - the choice of the small theatre if that's what works for this play, the ballot system and even the fact that foreigners like me were excluded from said ballot (although I wish they had clarified that early on).
What I don't get is, that they don't do a NT Live to satisfy all those who missed out on tickets for one reason or other. I'm sure many Cumberbatch/Hiddleston/name your superstar fans were very happy that NT Live allowed them to get a look at their fave's performances of Hamlet and Coriolanus after all, so why not do the same here?
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 15, 2019 9:11:25 GMT
This ^
I'd like to add that so much also depends on your own mindset and whether characters appeal to you. I was SO very sceptic about this, but found that Bobbie, as played by Rosalie, directly spoke to me, having been there as a 35 year old single woman myself.
Many others may not care for her, be it that they're male, or one of those types who've been in relationships ever since they had their first boyfriend at 15 or whatever. Personally I hated the couples in Follies intensely, especially Sally, as that kind of needy coupledom is so alien to me, so I'm afraid that show did nothing for me, while many many people will probably identify with her or Phyllis or both or everyone.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 13, 2019 9:51:03 GMT
Someone asked them on their Facebook page whether it will be in English and they replied yes, so Clare can put the dictionary away If it had been translated, the posters, website, etc. would also mention a translator which they don't. This is basically a sequel to the previous successful English-language productions at the Châtelet, so I guess they think that people know by now that these classics are done in English.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 12, 2019 18:31:05 GMT
Haha, I had no idea Bord Gáis means Gas Board, I had thought it would be something exotic and Celtic Anyway, thanks for all the help. I've clicked around now and a few shows (among them Calendar Girls) show a seating plan where you can choose your own seats, while others just show a non-clickable map - including We Will Rock You, which I wanted to book. I could only click each single row and check what place I was being offered in that row, but I have no idea how well it's selling or anything. Just panicked a bit because I saw it's nearly sold out in many other places in autumn. I guess I wasn't the only one walking out of Bohemian Rhapsody thinking, man, I'd like to hear these Queen songs on stage again. Since I wasn't sure which town to pick and I have wanted to visit Dublin for a long time, I thought I'd go for it. That 5* hotel next door is definitely out of my price range, but there are some others nearby, so I'll take a closer look when the time comes closer. PS: I had a really blonde moment realizing with glee that the prices were Euro, not Pound
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 12, 2019 13:28:36 GMT
When I go on the official website, I get forwarded to Ticketmaster Ireland which won't let me pick my own seat from a full seating plan. Does anyone know if there's another site where you can see the seating plan INCLUDING which seats are still available? Also, since this is sadly outside Theatremonkey's part of the jungle, does anyone familiar with the venue have suggestions which seats/rows are good and which to avoid at all costs? And general question from a female solo traveller: Is the area safe to walk around in after the evening performances? I see there are plenty hotels nearby, so would ideally walk from the theatre to one of those within 5-10 mins. Complete newbie to Dublin, so any help is welcomed
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 10, 2019 6:22:35 GMT
They just released a goodbye offer for Aladdin for 30% off, so if they do the same for Vampire, you'd be better off with the Twofer, I think. It's the one I always wait for whenever I feel the urge to see a Stage Entertainment production.
Keep in mind though that 99 Euro means two rather awful seats. For 109 Euro (also part of the offer, just better category) you can usually get fairly decent seats. That's 55 Euro per seat plus fees, comes to around 60 Euro - which is what a Stage Entertainment production is generally worth, lol.
At 30% off really good seats, you are end up with around 70-80 Euro, but I can't guarantee a 30% off goodbye offer will happen for Vampire as it has far more hardcore fans than Aladdin, so there may be more demand...
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 9, 2019 15:43:20 GMT
Are you able to take someone along? There's a "2 for 99" offer for all performances going: www.stage-entertainment.de/landingpages/b2b-aktionen/urlaubspiraten/urlaubspiraten_byebyespecial.htmlThe "Twofers" are the best-possible offers there as their regular offers for about 15-20 percent off rarely make a dent in the ridiculous prices. I'm sure they will have some sort of goodbye offer going out closer to the date. The local TKTS in Berlin is called Hekticket (hekticket.de) but I don't know if they discount Stage Entertainment productions. Stage is notorious or rather playing in front of empty houses than offer proper discounts.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 9, 2019 8:10:24 GMT
OH GOD I HATE ALL YOU DRAMA QUEENS
LOL, I can't believe y'all here got me swept up in this hype and I booked for early July when I'm in London anyway.
As some others here wrote, Les Mis has sort of been part of my musical life since the beginning of my musical fandom in the late 80s, so I guess it won't hurt to say goodbye.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 8, 2019 9:45:25 GMT
Don't we all miss this iconic (musical) theatre shop? One of the London shops you HAD to visit as a regular theatre goer.. I visited regularly, but rarely bought, admittedly as prices were fairly high. I still have a few signed CDs from Dress Circle though. What I loved was that even when you couldn't make it to a signing (which I never could, being stuck on the wrong side of the channel) they would still send signed CDs out. All this talk reminds me of the times when collecting international cast recordings was a big deal - I used to collect Cats in every conceivable language and spent so much time running after the Starlight Express recording of the Japan/Australia tour. I wish there would be some sort of fusion between the current Theatre Cafe and Dress Circle - a place to drop in for a cup of coffee and to meet other theatre lovers, admire the signed posters, enjoy some live performances once in a while, etc. BUT also be able to buy albums, show merchandise and so on. PS: I might have some of those Dress Circle tokens somewhere too, never collected enough for £10 off, I think.
|
|
2,573 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jan 7, 2019 12:09:00 GMT
There are hundreds of examples of the damn things being built - at great expense - and turning out to be expensive white elephants, in cities all over the world. They seem so logical on paper! And human laziness? I mean, when I look at a staircase that MIGHT lead me to a nice café or something, my mental reaction is "oof, no", but when I see an escalator, I can be more easily lured to see where it goes (this way I discovered the Wagamama somewhat tucked away in the new mall/accumulation-of-ugly at Victoria Station whe I looked for somewhere to eat before a show at the Other Palace.
|
|