2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Sept 5, 2023 9:10:34 GMT
I'm at 10722 people now ...
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Sept 1, 2023 12:29:00 GMT
I think that is a huge likelihood! (with possibly the filmed bits being in "technicolor" - to show the contrast between "worlds") This would actually be inspired!
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Sept 1, 2023 4:55:40 GMT
For me, it’s the most irritating thing about this board. Not sure why some people are so insistent on doing it! Because it gets them the attention they crave? Look how many are keen on playing the guessing game. If that's actually FUN for some people, let them. If it irritates you, just take a quick look now and then to see if there has been a proper announcement or some other interesting discussion has spawned. It's what I do. We'll know in good time what happens. Personally I much prefer the out of the blue "Oooh, I didn't see that coming" announcements anyway.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 31, 2023 5:05:07 GMT
Taking a wild guess here... I'd say danb was being sarcastic. And while I agree that it would be nice if different generations would respect each other's "arts", it's how it has always been, young people sniff at the oldies' stuff, before they start getting old themselves and have the culture of their youth sniffed at. In the present situation I can even understand young people, because so much of the older's generation's stuff hasn't aged well (the sexism and racism of some things I used to love in the 80s boggles the mind now). Though on the other hand I don't understand the vitriol piled onto "Cats" for example, which was a sensational success over so many years back then and has always been "equal opportunities" (although I've had one person construct a pretty baffling case that Cats was very sexist, because the two old male cats were revered by the others, while the one old female cat was despised...) So, I don't know, maybe the young generation would enjoy Starlight Express as something fun (even if the "totally rad, man" changes are rather "totally cringe, man" and no improvements) or they might look at it with the same disdain they have for Cats these days. We won't know unless the show is actually done. gmoneyoutlaw - Andy can't do "woke" as his horrible failure to write something about/for teen girls/young women showed. He did try to address the complaints that "all the engines are played by men, while the women all play carriages who have to attach themselves to a man and have no power of their own" by turning Poppa into Momma and adding a female engine called Coco. Neither makes any significant change in the dynamics. I'm VERY touchy when it comes to sexism in musicals and I never considered Starlight Express a sexist musical. In the end it is Pearl who has the power, making the guys fight over her. If they wanted a strong female engine, they should simply recast Electra with a female performer. The character has always read nonbinary anyway.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 28, 2023 8:07:49 GMT
I think it would be quite fascinating (as an experiment) to do an updated version that reflects contemporary problems for the dancers, whether it's (mental) health issues, racism/discrimination or social media stuff - not sure if this is still a thing, but I remember that some years ago, performers were sometimes excplicitly chosen because they had a huge social media following in the hope this would serve as marketing for the show, but maybe producers have by now realized that this can also backfire. There's also regular upheaval around disappointed fans turning against "their" faves on social media for some perceived misdeed or other.
So I think it would be nice to hear fresh stories - but I realize that this would be a fully different show then. If the original is staged, it should be staged "as is" and not be tinkered with. I do wonder though if people would still be willing to pay full Broadway whack for a show set on an empty stage these days.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 25, 2023 7:26:24 GMT
If it's really Hannah Waddingham (and let's face it, she'd be great as Miranda) I'm sure she would choose her role for a comeback on stage very carefully while her career is at an all-time high thanks to Ted Lasso and the ESC.
Elton John has been very hit and miss with his musicals, he's written great stuff like Aida, Billy Elliot and Tammy Faye, but also the complete car crash that was Lestat (although his songs were the least of that show's problems). He's stopped touring now, so he has time to focus on actually working on his musicals now (and it seems to have gone quiet around Tammy Faye?).
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 23, 2023 4:29:41 GMT
I feel like America is more cutthroat about shows that don't work and also less concerned about people losing their jobs and how they will support themselves.
It probably doesn't help that Broadway publishes the grosses every week, so people know when shows are selling terribly. In London all we have is chatter about papering, empty circles being closed and so on, but we have no idea how badly (or not) shows are performing and what's viable.
That said, both Bad Cinderella and now the Britney Spears thing limped on with terrible sales for some weeks before they announced closing and Cindy had a fairly long period between the announcement and the actual closing.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 22, 2023 18:41:07 GMT
I'm going on the Broadway Cruise in March 2024
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 22, 2023 13:27:19 GMT
What is £20 for a workshop now, could and arguably likely will be more and more each year. And their own PR makes this very clear it is a workshop But what EXACTLY is your problem? Since workshops are usually NOT accessible, this is just opening the doors a little bit. It's not like workshops were widely available for free so far. At least this allows fans to be part of the process while so far workshops would only be for insiders or posh folks sipping champagne while nibbling cucumber sandwiches such as the Lord's Sydmonton Festival.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 22, 2023 8:58:22 GMT
I don't see how this is different to other shows that develop through various incarnations, i.e. starting at the Edinburgh Fringe, doing some small local production, then a bigger local production and so on, so I don't get the negativity around this.
Nobody is being forced to see this and personally I'd be happy to pay, take a look and give feedback. I'm sure it's already at a stage where they feel confident enough to present it to an audience with a full cast and band, so you do get to see a performance. People pay £20 for much dafter things.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 21, 2023 14:07:46 GMT
So happy and excited, it's finally arriving on Broadway: www.broadwayworld.com/article/New-Musical-THE-OUTSIDERS-To-Open-On-Broadway-This-March-20230821The original novel and the famous Coppola movie version are two of my all-time favourites and unlike so many other things I always thought that The Outsiders would be a good idea for a stage adaptation. While I didn't get to see the La Jolla tryout live, I really enjoyed the music and the video clips I saw of it, including the very impressive rain they arranged for the final rumble. Can't wait to see it live on stage next year!
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 21, 2023 14:04:10 GMT
Well, since I'm on the other side of the fence, I DO think lyrics play a big part in how a show is perceived and received.
Forever my favourite/foremost example: Les Miserables. A show that has been a huge success worldwide wherever it was shown - except in Austria and Germany where it floundered three times in Vienna, Duisburg and Berlin. I'm purposely saying "floundered" because none of the three was a terrible flop, but none did very well either, certainly not compared to how beloved this show is virtually everywhere else.
And why? I personally still blame the godawful translation that sounded stilted and unnatural, often had the characters sing rubbish (making the audience go "what now?!" instead of being moved by a song) or simply changed vowels so that the songs sounded screechy. For example "On my own" with its low O's was changed to "Ganz allein" with its high A's and it changes the contemplative feel of the song to something that just doesn't sound half as pleasant.
The first translation of Rent (by the same guy who fancied himself a rock star and didn't care for musical theatre at all) was so godawfully bad they binned it later and did a new one.
So I wouldn't underestimate the effect clunky unnatural lyrics have on an audience that keeps wondering "what did she just say?" rather than immerse themselves into the plot. But I would agree that it's a secondary problem to getting people to buy tickets in the first place.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 18, 2023 16:54:21 GMT
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 18, 2023 15:57:19 GMT
I wonder if this production is going to replace Poppa with Momma? Like the Bochum production. If it happens, yes. The current Bochum version is based on the (English-language) workshop at The Other Palace, so I guess this is what ALW wants as the new template, even if it's ZERO improvement over the old one. Bochum just released a CD single with the track "I am me" (Ich bin ich) that has replaced "A lotta locomotion" as the introductory song for anyone who cares.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 18, 2023 15:51:09 GMT
Checking back on the Delamar website... on each date you see two squares on the stage with the word podium (stage) between them. When you click on a square you get a message that these seats are not available.
Methinks this is how you will be able to book stage seats there, once they go on sale (I can't believe they are sold out for every performance yet)
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 18, 2023 15:46:29 GMT
I think the theatres aren't prepared for this. The website (https://www.jesuschristsuperstar.nl/) says, you need to book them on the theatre's website, where you want to see the show. So if you want to see it in Amsterdam, you need to be here: delamar.nl/en/shows/jesus-christ-superstar/they don't mention the super seats at all. My theatre in Heerlen mentions them: www.plt.nl/programma/jesus-christ-superstar-jeangu-macrooy-freek-bartels-magtel-de-laat-e.a/11-05-2024-15-00with instructions how to book: Klik op "Bestel" Kies hoeveel kaarten u wilt bestellen Kies "best beschikbare plaatsen" Kies de rang "Plaats" Standaard staat deze op de beste plaatsen "Super Seat 1", maar u kunt uw plaats aanpassen naar de lagere categorie "Super Seat 2" Kies "plaats in winkelwagen" & klik op "Afrekenen" Let op: u krijgt ter plekke een Super Seat-zitplaats op het podium toegewezen in uw prijscategorie. We proberen groepjes bij elkaar te plaatsen, maar kunnen dit niet garanderen. The last bit is interesting: They will only allocate your exact seat on arrival.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 18, 2023 11:03:13 GMT
I'm booked for this, so I can see which one's gonna be dafter, the Lloyd Sunset Boulevard or the Van Hove JCS!
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 16, 2023 19:34:26 GMT
Ooh, nice re: Elisabeth. I've been waiting for a proper performance for years. I don't fancy seeing the concert version (which I believe is eventually being put to rest now!). Might have to make a trip - just had a look and it doesn't look like anything has been released yet? There was a lovely open air version in Brussels last year in French that I really enjoyed. The concert version is a massive rip-off in my opinion as the seating area is huge and you either pay through your nose or sit miles away. Did you see the pro-shot that was on Austrian TV? If not, feel free to PM me, I can probably help with anything Elisabeth There's only been a press release on the new tour so far, which you can run through Google Translate probably: www.musicalweb.nl/musicalklassieker-elisabeth-terug-in-de-nederlandse-theaters-27476Takarazuka would be amazing. I still kick myself that I was in Tokyo during one of their runs of Elisabeth, but I had no idea it would sell out within hours of the tickets going on sale And now back to Rebecca!
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 16, 2023 12:49:30 GMT
Also don't think anyone is being harsh towards Kunze? At all, actually. Oh, I'm happy to be harsh on Kunze myself Just felt the phrasing of him being "cut throat" and that he "wouldn't try again" (if this fails) warranted a bit of explaining why I can perfectly understand his attitude after all the disappointments. I think "Elisabeth" missed its chance in the 90s, when Princess Diana was still alive (or in the first years after her death when she was still massively beloved) since it could have played on their similarities to make Elisabeth's story more interesting for a British audience. These days I don't think it stands a chance anymore compared to the current approach of turning any kind of historical figure into either a rapper or a sassy YASSS QUEEEN!! type. Mozart can go die in a fire, it was really just a bottom-drawer recycling of the tunes they didn't use for Elisabeth. That said, I've been saying for years, someone should put on a season of foreign shows to showcase them - Elisabeth and/or Rebecca from Austria, one of the French spectacles, one of the original East Asian shows, and so on. PS: Not sure where you live, Anthony, but if you're keen on seeing Elisabeth, there's a new production being planned in the Netherlands next season. PPS: I doubt Rebecca will be able to recoup. People are SO used to the Charing X Theatre discounting, many are probably waiting for that. Me included
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 16, 2023 11:03:14 GMT
Cut the man some slack, he's turning 80 this year.
He was at the height of his musical theatre fame in the 90s and 00s with Elisabeth, Tanz der Vampire and then Rebecca and he was very vocal about wanting to make it in London and on Broadway then, talking about exporting Vienna's musicals to the world.
Well, Tanz der Vampire flopped spectacularly in New York and Rebecca didn't get off the ground twice, first in London with the mysterious lake under the Shaftesbury Theatre and then the whole saga around the non-existant investor on Broadway.
In the meantime, his musicals are still popular in the German-speaking regions and other parts of Europe as well as in Japan and South Korea, where he and Levay wrote three musicals on commission.
I'm sure he's reached a point at his age where he's content with what he has achieved in continental Europe and Asia and doesn't care for fame in the Anglo-American sphere anymore, especially since taste in musicals has drastically diverged in the last 10-20 years. AT least, unlike certain other composers, he seems to understand that his style does not match the current trends anymore and doesn't desperately try and keep up with the young'uns.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 14, 2023 17:19:26 GMT
I just saw the new Aida in the Netherlands last weekend and considering all the trashing it received, I really don't think it was that bad. Could it be better? Sure. Was the original version better? Yes. But there are some truly good thoughts in there and of course there are still those fantastic songs by Elton John, that are so much better than most of the noisy pop stuff of today's shows.
So while it has been selling terribly in the Netherlands, I do hope this will have another chance somewhere (and dear Gods, bring back "Every story is a love story" to book-end the show).
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 7, 2023 12:02:19 GMT
I mean, they kept Iain Glen who was fine but certainly isn't the strongest singer they could have used, if that was their reasoning for Bertrande. Wasn't Juliette Caton someone's daughter/wife/otherwise a nepobaby, so there was lots of criticism that she only got the role because of her connections while Rebecca Lock felt more like the "deserving one"? It's all so long in the past and I can't stand this musical, so I can't be sure, but I seem to remember that bit.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 4, 2023 7:23:06 GMT
They will probably benefit from slim pickings in the upcoming few months.
Some of the new shows aimed at a mainstream audience have already folded (NY/NY) or look unlikely to last much longer (the Britney thing) and the announcements so far like Merrily and Harmony don't have that much mainstream appeal. I also don't think the Rannells/Gad reunion in Gutenberg will be as much a draw as the Lane/Broderick reunion some years ago. Those two WERE the Producers, but Book of Mormon has been chugging on well enough without the original cast.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Aug 2, 2023 9:18:55 GMT
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jul 31, 2023 12:54:06 GMT
However, expanding my mind a little and looking at the changing world around me (and not making it all about me) one of the things I have noticed is the huge growth of selfie culture and stage door - there appears to be a big market for it. And at Guys and Dolls I think they've embraced that in a genius way. You can, if you want to, stay at the end and have a selfie - even a dance - with the cast. The pre, interval and post show activities encourage and create opportunities for photos and therefore produces a massive stream of ongoing marketing for the show. It's a perfect example of word of mouth / buzz marketing via social media. I appreciate that you are right in this and that - possibly - all those photo/selfie opportunities create social media buzz which translates to ticket sales for Guys & Dolls. So maybe this is the way forward. But personally I find the thought endlessly depressing that even top class entertainment like a West End show will be relegated to being a background for endless narcisstic parades of selfies and stagings of one's own life on social media and that the cast is forced to play into this every evening, no matter how tired they are and how much they'd rather be home.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jul 30, 2023 18:28:53 GMT
I don't think we'll see countless adaptation of mangas, anime or East Asian cinema to the stage though, Totoro and Spirited Away are probably the best known anime titles but I can't imagine someone is going to do Akira the Musical or Parasite the Play. Yea, hopefully not. I mean, the point of that long ramble above was that producers need to be ahead of the curve and not follow the 1-2 hits with half a dozen mediocre imitations. The "yasss queen, girlboss!" thing led to a few decent shows about female empowerment like Six, but the stragglers now (like (Bad) Cinderella and Once upon a one more time) are flopping because the wave has passed. Same with the "teen musical" stuff that was having a moment a few years ago with a whole deluge that has petered out by now because the few really good ones were followed by pretty mediocre or downright awful stuff. So do stuff like Death Note, Totoro and Spirited Away now (I could also see a musical tapping into Chinese legends and/or adapting a wuxia movie do well) but if you arrive too late in 4-5 years' time, your show is behind the curve and people will be tired of the East Asian stuff. Even better, find out what's only just building up into the next hype and start prepping for THAT.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jul 30, 2023 17:45:58 GMT
It’s the fact you never really can predict what people will go for. I think producers are not always up to date with what's popular among the mainstream. You would have thought that a musical about "female empowerment" featuring the hits of Britney Spears would sell like hot cakes, but it's shaping up to be an epic flop hot on the heels of the very similar Bad Cinderella on Broadway. Why? Of course I can't analyze this deeply, but my hunch is that the whole "sassy girlboss princess" thing is at least ten years ago - Six arrived at exactly the right moment in time when this was massive and caught the imagination. Now it feels dated (and Six and &Juliet have cornered the market that's there) same as Britney Spears hasn't had a hit in years and was certainly never the kind of mass-appeal bankable star across generations as Queen or ABBA (or built an enduring career like Taylor Swift over years). Meanwhile, while I hated "A Little Life" (the original book) with a passion and couldn't even finish it, I know it was/is very popular with younger readers, who would be keen to see it adapted for the stage - having a handsome popular star like James Norton in the lead might have been an additional nudge. Tellingly, the NT Live screenings locally are usually selling fairly badly with perhaps one quarter of seats sold at the cinema. A Little Life is so popular that the first screening sold out and they've added a second one in a much bigger cinema. Similarly, East Asian culture is HUGE among young people at the moment, so I am absolutely not surprised that Death Note has been selling much better than Evita (done to death) or Love Never Dies (was never popular). My Neighbour Totoro at the Barbican proves the point and I can't understand why producers aren't rushing to bring in the gorgeous stage adaptation of Spirited Away from Tokyo. And before you say "but K-POP flopped on Broadway" - yea, no surprise, when tickets are twice what the concert of a genuine K-Pop band would cost. I didn't follow things closely over there, but I knew for myself that I'd much rather see a genuine K-Pop band on stage than a musical about a fictional band. Similarly, I feel that artists like the Temptations are now just too outdated - the generation that would have enjoyed them in their heydays might see a show like Ain't Too Proud as a local tour production, but not make a big day from it. Clearly it's the Gen X'ers now, who are ready to spend on the nostalgia of their youth - Back to the Future has been doing very well in the West End despite being a mediocre show at best and Stranger Things is cashing in on that nostalgia as well (we'll see how the play will do).
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jul 28, 2023 10:38:14 GMT
he seems to be in everything these days but I'm sure his fans will.be happy. That's why, isn't it? Same with Carrie Hope Fletcher. Cast people with many intense fans and half the tickets ares selling themselves.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jul 26, 2023 6:07:28 GMT
My own expertise in the field is a bit outdated, but I think the main difference is that a blog/vlog/website has ONE person who runs it, while this forum has dozens of people contributing.
So, if there's a new musical and Timmy from "Timmy's Theatre Travels" contacts the PR people and says "I'm coming to London and want to review this for my blog, can I have a press ticket?" they will know exactly who they are dealing with and will also usually ask for stats like how many views per day/month, etc. to see if it's worth their while. So Timmy gets his ticket (sometimes with plus one) and that's it.
But with a forum like this, who would they even give the ticket(s) to? And what counts as a proper review? Some people here write wonderful long and insightful reviews, others just a few lines. And wouldn't you (as a PR person) pick a forum member who's clearly positively biased towards a certain composer/writer/performer so it's almost 100% you get a positive gushing review and not have your show torn to shreds?
The only way to get press tickets (I'd think, I can't be sure) would be to appoint an official reviewer for each show, then ask for press ticket(s) for this person and later pin her/his official review prominently on top of the thread.
You could also add a post somewhere prominent that says "Want your show officially reviewed on Theatre Board, which has XXX views per days and a global reach? Contact us at..." once you have appointed official reviewers.
Which I feel would go against the democracy of a forum, where everyone has their equal say. But I don't know if the question was asked in earnest anyway or just wondering. Personally I much rather read the reviews and opinions here, as these people have put time, effort and money into seeing shows. I refuse to give those noisy windbag bloggers and vloggers the time of day, since I can't help thinking they do it all for attention and freebies and feeling "better than the herd" mostly and I can't take them seriously. There is one Broadway vlog I absolutely love because the person who runs it really manages to cut interesting documentaries with interviews, footage and so on and his enthusiasm shines through. But I can't bear another West End vlog where the person just blathers into the camera for 20 minutes, while all that's being said could have been in a written article that takes two minutes to read.
|
|
2,563 posts
|
Post by viserys on Jul 25, 2023 19:13:42 GMT
Tbf, I saw that picture as well and thought it was for Rebecca and the set was for Manderley.
But when you look closer, the posters have a cyclist on them and the skyline in the background is Florence.
I'm relieved though that they've gone back to a traditional stage rather than the traverse.
|
|