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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 28, 2019 14:30:36 GMT
Got the e-mail at 1.15 and got in at 3pm. Got 3 Grand Circle slips for the first Friday for £15 each with fee. 1 slip seat left for that day. That's not bad going. Especially seeing as it's only 2:30pm.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 28, 2019 10:50:34 GMT
How come people are already buying? My e mail says the link is coming at 12 noon DMT+ members pre-sale started at 10am. Priority tickets for everyone else who signed up in advance are on sale at 12pm. If I buy a DMT+ membership now will I be able to book immediately? I would have thought so but I'd give them a quick call to check before buying if you can. I didn't wait for an email this morning. Just logged into my account on the DMT website at 10am and I had access to tickets in the members' area.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 23, 2019 18:56:58 GMT
stevejohnson678 Oh, I was in this afternoon too. I'm sorry I didn't know there was a fellow board member there, could have said hi. I loved this afternoon's show. Straight into my Showstopper top 10 (sample size: 61). My highlights all involved Ruth Bratt & Adam Meggido. I love seeing them play opposite each other. I rarely cry at Showstopper (except with laughter) but this afternoon their Act 1 duet "Security" had me in tears & Act 2's "Screw You" nearly did. The reprise of Screw You almost had me in tears (of laughter). Genius! Do you happen to know who the third female Showstopper was alongside Ruth and Susan today? She was great but I don't recognise her from the bios and pics in the programme.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 23, 2019 17:13:59 GMT
Loved today's matinee set in a circus, If You Liked It Then You Should Have Put Three Rings On It, with music inspired by Sondheim, Avenue Q, The Sound of Music and Kinky Boots. Easily the best Showstoppers I've seen. Susan Harrison as a 107 year old trapeze artist was the highlight for me.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 20, 2019 22:53:07 GMT
I was thinking about this show this morning The hype is real.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 20, 2019 9:17:08 GMT
Lazy Susan: Forgive Me, Mother at Leicester Square Theatre on Friday.
Lost in Translation Circus: Hotel Paradiso at Jacksons Lane and Showstoppers at The Other Palace on Saturday.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 19, 2019 17:31:53 GMT
Singalong performance perhaps? Sure I saw an interview with Toby and Lucy a few weeks ago where they said tbey wanted to do a late night singalong performance at some point.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 19, 2019 9:14:43 GMT
Easy enough booking process this morning on the Friends' priority. 75th, 200th and 450th in the queue across three browsers and was in within a few minutes from the first one. Quite a lot of the central block of the stalls gone already for the date I had in mind in May but managed to nab a seat recommended by our resident monkey for having nothing directly in front (D10) so happy with that.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 18, 2019 22:12:57 GMT
3* from The Guardian and Daily Mail. Too hearty (whatever that means) and nice, apparently. And it wasn't even Quentin Letts!
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 15, 2019 9:33:22 GMT
Number 2 on the UK iTunes soundtrack chart which is pretty cool.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 15, 2019 8:07:21 GMT
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 14, 2019 18:00:04 GMT
Studio cast recording out now!
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 8, 2019 13:23:58 GMT
Storyhouse in Chester is following up last year's A Little Night Music with a new production of Little Shop of Horrors, running 10th May - 2nd June 2019. Tickets are on general sale from 18th February. Priority booking is available now.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 8, 2019 8:36:53 GMT
Palace Theatre Manchester front row stalls seat just booked for the first weekday matinee @ £30. You might struggle to see the show at the Opera House from there.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 7, 2019 10:07:17 GMT
Two for one tickets at £20 each (and an early bird offer of £25 each) for previews in Manchester.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 2, 2019 22:31:31 GMT
Cast changes and closing nights aside, I can't remember the last time I saw and heard an audience reaction quite like this received at the end of the show tonight. Word of mouth is going to be amazing.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Feb 1, 2019 13:33:19 GMT
Cirque du Soleil: Totem this evening. Violet and Come From Away tomorrow.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jan 29, 2019 12:05:48 GMT
It sounds like it's less Any Dream Will Do and more Any Joseph Will Do.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jan 25, 2019 10:02:42 GMT
The layout of the stalls, based on the ATG seating plan, looks rather unusual for this at the Playhouse.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jan 23, 2019 15:33:57 GMT
£20 stalls seats for all performances now available, if booked by 31st January, using promo code JOURNEY20.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jan 22, 2019 18:31:03 GMT
£35.50 tickets reduced to £20 for performances up to and including 26th January on Theatre Tickets Direct.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jan 22, 2019 13:26:05 GMT
Row A isn't on sale, and there are restricted view seats at band B prices ends of B back (I scooped an unlimited legroom seat on B for £45 for a preview). Price bands are kept the same the whole week, discounted on Wednesday, and extra £5 on upper circle plus more premiums at high prices Friday to Sunday. Pretty fair all round. Same here, high numbers end of Row B for first weekend in January 2020, £52.50 for unlimited legroom. Happy with that. Joined queue with 2,950 ahead of me but it only took 10-15 mins and I was in.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jan 20, 2019 11:35:49 GMT
Well, this is outstanding, isn't it?
I saw the actor-musician production, led by Paul Michael Glaser, a few times on tour and thought that was a defining production so I wasn't sure how ready I was for another. I needn't have worried because I absolutely adored this.
From the moment you walk into the dark, smoky auditorium at the Menier, the wooden slats and gable-roofed shacks of the set bring Anatevka to life with a terrific authenticity. The lighting only adds to the set in evoking the atmosphere of early 20th century Russia.
It's impossible to see how the central performances of Andy Nyman as Tevye alongside Molly Osborne, Harriet Bunton and Kirsty Maclaren as his daughters Tzeitel, Hodel and Chava respectively could be bettered.
Harriet's Far From The Home I Love gave me chills while I don't think I was alone in fighting back tears during the heartbreaking scenes between Kirsty's Chava and Andy Nyman's Tevye towards the end. Great to see Kirsty on stage again after enjoying her performance so much in Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour.
As sublime as the daughters' performances are, it's of course on Tevye's shoulders that so much rests, and Andy Nyman presents his character's struggles and conflict between tradition and a desire to fulfil his daughters' happiness with remarkable sincerity, dry wit and warmth. Everything that was wrong with Marcus Brigstocke's casting as Barnum is spot on here.
The staging of the wedding, the Bottle Dance and Tevye's dream are quite extraordinary in their vibrancy as the cast fill every inch of the stage. The immediate standing ovation at the finale was testament to how this is a Fiddler not merely on the roof but positively raising it.
In the Menier's finest Tradition, surely this must transfer?
Five stars.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jan 18, 2019 12:53:36 GMT
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jan 14, 2019 17:21:01 GMT
I saw this yesterday and watched a terrific show. I wish I could also say that I heard a terrific show but the balance of the sound was awful. Despite the actors being miked up they were often drowned out by the over-loud band. It is such a shame when the hard work of the performers is being spoilt by the poor sound engineering. I know this is not a problem of the venue as I have I saw Top Hat last year and that was fine. Funnily enough, it was the opposite way round for me! I found the same issues watching Top Hat last year but for Nice Work, despite being sat by the band, it was fine! Looking forward to watching this for a second time at the weekend.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jan 11, 2019 10:49:36 GMT
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jan 10, 2019 21:33:02 GMT
I’m pretty sure the show he’s bringing back is Murder For Two. It’s back and it’s at the Other Palace right now. Not sure a show running in January counts as a "summer show" (which is how he referred to whatever he's bringing back). Fingers crossed for In The Heights or Carrie.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jan 10, 2019 10:45:12 GMT
Transferring to the main stage at the Hampstead Theatre, running 19th March - 20th April.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jan 5, 2019 8:52:47 GMT
I thought this was sensational, topping even The Producers at the Royal Exchange as the pick of this year's festive musicals.
The glorious Gershwin music and the full ensemble numbers in an intimate setting like Upstairs at the Gatehouse was an absolute treat.
I wasn't familiar with the story but as a farcical comedy I thought it really worked, with so many great one liners and laugh-out-loud moments which just kept on coming. 2 hours 25 minutes absolutely flew by.
It's an outstanding cast. Charlotte Scally is a riot as the high-pitched interpretative dance queen Eileen Evergreen, her bathtub scene singing 'Delishious' a particular highlight.
There's some lovely interplay between Abigail Earnshaw and Fraser Fraser as the social climber Jeannie and the dim-witted Duke, culminating in their Do It Again duet, while David Pendlebury and Harry Cooper-Millar as the besieged fake butler and hapless police officer were also a hoot.
Adam Crossley did a great job covering for Alistair So as Jimmy Winter. There was a pre-show announcement that Adam (dance captain and usually in the ensemble) had learnt the lead role in the past 24 hours. He did a phenomenal job and gave a remarkably assured performance.
As strong as the entire company is here though, the star of the show is Jessica-Elizabeth Nelson as Billie. On the surface, Billie appears to be a no-nonsense hard-faced bootlegger but she quickly falls for the charms of her intended victim. From the hilarious seduction number Treat Me Rough to the heartache of But Not For Me, Jessica-Elizabeth gave a powerhouse performance, every bit as S'Wonderful as the iconic Gershwin song. I thought she brought real heart to the production, revealing a vulnerability beneath the surface of Billie while showcasing superb comic timing and sublime, gorgeous vocals. A star in the making.
For me, Nice Work If You Can Get It blows last year's Ovation production of Top Hat out of the water and is quite simply unumissable. When the full company take to the stage for numbers such as Fascinating Rhythm it really is a sight and sound to behold. In between the big numbers, the show delivers a blast of glorious comedy with production values that more than match the likes of Southwark Playhouse, The Other Palace and the Menier, all topped off by a warm and friendly welcome. Several of the remaining performances are sold out but there's no doubt this will be a very nice ticket if you can get one!
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jan 3, 2019 15:02:14 GMT
Saw this at The Lowry last night and on the whole really enjoyed it. Visually it's terrific. I loved the storybook paper-based set with the rigging on either side, while the puppets are spectacular, from the skipping rope jumping Pushmi-Pullyu, to the swooping lunar moth soaring over the front few rows in the audience, to the giant sea snail which is something truly special to behold. The puppets undoubtedly live up to the show's billing of having "never seen anything like it". The costumes are also great. With plenty of full ensemble numbers, it was hard to know where to look at times to take everything in, especially once we arrived at Blossom's Mammoth Circus in the latter part of act one. As far as the cast are concerned, Adele Anderson as Lady Bellowes and Poison Arrow certainly has the role of the evil villainess down to a T but her vocals for two brief numbers were pretty painful to listen to. At the other end of the spectrum, Mollie Melia-Redgrave as Emma Fairfax had a gorgeous voice that gave me chills every time she sang a duet or solo number. She certainly brought what in other hands could have been somewhat bland and perhaps forgettable ballads to life in quite stunning fashion. It seemed the majority of the audience were equally impressed since Mollie received the loudest cheers at the curtain call. Brian Capron doesn't have a great deal to do but seemed to be enjoying every minute channelling his inner Greatest Showman as Albert Blossom, later reappearing on Sea Star Island as Straight Arrow. As mentioned in an earlier review by Dr Tom , Mark Williams generally speak-sings but I agree that it works and I found his solo number When I Look Into Your Eyes strangely moving - I say 'strangely' because he's singing it to a seal! He has a gentle, warm stage presence about him and carries off the title role with plenty of charm, enthusiasm and likeability. I also enjoyed Patrick Sullivan as Matthew Mugg, Vicky Entwistle voicing (and partly controlling) Polynesia, and Catherine Hannay as Olga Blossom. The advertised running time in the programme seems to have lost five minutes (now running at 2 hours 25 minutes including an interval) but it could still do with some further tightening here and there. There also seems to be the potential to add more humour to the script and maybe tone down the earnestness of it all just a tad. That said though, overall this is a great production from Music & Lyrics and the Churchill Theatre in Bromley. They've succeeded in bringing Dr Doolittle's menagerie of animal friends to life in a visually striking, always engaging and occasionally quite awe-inspiring way. The attention to detail in both the puppets themselves and the puppetry skills of the cast can only be admired. As a long time fan of The Fast Show, it was great to see Mark Williams on stage, while Mollie Melia-Redgrave's beautiful vocals were worth the price of admission on their own. Four stars. Well worth a look if it's heading your way in the coming months.
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