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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jul 16, 2023 16:36:31 GMT
I loved watching this show - what a strong amazing cast and great material for them to work with. The show has so much energy and you could tell how enthusiastic and engaged the audience were. Really excited to see what they do next with it. First visit to the Turbine and will definitely go back - agree with how lovely all of the staff were. I was there this afternoon and found it hard to believe this is a work in progress. It ticks all the boxes already. A terrific cast, relatable characters, a score to die for, scenes that are frequently laugh-out-loud funny but also surprisingly touching at times too. This surely isn't the last we'll be seeing of Halls. If they could just sort a cast recording along with a transfer or tour!
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jul 12, 2023 16:03:37 GMT
Seems very odd for Southwark Playhouse both to programme a touring production and when tour dates have already been announced and booking has opened; wonder why? This will make me a little wary in future as I'd already booked for a matinee during the tour week in Guildford, which of course limited my choice to 2 performances as usual, whereas had I known it'd be at SP, I'd have held off as cheaper and a far greater date range. I still want to see the show, which I've never before had an opportunity to do, but it'd be interesting to know if this marks a new policy for SP. Not sure why it's odd? Lizzie is also touring, as is Stranger Sings, around dates at Southwark Playhouse.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jul 11, 2023 18:14:33 GMT
Thanks for the review darreno . Might check this out tomorrow. I can’t see a running time listed anywhere, can you share how long it was? Thanks! The Turbine are saying on social media that it's two hours 15 minutes including the interval.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jul 11, 2023 14:42:56 GMT
This is at the Park Theatre from 30 November to 30 December.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jul 11, 2023 14:26:45 GMT
Wow, get the Dominion booked this instant. Actually, scratch that. Let's go for The O2.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jul 11, 2023 14:10:34 GMT
Nice to get a tour for this as well as the London dates. Booked for Waterside Arts Centre in Sale, somewhere I've never been before, in the week before the start of the Southwark run.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jul 6, 2023 13:06:32 GMT
Wow, this was easily one of the highlights of last summer's Edinburgh Fringe when it was staged in the Roundabout tent at Summerhall.
So pleased it's getting another life and Maimuna is getting the recognition and exposure she deserves!
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jun 30, 2023 22:39:56 GMT
Living in London I had no idea about hotel prices but was talking to a couple from Manchester whilst on holiday the other day and they told me they regularly come to London on visits and usually stay at the Premier Inn at King's Cross. They told me they usually pay between £180 and £200 a night there. I was shocked as I thought it was abput £70 a night. Had no idea how expensive the cheaper hotels were. I stay at that Hub all the time and have never paid £180 to spend the night there. I've got two nights booked there in December for £110 in total. There's definitely sometimes bargains to be had at certain Hub hotels if booked well in advance.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jun 30, 2023 8:11:50 GMT
Enjoyed this last night at The Lowry. It's great to see it back closer to the Leeds production than the abomination that appeared in the West End.
My first time seeing Faye Brookes on stage and she was quite the revelation. Great comic timing, I loved the awkward and goofy characterisation she brought to Fran. Her vocals and dancing were both terrific and she had great chemistry with Kevin Clifton. She certainly deserved the standing ovation received at the curtain call.
It's by no means a great musical but it is a good night of throwaway fun. The cast looked to be having a ball and that enthusiasm was infectious.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jun 24, 2023 7:05:12 GMT
This is...a bizarre comment That is how my email arrived from the Palladium Panto and I am just sick of it. And yes I know I do not have to go, which I will not. I am just sick of changing everything that has been traditional. That is all. I do not have to be introduced to them and yes I know lower down in the email its just Peter Pan Introducing Peter Pan and Wendy I'm confused how an email with the subject line "Introducing Peter Pan and Wendy", announcing the cast members playing those roles, constitutes "changing everything that has been traditional"?!
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jun 23, 2023 9:18:30 GMT
Louis Gaunt and Frances Mayli McCann are Peter Pan and Wendy.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jun 22, 2023 16:36:36 GMT
Plenty of availability for Manchester in July. Hopefully some decent offers will be forthcoming!
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jun 20, 2023 15:10:49 GMT
Closing early on 13 August.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jun 19, 2023 11:30:15 GMT
Just had an email about Oliver from the Leeds Playhouse.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jun 17, 2023 8:24:59 GMT
A terrific production thanks to Daniel Rigby's energetic and hilarious performance and the snappy pitch-perfect direction by Daniel Raggert. I hope sales pick up because this in one of the more worthwhile evenings to be had in the West End. However, at the performance I attended they weren't selling programmes ( we'll have them by the end of the week ). How can Equity allow that to happen??? I was there on Thursday and they had them then, although to be honest hardly worth bothering with! Cast bios, history of the theatre and next to nothing else.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jun 9, 2023 21:27:39 GMT
Strange choice by the Royal Exchange seeing as Brief Encounter was at the Octagon in Bolton for a few weeks barely six months ago.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jun 5, 2023 14:01:06 GMT
On the whole, I loved this just as much as the first time round in 2019 and thought it scaled up really well. It's a great fit for Southwark Playhouse's new space.
It's a phenomenal cast - with Molly Osborne, Jamie Parker and Philippa Hogg all standouts. I was glad that Philippa still got a solo number of her own, she has such a hauntingly beautiful voice.
It shone through how invested the cast are in the material, while the chemistry and camaraderie between them was also very apparent on stage. Even with the immense individual talents on display, the collective is still somehow even greater than the sum of its parts. I had goosebumps during many of the glorious foot-stomping numbers!
The first quarter of the show seems to whizz through the early (elder) years of Benjamin Button's life. The pace slows after the interval, exacerbated by many of the songs in act two being reprises. Ditching a couple of these reprises for different songs, and a general tightening of the script to shave ten minutes off the running time, and this would be musical perfection.
That said, this is still such a gorgeous, uplifting and moving evening of theatre. Magical storytelling from an actor-musician ensemble of all the talents. I can't wait to visit the Pickled Crab once again for last orders on 1 July.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jun 1, 2023 10:12:06 GMT
Isobel McArthur is certainly busy with Kidnapped, The Grand Old Opera House Hotel and now The Fair Maid of the West. A two-show day in Stratford-upon-Avon seeing the latter and The Box of Delights is rather tempting!
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Jun 1, 2023 6:54:33 GMT
Saw the final matinee on Saturday. Nice concert version of the show. The whole cast sounded great. Pity the couldn't do the staged version which I saw earlier in the run and loved it. They did the staged version Saturday evening but the concert version Saturday afternoon as you say. I wonder if there's any chance of this having a future life elsewhere, or if the Almeida might bring it back, given all the cancellations towards the end of the run.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 31, 2023 12:41:30 GMT
Pretty much four stars across the board for the revival of Neil LaBute's The Shape of Things at the Park Theatre in the reviews out today. There's four-star reviews from The Guardian, The Stage, Broadway World and the Evening Standard among others. Three stars from The Times. Looking forward to going in a couple of weeks time. Anyone seen it yet?
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 29, 2023 10:03:03 GMT
Heading to The Lowry rather than the Palace or Opera House in Manchester. 😀
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 26, 2023 18:44:39 GMT
Concert version tomorrow afternoon now too, although the evening performance which is the last of the run is still listed as the full show for the time being.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 26, 2023 16:46:28 GMT
Looks like the show is just one cast member light now but for a role with no understudy. I've seen only glowing reviews for last night's concert performance. Enjoy tonight, Mark.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 25, 2023 14:01:04 GMT
Going ahead as a concert performance this evening.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 24, 2023 12:17:18 GMT
I'm supposed to go on Friday, but now I'm getting scared that they might cancel all remaining performances. I really wanted to see this! They were giving out free programmes on Saturday after the cancellation and they do have an understudy Lily and understudy Neil and Zachary listed in there. Presumably they are multiple cast members/understudies down. Hopefully only cancelling on the day is cause for optimism that the remaining performances have at least some chance of going ahead. Such a shame if the cast don't get a proper closing night together! Sadly, yes... Cancelled. I'll make sure to inform everyone the date I book for their winter musical as a precaution to not go! I should maybe join you in that regard! Spring Awakening cancelled, The Secret Life of Bees cancelled. I was so happy to secure a returned ticket for this coming Saturday but now my second attempt at seeing the show is looking in doubt too!
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 24, 2023 10:26:00 GMT
It sadly looks like both today's performances may have also been cancelled. Both performances have changed from showing as "Sold out" to "Tickets not on sale" on the Almeida website. The same change has appeared for all previous cancellations. Nothing announced by the theatre as of yet though.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 23, 2023 15:55:16 GMT
Cancelled again tonight.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 22, 2023 9:29:42 GMT
Now on sale to ATG Theatre Card holders.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 22, 2023 9:11:52 GMT
Please can someone note the prices - ideally a Saturday outside of previews - thank you! Mostly £97 top standard price on Saturdays for front stalls past previews. £77 for the last couple of seats at the end of each row and the fifth and sixth rows from the back. £50-£60 for the rear four rows. Last few rows in the front block of the stalls and front two rows in the dress circle are all premium. Row A in the stalls is not on sale. Most of the Dress Circle other than premium seats is £97. £77 for the third from back row, £60 behind that. Front half of the Grand Circle is £50-£60. Central block in the rear half of the Grand Circle is £35, side blocks £20. Press night appears to be 27 March.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on May 22, 2023 9:01:43 GMT
I joined DMT+ so I could get MJ tickets from 10am, but I haven’t had this email. I assumed I’d be able to log into my account and buy tickets through that, but looks like a separate link is needed. Ugh… Go into your account prior to 10.00am there is a dmt+ members area that normally lists the current productions and it will update at10.00am with mj added etc..thats what normally happens anyway. Recommend this way to bypass the short queue! I was able to login and get booked this way shortly before 10am.
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