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Post by schuttep on Sept 9, 2016 9:24:07 GMT
...there's just something amazing about seeing THAT scene on stage with actual rain. To be fair, it wasn't "actual" rain! I've seen a number of screen to stage musicals: Singing' in the Rain, Wizard of Oz, Top Hat, High Society, 42nd Street, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Dr Doolittle etc. I've enjoyed them all; I think it's because it's interesting to see how they tackle the challenge of reproducing cinematic effects within the limitations of a stage show. And the stories and songs are usually wonderful, which is why I assume they make the effort to transfer them in the first place.
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Post by schuttep on Sept 8, 2016 9:29:37 GMT
Does anyone remember the Menier when it was a chocolate factory? No but I saw an enamelled Menier chocolate advert in a Montmartre bistro in Paris earlier this year!
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Post by schuttep on Sept 8, 2016 9:23:46 GMT
Just recently I was thinking of Game and Boy which were very different. Yeah, they don't mix it up that often, but they have been known to. And Game and Boy were both under Rupert Goold's watch, so even if they were the first shows ever to have a radically different configuration, the fact that we're still under Rupert Goold's watch means it's not unlikely to happen again, 'cos it's a recent development rather than averaging out to one every ten years. (Our Town was also different for the record.) Ah - I'd forgotten about Our Town (didn't see Game and Boy). I stand corrected. I had a song and dance trying to book Mary Stuart as the system refused to accept the password I'd signed in with for years (and even earlier that day!) Hope the guy hired to improve IT deals with the booking system as a priority.
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Post by schuttep on Sept 7, 2016 11:06:21 GMT
I'm going to try my luck for this when public booking opens tomorrow. I studied HAMLET for A-Level English, but have never seen a production of it. I wasn't overly enamoured by the play when I read it back then, but seeing it onstage might just bring it alive for me. I've never been to the Almeida. What is it like as a venue? There seems to be no seating plan for it on TheatreMonkey. Gorgeous venue, but the configuration is versatile and will depend on the production's design. Hence, no accurate seating plan. I agree it's gorgeous venue but is it THAT versatile? I've been going for 20 years and it's always been the same configuration.
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Post by schuttep on Sept 5, 2016 9:36:35 GMT
It's a harrowing story so not a light piece of theatre, I'm guessing.
Did anyone see it on tour?
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Post by schuttep on Sept 5, 2016 9:31:37 GMT
I remember the Prince Edward original version so was back yesterday afternoon to see it at the Union.
It was a colder day than recently but the theatre was still hot. No fans at the matinee that I could see.
Also the positioning of the band between the audience and the stage meant (a) intrusive lights on scores was distracting, and (b) it was often difficult to hear the lyrics when everyone was singing as the band overwhelmed them.
The staging was a cheap copy of other "animal" shows, but I rather liked the earth-coloured hippie costumes.
They must have cleaned up the yard as I couldn't see anything wrong with it and both the yard space and bar space were large and welcoming. The auditorium was no larger than before but with no awkward pillars means better sightlines.
My partner didn't stay for the second act due to the heat and inability to follow the story. I did stay as two of my favourite songs feature then. Overall, I'm glad I saw it, flawed though it was.
But unless they get aircon soon I shall have to think seriously about attending shows there in the summer.
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Post by schuttep on Aug 30, 2016 7:58:14 GMT
My theatre days usually have the word "day" in them.
I go around 100 times a year, and - like the original poster - my partner is asking to slow down.
I retired early a couple of years ago so I expected to slow down but didn't. Weekends we see what we both want to see and mid-week matinees I go alone (my partner still works). We live in London so there's always something to see but we also travel around the country seeing shows elsewhere. Visiting a new place/theatre is fun.
We both can get a bit jaded, though. There have been a few occasions in the past year when we simply didn't feel like attending a show we'd booked for. We don't beat ourselves up about it though, or going to the theatre really would become a chore.
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Post by schuttep on Aug 23, 2016 11:02:02 GMT
Being Harry Potter and the original cast, I can't help but feel this could have some worth in the future. But I must say I wasn't expecting £12. I agree it's a bit naughty only selling the brochure at the end. But there will be a shedload sold so they'll hardly be worth lots in the future.
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Post by schuttep on Aug 19, 2016 14:32:40 GMT
Having discovered that Wimbledon will have Kerry Ellis, Wendi Peters and Dave Willetts, I'm giving Wonderland a punt (well, several actually).
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Post by schuttep on Aug 19, 2016 14:30:12 GMT
I've been lucky enough to see her in Wizard of Oz (RSC), Guys and Dolls, Into the Woods, and Gypsy, as well as being my first Diva at the Donmar.
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Post by schuttep on Aug 16, 2016 9:01:43 GMT
I saw both Jekyll and Hyde and The Scarlet Pimpernel on Broadway years ago. I loved J&H but hated TSP. I also saw J&H in Vienna in German which was a wonderful production. So was the Union version. But the tour with Marti Pellow was not that great.
Not yet sure about Wonderland after the National's awful wonder.land.
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Post by schuttep on Aug 16, 2016 8:46:51 GMT
Me outside the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens. Mucked about with by Prisma. I was wondering what yours was and how it was done. Rather nice... Thanks.
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Post by schuttep on Aug 15, 2016 16:50:12 GMT
Anything by Sondheim, ALW, Stephen Schwartz or produced by CamMack.
Plus stories/films I've always loved, hence - Flowers for Mrs Harris, The Girls, Groundhog Day, Strictly Ballroom, I Capture the Castle, The Wedding Singer.
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Post by schuttep on Aug 15, 2016 16:44:43 GMT
Me outside the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens. Mucked about with by Prisma.
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Post by schuttep on Aug 15, 2016 16:40:39 GMT
Those refused entry get a letter advising them why they've been refused entry so they can claim a refund. But, true, that's not the same as seeing the show.
But if it does make people think twice about using the secondary market (selling and buying) at exorbitant prices, then all well and good.
I admire Nimax for doing this.
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Post by schuttep on Aug 15, 2016 16:34:31 GMT
The ushers and manager can't throw you out, this is correct. But most theatres have at least one or two security staff who can throw you out if you refuse at the request of the ushers or manager. And then, of course, police can also be used to throw you out at a last resort. That's precisely the result I was meaning. The bottom line is - the show ain't going on if they want you OUT. And, as has been noted, the T&Cs make it clear they can - eventually - get you out.
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Post by schuttep on Aug 15, 2016 10:02:15 GMT
An usher cannot make you delete photos. No, but they can arrange for you to be evicted. Personally I think allowing the taking of any photos at all sets a poor example. But what do you do with a photo of an empty set, let alone a curtain?!
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Post by schuttep on Aug 13, 2016 8:26:57 GMT
Shouldn't this be with the RSC 2017 thread?
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Post by schuttep on Aug 13, 2016 8:25:15 GMT
As I'm only slightly younger than Chronos himself, my first RSC was the 1977 all-singing all-dancing Comedy of Errors with Judi Dench, Michael Williams, Roger Rees et al.
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Post by schuttep on Aug 12, 2016 12:47:59 GMT
I saw both on 10 August (when Rupert Grint was there - cue much screaming) and both Myrtle and the centaur Bane were in it.
What I wondered was (sorry if this has been mentioned before but there are too many pages to read and I didn't want to get into this thread until I'd seen the plays):
- when they went back in time the second time to influence the second (lake) triwizard task, I assume they did so from the position of the changed world that had resulted from the first time travel. Why didn't they just go back to the first time and correct that back again before trying to move forward? Otherwise what made them think starting from the changed world, they could put everything right by changing something completely new in the second task?
I know this is the wizarding world but surely logic still applies?
I guess they're kids and weren't thinking it through properly!
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Post by schuttep on Aug 12, 2016 12:33:48 GMT
To be fair, Sir Ant seems to only do one play a year. And imho has been great in them (seeing KL later this year at the Barbican). So why wouldn't Mr Doran cast him?
I'm hoping for a Pericles as I've never seen the RSC do it (only the Globe).
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Post by schuttep on Aug 9, 2016 15:07:01 GMT
From: I Never Do Anything Twice aka The Madame's Song (The Seven-Per-Cent Solution)
I think about the baron Who came at my command And proffered me a riding crop and chains The evening that we shared Was meticulously planned He took the most extraordinary pains He trembled with excitement His cheeks were quite aglow And afterword he cried to me, encore! He pleaded with me so to have another go I murmured carressingly, whatever for? Once, yes, once for a lark Twice, though, loses the spark Once, yes, once is delicious But twice would be vicious Or just repetitious Someone's bound to be scarred Yes, I know that it's hard But, no matter the price I never do anything twice.
Count the innuendos!
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Post by schuttep on Aug 6, 2016 18:31:47 GMT
I like all of them. I like the fact that whichever show you go to, you're guaranteed the same song just with different words. It's very comforting. I'd box your ears if they weren't made of tin!
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Post by schuttep on Aug 5, 2016 10:04:16 GMT
Other musical flops were "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" and Dickens' "Hard Times".
I saw "Mutiny!" (don't forget the exclamation mark and the fact that Frank Finlay was in it) in an early performance where the set (ship) broke down and we were kept waiting for an hour for it to be fixed. The set was innovative, though, for its time, and had one reasonably good song: "Falling Angels Riding".
Metropolis is ripe for a revival.
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Post by schuttep on Aug 4, 2016 9:17:53 GMT
Does anyone buy programme binders? I do.
The only binder I know that is available in the UK is from the National (Black cloth, silver blocking, rather stylish). I have loads. US Playbill also have a couple of choices of binders, depending on the quality of "preservation" you want. I have loads of the basic version.
The RSC used to do them (the best were black cloth, gold blocking, also stylish) but then they changed the design (twice) before ceasing to sell them altogether. So now I have a number of RSC programmes I can't house safely. The RSC say they have no plans to re-introduce binders but don't say why.
It's either because they didn't sell well, or because they are hoping hard copy programmes are dying out and people will shift to downloads.
To what extent do you think that regular theatregoers are willing to change to downloads? I'm far too old to want to do that now but I wonder if even younger theatre goers are willing to move to programme downloads?
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Post by schuttep on Jul 27, 2016 9:35:36 GMT
I bought playtexts from the Gate theatre, too.
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Post by schuttep on Jul 27, 2016 9:33:55 GMT
Judy Kuhn's voice blew me away. Plus It's Only Love/Bring on the Night and One of Those Nights are amazing songs.
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Post by schuttep on Jul 8, 2016 9:24:12 GMT
There's a part of me that would purposely have stepped on the bag a second time. I might even have come back to my seat and left again purposely to step on the bag a third and fourth time too. I am in perfect agreement with Ryan's proposed approach. I might also be tempted to pay strangers to join me marching up and down that row, making sure every attitudinally owned bag is trod upon The only things that belong on the floor are carpet and feet. Pick up the damned bag.
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Post by schuttep on Jun 13, 2016 9:40:36 GMT
Original London Into the Woods cast was: Julia McKenzie - Witch Nicholas Parsons - Narrator Imelda Staunton - Baker's Wife Patsy Rowlands - Jack's Mother Clive Carter - Wolf/Cinderella's Prince Eunice Grayson -Cinderella's Mother Ann Howard - Cinderella's Stepmother Ian Bartholomew - Baker Liza Sadovy - Lucinda Jacqueline Dankworth - Cinderella Tessa Burbridge - Little Red Riding Hood Richard Dempsey - Jack.
Brilliant staging in a white semi-circle with lots of doors.
Back to topic: I'd like to see Man of La Mancha, Mame, R&H's Cinderella, Children of Eden, Metropolis, Next to Normal, Company, Follies, and Brigadoon.
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Post by schuttep on Jun 6, 2016 13:24:29 GMT
Living in Hell from Saucy Jack & The Space Vixens Doatsy Mae from The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas In One of My Weaker Moments from Budgie - The Musical We Said We Wouldn't Look Back from Salad Days Elaborate Lives from Aida Leaving's Not the Only Way To Go from Big River One of Those Nights from Metropolis.
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