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Post by richard2711 on Jun 30, 2018 19:39:30 GMT
Went to see this today. Left at the interval. I'm visually impaired and the show was audio described. The band was so loud I could not hear the AD in my headset despite it being on full volume. I also couldn't hear a lot of the dialogue as music was played during much of it despite no songs. I couldn't hear lyrics being sung at full belt because of the band either. I haven't ever seen the film so I had no idea what was going on. Actors shouldn't have to shout at each other to be heard. I came on here to see what others thought and can't believe that sound was an issue at other venues on the tour. Surely it should've been sorted by now?!
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Post by richard2711 on Sept 13, 2017 16:33:38 GMT
Saw it last night. One of the oddest shows I've seen all year. Lots of "meaningful" standing about and then a completely different pace for the last quarter of an hour! Everything brought to a conclusion far too quickly for characters who haven't been given enough depth for the audience to invest in. The actor/musician angle didn't work at all for me with this production and meant the stage was often cluttered and distracted from the action. And whoever did the group choreography for the final numbers needs to take another look at it. Not really awful, just very confusing indeed. Many baffled faces on the way out!
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Post by richard2711 on Sept 13, 2017 1:05:07 GMT
I saw this at the Watermill and thought the actor/musician aspect worked well in the small space. I don't think it translated well at all to a larger venue and there were also other changes which sort of built the show around Tom Chambers. It's like. They'd done it for the Strictly fans but the Watermill version felt like a team effort. Caroline Sheen was excellent as Polly but I didn't really get on board with Charlotte Wakefield. I loved the West End production a few years ago (although I did have a couple of tiny reservations about Clare Foster as someone said above) but I spent. Out of the second half willing this to end. So disappointing after I took a friend based on my enjoyment of the Watermill performance.
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Post by richard2711 on Feb 1, 2017 19:53:07 GMT
I just remember being shocked by how good I thought Darius was in it as I'd never really rated him beforehand.
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Post by richard2711 on Jan 21, 2017 0:52:04 GMT
I saw this a few nignts ago and it was silly of not to think to come on here and ask a few questions about the venue before booking. I have MS which gives me severe mobility problems but I'm also visually impaired. When I booed my ticket, the box office were so helpful and I was asked "Can you manage a few steps?" which I can, with a bit of help. It turns out that "a few" was a bit too much for me in this instance! FOH staff were on it and found a lady who was on her own on the end of a row I could make it to and she kindly sat in my front row seat.
The FOH staff were amazingly helpful. They all chatted to me and also asked me at all times what I needed them to do to help, rather than just assuming. I got a bit of goss too. One lady said they'd had a few complaints about the venue and they had to explain it was purposefully built for this production. Someone else told me that the cast rarely did stage door appearances which didn't stop some partrons waiting quite a while in the cold after the show. I asked what the behaviour has been like as I saw a young guy taking a flash photo during the actual performance (!) and they said that, on the whole, people were respectful but that there were people who went, particularly at the start of the run, who were a little difficult. It was apparently rather clear that they were merely Bowie fans rather than regular theatregoers.
I think I'm in the camp of posters who have said they're glad they saw this, didn't quite understand it and possibly wouldn't see it again. Mixed review from my broken body!
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Post by richard2711 on Oct 28, 2016 11:41:03 GMT
I saw this on its last night in Cardiff. It was nowhere near as bad as I was expecting but, for me, paled in comparison to the original production. Apparently there was a sign up saying Sarah Harding wouldn't be performing at that show but it was definitely her. I actually thought her acting was much better than her signing and there were quite a few bum notes and incorrect lyrics to be heard. On the way out I heard several people say she was "dire" but that was far too strong a word for me.
The st did look a bit cheap and nasty but again, nowhere near as bad as I'd been led to believe. I did think that some parts were a little rushed though, especially the musical numbers ('Here Right Now' being a notable example).
As a scaled-down production, I thought it did what it said on the tin. I wasn't expecting the original production and I didn't get it. But I think the show needs a bit more of a spectacle than is given to it by this production.
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Post by richard2711 on Sept 2, 2016 19:19:33 GMT
The front few rows are very low though - it'll be great to be that close but you'll probably need to look up. When you walk into the auditorium, you can actually walk onto the stage so take that as a height guide. Because I use a wheelchair when I go the Rep, I usually sit in row D, which is the first row of raked seating. Row C is a little closer and only a little lower but I would recommend row C or D. The front rows are in a little bank at the front, up to row C then there is a walkway on the level of the entrance which is in front of row D.
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Post by richard2711 on Jul 31, 2016 20:58:45 GMT
The original tour was launched in WMC and was based on the west end version whereas the last tour only visited the much smaller Cardiff New Theatre and was based on the Curve version so I would expect this new tour is more like the original. Hoorah!
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Post by richard2711 on Jul 31, 2016 19:59:49 GMT
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Post by richard2711 on Jun 29, 2016 12:08:03 GMT
This is on tonight. Is anybody going? It was co-written by Ben Adams from a1.
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Post by richard2711 on May 17, 2016 1:05:55 GMT
Misha Bryan for alternate Deloris?
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Post by richard2711 on Apr 25, 2016 11:54:15 GMT
I went and found it odd that she said she found it comfortable doing cabaret with little chat, yet I found her delightful on stage and refreshingly honest. I also found it interesting that she said Barnum was the first tour she had done and she wasn't so keen on touring. She also mentioned that they had 'dangled the carrot' for a West End transfer but couldn't find a theatre.
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Post by richard2711 on Mar 13, 2016 14:04:47 GMT
I hated it. Most of the actors shouted their lines and I was sitting near the front so could hear the scenery arriving on stage pretty loudly. Sound levels were also all over the place. I didn't see the original London production but can't imagine this is much better. I'd have left at the interval if I'd been in a position to do so. This is one of the only productions ever where I've actively tried to nod off! I was really looking forward to it but was bitterly disappointed.
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Post by richard2711 on Mar 3, 2016 18:34:46 GMT
I went to watch the original production of "Ghost The Musical" for the first time on what would have been my dad's birthday if he was still alive. I couldn't remember Caissie Levy from Hair ad her voice blew me away.
Then she sat down next to the sofa and sang "With You". Easily the most emotional experience I've ever had in the theatre. I didn't move, I didn't sob. I just sat there and tears silently crept down my cheeks.
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