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Post by lonlad on Oct 11, 2023 8:48:44 GMT
Yes, I wondered if those glitches last night might fuel the critics who think JL's approach is all much ado about nothing. More fools they if so - I mean, in the original production, John Napier's monumental set was known to malfunction quite a bit, too LOL! (There was a telling glimpse though for a nanosecond of one of the technicians looking panicky, and who can blame him?)
It is a tech masterpiece.
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Post by lonlad on Oct 11, 2023 0:04:11 GMT
Lucky you, I didn't see any prosecco :-)
But believe the hype, and re-double it. This production makes musical theatre history and the roar at the curtain call was like very few I have heard in a lifetime of theatregoing. David Thaxton (Max) looked quite overwhelmed by the response (and he is BRILLIANT in the part, as they all are)
That said, tonight was the first critics' preview, and a critic down the row from me was expressing a flat out dislike for the show at the interval, so who knows what the reviews will be on Friday? Jamie Lloyd and co certainly deserve every kudos going.
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Post by lonlad on Oct 6, 2023 11:02:54 GMT
Andrew is destined for stardom, no doubt about it.
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Post by lonlad on Oct 6, 2023 9:51:34 GMT
Yes and with Andrew Richardson leaving the cast the same day Danny Mays returns to it. But AR's replacement has had lots of practice in the role.
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Post by lonlad on Oct 6, 2023 8:15:18 GMT
A university group was there when I saw it, and they all seemed to love it (as for the most part did I). Much more visceral and less reined-in than the original Court production, and Kasper Hilton-Hille is a knockout, as one might expect given his parentage.
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Post by lonlad on Oct 4, 2023 23:10:18 GMT
Press now invited Saturday and Monday: Sharon's first performance is tomorrow
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Post by lonlad on Sept 28, 2023 23:51:34 GMT
I was there this afternoon and was quite impressed. Rather a shame in this day and age of mini-productions *VANYA etc* for some to advocate for a smaller cast but there it is, I guess. This company was very good and Jamie Bogyo, thank heavens, didn't have to sing (though still adopted his habit of wincing throughout and peering into the middle distance). The set is astonishing.
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Post by lonlad on Sept 15, 2023 10:18:38 GMT
The tickets were booked months ago, so I'm going. Very happy to be surprised - one lives in hope.
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Post by lonlad on Sept 15, 2023 10:00:39 GMT
4 stars from The Standard and 5 stars from WOS I have to say, it sounds ghastly so will go tomorrow night with minimal expectations and hope to be surprised: spurious sentimental uplift is so wearing.
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Post by lonlad on Aug 22, 2023 11:22:33 GMT
Saw this on Friday and thought it was ghastly. The 2 star reviews in the Standard and Telegraph are spot on. The plot doesn't even kick in till after the interval and the entire set up is beyond preposterous. Thank heavens, though, for Sara Crowe who not for the first time (Private Lives anyone?) walks away with a production.
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Post by lonlad on Aug 22, 2023 11:21:06 GMT
A friend has been offered £2.50 seats for the matinee today. Hmmm .....
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Post by lonlad on Aug 9, 2023 10:51:35 GMT
I have to say, the hour of it I saw last night wasn't very encouraging. The two leads both sing loudly but not especially musically, and the narrative seems past its sell-by date.
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Post by lonlad on Aug 8, 2023 22:39:54 GMT
Press night tonight started 15 minutes late and was cancelled due to weather 50 minutes into the first act, just after Georges's first big solo. Rotten luck.
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Post by lonlad on Jul 18, 2023 8:43:19 GMT
Any news on Owain's first performance last night? And is Celinde back?
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Post by lonlad on Jul 8, 2023 23:29:01 GMT
Cerebral??? A LITTLE LIFE must be one of the least cerebral plays I have ever seen, unless you find torture porn a head trip.
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Post by lonlad on Jul 8, 2023 12:49:45 GMT
I hear from friends in the company that Will Fletcher is on both shows today as Gareth Southgate. If that is so, here's hoping he nails it in what is bar none the most exciting play in town.
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Post by lonlad on Jul 7, 2023 5:32:32 GMT
Both lead women out last night. But Andrew, Danny, and Cedric were all there.
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Post by lonlad on Jul 4, 2023 16:09:09 GMT
Marisha is off through the 6th, on hols. Any reports on her understudy gratefully received. Hope Andrew is hanging in there !
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Post by lonlad on Jun 20, 2023 16:25:39 GMT
He was thinking about the cash, as your post indicates: that has ALWAYS come first with him. It remains one of the most critically derided musicals ever and I speak as a survivor of the press night with the infamous taxi despatch mishap ....
On Broadway, STARLIGHT lost a fortune as did his productions of ASPECTS and CHESS.
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Post by lonlad on Jun 20, 2023 16:09:38 GMT
>> Is he a workaholic who accepts anything?
Um, yes. Remember STARLIGHT EXPRESS (and much much much else along the way as well!)
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Post by lonlad on Jun 20, 2023 14:44:14 GMT
Mostly 2 and 3 star reviews, one eccentric 4 star one from the i ....
Think this is going to be a very tough sell through to Sept 9 since those old enough to remember the film will quite wisely be perfectly content to sit and watch it once again at home. No wonder Sam Underwood in the Joseph Cotten role spends the whole time looking worried. I would be, too.
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Post by lonlad on Jun 20, 2023 14:41:54 GMT
It's interesting - I saw the show twice and the second time he was in MUCH stronger voice. It could just be that he isn't used to the vocal rigours of sustaining a run since this is, astonishingly, his professional stage debut. Shame coz he's brilliantly cast in the part.
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Post by lonlad on May 25, 2023 9:50:39 GMT
>> I think I prefer his completely insane stuff (looking at you Evita)
Interesting, since Aspects, like it or not, is uber-insane: best not to examine its plot too closely ..... LOL
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Post by lonlad on May 24, 2023 23:34:07 GMT
It couldn't be less am dram -- the design is unbelievably sophisticated and must have cost an absolute fortune. John Macfarlane comes from the world of opera and ballet and is himself an artist, hence the painterly feel of so much of it. The show still has that gonzo narrative but that is what it is: it's embedded in the material. This production makes as good a case for the piece as we are likely ever to see.
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Post by lonlad on May 20, 2023 9:12:30 GMT
That's hilarious! No, maybe it's being saved for the Sunday reviews. Too bad the show itself is so unexciting, though the music is great and so is Faist.
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Post by lonlad on May 19, 2023 13:53:20 GMT
More reviews in:
Guardian **** Time Out *** The Arts Desk **
Talk about a spread !
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Post by lonlad on May 19, 2023 12:37:42 GMT
>> So far, it’s going fine. Not at all: with the exception of the Standard, all the heavy hitters are 3 or 2 stars. These reviews collectively are well below what all involved were hoping for and don't exactly cry out for the Broadway transfer that clearly is the expectation. Be interesting to see what the US trade papers say, if they review it.
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Post by lonlad on May 18, 2023 23:28:34 GMT
Mike Faist is by some measure the best thing about the production which otherwise is a non-starter. Early reviews range from 2 stars (Independent), to 3 (Telegraph), to 4 (Theatre Weekly), to 5 (incomprehensible gush from Broadwayworld.com)
I have a funny feeling it will be a tough sell.
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Post by lonlad on Apr 28, 2023 23:08:26 GMT
>>I just wish the queues for the ladies hadn't been so long and that they'd had chocolate ice cream left by the time I got to the ice cream vendor as I was properly miffed to miss out.
I love that that was your takeaway from the experience :-)
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Post by lonlad on Apr 28, 2023 23:03:18 GMT
Stephens was on another planet altogether from what this could ever hope to be - the difference between an artist (Stephens has more soul in one finger than Branagh has in his entire body) and a technician. And Rob Ashford co-directing is too surreal for words .... I'm sure that won't happen, especially since they are taking this to NY.
Anyone else remember the 1990 LEAR with Branagh as Edgar, Emma Thompson as the Fool, and Richard Briers as Lear? Branagh directed that one and it was ghastly.
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