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Post by Dr Tom on Jun 17, 2023 9:46:55 GMT
I also caught the Thursday matinee, with a very good and very cheap ticket at the front.
I'd rate this 5* for the enthusiasm of the cast and treating this like it's the most important show in the world. It has some of the greatest songs ever written from one of the greatest bands of all time. The sound is very good.
The whole book and plot are so dire, they could really be considered inspiring. The set is improved a bit from the tour. Some of this has dated horribly, but then there are more recent references added in, which vary from being really out of place, to working.
It was good to see Ben Elton. Comedy styles are rather generational, and I was a bit young to appreciate him at his alternative comedy heights, but he did also write some of the best scripted comedy of all time. He doesn't take himself too seriously. He's a comedian, not an actor, and it shows. He's a comedian, not a singer, and it shows. He did end up with most of the best jokes of all time, either by strength of delivery or by design. Still, it feels fitting somehow to have him as the lead for this limited run.
I have no desire to ever see We Will Rock You again, but I'm sure I'll be drawn back at some point. Just not for the current run.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 17, 2023 9:57:43 GMT
Poll added. How much did you enjoy it?
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Post by andypandy on Jun 17, 2023 10:41:16 GMT
Dreadful. Left at the interval. Nice voices though
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Post by david on Jun 18, 2023 17:47:05 GMT
My london weekend comes to end with a visit to the iPlanet thanks to the offer kindly posted by fiyero. I got a £20 row O centre stalls seat for £20. A great seat at the back in which to enjoy this show. WWRY has always been one of favourite shows (a bit of a guilty pleasure show if you like) since watching at the Dominion and on its subsequent tours. I’ll admit that the book has never been the greatest thing written for musical theatre but hearing those iconic rock songs performed by brilliant bands and singers over the years has always put a smile on my face and todays visit to the London Coliseum hasn’t changed that. For the set, I was really surprised by it. With the cheap naff thing that was used in the last tour, this set actually looked half decent (though nothing will beat the brilliant set used in the original Dominion run) sat on the Coliseum stage and actually filled the space nicely backed up with those massive video screens to provide some nice visuals along with a nice lighting design. In respect to the cast, Jenny O’Leary on as the Killer Queen, having seen her in the role on tour in Liverpool, she didn’t disappoint again knocking her songs out if the park and with the returning Ian Macintosh and Elena Sykes as the two leads from the tour again, great to hear them again on stage. A shout out to Christine Allado as Meat. Her rendition of “No one but you” has never sounded so good. A real standout moment from Act 1. The biggest surprise for me was Lee Mead as Khashoggi. I have to say I absolutely loved him in that role and his singing as well (first time seeing him on stage today). Ok, now for Ben Elton. Some nice comedy moments from him but the guy cannot sing or dance at all. I have heard ”These Are The Days Of Our Lives” sung in the show by some really good singers who pitched the vocal just right, but dear lord, Ben’s version was an absolute destruction of this beautiful song. A big shout out to the WWRY band. They sounded great this afternoon in bringing the Queen songs to life. Overall, WWRY does what it says on the tin and I certainly was singing and clapping along to Bo. Rhapsody by the end. A great way to end the weekend. |
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Post by Marwood on Jun 22, 2023 18:34:24 GMT
Saw it this afternoon, due to the weather I was expecting the place to be half empty but it was packed (I don’t know if everyone had nabbed cheap tickets like I had)
I’ve never been a massive fan of Queen growing up (young me despised them, probably because of muso types espousing the ‘quality’ of the music and the ‘craftsmanship’ that had gone into them but with age I have got to understand their appeal to an extent (I have no intention of actually buying one of their records though) : having stayed at Pikes in Ibiza last year, I’ve kind of bought into the myth of Freddie Mercury somewhat (no mention of dwarves in this, to my disappointment)
The reviews giving it one star are being super mean I thought: the sets are super cheap, and the bulk of what is projected on the screens looks like they are from the menus of super cheap dvds released 20 years ago, the plot (for want of a better word) is pretty much non-existent with people just bursting into Queen songs for no reason but I enjoyed it: I’d go for three stars but wouldn’t bother to go see it again (and please don’t give encouragement to Ben Elton to start a musical career)
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Post by newda on Jun 22, 2023 21:51:35 GMT
Sure there's no deep plot, but the music's great, the singing is great (minus Ben Elton), and there's some funny lines in there if you haven't seen it before.
Good to see the set has more substance to it then the tour version which must have been cobbled together from some debris that had fallen off the back of a scaffolding lorry.
Brenda seems to be AWOL, Jenny on tonight again.(Thankfully)
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Post by mattnyc on Jun 22, 2023 22:53:21 GMT
What’s the run time on this?
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1,351 posts
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Post by CG on the loose on Jun 22, 2023 23:35:44 GMT
What’s the run time on this? 2 hours 40 mins. Ish. |
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Post by mattnyc on Jun 22, 2023 23:48:58 GMT
What’s the run time on this? 2 hours 40 mins. Ish. Thanks. I guess I was really off with my hopes of 90 minutes straight through lol |
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Post by ceebee on Jun 23, 2023 5:22:28 GMT
Sure there's no deep plot, but the music's great, the singing is great (minus Ben Elton), and there's some funny lines in there if you haven't seen it before. Good to see the set has more substance to it then the tour version which must have been cobbled together from some debris that had fallen off the back of a scaffolding lorry. Brenda seems to be AWOL, Jenny on tonight again.(Thankfully) Seen it twice now and think Jenny is fabulous. Brenda was one of my key concerns seeing this as I really don't rate her at all. Jenny is superb as Killer Queen - hugely talented and playing a character rather than a cameo. |
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Post by bubblesmcgee on Jul 28, 2023 21:45:23 GMT
Glad to return to this show tonight though I do miss the Dominion… less said about Ben Elton’s performance the better. Still enormous amounts of fun though!
They added Sinéad O'Connor to the tributes before No-one but you/Only the good die young, which got a very emotional sounding gasp from the audience.
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Post by galinda on Jul 31, 2023 8:19:54 GMT
Are there any offers or discounts on this apart from the rush tickets on todaytix?
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1,351 posts
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Post by CG on the loose on Jul 31, 2023 10:12:49 GMT
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Post by danb on Jul 31, 2023 12:13:12 GMT
TKTS always seemed to have the best tickets for ‘Bat’ when it was at the Coli. I always ended up in the premium stalls for £30 instead of £150. Hopefully this relationship has continued.
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3,485 posts
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Post by ceebee on Jul 31, 2023 12:31:50 GMT
TKTS always seemed to have the best tickets for ‘Bat’ when it was at the Coli. I always ended up in the premium stalls for £30 instead of £150. Hopefully this relationship has continued. TKTS usually offering £50 seats front/side stalls and next level up. |
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Post by danb on Jul 31, 2023 13:31:16 GMT
That would cover my coach fare but not dinner and a beer. They’re gonna have to offer me more than that to watch thi…sorry what? They want ME to pay to watch it? Never gonna happen again.
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Post by galinda on Jul 31, 2023 18:14:06 GMT
Thanks all x
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Post by theatregoer22 on Jul 31, 2023 19:01:39 GMT
I know the story isn't great, but I'm starting to get a real urge to go and see this for the music.
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Post by ceebee on Jul 31, 2023 19:50:20 GMT
I know the story isn't great, but I'm starting to get a real urge to go and see this for the music. Well worth it just for the noise factor. |
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Post by newda on Jul 31, 2023 20:12:21 GMT
I know the story isn't great, but I'm starting to get a real urge to go and see this for the music. The talent dripping from Elena Skye and Iain Mcintosh are more than enough to go and see it. Even if you just shut your eyes and pretend there's something resembling a set. Perhaps go to the loo when Ben Elton walks on stage though. |
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Post by CG on the loose on Jul 31, 2023 20:45:55 GMT
Iain and Elena are both off at the moment (for the last few days at least) - a friend who was there on Saturday says covers Danny Nattrass and Leanne Garretty are doing a great job.
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Post by andrew on Jul 31, 2023 22:28:07 GMT
Iain and Elena are both off at the moment (for the last few days at least) - a friend who was there on Saturday says covers Danny Nattrass and Leanne Garretty are doing a great job. Can confirm, saw them on Sunday and they're both great (especially Nattrass - I'd love to see his take on Strat one day). However, the best moment of the show, for me, was Christine Allado's No One But You. |
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Post by A.Ham on Aug 1, 2023 6:14:59 GMT
Iain and Elena are both off at the moment (for the last few days at least) - a friend who was there on Saturday says covers Danny Nattrass and Leanne Garretty are doing a great job. Can confirm, saw them on Sunday and they're both great (especially Nattrass - I'd love to see his take on Strat one day). However, the best moment of the show, for me, was Christine Allado's No One But You. Agreed, that was one of the few bits I enjoyed! |
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Post by mrnutz on Aug 2, 2023 16:23:50 GMT
I'm there tonight - wish me luck! 😂
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3,485 posts
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Post by ceebee on Aug 2, 2023 22:20:32 GMT
I'm there tonight - wish me luck! 😂 Did you enjoy Mr Elton's alternative comedy? |
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