19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 16, 2023 15:23:32 GMT
24th July - 26th August Public booking opens 4th March Starring Carly Bawden, Zizi Strallen
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19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 16, 2023 15:25:36 GMT
Even as a teeny baby in a nappy I distinctly remember thinking that Rula Lenska must have been cast for her striking looks, because it sure wasn’t for her voice or dancing abilities!
Looks like Dee (the Julie Covington role) hasn’t been cast yet.
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324 posts
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Post by barrowside on Feb 16, 2023 16:34:00 GMT
Speaking of Rock Follies - does anyone know what Julie Covington is doing nowadays.
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5,138 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Feb 16, 2023 17:34:13 GMT
Even as a teeny baby in a nappy Isn't there a well-known expression about where bears do their 'business'?
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19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 16, 2023 17:44:02 GMT
Even as a teeny baby in a nappy Isn't there a well-known expression about where bears do their 'business'?
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Feb 17, 2023 0:12:26 GMT
Carly Bawden is one of my faves.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Feb 17, 2023 0:59:46 GMT
I am somewhat perplexed by this as a choice of project.
It is only a show that will be known to people in their late 50s and older. And whilst I know that is an age group that has traditionally been seen as the core audience for Chichester, is there enough love left for a TV programme that finished well over 40 years ago?
Nostalgia is all very well but as someone who is too young to have any memory of the original, what is there to convince me to pay this more attention?
I am open to being convinced - just slightly sceptical
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Post by karloscar on Feb 17, 2023 10:27:04 GMT
Looking at some old clips of the original series it seems really dated and the music is pretty awful. I'm not sure who this will appeal to. Donna and the Dynamos seem much more progressive than the Little Ladies from nearly fifty years on.
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1,245 posts
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Post by joem on Feb 18, 2023 0:04:21 GMT
This wasn't shown where I lived at the time and I only heard of the show when they had their biggest hit "Ok?", which wasn't a bad number. Always been interested in watching it but never caught a re-run (if there was any) or seen the dvd for sale. Andy Mackay from Roxy Music wrote all their songs I believe, so that can't be a bad thing. And Julie Covington could certainly sing.
One thing which has intrigued me in case there's anyone with knowledge of the politics of the time - was Jim Callaghan's insult/put-down to Maggie Thatcher when she was leader of the Opposition "There, there little lady" referencing the name of the Rock Follies band, The Little Ladies (odd name)? The timing would seem to make it possible or likely but it may just have been a coincidence.
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3,557 posts
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Post by showgirl on Feb 18, 2023 4:17:38 GMT
I am somewhat perplexed by this as a choice of project. It is only a show that will be known to people in their late 50s and older. And whilst I know that is an age group that has traditionally been seen as the core audience for Chichester, is there enough love left for a TV programme that finished well over 40 years ago? Nostalgia is all very well but as someone who is too young to have any memory of the original, what is there to convince me to pay this more attention? I am open to being convinced - just slightly sceptical I understand your scepticism but jukebox musicals based on music from the 60s do very well so why not the 70s too? Of course the critical difference may prove to be that this was a short-lived UK phenomenom only but it is in the smaller Minerva and as you say, likely to appeal to the core CFT audience. I have fond memories of the tv show and certainly intend to book.
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Post by cavocado on Feb 18, 2023 9:17:43 GMT
One thing which has intrigued me in case there's anyone with knowledge of the politics of the time - was Jim Callaghan's insult/put-down to Maggie Thatcher when she was leader of the Opposition "There, there little lady" referencing the name of the Rock Follies band, The Little Ladies (odd name)? The timing would seem to make it possible or likely but it may just have been a coincidence. I think this was said at PMQs, and Callaghan didn't become PM until a few weeks after Rock Follies was first broadcast. So unless he said it in some other context, it's probably a coincidence. The name was meant to be ironic, but does sound cringey these days. I think it could be quite an interesting show depending on how it's done. Even if people can't remember the show, there's an interest in the 70s - music, politics, culture, etc. Here's a song from the 1977 series about the contrast between the flag-waving Britain of the Silver Jubilee and the reality of dole queues, poverty, inflation etc. . That surely has some resonance in our post-Brexit, post-Elizabeth II, fuel crisis Britain?
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Post by oxfordsimon on Feb 18, 2023 13:06:51 GMT
I am somewhat perplexed by this as a choice of project. It is only a show that will be known to people in their late 50s and older. And whilst I know that is an age group that has traditionally been seen as the core audience for Chichester, is there enough love left for a TV programme that finished well over 40 years ago? Nostalgia is all very well but as someone who is too young to have any memory of the original, what is there to convince me to pay this more attention? I am open to being convinced - just slightly sceptical I understand your scepticism but jukebox musicals based on music from the 60s do very well so why not the 70s too? Of course the critical difference may prove to be that this was a short-lived UK phenomenom only but it is in the smaller Minerva and as you say, likely to appeal to the core CFT audience. I have fond memories of the tv show and certainly intend to book. Jukebox shows tend to be based on truly successful bands/singers with a back catalogue of songs that have, in some way, become classics. I don't honestly believe that Rock Follies fits into that category. There may be enough fans to fill a smallish theatre for a short run but it strikes me as a very brave piece of commissioning. If it were on a streaming service so that new audiences could get a taste of it, that would certainly help. But it isn't out there at present.
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Post by nick on Feb 19, 2023 18:13:02 GMT
Is Rock Follies a jukebox show? It was a original musical (albeit a television one) with original songs written for it. There's a problem in that it was 12 fifty minute episodes with 2/3 songs per episode so it will a lot of editing to create a stage musical.
it was one of my favourite TV shows of the 1970s so i am very excited but I hope they can make intelligent choices so it's not just a nostalgia fest but has something to say for today.
The bare bones story - a group of women from differing backgrounds come together to try and form a rock band - is good. They are helped/hindered along the way by a male manager and a variety of people who have differing interests from the women. As they try and find their way, they experiment (or are forced to try) a variety of musical styles (Glen Miller is Missing as a 1940s heritage band for example).
If it's an updated then there are parts that will not work - the Julie Covington character is in a commune for example.
I'll be there.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Feb 19, 2023 18:56:27 GMT
I think it is closer to being a jukebox show than any other form of musical theatre.
It is taking existing songs and fitting them into a new script.
There is no denying that the songs were created for the TV show so were original for that. But there is no hint that this will feature anything other than the existing tracks rather than new compositions.
We shall see. But I am still struggling to see the rationale behind it.
Perhaps I need to listen to some of the music
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19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 19, 2023 20:23:58 GMT
Maybe it will appeal to an audience who want to see a show about a female rock band? I see no reason why it would be necessary to know the back story of the tv show in order to book a ticket. Would you have to see Priscilla the movie to appreciate Priscilla the musical? I don’t think so.
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Post by max on Feb 20, 2023 1:10:08 GMT
I wouldn't call it a Jukebox show, as a lot of the songs had a strong story setting in their original context, and the lyrics are very specific. A lot of the songs were about 'The Hype' of selling a band, and the 'The Band That Wouldn't Die' as opposed to a catalogue of songs that need to be excavated for some story angles and connections. Having said that, there's a lot of material to pick from, so perhaps they'll pick the more generic ones which would make it more jukebox.
Board members may enjoy IMDB's quick summary of the very first TV episode: "A disastrous attempt to revive an old musical brings together three girl singers, who form a group".
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Post by max on Feb 20, 2023 1:28:22 GMT
Looking at some old clips of the original series it seems really dated and the music is pretty awful. I'm not sure who this will appeal to. Donna and the Dynamos seem much more progressive than the Little Ladies from nearly fifty years on. I think a lot of the songs are great, and true to the times. It often describes women who were brought up as girls to 'speak nicely' and get ready to be a housewife. "You want to do me, but I don't want to be done, okay? Move off, back away, I may look soft, but I'm not soft, and I'm not laying down today, okay?" There's a good song called Loose Change about staying rich by not carrying loose change, and keeping the purse strings tight. But the woman in the song doesn't want to carry that on: "Hold on tight to your knickers, her mother always said, Her mother was a married lady, with a virgin's head" "Mummy was right - and how But mummy was tight - a cow And she doesn't want to wind up like her mother So she reaches in her pockets, deep down inside her pockets and buys everybody drinks with her loose change" In a later chorus it's "buys everybody love". No sense any of her actions are wise, or may not lead to danger, but it's a slash and burn on gender expectations and hang the consequences. You won't find that in Mamma Mia, where the characters may be singing songs from roughly the same time, but it's set now-ish with all the gains made by women since, taken for granted. So much so, you'd think feminism never happened.....
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3,557 posts
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Post by showgirl on Feb 20, 2023 4:54:23 GMT
Agreed, oxfordsimon and max, this isn't strictly a "jukebox" musical; I used the term loosely at best to indicate a show with known songs - though in this case possibly known to a niche audience only. However, the original cast members and composer are recognised for other work, so that might help. And at least there was a genuine story to this, compared to actual jukebox musicals where the plot is often thin and designed merely to accommodate the songs.
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Post by nick on Feb 20, 2023 11:26:14 GMT
I do wonder if it will be an updated story or the original story updated to today or a period homage to the original version. The character names are from the original. As a fan I'd want the latter but I think that would be the wrong direction. Although I struggle to see how they could update it but then I'm not a writer.
There was some nice observations in the original : The three women were from very different backgrounds so there was friction amongst them. They also had different levels of talent which also ramped up the tension. The male manager (and supposed songwriter) could be both a help and a hindrance - pushing them towards success or into enterprises that are failures. But he's the driver of progress rather than the women themselves. There's a strong feminism slant. I found it interesting that the commune - supposed equal opportunity - is still very sexist.
The songs drive the plot forward either as commentary on events or as part of their act.
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1,995 posts
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Post by distantcousin on Feb 20, 2023 15:11:11 GMT
Rather a niche choice!
This could be CAMP!
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1,995 posts
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Post by distantcousin on Feb 20, 2023 15:12:39 GMT
I am somewhat perplexed by this as a choice of project. It is only a show that will be known to people in their late 50s and older. And whilst I know that is an age group that has traditionally been seen as the core audience for Chichester, is there enough love left for a TV programme that finished well over 40 years ago? Nostalgia is all very well but as someone who is too young to have any memory of the original, what is there to convince me to pay this more attention? I am open to being convinced - just slightly sceptical
I'm mid 40's, and rented the DVD's of it in the mid 00's. I'd heard about the show, and I wanted to check it out for camp appeal!
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1,995 posts
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Post by distantcousin on Feb 20, 2023 15:14:06 GMT
This wasn't shown where I lived at the time and I only heard of the show when they had their biggest hit "Ok?", which wasn't a bad number. Always been interested in watching it but never caught a re-run (if there was any) or seen the dvd for sale. Andy Mackay from Roxy Music wrote all their songs I believe, so that can't be a bad thing. And Julie Covington could certainly sing. One thing which has intrigued me in case there's anyone with knowledge of the politics of the time - was Jim Callaghan's insult/put-down to Maggie Thatcher when she was leader of the Opposition "There, there little lady" referencing the name of the Rock Follies band, The Little Ladies (odd name)? The timing would seem to make it possible or likely but it may just have been a coincidence.
I rented the DVD box set in the 00's. Possibly out of print now!
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19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 20, 2023 15:20:36 GMT
Full episodes are on YouTube.
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421 posts
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Post by schuttep on Feb 21, 2023 11:07:47 GMT
The book for Anything Goes was lost until Patti Lupone employed the current writers to create a new book around the old songs. Same thing happened with Stephen Fry's Me and my Girl. No-one would call those juke box musicals.
Rock Follies isn't either. It will be a theatrical production of two TV series (RF and RF of '77) that included songs. I remember seeing both series in the 70s and loved them (compared to other ITV fare at that time!) So I'll be booking to see this incarnation.
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Post by nick on Feb 22, 2023 7:53:46 GMT
Looking at the two cast lists they appear to be keeping some aspect of Dee's commune house (Gloria), Anna's middle class (Polytechnic lecturer) husband (Jack), the record company from the second series (David and Kitty) and their manager/songwriter is from the second series (Harry) rather than from the first series.
I'd love to know who is playing the Julie Covington role. In the original the Carly and Zizi roles were significantly worse singers than her. Surely some sort of a 'name'?
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