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Post by shownut on Jul 20, 2024 7:11:04 GMT
I was wondering about something related to this — I admit I've never seen it (although I remember seeing the cast on Blue Peter!) and have only listened to the cast recordings and read a bit about it. I always thought Greaseball was almost a take-off of Elvis crossed with Danny Zuko (similar to Pharoah), both in terms of style of songs and also costuming. Now if Greaseball isn't American, or male, has that association just been dropped? All the characterisation has been dropped (lost). Part of the overall blanding of this production. My husband actually hit the nail on the head when he said there are no macho stereotypes here. The show is obviously fictional so having the macho/bully elements as with Greaseball and the Greaseball gang, Flat-Top and the Rockies all cut from the show has pretty much cut any tension in of the air. Most characters are now a she or a they with Rusty being the lone he. The show suffers as a result. Perhaps if they developed/gave personalities to the revised characters (especially the villians) it would be less boring? |
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Post by danb on Jul 20, 2024 8:23:56 GMT
It is, as @vicerys had warned me of Bochum, more of a theme park attraction than a show. Its still a delight, and fun whilst you’re enjoying it, but certainly doesn’t bare scrutiny. Reducing everyone to their most homogeneous state does indeed rid the story of any drama. I can’t be the only one who wanted to know more about the new carriages than just their colour!
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Post by alece10 on Jul 20, 2024 9:26:53 GMT
2nd visit last night, on the hottest day of the year! Funnily enough the last time I went was also the hottest day of the year. Fortunately the Metropolitan line and the theatre both have air con so wasn't too bad.
I sat further back this time Row H of platform 2. Nicely tiered and a great view of the stage. There are a few seats in row J behind (that was the only row on the platform that wasn't raked so I doubt you would have a great view. And at my end of the row there are no seats behind, just the track so had a great view of the cast racing past me. I swear I could also feel a breeze as they went past.
It was full last night and quite a few kids who seemed to be very engaged in the show. Audience was nowhere near as receptive as when I went to an early preview but, I guess, early previews attract real fans of shows and are more enthuastic.
Show just as good with lots of energy. We had a very sweet girl on as controller and I overheard that this was her first performance.
Although I had a better overall view from the platform I think I preferred the first time when I was sat in first class carriage number 1 at the end of the 2nd row so my head was level with the track and very close to the actors. Even though the overall view is not as good I did prefer this seat and felt more immersive.
Pleased to say they now have programmes back in stock (sold out when I went last time) but glad in a way as the programme is now full of production pics which are glorious. Its £15 for the programme but its really high quality and lots to read, its really programme/colour brochure.
And compared with the Mean Girls rubbish programme at £10 this is a bargain.
I don't feel I want to see the musical again immediately but it is definately something I will revisit in a few months time or when I have friends visiting.
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Post by steve10086 on Jul 20, 2024 10:30:00 GMT
Such a shame that such an unlikely revival (who really thought a big production of Starlight would be in London again?) has been wasted on such a dull production 😢
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Post by shownut on Jul 20, 2024 10:34:08 GMT
Such a shame that such an unlikely revival (who really thought a big production of Starlight would be in London again?) has been wasted on such a dull production 😢 I totally agree. They took a beloved, fun, hi-tech rock and roll spectacular and reduced it to a dull, uninspiring damp squib. |
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Post by d'James on Jul 20, 2024 11:32:43 GMT
Half an hour before the start of the show and they still haven’t reduced ticket price.
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Post by PineappleForYou on Jul 20, 2024 11:35:07 GMT
Such a shame that such an unlikely revival (who really thought a big production of Starlight would be in London again?) has been wasted on such a dull production 😢 I totally agree. They took a beloved, fun, hi-tech rock and roll spectacular and reduced it to a dull, uninspiring damp squib. These sweeping statements are tiring and unfounded going by the poll. It's alright to have a different opinion to the majority but please give some detailed criticism rather than a one word labels. Just comes across that you can't stand change otherwise. |
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Post by danb on Jul 20, 2024 11:45:51 GMT
If you read back through the last page or so of posts you’ll see plenty of substance in (ex-cast member!) Shownuts views.
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Post by alece10 on Jul 20, 2024 11:51:26 GMT
I'm sure the producers aren't remotely bothered. If you look online at advance sales this show is probably one of the best sold large musicals we have had in London for quite a while.
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Post by shownut on Jul 20, 2024 12:04:51 GMT
I'm sure the producers aren't remotely bothered. If you look online at advance sales this show is probably one of the best sold large musicals we have had in London for quite a while. Bully for the producers that they may turn a profit but for those of us who had a long and wonderful connection with the former production, it is sad to see what could have been an amazing revision turned into senseless piffle. This watered down monstrosity bears such faint resemblence to the much-beloved original production that the creatives would have been better to have just given it a new name altogether. Few characters remain from the original and what few songs remain have been largely butchered. At least the newly revised CATS: The Jellicle Ball and Jamie Lloyd's thrilling production of SUNSET BLVD kept the characters/themes/score intact. They just revisioned it through another lense which appears to have worked brilliantly. In this case, the powers that be took a hatchet to it and sanitized it to the point of being unrecognizable. The original wasn't high art but it did have a pulse and a ton of heart. |
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Post by alece10 on Jul 20, 2024 12:16:15 GMT
I'm sure the producers aren't remotely bothered. If you look online at advance sales this show is probably one of the best sold large musicals we have had in London for quite a while. Bully for the producers that they may turn a profit but for those of us who had a long and wonderful connection with the former production, it is sad to see what could have been an amazing revision turned into senseless piffle. This watered down monstrosity bears such faint resemblence to the much-beloved original production that the creatives would have been better to have just given it a new name altogether. Few characters remain from the original and what few songs remain have been largely butchered. At least the newly revised CATS: The Jellicle Ball and Jamie Lloyd's thrilling production of SUNSET BLVD kept the characters/themes/score intact. They just revisioned it through another lense which appears to have worked brilliantly. In this case, the powers that be took a hatchet to it and sanitized it to the point of being unrecognizable. The original wasn't high art but it did have a pulse and a ton of heart. I get it, you didn't like it. I did and that's what makes the world go around. Some people like things that others don't. But it doesn't mean anyone is right or wrong. I saw the original a couple of times and loved it, I've seen this version a couple of times and loved it. It's not not "senseless piffle" or a "monstrosity" in my opinion but I respect yours. |
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Post by BVM on Jul 20, 2024 12:34:57 GMT
In terms of the villain edit, worth remembering that Caboose in current Bochum version is very underwritten compared to the 80’s and is certainly no more dramatically fleshed out than Slick.
In the tours there was even less to explain his villain arc and he had no songs. And he didn’t exist in the “new” London version.
Carrie and Belle in Bochum have zero character development. In fact I’d say Tassita in London has a sliver (a very small sliver) more than Carrie. As does Belle who now gets to lead I Am Me.
Basically none of this is out of the blue.
We all see things through different eyes. My nephew adored the coaches and thought Lumber, Porter, Slick and Hydra oozed personality!
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Post by amyja89 on Jul 20, 2024 13:04:24 GMT
Am planning a mat/eve/mat/eve London trip for September, and have booked the London Wembley Park Premier Inn to save some cash compared to central. Banking on being able to get a rush/reduced ticket for the Wednesday night to make my Wembley stay make sense!
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Post by alece10 on Jul 20, 2024 14:05:24 GMT
Am planning a mat/eve/mat/eve London trip for September, and have booked the London Wembley Park Premier Inn to save some cash compared to central. Banking on being able to get a rush/reduced ticket for the Wednesday night to make my Wembley stay make sense! Thats quite a good idea. |
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Post by amyja89 on Jul 20, 2024 14:22:55 GMT
Am planning a mat/eve/mat/eve London trip for September, and have booked the London Wembley Park Premier Inn to save some cash compared to central. Banking on being able to get a rush/reduced ticket for the Wednesday night to make my Wembley stay make sense! Thats quite a good idea. I am known to occasionally have them. 😉 |
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Post by fiyero on Jul 20, 2024 17:04:56 GMT
Well I loved it. An odd 1pm Saturday matinee for me today. Covers on for Rusty, Pearl and Belle (and some smaller parts due to that) but if you didn't look at the programme you never would have known. I saw the workshop a few years back and the tours but never saw the London productions. This is 2024, gender is different now and if you didn't know what it was before I really don't think it would matter in this version. If you can accept trains having unrequited love with coaches what does gender matter?
I love the way Control has been incorporated and is in control of their dream. The space means the lighting effects were as special as I hoped too. Being 2024 means the health and safety has been ramped up so bits of the race could feel rather slow but I'd prefer that to broken trains.
I did miss the named engines, whether they are based on countries or something else I'm not sure colours worked. As has been mentioned the baddie isn't there so much but again this is a child's dream isn't it? Maybe he only thought of that late on in the night.
I have rated 5 stars. To my mind this is a 5 star 2024 production of Starlight Express. I know there are better shows but that isn't how I was judging it. I booked a return visit on my way out
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Post by d'James on Jul 20, 2024 19:40:14 GMT
It lessens the impact of a song like AC/DC for sure. Also, you could argue the voices on some of the songs aren’t as impressive. Electra as a woman would be better than Greaseball story- and song-wise (although I love the current Greaseball).
I think in future they should go fully colour/gender blind with first casts and understudies, or try and re-establish the story and heart a bit more. I know that would cause trouble with the onstage control, or maybe just refer to them all as ‘they.’
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Post by Dr Tom on Jul 20, 2024 20:38:29 GMT
Yes, I was there this afternoon. I like that they’ve moved the Saturday matinees to a 13:00 start. The bargain ticket deals are nearly gone, but I managed to Rush and got front row Locomotive, pretty central. An absolutely brilliant view, slightly raised over the seats in front. Unfortunately, it was like being at a bad performance of Frozen. I got kicked from both the side and behind (one was a dad trying to balance two struggling kids on his lap). The other family were the kind where mum offered crisps just as the show opened, daughter sang along and chatted, mum did ask her to be considerate, and dad told her he liked her singing. Enjoyable show, but the audience was hard to block out.
The seats are also the ones for high fives at the end (but this is easier if you are towards the end due to the slope). I was busy filming the megamix, but it’s not a great angle.
Main reason for choosing today is Scott is on as Rusty all weekend. Having Ashlyn on as Pearl too was a bonus. A few interesting covers as well, so a great choice of dates (if a less great ability of predicting the audience).
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Post by thecursedexpress on Jul 20, 2024 20:54:37 GMT
Such a shame that such an unlikely revival (who really thought a big production of Starlight would be in London again?) has been wasted on such a dull production 😢 One thing I will say when it was coming back to London and I saw that the Troubadour is an empty warehouse I generally did think a Bochum version was coming and set wise they did cheap out but I get it they don't know if the theatre is still going to be there by 2026. However, this production is certainly not dull. I saw it a 3rd time and I actually enjoyed it more from when I saw it in previews. Its not perfect but its a fun show plus as a theatre technician I was astounded by the technical side and how bonkers this version is. I never saw the original, I would of loved to but I was way too young. The thing is just let people enjoy things, I'm getting tired of the same old spiel, just accept that shows evolve. Like my favourite show is Wicked and if that closes maybe I will think the same when Jamie Llyod gets a hold of it. |
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Post by steve10086 on Jul 20, 2024 21:01:29 GMT
Here we go again with the “let people enjoy it”, as if someone sharing their opinion on a discussion forum in any way prevents that.
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Post by shownut on Jul 20, 2024 22:03:33 GMT
Such a shame that such an unlikely revival (who really thought a big production of Starlight would be in London again?) has been wasted on such a dull production 😢 The thing is just let people enjoy things, I'm getting tired of the same old spiel, just accept that shows evolve. Like my favourite show is Wicked and if that closes maybe I will think the same when Jamie Llyod gets a hold of it. I also don't mind shows that evolve. But one could argue that in this case, especially coming from someone who performed the damn thing over 1000 times a few decades ago, that this is not the evolution of a show but the destruction of a show. |
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Post by PineappleForYou on Jul 20, 2024 22:21:41 GMT
Okay, you have made your point. Can we please move on for everyone's sanity?
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Post by shownut on Jul 21, 2024 6:21:11 GMT
Okay, you have made your point. Can we please move on for everyone's sanity? In case you were unaware, responding to an item you take an interest in, for better or worse, is a how a chat board works. If you don't want to read my opinions or others that might be in conflict with your own, take a pass and move on. Problem solved. |
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Post by ceebee on Jul 21, 2024 7:18:44 GMT
I agree with PineappleForYou - the point has been made and banging on about the old production versus a brand new production just feels a little bitter/stuck in the past. |
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Post by danb on Jul 21, 2024 8:09:44 GMT
Stifling peoples opinions and shutting people down are really unhealthy behaviours, and the last bastion of the petulant child. I should know 😂
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