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Post by BVM on Dec 31, 2023 16:26:54 GMT
Both of these would be good news but how do you know these things if you don’t mind me asking?! I find it quite rude to ask people how do they know things - it's up to you whether to believe them or not, it's an online forum after all. People might not want to reveal their sources, and frankly it's none of our business. I don’t think it’s rude at all. I phrased it very politely. They’re under no obligation to reply! But one is allowed to ask. Especially when it’s a topic a lot of people here are very invested in! |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Dec 31, 2023 21:50:28 GMT
Both of these would be good news but how do you know these things if you don’t mind me asking?! I find it quite rude to ask people how do they know things - it's up to you whether to believe them or not, it's an online forum after all. People might not want to reveal their sources, and frankly it's none of our business. Not rude at all! Cant believe Thaxton is going too.. but delighted that a cast recording is happening |
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Post by theatrefan62 on Dec 31, 2023 22:27:45 GMT
I find it quite rude to ask people how do they know things - it's up to you whether to believe them or not, it's an online forum after all. People might not want to reveal their sources, and frankly it's none of our business. Not rude at all! Cant believe Thaxton is going too.. but delighted that a cast recording is happening Lol Yet you get annoyed when anyone dares question you. |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Dec 31, 2023 22:33:31 GMT
Not rude at all! Cant believe Thaxton is going too.. but delighted that a cast recording is happening Lol Yet you get annoyed when anyone dares question you. Hardly … i won’t ever say how I know , but don’t mind being asked. Don’t be bitter that I’m well connected 🤣 |
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Post by distantcousin on Jan 1, 2024 12:40:09 GMT
I went to see the matinee of this today - my last show of 2023. I have to say that I nearly did not book this when it was announced. The casting just did not inspire me, and I felt that Scherzinger was all wrong for Norma - no proven acting chops, the wrong age etc, and I love SUNSET too much. Well, I am happy to be proven wrong! Starting with Nicole, she is perfect for this production’s interpretation of Norma. She is mad from the start, giving a very physical performance, rolling around the stage, convulsing and undulating in any number of body contortions. The sexual attraction between her and Joe is played up to the max and works. The singing, whilst not to my taste, is also done well enough. Her sustained ‘Home’ during ‘As If We Never Said Goodbye’ stretches the boundaries of good taste, and musicality for me, but I can understand dramatically why this was a choice. The audience clearly loved it though. She got a smattering of standing ovations from people in the Stalls after that song. It is the other members of the cast that really impress though. Tom Francis as Joe is the standout, giving a stellar performance. I also really enjoyed Grace Hodgett Young as Betty. She gave a lovely performance that really benefitted from the close glance of the camera at certain moments. David Thaxton gave a slightly different take on Max that was very welcome. It is the staging and direction that really makes this production of SUNSET however. It is just incredible! There are so many moments that just make this pop! The Car Chase, with the title sequence, and stylised, contemporary movement from the company was a fantastic start. The Entr’acte is nicely staged, with various ‘Easter Eggs’ and nods to past productions (starting with the watching of the original film, Nicole’s turban, the chimp costume, ‘Mad About the Boy’ on the mirror, the gun, the cut-out of Andrew Lloyd-Webber). The Title Song is an amazing technical feat. The sound and video come across perfectly, and are in sync throughout. I am not sure how they managed this from the Theatre, all the way down the Strand, and then back into the Theatre, but it is absolutely to be commended. The Hog-Eye moment in ‘As If We Never Said Goodbye’ still got me (just like in the ENO staging). The lights, the wind machine, the smoke, the swell of the orchestra! I had chills and tears in my eyes! Just beautiful! Finally, Joe’s Death and Norma ‘s Mad Scene are absolutely breathtaking! The best version of these final moments that I have ever seen. The lighting (or lack of it in places), the blood! Again, I felt a little emotional seeing this - the first time that this has happened at this particular part of SUNSET. Nicole’s mad scene was truly unhinged. The lighting throughout is a real hallmark of the production. The use of Young Norma, floating in and out was a masterstroke. I also liked how certain characters lingered or walked across the stage when they were clearly in the back of the mind of the characters (such as Norma staying on stage throughout ‘Too Much In Love to Care’ and during most of Joe and Betty’s interactions, or Artie walking across the stage when Betty can clearly thinking of him). It was just refreshing to see a show I know well given such a radical that kept you guessing and on the edge of your seat. It was like seeing a completely new show. The line readings were also so different (with more modern anachronisms in places) that this too was surprising. There were cuts to the material, and changes to lyrics, but what was there originally was not missed. I actually prefer it without ‘The Lady’s Paying’. Are there some cuts in ‘Too Much In Love to Care’? This was clearly not a traditional SUNSET. It was as if Nicole in 2023 was seeing parallels between Norma’s life and her own (she a slightly faded pop singer), and was reenacting Norma’s story in her own head imagining how this would play out now (hence the modern style), giving a very meta interpretation of the material. However, that being said, it very much honoured the source material with the silent movie stylings and delivery, as well as the very obvious reliance on the film medium, as well as leaning heavily into the camp. My only slight quibble would be that, if I did not already know the material, and was seeing SUNSET for the first time, would I have been able to keep up with what was going on? The lack of props and scenery could potentially cause confusion to the story-telling. Oh, and the orchestra sounded gorgeous, helped by wonderful sound design! This should definitely be winning awards for direction, lighting and sound design. This is my first Jamie Lloyd production, but will definitely not be my last. I went with 4 stars, as I had minor issues with it, but still an absolutely incredible production, that I have been thinking about ever since I saw it this afternoon. I wish I could see it again!
Your review/reflections echo mine pretty much exactly!
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Post by musicbox on Jan 1, 2024 22:11:51 GMT
I wasn’t at the show tonight, but did they opt to use recorded footage for the outside scene due to the rain? I can explain -
My friend and I were in town today and decided to try and luck out with tickets to Rachel’s last show. Ultimately our plan didn’t work out after popping into the box office and we decided to go for dinner instead.
I had mentioned that I had seen the outdoor scene by chance two or three times now as the theatre is on my walk home route, so for a laugh we decided to go and see if we could spot it after dinner as a way of still seeing a few seconds of the show. I remembered that it usually happens around 9:10, so we waited from around 9 until about 25 past in a shelter across the road but absolutely nothing happened. At about half past we were leaving and walked down to the embankment to the get the tube, through the lane where stage door is but the theatre doors were completely closed off.
The rain was torrential tonight, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they used prerecorded footage to save the equipment potentially being damaged.
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Post by jj9692 on Jan 1, 2024 22:29:21 GMT
Definitely live tonight.
It was torrential rain in the feed. One of the crews umbrella blew away and practically hit Tom up the face and blocked his way getting out of the gate at the stage door.
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Post by musicbox on Jan 1, 2024 22:33:23 GMT
Definitely live tonight. It was torrential rain in the feed. One of the crews umbrella blew away and practically hit Tom up the face and blocked his way getting out of the gate at the stage door. Ah I see- we must’ve somehow just missed it! |
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Post by Mark on Jan 1, 2024 23:06:16 GMT
Definitely live tonight. It was torrential rain in the feed. One of the crews umbrella blew away and practically hit Tom up the face and blocked his way getting out of the gate at the stage door. That was quite funny 😂. Absolutely brilliant tonight, Rachel came to slay and totally knocked it out the park. How anything tops that the remainder of 2024 remains to be seen |
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Post by lolalou on Jan 2, 2024 3:24:39 GMT
What are the chances of day seats for this please? Any idea anyone? Thanks
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Post by Courfeyrac on Jan 2, 2024 8:25:02 GMT
Was there last night too, and honestly the umbrella mixup was such a good "live theatre" moment.
First time seeing Sunset, and wow. What a production. There's a part of me that missed a set, but frankly with acting like that the show didn't need it. The camera work was really quite something throughout, and the performances from everyone were really strong. That sound system was working overtime with those orchestrations and it was a delight.
I'm a bit sad that I only discovered it so late in the run, but I am incredibly glad I got to see it at all.
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Post by danb on Jan 2, 2024 9:23:47 GMT
What are the chances of day seats for this please? Any idea anyone? Thanks Slim to none. You would need to have entered the lottery already. |
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Post by toomasj on Jan 2, 2024 10:06:40 GMT
It will be interesting from a personal perspective when fans of this production see Lloyd’s next musical or play and realise it is almost identical. I remember my disappointment after the second or third one, realising they all look and are directed the same. I’m sure it won’t tarnish fond memories of this well loved production, like how mine weren’t tarnished for “Piaf” (which I loved) after I saw subsequent Lloyd pieces, but it will be interesting how people react when they see the same tropes and devices again. And again. And again.
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Post by bobbievanhusen on Jan 2, 2024 11:48:03 GMT
I saw Jamie Lloyds Evita at the Open Air and hated it. Probably the worst thing I saw that year.
I went into Sunset with trepidation. It had all the same tropes that Jamie Lloyd had used before and Sunset was the best thing I saw last year and actually the best thing I've seen in 2024, because I saw Rachel in the show last night.
So it doesn't matter if he uses the same styles and details over and over, it's the Production as a whole that matters.
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Post by danb on Jan 2, 2024 12:11:03 GMT
I’m not sure that it’ll even be a consideration, because it won’t be “right now” and it won’t have NS in it. It is a ‘lightning’ in a bottle production. Everything coming together at the right time to create a flash of ‘something’ for now.
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Post by dr on Jan 2, 2024 12:16:31 GMT
I agree - it's about the marriage between direction and text, and that is always different. I do think that Lloyd has more stylistic variation than he is given credit for: there is an aesthetic quality that runs throughout his work, largely because of his collaboration with Soutra Gilmour, and he certainly has a distinctive "voice" in the way he interprets texts. But I'd argue that the thematic and tonal variations in this year's "A Doll's House" (Broadway, hopefully West End in 2024), "The Effect" and "Sunset Boulevard" are vast, and so are the devices he used in each.
So I don't think it's a case of his work being overly similar. Instead, as above, it's the fact he has an extraordinarily distinctive voice in his work. Some people love it, and love all of his work. Some people only like it when they appreciate its application to the specific text, as seems to have happened with this show. But some people will never like it at all. I think I float in between the first two categories, and I'm excited to see which works, creatives and actors he selects next.
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Post by justsaying113 on Jan 2, 2024 18:11:59 GMT
A ticket just came up for tonight - £282!
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Post by happysooz2 on Jan 2, 2024 21:02:53 GMT
Elf had stalls tickets for £225 on New Year’s Day, which I think makes this look like a bargain.
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Post by Being Alive on Jan 2, 2024 21:18:05 GMT
Just to say I was back last night to see Rachel's last show, and she's grown so much in the role in the short time she's been able to do it.
Much more at ease with the role, really finding her own way with this version of Norma in a way that works specifically for her and not just trying to do an imitation of Scherzy.
Have to say how utterly thrilling that orchestra is blasting out the title sequence and then the big numbers like As If We Never Said Goodbye.
Thrilled to have been able to experience it once more, and will be really sad to see it go this weekend.
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Post by andrew on Jan 2, 2024 22:11:32 GMT
Some questions for those who've been a lot about the title song:
1) Have they ever not gone outside? It occurred to me watching it that they specifically guard and have the option of walking out the stage door, going up the stairs that lead to the Savoy entrance road and doing a much truncated but very safe wander. Has it ever happened.
2) I can't remember ever seeing an answer to the question about what happens on Mondays with him crouching down in front of the Sunset Boulevard A-Board, is there a Rachel Tucker one?
3) During the overture when Tom walks out of his dressing room, the last time I went there was a swing who came out without his top on and then acted all surprised and covered his nipples, is this a different gag every time? I can't remember what happened the first time I went but don't think it was this
4) Has ALW ever posed for real instead of the cutout?
5) Am I right in saying there's more security now than there was at the start? Understandable if so.
Bonus unrelated questions now I'm on a roll, I tried and failed to spot the camera they use right at the end to capture the final note of the show, I was assuming it was hung on the edge of the circle, I didn't want to spend more than a second or two looking because I was enjoying the moment obviously, but where on earth is it? Also, I reckoned the only pre-recorded video they use was of Young Norma towards the end when she's in super slomo, do we reckon that's true? I'd wondered if the image of Old Norma during the opening credits sequence was also recorded but it wouldn't have to be.
These are super nerdy questions, I'd have loved a behind the scenes video on what they've done technically on this, I doubt it'll come to pass but would've been cool.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 2, 2024 22:24:43 GMT
Why are they waiting until Broadway to release the album if it’s true that it’s already been recorded with the U.K. cast? Surely this could only increase anticipation in the U.S for the Broadway run?
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Post by Dr Tom on Jan 2, 2024 22:25:00 GMT
1) Have they ever not gone outside? It occurred to me watching it that they specifically guard and have the option of walking out the stage door, going up the stairs that lead to the Savoy entrance road and doing a much truncated but very safe wander. Has it ever happened. 2) I can't remember ever seeing an answer to the question about what happens on Mondays with him crouching down in front of the Sunset Boulevard A-Board, is there a Rachel Tucker one? 3) During the overture when Tom walks out of his dressing room, the last time I went there was a swing who came out without his top on and then acted all surprised and covered his nipples, is this a different gag every time? I can't remember what happened the first time I went but don't think it was this 4) Has ALW ever posed for real instead of the cutout? 5) Am I right in saying there's more security now than there was at the start? Understandable if so. 1) Not that I'm aware of. 2) First time I saw this, he stopped in roughly the same place, but the camera showed a different angle and missed the picture of Nicole. Second time, if I remember correctly, Tom didn't stop there at all. 3) They definitely change the gags about, although some are repeated. I don't remember seeing nipple guy. 4) I just can't imagine ALW doing that! 5) Definitely seemed like more people about in general last time I went, but it was also packed on the streets before Christmas. |
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Post by jm25 on Jan 2, 2024 22:32:51 GMT
I've been quite a few times and I've never not seen them go outside for the Act 2 opener, including when it was Gregor Milne on as Joe. Rachel was also on that night and he simply didn't crouch down in front of the board. I assume that is always the case on the Rachel nights rather than just something Gregor did.
I don't recall a gag when Tom comes out of the dressing room so that may have been something exclusive to that night, or at least not something that happens every time.
Re. the ALW cutout - I don't think this even featured during the early previews (unless I just missed it) but it's never been ALW for real in the times I've gone. I'm sure ALW was in the building on one of the nights I went so I'm sure he'd have had the option to appear if he was so inclined!
I don't know if there is more security per se, but the security staff are definitely more visible in the outside scenes now. I think that's more to do with how busy the Strand got in the lead up to Christmas rather than the number of people that are out filming now, as they always seem to be very respectful and stay well back. There are clips on Twitter/TikTok where you can see security clearing a path for Tom.
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Post by wimpie3 on Jan 2, 2024 22:51:33 GMT
I've seen the show for the first time tonight, and all I can say is that I really enjoyed it. Very technical too, which is something you wouldn't expect from a show without a set. The only remark I have is that when you don't show the reporters and tv crew entering the mansion at the end, it's really difficult to see how the camera's make Norma think she's 'ready for her closeup'. This made the ending really confusing for my daughter who never saw the original.
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Post by musicbox on Jan 2, 2024 23:51:30 GMT
If my luck at the start of 2024 is a sign for the rest of the year then I'm excited, as by an act of god today I managed to get a resale ticket in stalls for face value at around 3pm - literally over the moon! My view was perfect and I'd definitely recommend row M in the Savoy.
The show started about 10 minutes later than usual though (About 10 to 8) and when someone in front of me asked FOH what was going on she said there was an issue backstage but they were sorting it (Please don't take this as gospel as I might have picked it up wrong!). The crowd started getting really rowdy and loud as we waited, which I found really disrespectful to the staff and cast to be honest.
David Thaxton was missing with an understudy playing Max - I didn't see the cast board so I'm not sure who the actor was, but he was really great and I was particularly impressed with his vocal, but David really owns the part.
Nicole had a slight rasp in her voice tonight and cracked slightly in As if we never said goodbye, but honestly I feel that it added to the emotion in her songs, so no complaints from me. The outdoor scene also glitched a little when Tom first went onto the street, but overall they managed to pull it off!
With all of that being said, I'm so happy that I got to see the show one last time with such close seats...but some really horrible theatregoers made the overall night genuinely one of the most chaotic and negative experiences I've ever had in a theatre, both for myself and the people sat next to me - I don't want to clog up this thread so will post in the general bad behaviour thread, as I feel that what I witnessed tonight deserves it's own discussion!
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