209 posts
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Post by justsaying113 on Jul 3, 2023 7:09:24 GMT
I'm so annoyed this is JL to be quite honest - I find he doesn't care about the material ever and it's all 'concept over content' and it drives me mad Jamie Lloyd had directed the greatest production of Assassins I have ever seen, the greatest production of Betrayal I have ever seen and the greatest production of Urinetown I've ever seen. And the worst production of 'Evita' I've ever seen!
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1,382 posts
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Post by BVM on Jul 3, 2023 7:19:31 GMT
Yes alw may not be as big a draw as people expect. Even the big west end evita revival at the adelphi was a flop/greatly underperformed all those years ago. And at the time it was the most requested revival by audiences. He hasn't had a new hit show in decades. I exclude school of rock as the movie really sold that to audiences. I think very much this. Although I'd not call Adelphi Evita a flop it certainly did greatly underperform considering it was the revival allegedly most requested by audiences. And ALW's popularity has further steeply declined since then. And would also exclude School of Rock which already had an inbuilt audience the way film musicals do and the family and friends of every single kid that was involved (I always seemed to be sat in seas of these people). Honestly most of the people in the building would have barely known who ALW was let alone that he wrote the music!
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Post by BVM on Jul 3, 2023 7:26:31 GMT
I suspect the choice of director is also very much a factor in this. Lloyd has his fans but not everyone wants to see one of his radical reimaginings. Gosh I don't think he could be less of a factor in advance sales. Fair enough everyone on this thread knows who he is and that he's directing, but what percent of the ticket buying public could tell you who the director is when they book tickets to ANY musical - surely almost zero!? Out of the tiny percent of Sunset fans who know exactly what Jamie Lloyd represents, in terms of advance sales: - some will go anyway as they love the show so always would - some will go as they are curious as to what he'll do with it - some will go as they think they'll hate it but they are looking forward to complaining about it - some will go as they hope to be pleasantly surprised - some will NOT go as they don't like him as a director. So the people that won't buy tickets in advance due to Lloyd are a small proportion of a tiny proportion - barely any impact at all on the overall buying public!
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1,382 posts
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Post by BVM on Jul 3, 2023 7:30:04 GMT
I'm so annoyed this is JL to be quite honest - I find he doesn't care about the material ever and it's all 'concept over content' and it drives me mad I disagree. His Evita stripped SO much back that all you were left with WAS the material. It proved just how well written the show is. I'm very excited to see what he does here. Completely agree with this. The staging he created contrasted with the traditionally dressed full orchestra behind (with the unchanged Cullen/ALW orchestrations) absolutely SOLD the material. I don't think the show itself could have been more exposed and centre stage!
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Post by adamkinsey on Jul 3, 2023 21:07:37 GMT
Jamie Lloyd had directed the greatest production of Assassins I have ever seen, the greatest production of Betrayal I have ever seen and the greatest production of Urinetown I've ever seen. And the worst production of 'Evita' I've ever seen! And the worst production of The Seagull I've ever seen (and it's my favourite play).
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1,442 posts
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Post by theatrefan62 on Jul 3, 2023 21:14:35 GMT
It's all subjective and there really is no definitive answer. I didn't rate his Assassins at all. So he clearly is a director who divides opinion.
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Post by bellatheatre on Jul 5, 2023 23:21:45 GMT
I think the Joe is going to surprise everyone… not a name, and has just finished in a jukebox musical!
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Post by doornumberthree on Jul 6, 2023 0:21:49 GMT
I think the Joe is going to surprise everyone… not a name, and has just finished in a jukebox musical! With a great voice too!
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1,442 posts
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Post by theatrefan62 on Jul 6, 2023 8:49:41 GMT
Not specified a west end jukebox show? So a tour or regional premiere? Dominic Anderson?
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jul 21, 2023 12:19:29 GMT
From an email just received
SUNSET BOULEVARD
📍 SAVOY THEATRE
📅 21 SEPTEMBER-6 JANUARY
Catch the new cast, including Lily Kerhoas and Joe Griffiths-Brown, in the West End's most iconic show from 31 July.
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Post by swill on Jul 21, 2023 12:23:07 GMT
From an email just received SUNSET BOULEVARD 📍 SAVOY THEATRE 📅 21 SEPTEMBER-6 JANUARY Catch the new cast, including Lily Kerhoas and Joe Griffiths-Brown, in the West End's most iconic show from 31 July. Lily Kerhoas and Joe Griffiths-Brown - I believe this is the new Phantom Cast not Sunset???
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jul 21, 2023 12:24:15 GMT
Scratch that.
It was an error in the email. Someone in RUG made a cut and paste error duplicating the Phantom and Sunset details
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728 posts
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Post by sophie92 on Jul 23, 2023 10:36:57 GMT
On her Magic at the Musicals show, Ruthie Henshall has just said that Tom Francis (Rent Hope Mill, & Juliet) will be playing Joe Gillis
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Post by A.Ham on Jul 23, 2023 11:37:30 GMT
On her Magic at the Musicals show, Ruthie Henshall has just said that Tom Francis (Rent Hope Mill, & Juliet) will be playing Joe Gillis Google’s Tom Francis… did anyone see him those other shows he’s done?
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Post by WireHangers on Jul 23, 2023 11:39:29 GMT
On her Magic at the Musicals show, Ruthie Henshall has just said that Tom Francis (Rent Hope Mill, & Juliet) will be playing Joe Gillis That lines up with someone in the thread saying Joe has just finished a jukebox musical.
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Post by viserys on Jul 23, 2023 12:25:35 GMT
On her Magic at the Musicals show, Ruthie Henshall has just said that Tom Francis (Rent Hope Mill, & Juliet) will be playing Joe Gillis Google’s Tom Francis… did anyone see him those other shows he’s done? He was great in Rent. I would be very happy with this casting.
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1,725 posts
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Post by marob on Jul 23, 2023 12:53:57 GMT
I only saw one of the streams of Rent, which I’m afraid don’t really remember much about (other than I preferred the previous tour TBH.)
I also saw him in What’s New Pussycat, where he was part of the ensemble, and there he stood out to me as one to watch. Was going to try to see his Romeo, but never managed to.
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Post by robertb213 on Jul 23, 2023 13:09:12 GMT
He's very good but does read a bit too young for Joe. But then I guess they have to cast younger so that it looks right against Nicole's youthful Norma.
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5,140 posts
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Post by Being Alive on Jul 23, 2023 13:46:42 GMT
Fits the vibe for Joe I figured they were going for, but not exciting for me.
Makes me wonder what Houchen is doing as he's surely the ideal candidate.
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Post by danb on Jul 23, 2023 13:48:26 GMT
He’ll be great. He was excellent in Rent and is a fair few years older now. He is, however, in danger of becoming the new Jordan Luke Gage if she doesn’t find something with a bit of edge.
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Post by mattnyc on Jul 23, 2023 15:26:26 GMT
Tom was far and away my favorite Romeo I’ve ever seen (both performance and vocally) in “& Juliet”. I, for one, am extremely excited for him if that’s true.
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Post by theatrefan62 on Jul 23, 2023 15:29:33 GMT
Yeah this confirms its a no for me for this production. He is way too young, and looks it. Joe should be jaded and experienced from Hollywood. Makes sense to go younger with Nicole's casting though.
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Post by mattnyc on Jul 23, 2023 15:44:03 GMT
Joe Gillis is in his early 30s. William Holden was only 31 when they filmed “Sunset Blvd”. Tom may read younger than 31 but Norma needs to be older than he is and since Nicole doesn’t read “old” herself, for this production I think a younger Joe will work just fine.
I mean, Norma is supposed to only be around 50 and we normally have actresses pushing 70 in the role. I don’t think a couple years either way for Joe makes any difference.
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Post by danb on Jul 23, 2023 15:46:12 GMT
Fits the vibe for Joe I figured they were going for, but not exciting for me. Makes me wonder what Houchen is doing as he's surely the ideal candidate. Do we know the answer to this? Is he physically large enough to play against Nicole unless she does it in court shoes. She’s only 5’5” IRL so anything is possible? Surely Robs insane voice would be somewhat wasted singing Joe?
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Post by distantcousin on Jul 23, 2023 21:16:26 GMT
Joe Gillis is in his early 30s. William Holden was only 31 when they filmed “Sunset Blvd”. Tom may read younger than 31 but Norma needs to be older than he is and since Nicole doesn’t read “old” herself, for this production I think a younger Joe will work just fine. I mean, Norma is supposed to only be around 50 and we normally have actresses pushing 70 in the role. I don’t think a couple years either way for Joe makes any difference.
Agreed! And it is all very dependent on the age of the actor playing Norma.
I have seen many Joes over the years that were essentially too old. Danny Mac was one of the few that looked right.
Well you say "normally...pushing 70" for Norma. I can't think of many examples of that - only Petula Clark, and Glenn Close in the revival? (not so familiar with non English language Normas)
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