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Post by theoracle on Sept 17, 2023 11:14:18 GMT
Thought I’d start a thread on the illustrious Musical Director / Producer / Composer. I’ve been very impressed with the work Mr Parker has done over the last few years with Quick Fantastic and find his original work rather delightful too. Fantastic names normally also attached to the Quick Fantastic concerts and I hope we have another one lined up soon. I saw Luminaire Orchestra shared a video recently captioned that another concert is on its way - I believe celebrating Jerry Herman so something else to look forward to.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Sept 21, 2023 7:55:00 GMT
Alex… is that you?
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Post by macksennett on Sept 22, 2023 17:01:09 GMT
A Jerry Herman concert would be right up my street!
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Post by Dawnstar on Sept 22, 2023 17:09:18 GMT
Didn't he do a Herman, Styne & some other composer whose name I'm blanking on concert at the Palace in something like 2016? I think I remember going to it. (I'm on a train to London right now so I haven't got my theatregoing list to check.)
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Post by solangelafitte on Sept 22, 2023 17:42:16 GMT
Kings of Broadway. It was Herman, Styne and Sondheim. He did another version of it in 2020 as well that I enjoyed a lot.
He also did a lovely job as MD on the My Fair Lady tour. Granted, I think he was helped by the tour venues having much better sound mixing than the Coliseum. But nonetheless!
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Post by alece10 on Sept 22, 2023 18:11:08 GMT
I saw Kings of Broadway in 2020 it was excellent. He also did a staged concert of A Little Night Music at the Palace Theatre which was fantastic
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Post by solangelafitte on Sept 22, 2023 19:06:37 GMT
Oh that's right! I forgot he did the ALNM concert. That was really great. What a gorgeous cast.
Okay, theoracle. You're right. Very impressed with him!
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Post by Dawnstar on Sept 23, 2023 11:09:06 GMT
I was a year out, it was 2015 rather than 2016. I didn't see the 2020 repeat. Likewise I saw the ALNM concert in 2015 but I was unable to see the repeat at Opera Holland Park in 2021.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Sept 24, 2023 22:16:35 GMT
I was a year out, it was 2015 rather than 2016. I didn't see the 2020 repeat. Likewise I saw the ALNM concert in 2015 but I was unable to see the repeat at Opera Holland Park in 2021. But what were you doing in 2017, 2018 and 2019?
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Post by theoracle on Sept 24, 2023 23:13:20 GMT
Ha no I’m not. I went to see his Sunday in Guildford recently and thought that was another lovely experience. My first time seeing the show live and I thought it worked really well in that small space. The costumes were divine and the cast gave good performances. What stood out particularly though for me was hearing the songs unmiked. Small detail but something really special about hearing unamplified singing - instruments might have been amplified but the actors definitely didn’t have microphones and it made me appreciate Sondheim’s lyricism even more. Of course, the absence of brass did make the score sound thinner but there was as usual a harp to widen the soundscape. I see Alex has been booked for White Christmas in Sheffield this winter so not sure when the Herman concert might get announced but hopefully early in the new year
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Post by theoracle on Oct 20, 2023 9:34:56 GMT
Jerry Herman concert announced! 28th January Cadogan Hall
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Post by solangelafitte on Oct 20, 2023 10:45:46 GMT
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Post by londonmzfitz on Oct 20, 2023 11:01:17 GMT
The link leads to - quote "Six headshots showing the cast members, supplied and distributed by the production" .. someone needed the edit button on that.
Lucca Chadwick-Patel - saw him last year in the Alex Parker Sondheim concert, he was excellent! Alex Parker always delivers a great concert.
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Post by capybara on Jan 10, 2024 18:34:40 GMT
Jerry Herman concert announced! 28th January Cadogan Hall Has anyone seen any offers for this yet? Not selling especially well but not sure I can afford the current prices.
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Post by theoracle on Jan 11, 2024 22:04:40 GMT
Offers are rare with Alex's shows unfortunately. I'm a little aghast he's introduced premium seats that don't even include a programme/drink...
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Post by capybara on Jan 30, 2024 0:20:38 GMT
A great night of musical talent. Louise Dearman and Julian Overden were phenomenal, in particular.
It’s a shame they didn’t drop the prices as it was maybe two thirds full.
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Post by Being Alive on Jan 30, 2024 11:39:35 GMT
It would have been handy if they'd any real marketing for it - if you didn't follow Alex on socials for when he mentioned it once or twice you'd have no idea it was on...
Shame, as it was really classy and everyone sang beautifully.
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Post by theoracle on Jan 31, 2024 18:44:46 GMT
Agreed it was a pretty stellar evening. Julian Ovenden’s Song on the sand was a particular stand out. Loved all the Mack & Mabel numbers and am now craving a revival. The sound of Broadway came alive in Cadogan Hall and I wish it was fuller. I guess this sort of stuff just isn’t commercial but I’m amazed people can find the financing for Palladium concerts of Bare and Pippin but not revivals of the Golden Age gems…
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jan 31, 2024 19:28:30 GMT
Mack and Mabel has a great score but an almost unworkable book. The revival not so long ago showed that it is hard to bring it properly to life on stage.
Perhaps there is a producer willing to negotiate the rights to radically reshape the material but it is always going to be a risk.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Feb 3, 2024 10:25:45 GMT
The book has had various rewrites over the years. I thought the version at Chichester worked quite well, with Mack often breaking the 4th wall to reflect on his life and regret his actions.
I do think Hit em on the head just does not work though, by that time of the evening i just want the tragedy to take centre stage - Grave digger in Hamlet springs to mind. Cut!
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