3,057 posts
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Post by ali973 on Apr 20, 2016 6:50:17 GMT
Is anyone else curious why Julie is being played by a white performer (who is excellent) when the norm now with this part is to have it played by a woman of colour, like the brilliant Lonette McKee, who did it twice on Broadway (i.e. in two separate productions) - this is like the Ava Gardner/Lena Horne film imbroglio revisited ..... I was also looking this up because I'm not too familiar with Showboat, only having seen the film eons ago and know a few of the songs. So this morning I was Wikipedia-ing the characters and interested to find out if this was the girl who passes as white. I get what they've done and how they can "get away" with a white woman playing a mixed woman. And I won't deny that I am excited to see Rebecca sing these songs. But really guys? In this time when everyone is talking about diversifying casting and giving opportunities to POC who wouldn't normally be cast, you go ahead and deny a POC a role that should be played by POC? Foul. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2016 7:54:33 GMT
I enjoyed this but wasn't blown away I'm afraid. It drags a little towards the end and it's a bit of a crappy ending but there are some great numbers in it and the cast are on the whole really good however, some of the accents are all over the place sometimes zipping from Mississippi to the Home Counties in one line! Standouts in the cast for me were Malcolm Sinclair as Captain Hawks but especially Danny Collins as Frank Schultz. Collins in particular stole the entire show for me.
Oh and the boat was nice too.
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40 posts
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Post by kenneth on Apr 20, 2016 8:05:16 GMT
Is anyone else curious why Julie is being played by a white performer (who is excellent) when the norm now with this part is to have it played by a woman of colour, like the brilliant Lonette McKee, who did it twice on Broadway (i.e. in two separate productions) - this is like the Ava Gardner/Lena Horne film imbroglio revisited ..... I was also looking this up because I'm not too familiar with Showboat, only having seen the film eons ago and know a few of the songs. So this morning I was Wikipedia-ing the characters and interested to find out if this was the girl who passes as white. I get what they've done and how they can "get away" with a white woman playing a mixed woman. And I won't deny that I am excited to see Rebecca sing these songs. But really guys? In this time when everyone is talking about diversifying casting and giving opportunities to POC who wouldn't normally be cast, you go ahead and deny a POC a role that should be played by POC? Foul. The whole point of the role of Julie La Verne is that she appears white until her ancestry is discovered and exposed...it's not meant to be visible, so it's not denying a 'POC' a role |
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716 posts
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Post by theatre-turtle on Apr 20, 2016 10:00:02 GMT
Just noticed that show boat is up to 50% discounted at TKTS today!
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716 posts
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Post by theatre-turtle on Apr 20, 2016 10:00:43 GMT
I was also looking this up because I'm not too familiar with Showboat, only having seen the film eons ago and know a few of the songs. So this morning I was Wikipedia-ing the characters and interested to find out if this was the girl who passes as white. I get what they've done and how they can "get away" with a white woman playing a mixed woman. And I won't deny that I am excited to see Rebecca sing these songs. But really guys? In this time when everyone is talking about diversifying casting and giving opportunities to POC who wouldn't normally be cast, you go ahead and deny a POC a role that should be played by POC? Foul. The whole point of the role of Julie La Verne is that she appears white until her ancestry is discovered and exposed...it's not meant to be visible, so it's not denying a 'POC' a role This. Also the black workers are surprised she knows the black song so the implication is that they can't tell she's part black. |
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362 posts
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Post by JJShaw on Apr 20, 2016 22:07:12 GMT
i really enjoyed it today, saw a random wednesday matinee, it sits perfectly in the new london, my first visit to the theatre
a seating tip, especially if you can catch it during previews, row C in the stalls, especially c42 and c43 which are right next to the top price seats, are only £20 and have the most legroom in the entire west end. the rows in front of it are 'sunken in' to stage level so no ones heads in front of you
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724 posts
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Post by basdfg on Apr 21, 2016 18:42:36 GMT
Quite Relieved now I booked D7,8,9 rather than the front of the circle.
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Show Boat
Apr 21, 2016 20:01:50 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 20:01:50 GMT
Oh god
Just left this at the interval
Where to begin
NO way it's going to last anywhere past the summer
I don't think I have ever heard such bad sound in a musical
Most of the dialogue is inaudible
The singing is shrill and tinny
The acting and agents all over the shop
It's unbearable
God knows why it got good notices in Sheffield
But yet again it just goes to show how different the market in the WE is
We are seeing musical after musical fail
Whilst plays are THE thing now
Chuck a half known actor on stage for a 3 month run and you get your investment back
I would never invest in a musical ever again
I
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 20:54:57 GMT
Chuck a half known actor on stage for a 3 month run and you get your investment back The Mentalists |
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1,936 posts
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Post by wickedgrin on Apr 21, 2016 21:24:54 GMT
It was fabulous in Sheffield. No issues with the sound at all there. But I do agree, what makes a hit in Sheffield as a Christmas show for a limited run at £25 for a top price ticket does not necessarily transfer well into London.
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3,575 posts
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Post by showgirl on Apr 21, 2016 21:53:33 GMT
There now, and I was at today's matinee, loved every minute of the 2 hours 40 run time and thought it was altogether tremendous. What's more, though the house wasn't full, the audience seemed equally enthusiastic and many members gave a standing ovation. Plus my aisle seat in the stalls was a steal at £19.50.
So compared to Parsley, maybe I am undiscriminating or too easily pleased or lacking in critical faculties - or maybe it's simply a matter of (lack of?) taste - but either way, even if I am a thoroughgoing Philistine, I had the good time I hoped for and would wholeheartedly recommend the show.
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270 posts
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Post by littlesally on Apr 21, 2016 22:03:03 GMT
There now, and I was at today's matinee, loved every minute of the 2 hours 40 run time and thought it was altogether tremendous. What's more, though the house wasn't full, the audience seemed equally enthusiastic and many members gave a standing ovation. Plus my aisle seat in the stalls was a steal at £19.50. So compared to Parsley, maybe I am undiscriminating or too easily pleased or lacking in critical faculties - or maybe it's simply a matter of (lack of?) taste - but either way, even if I am a thoroughgoing Philistine, I had the good time I hoped for and would wholeheartedly recommend the show. Ditto. The show has a huge heart and charm in spades. Expect the (surely) excellent reviews will boost ticket sales. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 22:12:31 GMT
There now, and I was at today's matinee, loved every minute of the 2 hours 40 run time and thought it was altogether tremendous. What's more, though the house wasn't full, the audience seemed equally enthusiastic and many members gave a standing ovation. Plus my aisle seat in the stalls was a steal at £19.50. So compared to Parsley, maybe I am undiscriminating or too easily pleased or lacking in critical faculties - or maybe it's simply a matter of (lack of?) taste - but either way, even if I am a thoroughgoing Philistine, I had the good time I hoped for and would wholeheartedly recommend the show. Don't you worry love, Parsley seems to like to have an over the top different opinion on everything that most others enjoy just for the sake of it. Your view is about 95% more reliable of the show than theirs.  |
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Show Boat
Apr 21, 2016 22:32:09 GMT
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Post by Boob on Apr 21, 2016 22:32:09 GMT
Just seen this and thought it was ok. The singing is gorgeous and Gina Beck is SUBLIME, but overall I thought it was solid if a little dull. Dodgy accents aside, some of the performances are simply way too broad. The sound at the beginning still needs sorting but improved after the first 15 mins. Much preferred Harold Prince's production which had much more social realism, historical texture and emotional bite.
Can recommend row A in the stalls for the £20+ saving you make. No view restrictions really, although you do have to look up when people are on the walkway in front of you, but this is quite rare.
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83 posts
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Show Boat
Apr 22, 2016 10:21:47 GMT
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Post by catqc on Apr 22, 2016 10:21:47 GMT
Huge thanks to whoever suggested the £19.50 seats, so so glad I didn't sit anywhere else as the view was perfect! Better than from the £105 seats at the Coliseum
I enjoyed the show - some good songs, some great performances, admittedly some dodgy accents but definitely glad I went!
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Show Boat
Apr 23, 2016 8:57:34 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2016 8:57:34 GMT
Did we ascertain whether a new cast recording was planned or was it just for the (fabulous) recorded performance of "Bill"? The OCR is rather dated and as a result sounds very tinny.
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Show Boat
Apr 23, 2016 22:04:47 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2016 22:04:47 GMT
Opens Monday so will be interesting to see reviews and if audiences are bigger.
I might try and get day seats for the show in the summer in my holidays
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5,056 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Apr 23, 2016 22:56:57 GMT
Saw this in Sheffield and saw a underpowered version in London tonight.
Got a £19.50 in the side stalls from TKT's, (second tier price), brilliant value, less so for the £6 programme. The set is the exact set that come don from Sheffield, so really has minimal set up costs, then weekly running costs, so a cheap musical to put on, so for this reason it could get an extended life.
Chris Peruso was fabulous in Miss Saigon and way better than Alistair Bramner as Chris which I considered more of a featured role, so Chris Peruso steps up to a leading role and fails, he isn't a leading actor, Gina Beck isn't far behind as well, who is rising on the tails of Wicked, but also had the fabulous Louise Dearman, beside her, to hide any misgivings. Rebecca Trehearn was fantastic.
A groundbreaking dated musical. (3 Stars)
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2016 23:55:53 GMT
so a cheap musical to put on, so for this reason it could get an extended life. Do they pay the musicians, the cast, the house staff, the technicians, the creatives, the publicity, etc? |
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5,056 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Apr 24, 2016 1:48:03 GMT
I did also say weekly running costs.
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Post by waybeyondblue on Apr 24, 2016 9:13:09 GMT
Saw it last night and rather disappointed. The first half went between songs with no indication of changes in scene, primarily because of this monster boat scenery that dwarfs the stage. The female lead either belongs in a different show or a co-star who can match her lungs. Seemed a bit like crossing Phantom with Guys & Dolls.
Totally failed to pass on any diversity and Ol'Man River needs a bass who can get down there.
Wouldn't recommend it even as a gamble.
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Show Boat
Apr 24, 2016 10:37:39 GMT
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Post by Boob on Apr 24, 2016 10:37:39 GMT
I agree with many of these points. The production failed to give an adequate sense of the passing of time in the first half, which made it feel like it all took place in a day.
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724 posts
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Post by basdfg on Apr 25, 2016 16:36:01 GMT
Opening night for this tonight. Break a leg to all the cast.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2016 18:11:38 GMT
Looking forward to reading the reviews
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Show Boat
Apr 25, 2016 23:19:37 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2016 23:19:37 GMT
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