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Post by pianowithsam on Feb 23, 2020 15:46:02 GMT
To this day, I don't understand how come people don't find this show offensive. All my friends love it and most of them are much more sensitive on touchy subjects than me and they always tell me what's appropriate to say in public. Yet, they find it funny and harmless, which genuinely baffles me, and call me silly when I say it's basically a minstrel show. I agree very much. I loved the show but I am also ashamed of it as I found the treatment of African village/people appaling. I am sure the show would have worked without the reference to babies. It's surely there simply for that shock factor as mentioned above. The times I've seen it, there has always been an audience gasp when it's first mentioned. |
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Post by 49thand8th on Feb 23, 2020 20:56:54 GMT
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Post by Playbill99 on Feb 24, 2020 11:13:11 GMT
I personally find the tour cast x1000 better than the current London cast. So much more energy.
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Post by xanady on Feb 24, 2020 14:27:57 GMT
^western sky and others...it is not the shock value of the show that I disliked.Have seen much more disturbing movies/plays etc in my time.Even acted in some very shocking stuff in the past.
No,it was,I think the fact that apart from the cheap sets,forgettable songs etc,the writing of this was just so predictable and lazy.
True satire is biting because it is clever.This was juvenile and very boring.Like a rejected script for a very adult Carry On movie.Like shooting fish in a very small barrel.
Some examples...the plodding and tedious joke about mis-pronouncing the girls’ name with the pay-off being Nigel Farage...Farage jokes in 2020?Really?
Saw the militia leaders conversion a mile off...boring!
Let’s have a scene in hell and guess who appears?Yes,it’s Adolf Hitler...boring!
The ‘show within a show’ for the Mormon leader re-hashes jokes that didn’t even work earlier in the show...lazy!
My heart is set on going to Florida on my mission and I get...omg Uganda!....with...omg the least desirable partner...and omg we don’t know where Uganda even is and we certainly can’t pronounce it.
I could go on and on and on...
And yes,I do know that some MT is packed with coincidences,mistaken identities,predictable situations,etc etc but this show purports to be more subversive than that and it just isn’t.It is basically,the Emperors new clothes.Felt like anti-MT and maybe that’s the attraction?
The cast tried their best but were just going through the motions...is this a cast close to the end of their contracts?
A message to the BOM fans...Instead of telling non-fans why you think we don’t like the show,perhaps one of the fans can explain why you ARE fans...I would sincerely like to know👂
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2020 15:09:23 GMT
I couldn't disagree with you more on some of your points. Yes some of the show is juvenile, but coming from the writers of South Park, that shouldn't have come as a surprise. I think their use of humour (if you have that sense of humour)is great. yes there is shock tactics, but all of it is based in fact. General Butt Naked was a real person, and what they did to people was real as well. Should we be laughing at this? Probably not, but because of the way it's presented, it can be funny. The show is an equal opportunites offender, everyone is played to 11 and everyone is a target, but not in any malicious way.
Spooky Mormon Hell Dream is boring? So you expected to see Jeffrey Dahmer and Johnny Cochran on stage in a musical, along with dancing coffee cups and donughts?
The music for me is anyting but forgettable. Theres alot of variety in there, great melodies, some great lyrics and i enjoy listening to the cast recording.
You think it felt like anti-MT? That couldn't be further from the truth. If anything the show is a love letter to musical theatre. There are so many references to classic MT in there, its one big homage. It's written as a traditional book musical as well.
Obviously it wasn't for you, but it shouldn't be written off just because you didn't like it. It appeals to a huge audience and there's a reason its still doing so well. I've been 3 times and although i'm not rushing back, i will still go again.
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Post by 49thand8th on Feb 24, 2020 15:31:48 GMT
A message to the BOM fans...Instead of telling non-fans why you think we don’t like the show,perhaps one of the fans can explain why you ARE fans...I would sincerely like to know👂 I haven't told anyone why *I* think they don't like the show, but I'll take a stab at this. I like enjoy dark and/or heavy musicals. I've seen Les Miz over 80 times and I'm somewhere in the 20s for Phantom. But I also have a small piece of me that likes dumb stuff like MTV's Jackass. I've never really been into South Park, but that wasn't the draw for me. Many of the jokes in BoM are silly and very quick. I first saw the show before the cast recording even came out so much of it was a surprise to me. I enjoy a nice satire and Stephen Oremus parodying himself with his own orchestrations, especially in "You and Me" tickled me. I like the score, which I didn't expect since I'm not much of an Avenue Q fan. I'm not white (FWIW I'm not black either) and "I Am Africa" is my favorite song in the show. I love the skewering of the white savior complex. (The entire ending is basically a dream so you don't have to assume the entire village got converted to Cunningham's off-brand LDS faith, either.) I'm not a fan of some of the racial insensitivities and I'm not entirely sure had I seen the show two years later I would be the fan I am now. I don't find the show all that shocking — sure, there are peepee and poop jokes, but I tend to think anyone who finds those too much is the same kind of person who whispers "toilet paper" when they tell someone what they have to go out and buy that day. There's a big difference between "this was terrible" and "this wasn't for me," and it'd be nice if more people could figure out how to express that better. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2020 15:35:41 GMT
sure, there are peepee and poop jokes, but I tend to think anyone who finds those too much is the same kind of person who whispers "toilet paper" when they tell someone what they have to go out and buy that day. LOL! |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 24, 2020 15:53:41 GMT
I didn’t find it shocking. I didn’t find it funny either though, I thought it was lowest common denominator humour, obvious and repetitive and I was bored. I swear I didn’t crack a smile all the way through.
It was also interesting to me that this was the only show I’ve even been to where the bar was full of single sex groups of ‘lads’ in their work suits (I went on a Friday) drinking beer from bottles. It is apparently designed to appeal to that demographic so well done to them for achieving it.
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Post by 49thand8th on Feb 24, 2020 15:57:13 GMT
That is fascinating! I've seen it all around the world and the demographics seem to be a lot of teenagers/mid-20 types. Until you get to the more expensive seats. Then it's like the husbands who get taken there by their female partners and hopefully converted to musical theatre fans. (Like a younger Jersey Boys.)
A friend who saw it in previews on Broadway said the audience was a lot more "South Park bro" at the beginning and then it became more traditional musical theatrey.
Anyway, no, it wasn't for you. I think we get that. (I have felt similarly at Be More Chill, Tuck Everlasting, The Lightning Thief, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.)
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Post by Jon on Feb 24, 2020 16:19:06 GMT
That is fascinating! I've seen it all around the world and the demographics seem to be a lot of teenagers/mid-20 types. Until you get to the more expensive seats. Then it's like the husbands who get taken there by their female partners and hopefully converted to musical theatre fans. (Like a younger Jersey Boys.) A friend who saw it in previews on Broadway said the audience was a lot more "South Park bro" at the beginning and then it became more traditional musical theatrey. Anyway, no, it wasn't for you. I think we get that. (I have felt similarly at Be More Chill, Tuck Everlasting, The Lightning Thief, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.) I think Spamalot was the same, it attracted a very similar audience to Mormon. |
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Post by 49thand8th on Feb 24, 2020 16:33:26 GMT
And I wasn't all that hot on Spamalot, which is another reason I'm surprised by my own liking of Mormon!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2020 16:42:49 GMT
It is apparently designed to appeal to that demographic so well done to them for achieving it. Was it really though? BOM has the same type of humour as all their other projects, South Park, Team America, South Park Movie etc. And i think that can appeal to a much wider audience, than just a certain crowd. If something is tailored specifically to a certain audience, it wouldnt have lasted half as long as it has. Spamalot to me was unfunny. But then Monty Python just doesn't tickle me. Slapping someone with a fish isn't laugh out loud funny. |
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Post by 49thand8th on Feb 24, 2020 16:54:48 GMT
"Appeal to" is different than tailoring something to.
Jersey Boys is definitely for the Baby Boomer set, but their kids have gone along and enjoyed it as well.
All that to say, I don't think anyone should feel pressure to defend a piece of entertainment that they do or don't like. And sometimes you can't even explain why you do or do not like something else. Sometimes something speaks to you! Other times t didn't! It's fine. The world moves on.
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Post by xanady on Feb 24, 2020 17:11:38 GMT
^Agreed,the world moves on... nice to hear well-reasoned thoughts on the board.I have said enough on the show and thanks for the responses and for indulging me.
Really weird that I love Avenue Q but not this...oh well...👍
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Post by pianowithsam on Feb 24, 2020 17:17:48 GMT
^Agreed,the world moves on... nice to hear well-reasoned thoughts on the board.I have said enough on the show and thanks for the responses and for indulging me. Really weird that I love Avenue Q but not this...oh well...👍 Genuinely curious. What is it that you like about AQ? I like it too, but I really like Mormon as well. So, just want to see what you like about it. I saw Mormon with my father last year and then two weeks later saw AQ. He liked both, but much preferred AQ. |
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Post by xanady on Feb 24, 2020 18:31:51 GMT
^The simple answer is that it’s the puppetry...grew up on the North-West coast of England near Blackpool and have great memories of the variety shows on the piers and at the Winter Gardens.Without going on a boring journey down memory-lane,I was always fascinated by the puppetry/vent acts such as Roger De Courcey,Keith Harris and the legendary Ken Dodd with Dickie Mint.Punch and Judy ‘professors’ were always around on the beaches and many years ago I signed up for a puppetry/vent workshop and it is bl**dy difficult,I can tell you.
When Av Q came along I thought that the combination of the artistry of the puppeteers and the entirely-subverted material was cleverly realised.
Puppeteers/vents deserve more credit than they get.Even acts like Bernie Cliftons’ are incredibly skilled imo.
Great V/A site on puppetry and there used to be a shop in Covent Garden if my memory serves,that sold beautiful wooden marionettes.
In the modern day the likes of Paul Zerdin carry the flag!
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Post by pianowithsam on Feb 24, 2020 18:37:01 GMT
^The simple answer is that it’s the puppetry...grew up on the North-West coast of England near Blackpool and have great memories of the variety shows on the piers and at the Winter Gardens.Without going on a boring journey down memory-lane,I was always fascinated by the puppetry/vent acts such as Roger De Courcey,Keith Harris and the legendary Ken Dodd with Dickie Mint.Punch and Judy ‘professors’ were always around on the beaches and many years ago I signed up for a puppetry/vent workshop and it is bl**dy difficult,I can tell you. When Av Q came along I thought that the combination of the artistry of the puppeteers and the entirely-subverted material was cleverly realised. Puppeteers/vents deserve more credit than they get.Even acts like Bernie Cliftons’ are incredibly skilled imo. Great V/A site on puppetry and there used to be a shop in Covent Garden if my memory serves,that sold beautiful wooden marionettes. In the modern day the likes of Paul Zerdin carry the flag! That makes sense then  |
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Post by Mark on Feb 25, 2020 7:51:10 GMT
7 years ago today since I was at the first West End preview. Glad to see the show is still going strong, and think it’s got a good couple of years in it yet.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2020 8:50:28 GMT
^Agreed,the world moves on... nice to hear well-reasoned thoughts on the board.I have said enough on the show and thanks for the responses and for indulging me. Really weird that I love Avenue Q but not this...oh well...👍 I'm the same, I love Avenue Q and wasnt fussed by Mormon. To me it's more original and creative. I also find it funnier, more relatable and has a lot of heart. |
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Post by theatrefan77 on Feb 25, 2020 9:36:52 GMT
I've seen it a few times and still love it. The original cast were fantastic. Gavin Creel really had the edge as Elder Price and no other actor has been as spot on, which is a pity. In spite of that I think the show is still funny, clever and very entertaining.
Great score too IMHO. The opening number Hello makes me smile every time.
Maybe not the best show in town, but for me it's still a great night out
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Post by FrontrowverPaul on Dec 16, 2020 13:29:03 GMT
Reopening 12 July 2021.
Email just received offering DMT+ members a special offer " All seats £20, £30 and £40 for all performances 12 July - 23 October... book by 18 December 5pm".
Sounds like a good deal, but at present there are only a limited range of seats available and the same ones for every performance I've checked. Definitely not every seat.
Hopefully that will change but a worthwhile saving anyway.
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Post by CG on the loose on Dec 16, 2020 13:47:26 GMT
Well that's fun... I'm a DMT+ member but no email received and can't access the offer via the Members' Area. Hey ho.
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Post by Dr Tom on Dec 16, 2020 14:24:15 GMT
Yes, I've booked. Only a limited selection of seats and the £20 option is really only available near the start of the run. But still a nice offer to have.
CG, try emailing them. I had a booking issue and they have been responding very quickly. The seats aren't selling fast.
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Post by alece10 on Dec 19, 2020 12:04:06 GMT
This is when I wish I had a DMT+ account.
Just logged on to get one of those £20, £30, £40 tickets only to find that they don't exist.
Normal prices and cheapest are £37.50 at back of stalls and £22.50 for back row of dress circle.
I guess the offer was for members who had pre-booking opportunities.
But looking at the prices they aren't silly money. It is a show I would like to see again next year but as they operate dynamic pricing I think I will hold out as if the tourists don't come back next year, which is quite possible, then prices could be lower nearer the time.
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Post by daniel on Dec 19, 2020 12:58:28 GMT
This is when I wish I had a DMT+ account. Just logged on to get one of those £20, £30, £40 tickets only to find that they don't exist. Normal prices and cheapest are £37.50 at back of stalls and £22.50 for back row of dress circle. I guess the offer was for members who had pre-booking opportunities. But looking at the prices they aren't silly money. It is a show I would like to see again next year but as they operate dynamic pricing I think I will hold out as if the tourists don't come back next year, which is quite possible, then prices could be lower nearer the time. I have a DMT+ membership, didn’t get an email about the offer, and didn’t get a response when I emailed (twice!) to enquire as to why. Frustrating. |
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