Follies

I think there is a difference in going to the loo during a film than at the theatre. In most modern multi plex cinemas the rows are shorter and much more leg room so if someone gets up they are not disturbing many people. Wheras in a lot of theatres rows can be very long with little leg room so if you are in the middle and want to get out you disturb a lot of people who have to get up for you to pass also disturbing the view of the people behind and allover again when you return. People generally don't feel bad about going to the loo in a cinema but would feel really embarrassed about having to do it in the theatre.
Mind you I go to the cinema about once a year and I'm usually the only person there so in only disturbing myself.
I also think it can be psychological as you probably can manage more then 2 hours but it's just the thought that you can't go makes you panic a bit.

Hear hear! So much rubbish been spoken here. One would have thought it was three and half hours straight through.

Interesting thing is that earlier on when casting was announced several people were very critical of Tracie Bennett being cast now its seems that she is the person singled out for praise on many of the posts so far.
I was never in any doubt about how good she would be. I fondly remember her performance of Ol' Man River at West End Recast a few years ago and it was one of the standout performances of the night.

I didn't realise we weren't allowed to have a different opinion. Good grief...

This was my first follies - never seen it before nor heard about it before (don't shoot..)

So I grabbed a last minute ticket as i'm a bit of a imelda staunton fan...

I have to say it all was a bit meh to me. I was expecting a huge climax at the end and the drama was removed with the dream land follies sequence and then it ended quickly after that so i was left a bit unsatisfied with it all. The younger versions of themselves seem a bit unfulfilled in their use (almost a waste of some of the talent on the stage).

A solid 3 star but i wouldn't be rushing back to this production (or future ones).

I’m sensing the tide turning slightly in people’s opinions about this show. I’ve been lucky enough to see a few productions over the years and remember the first time walking in expecting all the glitz and glamour of the Follies and came out thinking how messed up life, love and relationships can. By the way, this is my experience which might not be yours.

I think it’s clever how Sondheim pastiches lots of tradition musical genres making you at first think it’s all happy, and glorious when in fact most of the characters seemto be seething with rage, anger and unhappiness. Hasn’t Sondheim dubbed Follies the antimusical for this reason?? I might be wrong on this, so apologies if so.  Perhaps the lack of an interval could be a theatrical middle finger to a traditional musical format?  Just a thought, so don’t shoot me down. .

In my opinion, it is a musical that stays with you and like a good wine or smelly cheese, just gets better with age.

My thoughts on this production? Loved it. I wanted more set wise, would love to have walked into the Olivier and felt like I was in an abandoned theatre. Performance wise, I though Janie acted and sang Imelda Staunton offf the stage. I’m off to see it again tonight.

Slightly odd how some people are going to this expecting it to just be 42nd street mark 2.. glitz and glamour. They obviously don't know anything about the piece.

Funny how Michael Riedel in the NY post says uk theatreboards are going crazy for it- I think he mentions this one- all I'm seeing are very mixed opinions and some downright meh !!!

Put simply, 'Follies' is using the conceit of a Follies homage to exam the follies of human nature, much as Cabaret uses a cabaret to comment on a more political landscape.

OK, so here's my view for what it's worth......

I have never seen a better production of this show and I've seen a few. It is a "marmite" show though and if you are not keen on Sondheim or are unfamiliar with the material I can understand people not liking it. That is a fault of the material (particularly the book) rather than the production itself.

Regarding the interval debate - lots of people were complaining at 10.00pm on the way out after having sat in their seats since 7.20. It is a big ask - 2.40 without a break, but the show is written without an interval and I really don't know where one would go without breaking the magic and momentum. A dilemma for the production team that were stood at the back of the stalls on the way out. A final decision has still not been made.....

The staging and the opening sequence is amazing, although the show is set in a theatre due for demolition, this theatre appears to be half demolished already - an incredible set design by Vicki Mortimer.

I especially love actors who can sing in musical theatre rather than singers who can't act - again a personal choice and here the entire company serve the material well (although I have heard the numbers "sung" better) all the numbers are knocked out of the park! Particularly memorable for me, Imelda Staunton (diminutive in a blonde wig) with truly heartbreaking renditions of "Buddies Eyes" and "Losing My Mind", Janie Dee with "Could I Leave You", Josephine Barstow (at 76?) with a spine tingling "One Last Kiss" and Tracie Bennett stopping the show with " I'm Still Here". I felt the women stronger than the men but I think that is in the writing.

Catching the eye was Zizi Strallen as the Young Phyllis, and the senior members of the cast watched and shadowed all the time with the ghosts of their younger selves - emphasising lost hopes, dreams and happiness. I was also affected by the possibility of the current older cast being shadowed by ghosts of previous actors in their roles, no longer with us, Lee Remick, Elaine Stritch, Dolores Gray, Eartha Kitt, Daniel Massey, David Healy and of course Barbara Cook.

As previously mentioned the staging and choreography for "the Mirror number" was a show stopping highlight.

Slightly disappointing was the staging of the Loveland sequence which I thought was a bit lazy considering the technical abilities of the Olivier Theatre - how I wished for that drum revolve to have been used for this, and I felt the production lost energy during this sequence towards the end in the last 30 mins, but not helped by a technical stop.

It's not an uplifting show, it tackles huge life issues of relationships, lost love, missed opportunities, regret, wrong choices, lost youth, and will resonate differently to individuals. I loved it, truly spectacular and the orchestra was sublime -around 20 in number I believe. I will try and see it again later in the run. A real treat.

I'm sure people walking past the production team bitching and moaning after the show didn't help their confidence in their decisions either. Thankfully, by the time I see it the day before opening night, it should be set in stone.

Welcome to the board bobbybaby