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Post by craig on Apr 5, 2019 9:51:03 GMT
It always struck me as being an odd decision to stage it again so soon after the original run. I imagine Imelda's name sold a lot of tickets in the original run too.
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Post by vdcni on Apr 5, 2019 11:14:29 GMT
I mean it was still busy last night, the stalls were packed. I'd agree it was an odd choice and I think it's not a musical you can really sell as a big spectacular so cutting through to the causal theatre goer is tough. Though oddly someone I work with was there last night and another is going soon and neither of them are theatre regulars.
It was my 4th time(2nd with the new cast) and I thought Riding and particularly Hanson were much improved. I still don't think they act it as well as Staunton and Quast but Too Many Mornings and Losing My Mind were both even better than last time and Hanson has found new depth and intensity in Live, Laugh, Love.
Peter Forbes was as strong as ever and all the support were top of the game, I know not everyone loves Tracie Bennett's I'm Still Here but for me she nails it every time.
But as ever the star remains Janie Dee, she had the audience eating out of her hand with pretty much every line and I could watch her performance of The Story Of Lucy and Jessie over and over again.
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Post by Being Alive on Apr 5, 2019 11:44:17 GMT
I mean it was still busy last night, the stalls were packed. I'd agree it was an odd choice and I think it's not a musical you can really sell as a big spectacular so cutting through to the causal theatre goer is tough. Though oddly someone I work with was there last night and another is going soon and neither of them are theatre regulars. It was my 4th time(2nd with the new cast) and I thought Riding and particularly Hanson were much improved. I still don't think they act it as well as Staunton and Quast but Too Many Mornings and Losing My Mind were both even better than last time and Hanson has found new depth and intensity in Live, Laugh, Love. Peter Forbes was as strong as ever and all the support were top of the game, I know not everyone loves Tracie Bennett's I'm Still Here but for me she nails it every time. But as ever the star remains Janie Dee, she had the audience eating out of her hand with pretty much every line and I could watch her performance of The Story Of Lucy and Jessie over and over again. I mean i agree with literally every word you said. Hi new friend! haha |
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Follies
Apr 5, 2019 11:47:29 GMT
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Post by alece10 on Apr 5, 2019 11:47:29 GMT
Cast of Follies taking part in Westend Eurovision.
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Post by sparky5000 on Apr 5, 2019 12:27:45 GMT
Does the National have the same kudos to the casual lets catch a show crowd or is it a slightly different clientele? could this be the reason for the low turnout? It's certainly off the track of casual musical visitors, but then, so is Sondheim. I think Andrew Lloyd Webber had it right when he remarked that what you make on a revival the first time, you lose on the second. Basically, folk have seen it and indeed Staunton fans made a difference. My mum’s a casual theatre goer but had never even heard of Sondheim when I asked if if she fancied seeing Company when she visited London a few weeks back! 😩😄 To Be fair shes more of a play person but still I thought Sondheim’s name was pretty ubiquitous! |
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Post by sparky5000 on Apr 5, 2019 13:02:10 GMT
If you sang her a bit of Tonight* or Maria* or America* or Send In The Clowns she'd probably know the words / tunes but not the writer. *Yeah, I know, he did the words only on those. Well she loves Bernstein so def knows who he is, and West Side Story is her fave musical! 😄 |
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Post by theatre241 on Apr 6, 2019 21:38:07 GMT
So I tweeted a reply to the national theatre about if follies will tour and they retweeted it so maybe their saying something?!! Also I really didn't get the hype for company! I just thought it was quite boring at times and everyone was pretending to like it because everyone else "loved it" this might sound harsh lol
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Follies
Apr 6, 2019 22:41:53 GMT
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Post by Being Alive on Apr 6, 2019 22:41:53 GMT
So I tweeted a reply to the national theatre about if follies will tour and they retweeted it so maybe their saying something?!! Also I really didn't get the hype for company! I just thought it was quite boring at times and everyone was pretending to like it because everyone else "loved it" this might sound harsh lol This production sort of couldn’t go on tour, because it is completely based on the revolve, and the money it would cost is astronomical. There’s no way it will tour. Second run isnt selling our in town with good West End names in it, so without stunt casting it (which is severely object to) I can’t see this happening. It belongs on the Olivier |
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Post by theatre241 on Apr 7, 2019 13:13:20 GMT
So I tweeted a reply to the national theatre about if follies will tour and they retweeted it so maybe their saying something?!! Also I really didn't get the hype for company! I just thought it was quite boring at times and everyone was pretending to like it because everyone else "loved it" this might sound harsh lol This production sort of couldn’t go on tour, because it is completely based on the revolve, and the money it would cost is astronomical. There’s no way it will tour. Second run isnt selling our in town with good West End names in it, so without stunt casting it (which is severely object to) I can’t see this happening. It belongs on the Olivier Yeh I thought it would be really hard to tour and its not been a huge financial time the second time |
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Post by theatre241 on Apr 8, 2019 15:40:31 GMT
Thinking about going on the after lights down tour. Has anyone been on this? If so how was it
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Post by catcat100 on Apr 8, 2019 17:03:26 GMT
I went on the tour a couple of weeks ago and i found it very good, much better than the usual backstage tour.
If memory serves me right you do the following. Design studio with the stage models, workshops both set and props, rehersal room, backstage quick change areas with costumes still there, quick look at the band area then on to the stage itself. Tour guide very knowledgeable and friendly.
Really interesting 75 mins which could easily have been a lot longer and you wouldn't get bored.
I am thinking of going again
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Post by theatre241 on Apr 8, 2019 17:53:44 GMT
Oh sounds incredible because I am a hugeeee fan of follies so ill might go!
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Follies
Apr 8, 2019 17:56:03 GMT
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Post by Stephen on Apr 8, 2019 17:56:03 GMT
It probably depends but when I did the tour a few years ago we also went into each theatre. I suppose it depends when you do it and if the spaces are in use.
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Post by theatre241 on Apr 9, 2019 20:19:38 GMT
I forgot but someone said that in their follies performance the revolve stopped working so they walked around in circles! How often does this happen because im really worried when I see it on its last day!
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Post by andrew on Apr 9, 2019 20:44:11 GMT
I forgot but someone said that in their follies performance the revolve stopped working so they walked around in circles! How often does this happen because im really worried when I see it on its last day! Lots of things in theatre break down; sometimes Elphaba in Wicked doesn't Defy Gravity, I saw a performance of the Lion King when the giant sun got caught on something and just sat sort of half-risen until a scene change, sometimes the Phantom's famous boat just stops mid-song, sometimes the schooldesks in Matilda never appear, Hamilton has a whole choreography rehearsed for when their revolve breaks down. It's almost hard to believe, but sometimes the actors themselves break down, and there are audience revolts when they discover paying £150 for your ticket doesn't actually guarantee Glenn Close will turn up and croak her way through the big numbers. These things are totally unpredictable and all generally fairly rare. Weirdos like me love watching shows where things go wrong so you can see a bit of panic in the performers eyes as stage managers rapidly put into action contingency plans and keep the show on the road. The Olivier drum revolve (as always, big-up to members of the Olivier Drum Revolve Appreciation Society, or ODRAS as we like to be known as) has a long and sordid history or not working, and generally being a bit of a temperamental cow at times. It didn't work at all for 12 years after it was built, and has recently undergone a refurbishment. With all that said, they work very hard at the ol' Nash, and it works the vast vast majority of the time. I've never personally seen it fail. I wouldn't worry about it. |
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Post by theatre241 on Apr 9, 2019 21:07:50 GMT
Ahahahaha I saw a performance of company where Mel was sick so they stopped after the Company number so her understudy rushed on!
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Post by theatre241 on Apr 15, 2019 20:59:58 GMT
Hi.Any thoughts on this. I know people wanting to see follies but they can't do that may week. Do you think this is the end of NT Follies? Didnt they do a live recording of it?
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Post by sf on Apr 15, 2019 22:02:48 GMT
Hi.Any thoughts on this. I know people wanting to see follies but they can't do that may week. Do you think this is the end of NT Follies? Didnt they do a live recording of it?
There was an NT Live broadcast of the production during the first run. Those recordings are never released commercially.
I doubt the production will be coming back to the National in the forseeable future. Follies is a huge, expensive show with a relatively limited audience, and as far as I know no commercial production of it has ever turned a profit. This year's run at the National hasn't sold nearly as well as the first one; May 11th, I think, is the end of the line for this production.
(Lucky me, I get to see it once more before it closes, which will be my sixth visit - and I very rarely see anything in the theatre more than once.)
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Post by latefortheoverture on Apr 15, 2019 22:10:03 GMT
Has anybody done the standby line at NT before- could anyone help me and explain what to do?! And if they've had luck with it?
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Follies
Apr 15, 2019 22:20:18 GMT
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Apr 15, 2019 22:20:18 GMT
Hi.Any thoughts on this. I know people wanting to see follies but they can't do that may week. Do you think this is the end of NT Follies? Didnt they do a live recording of it? The live recording isn't available legally but it's out there on the internet. |
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Follies
Apr 16, 2019 8:32:34 GMT
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Post by theatre241 on Apr 16, 2019 8:32:34 GMT
Would you know where?
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Apr 16, 2019 9:22:03 GMT
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Apr 16, 2019 9:22:03 GMT
I don't know what the rules are pertaining to this stuff so I'd rather not say or link it without knowing that I can, sorry. |
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Follies
Apr 16, 2019 9:28:28 GMT
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Post by theatre241 on Apr 16, 2019 9:28:28 GMT
That’s totally fine I understand.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2019 9:38:57 GMT
I'm pretty sure the rules are "please don't risk bringing thunder down upon the board by sharing things that people shouldn't legally have".
An interesting thing to know about NT productions though is that it is free to visit the archives (next door to the Old Vic) and view whatever footage they have of their productions. Yes, if you've got a few hours free in Waterloo, you can go to this designated building and watch the NT Live recording of the show without paying a penny. It's not glam, you're basically watching it on a PC, and you do tend to need to make an appointment in advance, but it's a great resource.
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Follies
Apr 16, 2019 11:34:26 GMT
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Post by theatre241 on Apr 16, 2019 11:34:26 GMT
Wow! I didn’t know that might do it. So do they have a website that you can book an appointment on or do you call up? How does it work?
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