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Post by oxfordsimon on Nov 25, 2016 18:23:11 GMT
As far as I can see, Katherine Jenkins has never played a full role in a professional staged production. Ignoring the massive flaws in her vocal technique, she just doesn't have the background to pull this off. Julie is an immensely challenging role to get right. It is not just a matter of standing there and looking blonde. ENO have made a massive mistake. They might sell seats - but they have lost a lot of credibility which is more damaging long term. Boe is also totally wrong for Billy. His mannerisms and limited acting range just won't work for such a tricky anti-hero. Am guessing you wont be going? I think you can be assured of that. Even if offered free tickets, I would turn them down. This sort of thing should not be encouraged. |
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Post by wickedgrin on Nov 25, 2016 18:59:30 GMT
I suppose it could be much more a "concert" type performance rather than "semi staged" like Sunset. If so, I suppose (desperately trying to be positive)they could argue it's not a realistic treatment/staging.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Nov 25, 2016 19:17:29 GMT
I suppose it could be much more a "concert" type performance rather than "semi staged" like Sunset. If so, I suppose (desperately trying to be positive)they could argue it's not a realistic treatment/staging. To my mind that would need the acting to be even stronger - to make up for the lack of other theatricality. I just can't see a way of spinning this stunt |
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Post by BGLowe on Nov 25, 2016 19:55:07 GMT
I am so gutted. I absolutely adore Carousel but I cannot see how anyone can think that Alfie Boe could be Billy Bigelow. It is truly beyond me. I won't even start on KJ. What a disappointment.
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Post by fossil on Nov 25, 2016 20:19:31 GMT
For those who want to go but would rather not see Katherine Jenkins, ENO website says KJ is not scheduled to appear on Tuesday 18 April.
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Post by d'James on Nov 25, 2016 20:28:09 GMT
Haha. Imagine if that was the only one to sell out to begin with. If someone could arrange for Mr Boe to have food-poisoning that night then I'd book.
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Post by alison on Nov 25, 2016 20:30:36 GMT
For those who want to go but would rather not see Katherine Jenkins, ENO website says KJ is not scheduled to appear on Tuesday 18 April. Ooh, and that happens to be during the school holidays. Can we get rid of Alfie that night too? Add me to the wave of people saying they've been put off by this casting. I was so looking forward to hearing Carousel from that glorious orchestra too. |
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Post by whygodwhytoday on Nov 25, 2016 20:31:13 GMT
I'm surprised ENO pulled such a Kenwright on us all. I hate to sound snobbish, but this really taints their character.
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Post by musicallady on Nov 25, 2016 20:33:58 GMT
Spookily enough my brother is on Radio 2 conducting the BBC Concert Orchestra in Friday Night Is Music Night with Wayne Sleep and they are playing the Carousel Waltz.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Nov 25, 2016 21:27:01 GMT
It might actually be hilarious watching Katherine Jenkins trying to act.. and Creature Comforts attempting Soliloquey , that I may actually book a cheap seat
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Post by Jon on Nov 25, 2016 21:31:47 GMT
I'm surprised ENO pulled such a Kenwright on us all. I hate to sound snobbish, but this really taints their character. ENO are strapped for cash hence why they're doing musicals in the first place and renting out the Coliseum for Bat Out of Hell. |
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Post by crabtree on Nov 25, 2016 21:59:16 GMT
Russell Watson and Susan Boyle just added to the cast....no, just kidding, but....?
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Post by mrbarnaby on Nov 25, 2016 22:05:23 GMT
Sarah harding will be playing Carrie.
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Post by loureviews on Nov 25, 2016 22:44:26 GMT
Spookily enough my brother is on Radio 2 conducting the BBC Concert Orchestra in Friday Night Is Music Night with Wayne Sleep and they are playing the Carousel Waltz. I just had an awful thought of Wayne Sleep being cast as Mr Snow. |
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Post by AddisonMizner on Nov 26, 2016 9:23:29 GMT
As a fan of Alfie Boe, I will be booking to see this. Yes, he is not the greatest actor in the world, and the role is more suited to a baritone, but I have heard it sung by a tenor, and he will sing the hell out of it. This may be absolute heresy, but I have also been a fan of Katherine Jenkins in the past. Her VIVA LA DIVA tour with Darcey Bussell years ago, was very enjoyable. I will reserve judgement until I have seen her. I have never seen CAROUSEL on stage before, and am very much looking forward to it.
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Post by martin1965 on Nov 26, 2016 9:58:59 GMT
As a fan of Alfie Boe, I will be booking to see this. Yes, he is not the greatest actor in the world, and the role is more suited to a baritone, but I have heard it sung by a tenor, and he will sing the hell out of it. This may be absolute heresy, but I have also been a fan of Katherine Jenkins in the past. Her VIVA LA DIVA tour with Darcey Bussell years ago, was very enjoyable. I will reserve judgement until I have seen her. I have never seen CAROUSEL on stage before, and am very much looking forward to it. Good for you. Posters here can get far too precious! |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Nov 26, 2016 9:59:58 GMT
As a fan of Alfie Boe, I will be booking to see this. Yes, he is not the greatest actor in the world, and the role is more suited to a baritone, but I have heard it sung by a tenor, and he will sing the hell out of it. This may be absolute heresy, but I have also been a fan of Katherine Jenkins in the past. Her VIVA LA DIVA tour with Darcey Bussell years ago, was very enjoyable. I will reserve judgement until I have seen her. I have never seen CAROUSEL on stage before, and am very much looking forward to it. Good for you. If you like their voices then that can be good enough. Jenkins and Boe's fans (because that's who'll be booking to see this) certainly won't be biting their nails over how well it's going to be acted, they'll be looking forward to those voices singing those songs. Anything else is a bonus. Strikes me that the ENO can't do right for doing wrong. Too elitist, too populist.. Yes I'm sure they could have got two amazing MT actors to play the leads and people on here could ooh and ahh for days but if their aim is to get a new audience to fill that huge theatre for 5 weeks a year then seems to me they're playing a blinder. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2016 10:17:47 GMT
but if their aim is to get a new audience to fill that huge theatre for 5 weeks a year then seems to me they're playing a blinder. Their further stated aim is that some of these ENO musical theatre shows have a future life, generating income for ENO. |
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Post by martin1965 on Nov 26, 2016 10:53:35 GMT
As a fan of Alfie Boe, I will be booking to see this. Yes, he is not the greatest actor in the world, and the role is more suited to a baritone, but I have heard it sung by a tenor, and he will sing the hell out of it. This may be absolute heresy, but I have also been a fan of Katherine Jenkins in the past. Her VIVA LA DIVA tour with Darcey Bussell years ago, was very enjoyable. I will reserve judgement until I have seen her. I have never seen CAROUSEL on stage before, and am very much looking forward to it. Good for you. If you like their voices then that can be good enough. Jenkins and Boe's fans (because that's who'll be booking to see this) certainly won't be biting their nails over how well it's going to be acted, they'll be looking forward to those voices singing those songs. Anything else is a bonus. Strikes me that the ENO can't do right for doing wrong. Too elitist, too populist.. Yes I'm sure they could have got two amazing MT actors to play the leads and people on here could ooh and ahh for days but if their aim is to get a new audience to fill that huge theatre for 5 weeks a year then seems to me they're playing a blinder. Exactly! This will certainly sell out and get lots of publicity so job done. I will be booking wednesday. |
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Post by theatremadness on Nov 26, 2016 11:36:07 GMT
I knoooooow this is casting that will please a lot of the public, I knooooooow that we all look far too much into it as theatre purists/fans/obsessives. I knoooooooow that they haven't cast to please "our kind" but I'm not discussing this show on a public board, we are a *theatre board* and I'll be damned if I won't discuss something in way too much detail, as is our want! If we go by that, why do we discuss anything on here? Why do we even have the board and why is it so popular?? As 'annoying' as it is to see lots of negativity, theatre can't always be positive!
And hey, if I was an out-and-out fan of Boe and Jenkins, I'd probably be booking too! As a lot of people I know have already done. And I'd never begrudge anyone from doing so if they are fans or like the sound of this, theatre is for everyone, right?? But I'm not gonna go if I know I'm not gonna enjoy it knowing that I'll come back here and report...guess what....that I didn't enjoy it! And we can't just hide from the fact that not only a large majority on here are a bit dubious, but I've seen a certain amount on facebook and twitter too that hasn't been the most positive of reactions...
Anyhow, I won't rain on anyone's parade if they think/know they will enjoy this, as much as the following will sound like I am, but from my experience of seeing Alfie Boe in both a musical and concert setting, and having seen enough performances from Katherine Jenkins to last a life-time, and knowing the characters of the show, I can make a personal informed decision that, putting bums on seats aside, I think that the casting of this shows huge disrespect to what the piece requires, semi-staged or not, and if, on this occasion, that makes me precious (which I'm almost certain it probably does), then so be it!!
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Post by haz23 on Nov 26, 2016 12:19:00 GMT
I love Carousel, but have no desire to see this. I watched Alfie Boe do two hours of 'acting' in Les Mis on Broadway this year and I definitely won't be rushing to see this sadly.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Nov 26, 2016 13:20:10 GMT
I knoooooow this is casting that will please a lot of the public, I knooooooow that we all look far too much into it as theatre purists/fans/obsessives. I knoooooooow that they haven't cast to please "our kind" but I'm not discussing this show on a public board, we are a *theatre board* and I'll be damned if I won't discuss something in way too much detail, as is our want! If we go by that, why do we discuss anything on here? Why do we even have the board and why is it so popular?? As 'annoying' as it is to see lots of negativity, theatre can't always be positive! I don't think anyone is trying to say otherwise. Certainly no-one seems to be trying to suppress the negative comments but are just giving an opposing viewpoint. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2016 13:43:16 GMT
They gotta sell just under 100,000 tickets for this tonne a sell out.
Il wait for the comps
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Post by theatremadness on Nov 26, 2016 13:52:18 GMT
I knoooooow this is casting that will please a lot of the public, I knooooooow that we all look far too much into it as theatre purists/fans/obsessives. I knoooooooow that they haven't cast to please "our kind" but I'm not discussing this show on a public board, we are a *theatre board* and I'll be damned if I won't discuss something in way too much detail, as is our want! If we go by that, why do we discuss anything on here? Why do we even have the board and why is it so popular?? As 'annoying' as it is to see lots of negativity, theatre can't always be positive! I don't think anyone is trying to say otherwise. Certainly no-one seems to be trying to suppress the negative comments but are just giving an opposing viewpoint. To me, it was less to do with suppressing of negative comments (which you're right, no one has been doing really on this thread), but more the dismissiveness of them. Honestly there's no beef, but if a reaction is largely negative, even if it's on a board of theatre fans, that's gotta mean something? It's not saying that anyone who goes to see this has no taste, doesn't understand theatre and should feel in any way less for liking this certain combination, it's actually not really even being precious, it's saying that a substantial group of the theatre community (and maybe actors in particular) are worried about what direction theatrical integrity is going! Which was one of my points.....this is exactly the place where these kinda discussions should thrive, not be dismissed. Because what if the ENO actually haven't got it right yet? We should discuss that. They are successfully enticing members of the public with their populist casting then asking them to spend £150 per ticket to make it worth-while, turning it into an elitist event. At the same time, some feel they are considerably lowering their standards. Is there a middle ground at all? It's an age-old, boring discussion, sure, but it's obviously still important. I mean it's gone way above and beyond the points either of us were making, but you know me, bright ideas just pop into my head.... |
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Post by notmymuse on Nov 26, 2016 14:06:38 GMT
I've been surprised by how good some celebrities have been when I've got there in the past, but I'm really not sure about this.
Carousel is a hard show to sell to modern audiences. It's hard to pull off without seeming hopelessly dated and offensive. You need actors who can find and portray real nuance and depth, not just read the words. I certainly couldn't and I'm not sure how many people without loads of training or experience could.
I saw the Lesley Garrett production at the Savoy a few years back. I really didn't enjoy it, and she struggled.
I nearly didn't see Thom Southerland's production in the Broadway at Catford shortly after because of the Savoy's. Yet it was a league apart, done on a shoestring budget. The actors found so much in the script if never noticed, and created great characters. They'd all gone to stage school and had a degree of experience and were cast on ability.
So I won't be going. If ENO insist on this kind of casting, they need to pick an easier show which demands less of the cast. Or pick opera singers who are great actors.
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