Company

I’m with you in the minority camp ( no pun intended) about Jonathan Bailey’s performance. I was sitting in the third row of the stalls and for me, seeing his interpretation of NGM made me cringe.

In my humble opinion it was so OTT that it felt like something from a pantomime.
I also wondered if all the praise heaped upon this number previously had caused him to amp it up to the point where, for me, it ceased to be funny at all.

I actually felt sorry for Alex Gaumond having to act opposite that colossal gurning and thought he actually would have interpreted the number better himself ( anyone that saw him in Top Hat,Legally Blonde or indeed Matilda will know that he has very funny bones).

I thought some of the gender swap worked better than others and kind of wished that NGM hadn’t been given to the gay couple given the on-going fight to legalise gay marriage across the world, but maybe that’s just me overthinking it.

I thought ME’s direction and BC’s design are both top notch and there were some lovely performances, but even with the gender swap, the material felt rather outdated to me at this point. All in all, I preferred the Donmar version with Adrian Lester from many moons ago.

I'd definitely go with E/F Stalls.

Agree 100%

Apparently yesterday was the 10 year anniversary of “WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! GET ‘EM OUT”
I hope Patti marked the occasion with an extra vodka stinger!

Tick Tock certainly has a feel of the film.

No word on when the recording will be out- I'd imagine they're trying to get it before the end of the run to obviously shift a few more copies/tie in the promo, but nothing has been announced. 

Meant to add to my previous post that I didn't think any of the cast indiviually did anything Olivier-worthy, but as a whole I have no doubt it will win Best Revival.

I am 35 in 2 weeks. This hit home for me! I knew the concept of the show roughly but didn't realise 35th birthday was so important. I'm a little upset my birthday is on a Sunday so I can't share it with Bobbie.

I completely agree with Mr B....
Also, I don’t get the extent of the adulation showered upon Messers Bailey and Fleeshman. IMO both gave caricatured and over cooked performances. NGMT gets a great response but that’s mainly due to the comedy appearances by the Priest. Barcelona is popular because of Mr Flesshman’s terrific torso, but please let’s not confuse that with a great performance. I hope that when the Olivier nominations are announced that some of the subtler supporting performances in other shows get recognised.

Having now seen it three times, I still stand by my first thought that this is one of, if not, the best show I've ever seen. I think it's absolutely amazing.

I think this might be a key factor in audience expectation and enjoyment, particularly for a show like this.

I'm an unashamed Sondheim devotee. I saw this production (I've seen at least 10 previous productions) in preview and having being slightly sceptical about the updating and gender switch I loved it - one or two niggles notwithstanding. It was up there with my favourites. The audience, too, lapped it up. I saw it a few weeks later - and even though the element of surprise had gone - I still adored it.

I saw it for a third time last week - an almost full house - unlikely to be rabid Sondheim fans as it was now into the second booking period but no doubt lured by the plethora of five star reviews and a desire to see the latest smash hit musical. To say the atmosphere was muted would be an understatement. Scene after scene played to almost no response. The karate scene, the balcony scene, the pot smoking scene - they all seemed to drag on forever barely raising a laugh. Another Hundred People - meh. Only with Getting Married Today did the audience, and the production, seem to leap into life - though slumping immediately after.

The interval came and went - and things were little better. The audience seemed baffled by Tick, Tock, amused by Barcelona and entertained by Ladies Who Lunch. Being Alive, which had previously brought the house down - received enthusiastic applause - no more. And then it was over. When I was leaving I heard "It wasn't what I was expecting", "I wouldn't have given it five stars" "I'd not want to watch that again" and most deadly "It wasn't really a proper musical was it".

In almost every respect it was exactly the same production which I'd seen, and loved, and raved about, twice before - and yet somehow it wasn't. It was the same actors, singing the same songs, saying the same lines - the only thing which was difference was the audience - and that had completely transformed the show. I had no desire to see it again, I wouldn't give it five stars. I don't know what the audience was expecting - maybe tap dancing, maybe barricades, maybe singing animals - but this wasn't it.

Honestly it was one of the oddest evenings I've spent in the theatre. I apologised to my friend - oh it's OK I quite enjoyed it - she replied. But that wasn't really enough - I'd promised groundbreaking brilliance, near perfection - not mildly entertaining.

So I don't really know what the take out is - was I just unlucky to go on an evening with 900 people had booked for the wrong show, do I just have to accept that not everyone thinks Sondheim is a god, or is it a case of over praised and over priced and so not able to live up to expectations?

The only thing that I do know is that I immediately booked for the last night. I couldn't let this be my abiding memory. Fingers crossed.