1,351 posts
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Post by CG on the loose on Nov 25, 2016 11:04:44 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2016 11:39:01 GMT
Madalena will nail Lights of Long Ago. And Carrie's A Place Called Home will be stunning
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227 posts
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Post by ukpuppetboy on Dec 21, 2016 2:38:16 GMT
Did anyone catch this on Monday night? I saw the show in Madison Square back in the late 90s and loved it (being a big Menken fan) but have no love for the tv movie they made. Just wondered how it fared as a concert version.
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1,351 posts
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Post by CG on the loose on Dec 21, 2016 7:43:41 GMT
I was there. Having seen their State Fair a few weeks back, and the cast lined up for this, I was really looking forward to it but ended up being slightly underwhelmed.
I did enjoy it, just not as much as their previous outing. But judging from other comments and reviews, I think that was just me! I didn't know the music at all and struggled to hear some of the lyrics. And I was tired. But I didn't leave with a beaming smile.
That said, the orchestra sounded wonderful and the big numbers, with the full company singing, likewise. Then I just lost myself in the music rather than listening too hard to follow the words.
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Post by mallardo on Dec 21, 2016 10:14:02 GMT
I was there too and thought it was sensational! The score is Alan Menken to its core - from the first notes there's no doubt who the composer is. And I thought the 32 piece orchestra sounded amazing. Robert Lindsay was a bit all over the place as Scrooge but the audience clearly loved him and the rest of the cast and chorus were terrific.
Madalena Alberto did indeed nail her big number as did the much maligned (on here) Carrie Hope Fletcher - what a powerhouse of a voice. Norman Bowman was excellent as Jacob Marley as was Alex Gaumond as Bob Cratchit. And the little Tiny Tim, Tobias Ungleson, was amazing. Three standing ovations (they did two encores) and a raucously enthusiastic full house at the Lyceum - just a wonderful night.
Question: Why is there no recording of this great score? |
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1,351 posts
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Post by CG on the loose on Dec 21, 2016 10:24:36 GMT
Glad to hear it was indeed just me 😊
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2016 10:24:46 GMT
I have that same question Mallardo, having seen a slightly less starry amateur production a couple of weeks ago!
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1,013 posts
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Post by talkstageytome on Dec 21, 2016 10:29:22 GMT
Yes, me too! I also saw this. Thought the orchestra sounded absolutely gorgeous! And the cast was brilliant too! Felt that the role was perfect for Lindsay but that he just wasn't quite prepared for the evening. Seemed to be out of time with the music quite a lot, and sometimes I struggled to hear his dialogue too, although that may have been something to do with the volume of the orchestra which did seem a bit overly loud at points. Rest of the cast excellent, especially Norman Bowman who I'd never seen in anything before - he played Marley and was just excellent. What a voice! Hugh Maynard also stood out, I just loved his stage presence as Christmas Present, and Alex Gaumond was very likeable as Bob Cratchit too. Felt very festive when I left. I actually wrote up a whole thing on my blog if it's of interest, but it pretty much says the same thing as I've just written, just in more formal terms!  |
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Post by mallardo on Dec 21, 2016 10:35:12 GMT
Glad to hear it was indeed just me 😊
But I take your point about hard-to-hear lyrics, especially with Robert Lindsay who tended to mumble, as Scrooge does. The orchestra made such a huge sound it was a bit overwhelming at moments - but for me that was just fine.
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1,103 posts
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Post by mallardo on Dec 21, 2016 10:40:27 GMT
Yes, me too! I also saw this. Thought the orchestra sounded absolutely gorgeous! And the cast was brilliant too! Felt that the role was perfect for Lindsay but that he just wasn't quite prepared for the evening. Seemed to be out of time with the music quite a lot, and sometimes I struggled to hear his dialogue too, although that may have been something to do with the volume of the orchestra which did seem a bit overly loud at points. Rest of the cast excellent, especially Norman Bowman who I'd never seen in anything before - he played Marley and was just excellent. What a voice! Hugh Maynard also stood out, I just loved his stage presence as Christmas Present, and Alex Gaumond was very likeable as Bob Cratchit too. Felt very festive when I left. I actually wrote up a whole thing on my blog if it's of interest, but it pretty much says the same thing as I've just written, just in more formal terms!
Were you in the stalls on the left side? I swear I saw this rather glamorous young woman walking up the aisle and I thought, I know that face! Then I realized it was the face from your profile picture. I really hope it was you so I can give myself a pat on the back for my observational powers.
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Post by talkstageytome on Dec 21, 2016 10:42:39 GMT
I was indeed! |
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Post by mallardo on Dec 21, 2016 10:48:19 GMT
I was indeed! Yay!! |
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Post by Snciole on Dec 21, 2016 13:50:13 GMT
I am going to a LOST Theatre zq2sc
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2016 14:11:31 GMT
I'm intrigued, how was Giovanna Fletcher? Is she much of a singer? I've heard her a few times on her, Carrie's and her husband Tom's YouTube channels but I never knew if she could really pull off a musical theatre role on stage.  |
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1,013 posts
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Post by talkstageytome on Dec 21, 2016 14:30:11 GMT
She had a nice voice, yes.
I don't know anything about youtube / youtubers so I didn't have a clue who she was. But she sang well as Mrs Cratchit.
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1,103 posts
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Post by mallardo on Dec 21, 2016 14:30:38 GMT
I'm intrigued, how was Giovanna Fletcher? Is she much of a singer? I've heard her a few times on her, Carrie's and her husband Tom's YouTube channels but I never knew if she could really pull off a musical theatre role on stage.
It's a smallish role and she was perfectly fine. The Cratchits were all well cast.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2017 14:46:05 GMT
This is returning on 11th and 18th December to the Lyceum Theatre in London.
Robert Lindsay returns as Scrooge, as does Hugh Maynard as Ghost of Christmas Present.
Joining the cast will be Lucie Jones as Emily and the Ghost of Christmas Future, Gemma Sutton as the Ghost of Christmas Past and Michael Xavier as Bob Cratchit.
Further casting still to be announced.
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Post by stagemanager on Dec 10, 2017 6:37:22 GMT
Is anyone going tomorrow? I can’t make it this Monday but thought I might go next, but I would be intrigued to know what people thought before booking.
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270 posts
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Post by stageyninja83 on Dec 10, 2017 21:46:18 GMT
Is anyone going tomorrow? I can’t make it this Monday but thought I might go next, but I would be intrigued to know what people thought before booking. I'm going tomorrow, weather permitting, so I'll report back |
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1,497 posts
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Post by Steve on Dec 16, 2017 0:44:17 GMT
Loved this. Less a dramatic emotional evening, more of a fabulously entertaining show. Some spoilers follow. . . You've got Michael Xavier (why isn't he playing Barnum at the Menier?) doing his East End voice as Bob Cratchit, and snatching away the only real moment of sentiment, as he mourns Tiny Tim in "Christmas Together." You've got Hugh Maynard rousingly belting the "call" part of "Abundance and Charity's" call-and-response 42nd Street style pizzazz, with a wonderful ensemble beautifully answering every call. You've got Robert Lindsay, ever Mr Entertainment, deep in his bones, eager to ditch his initial grumpy ways so that he can sing and dance in lockstep with Maynard, almost as if his Scrooge can't wait to do the Lambeth walk. You've got Glenn Carter, returning to the stage of his Jesus Christ Superstar triumph, still in Andrew Lloyd Webber ultra-masculine deep-voiced attack mode, for "Link by Link," with a male choir type symphony of voices backing him up majestically. You've got Lucie Jones in storming voice (matching her amazing turn in "Rent") for her so obviously Alan Menken Disney-Princess style "i want" song, "A Place called Home." And in a highlight of the night, rivalling even Maynard's booming joyfulness, you've got Sophie-Louise Dann doing one of her superb comic turns, as the Cilla-Blackesque chipmunk-tooth-chattering Mrs. Fezziwig, who made me bust a gut laughing. Apart from Xavier's mooning about Tiny Tim, and a late violin-crazed Night-on-Bald-Mountain style number called "Dancing on Your Grave," this show never hits a deep emotional place, but it is so damn entertaining anyway, as Menken and Lindsay move in lockstep for a good old-fashioned revue style singing extravaganza. I can't imagine how great this would be if it was fully staged with dancing and tap and whatnot, but as is, a very solid happy 4 stars from me.  |
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