Caroline, or Change (Chichester)

This worries me, I was intending on joining the national theatre members to ensure I got tickets for Follies, but could it end up like it did here for caroline or change and it sell out?

The NT has the Friday Rush and is good about putting returns up for resale. There are members here who refuse to believe that anything at the NT ever sells out and that even Angels In America has some availability (I assume they mean besides what's been kept for the Angels ballot?). But @xanderl is right about the relative sizes of the theatres and the relative lengths of the runs too. I'm not going to say it will be effortless to get Follies tickets, but it will certainly be achievable.

Snagged one, thanks.

Within the last 40 minutes lots of tickets released for sale. Hurry if you are interested and without a ticket.

I can see this transferring to London to like the Duke of Yorks or Noel Coward maybe? It sold quickly and would be good to see it in londkn

Saw this yesterday and am still a bit conflicted on my feelings. I saw the original on Broadway with Tonya Pinkins and Anika Noni Rose who gave such magnificent indelible performances, especially Ms Pinkins who was heartbreaking and gut wrenching and any number of other superlatives you fancy. I think this is what holds me back a little, very difficult to top that.

The Good

The cast with 1 1/2 exceptions are utterly superb. Strong powerful voices, in sync with the material, committed and pretty much faultless in their choices.
Musically this is beautiful, I had forgotten how much so, it really worked in the smaller space as you were able to hear all the tones and changes. Fabulous band/orchestra ( how do you define which is which, a question for the amnesty thread maybe?). The book/libretto with the exception of a couple of clunkers is clear and concise. Oh and Nicola Hughes, Nicola Hughes and Nicola Hughes

The Bad

Despite what i say above about the music I really don't think it worked in this space, it was too small for the production and to a lesser degree the themes of the piece, it needed a broader canvas. I have been to the Minerva a lot and this was the first time I was conscious of feeling it was a 'bad' performance space. Some of the costumes were atrocious, The Washing Machine, The DryerThe Bus, they resembled something put together by a stressed parent when their child tells them at 10 pm they need a costume for school tomorrow. They seemed too literal, I was on the verge of laughing till I realised that was not the intent. Conversely the women playing the Radio looked stunning apart from the insistence on the headbands which looked silly after a while. The young man playing Noah yesterday afternoon was dreadful, his singing was flat and tuneless, at points I felt physical pain.
Another. Bloody, Revolve. Stage.

The Indifferent

My 1/2 above refers to Sharon D Clarke who just didn't seem to be fully invested. I don't think she can give a bad performance and her voice is a thing of beauty. And I acknowledge I am comparing her to Ms Pinkins which is unfair. But someone said in The Life thread hat she always plays herself (not an exact quote before the shrieking starts) and I really felt that yesterday. I didn't see Caroline Thibodeaux, I saw Sharon D Clarke

Definitely worth seeing if you have no previous experience of it. Not sure it will transfer but if it does I think it would work better in a bigger auditorium

A quick aside on the audience which was 97.3% White and 85.4 % over the age of 80 (see Footnote 1). Eavesdropping during the interval and after in the car park along with listening to seat neighbours around me there was a general feeling of befuddlement. Lots of comments on not understanding what was happening, not being what they expected etc etc ( see Footnote 2) . This made me a little bit sad (see Footnote 3) considering the excitement there was on this board re the production and how quickly the tickets went and the subsequent disappointment people expressed at not being able to go. It made me wonder how some people decide what to see.

( Given the frothing at the mouth rant and abuse a previous post of mine engendered in some people with low comprehension skills or termnal laziness, I have prepared some footnotes on the above which can be forwarded on request if clarity is needed)

Oh thank Goodness it wasn't just me with Noah, I always feel supremely wicked saying stuff like that, and also fearful I just need my ears waxing!

A quick aside on the audience which was 97.3% White and 85.4 % over the age of 80 (see Footnote 1). Eavesdropping during the interval and after in the car park along with listening to seat neighbours around me there was a general feeling of befuddlement. Lots of comments on not understanding what was happening, not being what they expected etc etc ( see Footnote 2) . This made me a little bit sad (see Footnote 3) considering the excitement there was on this board re the production and how quickly the tickets went and the subsequent disappointment people expressed at not being able to go. It made me wonder how some people decide what to see.

( Given the frothing at the mouth rant and abuse a previous post of mine engendered in some people with low comprehension skills or termnal laziness, I have prepared some footnotes on the above which can be forwarded on request if clarity is needed)
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Many of the Chichester crowd just book for everything and don't frequent boards such as this!!!
Would be interested to see the footnotes!!

Nicola Hughes was to my mind a real stand out, reading her bio in the program she has made some cd's which I will be hunting for. Is Mount Pleasant that show on Sky which seems to have a lot of former soap stars in it? 

I don't think this is particularly uncommon amongst CFT regulars unfortunately. Listening to one of their excellent pre-show talks on their YouTube channel, I remember hearing that 'Top Girls' back in 2011 had a similar effect.  

Liking this but not ecstatic so far

It's a slow burner the first half. Mainly about the boy giving away Caroline his money. Not sure where this is going

The fantasy moments are charming if sporadic to the point that they come out of nowhere

I'm sure the intention is to drip feed the era of the post JFK America but I would have liked that established earlier

Don't know who the Noah is (short hair in comparison to the long haired one in rehearsal photos) , but he sounded fine if a bit off at times