68 posts
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Post by Brian on Aug 18, 2017 19:06:41 GMT
She was great in 'Big' the musical.
Will try to catch this when it tours. I wonder if it will be another actor musician production, given Craig's involvement?
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 19, 2017 8:53:26 GMT
Bland bland bland.
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Post by theatreian on Sept 6, 2017 15:09:54 GMT
Anyone seen this in Bromley this week? I' m going to see it in Birmingham next Wednesday.The cliché that gays love a bit of Dusty holds up I feel!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2017 15:14:48 GMT
Not sure why but I always confuse Diana Vickers and Stacy Solomon. Two grossly different people.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2017 15:28:00 GMT
Massive difference indeed. Hence why I'm a little confused as to my confusion.
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Post by longinthetooth on Sept 6, 2017 15:32:16 GMT
"Cassiopeia Berkeley-Agyepong" She must hate signing autographs. Bet she just does her initials. CBA. Good job she's not a footballer. Imagine getting that lot on the back of her shirt! |
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Post by terrylondon79 on Sept 9, 2017 8:31:18 GMT
Saw this in Bromley... First act dull as takes itself to seriously. But stay for 2nd act as book goes into full 'Too close to the sun' crapness levels.
Cast can sing well seperatly, but sounded bad when singing together.
Set looked like was going to be good, but they ran out of money halfway through making it.
Obigitory megamix at end only got the f&f standing.
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Post by djp on Sept 10, 2017 2:33:36 GMT
Worth a look. Misses Vickers and Stepehenson are very good, the ensemble has some good singers, and there was enough Dusty to keep the fans happy - minus a few who left after act one because they seemed to have expected a jukebox. Act two speeds up, even though it ends in a lets end it now ending. Got a good fesponse at the end.
The story is British PC, meets mystical, meets mIlls and Boon - with all sorts of bizarre inventions - notably the cleaner,and the plumber in a kilt with a big spanner. There's some wierd (CRH? ) choregraphy early on - that dear old Len would have called faffing about. Thankfully, this vanishes early on. The actor musicians play very well - though they are distracting at times - but even Diana, who could sing through the backing, when others failed, couldn't compete with sounding brass, feet away from her.
It goes down some odd avenues though. The third , male, person seeking love role, seems to require a John Owen Jones range to sing it, and is a struggle without one. The ensemble sing well , but there's a reason why musicals are not usually democratic ,and don't give everyone a solo- it takes attention from the main characters. The allocation of songs was odd - also democratic where it needed to go for the wow factor. Anyone who saw Little Voice, knows Diana vickers can sing Dusty well - but they then gave two of the biggest songs, we know she can sing really well, to male characters, who can't make the same impression . And they ended with the tried and tested Viva Forever formula - of having the whole cast singing some of the big songs as an encore at the end. No folks, stick them in the main show - and end act one on a high with one - Les Mis hasn't lasted this long by keeping all its best songs for the encore.
Worth it for the songs, and Miss Vickers, who is also looking like a future natural for SCD - but may be disqualified now ,as CRH taught her . But CRH gets a 6 for direction and sorting out the book. .
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Post by richard2711 on Sept 13, 2017 16:33:38 GMT
Saw it last night. One of the oddest shows I've seen all year. Lots of "meaningful" standing about and then a completely different pace for the last quarter of an hour! Everything brought to a conclusion far too quickly for characters who haven't been given enough depth for the audience to invest in. The actor/musician angle didn't work at all for me with this production and meant the stage was often cluttered and distracted from the action. And whoever did the group choreography for the final numbers needs to take another look at it. Not really awful, just very confusing indeed. Many baffled faces on the way out!
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2,409 posts
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Post by theatreian on Sept 13, 2017 21:56:21 GMT
Saw this tonight and was really disappointed. Hearing others talking in the audience many felt the same. Craig Revel Horwood ought to hang his head in shame.Very poor direction and the worst choreography I have seen in some time. You actually felt sorry for the cast as they had so little to work with.
The book or should I say sentence was non existent.The songs were sung in most part pretty well, although it is an odd show and does not fit together.When I say a bereavement counsellor does a chicken impression , you get the idea!
Well I hope for better on Friday in Follies.
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Post by shady23 on Sept 13, 2017 22:09:10 GMT
ANOTHER actor/musician piece? Really?
These touring shows are all beginning to sound the same.
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Post by kirstylovesmusicals on Sept 22, 2017 17:18:41 GMT
Seeing this tonight. Will report back
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122 posts
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Post by kirstylovesmusicals on Sept 23, 2017 7:11:52 GMT
So last night I went to the Sunderland empire and bought a programme for the box office. Cost me £2. Walked into the theatre and was offered the programme for £1. Got a £1 refund. Inside the auditorium even at 5 mins before the show started it was barely half full in the stalls from what I could see and there was only a handful of us in the dress circle. I had booked a side on view for £15 but was able to move front and centre a minute before it began.
Onto the show it's self. It starts off without any introduction really, no pre show announcement, the lights dim and off we go. And it's not the most cheerful of songs to start the show with, the opener is very sad and quite depressing.
Ian Reddington and Debra Stephenson seem to spend a lot of time sitting on the floor in this show. The actors all try to do their best with the material they have but it's very poor quality writing. It takes itself far too seriously whilst trying to shoehorn in as many Dusty songs as possible. I didn't laugh once and there is potential to throw in some comedy moments. The ensemble work their socks off whenever they are on stage. The upbeat numbers are few and far between and when they are in they are cut in half. Debra as Alison is average, Diana is great, Michael Howe is pretty good and so is Ian. Of course everyone is just waitin for the title song which typically comes right at the end but the whole ending feels very anti climactic. I don't know enough of Dusty's music but I feel she either has a limited back catalogue to use or they used the wrong songs. Set design is just one piece in the middle of the stage that opens and closes and other bits are pushed on and off. My favourite thing about it was the Cappucino sisters, they had the stand out wigs and costumes compared to others in the cast. 4/10 from me Mr Revel-Horwood!
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 23, 2017 7:52:16 GMT
Sounds like a right turkey.
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Post by TallPaul on Sept 23, 2017 12:48:26 GMT
On the plus side, programmes are just £1.
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2,263 posts
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Post by richey on Sept 23, 2017 19:41:16 GMT
Got tickets for this for Manchester next week. Not looking forward to it after reading this now! At least the tickets were half price
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4,361 posts
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Post by shady23 on Sept 23, 2017 20:23:59 GMT
On the plus side, programmes are just £1. Or £2 if you buy them in the box office  |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 23, 2017 21:00:05 GMT
Got front stalls for £15.
I'm a fool to myself. Hee hee
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Post by theatreian on Sept 23, 2017 21:40:19 GMT
It seems you have the same opinion as when I saw it in Birmingham. It doesn't seem to have improved. I'm sure this wont last and the tour will be pulled.
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Post by theatremadness on Sept 23, 2017 21:41:12 GMT
God it looks crap
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Post by shady23 on Sept 23, 2017 21:51:40 GMT
So Sunderland have just had Flash dance, now this then the next "professional" production is the watered-down-even-more Spamalot.
People still wonder why I prefer to travel down to London rather than watch this drivel.
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Post by djp on Sept 24, 2017 0:34:50 GMT
Sounds like a right turkey. I looked at the online reviews. there's a 5 and a 1,some who couldn't think of a number , and a 2 1/2 dead in between. They agree book is poor, and Diana is very good - But there's also reports online she's only in it this year - something to check. |
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Post by Brian on Sept 25, 2017 23:26:32 GMT
The trailer looks really uninspiring. I was quite looking forward to it but it looks quite dull.
Not very promising when it begins and ends with the same song!
I do like Diana, though.
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Post by nash16 on Sept 26, 2017 0:58:08 GMT
How on earth did they learn that complex choreography?
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Post by horton on Sept 26, 2017 7:30:41 GMT
The choreography is hilarious- Clacton panto would do better!
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