Aspects of Love - Hope Mill MCR / Southwark Playhouse

I really don't understand the 'Amazing' etc comments and gushing online reviews.
I can only assume Hope Mill have managed to target and reach a fleet of non-theatre going people who are genuinely impressed by it because their exposure to theatre is so low, or its vocal friends and family, etc.
That said, 5 stars from the usual big outlets seems to infer I had a completely different experience to every other patron.

I’ve just had a watch now of the clip and to be honest it really isn’t selling the show to me. The staging looks nice but that piano just sounds awful. I’m off to watch this next Sunday so I’ll go with an open mind but I wonder what the paper reviews have seen to give it the good reviews that others on here haven’t.

Finally saw this last night. Had been a bit nervous from some of the comments on here but have to say I LOVED it. Fantastic cast, great set for the small space, beautifully lit, sound was superb and impeccably directed. I really understood the characters motivations and I felt for them all. A joy really. From what I find to be one of ALW’s most beautiful scores - holds me in a trance from start to finish.

The band was indeed 2 pianos and percussion (the second piano sometimes sounded a bit like a keyboard synthesised strings sound, backing the 1st. Is it possible to create that illusion from a normal piano??). The arrangements were beautiful! BUT I do think it could gave been better to add a couple of strings and brass.

Felix Mosse has the vocal chops and is a very cute easy on the eye Alex. More likeable than when played as slightly arrogant in previous productions. His acting was fine.

But as has been said the show belongs entirely to Kelly Price. Wow. Sang and acted the hell out of Rose. Anything But Loneley was gut wrenching. In a great way.

I can’t compare to West End and the big tours as it’s not like for like. But I MUCH preferred it to the Menier version.

Oh and Hope Mill was lovely. Go see!
I’m back tonight!

2 hours 40
I'm going to next Saturday's matinee on a return visit

I echo your thoughts. Kelly Price is simply sensational and owns this show - worth the ticket price alone. And I really like Felix Mosse. Alex so often comes across as arrogant and not that likeable but Felix portrays him in a warmer more sensitive way. And he has a beautiful voice.

I’d been very sceptical but similarly enjoyed the orchestration much more than I was expecting it too.

Pretty please come to London :-)

I wish I’d enjoyed this more than I did. I love the venue, and most of the cast were absolutely terrific. The staging was good. The songs were sung really well. I liked the orchestrations. It just didn’t hang together for me. I was so very aware that I was watching a show, which may seem an obvious statement, but I can typically get wrapped up or lost in what’s happening. But throughout I was very aware of where I was and what I was watching. I liked “Alex”’s voice, but he reminded me of somebody else and I couldn’t quite buy the performance in the role. I did like his voice a lot. I couldn’t invest in the story, which is my major issue here, I knew nothing of the story beforehand and just couldn’t quite engage with a story of lots of rich family members fall in lust (love?) with each other over time. I hope others got more from that story and the show, but for me there was a definite barrier between me and the show. I do love this venue though! There were a few fantastic numbers and separate parts, but for me they couldn’t hang together cohesively.

So just back from a second visit and boy am I glad I went. This has grown so much from when I saw the first preview. I really enjoyed it this time. Felix seems to have grown into the role of Alex and was more confident but top marks still go to Kelly Price. Her portrayal of Rose is amazing and "Anything But Lonely" is heartbreaking.

Well, this was the last show for my Manchester weekend this afternoon and despite earlier reports on this thread about the show I was initially worried about what to expect, however more positive posts from more recent viewings gave me a lot more optimism. So after watching it I have to say that it was an enjoyable Sunday afternoons theatre viewing. Thank you Hope Mill for Sunday theatre!

Overall, I thought as some have already stated and which I totally agree with, Kelly Price as Rose really does give the standout performance of the entire cast and was worth the ticket price alone. I would hope we get to see her again soon as that voice of hers is something special. That said I though that the other ladies of the cast where also great singers. With Felix Mosse, I was a bit unsure of. While giving a very assured performance of Alex, I felt that times he could of been a bit more powerful with the singing. It was for me only really at the end where he achieved this and this is what in my own head I wanted from this role. As @burlybear mentioned, Jerome Pradon as George really was great I certainly enjoyed listening to him.

I have to admit, early reports of a 3 piece band for an ALW didn’t exactly fill me with much joy. Having recently seen ALNM at the Storyhouse in Chester, I was amazed at what a small orchestra of 8 could achieve, so what would an even smaller group do? Actually I was pleasantly surprised with the final outcome and the sound design really helped, though I would loved to have had a few wind instruments in there just to give it a bit more depth rather than just relying on piano and percussion.

The glow sticks used in Act 2 really should of been binned in early rehearsals. I thought the lighting was superb throughout the show, but the sticks really felt out of place, but this is just my own opinion. The “on stage” cafe seating was more of an issue. While I’m all for an immersive theatrical experience, because I was in the last group to enter the auditorium, seating choices where a bit limited at this point, so ended up in row B at the end of the centre block near the entrance to the auditorium. As I was sat directly behind one of the tables, at times my view was blocked but thankfully this didn’t really have much of a negative impact viewing the performance as it was only for brief periods.

Having now seen a number of productions at Hope Mill, this is the one that whilst enjoyable, I didn’t get that emotionally attachment to the characters as to the other productions where I have shed a tear or two during those performances. Definitely worth a watch though.

0600

Woke up humming “seeing is believing” 😩

I thought Spring Awakening was a shoe-in for a transfer. If that can’t make it I can’t see this doing it. Also, although the theatre was full yesterday afternoon I’m aware of someone going midweek who reported fewer than 50 people in. Maybe this is another Sunset Boulevard I.e it doesn’t “chime” with the public in the same was as other ALW stuff does.
Was it a sell out at the MCF?

I think it sold well. Certainly the night I was there was sold out. It was heavily marketed on the return of the original director (Trevor Nunn) and also had a great 8 or 9 piece orchestra. In fact the sound was the best thing about it. Visually was unremarkable I recall. Dave Willets was George. Can't for the life of me remember who else was in it.

Anyway, I personally feel the Hope Mill production is much better. Add in a bigger band and sure it could do 4-6 weeks in London in a fringe venue. 
As you say though, like Sunset, I think it would struggle in a full sized venue or UK tour without a 'name.' Which is a shame. In fact if it doesn't transfer, I think it will be a very long time before we see it in the UK again. Ditto Sunset post end of the recent tour. 

I have seen many Roses which include Ann Crumb, Katherine Evans, Shona Lindsay and Katherine Kingsley, but still seeing Kelly Price was yet again another pleasure, she displayed a fragility that made her irresistible.

Aspects of Love was the first musical I saw those many years ago, I even had the double cassette, which I purchased from Our Price and listened to on my Sony Walkman on my paper round, I knew every word by heart. So seeng this again like after a few years, since the Menier production and found this to be very enjoyable, in a production that was basic, however Aspects is really a chamber piece of theatre, so This still delivered on the glorious score and maybe uneven book, however David Garretts demonstrated every kind of Love, whether that is controversial or not, but still had to be done to complete the cycle, thankfully this one was resisted, but it represented a Bloomsbuury unconventional lifestyle but set in the Pyrenees.

Enjoyed Felix Mosse who was an enjoyable Alex, Jerome Pardon I found too young for the role and his accent was to forced.

Wowed again by the Hope Mill Theatre, that for a small start up Theatre is still punching above its weight.

5 Stars

I would hope this makes it down to London, which would be great to see again.