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Post by jenboo27 on Feb 8, 2022 20:22:29 GMT
I'm really confused - was Lucie due off tonight anyway? I guessed she'd been cleared by a negative PCR to perform Sunday - but has she since tested positive?
Exciting line up for tonight but what a start for the new cast! 😭
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2022 20:51:11 GMT
When people say the audience was flat ir quiet, does that mean they weren't screaming before songs had finsihed, or people werent laughing hysterically at lines they have heard so many times before, simply to draw attention to themselves? Because that sounds like a great audience to me.
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Post by inthenose on Feb 9, 2022 4:36:07 GMT
When people say the audience was flat ir quiet, does that mean they weren't screaming before songs had finsihed, or people werent laughing hysterically at lines they have heard so many times before, simply to draw attention to themselves? Because that sounds like a great audience to me. When I went last week, it meant none of the jokes got a laugh. The couple next to me were saying they had wished they had gone to see something else. The couple the other side of them didn't come back after the interval. I stayed solely because I wanted to see if would improve. It didn't. The ovations after big numbers was polite (quiet) applause. Songs like Defying Gravity and No Good Deed should - and used to - bring the house down. They didn't. A flat audience kills a show dead. Shows like Wicked are choreographed to an inch of their life, if laughs or applause don't come where they should, it is the death of a show of this kind. But a flat audience is 99% of the time due to a flat show, and the show when I saw it was desperately poor. No amount of fan-personing with squeals, comically enthusiastic applause and shrieks would've fixed the absolute dross I saw. |
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Post by jacob on Feb 9, 2022 7:42:23 GMT
When people say the audience was flat ir quiet, does that mean they weren't screaming before songs had finsihed, or people werent laughing hysterically at lines they have heard so many times before, simply to draw attention to themselves? Because that sounds like a great audience to me. When I went last week, it meant none of the jokes got a laugh. The couple next to me were saying they had wished they had gone to see something else. The couple the other side of them didn't come back after the interval. I stayed solely because I wanted to see if would improve. It didn't. The ovations after big numbers was polite (quiet) applause. Songs like Defying Gravity and No Good Deed should - and used to - bring the house down. They didn't. A flat audience kills a show dead. Shows like Wicked are choreographed to an inch of their life, if laughs or applause don't come where they should, it is the death of a show of this kind. But a flat audience is 99% of the time due to a flat show, and the show when I saw it was desperately poor. No amount of fan-personing with squeals, comically enthusiastic applause and shrieks would've fixed the absolute dross I saw. .. a nightmare , what cast was on? |
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Post by ladidah on Feb 9, 2022 8:39:27 GMT
Eek, not good.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Feb 9, 2022 10:16:34 GMT
Anyone else been trying for front row Wicked tickets this morning ? I was there at exactly 10am and have reached the front of the queue five times but then get an "article not available" message followed by queue number rejected. Giving up for now. Frustrating.
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Post by inthenose on Feb 9, 2022 10:30:00 GMT
When I went last week, it meant none of the jokes got a laugh. The couple next to me were saying they had wished they had gone to see something else. The couple the other side of them didn't come back after the interval. I stayed solely because I wanted to see if would improve. It didn't. The ovations after big numbers was polite (quiet) applause. Songs like Defying Gravity and No Good Deed should - and used to - bring the house down. They didn't. A flat audience kills a show dead. Shows like Wicked are choreographed to an inch of their life, if laughs or applause don't come where they should, it is the death of a show of this kind. But a flat audience is 99% of the time due to a flat show, and the show when I saw it was desperately poor. No amount of fan-personing with squeals, comically enthusiastic applause and shrieks would've fixed the absolute dross I saw. .. a nightmare , what cast was on? I reviewed it a few pages back - I saw Amy Webb, Charli Baptie and Ryan Reid... |
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Post by tal on Feb 9, 2022 10:41:20 GMT
Anyone else been trying for front row Wicked tickets this morning ? I was there at exactly 10am and have reached the front of the queue five times but then get an "article not available" message followed by queue number rejected. Giving up for now. Frustrating. I entered just before 10am, then it was my turn almost instantly, but still the website made me wait for a couple of minutes. Eventually it all worked out and I managed to book the tickets - at around 10:04 I believe. |
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Post by aingidh on Feb 9, 2022 11:44:49 GMT
Lucie has posted a negative lateral flow result to her Instagram story alongside Defying Gravity as the sound. Guessing that means she’s back?
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Feb 9, 2022 12:56:59 GMT
Anyone else been trying for front row Wicked tickets this morning ? I was there at exactly 10am and have reached the front of the queue five times but then get an "article not available" message followed by queue number rejected. Giving up for now. Frustrating. I entered just before 10am, then it was my turn almost instantly, but still the website made me wait for a couple of minutes. Eventually it all worked out and I managed to book the tickets - at around 10:04 I believe. I tried again at 11.25 and got two for the Saturday matinee in the centre block which would normally have sold within minutes. If there was a problem it worked in my favour 😊 |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2022 13:59:17 GMT
When people say the audience was flat ir quiet, does that mean they weren't screaming before songs had finsihed, or people werent laughing hysterically at lines they have heard so many times before, simply to draw attention to themselves? Because that sounds like a great audience to me. When I went last week, it meant none of the jokes got a laugh. The couple next to me were saying they had wished they had gone to see something else. The couple the other side of them didn't come back after the interval. I stayed solely because I wanted to see if would improve. It didn't. The ovations after big numbers was polite (quiet) applause. Songs like Defying Gravity and No Good Deed should - and used to - bring the house down. They didn't. A flat audience kills a show dead. Shows like Wicked are choreographed to an inch of their life, if laughs or applause don't come where they should, it is the death of a show of this kind. But a flat audience is 99% of the time due to a flat show, and the show when I saw it was desperately poor. No amount of fan-personing with squeals, comically enthusiastic applause and shrieks would've fixed the absolute dross I saw. That does sound dire, but also similar to when i last saw it.I last saw the show on tour in Bristol. It was my 7th time of seeing Wicked and i was very bored in places. It was slow and had no umph about it. I have no desire to see it again. |
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Post by deej4life on Feb 9, 2022 14:11:23 GMT
The last time I saw Wicked was in 2018. I haven't had an opportunity since.
When I did see the show (on tour) throughout 2018, each performance was electric and the audiences seemed really engaged with the performances.
While the production in London clearly needs serious updating when it comes to sound design and set pieces, I don't think Wicked is on the way out like so many on this board seem to suggest.
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Post by southstreet on Feb 9, 2022 15:13:56 GMT
I can't see it going anywhere for a while. I assume they need a few shows a week to cover running cost and make a decent profit still. Plus I can't see the rent being super high, because I doubt there are shows queuing to take on a theatre that big and out in Victoria, too. But what do I know. I haven't been back in at least 4 years, but am going tonight. Was supposed to go to Lucie's first but the Rona got in the way.
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Post by jacob on Feb 9, 2022 15:14:55 GMT
The last time I saw Wicked was in 2018. I haven't had an opportunity since. When I did see the show (on tour) throughout 2018, each performance was electric and the audiences seemed really engaged with the performances. While the production in London clearly needs serious updating when it comes to sound design and set pieces, I don't think Wicked is on the way out like so many on this board seem to suggest. in support of this:)if anything ,this new cast was the refresh the show very much needed .. (and giving them time to develop their roles is important) also I’ll still happily visit Wicked again for the spectacle alone |
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Post by danielwhit on Feb 9, 2022 17:44:50 GMT
At this point even if it is just "ticking over" financially that's the best option for all concerned, with the film due in a couple of years time that would revive audience numbers (if indeed it is needed). It's far cheaper to keep a show running than it is mount a new production, after all.
Who's the AD there at the moment? The calls about the show becoming stale/tired have become louder over the years (to my eyes), wonder if the show itself needs a new guardian. Of course, one problem is that this show is so tightly choreographed that there's zero room for flexibility in staging or (really) delivery, which won't help.
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Post by Peter on Feb 9, 2022 23:03:51 GMT
It’s a shame to hear the negative reports - I must admit that I’ve not been back to see Wicked since opening night back in 2006 (having seen a few of the previews as well as the tickets were cheaper!), but had recently put it on my mental list of shows to take my daughter to. She liked Beauty and the Beast and absolutely loved Frozen so I thought this would be a sure fire hit with her, but it sounds like it’s not in the best of shapes - is it really that bad compared to what I remember seeing on the same stage 16 (gulp!) years ago?
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Post by jacob on Feb 9, 2022 23:23:34 GMT
It’s a shame to hear the negative reports - I must admit that I’ve not been back to see Wicked since opening night back in 2006 (having seen a few of the previews as well as the tickets were cheaper!), but had recently put it on my mental list of shows to take my daughter to. She liked Beauty and the Beast and absolutely loved Frozen so I thought this would be a sure fire hit with her, but it sounds like it’s not in the best of shapes - is it really that bad compared to what I remember seeing on the same stage 16 (gulp!) years ago? It’s absolutely worth the visit .. there are only comments from those who I presume have seen the show before, just underwhelmed by acting from standbys and the mention of sound quality in the AV. Once the new cast settles in, Im sure it’ll be fine!! The quality of the show is high nonetheless-if she enjoyed the darker parts to Frozen / BATB ,Wicked also has the perfect balance |
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Post by FairyGodmother on Feb 10, 2022 0:40:00 GMT
I think Wicked will always lose something once you've seen it — a bit like a murder mystery! There were bits that made me gasp with surprise when I saw it, and I loved spotting the references to the Wizard of Oz. If you've never seen it I think it will always be pretty good. If you know the story or have visited multiple times, you're more likely to notice problems.
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Post by aingidh on Feb 10, 2022 1:05:09 GMT
Really enjoyed tonight’s show. Connected with Lucie’s Elphaba a lot, think she could potentially be a new favourite. Really enjoyed Sam as Glinda from the get go. She was actually getting a lot of laughs from what seemed like a half-empty house, and had the most gorgeous soprano. Carl a great cheeky Fiyero a nice voice.
I found myself missing Kim Ismay slightly, but Sophie was still a fab Morrible. Gary good, but it just felt odd seeing someone other than Andy.
Nice to see some more diversity in the ensemble casting.
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Post by southstreet on Feb 10, 2022 10:21:44 GMT
Really enjoyed the show last night. Haven't been to Wicked in several years, so the whole cast was new to me. As aingidh mentioned, the house was about half full only but it didn't dampen the atmosphere as much as I thought, so that was good.
Absolutely loved Lucie, really enjoyed her take on the role and she sang it fabulously. I have never been one that enjoyed all the gratuitous riffing that some Elphabas liked to exhibit, so was happy that Lucie sings it fairly close to the written score but still managed to put a bit of her own stamp on it.
Loved Sophie's Morrible and really enjoyed Gary's Wizard and Sam's Glinda.
Was quite surprised how much I enjoyed Grace Chapman's Nessa, a part I usually am not particularly keen on. Though I am not sure if this is due to me not having seen the show in four or five years and therefore everything feeling a bit fresher to me or if she really was quite a bit better than most Nessa's I've seen. I will go with the more positive alternative and say she was great. LOL
Generally enjoyed all the lead cast, but wasn't overly enamored with Nicholas McLean's Boq, it's not a part I usually pay much attention to anyway, but felt his vocals were slightly muffled/mumbled?
The ensemble wasn't quite as tight as I would have hoped, but I have no idea how many of them last night were new swings, that probably won't have had masses of rehearsals and probably got thrown on for several parts already in the week or so since it opened. So am giving them the benefit of the doubt for now.
Definitely planning on going back again in a month or so. I always loved the show, even with its flaws, but there just wasn't anyone that really tempted me to go back more regularly in recent years. But I think Lucie Jones might just be that person. :-)
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Post by aingidh on Feb 10, 2022 11:44:08 GMT
I think there were like 8 swings or or something, 5 of whom are brand new to the show. I definitely think with time this will be a very strong cast, they just need some time to find their feet I think.
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Post by deej4life on Feb 12, 2022 0:08:53 GMT
A you-know-what has appeared on that site of a certain new green lady. Lucie sounds phenomenal! I am very excited to get myself over to London to see her!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2022 8:02:04 GMT
A you-know-what has appeared on that site of a certain new green lady. Lucie sounds phenomenal! I am very excited to get myself over to London to see her! You mean a live recording has appeared on YouTube of Lucie Jones as Elphaba? I think we can say the words; just not share the recording. |
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Post by LaLuPone on Feb 15, 2022 12:51:26 GMT
From Helen’s Instagram stories, looks like she’s struggling with the effects of long Covid now, must be so depressing for her especially as she only just got back in the bubble. Long Covid is no joke.
Samantha Thomas will continue to be on as Glinda for now.
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Post by isabel on Feb 15, 2022 14:58:51 GMT
From Helen’s Instagram stories, looks like she’s struggling with the effects of long Covid now, must be so depressing for her especially as she only just got back in the bubble. Long Covid is no joke. Samantha Thomas will continue to be on as Glinda for now. I saw that . Poor Lady. Hopefully she’ll recover soon. |
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