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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2017 22:25:42 GMT
I enjoyed Michelle as Alice even though the actual character was very annoying. The whole time I was thinking 'oh just go through the ******* looking glass already, you know you're going to do it eventually.' I actually thought Natalie sounded very weak compared to Michelle. I can imagine Michelle belting defying gravity in Wicked but can't imagine Natalie. Because I trust both yours and James.92 opinion (because I have met you ahaha), please say they don't kill the Act I and Act II finale songs (Through The Looking Glass and Finding Wonderland), they are my favourite songs on the Original Cast Recording!  |
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Post by Paul on Mar 27, 2017 22:30:24 GMT
I don't know how to answer that. I don't remember a single song from the show.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Mar 27, 2017 22:46:52 GMT
I don't know how to answer that. I don't remember a single song from the show. I am exactly the same. Even walking home from the theatre, I couldn't remember any of the music. I was the same with Dirty Rotten Scoundrels when I saw that at the Savoy. Professional production - utterly forgettable score. |
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Post by shady23 on Mar 27, 2017 22:54:33 GMT
I enjoyed Michelle as Alice even though the actual character was very annoying. The whole time I was thinking 'oh just go through the ******* looking glass already, you know you're going to do it eventually.' I actually thought Natalie sounded very weak compared to Michelle. I can imagine Michelle belting defying gravity in Wicked but can't imagine Natalie. Because I trust both yours and James.92 opinion (because I have met you ahaha), please say they don't kill the Act I and Act II finale songs (Through The Looking Glass and Finding Wonderland), they are my favourite songs on the Original Cast Recording! They're both still there. I enjoyed the songs and have listened to them a lot since. It's the stuff between songs that was the problem. Some bits were very Am Dram for example. Not sure where they hired some of the cast from but there were definitely notable weaknesses for a professional touring production. I've booked again for Manchester so must be a glutton for punishment.. . It's some of the people in the show who sell it for me. I've seen Michelle as both Alice and The Hatter and whilst she was perfectly fine there wasn't that certain extra wow factor there. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2017 23:45:15 GMT
Well I think I discovered why I thought nothing about the set design. Belfast clearly didn't get the whole set. Just saw a production photo of Rachael Wooding in what I would say would be hers and Ellie's apartment...all we had was a backcloth of a tower block. Going to assume the set didn't fit in the theatre, so they just cut it.
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Post by duncan on Mar 30, 2017 7:25:11 GMT
In Edinburgh the flat set appears at the start of the show, after the towerblock backdrop as its where we first meet the white rabbit. It was then used again at the end of the show.
It wasn't a big set as far as I remember - it was a push in and out room rather than something that used the whole set.
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Post by seanmcdona on Apr 1, 2017 10:16:42 GMT
Finally saw Wonderland last night in Belfast.
First, the stalls were pretty full from what I could tell but can't comment on anything above that and the crowd were eating the show up.
The score for me is a big guilty pleasure and all I wanted was a night to appreciate the score live but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the show overall. I really wasn't expecting to love it for the fun, wacky musical it is. Sure it doesn't make much sense but it's pure fun with some great songs.
The cast are killing it. Kerry Ellis sounded fantastic as did Natalie McQueen and Wendi Peters. Truthfully, I can't fault any of the cast which I was shocked by. They all appeared to be having a ball and I noticed Kerry Ellis break character once or twice as she smiled and laughed to her fellow co-stars which was cute.
The set is colourful and cute to look at. Nothing more to say but it works.
I really loved the score except for the opening song which I just don't works. Thankfully, the score got better after that.
The show is TOTALLY different from Broadway but 100% for the better. The show moves at a quicker pace now and more fluidly.
For me, I'd love to see this show in a small West End theatre and throw it a little bit more money production wise, maybe even add some more to the ensemble cast which I felt was a little small at times.
Both my friend and I said how it's the type of show we'd go to again on a whim just to have a fun time, it was relatively easy to follow and the score was easy to listen to.
3.5/5 stars.
If you go in expecting a fun, guilty-pleasure musical, you'll get that.
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Post by ruby on Apr 3, 2017 17:20:32 GMT
I'm taking a chance on this as I liked the song from it that EP played on Radio 2 last week. I have an ATG Theatrecard so got a £20 stalls seat for the first night in Bristol (8 May). Not many stalls seats left for the Mon, don't know how the rest of the week is selling.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2017 11:09:12 GMT
When I saw this last Monday I spent the first twenty minutes thinking "What have I done?" My initial reaction was that this is a childish, bubblegum show that I regretted booking.
I was soon win over though, and found myself drawn in and loving it. Natalie McQueen and Kerry Ellis perform brilliantly, and Wendi Peters is as far from her days as Cilla Battersby-Brown as possible. I found her portrayal as the red Queen to be superb. The biggest flaws for me were the costumes and sets, which looked terribly amateurish. Why did the plastic hedge have cut out shapes which weren't used? And whilst the caterpillar looked nice when the dancers were with him, when they weren't, his costume comprised of a sage sleeping bag hanging out of his posterior.
The musical itself has a simple message, love who you are and find the strength you always had inside... is it fun? Yes. Is it memorable? Ask me again in two months, but I doubt it somehow. Also, during the curtain call, Natalie was clearly miffed about something as her face was very narked. I noticed as I have her my undivided attention when applauding, as I felt she was most deserving. I wonder what had happened, but it was evident she had the hump!
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Post by HereForTheatre on Apr 13, 2017 12:09:26 GMT
When I saw this last Monday I spent the first twenty minutes thinking "What have I done?" My initial reaction was that this is a childish, bubblegum show that I regretted booking. I was soon win over though, and found myself drawn in and loving it. Natalie McQueen and Kerry Ellis perform brilliantly, and Wendi Peters is as far from her days as Cilla Battersby-Brown as possible. I found her portrayal as the red Queen to be superb. The biggest flaws for me were the costumes and sets, which looked terribly amateurish. Why did the plastic hedge have cut out shapes which weren't used? And whilst the caterpillar looked nice when the dancers were with him, when they weren't, his costume comprised of a sage sleeping bag hanging out of his posterior. The musical itself has a simple message, love who you are and find the strength you always had inside... is it fun? Yes. Is it memorable? Ask me again in two months, but I doubt it somehow. Also, during the curtain call, Natalie was clearly miffed about something as her face was very narked. I noticed as I have her my undivided attention when applauding, as I felt she was most deserving. I wonder what had happened, but it was evident she had the hump! Actually now you mention it she had the same reaction at curtain call when i saw it in Birmingham. I remember noticing it at the time and wondered what was going on, as like you, i was quite focused on her as again, like you, i most liked her in the show. How odd. Maybe she doesn't like curtain calls or something haha! |
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Post by shady23 on Apr 13, 2017 12:25:47 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2017 12:33:07 GMT
I don't mind the simple set and some of the costumes, but some of those costumes look really cheap and just thrown together! Natalie sounds great though, and Kerry sounds great, doing what she does with every role she does. i'm looking forward to seeing it! |
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Post by theatremadness on Apr 13, 2017 12:37:21 GMT
Yes, the costumes *are* cheap. Mostly store bought as opposed to made, I believe. Also, why are there no sources to *any* of the quotes used on the trailer? Is that allowed, or are they made up?!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2017 12:40:51 GMT
Yes, the costumes *are* cheap. Mostly store bought as opposed to made, I believe. Also, why are there no sources to *any* of the quotes used on the trailer? Is that allowed, or are they made up?! Even if they are made up, I'm glad they are giving Kerry and Natalie, the musical theatre stars of the piece, equal footing and prominence in the trailers as opposed to just Wendi and the guy playing the Rabbit. |
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Post by Paul on Apr 13, 2017 15:11:05 GMT
That trailer made the show look better than it is. I can only judge from the audio in the trailer but Michelle Pentecost sounded like she was able to hit some of those notes better than Kerry.
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Post by ali973 on Apr 13, 2017 15:18:55 GMT
Looks horrible. I. CAN'T. WAIT.
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Post by shady23 on Apr 13, 2017 15:53:43 GMT
It's cheesy. It's panto-like. It's flawed.
I. LOVED. IT!
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Post by Being Alive on Apr 13, 2017 21:27:08 GMT
This show is definitely my guilty pleasure of the year. Bloody loved it. Will be popping to Wimbledon to see Kerry as I saw Rachael - who was great.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 19, 2017 17:24:42 GMT
Offers for Manchester next week.
£20 mon-thurs Band C quote TEAMTWENTY
£15 mon-fri Band D quote WONDER15
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2017 11:52:19 GMT
They have released a second trailer for Rachael Wooding, with basically the exact same shots just with Rachael rather than Kerry, and Rachael's vocals!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2017 11:57:15 GMT
Can we also just note how crazy it is that this is now the longest running major production of Wonderland yet... and it has only run 3 months. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 24, 2017 21:27:56 GMT
Hmmm. Bit of a curates egg that isn't it? McQueen steals it from under Kerry's nose. She absolutely kills I Will Prevail and leaves everything KE does looking second rate by comparison. Her acting is also great, makes the Hatter a cross between Miranda Richardson's Queen Elizabeth in Blackadder and Rik Mayall. Ellis on the other hand phones her performance in and really only perks up for a couple of her big numbers. And Jesus H Christ that hair tucking. Get a grip! Literally, get TWO grips because she was at it on both sides CONTINUALLY. In fact get an Alice band, that would be more appropriate. Seriously, how a director is letting that go on is an absolute disgrace. Rabbit - could have been anyone. Caterpillar - very cool Cheshire Cat - manically annoying but completely pulls your focus in a madcap annoying way Queen - yeah she nails it. Ensemble - hugely energetic, very young. Tweedledum's got a right pair of legs on him Set, ok actually. Way better than expected. Would have been better from the circle I think. Costumes, a bit naff especially from the front stalls. At one point more than half of the people on stage were wearing skinny jeans. It's not as bad as that sounds, some of them are ok but they're not opulent. Glad i I saw it, and it was a cheap ticket. Three stars. |
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Post by shady23 on Apr 24, 2017 21:49:02 GMT
I was also there tonight and was a little disappointed at some of the changes that have been made since the beginning of the tour. The Mad Hatters fear of sharks has been erased. Nooooooo! Alice's monologue bit when she came out of the looking glass has gone. Now she comes out and there is basically no change at all to her and no real reference to the ex husband at all. It doesn't make sense! The firing at the beginning is now done by Wendi, not Natalie (all that sitting around bored backstage must be starting to grate... perhaps she could Face Time Nicholas Lyndhurst?!) Also some bits with the set were sloppy. The looking glass was floating and swaying all over the place and during a quiet song at the end the two parts of the flat set came together with an almighty clump. Ridiculous! It was like watching the Gangshow. Half expected to see one of the stage hands looking gormless as they'd forgotten to move away from the set in time. Apart from all that I loved it  |
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Post by crabtree on Apr 24, 2017 21:54:55 GMT
Is this really as economic, threadbare and drama studenty as it looks........oops, I hear the sound of Carroll spinning wildly. Please, will someone do a faithful, but theatrically imaginative version of Alice. Poor girl she has suffered so often from having meanings, and meanings foreign to Carroll, forced on her.
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Post by bren on Apr 24, 2017 21:56:20 GMT
I gave in and booked tickets to this today.
Sounds like it could be a hot mess, but an enjoyable one!
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