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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2022 18:51:21 GMT
I saw the show on its opening performance. Sandra Marvin is sensational. The cast really make the roles their own. Jennifer Saunders plays Mother Superior with much more comedy than I have seen anyone do previous. She did really struggle to pitch her songs correctly. Hoping this improves as she grows used to singing with an orchestra. Poor Keala Settle is so underused. I really hope she gets a major lead in something in the near future. Clive Rose and Lizzie Bea are wonderful. I'd be interested to see Jennifer in this role as she is such a great comedy actress but this is more a straight part unless she plays it more for comedy. Can anyone recall Jennifer playing all the parts in Happy Families many years ago on BBC1 she played an 80 year old woman so can do a more fearsome part.
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Post by marob on Jul 4, 2022 18:55:10 GMT
She definitely plays it for comedy, as does everyone else. Poplar opposite to Maggie Smith’s performance in the film.
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Post by d'James on Jul 4, 2022 22:19:39 GMT
What about the new duet between Deloris and the Mother Superior Alan Menken mentioned? It's no where to be seen! That’s a shame, but I suppose it was specifically for Whoopi and Jennifer.
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Post by ruthieh on Jul 5, 2022 8:00:29 GMT
I remember Jennifer and Dawn’s Happy Families!
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Post by danb on Jul 5, 2022 10:14:23 GMT
I think ‘Happy Families’ & ‘Girls on Top’ were great first stepping stones to their triumphs in later sit coms.
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Post by amp09 on Jul 5, 2022 11:22:24 GMT
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 5, 2022 21:46:07 GMT
Nuns. They’re just funny aren’t they? When they do things that nuns don’t usually do I mean. So it’s 75% of the way to being a crowd pleaser already. And this certainly went down a storm in Manchester tonight. Entrance applause for Jennifer Saunders, mid show applause and cheers for the “moments”, and this is Manchester on a Tuesday night!
I have to say it’s not quite up to the standard of the first tour from memory but it knocks that last actor musician effort out of the vestry. Cast are all good, JS absolutely milks every drop out of the comedy, Sandra Marvin is as sassy as you want her to be (but I think her acting was better than her singing), and of the supporting cast Lizzie Bea stands out. Leslie Joseph… not sure what accent that was and I don’t think she knew either!
Cast and audience really went for it. Great fun ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Post by bimse on Jul 7, 2022 5:26:14 GMT
Great fun , very cheerful and some great performers carrying off the singing and comedy really well. I thought Sandra Marvin was superb as Delores, both singing and acting. The sound was good too . A few bizarre touches, I’m not sure why Pope Paul looked and behaved exactly like the camp choirboy. The theatre seemed full for a midweek matinee which was so good to see . I’m glad I went .
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Post by richey on Jul 8, 2022 11:37:07 GMT
Really enjoyed this last night. The theatre seemed pretty packed and it went down a storm. Having seen the original London production many years ago, I found I couldn't actually remember much of it, and I couldn't recall a lot of the songs and dialogue which appeared last night so I'm not sure how much has been changed. The Mother Superior role seemed to have been expanded, and I didn't recall the prologue abbey scene from previously. Jennifer Saunders was hilarious but ultimately she was just playing herself- I was surprised she took top billing. The show really got going for me with the choir scenes, the end of act one and beginning of Act 2 were brilliant. All in all a great show which looked fabulous and sounded great. A solid 4 stars off me.
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Post by Being Alive on Jul 8, 2022 12:00:28 GMT
There was a prologue in the original production at the Palladium, which they removed for Broadway and the subsequent UK Tour with Cynthia - they felt that the disco Take Me To Heaven was a punchier opener, but i always like the prologue.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 8, 2022 18:15:15 GMT
I wonder if they’ll ever make a film of the musical. Could go a bomb with the right star casting.
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Post by robertb213 on Jul 8, 2022 19:18:18 GMT
I wonder if they’ll ever make a film of the musical. Could go a bomb with the right star casting. Someone call Jennifer Hudson's people 😁
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Post by zsazsa on Jul 8, 2022 19:29:24 GMT
I wonder if they’ll ever make a film of the musical. Could go a bomb with the right star casting. I seem to remember Beyoncé’s name attached t a movie version of the musical shortly after it opened but it never happened. Jennifer Hudson would be a brilliant Deloris.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 8, 2022 19:52:31 GMT
Oh god we don’t want Beyonce doing it. She’s not funny. Yes for J-Hud!
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Post by robertb213 on Jul 8, 2022 19:55:34 GMT
Ariana DeBose might have a decent stab at it as well.
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Post by richey on Jul 9, 2022 8:22:54 GMT
Having an unexpected free evening tonight I thought I might go back and see it again. However I've just gone online and it's actually showing as completely sold out! It's been a while since I've seen that happen, so well done to this production!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2022 13:00:33 GMT
Jennifer Hudson or could Cynthia Eviro be an option for the film. Whooppi possibly as Mother Superior or Bette Midler?
Ariana DeBose would be option as the younger nun/sister.
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Post by robertb213 on Jul 11, 2022 13:03:12 GMT
I'm not convinced Cynthia can do comedy. And I'm still not sold on her playing Elphaba either but happy to be proven wrong when the time comes!
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Post by Being Alive on Jul 11, 2022 13:08:25 GMT
Can confirm Cynthia was hilarious in the Original UK tour!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2022 14:44:41 GMT
Cynthia was good when I saw her in the role in 2012, that was my thinking about casting her not just lifting a black actress/singer from a list.
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Post by d'James on Jul 11, 2022 15:46:23 GMT
Jennifer Hudson would be horrendous.
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Post by h86 on Jul 13, 2022 11:17:59 GMT
Is this going to be eligible for Oliviers? (London run)
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Post by h86 on Jul 13, 2022 19:00:36 GMT
Is this going to be eligible for Oliviers? (London run) I don't think so as the Eventim Apollo is not an affliate of the UK Theatre Association which you have to be a member of to qualify for a nomination. Ah thank you, that’s what I thought.
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Post by frauleinsallybowles on Jul 18, 2022 20:11:17 GMT
Does anyone know which London shows are previews and which are after press night?
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Post by robertb213 on Jul 18, 2022 20:42:59 GMT
Press Night is Wednesday 27th 😁
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