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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2018 21:23:51 GMT
Hamilton is lucky
This didn’t open in the same year as them
Instead of being stuck up it’s own arse
We have a touching and frankly amazing story
Adrienne is better than most actual “pop stars”
The book has humour and empathy
Big popular Musicals are never going to tell a finely nuanced tale in minute detail
I think Tina is the best show of its kind
A triumph on every level
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 12, 2018 21:25:20 GMT
Blimey 😐
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2018 21:26:19 GMT
She did the evening
I feel like i have been to a rock concert
The front row is quite quite wonderful
The eye contact you get with Adrienne
Amazing
Can’t WAIT until press night to see this again
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2018 21:32:03 GMT
I would agree that the show is not flawless but Adrienne Warren makes it all worthwhile. I actually preferred the 2nd act but that was because I already knew fewer of the twists and turns than in the first. Most of the songs work well in the context, thought the opening Nutbush sounded fantastic as a gospel song. However “We don’t need another hero” was just bizarre given where it fits in the story. Overall though, I loved it. No musical is flawless No show is A big modern show also needs to make money Loads It’s a payoff I think they have hit on a book songs and show combo With a blistering central actress And it’s going to appeal to coach trips Hen parties And serious theatre goers. Alike What amazed me Was the lack of any ethic diversity in the audience Almost entirely white Really disappointing when some groups moan so much about being under represented And then they don’t bother to go and support |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2018 21:41:26 GMT
Reading the glowing reports on here, but why o why I cannot get enthusiastic about this. Because you aren't enthused by yet another biographical jukebox show? I know they can be safe box office but I want a score that was conceived for the stage. Not just pop or rock songs dotted through the life of the original artist - no matter how good those songs are, they weren't written to be part of a musical. The issue is Most songs conceived for a new show Just aren’t very good When there are lots of good songs Already around I do agree with you And ideally new Work should be championed But in fact I found watching the story Of Tina’s life Moving and insightful The scene in the second half With her mother in the hospital bed And TT turns up in her famous wig and outfit Was simply genius Also just compare some new shows Like Jamie Against Tina The simple fact is people don’t want to pay £70-£90 For something that isn’t very good Including most people on the board With Tina You don’t feel short changed in any way |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2018 11:33:42 GMT
I would agree that the show is not flawless but Adrienne Warren makes it all worthwhile. I actually preferred the 2nd act but that was because I already knew fewer of the twists and turns than in the first. Most of the songs work well in the context, thought the opening Nutbush sounded fantastic as a gospel song. However “We don’t need another hero” was just bizarre given where it fits in the story. Overall though, I loved it. No musical is flawless No show is A big modern show also needs to make money Loads It’s a payoff I think they have hit on a book songs and show combo With a blistering central actress And it’s going to appeal to coach trips Hen parties And serious theatre goers. Alike What amazed me Was the lack of any ethic diversity in the audience Almost entirely white Really disappointing when some groups moan so much about being under represented And then they don’t bother to go and support You cannot judge the audience diversity after ONE night you went. Every time I’ve been to Dreamgirls, there has been a significant amount of Black people compared to any other West end show - why? Because they can relate to the people on stage. That sounds so horrible how you said they don’t bother to go and support. I’m sure they do but you can’t judge on one night. Representation does need to occur more on stage |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2018 11:45:58 GMT
Yesterday afternoon's stalls and dress circle audience was 99% white and retired. Was quite pleased about that, in fact, as I dreaded the usual boozed up Jukebox crowd. The upper circle was a different story, the rear section (I took a look during the interval) was younger by 30 years at least, I'd say. Yesterday evening was also 99% white And many more females than males There was nothing horrible In my comments But I would have expected the Audience To be a lot more diverse There is no reason why the audience demographic should Vary so much from night to night Not by that much anyway It should Be representative nightly I only Pointed it out as it was actually less diverse Than any other WE audience Even Strictly and Quiz which I saw in the last week And that REALLY surprised me |
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Post by stevej678 on Apr 13, 2018 12:27:04 GMT
Every time I’ve been to Dreamgirls, there has been a significant amount of Black people compared to any other West end show - why? Because they can relate to the people on stage. It's not possible to relate to people who don't share the same colour skin then? Wow. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2018 12:38:30 GMT
Every time I’ve been to Dreamgirls, there has been a significant amount of Black people compared to any other West end show - why? Because they can relate to the people on stage. It's not possible to relate to people who don't share the same skin colour then? Wow. I didn’t read into Stagey’s comments like that. I’m sure he/she didn’t mean that... |
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Post by ellie1981 on Apr 13, 2018 14:03:21 GMT
It's not possible to relate to people who don't share the same skin colour then? Wow. I didn’t read into Stagey’s comments like that. I’m sure he/she didn’t mean that... That reminds me of a quote from the Oscars this year from Kumail Nanjiani: “Some of my favourite movies are movies by straight white dudes, about straight white dudes. Now straight white dudes can watch movies starring me, and you relate to that. It’s not that hard. I’ve done it my whole life.” |
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Post by Snciole on Apr 13, 2018 14:47:04 GMT
There was nothing horrible In my comments But I would have expected the Audience To be a lot more diverse Didn't take it as being offensive at all, @parsley , you were only reporting what you observed. I was surprised too, and was expecting a very diverse and far younger crowd as well. My friend (Second Generation Indian) and myself (mixed Black Caribbean and White British) were one of the few people of colour in the stalls when we saw it (and we were on comps). I suppose there is an argument that Tina was a black artist but not necessarily an artist for people of colour, her later associations included Bowie and Jagger. I also think you need to consider the culture of theatre for people of colour, I think the marketing and pricing have been aimed at an older crowd and when I see diverse audiences in the theatre they tend to be younger. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2018 15:08:20 GMT
It's not possible to relate to people who don't share the same skin colour then? Wow. I didn’t read into Stagey’s comments like that. I’m sure he/she didn’t mean that... I think (although I could be wrong) that Stagey was probably making a variation on the point Sheila Atim made at the Oliviers. Representation is important because it shows you what you can be. It’s why Black Panther was so important. If the arts cannot show POC reflections and representations of themselves, they will disconnect from the artform. I imagine there is not a line of young black women lined up round the theatre because the show hasn’t been marketed to them. Yet. |
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Post by ellie1981 on Apr 13, 2018 15:43:02 GMT
I remember when the What’s Love Got To Do With It movie came out in 1993. My brother, then 14, was surprised to learn that Tina Turner was black.
Yes, he’s that stupid.
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Post by LaLuPone on Apr 13, 2018 15:45:25 GMT
I remember when the What’s Love Got To Do With It movie came out in 1993. My brother, then 14, was surprised to learn that Tina Turner was black. Yes, he’s that stupid. Tell him he’s not alone, I forgot her skin colour and tried to dreamcast Rachel Tucker in the role last summer... |
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Post by manu on Apr 13, 2018 16:09:28 GMT
Is Jenny Fitzpatrick good?
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Post by argon on Apr 13, 2018 16:37:45 GMT
Is Jenny Fitzpatrick good? Would be interesting to read comments from those that have had the opportunity to see both performers. Anyone seen both Jenny & Adrienne yet or is it too early in the run for those to make a second visit. But Adrienne raised the bar stratospherically, and the coup de grace that knocks you over is the closing song before the curtain call, well conceived. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2018 17:40:14 GMT
I didn’t read into Stagey’s comments like that. I’m sure he/she didn’t mean that... I think (although I could be wrong) that Stagey was probably making a variation on the point Sheila Atim made at the Oliviers. Representation is important because it shows you what you can be. It’s why Black Panther was so important. If the arts cannot show POC reflections and representations of themselves, they will disconnect from the artform. I imagine there is not a line of young black women lined up round the theatre because the show hasn’t been marketed to them. Yet. Thank you this is what I mean. Yes the pricing is very high and that could be why there aren’t as many young people but from my experience, shows with PoC in the lead roles or the story revolving around them (ie Dreamgirls and Motown) has a more ethnic diverse audience rather than those that don’t (ie Phantom). |
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Post by Ade on Apr 13, 2018 22:12:40 GMT
Saw this tonight. Dear lord, Adrienne Warren is a powerhouse. I found some of the sound design quite odd though from my seat in the stalls. The shift in volume when a big song was coming on was VERY obvious. Not something I have ever noticed so clearly before.
Loved the musical itself. Agree that the first half is the stronger half - it just felt like there was more story to it. And I very much like how the music was integrated. I hate jukebox musicals where the songs are chucked in and don’t really sit well with the plot (Mamma Mia...). Plenty of these songs, if you didn’t know them already, could easily have been written for the piece.
As for the staging, I loved it. It never felt bare and actually felt like far more thought had been put into it making the most of the set than I have seen in a lot of shows that are perhaps a bit more complex.
Agree with previous posters that there was a definite vibe at the start that a lot of the audience were there for a tribute act type performance. This is very much not that! But there was enough at the end to keep them happy.
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Post by Phantom of London on Apr 14, 2018 22:30:47 GMT
An emergency show, after turning up at the National a week early to see Amadeus, thankfully that starts at 2pm, so gave me a bit of wriggle room to see something else and I did, it was either going to be this or 42nd Street again. I got to the National at the correct time, just wrong date. Anyway this certainly was an unplanned visit!!!
So where to start, I found the first half Brutal. I have never met more repulsive and reprehensible male character/s in any stage show I have seen before except maybe Frozen at the Haymarket. Luckily the second half let’s its hair down, even though as lovely as Tina Turner is her life story doesn’t justify a musical, it didn’t real have the story of the Jersey Boys, which had a great book and a better biography - but fans won’t care about that, they just want to hear that glorious back catalogue. Saying that towards the end there were several goosebump moments. The end third of the show was terrific and I found myself that I could invest and feel for the characters.
Being a matinee Tina was played by the alternate who was Jenny Fitzpatrick, who was fabulous so if Adrienne is better than this, which she has to be and bear in mind it’s the Grand National today and a week after the Oliviers then the best female next year will be a two horse race between Adrienne and Kelli O’Hara (who won the Tony on Broadway and was terrific.)
As I said I missed Adrienne, so now gives me the perfect excuse to go back and the £49 seats in the box are excellent value for money. This will run a long time.
4 Stars
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Post by Phantom of London on Apr 15, 2018 0:16:17 GMT
No musical is flawless No show is A big modern show also needs to make money Loads It’s a payoff I think they have hit on a book songs and show combo With a blistering central actress And it’s going to appeal to coach trips Hen parties And serious theatre goers. Alike What amazed me Was the lack of any ethic diversity in the audience Almost entirely white Really disappointing when some groups moan so much about being under represented And then they don’t bother to go and support You cannot judge the audience diversity after ONE night you went. Every time I’ve been to Dreamgirls, there has been a significant amount of Black people compared to any other West end show - why? Because they can relate to the people on stage. That sounds so horrible how you said they don’t bother to go and support. I’m sure they do but you can’t judge on one night. Representation does need to occur more on stage I hadn’t caught up with this thread until now, don’t really read other posts until I have seen the show first hand. However I do sympathise with this point and was thinking the same and I could see a lot of the audience from my box position. I expected a more BAME audience for this. Instead of the predictable mundane white middle age Brexit voters. I also felt the same as this when I saw both Memphis and Dreamgirls many times, that unfortunately had the similar audience demographic. i am passionate and back any initiative that goes about improving audience diversity. However I don’t know the answers? This is the key to the future that will boost the show’s box office. |
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Post by ali973 on Apr 15, 2018 4:49:59 GMT
TBH when I saw it as well I was pretty surprised at the absolute zero diversity (I think I mentioned it when I was recapping my experience) and the sea of silver hair. I also have to agree that Dreamgirls so far is probably the most diverse of an audience I've seen in London, followed by Aladdin and Miss Saigon. The Bodyguard also wasn't all that bad and had a mixed crowd. We're in trouble of a Tina Turner musical does not attract a color-diverse crowd.
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Post by Snciole on Apr 15, 2018 9:32:51 GMT
Ah, that would explain it all, thanks Snciole. If you care to expand, though, how about her actual music, was that aimed at the same demographic, then? I was rather expecting more cross-over if not. I think there is also a division of her American audiences and her British ones. Did Ike and Tina ever tour here, for example? I think in the US this would have more mixed audiences because her Ike success was primarily for black America and like any soul singer she crosses the racial divide but I would argue her comeback Tina era was aimed at white audiences. Capitol refuse to sign her because she is old and she is black until white artists like Bowie intervene and presumably state her appeal to white audiences. The video for What's Love Got to With It isn't aimed her fellow forty somethings but young audiences watching MTV. I am not saying people of colour won't see Tina but I don't her output is as culturally relevant as Motown and Thriller (I know!) is because she managed to have mainstream appeal and that is before you get into the fact that culturally a night out at the theatre is just not that big a deal for people of colour, especially the older ones Tina is aimed at. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2018 9:36:09 GMT
I may be wrong (and please forgive me if I am) but didn’t TT - certainly in later years - always appeal more to a white audience than black? I think young black women would be queuing round the block for a musical about Rihanna or Beyonce. By the way, I was quite surprised that Quiz seems to appeal to a diverse audience in terms of both class and ethnicity. It made for a pleasing experience as an audience member.
@snicole only just seen your post, which makes the point rather eloquently.
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Post by callum on Apr 15, 2018 10:17:04 GMT
It is a bit of a point in the musical, but one that I imagine, due to Tina’s own involvement, isn’t magnified too much as a point of criticism: that she abandoned her black ‘sound’ to please the bigger white audiences. To be fair, marrying a German man and relinquishing American citizenship to become Swiss doesn’t scream the typical black American experience.
It’s an interesting topic and one that is obviously never explored at length in a mainstream jukebox musical.
But yes I was shocked and a bit disheartened that the audience wasn’t more diverse. In fact some of them gave off an air of snobbery, very Pauline from ‘Mum’! Perhaps if it transfers, the show might do better in attracting BAME for Broadway. When I saw The Colour Purple over there, it was a white minority audience so it is possible!
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Post by vdcni on Apr 15, 2018 16:34:00 GMT
Ike and Tina did tour here, my Mum saw them!, but even that was mainly as support for the Rolling Stones.
Certainly when I went to her last tour the audience was middle aged and white for the most part.
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