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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2017 0:58:14 GMT
Not seen this yet but probably deservedly so but rave reviews don't necessarily translate into bums on seats. Bend It Like Beckham had great reviews and look what happened with that. Also, everything seems to get 4 and 5 star reviews these days, the press being part of the marketing department! Everything can't be that good and it isn't. Very well said
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2017 0:58:33 GMT
Not seen this yet but probably deservedly so but rave reviews don't necessarily translate into bums on seats. Bend It Like Beckham had great reviews and look what happened with that. Also, everything seems to get 4 and 5 star reviews these days, the press being part of the marketing department! Everything can't be that good and it isn't. Agreed, whereas Kinky Boots for example (as it opened the same season as Bend It Like Beckham) didn't get 5* reviews and raves to the same extent... yet it is still here. Though I don't doubt this show deserves it, I have heard amazing things!
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Post by infofreako on Mar 22, 2017 1:11:08 GMT
Its a tricky one. I don't pay a great deal of attention to press reviews because so many productions get 4 or 5 stars and to my mind, the public aren't daft and must know that not every production is worth that. I pay much more attention to the views expressed on this forum because I think you get to know peoples likes and dislikes over time and find the views expressed here to be much more honest. I will go to see this as soon as possible because it appeals to me as a production and based on views expressed here. If it got 2 star reviews in the press that wouldn't change my wanting to see it.
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Post by Phantom of London on Mar 22, 2017 1:47:39 GMT
Not seen this yet but probably deservedly so but rave reviews don't necessarily translate into bums on seats. Bend It Like Beckham had great reviews and look what happened with that. Also, everything seems to get 4 and 5 star reviews these days, the press being part of the marketing department! Everything can't be that good and it isn't. How do your treble like a post? Hallejah to the last paragraph, reading reviews over the years I have seen them boost very tepid shows, but to give their star system any kudos they have to give the add production a good kicking, this is where the fringe comes in handy, where I have seen excellent productions jettisoned overboard, the reviews are just an extension of the marketing apartment and the press g where they can smell marketing money, those full length adverts cost a lot of money. Even Baz who brightens up everyones' Thursday evenings, is just really not hot gossip, but controlled marketing leaks, before the official press release. So take them with a pinch of whatever does it for you.
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Post by Phantom of London on Mar 22, 2017 2:03:51 GMT
Daily Mail also goes with 5 Stars.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2017 7:40:02 GMT
My brief views from last night:
+ Leanne and Robert are exquisite dancers, Leanne's poise in particular, is on point. + The set is divine, very understated yet very effective. + The dream sequence is gorgeous, and easily the highlight of the show for me. The lighting and choreography is stunning.
- The 13 minute ballet piece, really wasn't for me. But then ballet isn't my cup of tea, admittedly. - The plot I felt was very thin. But I think that's to be expected as this is really a showcase for the cast to excel at what they do best - dance.
Overall I'm happy to say I've seen it, yet I wouldn't go again. 3.5 stars.
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Post by lonlad on Mar 22, 2017 9:11:24 GMT
As posterj said earlier (and I agree 100%), it's largely wonderful but owes an enormous amount to the two leads, and to Zoe Rainey, an alumna of the recent Kenneth Branagh season who is the pick of a surprisingly dodgy supporting cast. David Seadon-Young has one of those fake Noo Yawk accents you could drive a truck through, and Jane Asher more or less gives up on her Gallic sounds midway through and just sounds like, well, Jane Asher. Nor does Haydn Oakley begin to have the vocal command and heft of Max von Essen, who originated the part on Broadway. That said, the designs are so ceaselessly gorgeous that I would be happy to go back and just feast on the visuals - Bob Crowley outdoing even himself.
A solid 4 stars but not (in my view) 5.
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Post by Honoured Guest on Mar 22, 2017 9:26:31 GMT
Add to that a woefully off-balance sound mix for the orchestra (note to the sound director, Gershwin is not just about the brass section, we do need to actually hear the strings as well (including people sitting in the circle!), especially in whatever that opening melody was that tonight sounded as if half the orchestra had forgotten to start playing and started out of time) and a really thin sound in parts due to the lack of a proper string section, I guess there's no way that a theatre orchestra can match the John Wilson Orchestra, or a symphony orchestra, for strings. A musical just cannot afford to employ so many musicians. And if you over-amplify the ones you do have, they'd sound wrong.
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Post by lolli on Mar 22, 2017 12:00:28 GMT
I hear it's been selling steadily, and these reviews can only help.
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Post by poster J on Mar 22, 2017 13:59:40 GMT
I guess there's no way that a theatre orchestra can match the John Wilson Orchestra, or a symphony orchestra, for strings. A musical just cannot afford to employ so many musicians. And if you over-amplify the ones you do have, they'd sound wrong. Of course, I wasn't expecting the John Wilson Orchestra, but I was expecting much better than the horribly underpowered and unbalanced sound I got last night. The sound needs to be balanced between the different parts of the orchestra all across the theatre, and at times last night the strings were playing the melody but were barely audible - whether it's because the brass were on the same side of the theatre as me I don't know, but it's the sound team's job to ensure it is balanced regardless of the number of musicians and natural power of the instruments and I don't think they're close to getting it right on this. I'd be intrigued to hear the start of the show again, as last night it honestly sounded as if either the orchestra went horribly wrong or the sound desk were asleep and didn't turn mics on in time for the musicians. The first 30 seconds of music were so awful that I presume it must have been some of sort of mistake rather than simply a terrible opening orchestration. The music isn't the show's biggest problem though, that is sadly the supporting cast (Zoe Rainey excepted).
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Post by mallardo on Mar 22, 2017 17:49:32 GMT
Sounded great to me too but I was up close to the pit.
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Post by mallardo on Mar 22, 2017 18:35:36 GMT
^ Now there's a surprise, given the outfits in act 2...
Such a cynic, TM. I like to be up front to see faces. I don't know why you don't believe that.
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Post by westendwendy on Mar 22, 2017 18:59:44 GMT
I agree with the orchestra issue, I was front circle and it sounded tinny and quiet. I put it down to less speakers towards the circle to save money?
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Post by poster J on Mar 23, 2017 0:26:01 GMT
I got an email from the Dominion afterwards asking for my thoughts on the show and venue, so I've given them some feedback on the sound!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2017 9:22:31 GMT
I like to be up front to see faces Oh, "faces." Behave you two...or there'll be restraining orders issued (again)
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Post by frankubelik on Mar 24, 2017 7:14:08 GMT
Did nobody else think each song felt like an afterthought? Nothing grew from character or situation; it was almost as if they took an "this will do" approach which really annoyed me but then the two leads started dancing and I almost forgave them!
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Post by couldileaveyou on Mar 24, 2017 7:37:47 GMT
Did nobody else think each song felt like an afterthought? Nothing grew from character or situation; it was almost as if they took an "this will do" approach which really annoyed me but then the two leads started dancing and I almost forgave them! Isn't it true for every jukebox musical?
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Post by theatre-turtle on Mar 25, 2017 14:07:24 GMT
Show just been stopped for a technical fault. It hardly got going!
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Post by loureviews on Mar 25, 2017 17:24:59 GMT
Once it got going again it was great though. Really enjoyable and two knockout numbers in the second half including the ballet.
And to be fair there wouldn't be a show if the video projections failed.
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Post by loureviews on Mar 25, 2017 18:44:13 GMT
And please, this is hardly a 'jukebox musical'. Yes it is a group of unconnected Gershwin songs, some of which conjure up Fred and Ginger, some the glorious Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron film.
Ashley Day was absolutely fantastic in the lead, with a toothy smile and some glorious dance moves, and Leanne Cope was lovely.
I think I smiled all the way though and even got a bit teary as well. It's a fabulous score which gets by the book being a little prosaic.
This is fun all the way with some very clever staging and an orchestra which did the material justice.
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Post by Steffi on Mar 25, 2017 19:17:17 GMT
Full house tonight. Very much looking forward to seeing the show. Adored it on Broadway.
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Post by fiyero on Mar 25, 2017 19:24:15 GMT
Full house tonight. Very much looking forward to seeing the show. Adored it on Broadway. I'm here tonight too! Hopefully the only technical failure tonight will be the cast board in the lobby. Loving the row a legroom. 2 metres from a massive speaker stack so I'm sure I'll hear it!
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Post by theatre-turtle on Mar 25, 2017 19:31:24 GMT
Once it got going again it was great though. Really enjoyable and two knockout numbers in the second half including the ballet. And to be fair there wouldn't be a show if the video projections failed. Oh I agree. Stunning, beautiful, tremendous, other superlatives etc. Ashley Day was exceptional - I know he isn't the usual lead but he performed like one. For me this is a must see - return of the mega musical. Best thing I've seen all year. I cried at the end too.
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Post by Steffi on Mar 25, 2017 20:54:36 GMT
Interval. Just as stunning as I remember it from Broadway. I could watch Robert Fairchild and Leanne Cope dance all day without getting bored.
I don't think I stopped smiling once throughout act one.
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Post by loureviews on Mar 25, 2017 21:04:37 GMT
My review of this afternoon's performance:
The poster and publicity for this present it as ‘a new musical’, but that might surprise the Gershwins, who wrote this parade of songs (some from the 1951 film, some from other sources) which move along the story of Jerry Mulligan – here played by alternate Ashley Day in his debut in the role – and Lise Dassin, played by Leanne Cope, who also did the role on Broadway.
He’s a soldier who stays in Paris after the Nazi occupation has been routed to become an artist, as idealistic Americans often do. He keeps seeing pretty Lise and falls hard for her, knowing it cannot just be coincidence. Soon they start meeting by the Seine, but she doesn’t want to discuss her past or personal circumstances.
Abrasive Adam Hochberg (David Seadon-Young) is the piano player and the commentator on the action, and it was fun to see him deal with a technical malfunction in the first scene which stopped the show at the big reveal of the video projection: we were soon off again, though, into the busy streets where Nazi sympathisers were still about and idealistic Frenchmen like Henri Baurel saw lucrative futures for them across the Channel.
Jerry finds a patroness in the ‘international dilettante’ Milo Davenport (Zoë Rainey), a Ginger Rogers-like cougar who likes a lot more than his paintings, while on the periphery Henri’s parents M and Mme Baurel (Julian Forsyth and Jane Asher) worry about their son’s lack of interest in settling down to marriage, and slowly find their shared love of jazz music coming to the fore again.
The leads are required to mix styles from both grand ballet and musical theatre (Day is primarily from the latter, but his moves look stellar enough to me, and he has a glorious toothy smile which makes you warm to the character; Cope is a ballerina but displays a fine singing voice in her solo ‘The Man I Love’), and the show benefits from a talented company of dancers, swings and chorus.
The sets need to be mentioned: Bob Crowley (formerly with the National and the RSC) is scene and costume designer, and 59 Productions Ltd are responsible for the many projections which conjure up time and place, as well as a feeling of being in a city which celebrates the creative arts. And the music by George Gershwin with lyrics by brother Ira both feel timeless and a world away, with the friend scene-setting of ‘I Got Rhythm’ rubbing shoulders with Jerry’s solo ‘I’ve Got Beginner’s Luck’ and the four-part ‘For You, For Me, For Everymore’.
A couple of things I would change: ‘Stairway to Paradise’ cries out to be a huge production number with showgirls from the start, and Adam’s part is really reduced (OK, he’s not Oscar Levant who was essentially playing himself in the film, but still) so we lose some of the humour and asides the character could make. There’s also something of a running joke of Henri being possibly gay which felt forced.
Christopher Wheeldon directs and choreographs in the old style, and he does brilliantly, using his cast and his orchestrations (by Christopher Austin and Bill Elliott, conducted by John Rigby). This is just a good old-fashioned musical, with great tunes, more than competently performed.
And yes there is a long ballet to the ‘An American in Paris’ suite, full of eye-popping colours and flashy moves, punctuated by some tender pas de deux between Day and Cope. Elsewhere, there are mirrors and windows, and misunderstandings, and even a Jew in hiding subplot, but the story isn’t really why we’re here. Superlative.
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Post by Steffi on Mar 25, 2017 23:37:29 GMT
Loved this from start to finish and may have just booked myself a ticket for a return visit. I wasn't 100% convinced by Haydn Oakley but I think that's down to comparing him to Max von Essen who in my opinion was outstanding as Henri. Really enjoyed Zoe Rainey and David Seadon-Young. The stars of the show are the two leads though. Exquisite performances. Also have to say Robert Fairchild is delightful to chat to. :-)
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Post by patrickmusical on Mar 26, 2017 21:35:47 GMT
Thought it was brilliant. My father was a professional dancer so I've seen lots of good dancers in my life. But the dancing in this show was absolutely phenomenal.
Taking the wife next week!
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Post by frosty on Mar 27, 2017 12:15:17 GMT
The reviews have done the trick for me, just got tickets to see it on Wednesday night.
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Post by shady23 on Mar 27, 2017 12:22:24 GMT
As I LOVED 42nd Street I think this show will have to be next on the must see list!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2017 15:59:49 GMT
I found this very tedious
Leanne Cope is very talented as a dancer and a nice singer
But quite expresionless as an actress Robotic almost So affected in how she speaks her lines
What I find puzzling is why the quality of dancing was so poor
If you attend the Royal Ballet regularly
Many of their "new works" are way more impressive than this hybrid show
The directors own Winters Tale is astonishing
Same set designer too
And much more impressive
The fact is that most people going to see this show
Know nothing about professional dance
And just want a brainless evening out
The incessant head bobbing of the crowd just about sums it up
Jane Asher was the best thing about it
I kept thinking about her cakes
It's such a pathetic empty shell of a show
I can't see it lasting beyond 12 months
And again WHO thought this venue was a good idea
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