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Post by fiyero on Mar 30, 2021 20:53:51 GMT
Audiences are easily pleased these days aren't they. Principal cant even pitch it right but oo a sparkly projection. I hope the audience were directed to behave like that. Like an 'ITV audience'! I remember going to TV shows and being told to make a lot of noise whenever the value of the prize was mentioned. I also hope the real audience won't go that crazy! |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Mar 30, 2021 22:41:11 GMT
I doubt that the steps were intended as ‘extra spectacle’ for the number. On Broadway the machinery that does the dress change was clearly built into the stage floor. For touring/international productions, it’s not always guaranteed that you’ll be able to rip up the stage floor to install that machinery. Even if it is possible, it may not be cost effective. So my bet would be that the stairs were devised as a piece of set that would contain that machinery and not require anything sub-stage. If they really wanted to add spectacle to the number I’m sure they would’ve gone much bigger and more imaginative than a weird podium. The dress reveal isn’t done by ‘machinery’. I’m pretty sure that absolutely hysterical audience would have been told to whoop like crazy, to make it look like the number is impressive. At least London’s staircase will look like much more of an event than that. |
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Post by sph on Mar 31, 2021 2:29:37 GMT
I doubt that the steps were intended as ‘extra spectacle’ for the number. On Broadway the machinery that does the dress change was clearly built into the stage floor. For touring/international productions, it’s not always guaranteed that you’ll be able to rip up the stage floor to install that machinery. Even if it is possible, it may not be cost effective. So my bet would be that the stairs were devised as a piece of set that would contain that machinery and not require anything sub-stage. If they really wanted to add spectacle to the number I’m sure they would’ve gone much bigger and more imaginative than a weird podium. The dress reveal isn’t done by ‘machinery’. I’m pretty sure that absolutely hysterical audience would have been told to whoop like crazy, to make it look like the number is impressive. At least London’s staircase will look like much more of an event than that. Presumably there has to be some sort of mechanism that pulls the dress off and hides it from view which is the machinery being talked about. I thought the same thing when I watched it, the set piece has just been added to do the illusion in theatres where trapdoors etc are not available. I don't mind the projections being used for the "magic" and snowflakes. It would just be nice to see set pieces that really dominate the stage the way a giant ice castle would. Disney gave the Beast his castle and it gave the Lion King Pride Rock. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 31, 2021 6:14:52 GMT
Machinery though, if such a thing was to malfunction can you imagine? It could be really dangerous. I’m sure it’s very safe but the slightest bit of resistance to the frock coming off and that effect is not going to happen. #madonna.
As for that performance a couple of bits sounded auto-tuned to me.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2021 10:05:19 GMT
Yes I know am old and yes I know am like a broken record but I do feel for the current generation of younger theatregoers when the above effect is the best that seems to be on offer.
In the 80s and 90s they really were pushing the boundaries of technical possibility in theatre, relative to the norms at the time. There was a time when each big new musical did something with a bigger wow factor and more breathtaking than the last. You truly were transported into a different world.
These days a few projections and a dress change is as good as it gets!
(Edit - I am however euphoric that such things are being discussed again after the endless covid drought!)
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2021 14:26:55 GMT
Audiences are easily pleased these days aren't they. Principal cant even pitch it right but oo a sparkly projection. I hope the audience were directed to behave like that. Like an 'ITV audience'! I remember going to TV shows and being told to make a lot of noise whenever the value of the prize was mentioned. I also hope the real audience won't go that crazy! My issue with this new kind of extremely reactive audience direction is it could have a conditioning effect on audiences at home, convincing them this is the kind of reaction required at any event regardless of situation, be it studio, concert or theatre. |
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Post by musicalmarge on Mar 31, 2021 15:53:30 GMT
Yes I know am old and yes I know am like a broken record but I do feel for the current generation of younger theatregoers when the above effect is the best that seems to be on offer. In the 80s and 90s they really were pushing the boundaries of technical possibility in theatre, relative to the norms at the time. There was a time when each big new musical did something with a bigger wow factor and more breathtaking than the last. You truly were transported into a different world. These days a few projections and a dress change is as good as it gets! (Edit - I am however euphoric that such things are being discussed again after the endless covid drought!) Agreed! Imagine if Frozen came out in 1990! Just imagine! Epic... |
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Post by sph on Mar 31, 2021 18:40:57 GMT
Machinery though, if such a thing was to malfunction can you imagine? It could be really dangerous. I’m sure it’s very safe but the slightest bit of resistance to the frock coming off and that effect is not going to happen. #madonna. As for that performance a couple of bits sounded auto-tuned to me. I mean, lots of special effects are potentially dangerous if they go wrong. Presumably they're made as safe as possible. Dresses being whipped off at speed for a quick change is an effect that's been around for a long time through various methods. Pyrotechnics, flying, trapdoor illusions etc, could cause injury but they generally don't except on very rare occasions. They're used a lot throughout the entertainment industry. |
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Post by cjamess on Mar 31, 2021 19:07:05 GMT
Machinery though, if such a thing was to malfunction can you imagine? It could be really dangerous. I’m sure it’s very safe but the slightest bit of resistance to the frock coming off and that effect is not going to happen. #madonna. As for that performance a couple of bits sounded auto-tuned to me. I mean, lots of special effects are potentially dangerous if they go wrong. Presumably they're made as safe as possible. Dresses being whipped off at speed for a quick change is an effect that's been around for a long time through various methods. Pyrotechnics, flying, trapdoor illusions etc, could cause injury but they generally don't except on very rare occasions. They're used a lot throughout the entertainment industry. As I recall on the machinery point a member of the original cast of The Lord Of The Rings musical had to have his leg amputated after hydraulics ripped part of it off. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 31, 2021 19:45:08 GMT
Regardless of whether we like that effect or not I’d love to know how it’s done, and specifically how it’s made safe for the performer.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2021 20:14:05 GMT
I mean, lots of special effects are potentially dangerous if they go wrong. Presumably they're made as safe as possible. Dresses being whipped off at speed for a quick change is an effect that's been around for a long time through various methods. Pyrotechnics, flying, trapdoor illusions etc, could cause injury but they generally don't except on very rare occasions. They're used a lot throughout the entertainment industry. As I recall on the machinery point a member of the original cast of The Lord Of The Rings musical had to have his leg amputated after hydraulics ripped part of it off.
www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/may/31/theatrenews.theatreWhile no actor should be put in danger in their job, his leg wasn't amputated. He went on to do Cats and A Chorus Line at the Palladium. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 1, 2021 6:33:35 GMT
“The Lord of the Rings almost chopped my leg off, now I’m in A Chorus Line”
- Bella Magazine
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Post by FairyGodmother on Apr 1, 2021 23:17:54 GMT
Regardless of whether we like that effect or not I’d love to know how it’s done, and specifically how it’s made safe for the performer. I think on Broadway she had a mark just in front of a trapdoor, she stands there and it gets pulled off (I'm sure I've read it's by a dresser under the stage not machinery, but I can't actually find where I saw that. So perhaps there's a person inside the staircase in this version?). As long as she doesn't step backwards it should be pretty safe. The overdress is fastened with magnets that release when it's pulled, so there's no ties or anything for a strangling risk and I would imagine (because it's how you usually do a quick change) there'll be a specific position she has to stand in so it comes off perfectly every time. But if we're talking about accidents, didn't Idina Mezel miss her last ever Wicked because the platform wasn't up under the trapdoor for the melting scene and she fell through? |
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Post by FairyGodmother on Apr 1, 2021 23:19:49 GMT
Please ignore this post, I completely messed up an edit!
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Post by musicalmarge on Apr 3, 2021 0:01:43 GMT
So London is getting a better staircase for Let it Go than Sydney? Redesign? Ooooooooohhhh #icepalacedreams
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2021 0:07:19 GMT
So London is getting a better staircase for Let it Go than Sydney? Redesign? Ooooooooohhhh #icepalacedreams hope so |
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Post by anthony40 on Apr 3, 2021 7:12:23 GMT
There are many times where things go wrong, for a who host of reasons- technical or human.
The support arm that lifts Elphaba up to fly not working is on of the most recent, leaving the actress stating on the stage, instead of elevated, with the Ozians laying on the ground around her.
As for the quick costume change in Frozen, this may help
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 3, 2021 7:19:54 GMT
I don’t know why they just didn’t stick with this...
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Post by musicalmarge on Apr 9, 2021 4:45:04 GMT
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Post by ronnette on Apr 15, 2021 5:37:19 GMT
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Post by anthony40 on Apr 15, 2021 6:50:37 GMT
Don't they look great!!!!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2021 22:48:08 GMT
they do!
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2021 5:46:48 GMT
hi there any new news ?
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Post by mrbarnaby on May 19, 2021 15:58:01 GMT
Lots of news every day on the tv! BBC.. ITV.. Sky... |
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2021 0:53:22 GMT
Lots of news every day on the tv! BBC.. ITV.. Sky... haha news is named after the compass points |
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