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Post by HereForTheatre on Apr 15, 2019 11:38:42 GMT
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Post by TallPaul on Apr 15, 2019 12:21:51 GMT
Visiting Coventry, Cheltenham and Leeds too, I guess.
(*We* were wondering just a few weeks ago what the re-opened Leeds Playhouse would be programming.)
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Post by n1david on Apr 15, 2019 12:23:20 GMT
The only one of these I've been to before is Leeds Playhouse (pre refurb, obviously). Which of the rest is a nice theatre to visit?
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Post by david on Apr 15, 2019 12:27:20 GMT
The only one of these I've been to before is Leeds Playhouse (pre refurb, obviously). Which of the rest is a nice theatre to visit? The Birmingham Rep is a nice one to visit. I went there last year for the Winslow Boy was was very impressed with the theatre.
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Post by david on Apr 15, 2019 12:49:21 GMT
Looks like it’s a visit to the Refurbished Leeds Playhouse for me.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Apr 24, 2019 11:59:35 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2019 12:12:48 GMT
How lovely. And I like their originality in finding two actors called Omar and Jonny to play Omar and Johnny. I loves me the plays about the gays. And if I'm on a fast spin cycle while watching it, all the better.
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Post by wickedgrin on Apr 24, 2019 13:16:50 GMT
Let’s hope they have fully vetted their twitter and social media accounts!
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Post by HereForTheatre on Apr 24, 2019 13:19:04 GMT
I'm not really a plays kind of guy but this is my local and it seems like it will be kind of interesting. Not seen the film.
I think i will give a play a rare go for a change.
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Post by n1david on Jul 12, 2019 14:14:56 GMT
Thought I'd seen something on this before but can't find it.
New adaptation by Hanif Kureshi of his film, starring Omar Malik and Jonny Fines, with Gordon Warnecke (who played Omar in the film) as Omar's father.
New original music by Pet Shop Boys.
Curve Leicester 20 Sep - 5 Oct Everyman Theatre Cheltenham 8 – 12 Oct Leeds Playhouse 15 – 26 Oct Belgrade Theatre Coventry 29 Oct – 2 Nov Birmingham Repertory Theatre 5 – 9 Nov
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 12, 2019 15:27:15 GMT
Merged.
Love Burly (aka SuperSearcher 🙂)
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Post by n1david on Jul 12, 2019 18:13:57 GMT
I knew I’d seen something about this - I even posted about it! But searching for “Laundrette” didn’t find it because the thread title spells it “Launderette”...
Can only assume that the Bear misspelt it when he was searching...
Anyway, the new news today is that the music is being done by Pet Shop Boys, which makes it even more of a must see for me...
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jul 12, 2019 18:37:33 GMT
I was the guilty party i'm afraid! It's been corrected.
Yes i'm quite excited for this. Never seen the film but the story seems like something i'd be interested in and it's a Curve show which is my local and i do try and support them. The news today about the music makes it more intriguing!
I mean it's not a musical so i'm guessing it's more incidental music? Unless they do throw a few songs in? Jonny Fines can certainly sing.
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Post by n1david on Jul 12, 2019 18:45:11 GMT
Two songs and four pieces of incidental music, apparently. They will be released afterwards so I’m guessing they’re significant enough to stand alone.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Aug 21, 2019 9:03:42 GMT
There was some more info on this at the recent Curve season preview.
So the set is inspired by the Top of The Pops sets of that era, which is interesting, and they played some of the music that The Pet Shop Boys have produced for the show, which sounds like typical Pet Shop Boys style. The actors talked about the show and they seemed really engaged with the play and excited to be a part of it. I'm rather excited for this play. I'm not really a play person and have never seen the film so i don't know why i'm attracted to this but for some reason i am.
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Post by showgirl on Aug 22, 2019 4:11:48 GMT
Thank you to posters above and glad I didn't start a new thread as I was also on the point of doing so because I couldn't find the existing one.
I hadn't planned to see this as it wasn't coming anywhere near me, much as I'd love to all the tour venues I've never yet been able to see (Cheltenham, Coventry and Leicester) - and see the revamped Leeds Playhouse. Then the opportunity arose for a weekend in Cheltenham with my sister, so she bravely agreed to see the play with me there. I can recall not liking the film (haven't liked anything by that writer) and finding certain scenes so implausible that they made me cross, but that's about all I can remember and I like the Pet Shop Boys' music, so even if there isn't much of that, it sounds an interesting evening.
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Post by ruggerlad on Aug 26, 2019 18:44:48 GMT
I'm really looking forward to this.
My local theatre too and had booked tickets for a friend for his birthday with us both being fans of the film, with the added bonus of the PSB involvement.
Have booked for the first Friday show as there's a after show discussion.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Sept 28, 2019 6:45:06 GMT
Getting some good reviews. 4* from What's on Stage, The Guardian and Daily Mail.
I have to say it looks stunning as well. Here's some production shots.
I'm looking forward to seeing the show on Thursday.
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Post by robertb213 on Sept 28, 2019 10:00:24 GMT
I saw this at Curve on Monday in Previews for a bargain tenner - I did find it a little slow at times but I enjoyed it. The performances from the leads are very good. The front row also benefits from close proximity to shirtlessness.
Running time was 2.5 hours including interval.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Sept 28, 2019 10:37:40 GMT
I saw this at Curve on Monday in Previews for a bargain tenner - I did find it a little slow at times but I enjoyed it. The performances from the leads are very good. The front row also benefits from close proximity to shirtlessness. Running time was 2.5 hours including interval. Thanks for the tip 😏
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Post by n1david on Sept 28, 2019 10:58:03 GMT
Some more info about the music the PSBs have supplied for the production (spoilered in case any of the titles is perceived to give away a plot point) One new song, “Angelic thug”, plays at the end of the first act and the other, “No boundaries”, is played at the end of the performance. The instrumentals are entitled: “Johnny’s dark side”, “Omar’s theme”, “Beautiful laundrette” and “Night sings (Popa’s theme)”. The play is set in the mid-80s and includes snatches of PSB songs including “West End girls”, “Opportunities”, “I get excited (You get excited too)”, “Left to my own devices”, “Hit music”, “In the night’ and “Paninaro”.
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Post by joem on Sept 28, 2019 20:32:50 GMT
Straightforward adaptation of the screenplay. Visually interesting and the music does it no harm. It was my first visit to the Curve which is quite an impressive arts centre. The theatre itself though is quite cavernous, although it doesn't seem to seat more than 230 or so and this does create an echoey feel to the actors' delivery.
Nice tough to have the original Omar actor from the film (Gordon Warnecke) now playing Omar's dad.
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Post by theatreian on Sept 28, 2019 21:39:41 GMT
The front row also benefits from close proximity to shirtlessness. I will also be on the front row in Birmingham when I see it in November. Looking forward to it.
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Post by robertb213 on Sept 28, 2019 22:06:09 GMT
Straightforward adaptation of the screenplay. Visually interesting and the music does it no harm. It was my first visit to the Curve which is quite an impressive arts centre. The theatre itself though is quite cavernous, although it doesn't seem to seat more than 230 or so and this does create an echoey feel to the actors' delivery. Nice tough to have the original Omar actor from the film (Gordon Warnecke) now playing Omar's dad. Yes it's the first time I've seen the Studio space opened up quite so much, normally the productions in there do feel smaller and more intimate than this does. The two spaces (the Studio and the main Theatre) are so flexible though, it's amazing what they do can with them.
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Post by marob on Sept 28, 2019 23:32:04 GMT
The front row also benefits from close proximity to shirtlessness. I will also be on the front row in Birmingham when I see it in November. Looking forward to it. I didn't realise this was on in Birmingham too. Might be able to see this after all. Seems a bit odd that a co-production between four theatres would have a five venue tour.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Oct 3, 2019 18:04:52 GMT
I really enjoyed this. I thought i would and i did. For me, the two leads, Jonny Fines and Omar Mailk give outstanding performances and i really bought into their relationship. I enjoyed the music by the Pet Shop Boys, which is mainly used during set changes and then a full song at the end of each act. Nice use of lighting and a good and clever set.
That said, there are some issues. One of which is mentioned above and that is that the studio theatre seems too open. The sides of the stage are just exposed and an open space with lights, speakers, cables and props and not only that but it means you can see the actors leaves through the doors, which seems a bit distracting and takes you out of it a bit and so at times looks a bit messy. I can't really see why they couldn't cloth of box off the wings a bit as that would also draw you into the actual set and action more and make it seem more intimate. I was in the blacony and up there the sound was a bit dodgy.
Not the plays fault but today at the matinee we had two quite large school groups in, which i thought was a bit surprising but anyway, and what that meant was that any time there was a swear word, or gay kiss, or gay touch, or bit or shirtlessness, or dramatic moment then in unsion these school kids would react, loudly, with various oooh and ahhhhs and giggles accordingly. It was very distracting and cheapened the show and took me out of it and i very much wish i'd not been at this particular performance. I mean great that these kids are being exposed to theatre and a play like this and actually to be fair a lot of them seemed to enjoy it and buy into it but still, it's not great to be in the audience with.
I note there doesn't seem much interest in this but i'd encourage people to give it a go if you can get to one of the venues. It's scarily relevant and at the core is what i found to be a very touching gay relationship story.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Oct 4, 2019 19:24:54 GMT
I wanted to add to the above something i appreciated a lot about this show (and i assume the film was the same) was that despite having a central gay relationship the word "gay" was never used, in fact, there was never anything at all mentioned about their sexuality and what kind of relationship they had and it was just never a big deal in the show. It was just what it was, the relationship was what it was and they were just who they were. How many LGBT shows actually do that? I think it's rare that when a show includes a gay relationship that somewhere in there, there isn't some kind of drama around them coming out or being conflicted or in denial or at the other end of the coin where it's some massive deal that the characters are gay and that's all they are about. I really just liked that about this show.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Oct 4, 2019 20:27:21 GMT
Also here is a teaser trailer
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Post by ruggerlad on Oct 14, 2019 15:57:23 GMT
I really enjoyed this overall, thought the staging was great loved the lighting design of the show. I had one major bug bear the show lack the intense passion that leads to the characters over coming what they don't like in the other. Very chaste closed mouth kiss and for me the most memorable scene in the film of them having sex when his uncle and mistress come to see the laundrette is lost entirely, With a gay director I was surprised this was such a damp squib of a moment. On leaving for the interval I spotted Neil Tennant in front of us as we went to the bar, very amiable to chat to and signed my programme for me. On going back in it turned he was sitting right behind me. Quite the added value experience
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Post by showgirl on Oct 14, 2019 18:51:16 GMT
My sister and I saw this at the final performance in Cheltenham on Saturday evening and agreed that by the end we had quite enjoyed it, but it was a very slow burn and for me the huge hurdle was the most bizarre and unnatural dialogue - if you can call it that. I can barely recall the film - other than thinking that it too was unrealistic in the behaviour it depicted - but many of the characters in this version didn't so much speak to each other or converse as make peculiar pronouncements, a propos of nothing in particular and apparently not aimed at anyone around them either - most alienating. It was like an inferior Joe Orton play and we surely can't have been the only people puzzled by this?
The cast certainly gave it their all so at the end we were probably applauding the performances and production more than the play. Another aspect which also made us uncomfortable, but far more so, was the reaction of a few audience members (apparently some extremely drunk men) who wolf-whistled when the two male leads kissed at the end of the first act. Honestly, is that something to wolf-whistle these days, and during a play in which the central relationship is that of a same-sex couple? The same people were equally obnoxious at the end and in the foyer afterwards - we couldn't get away fast enough.
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