Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical - The Other Palace / Tour

I'm surprised there's an interval with such a short running time. 7.50 start, 9.10 finish, assuming 20 minute interval that makes just an hour performance time.

I'm at the matinee next Thursday and was planning to add an evening show (via Rush with a couple of back ups if unlucky)  but three and a half hours to fill between the shows this time of year isn't appealing !

got to get that bar £!

Yes, I just saw the matinee and it ran from 2:35pm to 4:35pm, including a 15 minute interval at about the 55 minute mark (3:30pm to 3:45pm).

I really enjoyed this!

The main plot isn't particularly well-structured, only really kicking into overdrive in the last half hour.

But various subplots, particularly those involving an absolutely hilarious Rose Galbraith, are very enjoyable along the way.

The 90s songs are great fun, and when the main plot does kick into gear, I felt the show really worked.

Some spoilers follow. . .

This is a version of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses," which I am mostly familiar with from Christopher Hampton's versions, the play and the film, though I did see the "Cruel Intentions" movie back in the day.

This version is the least dramatic in the motivations and attitudes of the principals. The utter world weariness of John Malkovich's film Valmont, desperate for a last chance at genuine feelings, and the aging desperation of Glenn Close's Merteuil were powerful drivers of drama in the "Dangerous Liaisons" movie, which was lost in its transfer to teen characters in "Cruel Intentions," where the characters come over as mere sociopaths.

But at least in the "Cruel Intentions" movie, Ryan Phillipe's Valmont was cloaked with an air of redemptive vulnerability beneath the sociopathic behaviour, from early on, which created a growing dramatic tension between himself and Sarah Michelle Gellar's ice cold possessiveness.

Here, however, the two sharklike, manipulative, predatory principals are almost devoid of any dramatic heat, for the first half of the show, an Ice King and Ice Queen it's almost impossible to care about.

Luckily, we care about all the other characters, most of all, Rose Galbraith's Cecile, who both principals plan to use and exploit, and who proves to be MUCH funnier, and more endearing, than her counterparts in any of the aforementioned plays and movies.

Galbraith taps into that conjunction of genuine relatable feelings (she's learning about her sexuality for the first time) together with a camp irrepressible OTT exuberant expression of those feelings (from eye-averting shyness to bug-eyed curiosity to crazed zany horniness to curt clipped worldly wisdom) such that she is hilariously impossible to victimise (she's having too much fun to be a victim, even if the principals want to make her one), which makes her a perfect comedy character counterpoint in a stage entertainment.

After Galbraith, Josh Barnett is almost as much fun as Blaine, a gay friend of Valmont, who, like Cecile, is just having so much fun being alive that he's perpetually entertaining.

After the interval, the magnificent frosty hauteur of Daniel Bravo's absolute Ice King of a Valmont pays off at last, and pays off big in his rendition of Counting Crows' masterpiece, "Colorblind," where his cold ice cracks and colours of genuine feelings finally flood in, for Abbie Budden's Annette Hargrove, playing off him wonderfully, his countenance flooding with emotions. Sometimes something that seems not to work early on can pay off wonderfully later, and this moment is like that, as I felt tears come on in appreciation that an uncrackable veneer had been cracked, the poetic lyrics "Pull me out from inside, I am ready," perfectly expressed.

Although her character is thin, Rhianne Louise-McCaulsky's voice is not, easily the most powerful singer on stage, so rousing to listen to, especially when she is playing villain to more likeable characters, like Galbraith's Cecile, who she seduces in a delightfully playful, corrupt and amusing version of Christian band, Sixpence None The Richer's "Kiss Me."

Anyhow, the drama works especially well in the last half hour, the 90s songs were nostalgic and pleasing for me throughout (I saw half those bands live lol), the ensemble are generally terrific, and Rose Galbraith's comic antics are very funny, as is the performance of TLC's "No Scrubs" by Jess Buckby, which merited at least one more refrain lol.

I'd give this 3 and a half stars.

Well, I really enjoyed this and I’m a bit surprised as I went in with minimal expectations!

Full disclosure the film definitely falls into “cult classic” territory for me - I was 16/17 when it came out and we had the VHS on repeat for months at teen sleepovers - and when I rewatched it recently turns out I could quote along almost all of the memorable lines…. “How are things down under?” “You can put it anywhere….” etc. Also, there’s at least 5 of my all-time favourite songs in this, whilst it was discombobulating at first to hear 90s “alternative” tracks musical-ified (Placebo, Garbage, GooGoo Dolls), in the end it works. It’s like Heathers and &Juliet got together and adopted a trashy, camp, 90s “I’m not like the other kids” teen.

Yes there are some laughs drawn from dropping the songs as punchlines…..but they worked. Kinda á la &Juliet in that respect, although it’s more like the slutty bitchy cousin to &Juliets more wholesome message!

No it isn’t deep and meaningful, the movie wasn’t either. It’s superficial, fun and trashy but it is very good at what it is. The vocal performances were all on form, and apart from a few minor sound glitches (mics not being on in time for lines) everything seemed technically pretty slick. I think there are perhaps a more comedy beats to be drawn from the script if some lines were directed a bit differently, and that they may as well steer fully into it, but really those moments were few.

I might go back if I’m able to whilst it’s on, I’d recommend it if you like other movie adaptations & jukeboxes and take it for what it is, although maybe watch the movie first if you don’t know it, it’ll probably make more sense to you.

I’m somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. I’ve left the theatre feeling upbeat and entertained so that’s a positive!

I just listened to the Standard theatre podcast and they really rated this :-)

I’m currently at the other palace to see this show, however everyone is being kept in the foyer with an announcement from the manager saying they can’t start the show at 3pm due to a “cast change” with “no definitive start time”.

Anyone here in the know as to what’s going on? We may have to abandon if it’s seriously delayed as we have plans later, which is a shame!

The show eventually started at around 3:40 - just before starting the director Jonathan O’Boyle came to the stage to announce that the delay was caused by Rhianne taking ill and that Verity Thompson was taking over the role of Kathryn, but didn’t know the book or track having never done it. This in person announcement was needed as communication had been dire up until then to be honest.

He then said that the cast had been rehearsing since 10am right up until they opened the auditorium, and that Verity would be performing with the book on an iPad.

Honestly I was very pleasantly surprised by the show overall! The book is a bit messy and the jukebox style makes the storyline quite clunky and hard to follow if you haven’t seen the film, but it’s fun and will give you a laugh if nothing else.

The audience really loved it and if it had original songs I could easily see this becoming a Heathers sized success, but I don’t really see it as a jukebox to be honest.

The reason we went was because my friend loves Abbie Budden’s Tik Toks - I didn’t know her, but thought she did great and can see her being really successful.

I can’t deny that Verity reading from an iPad and not really looking up as she was speaking was a bit distracting, but she did incredibly well under that kind of pressure and I have massive respect for her (A fan in the front row also gave her flowers at the bows).

I was there.

Verity did brilliantly all things considered. She was reading heavily in some sections but knew the songs and really grew into in act two to deliver a phenomenal vocal finale.

Overall a fun romp indeed. Some excellent young talent.

Sheesh! Theres no more to it than cheapskate producers not wanting to pay to rehearse their covers before it opens. Hardly a duty of care is it?

I always got the feeling that PTM’s casts would go above & beyond for him though, as a payback to him rather than snything else.

Jonathan's been around long enough to know that doesn't wash as an answer - you're a month in, covers for your leads should be rehearsed. Sorry but i genuinely don't understand why people keep supporting Paul Taylor Mills when he does this sort of stuff all the time - it's beyond unprofessional.