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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 13, 2022 10:38:07 GMT
He has the starring role in my heart ❤️
I have never quite seen someone embody the phrase 'main character energy' quite so much. I can't imagine how he's been able to get away with that behaviour. I think I've said it before but I also think the echo chamber of fellow performers on socials and probably in person has a lot to answer for here. If your peers are constantly calling you fabulous and yass queening at you, you're going to assume you're the hero of the piece at all times (as opposed to a pain in the rear ensemble member who is a poor cover of a small role).
I LOL’d at that 😆 |
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Post by Oliver on Jun 13, 2022 10:38:54 GMT
Oliver, this is not about "subservient" or "ego". This is about the fact that Andrew clearly needs people around him that question his choices and confront him, and those people are saving the quality of his music and shows. You see how it goes very wrong when those people are not there, when there are only yes-people. We see that in Cinderella now, and we also see that Andrew is ruining his older shows such as Phantom, as soon as those people are no longer there. Oliver, you misrepresent the influence a director like Hal Prince has/had. Evita was a special case since, like Cinderella, it was a concept album first. Hal rightly concluded that, since it is entirely exposition, 'The Lady's Got Potential' would not be right for a staged piece and required something that showed Perón's rise to power in a dramatic way (he also got Rice to improve a few lyrics). But with Phantom, a LOT changed - just look at the difference between the show's Sydmonton presentation and the final product. Hal would have been there to say what the show ought to sound like, where a song should go, where a song should be omitted, and, in many cases, would have told ALW his opinion (which ALW respected) that certain writing wasn't good enough. For example, 'Prima Donna' is only there because Hal told ALW that its predecessor, 'Papers', was not good enough. With Cinderella, ALW wrote the score, handed it to Connor, and expected him to stage it as is. Connor is not a man to tell ALW that certain parts of the writing were weak or could be improved. Would you not expect the final production in the West End to be vastly superior to Sydmonton? Does ALW not deserve any credit for this? Was he just following orders? I don't think so, not in his style. Sure, Hal Prince would have made suggestions, so too would have ALW. It's not all one way. Also Hal did not decide on the placement of the songs and what should go where, that was ALW. Hal only made suggestions for changes where he thought there was a dramatic necessity to do so. ALW's scores are through composed so you can't just switch things up like that, not without sacrificing the structural integrity of the work. Hal's requests for changes to the music were minimal and respectful to the composer's vision. |
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Post by inthenose on Jun 13, 2022 10:43:23 GMT
Oliver, you misrepresent the influence a director like Hal Prince has/had. Evita was a special case since, like Cinderella, it was a concept album first. Hal rightly concluded that, since it is entirely exposition, 'The Lady's Got Potential' would not be right for a staged piece and required something that showed Perón's rise to power in a dramatic way (he also got Rice to improve a few lyrics). But with Phantom, a LOT changed - just look at the difference between the show's Sydmonton presentation and the final product. Hal would have been there to say what the show ought to sound like, where a song should go, where a song should be omitted, and, in many cases, would have told ALW his opinion (which ALW respected) that certain writing wasn't good enough. For example, 'Prima Donna' is only there because Hal told ALW that its predecessor, 'Papers', was not good enough. With Cinderella, ALW wrote the score, handed it to Connor, and expected him to stage it as is. Connor is not a man to tell ALW that certain parts of the writing were weak or could be improved. Would you not expect the final production in the West End to be vastly superior to Sydmonton? Does ALW not deserve any credit for this? Was he just following orders? I don't think so, not in his style. Sure, Hal Prince would have made suggestions, so too would have ALW. It's not all one way. Also Hal did not decide on the placement of the songs and what should go where, that was ALW. Hal only made suggestions for changes where he thought there was a dramatic necessity to do so. ALW's scores are through composed so you can't just switch things up like that, not without sacrificing the structural integrity of the work. Hal's requests for changes to the music were minimal and respectful to the composer's vision. Andy is never going to kiss you, mate. You need to move on and find someone who loves you for the beautiful person you are inside. |
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Post by stagebyte on Jun 13, 2022 11:10:21 GMT
For me the score was lovely. Not in my top ten of ALW but lovely.
The book and lyrics let it down massively
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Post by lolalou on Jun 13, 2022 12:22:55 GMT
Check out the #on Rodney Vubya’s post. Clearly thinks he’s the main character in all of this. Look Andy clearly isn’t the greatest with words. He’s been an almighty d*** about some other things in the past but let’s not imagine for a second he was calling the CAST a costly mistake. Pretty sure he meant trying to start a musical at the start of a pandemic. ThiS lad is just wanting to prolong the draaaaammma. It’s probably the only only drama he’ll see for a while after his rotten attitude #byebyerodney . http://instagram.com/p/CeviwHCov-O |
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Post by lolalou on Jun 13, 2022 12:53:44 GMT
Check out the #on Rodney Vubya’s post. Clearly thinks he’s the main character in all of this. Look Andy clearly isn’t the greatest with words. He’s been an almighty d*** about some other things in the past but let’s not imagine for a second he was calling the CAST a costly mistake. Pretty sure he meant trying to start a musical at the start of a pandemic. ThiS lad is just wanting to prolong the draaaaammma. It’s probably the only only drama he’ll see for a while after his rotten attitude #byebyerodney . http://instagr.am/p/CeviwHCov-O Yuck. I had to comment on that post. I couldn't resist Watch it disappear in 5,4,3,2.... You’re ruining the narrative... This is Rodders truth! Persecuted to the end...personally... just him...alone... #DanteCadburyYouMelt |
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Post by cezbear on Jun 13, 2022 13:02:45 GMT
Yuck. I had to comment on that post. I couldn't resist Watch it disappear in 5,4,3,2.... You’re ruining the narrative... This is Rodders truth! Persecuted to the end...personally... just him...alone... #DanteCadburyYouMeltIf I knew how to do such a thing I would be trying to make that hashtag trend right now. |
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Post by danb on Jun 13, 2022 13:15:23 GMT
Yuck. I had to comment on that post. I couldn't resist Watch it disappear in 5,4,3,2.... You’re ruining the narrative... This is Rodders truth! Persecuted to the end...personally... just him...alone... #DanteCadburyYouMelt He’s proof, if it were needed, that empty vessels do indeed make the most noise. |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 13, 2022 13:20:50 GMT
He will be trying out for Drag Race next. So he can slay all before him.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2022 13:30:07 GMT
Apparently Rodney has got an audition for his next gig as a supermarket delivery driver, but there are concerns over his lack of ability to read the dots in the right order. It’s fine to not like him. It’s fine to think his behavior is inappropriate. But this makes you absolutely NO better than him. A classless, unnecessary joke about whose intelligence you have no personal knowledge of. Be better than the people you criticize, or you’re just throwing stones from a glass house. Kept reading and saw just how many comments are like this. I agree, he’s ridiculous and rather vile. But what does the cruelty here accomplish? |
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Post by danb on Jun 13, 2022 13:50:45 GMT
Apparently Rodney has got an audition for his next gig as a supermarket delivery driver, but there are concerns over his lack of ability to read the dots in the right order. It’s fine to not like him. It’s fine to think his behavior is inappropriate. But this makes you absolutely NO better than him. A classless, unnecessary joke about whose intelligence you have no personal knowledge of. Be better than the people you criticize, or you’re just throwing stones from a glass house. Kept reading and saw just how many comments are like this. I agree, he’s ridiculous and rather vile. But what does the cruelty here accomplish? Likewise. What do you hope to achieve with your high handed moralising? It’s hardly cruelty. It’s attempting to make a mockery of the persona he is trying to create and the likely result of doing so. |
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Post by ceebee on Jun 13, 2022 14:12:22 GMT
Apparently Rodney has got an audition for his next gig as a supermarket delivery driver, but there are concerns over his lack of ability to read the dots in the right order. It’s fine to not like him. It’s fine to think his behavior is inappropriate. But this makes you absolutely NO better than him. A classless, unnecessary joke about whose intelligence you have no personal knowledge of. Be better than the people you criticize, or you’re just throwing stones from a glass house. Kept reading and saw just how many comments are like this. I agree, he’s ridiculous and rather vile. But what does the cruelty here accomplish? It's hardly cruel to question somebody's competence to do a less skilled job than the one they are trained to do, particularly when that person has publicly professed their own ineptness when it comes to reading 'the dots' in the right order. It's throwing shade back at the original thrower and entirely legitimate. |
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Post by Jonnyboy on Jun 13, 2022 14:17:00 GMT
I queued up with my programme yesterday as I hadn’t managed to get it signed when I went in April. The highlight was actually meeting some fellow stage doorers and we had a blast even before anyone came out.
Interestingly everybody around me and beyond stopped Rodney for autographs and pictures and showered him with praise. How at odds with the consensus on here!
I didn’t speak to him but perhaps I should have got my programme signed. If he’s not in anything ever again it’d be a rare collectors’ item lol!
Completely hate that he’s making out the costly mistake comment to be about the cast/show itself. That was never the intention surely and only the stoniest of hearts would put that very sentiment into a letter to be read out in that way. Appalling choice of words, yes, but many on here and social media WANT us to align with the pantomime villain narrative.
I don’t know enough about it all - not many will - and it’s alarming how many are willing to be judge, jury and executioner without knowing EVERYTHING.
For this reason, I’m neutral and not taking sides, but I do feel sad for all concerned.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 13, 2022 14:48:57 GMT
As Laurence Connor said, it’s easy to look for a villain. He’s right. Even ALW with his odd perspective on matters wouldn’t have chosen the closing show to sneer at the cast. If anything it was an admission of his own failure, but just badly worded enough for all the people with delicate sensibilities to take offence.
Many of the younger generation are being encouraged to not “let anyone dim your light” and other such life affirming cliches. And that’s lovely, maybe my generation could have done with a bit more of that. But if that’s what’s going on here they’re not exactly dealing with it like people whose light will not be dimmed are they? Their lights seem to get snuffed out at the mearest whisp of air. Soooo offended at absolutely everything. How on earth are they going to deal when really bad things happening their lives?
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Post by squidward on Jun 13, 2022 15:08:27 GMT
As Laurence Connor said, it’s easy to look for a villain. He’s right. Even ALW with his odd perspective on matters wouldn’t have chosen the closing show to sneer at the cast. If anything it was an admission of his own failure, but just badly worded enough for all the people with delicate sensibilities to take offence. Many of the younger generation are being encouraged to not “let anyone dim your light” and other such life affirming cliches. And that’s lovely, maybe my generation could have done with a bit more of that. But if that’s what’s going on here they’re not exactly dealing with it like people whose light will not be dimmed are they? Their lights seem to get snuffed out at the mearest whisp of air. Soooo offended at absolutely everything. How on earth are they going to deal when really bad things happening their lives? Well said. You are SO right. I see this happening all the time with my early twenty-something daughter and her friends. I do worry about how they’ll fare going forward into the big, bad world. |
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Post by lolalou on Jun 13, 2022 15:24:36 GMT
Well it didn’t take long. A girl called Joy (gnatch) has weighed in on Rodders account to accuse his nay sayers/reality checkers of bullying and a couple of the comments have disappeared.
I believe this is what existing in an echo chamber of praise is.
Also Theatreboard got a name check so if he hasn’t heard of it before he knows now so not certain whether ‘Joy’ was trying to help or add to the draaaaammma
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Post by Jon on Jun 13, 2022 15:46:45 GMT
I've said this before but no one has come out of this well apart from perhaps 1-2 people. The issue with ALW was a lot of it was simply poor producing and decision making and complaining to the media and making empty threats made people less sympathetic towards the show and himself.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 13, 2022 15:48:15 GMT
If anyone is attempting to bully others, it would be Joy. Trying to restrict freedom to comment in public posts is seeking to silence voices you don't like.
It will, of course, give Rodders another chance to play a victim card and gain some more attention
Perhaps it is better to ignore such an irrelevant person going forward. It is not as if they will be gracing the stage much in the future.
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Post by stagebyte on Jun 13, 2022 15:49:14 GMT
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 13, 2022 15:53:42 GMT
That was so clearly what he meant from the outset.
The rest is just attention seeking on the part of those with too much access to social media.
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Post by stagebyte on Jun 13, 2022 15:57:57 GMT
That was so clearly what he meant from the outset. The rest is just attention seeking on the part of those with too much access to social media. Exactly this. Even The Stage very clearly and carefully transcribed his words and this time didn’t make a deal about cast reaction. I think it’s just time to draw a line under this unfortunate incident and let it close with a last breath of dignity. |
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Post by Jonnyboy on Jun 13, 2022 15:58:43 GMT
That was so clearly what he meant from the outset. The rest is just attention seeking on the part of those with too much access to social media. Absolutely. I’m certain most people were delighted to have heard that sound bite. A hook to fit their narrative! Someone on Twitter has freeze framed the faces of the cast which “say everything”. Deary me. You can take select screen grabs from ANY piece of footage to reflect what you want to portray. What do they expect? Should the cast be grinning from ear to ear as if the wind has changed? |
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Post by mattnyc on Jun 13, 2022 15:59:36 GMT
I honest to God don’t understand how anyone could have thought he meant anything other than that. People need to CALM DOWN and stop needing to be outraged over everything.
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Post by stagebyte on Jun 13, 2022 16:03:19 GMT
I feel a lot of those commenting on social media have jumped on ‘costly mistake’ without reading the transcript or watching the various videos doing the rounds.
Cast/badly treated
ALW/super villain
A couple of well known theatre bloggers are still going on about ‘the cast deserving more’ but it’s fairly clear that he didn’t shade the cast he was clearly saying in retrospect trying to open a brand new musical during a pandemic was never going to end well.
And it didn’t.
The closing and re opening several times ALW said at the time he was paying the company and overheads for the theatre to sit empty.
It was ‘a costly mistake’
If he’d waited til now with the confidence in theatre returning it might’ve had more chance or not.
But the odds were stacked and he gave it a try in difficult/foolhardy? Circumstances.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 13, 2022 16:08:00 GMT
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