8,162 posts
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Post by alece10 on Dec 6, 2019 14:24:02 GMT
So I saw this last night and... I LOVED IT. One of the biggest highlights of the year for me and the last musical I'm seeing this decade. Amara Okereke is a star in the show as Polly Browne but I also tip my hat off to Gabrielle Lewis-Dodson, Jack Butterworth, Tiffany Graves and Dylan Mason. The choreography is a true delight, sitting on the front row, I actually felt the vibrations from the tapping and leaping, it was truly breathtaking. I went in with a low mood after a stressful day but walking into the auditorium and seeing that light blue set, I began to smile. I must say I'm not terribly impressed with the reviews I've been reading discussing the thin plot. This is a musical from the 1920s, its purposely frivolous and this production takes pride in the madness of the situation. Still there is a real sincerity to the characters and you get a sense of the characters laughing at themselves particularly towards the end. Its a show that really cheers you up and with the rise of shows with more of an agenda, this was truly refreshing. I was hoping to stage door for this production but couldn't seem to find it, has anyone tried greeting the cast by any chance as I was hoping to meet Janie Dee? Lastly, I just watched WoS' Opening night video and lolled at Adrian Edmondson's "its a proper musical, the characters fall in love inside the song. It's not they fall in love and then they sing Britney Spears!... the SHADE! No stage door as such the cast exit through the bar area so if you hang around there after the performance you are sure to meet them. |
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Post by nick on Dec 6, 2019 16:07:06 GMT
Can anyone who's been describe what the "partial restriction in D/E 23/24 would be? I remember it's the same layout as Bridges but can't remember what the deal is with those seats. I’ve just booked a wheelchair place which is the front row somewhere around there. And I’ve been told there’s a pillar behind my head so a pillar is almost certainly the problem. |
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Post by spinliquid on Dec 19, 2019 15:43:45 GMT
Just announced that The Boy Friend will transfer to Toronto before a West End transfer. "A new production of THE BOY FRIEND by Sandy Wilson, the deliriously happy and joyful musical about young love, middle-aged love and older love, will be the final show of the 2019-20 Mirvish Subscription Season. Coming direct from an acclaimed, sell-out season at the prolific Menier Chocolate Factory in London and prior to a West End transfer, THE BOY FRIEND will be performed March 31 to May 3, 2020 at the Princess of Wales Theatre." - www.mirvish.com (TORONTO) |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2019 17:36:02 GMT
Thats a massive theatre for such a small production.
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Post by spinliquid on Dec 19, 2019 18:09:19 GMT
Thats a massive theatre for such a small production. I just looked it up, it is going from a 180 seat theatre in London to a 2000 seat theatre in Toronto. That is quite a change. |
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4,806 posts
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Post by Mark on Dec 20, 2019 0:46:32 GMT
It's a big venue, but it's taking over the subscription slot that "Hello, Dolly!" was originally in, so it should do well with subscribers anyway. Will be curious to see where it goes in the West End - very little in the way of Availability.
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Dec 21, 2019 18:48:40 GMT
Had a lot of fun. It's simple and non-sensical sometimes but there was brilliant dancing and singing and it was frequently funny with catchy songs which is sometimes all you want really.
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2,422 posts
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Post by robertb213 on Dec 28, 2019 22:02:02 GMT
Light and frothy as others have said, minimal brainpower required and you've got perky tunes and some lively dancing. It's a bit quaint and as vanilla as a show can be, but it was written in the 50s and set in the 20s, so that's a given really. Janie Dee still will never be the world's strongest singer but she's as watchable as always. And 2 two intervals didn't drag too much (I didn't even leave the auditorium for the first one, such a rebel).
E23 is only very minimally restricted, most of the time the pillar is directly adjecent to the action rather than impeding it. I think there was only small moments where characters were blocked briefly but you didn't miss anything.
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736 posts
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Post by dippy on Dec 29, 2019 0:38:33 GMT
E23 is only very minimally restricted, most of the time the pillar is directly adjecent to the action rather than impeding it. I think there was only small moments where characters were blocked briefly but you didn't miss anything. Do you think that would also be the case for the row D restricted view seats in front of where you sat then? I saw the show from B3 and kept thinking maybe I should have got one of the central restricted view seats instead as I felt a central view would have been better than a side view. May be tempted back to see it again. |
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2,422 posts
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Post by robertb213 on Dec 29, 2019 13:36:54 GMT
E23 is only very minimally restricted, most of the time the pillar is directly adjecent to the action rather than impeding it. I think there was only small moments where characters were blocked briefly but you didn't miss anything. Do you think that would also be the case for the row D restricted view seats in front of where you sat then? I saw the show from B3 and kept thinking maybe I should have got one of the central restricted view seats instead as I felt a central view would have been better than a side view. May be tempted back to see it again. Yeah I'd think row D would be equally fine, I really don't feel you miss anything (especially if you're already familiar with the show). Go for one seat in rather than the end one, just to be on the safe side 😀 |
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736 posts
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Post by dippy on Dec 29, 2019 14:14:28 GMT
Yeah I'd think row D would be equally fine, I really don't feel you miss anything (especially if you're already familiar with the show). Go for one seat in rather than the end one, just to be on the safe side 😀 Thank you! |
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Post by nick on Jan 3, 2020 0:47:02 GMT
Just returned from this. A great show.
My wife is a wheelchair user so we came in the middle entrance (instead of at the side) and were first in. Was immediately struck by the set. Gorgeous especially the lighting design.
I think I got the best seat. My own chair in front of the pillar at the apex. The maid, Hortense sang her solo straight at me - with eye contact for the long notes, only a couple of feet away. I was quite smitten! This seems particularly unfair as I get in cheap as my wife’s carer.
Well cast. Everyone was playing to their strengths - the dancers could really dance, singers sing etc. Obviously the plot didn’t really matter. We were there to be entertained and we certainly were.
After a disappointing panto on New Years Eve, this felt like the real Christmas show.
Good to see Richard E Grant in the audience. I hope he enjoyed it as much as we did.
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Post by nick on Jan 3, 2020 0:50:33 GMT
Can anyone who's been describe what the "partial restriction in D/E 23/24 would be? I remember it's the same layout as Bridges but can't remember what the deal is with those seats. I’ve just booked a wheelchair place which is the front row somewhere around there. And I’ve been told there’s a pillar behind my head so a pillar is almost certainly the problem. The pillar would stop the people behind from seeing the band and possibly a tiny bit of the action. But not a big deal. |
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543 posts
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Post by freckles on Jan 6, 2020 7:53:46 GMT
Gorgeous little show! Enjoyed the matinee on Sunday and thought it just delightful. I’m familiar with the show, so knew what to expect, but thought the casting superb and the staging and choreography spot on. The band was impressive too - and the lighting really beautiful.
It’s played with just the right amount of light hearted humour; while obviously an homage to frothy musicals of the 20s, the performances still manage to be engaging. I particularly loved Janie Dee’s Mme Dubonnet and Tiffany Graves’ Hortense. Ade Edmondson and Izzy Van-R are very funny too.
Some fantastic Charlestons, and it’s so pretty to look at. Could do with one less interval though. With only one exit, the auditorium is so slow to empty and I’m sure they could do the set change more quickly without the audience milling around the edges of the stage.
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Post by spinliquid on Jan 14, 2020 14:37:22 GMT
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Post by crabtree on Jan 14, 2020 19:16:35 GMT
I love this piece, and am intrigued to see this production when I can. What is the tone of the production - do they play it straight, or send it up a little, mocking it, which I hope they don't.
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Post by nick on Jan 14, 2020 20:52:16 GMT
I love this piece, and am intrigued to see this production when I can. What is the tone of the production - do they play it straight, or send it up a little, mocking it, which I hope they don't. No mocking. Played very straight. And all the better for it. |
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530 posts
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Post by jampot on Jan 14, 2020 21:03:35 GMT
Will I miss much from seat b3?
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Post by nick on Jan 15, 2020 20:46:09 GMT
Will I miss much from seat b3? edit: you shouldn't miss much although the piano on stage might be slightly obscured. Much of the action takes place at the other side of the stage but it's a small theatre so it shouldn't be a problem. |
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Jan 15, 2020 23:22:31 GMT
Will I miss much from seat b3? My mum was in B3 beside me and didn't miss a thing. Most of the action is performed to the gap in between the two sets of seats so you might be getting the profile of actors rather than the front but I'd say it's definitely worth it for the discount in price. You're right behind a pillar but nothing really happens behind it and you can pretty easily lean around it. Also you're right beside the orchestra so you can sneak a look at them if that's your thing (and they aren't too loud if that's a worry). |
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382 posts
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Post by stevemar on Jan 31, 2020 20:10:19 GMT
Also posted on Noticeboard - Sat 1 Feb 2020, 330 to 6pm.
One spare seat sitting next to me at the Boyfriend, Menier Chocolate Factory. Face value £42.50, but any offer considered. Payment fine on meeting.
Front row. 330-6pm Saturday.
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529 posts
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Post by ruby on Mar 7, 2020 21:42:30 GMT
Second interval and I am absolutely loving this! Can't believe how they can dance in such a small space!
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82 posts
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Post by ada92 on Mar 8, 2020 12:48:01 GMT
Was there at final matinee. What a talented cast and they put over the show in an amusing manner. The dancing and harmonies were outstanding. The setting at Menier is delightful - I had not been before, but will certainly consider going to other productions. Lucky Toronto residents!!
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530 posts
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Post by jampot on Mar 15, 2020 19:00:10 GMT
US shows cancelled..
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1,972 posts
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Post by sf on Mar 15, 2020 19:06:17 GMT
I know the Toronto run has been cancelled. Was it scheduled to play in the US as well?
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