Carousel - Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

I rather like it too. The OAT tend to use unusual imagery in their initial marketing campaigns - Evita and the original JSC were of a similar type. I like the ghostly aspect, the sense of movement, the idea of characters being pulled in different directions (which is pretty true of all of them). The casting to date, Declan Bennett definitely isn't your usual musical theatre baritone but he does introspection very well - and Joanna Riding is always a plus point, and the artwork have actually piqued my interest.

Maybe that thingy round her in the poster is the ‘carousel’. Maybe it’s a metaphorical carousel!

Carly Bawden's voice is so ridiculously good, I keep going back to her performance of Starchild in Ghost Quartet (god I wish there had been a recording) and I love Joanna Riding too (though now that I think about it is her voice really suited to Nettie?), but I just don't see this role for Declan Bennett? He was my least favourite part of JCS and I can't imagine his voice is very suitable here. Maybe he's hiding a more legit sound in there but I'm a bit wary, and he's also too old for the role so performance and voice have a lot of work to do to make up for that.

I take back my words - I hadn't read the WOS article:

The show has also announced it will work with Refuge, a charity to aid those who are affected by domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence.

Sheadeer said today: "As with our previous reimagining of classic musicals, I am excited to remove the rose-tinted specs and examine this amazing piece through a 2021 lens. With new orchestrations by Tom Deering and Drew McOnie's distinctive choreographic language rethinking the role of dance in the storytelling, we look forward to inviting a new audience to Carousel. It's also important to us that, because of the story and content of Carousel, we are able to support the vital work of Refuge."

- Good call.

Ooh Declan as Billy. Like him. Didn’t have him pegged as a legit baritone though. Thought he was more of folky/poppy type?
It will be interesting to see what Drew McOnie does with the ballet though
Look forward to this one

Yeah, a couple of days ago Rebecca Caine was raging against the lowered keys

Ugh. She is so self obsessed. She’s always raging about something or posting photos of herself back when she had a career.

It'll certainly be interesting. It will certainly require direction and conviction. Nevertheless, it'll be great to hear You'll Never Walk Alone NOT sung in a football context

Maybe an Oklahoma style revival?

They're setting it in post-war England. There's a real colliery band /kitchen sink film vibe from the snippets of orchestrations I've dipped into on the podcast. It doesn't feel wrong - could be very exciting!

A Real Nice Clam Bake makes zero sense in a 1940s English setting...

Barm Cake instead perhaps?

Carousel being set in England will take some getting used to but I think it could work because unlike Oklahoma! and South Pacific, the setting isn't as important and the musical itself was adapted from Liliom which was set in Budapest.