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Post by amp09 on Sept 17, 2021 9:44:22 GMT
I finally saw Carousel this afternoon, considered it a three-star okay show and agree with most of the previous comments. The second act dragged a bit and I found myself nodding off twice. One query. The barker was played today by a male performer acting as a woman - is that usual ? He was fairly young with long hair and bore a passing resemblance to Noel Fielding. She was terrible when I saw it. Fluffed her lines quite a few times and overacted every scene she was in. |
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Sept 17, 2021 10:54:31 GMT
I finally saw Carousel this afternoon, considered it a three-star okay show and agree with most of the previous comments. The second act dragged a bit and I found myself nodding off twice. One query. The barker was played today by a male performer acting as a woman - is that usual ? He was fairly young with long hair and bore a passing resemblance to Noel Fielding. She's a trans woman so uses she/her pronouns (and also Billy is the barker, she owns the carousel). Must stop posting in the middle of the night while fighting sleep, thanks for info. |
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Post by jennapatchell on Sept 17, 2021 10:59:41 GMT
I finally saw Carousel this afternoon, considered it a three-star okay show and agree with most of the previous comments. The second act dragged a bit and I found myself nodding off twice. One query. The barker was played today by a male performer acting as a woman - is that usual ? He was fairly young with long hair and bore a passing resemblance to Noel Fielding. She was terrible when I saw it. Fluffed her lines quite a few times and overacted every scene she was in. Yes I agree. Awful performance |
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Post by FairyGodmother on Sept 17, 2021 11:54:22 GMT
I thought Jo Eaton-Kent was non-binary? I remember some of the publicity from The Watch. I only made it through one episode though (it was just too different from the books for me to enjoy), so that might have just been their character in that.
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Sept 17, 2021 12:04:17 GMT
I thought Jo Eaton-Kent was non-binary? I remember some of the publicity from The Watch. I only made it through one episode though (it was just too different from the books for me to enjoy), so that might have just been their character in that. Oh yeah my mistake, I hadn't read anything that referred to her with anything other than she/her pronouns but their twitter bio says they use she/they so you're right, they're non-binary. I only read as far as their handle so didn't realise she was using trans in a catch all context, I should've double checked. |
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Post by abitoftap on Sept 17, 2021 13:15:25 GMT
A Carousel Instagram thing (story? I'm confused by these modern things..) states that they're trying to do a cast recording, and seemed pretty hopeful it would happen.
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3,428 posts
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Post by ceebee on Sept 18, 2021 12:16:49 GMT
Saw this again last night - Declan Bennett is an excellent actor. Really lives the parts he plays. Agree with others - Jo Eaton Kent is awful as Mrs Mullins. Shouts her words and thinks acting is about eye rolls end hair flicking. No probs whatsoever with trans actors provided they can act.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 18, 2021 12:29:41 GMT
Saw this again last night - Declan Bennett is an excellent actor. Really lives the parts he plays. Agree with others - Jo Eaton Kent is awful as Mrs Mullins. Shouts her words and thinks acting is about eye rolls end hair flicking. No probs whatsoever with trans actors provided they can act. I agree Declan acted it well, and for a live performance the singing was fine. But would I want to listen to him on a recording? Not so much. |
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Post by barrowside on Sept 18, 2021 14:27:18 GMT
I can't get over to see it so would love a recording to hear those orchestrations.
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5,817 posts
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Post by mrbarnaby on Sept 18, 2021 16:10:56 GMT
Saw this again last night - Declan Bennett is an excellent actor. Really lives the parts he plays. Agree with others - Jo Eaton Kent is awful as Mrs Mullins. Shouts her words and thinks acting is about eye rolls end hair flicking. No probs whatsoever with trans actors provided they can act. To be fair- that character is always played badly. Everyone is desperate to make it count - when it really doesn’t! |
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Post by jgblunners on Sept 18, 2021 16:31:19 GMT
Saw this again last night - Declan Bennett is an excellent actor. Really lives the parts he plays. Agree with others - Jo Eaton Kent is awful as Mrs Mullins. Shouts her words and thinks acting is about eye rolls end hair flicking. No probs whatsoever with trans actors provided they can act. To be fair- that character is always played badly. Everyone is desperate to make it count - when it really doesn’t! Charlotte Riby was on for Mrs Mullins when I saw a preview at OAT and I thought she was superb and pitched it just right! |
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1,997 posts
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Post by distantcousin on Sept 18, 2021 22:49:39 GMT
Putting aside the production itself - has anyone commented on the way the credits and cast list are laid out in the programme. Is there a new equality directive at Regent's Park Open Air? It seems that the company listing is in alphabetical order by actor, not in order of appearance or even character. That's not so bad, but the Creative team listing is also in alphabetical order by staff member - so the Associate Set designer is listed first, followed by the associate director then the casting director etc.etc. We have to go down 12 names until we get to a designer. The choreographer is two names below that. Seriously, this might make for easy negotiation on the part of the theatre ( "everything is alphabetical") but for the theatregoer this sort of billing is a source of frustration. The theatre is not a democracy. Not all jobs are equal. There needs to be a recognition of that. Communistic billing! 🙄🙄🙄 |
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Post by distantcousin on Sept 18, 2021 22:52:14 GMT
I finally saw Carousel this afternoon, considered it a three-star okay show and agree with most of the previous comments. The second act dragged a bit and I found myself nodding off twice. One query. The barker was played today by a male performer acting as a woman - is that usual ? He was fairly young with long hair and bore a passing resemblance to Noel Fielding. It was incredibly distracting casting |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Sept 19, 2021 7:54:27 GMT
I finally saw Carousel this afternoon, considered it a three-star okay show and agree with most of the previous comments. The second act dragged a bit and I found myself nodding off twice. One query. The barker was played today by a male performer acting as a woman - is that usual ? He was fairly young with long hair and bore a passing resemblance to Noel Fielding. It was incredibly distracting casting Why? This production is set in modern day UK and thankfully people now feel much comfortable living in the way you describe |
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Post by fiyero on Sept 19, 2021 9:48:22 GMT
It was incredibly distracting casting Why? This production is set in modern day UK and thankfully people now feel much comfortable living in the way you describe Is it modern day? I thought it was 50-60 years ago in the new setting? |
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Post by Dr Tom on Sept 19, 2021 11:52:04 GMT
Why? This production is set in modern day UK and thankfully people now feel much comfortable living in the way you describe I thought it was set in 1950s? Although I suspect that you would not see diversity of the type on stage in the NE England of that time period. That isn't a criticism, as I doubt you have seen many whalers in the docks, or a whole load of local island with claims either. It is good to see the wealth of people across our nation represented. I suspect casting a non-binary actor as Mrs Mullin is designed to make you question Billy's own sexuality, why he has chosen to conform and if he can ever be happy in a traditional marriage to a woman (hence his later rage and the amendments to the second half of the show). But I could be reading too much into this... |
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Post by distantcousin on Sept 19, 2021 12:23:01 GMT
Why? This production is set in modern day UK and thankfully people now feel much comfortable living in the way you describe Is it modern day? I thought it was 50-60 years ago in the new setting?
It's non specific time and place, but it's certainly not modern day. At least 60 years ago.
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1,997 posts
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Post by distantcousin on Sept 19, 2021 12:23:55 GMT
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Post by Someone in a tree on Sept 19, 2021 12:29:15 GMT
I finally saw Carousel this afternoon, considered it a three-star okay show and agree with most of the previous comments. The second act dragged a bit and I found myself nodding off twice. One query. The barker was played today by a male performer acting as a woman - is that usual ? He was fairly young with long hair and bore a passing resemblance to Noel Fielding. It was incredibly distracting casting Why is it distracting? |
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Post by inthenose on Sept 19, 2021 12:30:55 GMT
Here we go...
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1,997 posts
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Post by distantcousin on Sept 19, 2021 13:24:36 GMT
It was incredibly distracting casting Why is it distracting? Well, if you need a list of reasons.... Anyhow, moving on. |
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Post by fiyero on Sept 21, 2021 13:51:07 GMT
Just listed a ticket to giveaway for this for tomorrow (22nd) evening on the notice board. A good opportunity if someone wants to see the show but not spend money on it.
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2,245 posts
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Post by richey on Sept 21, 2021 22:57:17 GMT
Well I've given it three stars based on seeing it this evening. Having had the tube journey back to my hotel to process my thoughts, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I've never seen or heard any previous productions so have nothing to compare it to.
I really enjoyed the choreography and loved the orchestrations but either the sound was bad tonight or there was some poor diction because I missed a lot of what was being sung in some of the songs.
Overall I think I'm glad to have seen it but just left feeling a little underwhelmed.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Sept 23, 2021 7:03:54 GMT
I saw it last night and absolutely loved it. I found it beautiful and Billy's last "If I Loved You" reprise moved me in a deeper way than the traditionally more saccharine ending usually does. I loved the orchestrations and I really hope it gets recorded, the whole cast is brilliant. A couple of years ago I saw Joanna Riding reprising her Julie Jordan at Cadogan Hall, and it was wonderful to see her as Nettie. Honestly, if it wasn't closing in a couple of days – and they had rush tickets – I'd go see it again. Also, I didn't think Mrs Mullin was over the top at all, and I liked how she could be somehow protective toward Julie, despite her jealousy and nasty remarks. Her casting was not distracting or gimmicky, but very in tune with the themes and concept of this production: trans women are, after all, victims of a shocking amount of violence, domestic and otherwise. I thought the new ending worked very well, and I have only a couple of small quibbles. I wish they hadn't trimmed the Mr Snow reprise so much, and I like it better when Julie starts singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" but she's overcome with emotion and Nettie finishes it for her. But it was a fantastic night at the theatre, at least for me. |
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Sept 23, 2021 12:46:11 GMT
Carousel was my first show since March 2020 in person - - - I'm glad it was! I saw this on Monday and completely concur with the above couldileaveyou. Mr Snow stole the show in my opinion as did Carrie. So funny. Mrs Mullin was so engaging, she had a slip on the stage but covered it up well. Looks quite hard to navigate so hope she was OK after. I got so teary at June is Bustin' Out All Over. There's an interlude and the cast were holding hands (I think?!) staring out, being in the moment and the audience went WILD. It made me feel giddy and wow. I felt like the creatives were sensitive to the themes and I was worried it would be pretentious but was pleasantly surprised. AMAZING, would recommend seeing this before it closes on Saturday. |
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