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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2020 15:58:53 GMT
Impossible not to be happy about live theatre being announced and places like Southwark making an effort and giving things a go.
This musical though? A meh from me - I don't really get JRB at all (I actually hear more pleasing melody in Sondheim which is saying something) and two people going on about a tedious relationship; no thanks!
I know this show has it's fans though and am sure Southwark will pull it off.
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Post by anthony40 on Aug 13, 2020 17:33:34 GMT
Kudos to Southwalk Playhouse for being so pro-active and getting things going again.
They have always been forward thinking and use their spaces in the best possible way.
I have seen many, many shows (too many to mention) down there.
Although I've not actually seen this production, I love The Last 5 Years. It was my first introduction to Jason Robert Brown and I think his shows are just outstanding- especially Parade and The Bridges of Madison County.
I still get goosebumps whenever I describe The Donmar Warehouse's production of Parade.
I have seen him in concert several times, and have his CD. I've even met him once and had a pic with him.
For me, the great thing about the Last 5 Years is the intimacy of the performances and depending o how you're feeling, sometimes Jamie's the victim and it's all Cathy's fault. Other times, it's Jamie's fault and Catch is hard done by.
And then on other viewings, again depending on how you're feeling, your point of view could totally change,
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Post by alece10 on Aug 13, 2020 18:22:23 GMT
All booked with my PAYG ticket. Bubble of 1 so it will feel a bit strange having a screen either side of me. Hope they can accommodate the larger client or I might have a panic attack.
But great news that I'm seeing something.
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Post by Dr Tom on Aug 13, 2020 19:56:24 GMT
All booked with my PAYG ticket. Bubble of 1 so it will feel a bit strange having a screen either side of me. Hope they can accommodate the larger client or I might have a panic attack. But great news that I'm seeing something. I booked an aisle seat in the hope that means there's only a screen at one side. |
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Post by robertb213 on Aug 13, 2020 20:28:08 GMT
It's so great that the Southwark Playhouse are able to give this a go, and there is some lovely music in this show.
I got so bored in lockdown that I made myself a re-ordered version of the Jeremy Jordan film with all of the songs in chronological order rather than Cathy's going backwards. It did rather highlight that she's really needy and he's a tool! But it was fun 😂
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Post by alece10 on Aug 13, 2020 21:01:59 GMT
All booked with my PAYG ticket. Bubble of 1 so it will feel a bit strange having a screen either side of me. Hope they can accommodate the larger client or I might have a panic attack. But great news that I'm seeing something. I booked an aisle seat in the hope that means there's only a screen at one side. I might try and change my booking and do the same. |
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Post by anthony40 on Aug 13, 2020 21:08:44 GMT
It's so great that the Southwark Playhouse are able to give this a go, and there is some lovely music in this show. I got so bored in lockdown that I made myself a re-ordered version of the Jeremy Jordan film with all of the songs in chronological order rather than Cathy's going backwards. It did rather highlight that she's really needy and he's a tool! But it was fun 😂 Did you also notice that when things are going well it's light but when things start to turn, it becomes darker? Also when Cathy is auditioning she on the set for Avenue Q Broadway and the pianist is Jason Robert Brown? |
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Post by robertb213 on Aug 13, 2020 21:16:16 GMT
It's so great that the Southwark Playhouse are able to give this a go, and there is some lovely music in this show. I got so bored in lockdown that I made myself a re-ordered version of the Jeremy Jordan film with all of the songs in chronological order rather than Cathy's going backwards. It did rather highlight that she's really needy and he's a tool! But it was fun 😂 Did you also notice that when things are going well it's light but when things start to turn, it becomes darker? Also when Cathy is auditioning she on the set for Avenue Q Broadway and the pianist is Jason Robert Brown? And Sherie Rene Scott from the original Broadway cast is one of the people on the auditioning panel as well 😀 |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Aug 14, 2020 10:25:24 GMT
Booked. Seats will be allocated once they know how many people have booked and the group dynamics ie 5 parties of 4, 10 singles and 20 couples.
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Post by Dr Tom on Aug 14, 2020 10:42:31 GMT
Booked. Seats will be allocated once they know how many people have booked and the group dynamics ie 5 parties of 4, 10 singles and 20 couples. Where do you see that? It looked like an assigned seat number when I booked yesterday and I chose my performance and seat carefully because of it. |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Aug 14, 2020 11:03:44 GMT
Booked. Seats will be allocated once they know how many people have booked and the group dynamics ie 5 parties of 4, 10 singles and 20 couples. Where do you see that? It looked like an assigned seat number when I booked yesterday and I chose my performance and seat carefully because of it. I rang up as I exchanged my tickets for Operation Mincemeat to this one |
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Post by alece10 on Aug 14, 2020 11:26:23 GMT
I can confirm that is the case. Just got off the phone to the box office as I wanted to try and change my booking as I have booked a single seat and I was a bit concerned that I would feel a bit claustrophobic with a screen either side. I thought I would see if I could change to an end of row seat. They said basically the same thing to me that you wont necessarily be sitting in the seats you booked online and they will be allocating seats depending on group sizes.
So what I have done is bought an extra seat which means that I will have 2 seats in my "bubble" and a bit more space with the screens.
I will just have to clap twice as hard and buy 2 ice creams.
Just grateful that I am finally going to see something this year.
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Post by Dr Tom on Aug 14, 2020 11:46:11 GMT
I rang up as I exchanged my tickets for Operation Mincemeat to this one I can confirm that is the case. Thanks both. That must be well hidden on the website. I suspect they'll only move people if strictly necessary, so probably nothing to worry about. It's a small enough crowd anyway. |
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Post by woobl on Aug 17, 2020 11:55:31 GMT
I was worried about the allocated vs unallocated seating but just spoke to someone on the phone who confirmed that people will definitely be sitting in the seats that they were allocated.
They said that they were just being overly cautious with people during the initial booking period, as they thought there was a tiny chance they might have to make small adjustments within groups only. However, they said the seats will almost certainly be the exact ones you book according to the plan and they are just inserting the Perspex screens between bookings so it's really straightforward.
Apparently a few people have called about it so they have updated their website FAQ's to explain that people will be in the seats they booked according to the plan. Maybe just a case of being over-cautious in these weird times?
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Post by alece10 on Aug 17, 2020 16:49:15 GMT
I was worried about the allocated vs unallocated seating but just spoke to someone on the phone who confirmed that people will definitely be sitting in the seats that they were allocated. They said that they were just being overly cautious with people during the initial booking period, as they thought there was a tiny chance they might have to make small adjustments within groups only. However, they said the seats will almost certainly be the exact ones you book according to the plan and they are just inserting the Perspex screens between bookings so it's really straightforward. Apparently a few people have called about it so they have updated their website FAQ's to explain that people will be in the seats they booked according to the plan. Maybe just a case of being over-cautious in these weird times? Thats really interesting as its completely different to what I was told and the girl I spoke to went to great lengths to explain that seat allocations will be done nearer the time. In fact when I changed my booking from a single seat to 2 the seats allocated on my confirmation e mail weren't even showing as available on the plan. So will be interesting to see what I end up with. I'm not too worried though as the place isn't very big but seems as if they are not all singing from the same hymn book which is a bit annoying. |
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Post by zahidf on Sept 1, 2020 10:33:56 GMT
Oli Higginson and Molly Lynch are back for this
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Post by alece10 on Sept 1, 2020 11:26:16 GMT
Oli Higginson and Molly Lynch are back for this Are these the same 2 people who were in it before? I'm not familiar with either of them. |
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Post by Theatre Fan on Sept 1, 2020 13:09:51 GMT
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Post by LaLuPone on Sept 1, 2020 15:27:30 GMT
Oli Higginson and Molly Lynch are back for this Are these the same 2 people who were in it before? I'm not familiar with either of them. They are yes. If you saw the last Sunset Boulevard tour, Molly was Betty for that and she also went on a few times in Dove Cameron’s place in Light in the Piazza last year. |
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Post by alece10 on Sept 1, 2020 17:02:46 GMT
Are these the same 2 people who were in it before? I'm not familiar with either of them. They are yes. If you saw the last Sunset Boulevard tour, Molly was Betty for that and she also went on a few times in Dove Cameron’s place in Light in the Piazza last year. Thanks for that. No I didn't see the tour of Sunset just the show at the ENO with Glenn Close and when I saw Piazza Dove was on. (Mind you I had never heard of her either) Looking forward to this as it will be my first musical since the closure of theatres. |
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Post by stevej678 on Sept 14, 2020 12:13:08 GMT
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Post by nisev on Oct 6, 2020 16:08:12 GMT
Some of the songs were filmed for What's On Stage:
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Post by sprampster on Oct 6, 2020 16:45:34 GMT
Outstanding production and team at Southwark have gone all out to ensure audience safety. Stellar production GO SEE
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Post by westendcub on Oct 9, 2020 11:37:37 GMT
Great news, the full production was filmed & is available to watch in late November for £15 www.stream.theatre/homeI was at this show once again for press night on Monday. Firstly Southwark have done a great job making it COVID safe, yes it’s a little tighter now in the seats with a screen between yourself or bubble partner but it’s a measure meaning this show can be performed! It’s a 5 star production with 2 beautiful performances, glorious set design & lighting - I believed I reviewed last March but loved it just much as last time!! |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2020 21:42:44 GMT
I'm afraid this didn't grab me - I love The Last Five Years but wasn't impressed by many aspects of this.
Molly Lynch is a beautiful singer but the choreography is far too fussy to allow her to really get into the character - she spends far too much time moving around for the sake of moving so her expressions and gestures don't have time to land.
Oli Higginson sounded as if he was trying too hard, and it showed by the end as he could barely sing the last song, and the show was only 90 minutes long. It was all too big and loud for me, not enough light and shade. Again, part of the problem for me was the staging - far too much movement in far too little space - the grand piano dominated the stage and didn't leave much room for anything else, which meant the constant distraction of jumping on and off and around the piano.
All of that put together meant that I didn't get much sense of a relationship coming together enough for it then to fall apart as dramatically as the story suggests. Nor did I get any real sense of why it did.
So all in all it left me rather cold, and indeed it didn't get half the laughs I've seen previous productions get, so perhaps I'm not the only one. It's a shame, because I was hugely looking forward to it.
Regardless though, it was still a joy to be back in a full theatre and to see peformers doing what they do best live on stage after so long. All the measures Southwark have put in place work perfectly, and the plexiglass isn't an issue or irritant in the slightest (also works handily as a mirror at times when the performers have their backs to you and are lit just right!).
More theatres should be trying this, as there is no reason why it can't be used to get full houses back now rather than in the very distant future!
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