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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2020 11:52:55 GMT
The talent- outstanding and the messages sincere however it just frustrates me that they are all there to raise funds for their charitable cause and celebrate the life of a living legend, yet with so many songs to choose from ,some shows were completely left out! My alternative take is that previous Sondheim celebrations—many available on DVD— provide more than enough coverage of the hits that this one did not address. I am grateful for some incredible interpretations of songs we don't get to hear as regularly, particularly from such a talented group of performers. Interviews suggest the artists chose songs that reflect the uncertainty of the times and ones they wanted to sing to celebrate Sondheim. I love Forum, but not many songs in that show, for one example, would really be in sync with the current environment. And Esparza has stated in interviews that he organized the group as a birthday tribute to the master and that the charitable component came afterwards. |
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Post by theatremadness on Apr 29, 2020 13:32:54 GMT
According to the Sondheim thread, forever...whatever that is!!! So the Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration concert (sigh). I just spent the past two and a half hours watching this and (I'm not gonna lie to you) I feel an enormous amount of frustration. It is clear the amount of time and effort that has gone into this and instead of some formal concert with women in glitzy dresses and men in tuxedos in a formal concert environment, they have done incredibly well with the zooming technology and have picked the crop of (mainly) current Broadway performers. The talent- outstanding and the messages sincere however it just frustrates me that they are all there to raise funds for their charitable cause and celebrate the life of a living legend, yet with so many songs to choose from ,some shows were completely left out! How can this be? Look, I LOVE Sondheim- love him, his shows and everything even remotely Sondheimish-I wanna be him for Christmas. Lol! However, surely if you're celebrating the life of such a highly recognised genius, how can you just completely leave shows out? Despite making visual references, there was nothing from West Side Story, Gypsy, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum or RoadShow. We got one song only from Passion and Pacific Overtures. We got one song only from Assassins that was cut! So not even a song that anyone knew! Only two songs from A Little Night Music?  ?? RoadShow may as well never exist! I loved What Can You Loose from the Dick Tracey movie that Judy Khun sang. Also Ladies Who lunch by Christine Baranski, Meryl Street and Audra McDonald Randy Rainbow I just found both distracting and disturbing in equal measure- so much so, that I just skipped ahead. Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford singing More On-just sublime. No even a decent picture or photograph of Sondheim himself. Perhaps I raise both the bar and my expectation too high but as pleased as I am to have seen this, don't need to see this again. Grrr! Gosh you found quite a lot to complain about in such a wonderful, free event! I'd hazard that since Sondheim didn't write the music for either WSS or Gypsy, none of the artists involved chose to sing from those shows. The above board member is right, seeing as the artists are claimed to have chosen their own songs, I’m not surprised that some of the more obscure or political shows didn't get as much air-time as others. As much as we're here to celebrate Sondheim (which they certainly did!), you don't want to alienate people with 2 1/2 hours of completely unknown music even though many watching will have been pursuits. Personally I would've liked to have heard Being Alive, but when I think back to what we *did* get, I’m hardly in a position to complain. Also, what was “distracting” and “disturbing” about Randy Rainbow? I found that an interesting thing for you to say. He provided one of the few moments of comedy during the event. |
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Post by 49thand8th on Apr 29, 2020 14:08:04 GMT
I was surprised at the negativity I saw on my own social media feeds about Randy Rainbow. I have a few theories:
* he reminds people of how enthusiastic about theatre they were when they were kids, because there is definitely an unabashed vibrancy you don't see from a lot of performers.
* his videos are clever but also silly and are very big with the #resistancemom Baby Boomer set, who some may find cringey,
* he's theatre-adjacent, not really making his career in theatre but definitely playing homage to it on a regular basis. But he's not in the "cool kids" group.
* he's obv an excellent video producer so the format of his segment was markedly different than everyone else's stripped-down self-tapes and may have been perceived as showing off, though the costumes, saturated colors, and green screens are basically what he's famous for.
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Post by alece10 on Apr 29, 2020 14:33:19 GMT
Just read an article in Metro and it maybe of interest to any Eurovision fans.
Saturday is The Isolation Song Contest. Various celebs performing original songs representing various countries. Mel Giedroyc representing Itaaly and Mans Zelmerlow is representing UK. Worth watching just for him. The audience vote at the end and it's for charity. Sounds a bit of camp fun.
Saturday 8pm isolationsongcontest.com
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2020 17:43:27 GMT
I was surprised at the negativity I saw on my own social media feeds about Randy Rainbow. I have a few theories: * he reminds people of how enthusiastic about theatre they were when they were kids, because there is definitely an unabashed vibrancy you don't see from a lot of performers. * his videos are clever but also silly and are very big with the #resistancemom Baby Boomer set, who some may find cringey, * he's theatre-adjacent, not really making his career in theatre but definitely playing homage to it on a regular basis. But he's not in the "cool kids" group. * he's obv an excellent video producer so the format of his segment was markedly different than everyone else's stripped-down self-tapes and may have been perceived as showing off, though the costumes, saturated colors, and green screens are basically what he's famous for. I think you nailed it here. I loved what he did, but a few people in my feed really did not like the shift in tone and/or how much he stood out compared to others. |
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Post by 49thand8th on Apr 29, 2020 18:05:35 GMT
I do really like Randy Rainbow's work as a whole, but yeah, the tonal shift was jarring. Even if his video for Sondheim wasn't as pointed or sassy as his own work.
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Post by CG on the loose on Apr 30, 2020 11:25:03 GMT
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Post by david on Apr 30, 2020 13:38:23 GMT
The Donmar Warehouse is delighted to announce that Artistic Director Michael Longhurst will direct a special online production of Midnight Your Time by writer Adam Brace.
Starring acclaimed stage and screen actor Diana Quick Midnight Your Time will premiere on the Donmar Warehouse’s YouTube Channel at 7.30pm 13 May 2020. The production will then be available to watch for 7 days.
“I’m sure you’ll joke this is not the first one way conversation we’ve ever had…”
Every Thursday, Judy tries to talk to her daughter online. Judy calls from Islington; her daughter is in Palestine.
It's 2010 and retired lawyer Judy is stuck at home, casting around for ways to occupy herself: with a women’s peace league; with local politics; with her daughter’s life.
Donmar Warehouse Artistic Director Michael Longhurst directs Diana Quick in this smart one-woman play specially written for her by Adam Brace.
Recorded via webcam in Diana Quick’s home during the Coronavirus lockdown in April 2020, Midnight Your Time is a wryly comic and ultimately heartbreaking exploration of what it really means to communicate remotely.
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Post by Forrest on Apr 30, 2020 13:43:28 GMT
Recorded via webcam in Diana Quick’s home during the Coronavirus lockdown in April 2020, Midnight Your Time is a wryly comic and ultimately heartbreaking exploration of what it really means to communicate remotely. I don't know why, but the part in bold really made me smile... I think the number of these kinds of 'explorations' has reached its historical peak. But, happy to see what Mr Longhurst will bring to the conversation... |
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Post by david on Apr 30, 2020 13:47:20 GMT
Recorded via webcam in Diana Quick’s home during the Coronavirus lockdown in April 2020, Midnight Your Time is a wryly comic and ultimately heartbreaking exploration of what it really means to communicate remotely. I don't know why, but the part in bold really made me smile... I think the number of these kinds of 'explorations' has reached its historical peak. But, happy to see what Mr Longhurst will bring to the conversation... I'll definitely be watching it. |
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Post by frosty on Apr 30, 2020 14:02:52 GMT
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Post by cropley on Apr 30, 2020 14:08:24 GMT
Apparently The Barbershop Chronicles will be the next National Theatre At Home screening.
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Post by theatreian on Apr 30, 2020 15:32:45 GMT
There is a new series on YouTube written by Julie Graham called Dun Breedin. Its on every Thursday and Tuesday at 3pm Episode one is below. Parts of it were a bit like Talking Heads , it was done during the lockdown so well done to them for putting it together.Its not laugh a minute and will not appeal to everyone. Mind you there is not much that will appeal to everyone!
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Post by theatreian on Apr 30, 2020 15:45:59 GMT
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Post by Hamilton Addict on Apr 30, 2020 16:01:59 GMT
Apologies if this has already been asked or answered, but does anyone have a recommendation for which version of Frankenstein to watch (i.e. Cumberbatch as the Monster or Cumberbatch as Frankenstein)? I only really have time to watch one of them, but was a little uncertain as to which one was perhaps better.
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Post by Forrest on Apr 30, 2020 16:04:44 GMT
Hamilton Addict , I'd say go for the version in which Cumberbatch is Victor Frankenstein and Lee Miller the Creature, which is on tomorrow. I definitely preferred that one.
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Post by NeilVHughes on Apr 30, 2020 16:21:43 GMT
Midnight Your Time by Adam Brace
An online premiere from the Donmar Warehouse
The Donmar Warehouse is delighted to announce that Artistic Director Michael Longhurst will direct a special online production of Midnight Your Time by writer Adam Brace.
Starring acclaimed stage and screen actor Diana Quick Midnight Your Time will premiere on the
Donmar Warehouse’s YouTube Channel at 7.30pm 13 May 2020.
The production will then be available to watch for 7 days.
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Post by David J on Apr 30, 2020 16:42:52 GMT
I found cumberbatch a more convincing monster than miller personally
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2020 16:59:31 GMT
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Post by Forrest on Apr 30, 2020 17:13:34 GMT
I found cumberbatch a more convincing monster than miller personally I was expecting someone to write that, and would be really curious to know why? :) My reason is mostly physique-influenced, tbh: Cumberbatch struck me as somehow both too elegant and too lanky for the Creature, his movements didn't seem as natural as Lee Miller's, who managed to better embody the clumsiness of the Creature and his/(its?) physical struggles for me. Don't get me wrong, I like them both as actors, and I think they were both absolutely terrific in the play, but it was that nuance that was crucial for me. |
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Post by crowblack on Apr 30, 2020 18:36:55 GMT
I'm watching Frankenstein but the picture sometimes seems a bit blurred and 'blocky' - is that how it was on screen, or is it due to the number of viewers on the livestream? On previous Thursdays I've waited till after dark to watch, rather than live, and the picture has always been crisp.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2020 19:19:36 GMT
I loved both, but preferred Cumberbatch as the creature. I think because he was more physical, and partly because Cumberbatch as aristocrat and Miller as monster type is a bit more predictable based on what I knew of their work previously.
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Post by partytentdown on May 1, 2020 10:07:08 GMT
Am I right in thinking the cut a scene in the recording?
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2020 10:10:02 GMT
Am I right in thinking the cut a scene in the recording?
I don't know it it was a whole scene (I can't remember the original in enough detail) but there was a really jarring jump from the Creature grabbing Elizabeth to everyone wailing and her lying dead. It was really clunky, and I can't think why they'd have cut it there.
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Post by jgblunners on May 1, 2020 10:16:22 GMT
Am I right in thinking the cut a scene in the recording?
I don't know it it was a whole scene (I can't remember the original in enough detail) but there was a really jarring jump from the Creature grabbing Elizabeth to everyone wailing and her lying dead. It was really clunky, and I can't think why they'd have cut it there.
I haven't seen the recording so don't know if this was cut, but this is what I remember of that scene from seeing it on stage. Quite graphic so I'll put it in spoilers for anyone who might find it unpleasant: {Spoiler - click to view}
There was a sequence in which the creature chased her around the room, grabbed her and dragged her to the bed, and then raped her. When Victor walked in and threatened to shoot the creature, he snapped her neck and fled out of a window. |
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?? RoadShow may as well never exist!
