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Post by distantcousin on May 3, 2016 13:41:49 GMT
Do you think most of the audiences got the significance of the body floating in mid air.......certainly my neighbours did not. I'm not sure they had any clue what was going on actually. I think a lot (too much) knowledge is assumed (by directors, in this case Lonny Price) of the plot of Sunset Boulevard. It is a VERY old film now, and plenty of the wider public have never seen it, so unlike us as not predicting what is going to happen in terms of plot. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 3, 2016 13:51:22 GMT
Even if confused at the start, surely anyone would have an "aaaaaah now I SEE" moment when the body goes back down Into the pool at the end? Surely?
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Post by PalelyLaura on May 3, 2016 14:14:39 GMT
Even if confused at the start, surely anyone would have an "aaaaaah now I SEE" moment when the body goes back down Into the pool at the end? Surely? I didn't, I have to admit. I still don't know what the point of the body was. It seemed totally unnecessary to me. |
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Post by londonmzfitz on May 3, 2016 15:36:59 GMT
Really enjoyed the show tonight...Glenn voice cracked for just a second during the final note of With One Look but she recovered and she held on to that note for what seemed like forever. She just amazed me. Everything else she did on that stage was just perfection in my eyes. I couldnt stop looking at her. Rest of the cast were great, the standout for me apart from Glenn would have to be Siobhan Dillon. I just love her voice. They really seemed to be running out of merchandise at the stands...suppose it is now the last week...but managed to get the unsigned print of the costume designs and then Glenn Close signed it for me at the stage door. Was sitting Row B of the stalls seat 20, pretty much dead centre...amazing view. A great night...I regret not going sooner, but it really was something special. Even chatting to audience members during the interval was nice...got chatting with a woman who came all the way from Israel just to see it. Stage Door was manic, but Glenn signed for as many people as she could...I could tell some people were really disappointed not to get to see her. As she signed my programme as well as the print...I swapped my programme with the unsigned one from the lady behind me at the barriers because she couldnt make it through the crowd. All in all a good night. How lovely of you to swap programmes! Ditto. |
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Post by westendwendy on May 3, 2016 16:57:52 GMT
I wish they would transfer this with Ria Jones as Norma for a limited run elsewhere. This 5 week run has been incredible and has made a star of Ria. Be so sad for it to come to nothing...
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 3, 2016 22:42:25 GMT
I wish they would transfer this with Ria Jones as Norma for a limited run elsewhere. This 5 week run has been incredible and has made a star of Ria. Be so sad for it to come to nothing... Tour it! |
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2016 15:04:04 GMT
Saw this for the third time last night (the second having been Glenn's comeback/return last Monday post flu/serious chest infection/day on a drip etc)
Happy to report Glenn's voice was dramatically improved so clearly the illness did knock her for six singing wise.
ANYWAY, I know the debate's got boring now but I remain of the camp that the perfect Norma would be a great actor AND a great singer. They don't need to be mutually exclusive. And for me LuPone, Buckley and EP were better. Just IMHO natch.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2016 19:16:19 GMT
Today was my Big Day; I attended the matinee.
I knew things were off to a good start when a) the sun was shining, b) I bumped into Michael Xavier in the street (okay, that bit is a fib- I was loitering with intent and struck lucky) and he signed my ticket before the show, and c) I was chatted up by someone by the Gentlemen’s Powder Room (and that hasn’t happened to me since the Palace Theatre balcony tickets went up from 55p to 75p)… But I digress.
I have read every post on this resurrection of the show since it started, following every twist and turn, and rather stubbornly held onto the opinion that nothing could beat the original London production which featured a Leading Lady who could sing.
But I was wrong to doubt.
I found the whole production a sensation!
I agree with almost all the positive comments about Glenn Close who, to me, was Norma Desmond, the vulnerable, manipulative, deluded Has Been. Her “singing” suited the role completely, so that by the end, after that wonderful montage of scenes leading up to the shooting, my chest started to swell in that way it does when you know you’re witnessing something magical. Anyone else ever feel that?
I thought the other leads were all outstanding. I disagree with some who found Michael Xavier’s Joe a bit lightweight, lacking the snide cynicism. I found his facial expressions conveyed it quite clearly, although perhaps they didn’t come across in such a large venue. Siobhan Dillon- what a voice! Fred Johanson- what a presence! And when the chorus sang, they sang!
We had a thread on here a while ago about what makes the perfect musical, and after seeing this again after quite a long break, I reckon this one comes pretty close. It seems to have everything: a story the audience can get immediately with predictable and unpredictable threads; believable yet at the same time exaggerated characters, a lavish score with soaring songs, haunting melodies, repeated themes and hummable recitative, all with clear and witty lyrics. Here we had the perfect cast, a stunning looking set- without perhaps the grandeur of John Napier’s original- and some impressive lighting thrown in…
There were some strange direction choices I think: the floating body which didn’t quite work, some scenes were played almost too far to one side, and the Lady’s Paying scene, where I thought I was watching a musical version of Are You being Served? However, I found myself liking the Young Norma, although there was one scene (I can’t remember which now) that was crying out for her but she never appeared…
The Unsung Hero Award goes to the Musical Maestro Michael Reed, whose talent I have always admired, and without whom that wonderful orchestra of musicians would not have been half as good. I take my hat off to all of them, especially the violinist on the right who could so easily have taken a little sneaky peek at the other Michael when he whipped his trunks off but she didn’t. She kept her eye on the music and played on.
I still have incredibly fond memories of the original London show, but I am so pleased I swallowed my pride and booked for this. I am truly sorry that some of our friends missed their chance to see Glenn (I’m thinking of poor Sue) when they really wanted to. I wasn’t at all bothered about seeing her but I did. And I am glad.
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Post by longinthetooth on May 4, 2016 20:27:13 GMT
I was at the matinee too, Caiaphas! Dress Circle - which, incidentally, had rows B and C virtually empty apart from the cheaper seats at the side - cancelled coach party, perhaps? Lots of 'musical chairs' during the interval, which suited me as I then had an uninterrupted view. It was my first (and only) visit, and I was totally blown away by Ms Close. Sensational doesn't even come close (sorry about the pun!). It was wonderful to have the full orchestra on stage, I thought. I did feel Michael Xavier was a little bit lightweight, but still enjoyed his performance, and thought Max (Fred Johanson) had an amazing voice. I have been a fan of Siobhan Dillon for a long time, and she doesn't disappoint here.
All in all a great afternoon.
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Post by Sue on May 4, 2016 20:44:39 GMT
Today was my Big Day; I attended the matinee. I knew things were off to a good start when a) the sun was shining, b) I bumped into Michael Xavier in the street (okay, that bit is a fib- I was loitering with intent and struck lucky) and he signed my ticket before the show, and c) I was chatted up by someone by the Gentlemen’s Powder Room (and that hasn’t happened to me since the Palace Theatre balcony tickets went up from 55p to 75p)… But I digress. I have read every post on this resurrection of the show since it started, following every twist and turn, and rather stubbornly held onto the opinion that nothing could beat the original London production which featured a Leading Lady who could sing. But I was wrong to doubt. I found the whole production a sensation! I agree with almost all the positive comments about Glenn Close who, to me, was Norma Desmond, the vulnerable, manipulative, deluded Has Been. Her “singing” suited the role completely, so that by the end, after that wonderful montage of scenes leading up to the shooting, my chest started to swell in that way it does when you know you’re witnessing something magical. Anyone else ever feel that? I thought the other leads were all outstanding. I disagree with some who found Michael Xavier’s Joe a bit lightweight, lacking the snide cynicism. I found his facial expressions conveyed it quite clearly, although perhaps they didn’t come across in such a large venue. Siobhan Dillon- what a voice! Fred Johanson- what a presence! And when the chorus sang, they sang! We had a thread on here a while ago about what makes the perfect musical, and after seeing this again after quite a long break, I reckon this one comes pretty close. It seems to have everything: a story the audience can get immediately with predictable and unpredictable threads; believable yet at the same time exaggerated characters, a lavish score with soaring songs, haunting melodies, repeated themes and hummable recitative, all with clear and witty lyrics. Here we had the perfect cast, a stunning looking set- without perhaps the grandeur of John Napier’s original- and some impressive lighting thrown in… There were some strange direction choices I think: the floating body which didn’t quite work, some scenes were played almost too far to one side, and the Lady’s Paying scene, where I thought I was watching a musical version of Are You being Served? However, I found myself liking the Young Norma, although there was one scene (I can’t remember which now) that was crying out for her but she never appeared… The Unsung Hero Award goes to the Musical Maestro Michael Reed, whose talent I have always admired, and without whom that wonderful orchestra of musicians would not have been half as good. I take my hat off to all of them, especially the violinist on the right who could so easily have taken a little sneaky peek at the other Michael when he whipped his trunks off but she didn’t. She kept her eye on the music and played on. I still have incredibly fond memories of the original London show, but I am so pleased I swallowed my pride and booked for this. I am truly sorry that some of our friends missed their chance to see Glenn (I’m thinking of poor Sue) when they really wanted to. I wasn’t at all bothered about seeing her but I did. And I am glad. Awww caiaphas, I'll trade my disappointment for your beautifully written post! So descriptive and emotional - thank you x P.S. Did you get your admirer's number?! |
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Post by crabtree on May 4, 2016 20:45:52 GMT
I agree with the above comments about The Lady's paying feeling like Are You being served. Oh how witty to have a tape measure go up to the crotch - never seen that before. A rather lazy number, echoed by the 'There's bound to be a little suffering' in act two.....it does give the chorus a chance to let their hair down, but like Matthew Bourne who can never resist a cheap and usually rather tacky jab at the dance world in his shows, Lloyd Webber always seems to have a comedy number, whether the piece needs it or not.
But I did love this production, especially the MCEscher maze of staircases.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2016 21:07:12 GMT
Today was my Big Day; I attended the matinee. I knew things were off to a good start when a) the sun was shining, b) I bumped into Michael Xavier in the street (okay, that bit is a fib- I was loitering with intent and struck lucky) and he signed my ticket before the show, and c) I was chatted up by someone by the Gentlemen’s Powder Room (and that hasn’t happened to me since the Palace Theatre balcony tickets went up from 55p to 75p)… But I digress. I have read every post on this resurrection of the show since it started, following every twist and turn, and rather stubbornly held onto the opinion that nothing could beat the original London production which featured a Leading Lady who could sing. But I was wrong to doubt. I found the whole production a sensation! I agree with almost all the positive comments about Glenn Close who, to me, was Norma Desmond, the vulnerable, manipulative, deluded Has Been. Her “singing” suited the role completely, so that by the end, after that wonderful montage of scenes leading up to the shooting, my chest started to swell in that way it does when you know you’re witnessing something magical. Anyone else ever feel that? I thought the other leads were all outstanding. I disagree with some who found Michael Xavier’s Joe a bit lightweight, lacking the snide cynicism. I found his facial expressions conveyed it quite clearly, although perhaps they didn’t come across in such a large venue. Siobhan Dillon- what a voice! Fred Johanson- what a presence! And when the chorus sang, they sang! We had a thread on here a while ago about what makes the perfect musical, and after seeing this again after quite a long break, I reckon this one comes pretty close. It seems to have everything: a story the audience can get immediately with predictable and unpredictable threads; believable yet at the same time exaggerated characters, a lavish score with soaring songs, haunting melodies, repeated themes and hummable recitative, all with clear and witty lyrics. Here we had the perfect cast, a stunning looking set- without perhaps the grandeur of John Napier’s original- and some impressive lighting thrown in… There were some strange direction choices I think: the floating body which didn’t quite work, some scenes were played almost too far to one side, and the Lady’s Paying scene, where I thought I was watching a musical version of Are You being Served? However, I found myself liking the Young Norma, although there was one scene (I can’t remember which now) that was crying out for her but she never appeared… The Unsung Hero Award goes to the Musical Maestro Michael Reed, whose talent I have always admired, and without whom that wonderful orchestra of musicians would not have been half as good. I take my hat off to all of them, especially the violinist on the right who could so easily have taken a little sneaky peek at the other Michael when he whipped his trunks off but she didn’t. She kept her eye on the music and played on. I still have incredibly fond memories of the original London show, but I am so pleased I swallowed my pride and booked for this. I am truly sorry that some of our friends missed their chance to see Glenn (I’m thinking of poor Sue) when they really wanted to. I wasn’t at all bothered about seeing her but I did. And I am glad. Awww caiaphas, I'll trade my disappointment for your beautifully written post! So descriptive and emotional - thank you x P.S. Did you get your admirer's number?! Haha! I am happily married so it didn't even cross my mind. I was quite flattered though, I will admit, until I saw an usher help him to his seat and put his white stick underneath it!  |
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Post by danb on May 4, 2016 21:19:01 GMT
I wish I'd known I was in the presence of board royalty; I too took a sneaky second visit today. Only a balcony seat as the box office chap wouldn't be beaten down in the stalls. View was fine but the 'half seats' were most uncomfortable. My cheeks are still aching. Glenn was great again and a lot more relaxed. Considerably less traipsing up & down staircases which was most welcome. Xavier is a bit of a conundrum to me. At times he sings really well, but then sometimes you forget he's there. Again the duet was my highlight; it's as if they pump pure oxygen into the auditorium when they sing, sending me light headed with delight. I really can't remember that sort of old fashioned 'juvy lead' number being done as successfully for many a year.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 4, 2016 21:38:18 GMT
I still have incredibly fond memories of the original London show, but I am so pleased I swallowed my pride and booked for this. I am truly sorry that some of our friends missed their chance to see Glenn (I’m thinking of poor Sue) when they really wanted to. I wasn’t at all bothered about seeing her but I did. And I am glad. Been waiting for your review! I'm so pleased you went, and that you loved it. (I KNEW you would!  ) |
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Post by djp on May 5, 2016 1:18:59 GMT
I wish I'd known I was in the presence of board royalty; I too took a sneaky second visit today. Only a balcony seat as the box office chap wouldn't be beaten down in the stalls. View was fine but the 'half seats' were most uncomfortable. My cheeks are still aching. Glenn was great again and a lot more relaxed. Considerably less traipsing up & down staircases which was most welcome. Xavier is a bit of a conundrum to me. At times he sings really well, but then sometimes you forget he's there. Again the duet was my highlight; it's as if they pump pure oxygen into the auditorium when they sing, sending me light headed with delight. I really can't remember that sort of old fashioned 'juvy lead' number being done as successfully for many a year. Almost a mass outing . I went to matinee too for a second look,. Glenn's vocal is in very good shape. Xavier and Dillon are too good together not to get used for something else together. And stalls looked full today which suggests its going on a strong high. I would think they have a cast for any film. Glenn just is Norma. Xavier looks the part and sounds great. Siobhan is a better singer than anyone in Hollywood, acts it really well, and is as pretty as anyone . And I can't imagine they could find anyone with a better tone for Max than Fred Johanson |
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Post by viserys on May 5, 2016 4:39:45 GMT
I'll finally be there tonight. Haven't been this hyped for ages after all the comments here. And it looks like Glenn is well and doing the last shows this week?!
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Post by ali973 on May 5, 2016 8:19:45 GMT
^ Yes, looks like there's no chance for me to see Ria put on the turban. I'll be there tomorrow evening and both shows on Saturdays to say my goodbyes.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2016 14:44:07 GMT
I could see this again and again. Glenn was on fine form last night, and that orchestra.
I didn't spot any, but does anyone know if they are selling posters?
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2016 14:54:10 GMT
I could see this again and again. Glenn was on fine form last night, and that orchestra. I didn't spot any, but does anyone know if they are selling posters? They weren't selling posters...closest to a poster was the A3 print of Norma Desmonds costume designs. |
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Post by Sue on May 5, 2016 15:48:46 GMT
Awww caiaphas, I'll trade my disappointment for your beautifully written post! So descriptive and emotional - thank you x P.S. Did you get your admirer's number?! Haha! I am happily married so it didn't even cross my mind. I was quite flattered though, I will admit, until I saw an usher help him to his seat and put his white stick underneath it! I hope you did a little hop, skip and jump to your seat - it's always nice to know you've still got it! |
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Post by steve10086 on May 5, 2016 21:48:13 GMT
Well I've seen my fifth and final performance. Got to see Glenn four times, and Ria once - couldn't have worked out better. This production turned out to be everything I hoped it would. Sunset has been my favourite musical for over 20 years, and I don't know when I'll ever see anything this good again. Was sad to leave tonight, but I've been very lucky, and I really appreciate it.
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Post by chernjam on May 6, 2016 0:44:59 GMT
Well I've seen my fifth and final performance. Got to see Glenn four times, and Ria once - couldn't have worked out better. This production turned out to be everything I hoped it would. Sunset has been my favourite musical for over 20 years, and I don't know when I'll ever see anything this good again. Was sad to leave tonight, but I've been very lucky, and I really appreciate it. Steve - you liked this better than the original production? |
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Post by steve10086 on May 6, 2016 5:15:49 GMT
Well I've seen my fifth and final performance. Got to see Glenn four times, and Ria once - couldn't have worked out better. This production turned out to be everything I hoped it would. Sunset has been my favourite musical for over 20 years, and I don't know when I'll ever see anything this good again. Was sad to leave tonight, but I've been very lucky, and I really appreciate it. Steve - you liked this better than the original production? Not better than the original , but I got to see the Norma I'd always regretted missing, and the very first Norma from Sydmonton, I got to hear the score sound amazing with such a huge orchestra, it was much more "staged" than I ever expected, and the whole cast were brilliant. No complaints, just grateful to have been able to experience it. |
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Post by danb on May 6, 2016 5:25:08 GMT
Too right! So grateful that they did this, and I hope it has earnt them a huge wodge of cash to invest in that beautiful building and it's inhabitants. Thanks ENO.
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Post by distantcousin on May 6, 2016 8:44:08 GMT
I really enjoyed it, on reflection of my two viewings of it. It was an event as much as (or less than) "pure theatre", and I wonder if some people have lost sight of that, caught up in the hype of the Hollywood actress hoopla.
However it can't come close to the original production. There was so much I missed in this semi staged version.
However, the production did extremely well, despite being hampered by a miscast/poorly directed Joe, an aged Norma D and one or two weird directorial choices. (hampered by a sparse set on a massive stage)
It was sung beautifully by Dillon and Johannson, and the ensemble.
It reaffirmed for me, just why it is my favourite musical and was great to see it appreciated by a large audience audience again.
I wonder how ticket sales stacked up vis a vis its last London run at the Comedy Theatre....(which I thoroughly enjoyed)
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