134 posts
|
Post by romeo94 on Jul 30, 2016 10:34:26 GMT
Where would you say is best to sit? I've never been to the Open Air before and have no idea what views are like.
|
|
|
Post by d'James on Jul 30, 2016 10:37:18 GMT
Where would you say is best to sit? I've never been to the Open Air before and have no idea what views are like. I was on the back row and the view was great. What I would say though is to go towards the middle of Theatre (even if you're in the back row) as some of the seats off to the sides looked as if their view wouldn't be as good. Now, recommendations of recordings please folks.
|
|
1,427 posts
|
Post by showtoones on Jul 30, 2016 18:57:39 GMT
If ALW wants to transfer JCS would it have to got to a Really Useful Theater? Are any free int he autumn?
Do all of his shows only go to RUG theaters?
thanks
ST
|
|
|
Post by waybeyondblue on Jul 31, 2016 6:44:59 GMT
Mr Huntley was unavailable yesterday matinee so we were treated to the covers band style of Mr Dever. Fortunately many of the cast reciprocated with performances somewhere between BGT and busking.
Band is great, venue is great, underlying musical is great. Jesus over emotes then shouts a lot. Mary puts extra syllables in words like "my" and Pilate couldn't find a real emotion if you nailed him to a tree. Whilst we're on trees, WTF was the thinking behind sticking the cross right at the back of the stage? For that matter WTF was the thinking behind lighting a gas fire round the edge of the stage so the audience could share some unwelcome fumes and heat?
Herod would have been a great Marc Almond if only they had a talent to match the idea.
Loved the staging - very rock musical. Finally Annas - what a gem of casting and performance.
No idea why they would transfer with this lot.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2016 9:19:35 GMT
If ALW wants to transfer JCS would it have to got to a Really Useful Theater? Are any free int he autumn? Do all of his shows only go to RUG theaters? thanks ST The ones produced by RUG generally do though not always - Whistle Down The Wind and Stephen Ward were at The Aldwych which is not RUG. JCS is not produced by RUG though so I assume would not (specifically) be looking for an RUG theatre!
|
|
1,427 posts
|
Post by showtoones on Jul 31, 2016 16:21:15 GMT
If ALW wants to transfer JCS would it have to got to a Really Useful Theater? Are any free int he autumn? Do all of his shows only go to RUG theaters? thanks ST The ones produced by RUG generally do though not always - Whistle Down The Wind and Stephen Ward were at The Aldwych which is not RUG. JCS is not produced by RUG though so I assume would not (specifically) be looking for an RUG theatre! Thanks so much! Fingers crossed that this will transfer this fall... ST
|
|
1,244 posts
|
Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 1, 2016 9:39:16 GMT
I am really meh about this. Went with high expectations but came away feeling discontented and I can't quite put my finger on the problem, except to say I didn't feel a flow to the thing as a whole.
I love the lighting, the musicians in full view doing a great job, Judas is superb, the whole cast in fact do really well. The silver hands - great visual. Jesus getting beaten up was very visual and brutal. But for me it felt that people stomped on stage, and off stage, willy-nilly. Jesus picked up a guitar, looked at it, put it down again, picked it up, walked around with it, put it down again. Really don't know what was going on there.
Not for me, I'm afraid.
Quite a few young children in the audience. As I was going in the woman in front of me had a teeny-tiny toddler wheeling a little buggy, was stopped and told "no under 4's". She had to call her 2 friends back who had gone in before her.
|
|
134 posts
|
Post by romeo94 on Aug 1, 2016 10:35:02 GMT
Where would you say is best to sit? I've never been to the Open Air before and have no idea what views are like. I was on the back row and the view was great. What I would say though is to go towards the middle of Theatre (even if you're in the back row) as some of the seats off to the sides looked as if their view wouldn't be as good. Do you feel far away on the back row?
|
|
|
Post by d'James on Aug 1, 2016 10:46:37 GMT
I was on the back row and the view was great. What I would say though is to go towards the middle of Theatre (even if you're in the back row) as some of the seats off to the sides looked as if their view wouldn't be as good. Do you feel far away on the back row? I didn't at all. I guess it depends what you like. If you want to see every facial expression up close, then it's probably not for you. It's a good seat to be able to get the overall effect of the show.
|
|
1,244 posts
|
Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 1, 2016 11:06:13 GMT
I was row C seat 13 - when Jesus was being battered on the floor you couldn't see his face from some areas as the speakers were in the way, so wouldn't recommend some of the front stalls seats.
|
|
|
Post by Seriously on Aug 1, 2016 14:46:47 GMT
I'm not sure I'd want to see a production that was designed to be outside, and based on the limitations of a specific space, crowbarred into a building.
|
|
193 posts
|
Post by Rozzi Rainbow on Aug 1, 2016 20:08:03 GMT
I wanted to see this last Thursday afternoon but it was sold out :-( I've never been to the open air theatre and I really enjoy this show.
|
|
1,427 posts
|
Post by showtoones on Aug 1, 2016 21:29:13 GMT
If JCS is to transfer, which theater will it go to? Baz says it won't be the Phoenix...
|
|
3 posts
|
Post by timbo on Aug 1, 2016 21:48:17 GMT
It was stopped half way through Act One tonight due to the weather. I'm surprised they even started it given how heavy the rain was.
|
|
1,936 posts
|
Post by wickedgrin on Aug 1, 2016 22:26:41 GMT
It was stopped half way through Act One tonight due to the weather. I'm surprised they even started it given how heavy the rain was. Living outside London I always hesitate to book ahead for the Regents Park Theatre because of the infamous British weather. It's all very well the show being stopped or cancelled and your money refunded but it becomes a totally wasted and miserable evening as it's too late to do anything else other than go home. This is nobody's fault of course - it is what it is - but a dissappointing evening none the less.
|
|
4,631 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Aug 1, 2016 22:49:21 GMT
It was stopped half way through Act One tonight due to the weather. I'm surprised they even started it given how heavy the rain was. The rain wasn't too heavy. I was there and just had a shirt, no coat, but had a towel and to cover my upper body and black bag for the legs, didn't really get wet. They stopped the show, so we could take refuge, this was after the show was halted to mop the stage for 10 minutes. Problem when the stage gets wet, is that understandable acting goes out of the window and the show turns more into a concert. At 3pm BBC website said it was going to be dry, so went ahead and booked a last minute ticket, as I am with wickedgrin here. Good planning and preparation makes all the differents to your experience.
|
|
4,631 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Aug 1, 2016 22:53:21 GMT
If JCS is to transfer, which theater will it go to? Baz says it won't be the Phoenix... If it does transfer,Mehta is available? Phoenix - If Guys and Dolls posts early closing notices Noel Coward - if Half A Sixpence doesn't transfer New London - if School of Rock gets delayed
|
|
1,244 posts
|
Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 2, 2016 8:26:31 GMT
all very well the show being stopped or cancelled and your money refunded The Open Air don't refund "rained off" performances. You just get to exchange your ticket for an equivalent seat at either the same or another production. I'd booked for the last 7 Brides for 7 Brothers last year, which was rained off (sat there for 20 minutes, they held the start by about 15 minutes and then sent us home). As it was the last show I was hoping for a refund, but no - their policy is you can get a ticket for another performance in the following years - which is why I booked JCS this year, don't know where I'll be next year ...
|
|
98 posts
|
Post by stanne on Aug 2, 2016 10:19:16 GMT
Mr Huntley was unavailable yesterday matinee so we were treated to the covers band style of Mr Dever. Fortunately many of the cast reciprocated with performances somewhere between BGT and busking. Band is great, venue is great, underlying musical is great. Jesus over emotes then shouts a lot. Mary puts extra syllables in words like "my" and Pilate couldn't find a real emotion if you nailed him to a tree. Whilst we're on trees, WTF was the thinking behind sticking the cross right at the back of the stage? For that matter WTF was the thinking behind lighting a gas fire round the edge of the stage so the audience could share some unwelcome fumes and heat? Herod would have been a great Marc Almond if only they had a talent to match the idea. Loved the staging - very rock musical. Finally Annas - what a gem of casting and performance. No idea why they would transfer with this lot. Absolutely astonished to read this. I think we must have seen different productions!
|
|
|
Post by lem on Aug 2, 2016 17:06:36 GMT
all very well the show being stopped or cancelled and your money refunded The Open Air don't refund "rained off" performances. You just get to exchange your ticket for an equivalent seat at either the same or another production. Yup - I got tickets for JCS last weekend as a rained off exchange from Crazy for You back in 2011
|
|
|
Post by waybeyondblue on Aug 2, 2016 18:54:27 GMT
Mr Huntley was unavailable yesterday matinee so we were treated to the covers band style of Mr Dever. Fortunately many of the cast reciprocated with performances somewhere between BGT and busking. Band is great, venue is great, underlying musical is great. Jesus over emotes then shouts a lot. Mary puts extra syllables in words like "my" and Pilate couldn't find a real emotion if you nailed him to a tree. Whilst we're on trees, WTF was the thinking behind sticking the cross right at the back of the stage? For that matter WTF was the thinking behind lighting a gas fire round the edge of the stage so the audience could share some unwelcome fumes and heat? Herod would have been a great Marc Almond if only they had a talent to match the idea. Loved the staging - very rock musical. Finally Annas - what a gem of casting and performance. No idea why they would transfer with this lot. Absolutely astonished to read this. I think we must have seen different productions! I'll swap. No refunds, no warranty, no return.
|
|
1,427 posts
|
Post by showtoones on Aug 3, 2016 19:47:10 GMT
Any further update on what theater in the West End that JCS will transfer to?
Thanks!!!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2016 21:31:25 GMT
Any further update on what theater in the West End that JCS will transfer to? Thanks!!! Nope, nothing been mentioned since. I've heard a venue it's looking at but i dont know the likelihood of it. ALW making a decision this week apparently
|
|
|
Post by lolli on Aug 4, 2016 17:01:31 GMT
Do they check concessions with the barcodes as you go in? I now have an extra under 18 in my party, who will now be using an adult ticket...?
|
|
1,177 posts
|
Post by joem on Aug 4, 2016 17:10:06 GMT
You would find it difficult to screw up such a gem but this production has big flaws which make me believe it couldn't possibly be a long runner as it stands.
Some of my comments may not be exclusive to the production ie I don't know for sure if some of the lyrics have been changed before and this production has kept those changes. I have to say practically none of these changes, though they are minor, are for the better.
There are technical problems - Jesus distinctly said "There's no volume!" after one of his lines was not heard - and I wondered why more of the main characters had to carry their own mikes. This affects their mobility and creates a rock-concert vibe on many occasions where the cast are stage front singing at the audience, rather than each other. And this is one of the problems in the production, really not enough interaction between characters. A weird use of space means that even though the Regent's Park stage isn't huge at times the actors are bawling at each other from distance when the moment is supposed to be a close-up confrontation or other moment of intimacy.
Allied to this is the unwillingness to marry some of the singing to the action and to point it. These are not “songs” they are sung dialogue and there is meaning behind them which has to be put across.
The transitions from the flogging to the climactic "Superstar" to the crucifixion were rushed.
There is nothing particularly wrong with the cast but there is little overwhelmingly right about it either. Some good voices, notably Judas (Tyrone Huntly), Mary (Anoushka Lucas) and Caiaphas (Cavin Cornwall).
On the positive side, Caiaphas and the priests as some kind of doo-wop or boy band outfit is an innovation which works. Annas (Sean Kingsley) was very effective and Peter Caullfield's camp cameo as Herod was good as well.
Kudos for the team for delaying the start as there was an explicably long queue to get in - only one person looking at tickets almost until the last minute - and thanks to the weather for the omnipresent rain holding off.
|
|
4,631 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Aug 4, 2016 23:07:29 GMT
Tickets might be still available if you're lucky, you won't need to walk across Regent's Park Boating Lake for one, but it's worth a try to snag one.
The Open Air theatre delivers again and weaves the magic of the outdoors, like only it can. This beats Monday's very very 'damp sodden squib', the park comes alive in this very well conceived revival. I loved every part of it from the powerhouse Declan Bennett singing Gethsamane, who could have passed as being Bono. Yes it was played out like a rock concert, but that didn't detract from the source, with delightful direction at play and evident here with the last supper being staged on the cross, so powerful symbolism at play here. Brilliant imagination how they done the 40 lashes, this is where my lips are sealed.
This will transfer as heavily speculated, but in truth there is only one place to see this, in this one of a kind venue. This production removes those horrid memories of that arena tour ***shudder***, this will sent you out grinning from ear to ear. Caps a perfect week for revivals after seeing Half A Sixpence last week.
A 5 star triumph.
|
|
176 posts
|
Post by tom on Aug 5, 2016 12:56:45 GMT
Saw this yesterday and thought it was excellent. It is well staged and most of the performances are outstanding. Took a while to warm to Declan as Jesus as I felt his voice wasn't suited to the role but when I got over the fact that he wasn't going to be singing it as I am used to hearing it I enjoyed his take - he performed an emotional gethsemane. Also wasn't totally convinced with Anoushka as Mary. She has a nice voice but a little too husky and not smooth enough for me. The star of the show is undoubtedly Tyrone Huntley as Judas though, what an amazing vocal from him! Some of the choreography was repetitive and a little out of place in my opinion. Other notable performances were cavin Cornwall as caiaphas, Sean kingsley's Annas and the ensemble guy with the bleached hair. Would probably be better seeing the evening show as I feel I missed out on lighting effects during the day. Overall though, I loved it!
|
|
4,631 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Aug 5, 2016 16:26:03 GMT
I am with you with Anoushka as Mary, I thought Rachel Adedeji had better singing chops, in the UK tour last year.
I love your aviator, looks like Jesse Tyler Ferguson.
|
|
|
Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Aug 6, 2016 9:19:49 GMT
I only just realised now, and it's mostly done, but the BBC Radio version from 1996, starring Roger Daltrey, Tony Hadley, Frances Ruffelle and Julian Clary is on BBC Radio 4 Extra right now. Hopefully it'll be available on demand afterwards. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07mqkng
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2016 10:02:15 GMT
I only just realised now, and it's mostly done, but the BBC Radio version from 1996, starring Roger Daltrey, Tony Hadley, Frances Ruffelle and Julian Clary is on BBC Radio 4 Extra right now. Hopefully it'll be available on demand afterwards. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07mqkngJulian Clary as Jesus? Now there's a left field choice.
|
|