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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2016 16:44:44 GMT
Baz has been tweeting about this transfer again this afternoon.
I'd heard from people involved that it had been abandoned. Even if it does transfer, where is it going?! Unless a show announces an imminent closure, I don't think there's a theatre available.
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Post by zsazsa on Aug 8, 2016 16:49:17 GMT
Could it go to the Phoenix after Guys & Dolls closes this month?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2016 16:52:31 GMT
Could it go to the Phoenix after Guys & Dolls closes this month? He's just tweeted that that isn't possible. Also, I gather a play has been lined up to fill.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2016 18:01:21 GMT
Heard a rumour of a few weeks back but think that's gone dead now.
Interested to hear where it would go
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2016 18:27:48 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. He's Herod on that recording. Not exactly singing the role but putting in loads of ad-libs. Makes me wonder what his Emcee was like in Cabaret.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2016 21:17:03 GMT
Baz has said they don't want the transfer to clash with the arrival of School of Rock.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2016 21:18:23 GMT
Also the transfer is wanting to happen either late 2016 or early 2017 dependant of theatre availability.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2016 21:38:36 GMT
I read that as it wont make its way to the west end until 2017. No theatre is free before the opening of SOR and as mentioned a clash of openings wants to be avoided
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Post by tom on Aug 8, 2016 23:21:19 GMT
I read that as it wont make its way to the west end until 2017. No theatre is free before the opening of SOR and as mentioned a clash of openings wants to be avoided They'd need a very good replacement for Tyrone Huntley though. Isn't he going in to Dreamgirls?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2016 9:21:11 GMT
There are always replacements though, aren't there? Tyrone Huntley was a replacement himself for the original Judas cast in this production according to mrmusicals...
Very much looking forward to this production, and seeing him, after all his positive reviews.
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Post by max on Aug 9, 2016 11:03:54 GMT
I think that makes sense, and if they could hold on for Tyrone Huntley they'd have some of their best pull quotes in tact. Or just do it again at the Open Air next year.
The thing about the contemporary look is that we don't expect video projections against a backdrop of trees, but in a conventional Theatre we'd ask why they're not there to accompany the rock look/feel (which then starts to head it to the Arena tour). I just wonder if this plays best where it is already, and that should be recognised and preserved.
Irony is that the New London with a bunch of trees would replicate it.
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Post by Joseph Buquet on Aug 10, 2016 7:58:09 GMT
I saw this last night, and thought is was phenomenal. I loved everything about it. Yes, it has a rock concert feel about it (intentionally so), but it was well balanced with the choreography, staging and characterisation you'd expect in musical theatre - the perfect rock musical. The score has never sounded better, and is a great reminder what an innovative and exciting composer ALW can be - give me this over Sondheim, any day. I'd love a cast recording of this production. Does anyone know whether there are plans for one?
The cast were uniformly impressive. Tyrone Huntley deserves his moment in the spotlight, with assured vocals and a fiery performance. Declan Bennett brings an incredible intensity to Jesus. Sitting a few metres directly in front of him as he performed Gethsemane was thrilling. His vocals were light and contemporary a lot of the time, bringing a modern edge to the score. Anoushka Lucas is a tender Mary, who used some jazz phrasing and ornamentation to great effect. Rather Norah Jones. Peter Caulfield as Herod was a sinister Pierrot in a scene which was spectacularly staged. Special mention to Cavin Cornwall, Sean Kingsley and the priests, who were menacing with a boy band twist.
Well done to the Open Air Theatre. What a magical venue.
Incidentally, Glenn Carter was in the audience. I wonder how he felt watching this...
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Post by ceebee on Aug 10, 2016 8:29:35 GMT
Quite wooden I'd imagine. Saw him in the Lyceum production, admittedly after Steve Balsamo, but much preferred Steve's vocal (if underacted) performance. Found Glenn Carter a bit whiny and wooden. The Lyceum production was excellent, but in my view this production at Regents Park absolutely blows it out of the water. Superb ensemble, several knockout performances, provocative and bold direction and staging, with superb yet subtle new orchestrations. Go if you haven't seen it (and if you can get a ticket). Somebody asked about a cast album on another post - Tyrone Huntley's twitter feed suggests that it isn't in the pipeline. But given the new trailer that came out a few days ago, one could argue that something is afoot...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2016 10:07:37 GMT
Quite wooden I'd imagine. Saw him in the Lyceum production, admittedly after Steve Balsamo, but much preferred Steve's vocal (if underacted) performance. Found Glenn Carter a bit whiny and wooden. The Lyceum production was excellent, but in my view this production at Regents Park absolutely blows it out of the water. Superb ensemble, several knockout performances, provocative and bold direction and staging, with superb yet subtle new orchestrations. Go if you haven't seen it (and if you can get a ticket). Somebody asked about a cast album on another post - Tyrone Huntley's twitter feed suggests that it isn't in the pipeline. But given the new trailer that came out a few days ago, one could argue that something is afoot… Seven Brides did a trailer last year. Isn't it just something that Regent's Park do? Hope a transfer comes off…but it won't happen until next year at the earliest!
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Post by paplazaroo on Aug 13, 2016 9:36:19 GMT
Late to the party but this is so bloody good! If they could harness the energy from this they could power enough midgey lamps to keep the entire audience safe
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Post by wickedgrin on Aug 13, 2016 10:48:49 GMT
Late to the party too with this but just a 5 star WOW for me! It is still a stunning score after all these years and minted fresh in this thrilling production. The sound in the Open Air Theatre was just awesome and with a loud band every lyric could be clearly heard.
I thought the movement and choreograpy was thrilling and the show stolen by Tyrone Huntley as Judas with just STUNNING vocals. I liked Declan Bennett as Jesus too who gave it his all in Gethsemene although did not top Steve Balsamo at the Lyceum all those years ago.
In short a stunning production of a show that does not appear to have dated at all! I suspect that alot of the young audience were witnessing this show for the first time and by their standing ovation at the end must have been as blown away as I was.
It was a lovely evening last night too - the first time I have been to the Open Air Theatre where I did not get cold in the second act! But when the dusk falls and night follows the Open Air Theatre weaves its magic - no more so than last night!
PS All that glitter must get EVERYWHERE!!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2016 15:34:38 GMT
Lovely weather
Lovely dancing and movement
Lovely abs
Songs like nursery rhymes
Repetitive and repeated
As to be expected from ALW
Lack of singing ability all round
Jesus particularly bad
Think it was understudy this matinee
Bad bad bad
And there really isn't that much glitter
It's a really well thought out production badly let down by the vocals
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Post by Steffi on Aug 17, 2016 16:43:31 GMT
There was A LOT of glitter when I went - maybe they are saving it for the evening performance. ;-) Yes, Declan Bennett was not on at today's matinee.
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Post by theatremadness on Aug 17, 2016 22:52:44 GMT
Lovely weather Lovely dancing and movement Lovely abs Songs like nursery rhymes Repetitive and repeated As to be expected from ALW Lack of singing ability all round Jesus particularly bad Think it was understudy this matinee Bad bad bad And there really isn't that much glitter It's a really well thought out production badly let down by the vocals I WAS IN THE SAME THEATRE AS PARSLEY!!! Oh, how I wish I'd known!! I knew we had an understudy JC but didn't particularly mind. However, yes, was was unfortunately quite vocally weak. Gethsemane was quite under powered and the rest wasn't much better. Dancing/movement was brilliantly choreographed and excellently executed by the equally brilliant cast. Disagree, however, about the singing ability of the rest of the cast. Judas, Pilate, Caiaphas, Annas, Mary, Peter & Simon all outstanding vocalists - with quite a phenomenal orchestra!
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Post by Nelly on Aug 18, 2016 15:43:32 GMT
Very excited to see this tonight. Weather forecast is looking good too!
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Post by wickedgrin on Aug 18, 2016 17:31:17 GMT
Have a fabulous evening - I'm jealous!
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Post by hitmewithurbethshot on Aug 18, 2016 21:55:14 GMT
Lovely weather Lovely dancing and movement Lovely abs Songs like nursery rhymes Repetitive and repeated As to be expected from ALW Lack of singing ability all round Jesus particularly bad Think it was understudy this matinee Bad bad bad And there really isn't that much glitter It's a really well thought out production badly let down by the vocals I WAS IN THE SAME THEATRE AS PARSLEY!!! Oh, how I wish I'd known!! I knew we had an understudy JC but didn't particularly mind. However, yes, was was unfortunately quite vocally weak. Gethsemane was quite under powered and the rest wasn't much better. Dancing/movement was brilliantly choreographed and excellently executed by the equally brilliant cast. Disagree, however, about the singing ability of the rest of the cast. Judas, Pilate, Caiaphas, Annas, Mary, Peter & Simon all outstanding vocalists - with quite a phenomenal orchestra! I was at that performance too theatremad, and I saw Aladdin's Jade Ewen, Ethan Le Phong and Trevor Dion Nicholas in the audience too
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2016 7:13:28 GMT
Jesus Christ Superstar. Where I all began for me- the Palace Theatre 1974 (“I’m going to see a show in the West End, mum!”)- and passions I didn’t know existed were stirred. It was here my love of theatre was born…
So it was with some excitement that I made my way to (not quite West End’s) Regent’s Park earlier this week. The weather forecast was good (an English heatwave predicted- temperatures of 18 degrees plus…); it was a sold out show (always promising); and I spotted some famous names in the audience (Michael Grandage with Christopher Oram, then Charles Dance, followed by Kylie from Beautiful People having a real-life hissy fit at the bar.) And what a perfect summer venue- such an improvement since I’d last visited in the early 80s. There was a definite buzz, and something good was happening…
Rusted girders, a toppled cross that would not be rising again, and big, big speakers everywhere guaranteeing a big, big sound. And from the second I heard those familiar bars of Superstar towards the end of the Overture, the choreography giving a nod to Norman Jewison’s film version, I knew we were in safe hands.
What a band! What a sound! Tom Deering is some keyboardist! Here was an MD who finally understood the score (there have been so many dud productions over the years, I was beginning to think that no-one would ever fill original musical maestro Anthony Bowles’ shoes). Here was someone who was not afraid to take some risks; slow it down, bring down the volume, put in a pause here and there.
The whole production felt like a Jesus Christ Superstar for today, with no need for gimmicks (remember Jesus being tried by Pontius Pilate just back from the gym, in jogging shorts and trainers in Laurence Connor’s Arena version? Uggh!). This was a version with a strong vision- part theatrical performance with Roman masks in a tiered, open-air arena, a Greek chorus commenting on the action with words and stylised movement. There was even a moment when I thought we’d been transported to Oberammergau, until we were suddenly thrown into da Vinci’s mural. This was a production with twists and turns. Because next it was part concert with hand-held mikes, stands, long cords- a nod to the original London production- and the audacity to have the actor just stand and deliver… I liked the choreography, although some reviewers had led us to believe that it was at odds with the action. It was, but for me it worked.
And as it grew dark, so the lights began to shine. Tyrone Huntley shone throughout. Small in stature, big on delivery, effortlessly reaching every note and letting us hear every word. (I would love to know the identity of the Judas he replaced, but I’ve a feeling mrmusicals will thrice deny me this knowledge…) Declan Bennett’s Jesus was moodier, more arrogant than we’ve been used to, and I’m aware that he was off the following day. Perhaps he was beginning to feel unwell on my night, twice failing to find his starting note in Poor Jerusalem and The Temple, and singing a line I’d never heard before in The Last Supper. I enjoyed his take on Gethsemane, but wouldn’t agree that this in itself was worth the price of the ticket. The rest of the cast were strong, particularly the high priests, with their expressionless faces, their unchanged positions on the cross, their repetitive movements.
What was refreshing was Timothy Sheader’s inventiveness; no coins for Judas' act of betrayal but a Pandora’s box of liquid silver, once touched never to be washed clean; no body scars for each of the 39 lashes but another splash of glitter, reminding the Golden Boy that his way to the top was never going to be an easy ride; and we were not going to feel comfortable tapping our toes along to the famous Superstar anthem (it’s an eleven o’clock number, isn't it? I hadn’t realised that until now!) when we were witnessing the mob’s barbaric torture of their victim.
There were a few minor disappointments: the Herod scene, with its promise of something big with yet another nod to a past production, this time the original Broadway one, fell flat with some seriously silly dancing during the instrumental break. A wasted opportunity really… And if I’m being picky, I’d have loved to hear some strings beefing up the orchestration of Pilate’s Dream and John 19:41. The OLC recording of these two tracks has never been bettered in my opinion.
But overall we loved it. We cheered. We stood. Some of us were even a little confused by the ending. Did he come back to life again? He’s not supposed to in this, is he? And as we heard the final notes, the entire company looked out to us, the audience, and stared. Hang on a minute! That’s what happened in the version I saw at the Palace Theatre all those years ago. I was back where it all started...
Hosanna Superstar! I really hope you can be resurrected. I would love to come and see you again.
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Post by wickedgrin on Aug 19, 2016 7:19:16 GMT
Brilliant review. I agree with every word. Declan Bennett was better the night I saw him but Tyrone Huntley stole the show for me.
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Post by Nelly on Aug 19, 2016 10:08:31 GMT
Some thoughts from last night's show:
That score, in that setting, with that band, with that PA system was just perfection. When the Overture started I got chills and it wasn't because it was cold outside.
Tyrone Huntley was just brilliant, what a voice and loved the way his Judas was played. Declan Bennett's Jesus left me feeling a bit disappointed. His acting was great but his voice sounded knackered. He was at his best when he wasn't having to belt high but if it weren't for the dramatic lighting and loud music in Gethsemane I probably would have felt more disappointed. There were zero high notes in his Gethsemane last night. Is that a change for this production or did he just adjust it because he's trying to look after his vocal chords?
Choreography at the beginning I found quite distracting as it took a bit of getting used to but in the end I did grow to love it. There were some clever bits of movement that were repeated to mean different things later on in the show.
Absolutely LOVED the silver hands idea. So simple but so effective. Really liked the use of mic stands/microphones. There were bits of Herod's song I liked but that dance break was bizaree.
Overall, a fantastic production with some amazing vocals. It looked and sounded great. I'd love to see Declan on a good day.
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Post by Steffi on Aug 19, 2016 10:22:31 GMT
Declan sang the high notes when I saw it and his Gethsemane was one of the best versions I've heard. Sounds like he might be struggling a bit vocally at the moment.
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Post by Nelly on Aug 19, 2016 10:26:25 GMT
Declan sang the high notes when I saw it and his Gethsemane was one of the best versions I've heard. Sounds like he might be struggling a bit vocally at the moment. What a shame! Didn't even attempt them and any that he tried earlier on in the show didn't go so well for him. Thanks for the clarification, Steffi.
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Post by theatremiss on Aug 20, 2016 22:49:14 GMT
I've just seen this tonight and despite the rain it was superb. Tyrone is amazing and I really did like Ceclan. Will Barrett was on for David Thaxton. A few stops to dry the stage but I lived it. Hope this transfers somewhere
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Post by theatremiss on Aug 21, 2016 1:09:59 GMT
Declan not Ceclan, but it won't allow me to edit my post
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Post by theatremadness on Aug 24, 2016 13:05:33 GMT
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