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Post by xanady on Nov 9, 2024 14:32:17 GMT
We are going next week…another new musical!
Can’t wait!
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Post by alicechallice on Nov 9, 2024 15:11:00 GMT
I'm going next Saturday, my first trip to Brum! Very excited.
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Post by theatreian on Nov 9, 2024 16:28:09 GMT
Me too, we've got a double show day in Birmingham, Here and Now matinee and then Jane Macdonald at the Hippodrome. |
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Post by Joseph Buquet on Nov 9, 2024 17:07:24 GMT
I’m going tonight! Don’t think I’ve ever been to the first performance of a new show before 😀
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Post by BVM on Nov 9, 2024 17:55:03 GMT
Despite being luke warm about The Band (or whatever it's called now) and I Should Be So Lucky, I am genuinely pretty excited for this.
Really hope it's good! As the Steps back catalogue really is banger after banger (including the newer stuff, though assume there will be less of that).
Though I guess alas it would be too political for someone to bang out Another You Another Me from H and Claire's seminal first (only) album lol.
My main fear, as ever with this sort of thing, is how much cheap (expensive) alcohol ATG will have marketed onto the audience from the second they hit the website onwards.....
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Post by danb on Nov 9, 2024 19:21:20 GMT
Despite being luke warm about The Band (or whatever it's called now) and I Should Be So Lucky, I am genuinely pretty excited for this. Really hope it's good! As the Steps back catalogue really is banger after banger (including the newer stuff, though assume there will be less of that). Though I guess alas it would be too political for someone to bang out Another You Another Me from H and Claire's seminal first (only) album lol. My main fear, as ever with this sort of thing, is how much cheap (expensive) alcohol ATG will have marketed onto the audience from the second they hit the website onwards..... I’m not sure they’d be allowed an actual comedy Abba song when their whole career has been their own comedy Abba songs. |
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Post by stuart on Nov 9, 2024 19:29:51 GMT
My main fear, as ever with this sort of thing, is how much cheap (expensive) alcohol ATG will have marketed onto the audience from the second they hit the website onwards..... There are themed cocktails in the bar - Neon Blue Bellini and Steps on the Beach. |
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Post by stuart on Nov 9, 2024 20:58:25 GMT
Claire and Faye from Steps in attendance tonight.
Interval social media thoughts sound strong - but that’s to be expected from an opening night fan base.
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Post by Joseph Buquet on Nov 9, 2024 21:00:53 GMT
We’re at the interval and loving it so far. It’s great fun and extremely well performed. Excellent sets. Arrangements well done - no need to worry, BVM! Well written with some genuinely funny moments. Songs a bit shoe-horned it as you’d expect, but it adds to the fun.
A lot of hard-core Steps fans in the audience, and they are LOUD! Claire and Faye in the audience.
Looking forward to act 2!
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Post by Joseph Buquet on Nov 10, 2024 10:49:42 GMT
Act 2 just as good - they really have done a great job of this. The story isn’t heavyweight, but is engaging as these things go. Performances universally excellent. Rebecca Lock’s One for Sorrow stopped the show. Sharlene Hector sounded fantastic throughout. And Chain Reaction was perhaps the campest thing I’ve ever seen on stage (in a washing machine section of a supermarket sort of way).
I hope that audiences continue to be as enthusiastic as last night’s - the reactions from the Steps fans really added to the whole experience. And no bad behaviour at all from where I was sitting. I was even given a homemade Here And Now bracelet by a fellow audience member, which was charming - didn’t know this was a thing.
For anyone wondering, Tragedy is very much in it (Act 2 opener). I couldn’t think of any of their hits which were missing.
An extremely fun night - recommended 😀
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Post by mrbarnaby on Nov 10, 2024 12:17:43 GMT
I’m surprised how much availability there is for this. I was told that the box office went bonkers when tickets went on sale.
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Post by greeny11 on Nov 10, 2024 13:16:12 GMT
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Post by lotster on Nov 10, 2024 14:32:33 GMT
The website for it says it's in Birmingham before heading to the West End. Is there any info on where/when? (sorry if I've missed this). Wondering if it's worth doing a trip to Brum for.
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Post by Mark on Nov 10, 2024 14:42:32 GMT
Basically, there’s no way they invest all this time and money for a few weeks run in Birmingham, especially looking at the scale of it. A lot will depend on theatre availability and how the run goes in Birmingham. Initial reports though seem to imply this is fun and more akin to a Mamma Mia type show and atmosphere as opposed to another Viva Forever situation.
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Post by lookingatthestars on Nov 10, 2024 14:43:49 GMT
Oh...that megamix looks soooo much fun. I hope this tours or goes to the WestEnd.
Is Deeper shade of Blue in it? It's my fav of thiers, but all their songs are great pop songs to be fair.
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Post by ncbears on Nov 10, 2024 15:12:45 GMT
I do feel for the cast being asked to be so energetic for 8 more minutes after a full show!
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Nov 10, 2024 15:52:38 GMT
Sorry. I thought that looked and sounded very cheap.
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Post by greeny11 on Nov 10, 2024 15:53:13 GMT
Oh...that megamix looks soooo much fun. I hope this tours or goes to the WestEnd. Is Deeper shade of Blue in it? It's my fav of thiers, but all their songs are great pop songs to be fair.
{Spoiler - click to view}
Act 1:
1. Better Best Forgotten (prologue)
2. Stomp
3. Summer of Love
4. After The Love Has Gone
5. Last Thing On My Mind
6. Neon Blue
7. 5, 6, 7, 8
8. Say You'll Be Mine
9. Heartbeat
10. Love's Got A Hold On My Heart
11. Scared of the Dark
12. What The Future Holds
Act 2:
1. Tragedy
2. Deeper Shade of Blue
3. Something In Your Eyes
4. One For Sorrow
5. Better The Devil You Know
6. Story Of A Heart
7. Chain Reaction
8. It's The Way You Make Me Feel
9. Better Best Forgotten
10. Summer Of Love (reprise)
11. Here & Now
12. Better Best Forgotten (reprise)
13. Finale Megamix
www.allthatdazzles.co.uk/post/here-now-the-steps-musical-1st-night-recapThis article has quite a bit more in it, including videos from rehearsals. |
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Post by ncbears on Nov 10, 2024 16:16:16 GMT
One person really really didn't like it! This was their response to the ATD article. Some "spoilers" about the plot and its resolution {Spoiler - click to view}
I’m a huge Steps fan, and was so excited to see this last night. It was truly one of the worst musicals I’ve ever seen. Terrible stereotyped characters, dreadful story & dialogue, uninspiring choreography with no integration between the leads and ensemble. The plot didn’t even make sense… revolving around an evil takeover of the precinct, at the end the heroes don’t defeat the villain, they just announce they’ve won. The sound was amped over 100dBs making an uncomfortable experience and awful mixing - no instruments stood out, many mics weren’t turned on. The audience was also one of the worst I’ve ever experienced. Constant talking, singing along and dancing. I understand Steps music is very energetic, but I was there to watch a musical - not you dancing infront of me. I came away with a new appreciation of just how big Steps were/are and how successful and enjoyable a Steps ‘ABBA Voyage’ experience would be because, truthfully, that’s where everyone wanted to be.
I also find v alarming that musical theatre “influencers” went to that show and said it was perfect. As a musical theatre critic, even when not on the clock, they should realise the deep flaws in the musical even if they enjoyed the songs
disappointedmusicalfan |
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Post by max on Nov 10, 2024 21:44:48 GMT
"Welcome to seaside superstore Better Best Bargains"
A debt of inspiration to Coronation Street and 'Bettabuys' supermarket perhaps?
I get it more with Steps than ABBA - but though nobody expects Ibsen, why are storylines in these shows actually smaller and trivialising of the song catalogue? ABBA started to become quite autobiographical in their late 70s work covering their relationship strains and break ups (not even that late - 1977 for 'Knowing Me, Knowing You'). Benny and Bjorn laughed all the way to a bank they could have bought with their existing millions, and cheapened their songs in the process.
Cheery Steps were always happily dancing round handbags, so less of a drop. This'll keep the Steps members (and their songwriters) in slingbacks for the forseeable. Good luck to them, I worked with 'H' once, and he was lovely.
I do think this show's audience will strike terror into Front Of House teams up and down the land though - if only due to the lethal ATG cocktail of giddy music and ...themed cocktails.
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Post by richey on Nov 10, 2024 22:39:18 GMT
Sorry. I thought that looked and sounded very cheap. Agreed. Glad I didn't book a ticket now |
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Post by bobbievanhusen on Nov 11, 2024 7:54:33 GMT
I do wish they had done the show they were rumoured to be doing - a musical, using all the classic Steps songs, about Princess Diana, called 'One For Sorrow'
It still makes me chuckle. Can you imagine??
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Post by Someone in a tree on Nov 11, 2024 10:23:16 GMT
Can anyone give a basic plot summary. Please and thanks
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Post by viscountviktor on Nov 11, 2024 17:50:40 GMT
Can anyone give a basic plot summary. Please and thanks There isn't one. I wouldn't really call this a musical. It's a Steps sing a long. The audience are not musicals loving. They are there to sing and dance to Steps. If you like that, fine! But I knew there was a reason I avoid jukebox musicals, and this was it! |
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Post by drowseychap on Nov 11, 2024 18:58:07 GMT
I’m surprised how much availability there is for this. I was told that the box office went bonkers when tickets went on sale. I think they extended a week after the initial rush for tickets |
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