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Post by HereForTheatre on Sept 29, 2017 9:48:18 GMT
Something that surprised me when i saw this, as in the show, not this partcular production (unless it's exclusive to this one?) is that to me, this is Joes's show and not Norma's. I mean, as someone who never saw the show before i always naturally assumed Norma was the main character in the show, she has all the big songs and iconic moments....but Joe is on stage 90% of the time, way more than Norma, it's his POV we follow, it's his story we see from start to finish..i was just surprised by that.
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Post by dazzerlump on Sept 29, 2017 9:58:15 GMT
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 29, 2017 9:58:41 GMT
It’s the chimp for me.
How did he die? Where did they end up burying him? How much was it? But most of all, what was his *ahem* relationship with Norma?
I think we need a prequel.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2017 11:46:56 GMT
Something that surprised me when i saw this, as in the show, not this partcular production (unless it's exclusive to this one?) is that to me, this is Joes's show and not Norma's. I mean, as someone who never saw the show before i always naturally assumed Norma was the main character in the show, she has all the big songs and iconic moments....but Joe is on stage 90% of the time, way more than Norma, it's his POV we follow, it's his story we see from start to finish..i was just surprised by that. yes it is joes show, its his story. I never understand why people dont vare about who plays joe. its one of the best male leading roles in musical theatre but its hard to pull off. especially as Norma is such a larger than life character |
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19,661 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 29, 2017 14:33:15 GMT
Anyone know what happens if Miss Jones is indisposed? Hopefully she won’t be but it’s a long tour.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2017 15:19:52 GMT
Anyone know what happens if Miss Jones is indisposed? Hopefully she won’t be but it’s a long tour. Her brother can take over. He'd be fabulous! |
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2,371 posts
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Post by theatreian on Sept 29, 2017 15:25:11 GMT
Yes forgot that Ceri Dupree was her brother. Ceri is one of the Ugly Sisters in Panto in Birmingham with Beverley Knight and Danny Mac.
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19,661 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 29, 2017 15:45:47 GMT
Anyone know what happens if Miss Jones is indisposed? Hopefully she won’t be but it’s a long tour. Her brother can take over. He'd be fabulous! And he’s got the costumes... (didn’t we have this discussion about 15 pages ago?)  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2017 15:48:49 GMT
Yes forgot that Ceri Dupree was her brother. Ceri is one of the Ugly Sisters in Panto in Birmingham with Beverley Knight and Danny Mac. Oh goodness. Danny Mac really is keeping up with the Jones' isn't he. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 29, 2017 18:00:07 GMT
Anyone know what happens if Miss Jones is indisposed Glenn Close takes over. *stifles squeal* |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2017 19:07:54 GMT
Anyone know what happens if Miss Jones is indisposed Glenn Close takes over. There's been a call. What did I say? They want to see me right away. #nevergetsold |
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Post by showtoones on Sept 30, 2017 4:58:43 GMT
It may be Joe’s story but Norma could possibly be one of the most deliciously over the top camp roles of all time. Thus it’s usually played by a diva which is another reason why we flock to it. Joe is a nice role but he’s vanilla...Norma is mint choc chip!
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Post by anthony40 on Sept 30, 2017 7:11:02 GMT
It’s the chimp for me. How did he die? Where did they end up burying him? How much was it? But most of all, what was his *ahem* relationship with Norma? I think we need a prequel. What really interesting about this is that for those in the audience- be that in a theatre or cinema watching the original film- is that for those watching for the first time and am unfamiliar with the storyline is that (if you listen closely) there's always an audible gasp as they realise what she has in her arms is a dead chimpanzee. |
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Post by ali973 on Sept 30, 2017 7:43:20 GMT
^ definitely. There's always a reaction. I remember when I first saw it in ('92?), me and family were pretty shifty from the circle thinking "Is that what I think it is?"
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3,057 posts
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Post by ali973 on Sept 30, 2017 18:22:05 GMT
Yikes! Here's what I typed on my phone on my way back to London:
Timing and pacing is a big issue in this production, where key incidental music or scene transitions are eliminated, which doesn't let the characters to pause, the drama to brew or audience to process the scene. The projections are effective, if not the best I've seen especially during scenic changes and car chases, but become completely unnecessary and distracting during With One Look and Salome. Otherwise visually, the jigsaw stairs and scenery is effective given their aim of keeping it low cost and tourable, but does little to evoke the glamour and grandeur of 50s Hollywood or former Hollywood in the silent film era.
Ria Jones makes an angry, aggressive Norma whose acting seems very much surface, and tends to make a point by stressing and speaking keywords (With One LOOK.. We'll give the WORLD new ways to dream). Her madness scene channels Bette Davis as Baby Jane Hudson and becomes laughable camp. Danny Mac is unqualified and green, lacking experience to communicate any of the text or drive the story forward and unable to convey Joe's cynicism and self loathing. His speaking voice is thin, without any sense of command, and his singing is either weak or mediocre in his finer singing moments. Adam Pearce as Max is an excellent singer, but far too young pegged against Jones and hard to be believed as Norma's maker. Molly Lynch as Betty is invisible, and Dougie Carter as Artie (sticking out awkwardly as a Joe understudy) looks too much like Danny Mac (but glasses) they might as well be those gay couples who look like each other.
The orchestra is very good, and sounds terrific mimicking the revival arrangements despite its size.
Lacking in depth, it doesn't have scale and beauty of the Nunn version, or sophistication and simplicity of the Price version.
Other observations:
-Hog Eye is in his 20s and wears his baseball hat backwards.
-Joe's agent is a woman ("there's no spare sh*t at the moment")
-Please stop dressing Joe in swimwear. I've had it up til here with horny middle aged women orgasming over a shirtless man.
-The arrangements are based on the revival, except for the Overture change that ALW made a fuss about but no one noticed.
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Post by frontrowcentre on Sept 30, 2017 18:34:44 GMT
It may be Joe’s story but Norma could possibly be one of the most deliciously over the top camp roles of all time. Thus it’s usually played by a diva which is another reason why we flock to it. Joe is a nice role but he’s vanilla...Norma is mint choc chip! When I saw Sunset in Guilford exactly two years ago I overheard Alex Parker telling some friends after the show " It's so camp, isn't it?". Every time someone mentions the camp element of this show or its characters I remember that! |
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Post by ali973 on Sept 30, 2017 18:37:13 GMT
It has elements of diva worship which we flock towards, but I think it's up to the actress and director not to make Norma a joke or a clown. She's disturbed, unstable and have gone through trauma which is why she's so damaged.
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Post by steve10086 on Sept 30, 2017 19:42:03 GMT
It has elements of diva worship which we flock towards, but I think it's up to the actress and director not to make Norma a joke or a clown. She's disturbed, unstable and have gone through trauma which is why she's so damaged. Yes, and you often hear laughter during the final scene. Back at the start, when I’d never seen the story before in any form, Patti LuPone had me in tears at the end. Norma is very over the top, but there is a very vulnerable woman under all the “campness”. |
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Post by loureviews on Oct 1, 2017 10:04:44 GMT
When Faith Brown played Norma she was spot on in putting the tragedy of the character across. I also liked Petula's version.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2017 15:37:52 GMT
When Faith Brown played Norma she was spot on in putting the tragedy of the character across. I also liked Petula's version. She wasn't the best Norma in terms of vocals I grant you but overall Faith Brown was sen-sa-tion-al. |
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Post by theatreian on Oct 1, 2017 16:46:23 GMT
Out of the four I have seen Elaine, Petula, Faith and Glenn, I always preferred Petula's take on Norma. I think she is the one to have played the part the most with her stint in the UK and US tour.
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Post by chernjam on Oct 1, 2017 19:58:57 GMT
It has elements of diva worship which we flock towards, but I think it's up to the actress and director not to make Norma a joke or a clown. She's disturbed, unstable and have gone through trauma which is why she's so damaged. Yes, and you often hear laughter during the final scene. Back at the start, when I’d never seen the story before in any form, Patti LuPone had me in tears at the end. Norma is very over the top, but there is a very vulnerable woman under all the “campness”. Spot on Steve - It's why Elaine Paige never worked for me as Norma - she was over the top, "cartoonish" (as one critic observed) made the whole thing way over the top. In the original production, Betty Buckley seemed to have been able to balance this the most and gave a moving portrayal of Norma Glenn in the recent revival seems to have nailed it though. She played a very vulnerable woman who seems bewildered wondering how the only world where she was truly alive could now have forgotten her - a truth she was working hard to ignore or deny... and when it finally was revealed, she completely loses it. It's a real tight wire that these actresses are on to make this work and it's amazing how different it can go |
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Post by shady23 on Oct 2, 2017 8:49:54 GMT
Sorry if already posted. Band A seats for ALL performances Tuesday to Saturday this week at Edinburgh Playhouse are half price with an ATG Card.
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540 posts
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Post by drowseychap on Oct 2, 2017 13:35:53 GMT
Hope they have offers for Birmingham not sold very well so far
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2017 16:46:52 GMT
Faith was a very good Norma I agree, despite thinking she may be OTT given her comedy background she got the tone of the role right IMO and she had a surprisingly good voice. I'm sure that I've seen another touring version of this but cannot recall who was playing Norma then, it wasn't a major star name.
I'm looking forward to seeing Ria in it having seen her in a number of roles since late 1990's, she has the natural look for the role and certainly has the proven vocal ability.
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