Gypsy - Alexandra Palace

From what deduced from varies photos I think the songs are split as the following:

Keala - Some People
Mel - Mr Goldstone
Becky - You'll Never Get Away From Me
Nicola - Small World
Sally - Everything's Coming Up Roses
Sam - Together Wherever We Go
Tracie - Rises Turn

Desperate for them to reduce the prices of the remaining seats (although I will book if I absolutely must pay that 😂)

I was supposed to be there tonight but the trip to Ally Pally and the new train timetable meant I gave it a miss. Anyone know how it was?

Well I really enjoyed this. All were exceptional but Sally Ann Triplet and Tracie Bennett.. they are British Theatres Crown Jewels for a reason, the absolute real deal. Although there are more songs in the first half and the other roses were brilliant, the second half was taken up a notch by the two fabulous leading ladies. It was wonderful to hear the original orchestrations so well taken care of by Alex Parker and the audience was clearly loving it too. I walked past Sir Ian McKellen on my way to my seat who seemed to be enjoying too and I saw Daniel Evans in the audience as well.

I’m not sure how I felt about Ally Pally though. It’s a large auditorium for sure and I think the design suits Gypsy well but I’m really not a fan of the flat floor. I was in row L and felt far away and found myself ducking heads. Acoustics were ok - vocals were 90% clear but felt this might’ve worked better somewhere else.

Overall, QuickFantastic seem to really know how to run these concert productions in a way some other organisers don’t. Can’t wait to see what they bring out next.

This was a messy night. Because it was a one off it really was far from perfect but there were some lovely performances. Sally Ann floored me. She was really a near perfect Rose, and her scenes were really something. So nuanced and ticked all the boxes for the role - hopefully she gets to do it in full some day. Bennett gave a barnstorming Rose’s Turn as expected and got an immediate standing ovation but a shame she went up on the killer dressing room scene, it was quite painful to watch. I’m not sure what show Keala thought she was in but the scene she did prior to Coming Up Roses was awful. She whispered all the dialogue. I was also really disappointed with Sam Spiro - she was really poor tonight - maybe she was having an off night but she seemed really nervous. She also didn’t have the voice for Some People. The orchestra was very good but the sound system was poor and everything was so loud - did anyone else find this? I’m not sure the whole concept worked - every Rose was really trying to savour her scene by dragging out every line and there wasn’t much connection between the Roses but that’s to be expected with the short rehearsal time etc - it was just a bit of fun I guess in the end. Glad I saw it!

Have we got to a place where performers in a one-off show apparently get a free pass on learning the material? Or the sound technicians get a pass on it being over amplified? I don’t think the ticket prices included a discount for the fact that the show would be imperfect, probably quite the opposite, so why are customers expected to accept this? As much as I may like and respect Tracie Bennett, she had one scene to learn and she fluffed it. Actually, not fluffed but totally blew it by the sound of it. Not acceptable.

This is why I will never see one of these concerts again. The sound ALWAYS ruins them. I don’t know how they think they can get away with it. They charge loads of money for tickets and then it’s always under rehearsed and dreadful sound.

The disastrous Chess at the Albert Hall years ago did me in.

I would absolutely love to see Tracie Bennett’s car crash of a scene though. Sounds amazing 😂

Tracie entered from Gypsy’s dressing room scene onwards.

I had totally blanked that Chess debacle! I think it's the only time I've ever been proactively sent a partial refund because a show was so bad!

I feel the need jump in here with a little bit of balance/defence for the noise boys and girls with regards to these types of gigs.

The get-in is usually the same day as the performance, and sound is always an afterthought. In fact, it is always the very last thing teched - if there is time. Sound technicians are expected to turn up to a venue for load in, know the house's equipment and acoustics (and the material!) inside out in advance, with absolutely zero chance to prepare/balance/know every pick-up cue. All the stuff you have a week or more to tech in any show running for more than a few performances, you get a few hours maximum. It's just a completely impossible task to get it right first time, no matter the skill of the individual hired.

Performers standing up on stage and nerves getting the better of them/being unprepared is a completely different set of circumstances.

I once DSM'd one in a 1000 seat house where I missed about five sound cues because they added them four minutes before the house opened while I was doing FOH calls. Literally nobody told me.

LX had five hours on stage for the plot, sound had 19 minutes to get it right. The tickets were up to £85 each. The first time the sound tech heard the performers mic'd was in the opening number. There was no foldback on stage, it was a disaster.

I do agree, these shows do sound awful more often than not, but until producers and directors start taking sound seriously and give them the time they need, nothing will ever change.

Agreed. I haven't been to the RAH since. They didn't give a damn about people in the hall, just what it sounded like for the recording.

Ahh yes LMTO events were amazing - will never forget how perfect R&H Cinderella was at Cadogan Hall which seems to have better acoustics generally too. QF always has amazing casts though which pique my curiosity and the pieces Alex Parker chooses tend to be ones I like too. Would’ve loved to see Bridges but sadly couldn’t make that one.

In the interview, Alex said that Ally Pally was deliberately chosen because of the look and feel of the space - the nostalgia marching well with the period Gypsy is set in. In a way I do understand but after the complaints at Sunset, I am surprised so many still had issues with sound this time around. I was right by the mixing guy so maybe I was lucky but yes, it did still feel over amplified

I was there too last night. Sure, the sound wasn't perfect but it really wasn't bad from where I was sitting a couple of rows into the rake of the Stalls. I had a perfect view from there too, above the heads below and on the aisle with no seat in front, so plenty of leg room too. Personally I love the space - reminds me of Wiltons but on a larger scale - but my was it cold! First time I've resorted to wearing my coat at an indoor production.

As for the show, "you gotta have a gimmick" had been embraced wholeheartedly with their 'bunch of Roses'. For me, it worked - I thought the change overs might have been jarring but didn't find them so and credit must go to all seven for that. Stand outs for me, as for others, were Sally Ann Triplett for her outstanding, fully-rounded Rose and Tracie Bennett for her achingly brilliant Rose's Turn.

For me, these 'one offs' are event theatre and I'm minded to forgive a few flaws for the unique experience they present.