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Post by Jon on May 22, 2022 15:39:04 GMT
In the rush for a modern ‘fresh take’ she’s created a mess. I hope the critics are brave enough to call this out. The heart is in the right place and the intention is clear but in this case it has not worked. Mis casting non binary and trans folk does nothing but expose them in roles that are not suited. It doesn’t encourage it deters and I feel for IH in this case Perhaps Brooke, Chutney or Elle’s Mom would’ve been a more suited casting? As for the clothes on Elle. If you are going to cast a plus size actor (and why not?) at least get clothes that flatter. In the script Elle is an up to the minute fashionista and wouldn’t be seen dead in these costumes. It’s like they didn’t read the script or the production team are ‘yes people’ The Open Air Theatre should take some of the blame as well IMO. Letting someone who's only done small shows even if one of those was hugely successful take on a larger scale musical especially one outdoors was a huge risk and it'll do short term damage to Lucy Moss' career if the reviews are bad. |
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Post by inthenose on May 22, 2022 15:48:00 GMT
The thing is, the critics will be generous with this, I can just tell. Praising a brave reimagining, diverse cast, dazzling star turn etc. I really hope I'm wrong and they take it at face value - a desperately poor production - not what they want it to be and represent.
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Post by oxfordsimon on May 22, 2022 16:05:01 GMT
In the rush for a modern ‘fresh take’ she’s created a mess. I hope the critics are brave enough to call this out. The heart is in the right place and the intention is clear but in this case it has not worked. Mis casting non binary and trans folk does nothing but expose them in roles that are not suited. It doesn’t encourage it deters and I feel for IH in this case Perhaps Brooke, Chutney or Elle’s Mom would’ve been a more suited casting? As for the clothes on Elle. If you are going to cast a plus size actor (and why not?) at least get clothes that flatter. In the script Elle is an up to the minute fashionista and wouldn’t be seen dead in these costumes. It’s like they didn’t read the script or the production team are ‘yes people’ The Open Air Theatre should take some of the blame as well IMO. Letting someone who's only done small shows even if one of those was hugely successful take on a larger scale musical especially one outdoors was a huge risk and it'll do short term damage to Lucy Moss' career if the reviews are bad. Absolutely the bosses at OAT have to take a share of the responsibility for this. But at the end of the day Moss is responsible for her own choices. It may well be that she should have been supported through the process and that might be a failure of mentoring. In the end she and her team took the decisions to cast the show this way and to style it in this way. They took the decision to use humans in furry suits as the dogs rather than using real dogs or puppets. They took the decision not to rearrange the score so that it accommodated the vocal range of the NB performer they cast. These are decisions that may well do reputational harm to those involved. So be it. People make their mistakes and it is whether they learn from them that matters. |
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Post by ncbears on May 22, 2022 16:34:07 GMT
Glancing at June dates - some shows are very sold and others barely so.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 22, 2022 17:01:48 GMT
Would Ms Moss have been responsible or even involved in the “glow up” of Six since it’s conception to what it is now? Even accounting for budget the early look of that show suggests someone with little concern for the aesthetic. www.rachaeldickzen.com/blog/2020/4/10/the-early-costumes-of-six-the-musicalMaybe she just can’t see it with LB and because she is who she is nobody said anything about the impending disaster. |
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Post by lolalou on May 22, 2022 17:19:25 GMT
The thing is, the critics will be generous with this, I can just tell. Praising a brave reimagining, diverse cast, dazzling star turn etc. I really hope I'm wrong and they take it at face value - a desperately poor production - not what they want it to be and represent. I think you’re right. Will a critic be brave enough to stick their heads above the parapet and critique casting choices when LM has stuck hers above it casting plus size and NB folk? Or will they just shrivel to yes folk and stick to the ‘easy marks’ bashing the sound, costumes and set? I can just tell now all the higher profile ‘bloggers’ turned critics are going to gush. Because most of them with the exception of MickeyJoTheatre tend to LOOOOOVVVEEEE everything in case their free tickets dry up. Sometimes the ticket going public need to have these ‘emperors new clothes’ shows exposed for what they are. A quick cash grab with a current flavour of the month at the helm hoping to trap the lightening in the bottle that was Six |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 22, 2022 17:29:36 GMT
The thing is, the critics will be generous with this, I can just tell. Praising a brave reimagining, diverse cast, dazzling star turn etc. I really hope I'm wrong and they take it at face value - a desperately poor production - not what they want it to be and represent. I can just tell now all the higher profile ‘bloggers’ turned critics are going to gush. Because most of them with the exception of MickeyJoTheatre tend to LOOOOOVVVEEEE everything in case their free tickets dry up. He’s gone from nothing (about 3000 subs) to almost 18,000 subs in a very short space of time. Maybe six months? But he was getting invited to review shows when he was on 3000 which I found odd. 3k subs is hardly a influencer but they’re getting free tickets to shows? Nobody has ever offered TheatreBoard a ticket to send someone to review a show. People can draw their own conclusions from that. ETA That’s not a read on Mickey Jo, his channel is very entertaining. I’m a fan. |
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Post by LaLuPone on May 22, 2022 17:30:06 GMT
It almost sounds sadistic saying “I hope the critics aren’t kind to this” but I agree entirely, they should 100% call it out for what it is. Six was and is a triumph and I think Lucy Moss and Toby Marlowe did something wonderful with it, but this was a BIG miss.
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Post by c4ndyc4ne on May 22, 2022 17:49:22 GMT
let's put this in context - giving a revival to a tony-nominated director is not a gamble. it's one tony nom more than Sheader has had. SIX had its glow-up when Moss and Jamie Armitage took the reigns from another external director. So she definitely knows how to make something work.
If a show doesn't work for you that doesn't mean it doesn't work full stop. It might just mean it wasn't made with you in mind. Personally feels like a show and an aesthetic that lands squarely in the Gen Z camp: which, let's face it, we'll need to see occasionally for our art form to survive.
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7,189 posts
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Post by Jon on May 22, 2022 17:50:07 GMT
Would Ms Moss have been responsible or even involved in the “glow up” of Six since it’s conception to what it is now? Even accounting for budget the early look of that show suggests someone with little concern for the aesthetic. www.rachaeldickzen.com/blog/2020/4/10/the-early-costumes-of-six-the-musicalMaybe she just can’t see it with LB and because she is who she is nobody said anything about the impending disaster.
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Post by oxfordsimon on May 22, 2022 18:03:00 GMT
let's put this in context - giving a revival to a tony-nominated director is not a gamble. it's one tony nom more than Sheader has had. SIX had its glow-up when Moss and Jamie Armitage took the reigns from another external director. So she definitely knows how to make something work. If a show doesn't work for you that doesn't mean it doesn't work full stop. It might just mean it wasn't made with you in mind. Personally feels like a show and an aesthetic that lands squarely in the Gen Z camp: which, let's face it, we'll need to see occasionally for our art form to survive. Gen Z as an aesthetic is fine as long as it works within the context of the piece. And it seems clear that it doesn't. Having no visible difference between the California look and the Harvard look ignores the significant divide that exists between the two sets of characters. It shows a lack of understanding of the role costuming plays in helping shape narrative. That is something you might learn as part of being an Assistant Director or doing a MFA in directing. But creating one show, no matter how successful, is insufficient grounding to tackle bigger, more complex pieces |
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Post by stagebyte on May 22, 2022 18:12:54 GMT
Personally feels like a show and an aesthetic that lands squarely in the Gen Z camp: which, let's face it, we'll need to see occasionally for our art form to survive. If poor sets, ill fitting costumes, patchy sound, a lead actor who can sing the score but lacks vulnerability for the role, a supporting actor who has been added and appears a gimmick as they can’t sing the score at all, actors fluffing their lines is an indication of what GEN Z take for quality then I wonder if the art form will survive. I have seen better amateur versions. |
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7,189 posts
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Post by Jon on May 22, 2022 18:15:39 GMT
let's put this in context - giving a revival to a tony-nominated director is not a gamble. it's one tony nom more than Sheader has had. SIX had its glow-up when Moss and Jamie Armitage took the reigns from another external director. So she definitely knows how to make something work. If a show doesn't work for you that doesn't mean it doesn't work full stop. It might just mean it wasn't made with you in mind. Personally feels like a show and an aesthetic that lands squarely in the Gen Z camp: which, let's face it, we'll need to see occasionally for our art form to survive. Gen Z as an aesthetic is fine as long as it works within the context of the piece. And it seems clear that it doesn't. Having no visible difference between the California look and the Harvard look ignores the significant divide that exists between the two sets of characters. It shows a lack of understanding of the role costuming plays in helping shape narrative. That is something you might learn as part of being an Assistant Director or doing a MFA in directing. But creating one show, no matter how successful, is insufficient grounding to tackle bigger, more complex pieces I also don't think you can compare Moss with Sheader, he's a very experienced director who's worked on a wide range of shows and just because he hasn't been nominated for a Tony doesn't mean anything if he hasn't had the chance to work on a Broadway production. |
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Post by Jon on May 22, 2022 18:17:32 GMT
If poor sets, ill fitting costumes, patchy sound, a lead actor who can sing the score but lacks vulnerability for the role, a supporting actor who has been added and appears a gimmick as they can’t sing the score at all, actors fluffing their lines is an indication of what GEN Z take for quality then I wonder if the art form will survive. I have seen better amateur versions. I do think it's a bit hyperbolic to suggest theatre will die based on this production of Legally Blonde. |
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Post by stagebyte on May 22, 2022 18:19:55 GMT
If poor sets, ill fitting costumes, patchy sound, a lead actor who can sing the score but lacks vulnerability for the role, a supporting actor who has been added and appears a gimmick as they can’t sing the score at all, actors fluffing their lines is an indication of what GEN Z take for quality then I wonder if the art form will survive. I have seen better amateur versions. I do think it's a bit hyperbolic to suggest theatre will die based on this production of Legally Blonde. Haha yes I was commenting on the fact that the previous poster said this production is aimed at Gen Z It’s a shame that this version is offered up as the standard that they should expect that’s all. |
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Post by ladidah on May 23, 2022 8:34:19 GMT
I will still be seeing this again, I'm aware of all it's faults but I was so excited to see it live again.
Although the weather makes booking hard.
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Post by nick on May 23, 2022 9:22:22 GMT
I will still be seeing this again, I'm aware of all it's faults but I was so excited to see it live again. Although the weather makes booking hard. No help but my birthday is June 7th, I'm 60 this year and I think it's only rained once on my birthday. Slightly more seriously early June has been generally quite dry with rain hitting later - The Wimbledon Effect |
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Post by ladidah on May 23, 2022 10:01:30 GMT
Will keep your birthday in mind!  |
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Post by anxiousoctopus on May 23, 2022 15:51:30 GMT
What time does the show typically end? I have tickets for the evening show on Saturday and need to plan my journey home!
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Post by inthenose on May 23, 2022 15:54:17 GMT
What time does the show typically end? I have tickets for the evening show on Saturday and need to plan my journey home! You're better off knowing the time of the interval... |
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Post by LaLuPone on May 23, 2022 15:58:33 GMT
What time does the show typically end? I have tickets for the evening show on Saturday and need to plan my journey home! I wasn’t out until 10:25 after an early preview but they were very late letting us in so the show started late and I think the interval went on a bit longer. If the show actually ran on time you should be out by 10:15. |
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Post by ladidah on May 23, 2022 15:59:19 GMT
I would say 10pm when I went, depending on the rain!
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Post by LaLuPone on May 23, 2022 16:05:20 GMT
I would say 10pm when I went, depending on the rain! That would make the show 2 hours 15 including interval, I’m sure it’s longer than that. |
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Post by terrylondon79 on May 23, 2022 16:33:24 GMT
Nearly 75% of the ratings on here are 2 stars and under. With not one board member giving it 5 stars. It would appear from looking back that this is the worst ever received production by theatre board members!
Even Cinderella had a better rating!
Looks like the open air is going the way of the national theatre, if you don't like it, it's because your to stupid to understand what we are doing, approach. Definitely need a fresh set of eyes there to notice when things are so in dire need of fixing.
Wonder if the reviewers will be to scared to give a honest review, on fear of being called unwoke!
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Post by amuseical on May 23, 2022 17:06:23 GMT
I would say 10pm when I went, depending on the rain! That would make the show 2 hours 15 including interval, I’m sure it’s longer than that. At the first preview they were citing times as Act 1: 65 mins 20 min interval Act 2: 55 mins and with a 7.45 start, we were out just after 10pm, even with a slight delay on that 7.45 start time. |
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