5,925 posts
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Post by mrbarnaby on Nov 19, 2023 15:21:16 GMT
These people would be the ones who only go and see Dirty Dancing or Grease and get drunk throughout. Maybe have a fight.For me- no composer writes with the wit, intelligence and emotion of Sondheim. Nothing ruins me like Our Time from Merrily, Move On or Being Alive. If people don’t ‘get it’… their loss. Nope. Not liking SS doesn’t automatically make you a yob, just as liking Dirty Dancing doesn’t either. If you want to start generalising like that we can say that all Sondheim fans are all up themselves, theatre snobs and paid up members of the black polo neck brigade. Which they’re not. This was said in jest… I’m going to put my black polo neck on now…. |
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Post by anthony40 on Nov 19, 2023 16:03:07 GMT
These people would be the ones who only go and see Dirty Dancing or Grease and get drunk throughout. Maybe have a fight.For me- no composer writes with the wit, intelligence and emotion of Sondheim. Nothing ruins me like Our Time from Merrily, Move On or Being Alive. If people don’t ‘get it’… their loss. Nope. Not liking SS doesn’t automatically make you a yob, just as liking Dirty Dancing doesn’t either. If you want to start generalising like that we can say that all Sondheim fans are all up themselves, theatre snobs and paid up members of the black polo neck brigade. Which they’re not. Whenever I'm experiencing personal conflict, or feel that I'm a cross road in life Move On has become my manta for over 20 years now! I am proud to say that I am a Sondheim fan and that I don't own a single polo neck- black or any other colour! |
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Nov 19, 2023 16:10:57 GMT
I think Sondheim is by far the best musical theatre composer of all time and none even come close. However, I still acknowledge that the general population and even some musical theatre fans do not respond to his music the same way I do lol, so I'm happy for people to say that as I notice it myself with my own friends and family lol. I didn’t even realise I was a Sondheim fan until I went to see this show. Upon reflection I loved a number of his songs for years but I never linked ‘Sondheim’ to them, just great songs from great shows. I also didn’t know many of the songs in this show. I think his stuff is so accessible, obviously not in the same way the stuff in let’s say Grease is (he doesn’t like to repeat choruses etc) but I actually found myself engaging my brain a lot subconsciously during Old Friends. A great example is the song ‘A boy from’. Most people had never heard it before, but the song was so simple yet clever at the same time, you were hanging on every word. It was pure genius. |
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19,806 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Nov 19, 2023 17:24:24 GMT
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Post by sph on Nov 19, 2023 17:48:05 GMT
I can totally understand why many theatregoers may not necessarily connect with Sondheim's work. I enjoy it, but not all of it - I've found a couple of shows/songs dull but overall I'm a fan.
That being said, I've never really connected with Shakespeare and have no desire to sit through any of his plays, which usually is an opinion met with disdain, but there you go!
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Post by partytentdown on Nov 19, 2023 18:23:48 GMT
I consider myself a light Sondheim fan - I have a good knowledge of his shows and would go and see a full production of most. But for some reason I've been really put off by the clips I've seen of this show. I think I have a real aversion to actors being 'actory' which is hard to explain... But maybe that gives one perspective why someone might not want to go and see this.
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3,494 posts
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Post by ceebee on Nov 19, 2023 18:51:06 GMT
I've never seen Dirty Dancing and I don't own a black polo neck. I don't want to speak ill of a much loved departed composer - I just don't care for his work. Its fine to disagree. I love Shakespeare - many people don't. I appreciate and respect the different views offered. I blame having to sing "Into The Woods" and "Sweeney Todd" at drama school - put me right off. The more stagey folk loved it!
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Post by toomasj on Nov 19, 2023 19:53:54 GMT
I consider myself a light Sondheim fan - I have a good knowledge of his shows and would go and see a full production of most. But for some reason I've been really put off by the clips I've seen of this show. I think I have a real aversion to actors being 'actory' which is hard to explain... But maybe that gives one perspective why someone might not want to go and see this. I absolutely see where you’re coming from. Slightly off topic but related, been to a couple of these “An Evening With” type evenings at small venues (like the Delfont Rooms) and as a non-performer/superfan of the “yaaas queen” variety I found them absolutely intolerable. I am not suggesting this show is like this, but the events I attended above (one with Hannah Waddingham circa 2012 and one with Ramin Karimloo and Hadley Fraser as “Sheytoones”) were packed with hardcore superfans and stagey friends of the performers. Understandable, but absolutely not my cup of tea. It’s like being at an Oscars after show party or something as a complete outsider, except I thought I was just a regular paying customer seeing “a show”, not paying to attend essentially a stagey night out for the performer to show off to their “wonderful, fabulous, gorgeous” mates. The behaviour was dreadful too. I haven’t seen this yet, but the show concept doesn’t appeal to me personally, but I am 100% certain it will be more professional than the experiences I’ve had previously. |
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Post by amyja89 on Nov 19, 2023 20:17:26 GMT
I consider myself a light Sondheim fan - I have a good knowledge of his shows and would go and see a full production of most. But for some reason I've been really put off by the clips I've seen of this show. I think I have a real aversion to actors being 'actory' which is hard to explain... But maybe that gives one perspective why someone might not want to go and see this. I absolutely see where you’re coming from. Slightly off topic but related, been to a couple of these “An Evening With” type evenings at small venues (like the Delfont Rooms) and as a non-performer/superfan of the “yaaas queen” variety I found them absolutely intolerable. I am not suggesting this show is like this, but the events I attended above (one with Hannah Waddingham circa 2012 and one with Ramin Karimloo and Hadley Fraser as “Sheytoones”) were packed with hardcore superfans and stagey friends of the performers. Understandable, but absolutely not my cup of tea. It’s like being at an Oscars after show party or something as a complete outsider, except I thought I was just a regular paying customer seeing “a show”, not paying to attend essentially a stagey night out for the performer to show off to their “wonderful, fabulous, gorgeous” mates. The behaviour was dreadful too. I haven’t seen this yet, but the show concept doesn’t appeal to me personally, but I am 100% certain it will be more professional than the experiences I’ve had previously. The only experience I've ever had of something like that was seeing Scott Alan at the Leicester Square Theatre in 2009. He was joined by Stephanie J. Block, Frances Ruffelle, Stephen Ashfield, David Bedella, Ramin Karimloo and more. It was a fantastic night, and not too 'wonderful, fabulous, gorgeous' from memory! It was something I was worried about because I had never been to an event like it before, but I had a wonderful time, and got to meet Stephanie and Scott after the show. |
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Post by marob on Nov 19, 2023 21:46:59 GMT
Long post, sorry…
I didn’t really go to the theatre as a kid. A few pantos with my parents, and school trips to an Oliver Twist play, a Great Expectations musical, and much later Blood Brothers. That was it.
I only started going properly in the early 2010s, at Theatr Clwyd which was the only local venue at the time. Musicals there were few and far between. The first was an actor/musician production of Peter Hall’s adaptation of Animal Farm. Great story, but the music was utterly forgettable.
Next was Nikolai Foster’s production of Merrily We Roll Along. Absolutely loved it and still regret only seeing it the once. Had it stuck in my head for weeks, so much so I bought the Encores CD, which came out around the same time.
Something of a turning point in retrospect, as when I saw Nikolai Foster was directing Beautiful Thing, and it was touring to Liverpool, I jumped at it. That started me regularly heading off on the train to Liverpool and Manchester for the day, and eventually led to stays in London to see stuff in the West End.
So I’ve never understood the whole “Sondheim’s not accessible” thing. It’s because of him I’ve got to see so many other shows.
And also why I’ve never got any bloody money. 😂
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Post by Fleance on Nov 19, 2023 22:38:15 GMT
As I think I wrote earlier, my introduction to Sondheim was also my first trip to a Broadway show at the age of 14. How can I ever think of Sondheim as elitist, when I will always first and foremost identify him with lyrics such as these, which I heard as soon as the curtain went up at the Majestic Theater on Broadway:
"Something that's gaudy,
Something that's bawdy--
Something for everybawdy!
Comedy tonight!"
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42 posts
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Post by viscountviktor on Nov 19, 2023 23:54:47 GMT
Saw the matinee yesterday. 10/10.
Got the £25 under 30s tickets with my partner and sat in row B of the stalls, being so close to icons such as Bernadette, Lea and Bonnie was incredible.
Massive Sondheim fan so just a perfect show. Standout performances were Bonnie's I'm Still Here, Bernadette's Losing My Mind, the whole cast doing Sunday with Bernadette dressed as Dot, Jeremy Secomb's Sweeney, Lea's Everything's Coming up Roses, and the amazingly poignant Not a Day Goes By.
Gavin Lee was also INCREDIBLE. Completely flipped Could I Leave You, and was just a star in everything he did.
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42 posts
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Post by viscountviktor on Nov 20, 2023 0:19:04 GMT
Lea was Mrs Lovett?? I had no idea.
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Post by damaskanddark on Nov 20, 2023 9:15:56 GMT
How are people not recognising Lea as Lovett? Who did you think it was? So bizarre.
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Nov 20, 2023 9:59:07 GMT
How are people not recognising Lea as Lovett? Who did you think it was? So bizarre. I thought it was hard to tell!!! Especially if you don’t know the rest of the cast (like I didn’t the first time I went) I was trying to work out so it could be for ages then settled it must be Clare since I was not familiar with her at all. I also was 100% certain it was a Brit since the accent was pretty flawless. |
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Post by monsieurmarshall on Nov 20, 2023 15:39:09 GMT
Planning to book to see this gem again and hoping for any advice on the dress circle boxes/slip seats - I'm 6'7" and not sure on leg room (even with the moveable chairs)...
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Post by solangelafitte on Nov 20, 2023 16:30:37 GMT
Planning to book to see this gem again and hoping for any advice on the dress circle boxes/slip seats - I'm 6'7" and not sure on leg room (even with the moveable chairs)... I was in the slip seats for one of my trips and loved it! I'll be booking them again when I go over Christmas. Granted, I wouldn't be nearly as tall as you but there was plenty of space to push the seats back if more leg room was needed. In fact, during the interval the space behind us was where people came to stretch their legs and a number of them commented on what a great setup we had in terms of space and view. (Agreed!) We sat in A5 & A6 and there were only a couple of moments of people on stairs that we missed, otherwise it was perfect. The ladies next to us in the two seats closer to the stage had to lean forward a couple of times and scooched closer to the rail to see some parts, so it seemed maybe couldn't take advantage of pushing their chairs back the way we could. Just something to consider. Plus very handy for getting to the toilets and bar during the interval! |
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Post by viscountviktor on Nov 20, 2023 18:09:04 GMT
How are people not recognising Lea as Lovett? Who did you think it was? So bizarre. I don't know, maybe the makeup? You seem pleasant. |
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Post by apubleed on Nov 20, 2023 18:15:36 GMT
I don't blame them - it's not just the makeup but even her singing voice completely changes and is unrecognisable to what she sung previously in the night. Not to mention the accent etc. as she plays a character. I actually think the fact that people don't recognise her just reflects well on Lea/Director/creative team being able to create a character.
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Post by argon on Nov 20, 2023 18:26:28 GMT
I think Sondheim is by far the best musical theatre composer of all time and none even come close. Aligned with the first bit but others I do feel come close Cole Porter and I Berlin. Not even close I'd but ALW in that category. |
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5,208 posts
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Post by Being Alive on Nov 20, 2023 19:45:48 GMT
How are people not recognising Lea as Lovett? Who did you think it was? So bizarre. I don't know, maybe the makeup? You seem pleasant. I'm with the OP - how someone didn't tell that was Lea is sort of baffling to me 😂 |
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Post by iseestars on Nov 20, 2023 23:54:42 GMT
any idea when the announced album may be coming??
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1,134 posts
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Post by Stephen on Nov 21, 2023 0:36:13 GMT
I'm planning on a last minute ticket for Wednesday night. I can't find a breakdown of the orchestra anywhere? Is it a decent size and sound or will I be underwhelmed?
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655 posts
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Post by ptwest on Nov 21, 2023 6:19:07 GMT
Planning to book to see this gem again and hoping for any advice on the dress circle boxes/slip seats - I'm 6'7" and not sure on leg room (even with the moveable chairs)... As an alternative, try stalls N1. I sat there and could stretch out (6’5” +). You miss a tiny bit of the near side of the stage but it was used so infrequently it didn’t matter. |
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Nov 21, 2023 8:25:05 GMT
I'm planning on a last minute ticket for Wednesday night. I can't find a breakdown of the orchestra anywhere? Is it a decent size and sound or will I be underwhelmed? I believe it’s a 13 piece |
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