Aspects of Love w/ Michael Ball - Lyric

I was there last night after buying a cheap ticket for the top balcony last minute. I didn’t have any knowledge of the show or music going in.

There were a lot of people laughing throughout, a lot of it I missed because I couldn’t see half the stage. At the interval when in line for the bar, a women was talking to an usher about the show and asked him if it was a comedy. So it’s fair to say a lot of people were confused about the genre/tone of the show.

The only time I laughed, and the biggest laugh from the audience on the balcony, was when Michael balls character dies, and the nephew says ‘it’s my fault’. I was just laughing at how ridiculous the plot was, and I assume everyone else was too. I mean a nephew perusing a women, then that women running off to his uncle, then he tries to kill her? Then they get married, but she kisses some women? But he doesn’t care? Then they have a kid, who is the nephews cousin, who he then falls in love with? I mean, it felt very soap opera.

I don’t think anyone was being disrespectful, it’s just a strange story. And I didn’t expect the reviews to be that negative. By the sounds of it, us lot in the balcony had a more enjoyable time compared to the people below!

Any show that counts "we're talking drivel, but let's be civilised" (and just after the leading lady's been shot) as one of its more accomplished lyrics is asking for trouble.

This 'word' ICKY keeps coming up in reviews. It really annoys me as an unserious reaction for professional reviewers. I've seen the show twice in different versions over the years (David Essex tour, and Hope Mill/Southwark). I find the taboo element interesting; I'd rather hear 'disturbing' or 'uncomfortable' than "icky"; better still, admit that seeing the shadow of someone you once loved in their offspring is a complicated and interesting thing.

And then you have A Strange Loop and A Little Life which sound to me way beyond icky and into the realm of God only knows what being lauded. Double standards.

My issue is with how the writers treat the themes. I think with more accomplished writers then you could make a series point about human relationships.

The fact that the tittle song is now sung by a different character due to the actors star status - I rest my case!

That's "international theatre critic" Mickey-Jo these days if you please...

And let's not mention Sweeney Todd that deals with mass murderers and cannabilism.

It's not so much the subject matter as the way that it's handled that's "icky". And the fact that none of the characters are believable or likeable.

I'm confused by this. Not by critics/audiences having double standards, but I don't understand why you've put A Strange Loop into the same bracket as A Little Life. I'm also not a fan of the term 'ick' but I know that the plethora of stage blood and acts of cruelty have been way too icky for some people in ALL, but this ick reference being applied to ASL is baffling to me. Is it the 'Inwood Daddy' scene that you're referring to? If so, have you seen the show or just heard the track on the OBC?

From at least where I was sitting, with regards to the laughter on Alex's line, I think we were all thinking 'yeah no sh*t sherlock - you tried to shag his daughter!'. 

A truly odd show, and chatting to people at the after show party, I wasn't the only one to think that.

Thanks for clarifying that Mr B.

You didn't say if you'd seen ASL or not. The thing is with *that* song is that it is a very difficult scene to watch, but I would argue that it's an important one. Michael R Jackson really doesn't hold back in any part of the show and I'm sure there are other things in it that might be offensive or shocking to certain groups of people.

In terms of the development of the lead character, in my opinion, something that debased does need to happen to him as part of his journey around the strange loop. It's controversial for sure, but I'm not sure I would define it as pornographic. The language used in the scene certainly is in more way than one, but physically it is dimly lit and suggested, rather than seen in the way everything is enacted up, close and personal in A Little Life.

Before I saw the show and had only heard the OBC, I skipped 'Inwood Daddy' every time as I found it so unpleasant to listen to. The second time I saw the show I felt having watched that scene once, it was fine to stare at the floor until it was over. Part of that was because I felt so much for the lead character by that point that I didn't want to watch him being hurt and humiliated in that way.

Also watching that scene once was quite enough for me to get the point. Having said that, in my opinion, the show is such an original and totally unique piece of work, I really hope that one scene doesn't end up getting so much negative word of mouth that it stops people going to see the show. There's nothing else resembling anything like that in the show (but super fans of Beyonce, Whitney Houston and Tyler Perry may want to sit near a member of the St John's Ambulance staff  ).