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Post by theatrefan62 on Jun 30, 2023 11:08:21 GMT
I don't think the clip art artwork did it any favours either. It doesn't exactly scream prestige or quality production
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Post by Jon on Jun 30, 2023 11:09:22 GMT
I think with it closing early, the chances of it getting recorded or filmed is looking very unlikely!
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Post by Sven on Jun 30, 2023 11:10:27 GMT
I was booked for the last show. Won't make it before to London, so booked for Sunset instead on the 11th Nov.
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Post by magnificentdonkey on Jun 30, 2023 11:44:06 GMT
I think with it closing early, the chances of it getting recorded or filmed is looking very unlikely! Ditto. I hope they prove me wrong. I doubt they will. |
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Post by anthony40 on Jun 30, 2023 13:04:10 GMT
I think people sometimes overestimate his appeal. It needs to be the right show I think. He is known these days for his cheesy personality so hairspray fits that well, and is a well known show. Les mis is les mis. Aspects is lesser known. Once his hard-core fanbase have seen it then its reliant on getting the general public in. The musical he did at ENO years back also flopped from memory. Kismet, with Alfie Boe. Terrible. I agree. He says tat was his worst show and Hairspray the most fun. That why he returned to the role. |
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Post by longinthetooth on Jun 30, 2023 13:32:32 GMT
I had a conversation with an avid Ball & Boe fan at the Les Mis staged concert. She was attending on a John Owen Jones scheduled day, through choice, because Ball and Boe "always messed about when on stage together." I told her this certainly wasn't the case at Les Mis, but she was adamant, she wasn't going to take that chance.
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Post by mkb on Jun 30, 2023 13:40:51 GMT
London theatre is fighting an uphill battle:
- Anyone coming into London by train won't book except at short notice because of the risk of cancellations due to strike;
- Even at short notice, operator incompetence (particularly the First Group franchises) means that trains often get cancelled for other reasons too;
- Train services home from London after evening shows do not exist for much of the country, so you are looking at a hotel or matinee;
- London hotel prices may be affordable to overseas tourists, but for those of us who still earn our living in Pounds Sterling whose value has tanked, we are often looking at £200+ just for a three-star hotel and often much more, which is crazy;
- Energy costs had a big impact that hasn't entirely gone away;
- Equity pay deals have matched inflation (rightly);
- The resulting seat prices for a half-decent view are now unaffordable for many;
- Those of us who are lucky enough to still have some disposable income left are being a lot pickier about where we spend it.
It's a great pity for Aspects as it's very much worth seeing in my view, but I imagine many of Michael Ball's fans and casual listeners to his Radio 2 show will have checked out the inital pricing options and decided that it was not special enough to save up for and be unaware of later offers. This Aspects would sell much better on a tour where there are fewer obstacles in the way of actually getting to the theatre.
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Post by chernjam on Jun 30, 2023 13:46:26 GMT
I'm crushed to see this - and even more that it's doubtful it will ever be recorded (film or audio) again. As a score, it is genuinely one of ALW's best. I've always enjoyed it more than Phantom and on par with Sunset. Crossing my fingers that perhaps Ball will appeal to ALW for some sort of recording since this was really his initiative driving reviving this and knowing how much it means to him.
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Post by Jon on Jun 30, 2023 14:03:03 GMT
London theatre is fighting an uphill battle: - Anyone coming into London by train won't book except at short notice because of the risk of cancellations due to strike; - Even at short notice, operator incompetence (particularly the First Group franchises) means that trains often get cancelled for other reasons too; - Train services home from London after evening shows do not exist for much of the country, so you are looking at a hotel or matinee; - London hotel prices may be affordable to overseas tourists, but for those of us who still earn our living in Pounds Sterling whose value has tanked, we are often looking at £200+ just for a three-star hotel and often much more, which is crazy; - Energy costs had a big impact that hasn't entirely gone away; - Equity pay deals have matched inflation (rightly); - The resulting seat prices for a half-decent view are now unaffordable for many; - Those of us who are lucky enough to still have some disposable income left are being a lot pickier about where we spend it. It's a great pity for Aspects as it's very much worth seeing in my view, but I imagine many of Michael Ball's fans and casual listeners to his Radio 2 show will have checked out the inital pricing options and decided that it was not special enough to save up for and be unaware of later offers. This Aspects would sell much better on a tour where there are fewer obstacles in the way of actually getting to the theatre. There's been plenty of successful shows this year like Shirley Valentine, The Lehman Trilogy, A Streetcar Named Desire to name but three and that's West End only, there's been success at the National, the Bridge as well so the idea no one is going to see theatre in London is frankly rubbish. It is unfortunate that Aspects of Love is closing early? Yes but a lot of that can be blamed on tepid reviews, I suspect even if it was sold at dirt cheap prices and things ran as scheduled, it still would have struggled. |
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Post by zahidf on Jun 30, 2023 14:13:59 GMT
Whilst i enjoyed it, i didnt pay the full prices and lived in London. If i paid full whack plus travel/Accommodation, i wouldn't be so generous
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jun 30, 2023 14:22:46 GMT
London theatre is fighting an uphill battle: - Anyone coming into London by train won't book except at short notice because of the risk of cancellations due to strike; - Even at short notice, operator incompetence (particularly the First Group franchises) means that trains often get cancelled for other reasons too; - Train services home from London after evening shows do not exist for much of the country, so you are looking at a hotel or matinee; - London hotel prices may be affordable to overseas tourists, but for those of us who still earn our living in Pounds Sterling whose value has tanked, we are often looking at £200+ just for a three-star hotel and often much more, which is crazy; - Energy costs had a big impact that hasn't entirely gone away; - Equity pay deals have matched inflation (rightly); - The resulting seat prices for a half-decent view are now unaffordable for many; - Those of us who are lucky enough to still have some disposable income left are being a lot pickier about where we spend it. It's a great pity for Aspects as it's very much worth seeing in my view, but I imagine many of Michael Ball's fans and casual listeners to his Radio 2 show will have checked out the inital pricing options and decided that it was not special enough to save up for and be unaware of later offers. This Aspects would sell much better on a tour where there are fewer obstacles in the way of actually getting to the theatre. A case in point - and not quoting the post above mine, but: I will admit to cancelling my Shirley Valentine for the very last show due to train strikes. Couldn't do it, drive in/drive home or overnight hotel - stress / mad expensive. ATG bless them refunded. I work in London 2 days a week and try to do an overnighter to incorporate a show on my night in London. Hotels are insane prices now, though - I'll Travelodge or Premier Inn out to Wembley (where I used to live) which can *sometimes* be the same cost as my train ticket + car park (Grantham). Re Equity/ticket prices - I'd actually not booked the Wiltons Mikado for Tuesday night after comments on this board about cast not being paid - went out to dinner instead after considering and rejecting costs for Op Mincemeat / Guys & Dolls. I had a bit of interest in seeing Aspects, as I hadn't seen it before. But reviews put me off - I'd rather spend my £ on another viewing of Groundhog Day which is a show that makes me very, very happy. |
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Post by Dawnstar on Jun 30, 2023 14:31:59 GMT
I was intending to see Aspects in the autumn, as I didn't want to go to the Lyric during the summer having found it very hot in summers when Showstopper used to do Monday nights there. I guess I therefore won't now be seeing Aspects.
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Post by franke6610 on Jun 30, 2023 14:46:24 GMT
I was booked for the last show. Won't make it before to London, so booked for Sunset instead on the 11th Nov. |
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Post by franke6610 on Jun 30, 2023 14:48:27 GMT
Sorry I'll miss this show because the music is a favorite of mine. I will not see Sunset Boulevard because I've seem it more times than I need to.
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Post by marob on Jun 30, 2023 15:11:30 GMT
The unreliable trains don’t help, but it’s the hotels that are putting me off seeing things. People I work with are taking their whole family abroad for a week for less than it would cost for me to go to London on my own for a weekend.
Both things combined mean that I’m much less willing to take a chance on something than I used to be.
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Post by sph on Jun 30, 2023 15:50:43 GMT
Yes that's the thing. Cost of living, hotel prices and train strikes do take effect because it makes people a lot more picky about what they see and less inclined to book far in advance. Yes people do still go to the theatre, obviously, but probably don't feel as comfortable now taking a chance on a show that got poor reviews.
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Post by capybara on Jun 30, 2023 17:50:14 GMT
Sad for any show to close early but I don’t think Aspects of Love closing three months early can be used as a yardstick for the state of West End theatre more generally.
The poor reviews reflected my reaction having seen this. Obviously it’s all a matter of tastes when it comes to theatre but when a show prompts hysterical laughter at it, rather with it, it’s never a good sign.
Fair play for trying to revive it but it just didn’t work, obviously.
I’m sorry for the cast and hope the Lyric find something to fill the programming space left behind.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jun 30, 2023 18:46:53 GMT
Not surprising at all. The whole venture was hideously misguided.
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Post by mammabat on Jun 30, 2023 21:39:39 GMT
I don't think the clip art artwork did it any favours either. It doesn't exactly scream prestige or quality production I saw this early in its run and for me it was totally ruined by the set. It distracted from the performances for me. I was criticized for my opinions, being told I was silly for paying any attention to anything other than the performances. Sorry for me it’s about the overall ambiance of the show. this was not a good revival in my opinion. I absolutely adored the revival at the Southwark playhouse. |
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Post by woobl on Jun 30, 2023 21:42:00 GMT
Audiences vote with their wallets and it's a competitive market out there for shows. If a production isn't good enough or hasn't got enough appeal and therefore closes, it means the industry is working as it should be. Let's hope something goes in that a) has the quality and b) something that audiences want to see. However, I fear this is a tall order at the moment...
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Post by danb on Jun 30, 2023 22:12:01 GMT
Sad for any show to close early but I don’t think Aspects of Love closing three months early can be used as a yardstick for the state of West End theatre more generally. The poor reviews reflected my reaction having seen this. Obviously it’s all a matter of tastes when it comes to theatre but when a show prompts hysterical laughter at it, rather with it, it’s never a good sign. Fair play for trying to revive it but it just didn’t work, obviously. I’m sorry for the cast and hope the Lyric find something to fill the programming space left behind. There are any number of dubious tours that could fill the Lyric for a few months. If a nostalgia fest like this with arguably the West Ends’ biggest star can’t work out, its a clear signal that producers need to try a lot harder to engage audiences . Of all of ALW’s oeuvre, this is the hallowed bastard misunderstood child that will fly when someone finally brings it back. Ok, great. How’s that working out for you? |
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Post by nicolaa on Jul 1, 2023 22:32:10 GMT
Got a £15 ticket to experience a massive hole in my ALW shows and now I can see why this has passed me by since they sacked Roger Moore.
Its a forgettable score and a rancid plot!! Everyone appears to fall in love with someone who is utterly detestable and who doesn't have a single redeeming feature for 95% of the runtime, even when they try to make her likeable near the end its a plot point thats thrown away so we can concentrate on something else. And one of our other leads has tried to kill her at some point but it will all be forgiven just so we can move the plot onwards.
I was half expecting the big reveal in the 2nd half to be that it was his daughter but that would have been too interesting for this show.
...and then it just ends. Shouldn't I want to know what happens next to these characters? Well no, no I don't as none of them are worth a damn. It reminded me of that Noel Coward play about the thruple but without the wit and charm. Michael Ball is clearly the only redeeming factor in this and he's great but one swallow does not a relationship make.
I'll give it a wee bonus for daring to start with a discussion about Ibsen and I enjoyed the minimalist staging as I thought it represented the cold empty hearts of our characters but there is nothing here to ever bring me back. I mean Love Never Dies is a terrible show but the music is great and I often find myself playing the cast recording so I can hear the score but this one doesn't earworm.
And even at £15 the top level was closed, tiers 2 and 3 were about half full and there were rows of empty seats in the stalls so not surpried to see its closing.
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Post by Rory on Jul 1, 2023 23:31:38 GMT
I'm still surprised that Michael Ball hasn't tempted the crowds, like the coach tours and so on. I really thought his name and brand recognition of the title could have sold the entire run for 6 months.
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Post by chernjam on Jul 2, 2023 0:33:49 GMT
I'm still surprised that Michael Ball hasn't tempted the crowds, like the coach tours and so on. I really thought his name and brand recognition of the title could have sold the entire run for 6 months. From the sounds of it, this strike has had a bit more of an impact on people venturing into London. The reviews for Aspects were not bad and it was a decent hit for ALW when it first ran. I didn't think it would extend past the limited run, but definitely didn't expect it to close so quickly. |
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Post by jay78uk on Jul 2, 2023 6:30:01 GMT
Got a £15 ticket to experience a massive hole in my ALW shows and now I can see why this has passed me by since they sacked Roger Moore. Its a forgettable score and a rancid plot!! Everyone appears to fall in love with someone who is utterly detestable and who doesn't have a single redeeming feature for 95% of the runtime, even when they try to make her likeable near the end its a plot point thats thrown away so we can concentrate on something else. And one of our other leads has tried to kill her at some point but it will all be forgiven just so we can move the plot onwards. I was half expecting the big reveal in the 2nd half to be that it was his daughter but that would have been too interesting for this show. ...and then it just ends. Shouldn't I want to know what happens next to these characters? Well no, no I don't as none of them are worth a damn. It reminded me of that Noel Coward play about the thruple but without the wit and charm. Michael Ball is clearly the only redeeming factor in this and he's great but one swallow does not a relationship make. I'll give it a wee bonus for daring to start with a discussion about Ibsen and I enjoyed the minimalist staging as I thought it represented the cold empty hearts of our characters but there is nothing here to ever bring me back. I mean Love Never Dies is a terrible show but the music is great and I often find myself playing the cast recording so I can hear the score but this one doesn't earworm. And even at £15 the top level was closed, tiers 2 and 3 were about half full and there were rows of empty seats in the stalls so not surpried to see its closing. I can understand your dislike of the book but have no idea how you could describe the score as forgettable, particularly if you are a fan of ALW’s other shows. It’s widely acknowledged to be one of ALW’s best. Was your trip to the Lyric the first time you had heard it? If so, suggest a repeat listen. |
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