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Post by Dr Tom on Apr 22, 2022 10:41:59 GMT
have a question though that's been bugging me, hopefully someone can help. Shortly into Act 2 there's a scene where Wadsworth and Mrs White are approaching the bedrooms, deliberately slowly because they're suspicious of each other. At the performance I attended (Belgrade Theatre, Coventry), someone shouted "Someone make a move, I'm desperate for the loo!" (or similar). Is this part of the show and spoken by one of the characters off-stage, or was that a particularly rude audience member heckling? I'd also be intrigued to know if Colonel Mustard's moustache falls off every night. Fake corpsing is my personal theatrical bête noire and I suspect it's in play here! I don't remember either of those incidents when I saw this early in the run. |
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Post by Deal J on Apr 23, 2022 13:51:01 GMT
We had the moustache incident but not the loo shout. However, we were front row at the Belgrade, so it's possible it was the same night as you and we didn't hear the latter. Our show was 15 March evening. Thanks both - I was at the matinee on the 19th, so it seems the loo shout was an audience heckle. How rude! I remember thinking it was bizarre as it came so soon after the interval had ended. So it wasn’t just rude, but unimaginative as well! |
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Post by inthenose on Apr 23, 2022 14:08:13 GMT
Also my bête noire, especially the panto classic during the shout outs:
PERFORMER: "Finally, a special birthday mention for little [NAME] who is aged 3 today. (AWWWWWWWW!) Where are you [NAME]?"
LX/SND TECH (AUDIENCE REAR): "She's in the toilet!!"
It ALWAYS gets a massive laugh, everywhere, and I never ever understand why. I didn't even understand why it was funny when I was a child and the word "poo" or "bum" was the height of comedy.
And don't get me started on "The 12 Days of Christmas" or "Timeless to Me" in Hairspray.
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Post by Deal J on Apr 23, 2022 15:33:37 GMT
Yes the Hairspray one really annoys me, to me it suggests they’re not confident enough to have Edna played by a male without laughing at it.
It’s also annoying when talking to anyone else who’s been and thinks they have had a “unique” experience, you’re left wondering whether to burst their bubble or not.
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Post by inthenose on Apr 23, 2022 15:45:43 GMT
Yes the Hairspray one really annoys me, to me it suggests they’re not confident enough to have Edna played by a male without laughing at it. It’s also annoying when talking to anyone else who’s been and thinks they have had a “unique” experience, you’re left wondering whether to burst their bubble or not. I learnt not to, with friends and casuals. I am a stage manager and I told a friend once how an effect worked, and they were almost offended we'd "lied" to them. I don't mind spilling tea on here within reason because people are actively seeking out stuff like this. But to outsiders it's best to just keep schtum. When I was a (teenage) "mark" I went to see "Bottom: Live". It was so funny all the bits they messed up, we saw a really special show. A guy next to me shouted out "have a w**k" a few times at funny moments, which was really cool. By chance a friend had a spare ticket at a different venue and I went, and sure enough the exact same "mistakes" happened at exactly the same points. That very same heckler was back, too! What are the odds?! I was devastated at the interval and couldn't enjoy the rest of the show as I too felt betrayed in a way, silly as that was. Those same "mistakes" happen in the recorded shows too. I just hate it. And hearing the same "ad-libs" night after night calling a show is brutal to one's appreciation of live theatre... |
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Post by Deal J on Apr 23, 2022 16:35:11 GMT
Yes, I’m the same - if it’s someone unlikely to see the show again, then I don’t see the point in upsetting them. If it’s one of my stagey friends that’s a different matter, like you say there’s a common interest.
Your experience with “Bottom” is similar to why the “Hairspray” one annoyed me so much - it was on my 2nd visit I giggled to myself remembering the error the 1st time, and was looking forward to hearing the song done “properly”. Then - BAM! - illusion shattered.
Those “Bottom Live” shows were such a riot, I do miss Rik Mayall.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 23, 2022 16:43:17 GMT
That whole piece about the guy in the audience with the sandwich in One Man Two Guvnors along with the various “stooges” used on stage… brilliantly done when I saw the tour with Gavin Spokes but so much of that show relied on the deception that I’d never want to see it again I think. It would be disappointing.
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Post by mkb on Apr 23, 2022 16:54:13 GMT
When you're a seasoned theatregoer, it does rather diminish those moments where there are genuine one-off gaffs, corpsing or funny heckles, because you just assume it's scripted.
It's the same with all those apparently ad hoc anecdotes on chat shows that you know a team of script writers was slaving over for days. It's why chat shows aren't funny anymore like they were when they were genuinely spontaneous. It's why Graham Norton interviews are boring on tv but interesting on radio, not that I've listened to him since he decamped to Rupert Murdoch radio.
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Post by Jan on Apr 23, 2022 20:07:34 GMT
When you're a seasoned theatregoer, it does rather diminish those moments where there are genuine one-off gaffs, corpsing or funny heckles, because you just assume it's scripted. It's the same with all those apparently ad hoc anecdotes on chat shows that you know a team of script writers was slaving over for days. It's why chat shows aren't funny anymore like they were when they were genuinely spontaneous. It's why Graham Norton interviews are boring on tv but interesting on radio, not that I've listened to him since he decamped to Rupert Murdoch radio. When were chat shows ever spontaneous ? One of Michael Parkinson’s best guests used to be Kenneth Williams and all of his anecdotes were pre-prepared and rehearsed, albeit through constant repetition. With other comedians Parkinson simply prompted them to perform bits of material from their act. In the era before that on radio interview-type programmes on radio - Desert Island Disks for example - were literally 100% scripted, both questions and answers. Agree on Murdoch - never forgiven him for supporting Labour for 12 years. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2022 20:23:23 GMT
I’ve never seen Hairspray - what’s the ‘gag’ in that song? (Maybe use spoiler tags?)
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Post by crabtree on Apr 23, 2022 20:26:56 GMT
let's not forget Michael Crawford took things to a high art with Barnum. I guess it's all part of it.
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Post by inthenose on Apr 23, 2022 20:28:37 GMT
let's not forget Michael Crawford took things to a high art with Barnum. I guess it's all part of it. And very appropriate when you consider Barnum was the "prince of humbugs"... |
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Post by kathryn on Apr 24, 2022 8:20:05 GMT
It's the same with all those apparently ad hoc anecdotes on chat shows that you know a team of script writers was slaving over for days. It's why chat shows aren't funny anymore like they were when they were genuinely spontaneous. It's why Graham Norton interviews are boring on tv but interesting on radio, not that I've listened to him since he decamped to Rupert Murdoch radio. Always take the chat-show anecdotes with a pinch of salt - which is annoying because sometimes people are talking about stuff that genuinely happened to them. Unfortunately though most of the time they’re making stuff up because there’s just not enough true stories from filming - which is a hard slog and not a laugh riot, usually - to fill a press tour. The best Graham Norton shows are the ones where the guests go off on a tangent with each other on the night, under the influence of a glass or two. That’s the actual appeal of his format. You can tell when Graham is dragging them back on-script because they miss the set-up and have to be re-prompted. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 24, 2022 10:31:07 GMT
I’ve never seen Hairspray - what’s the ‘gag’ in that song? (Maybe use spoiler tags?) {Spoiler - click to view}
Edna and Wilbur Turnblad sing a duet which appears to be full of ad libs and laughing but it’s all rehearsed and played the same at every performance. It’s a nice moment though. |
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Post by Jon on Apr 24, 2022 10:31:20 GMT
Always take the chat-show anecdotes with a pinch of salt - which is annoying because sometimes people are talking about stuff that genuinely happened to them. Unfortunately though most of the time they’re making stuff up because there’s just not enough true stories from filming - which is a hard slog and not a laugh riot, usually - to fill a press tour. The best Graham Norton shows are the ones where the guests go off on a tangent with each other on the night, under the influence of a glass or two. That’s the actual appeal of his format. You can tell when Graham is dragging them back on-script because they miss the set-up and have to be re-prompted. A lot of chat shows anecdotes by celebrities are reused when they are promoting things abroad. the anecdote of Liam Neeson being mistaken by Ralph Fiennes was told on both Graham Norton and I think Conan O'Brien. |
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Post by marob on Apr 24, 2022 10:37:37 GMT
It's the same with all those apparently ad hoc anecdotes on chat shows that you know a team of script writers was slaving over for days. It's why chat shows aren't funny anymore like they were when they were genuinely spontaneous. It's why Graham Norton interviews are boring on tv but interesting on radio, not that I've listened to him since he decamped to Rupert Murdoch radio. Always take the chat-show anecdotes with a pinch of salt - which is annoying because sometimes people are talking about stuff that genuinely happened to them. Unfortunately though most of the time they’re making stuff up because there’s just not enough true stories from filming - which is a hard slog and not a laugh riot, usually - to fill a press tour. The best Graham Norton shows are the ones where the guests go off on a tangent with each other on the night, under the influence of a glass or two. That’s the actual appeal of his format. You can tell when Graham is dragging them back on-script because they miss the set-up and have to be re-prompted. I hate that, it’s always so awkward when he asks guests a question he clearly already knows the answer to. Especially when they just stare at him blankly so he has to be more specific. |
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Post by kathryn on Apr 24, 2022 11:37:22 GMT
Always take the chat-show anecdotes with a pinch of salt - which is annoying because sometimes people are talking about stuff that genuinely happened to them. Unfortunately though most of the time they’re making stuff up because there’s just not enough true stories from filming - which is a hard slog and not a laugh riot, usually - to fill a press tour. The best Graham Norton shows are the ones where the guests go off on a tangent with each other on the night, under the influence of a glass or two. That’s the actual appeal of his format. You can tell when Graham is dragging them back on-script because they miss the set-up and have to be re-prompted. A lot of chat shows anecdotes by celebrities are reused when they are promoting things abroad. the anecdote of Liam Neeson being mistaken by Ralph Fiennes was told on both Graham Norton and I think Conan O'Brien. If you’re a fan of a particular actor/pop star/celebrity you could easily stand in for them in interviews after week 2 of the press tour. They typically say the same things over and over and over again…. Sometimes if they’re tired they don’t even manage to make it relevant to the question asked, they just repeat the talking points whatever the question was. There’s a reason why there’s a trend now for interview set-ups involving food or drink or puppies - they’ll sometimes let their guard down and go off-script when you distract them like that. |
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Post by Jon on Apr 24, 2022 12:48:03 GMT
If you’re a fan of a particular actor/pop star/celebrity you could easily stand in for them in interviews after week 2 of the press tour. They typically say the same things over and over and over again…. Sometimes if they’re tired they don’t even manage to make it relevant to the question asked, they just repeat the talking points whatever the question was. There’s a reason why there’s a trend now for interview set-ups involving food or drink or puppies - they’ll sometimes let their guard down and go off-script when you distract them like that. The press junkets must be incredibly boring because it's just the same questions reworded. Occasionally you do get some new stuff like with Eddie Redmayne who has told his story of him, Jamie Dornan and Robert Pattison starting out in Hollywood many times but then he mentioned on Jimmy Fallon how he and Robert Pattison were on the same studio lot as they were filming Fantastic Beasts and The Batman at the same time and Eddie was working out in the onsite gym and he sees Robert Pattison looking quite buff and he was struggling to do even sit ups. |
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Post by longinthetooth on Apr 24, 2022 14:02:53 GMT
That whole piece about the guy in the audience with the sandwich in One Man Two Guvnors along with the various “stooges” used on stage… brilliantly done when I saw the tour with Gavin Spokes but so much of that show relied on the deception that I’d never want to see it again I think. It would be disappointing. I remember crying with laughter at the man with the sandwich, then the doubts creeping in when he didn't return after the interval. |
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Post by Peter on Apr 24, 2022 15:07:18 GMT
They did at least mix it up it Gov’ners with real audience members on stage too - as I can attest as I was one of them (fairly unwillingly!) when I saw the show at the Haymarket.
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Post by kathryn on Apr 24, 2022 18:21:32 GMT
People who were seeing the show for a second time have been known to take along food items to volunteer during the sandwich bit too. We had a real sandwich proffered up and I’ve heard tell of pork pies and sausage rolls making an appearance….
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Post by inthenose on Apr 24, 2022 18:54:45 GMT
Can someone spoiler me this sandwich bit? I have absolutely no memory of it. I remember the crew girl "volunteer" getting covered in cake mixture or something on stage, but I loathed the play and have forgotten most of it.
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Post by crabtree on Apr 24, 2022 19:37:32 GMT
can you imagine being the stooge, who has to sit there every night for thirty seconds of humiliation. still, hopefully they are paid, and it is acting of sorts.
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Post by samuelwhiskers on Apr 24, 2022 20:08:21 GMT
Can someone spoiler me this sandwich bit? I have absolutely no memory of it. I remember the crew girl "volunteer" getting covered in cake mixture or something on stage, but I loathed the play and have forgotten most of it. Francis is talking about how hungry he is - a running plotline throughout the first half - and at one point asks the audience if they have any food he can have. Someone in the audience shouts back and offers him a sandwich, at which he fake corpses and says something like “thank you but that kinda messes with the play” (because if someone gives Francis food, it destroys his motivation for many of his actions that drive the plot forward. Then he asked “what kind of sandwich” and the audience member says “hummus” and he makes a joke about that - because obviously Francis wouldn’t eat or know what hummus is. The dialogue about the sandwich isn’t in the original playtext - it just says “opportunity to improvise with the audience” but the whole hummus sandwich bit was the same in every performance so must have developed in rehearsals.
When word got out about the sandwich line, audience members starting to bring their own sandwiches, leading to actual unscripted moments and even people throwing hot dogs and (non hummus) sandwiches on stage!
Funnily enough the Guardian wrote an article claiming Nick Hytner had given the cast a bollocking for fooling around and improvising too much on stage and seemed to believe the hummus sandwich exchange was a genuine ad lib they got in trouble for!
The other major plant is “Christine Patterson”, supposedly a real audience member who’s brought up on stage to help Francis with food and winds up being sprayed with a fire extinguisher - the actress playing that role was never credited to protect the illusion. The script says “He hands the soup to Christine (a plant).”
On the other hand, the two people called on stage to help move the trunk are genuine audience members. At one performance Max Hastings (Daily Mail journo) was the one of the trunk-movers and wrote an article moaning that they’d deliberately moved his seat in order to target him . |
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Post by inthenose on Apr 24, 2022 20:14:34 GMT
Can someone spoiler me this sandwich bit? I have absolutely no memory of it. I remember the crew girl "volunteer" getting covered in cake mixture or something on stage, but I loathed the play and have forgotten most of it. Francis is talking about how hungry he is - a running plotline throughout the first half - and at one point asks the audience if they have any food he can have. Someone in the audience shouts back and offers him a sandwich, at which he fake corpses and says something like “thank you but that kinda messes with the play” (because if someone gives Francis food, it destroys his motivation for many of his actions that drive the plot forward. Then he asked “what kind of sandwich” and the audience member says “hummus” and he makes a joke about that - because obviously Francis wouldn’t eat or know what hummus is. The entire “hummus sandwich” exchange is scripted and the audience member a plant.”
Funnily enough the Guardian wrote an article claiming Nick Hytner had given the cast a bollocking for fooling around and improvising too much on stage and seemed to believe the hummus sandwich exchange was a genuine ad lib they got in trouble for! Oh yeah, I remember now. That was ghastly. |
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