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Post by Mr Snow on Jan 7, 2018 9:51:26 GMT
Just seen this thread... Is it too late to nominate It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...? (One of my favourites.) Given the song title, I think it's a little too early...
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Post by Mr Snow on Jan 4, 2018 17:02:34 GMT
If Michael Billington can constantly harp on about productions of yore - which have LONG ceased to exist - in his reviews, then it seems *really* weird to insist that people on a message board can critique only what is presented to them on stage and not the absence of anything else. Indeed, by commenting on something that *is* then you are by extension implicitly noticing what is *not*. What if "what is there" is, for example, Imelda Staunton delivering the manic side of Sally? If in our opinion that is *all* she is offering, then how on earth do you stop there *without* implying there are other sides to Sally that she isn't delivering? This is a VERY strange conversation.
You're talking about critiquing Follies as it is written. The objection is to critiquing it by positing a Follies that does not exist, the show one wished Goldman and Sondheim had written.
I’m on the side of this view. If we consider what isn’t in the ‘book’ the possibilities are endless and we only read those thought of by the ‘reviewer’. Interesting maybe but unless the reviewer does something about their thoughts…. In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern a different author has written a different play about characters that interest him. Also, there are at least two (currently) reasonably well-known Operas of Hamlet that do not have quite the same focus as the original play. Already 4 versions and yet there is still scope for many more. Think of Lear and The Dresser. It is more complicated when you consider productions. Particularly if the one you are seeing doesn’t adhere to the original production notes or costumes – the Opera world is somewhat obsessed with this. A reviewer may add recollections of how a different production created a certain effect or underlined one theme of a play. Similarly, they may recall the way another actor played it but the reviewer isn’t actually suggesting how it ought be designed or played. It’s fine to critique an action taken, or even compare it favourably or unfavourably with how another production/actor created an effect RELEVANT to the one being discussed. But what amounts to wishing you were watching something else is not a valid comment. IMO of course.
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Post by Mr Snow on Jan 2, 2018 16:27:04 GMT
It can be a bit of a hard sell when you tell your theatre buddies that they should trek down to London at considerable expense to see an 80 year old musical. But when you look at their faces at the end and they give you a hug and say “thank you”.... that’s a good feeling. 42nd Street. Nice. But isn't that the magic we hope for. Everything they saw was 'new', fresh and exciting that night. As if no one had ever seen it before. it's a truly marvelous producitno and a third vist can't be far away.
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Post by Mr Snow on Jan 2, 2018 15:55:42 GMT
At B'ham panto last week had a child behind me who parent had put on booster seat, still child moaning he couldn't see. So parent moves child to another seat as the one in front and next to me was free. Great amusement when a man mountain about 6 ft 4 ins and 25 stone took up the seat. I'm over 6ft and about 17 stone so it was a tight squeeze, the big guy was a lovely chap who admitted it was a squeeze and told me to poke him if he took up too much room, not a peek from the child though. I do hope you didn't actually .... ... in front of the child? .........it's ok, I'll go quietly.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 31, 2017 23:08:19 GMT
With a special thanks to Emicardiff and Ryan, (it’s just too hard competing with the pretty boys) a Happy New Year to all of you. I’ve had a wonderful year abetted by a tremendous bunch of misfits!
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Follies
Dec 30, 2017 12:45:15 GMT
via mobile
Post by Mr Snow on Dec 30, 2017 12:45:15 GMT
Obviously Imelda has tobe part of the discussion of who to cast as her young self. But to me she’s a controversial success. I am haunted by the cinema vision of her eyes during Losing my Mind.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 29, 2017 12:08:54 GMT
ETO’s Patience was really rather good and so was meeting board member, Mr Snow in the interval Being picked as one of the Highlights of the Year is my....Highlight of the Year! Lovely to meet you too.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 29, 2017 9:18:15 GMT
“Featuring hits from the 1980’s and 1940’s including With A Little Help From My Friends, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Time After Time, Addicted to Love, Puttin' On The Ritz, Just The Way You Are, In The Mood “
The first two below, really don’t suggest those decades to me. Not auspicious. With A Little Help From My Friends, 1967 Puttin' On The Ritz, 1929 Just The Way You Are, 1977 In The Mood 1939
That's 3/7 correct.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 28, 2017 16:18:32 GMT
I have to agree there was something not right about the characterisation of young Sally. I understand why Buddy stayed with her, but I did say to the Marchioness Snow that I couldn't understand what he saw to fall in love with in the first place. I think Stasia is on point because I just can't see why a director would want to portray the character as someone who would not have passed the audition to be a Weisman Girl.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 27, 2017 16:16:25 GMT
I caught it yesterday - not my cup of tea. Overlong, too tame, too inconsequential a story (back of a fag packet type stuff). Why in so many of these old musicals does nothing of any real consequence happen? Very hokey. By gosh you are so right. It will never last.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 25, 2017 13:20:48 GMT
Sorry no time to read 313 pages, any news on a London transfer?
Merry Christmas everyone😀
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 22, 2017 18:38:45 GMT
So as reported on another thread last night we were part of the evacuation of the ROH, IMMEDIATELY following the performance. We were in the upper slips so quite a way to come down. Following a man who keeps slowing down. He’s less than 70 and seems ok then I work out he’s trying to hide the fact he’s texting!! Down stairs he gets well behind! I ask him to stop as it’s unsafe and this of course leads to s broadside from his everlovin ...shrew. I ignore this but have a smug smile as she had tripped just before the first set of stairs. If she hadn’t been close to the man in front of her she could have been seriously hurt
Is it to late to ask admin for a new category to vote on?
F@@@@wits of the year.
Ding ding ding we have a pair of winners!
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 22, 2017 13:51:37 GMT
As far as I know there are no Christmas songs by Gershwin, Kern, Porter or Rodgers. I wait now to be proved wrong! They probably thought Irvin Berlin had the Copyright for Seasonal Songs. I recall a PG Wodehouse story where the character imagined he’d found the way to certain riches, all he had to do was come up with a new song to be sung to someone celebrating a birthday. Punchline: we’re still singing the old one! A little Ironic that Pelham came up with songwriting as the way to get rich. I’d vote for a Law allowing each song to be played only once a year and only in the week before Christmas. Having established myself as a grump I’ll just add Blue Christmas works well as its sentiment is also relevant, but contrasts nicely with all the sugary ones. (Hayes-Johnson, about whom I know nothing.)
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 22, 2017 9:52:44 GMT
Lovely! I have decided that these will be my go-to adjectives of the day! Well, of an evening, I like nothing more than to make sure my anacrusis is correctly placed so that it doesn't compromise the tessitura of my contrapuntal extemporisations. I see a great future for you as a Music Hall Compere!
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 22, 2017 9:27:37 GMT
www.standard.co.uk/news/london/royal-opera-house-evacuated-as-police-probe-suspicious-package-a3725606.htmlI’m not on Twitter but just in case the ROH staff get to see this. As above I can’t say enough to praise the professionalism and bravery of the staff who waited while everyone filed out. The only change I would make to future such plans is. As we reached the bottom of the stairs the actress who played Madelena was hovering by our escape door. Naturally we were pleased to see her and many congratulated her on her performance. But on reflection it was like travelling on a crowded road when there’s an incident on the other side. The rubber necking slows down the traffic you are in and that’s exactly what happened. Someone's role needs to be to escort the stars away from the exits.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 22, 2017 6:42:23 GMT
Ok I have to ask this, what is up with the ice cream?!? 😂 I was absolutely fascinated with the array of ice creams on offer at each show in even below zero weather. I had it only once at Book of Mormon because that theatre was boiling but mostly I had a hot tea to warm up. Seeing the ice cream at every interval and so many people buying them did make me smile. Love your love for ice cream! Never questioned it, but you are right. Why in Britain? Never seen it abroad. Keep these observations coming.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 21, 2017 23:55:56 GMT
From a quick look at the reviews I wasn't expecting much. But it was a a pretty good Rigoletto with a superb Quartet.
Seconds after the curtain came down as applause was building, we heard the fire alarm. An orderly withdrawal took place with superb help from the staff who stood their ground asking people to keep moving. Speakers kept announcing "Fire has been reported..."
Got a backstage tour on our way through the building site areas. Nearly everyone was stoical and we ended up in the Piazza with the cast in full costume, who got a spontaneous round of applause.
As we walked past the front of the building we were suspicious as we could see police cars but not even one fire engine.
I say nearly everyone and if I get time tomorrow ill report in the bad behaviour thread.
30? Years ago we were asked to evacuate the Colluseum before the last act of Don Carlos. It was the peak of IRA activity. It was a decade later that we finally got to see the last act.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 8, 2017 23:37:34 GMT
It could be something to do with your age maybe? Follies is about disappointment and the regrets we have as we get older - perhaps when you're a bit older you may have a different view of the material? Definitely. 10-years-ago-Baemax didn't really get the fuss, but 10-years-older-present-day-Baemax was absolutely devastated. I'm not saying you'll definitely love it when you're older, but it's worth revisiting to see if it does make a difference for you. i've been waiting for this to come up. I saw the last London production and was unmoved. This one resonates and it did with the slightly older couple we wentwith even more so.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 8, 2017 7:41:03 GMT
I think this is a great idea.... How about All Star Dentistry. I’d watch that even though it would be someone I think i May have heard of, working on someone I definitely haven’t. Can improve it by allowing the public to vote on who gets to sit in the chair and who gets to shine in white. I’ll have my agent call ITV today.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 8, 2017 6:41:12 GMT
She came, we saw, she conquered.
A Bernstein/Sondheim selection. After mentioning her friend currently at the National she then delivered soft and nuanced versions of In Buddy’s Eyes and Loosing My Mind. Some nice segues and off beat choices.So she was very good but...
Could have been amazing if Turn the volume on the mic down Drop nos you can’t get right. We had two of the f bomb moments last night AND I don’t think she’s retained the verbal dexterity to do the fast bits on Not Getting Married And though she talks interestingly, after the first no is not the time to start suspect she needs a new director to give her a few notes
The room is rather nice. To save theatre monkey a job ask to be seated away from the bar. Centre of the room fine
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 6, 2017 13:33:57 GMT
It really was one of those moments that signified changing times.
Then there’s the Christine Keeler F+++++! us all, theory. This explains modern British politics as follows. As each election came along the Conservative Party would promise to run a tight ship, cut taxes and spend a bit more on the police and defence. Labour would counter by promising to spend wisely, with a bit more for the NHS and pay for it with higher taxes on the rich. Governments changed, but post war the National Debt as a proportion of GDP routinely fell. When the Profumo affair broke the elderly MacMillan saw an election disaster looming and in desperation promised to keep taxes as they were, but spend more for the benefit of each of the electorate “You’ve never had it so good”. This left Labour at a loss and so they promised to spend even more on each of us. This spending “Arms race” has continued ever since and we have been running at a deficit for more years than not.
(This is how it was explained to me and yes I recognise that the man gets off scot free).
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 6, 2017 6:46:50 GMT
It may be false, it may be true . . . You would say that...
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 5, 2017 17:16:07 GMT
NFN? Strange place.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 4, 2017 22:34:45 GMT
Off the top of my head. SP = same production Most seen ‘show’ must be La Traviata. Maybe 5 different productions and at least 5 visits to the current(?) ROH one. But excluding Opera’s which do come round regularly.
Candide SP West Side Story Cabaret Chicago – at least 3x including the original London production.
Company Girl Crazy/Crazy for you Porgy and Bess (Opera?) Showboat Anything Goes Carousel Pal Joey 5x SP Sound of Music South Pacific The King and I Sound of Music My Fair lady Guys and Dolls at least 4 productions including the NT one twice SP Showboat A Funny thing Happened… A Little Night Music Company Follies Into the Woods Merrily we Roll Along SP Sweeney Todd Fiddler on the Roof
Jesus Christ! Superstar Wicked!
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 4, 2017 21:52:52 GMT
I'm going to spread some love... Shows I have seen a number of times (and like) My fair lady A chorus line West side story Candide South Pacific Guys and Dolls Mack and Mabel Sweeny Todd Merrily we roll along Into the Woods Company A little Night Music Oliver Annie get your gun 42nd Street Crazy for you Thanks but surprised there's only 1 Rogers and no Porter? I do wonder if different productions of the same Musical fit this thread?
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