4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 26, 2023 22:23:20 GMT
Oh I thought this was riveting tonight.
I think this is going to divide people - if you don't know Vanya at all, this is going to be a slog, but I'd argue that's true of a lot of one person versions of meaty plays. Within 10 minutes I was completely in, and my mind was fully focused for the next hour and and 40, and that's a key thing with this. You have to concentrate. If you let your mind wander, you will have lost where Scott is, who he is, and where we are and it'll be almost impossible to get back in. It's a test, for both actor and audience, and I loved that.
I'd watch Andrew Scott read the phone book, and he is brilliantly captivating here. A lot of the things he did got laughs where there aren't any (and I truly believe that's because half the audience had no idea what was happening), but the half that knew, loved it.
For a dress rehearsal, it's in really good shape. It'll tighten up and Scott will get more comfortable as it goes along because it's MAMMOTH, but an easy 4 stars for me.
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 24, 2023 23:01:47 GMT
Adding a really solid 4 star review to this.
Carl Mullaney, as others have said, is wonderful (and I imagine will be nominated when we get round to awards). He takes a little while to warm up, but by mid act 1 he's in his stride, and I Am What I Am gets him a well deserved standing ovation (my friend and I were in tears). Act 2 perfectly pitched - wonderfully warm and endearing. Billy Carter a proper delight as Georges too - they make a lovely pairing.
Debbie Kurrups accent was 50 shades of bananas, and I didn't like the son and his fiance (didn't think either of them could act, but lovely dancers!), But otherwise loved this. The Cagelles were great, grounded in realness and brilliantly talented (fab routines from Stephen Mear as ever) - and what a fabulous design.
About time Regents Park had something good on again, it's been too long. Will probably go again!
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 24, 2023 22:54:16 GMT
Catherine Zeta Jones would be FABULOUS.
If this really is Waddingham, I hope they've entirely rewritten it as she deserves something good for her big theatre return.
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 24, 2023 17:22:21 GMT
Considering both Tammy Faye and Prada needed serious work, and Elton only just stopped touring, shouldn't we wait until they've had the work done to put them on 😂
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 23, 2023 20:58:17 GMT
I mean I don't drink alcohol and I thought Norm was pretty good so...there goes that theory!
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 23, 2023 19:10:20 GMT
Simply don't get the Norm negativity on here tbh - the score wasn't designed for his voice but he navigated it really well I thought (I mean, that Till I Hear You Sing sounded beautiful!) - yes there were a couple of line flubs, but nothing that was enormously noticeable (and I'm a big fan of the show). I'd take what he did and the concert being off book than everyone with their nose in a score any day.
Like everyone has said, Celinde was made for this, and deservedly got a mid show standing ovation for the title number. Sally Dexter was fun, doing a French accent no one asked for, and I enjoyed the three 'freaks'. Sadly I did think Courtney was very weak as Meg - you should be watching her be on the verge of a breakdown all the way through, it should be subtle but you should always be able to see Meg is on a knife-edge and can turn at any moment, and i just thought the change was far too quick and obvious - I'd actually have been really interested in what someone like Zizi Strallen would have done with Meg.
For me, this was LND sung to basically its fullest potential with a gorgeous orchestra, some knock out voices, and a soaring score that we should hear more of.
Really strong 4 stars.
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 23, 2023 12:04:53 GMT
Tammy Faye showed that shows don't have to get raves across the board to win performance awards, but I think they'll definitely have hampered it's chances of winning best musical
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 21, 2023 23:19:56 GMT
I didn't know theatre could still make me feel what it made me feel tonight.
I can't write masses of thoughts yet, but this production is magnificent. The cast are stellar (hand Caissie Levy her Olivier now) and the way they've staged it is so intelligent.
It's utterly fantastic. I'm pretty stunned.
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 21, 2023 15:00:33 GMT
This is almost certainly going to have guest performers in it for a week/two weeks.
Ball is now free, Mandy Patinkin is in town for a few weeks - there's just no way they'll make any money on what they're offering now (based on ticket sales)
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 18, 2023 10:12:46 GMT
As Sonia Friedman is producing, my money is on the Savoy after Plaza Suite. Put some money on this
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 14, 2023 12:40:44 GMT
She's in the show that followed it at Windsor 😂
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 14, 2023 9:58:46 GMT
Hey, im still looking forward to it (Thaxton has an incredible voice and it'll sound great) but whatever angle Lloyd is going for strikes me currently that it isn't going to work.
Oh, that promo is TERRIBLE 😂
And the ensemble is very much a who's who of...who?
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 11, 2023 21:40:10 GMT
This production isn't transferring, there's another regional production next summer that will transfer to the West End instead.
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 11, 2023 19:00:21 GMT
I think it's between Rigby and James Norton for A Little Life currently (unless there's something coming up that we don't know about/a male performance upcoming I haven't factored in)
I can see Norton getting it because of the ordeal he has to go through, but Rigby is working super super hard to make that look as good as it does.
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 11, 2023 9:57:59 GMT
All of a sudden very interested in a Jamie Lloyd production which I just hate for me
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 10, 2023 20:54:55 GMT
HA!
I mean, gorgeous score, sung by stunning voices (largely), with a fabulous orchestra and a well intentioned if sometimes slightly off set? It's an operetta - treat it as such and it's a hoot!
Give me this over some of the crap we have clogging up the West End right now 😂
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 10, 2023 17:02:24 GMT
I mean I had a much better time at this than I had at probably 10 other shows I've seen so far this year.
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 10, 2023 16:31:00 GMT
Pretty sure Sarah is resident something (director or choreographer or something similar) hence why she's been there so long.
Like Kempner will be a fun Thenadier but will look weird af opposite Clare Machin.
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 9, 2023 20:09:19 GMT
They're still hoping for a future life sometime, but it's not headed to the Savoy in the Spring as previously discussed
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 9, 2023 17:18:42 GMT
Not going to the Savoy in April.
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 9, 2023 15:41:50 GMT
Any more word on the rumoured Savoy transfer? Is it happening? No
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 8, 2023 15:35:16 GMT
The Drowsey Chaperone. I don't think it got a fair crack of the whip last time With Hannah Waddingham as Beatrice Stockwell thanks
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 8, 2023 15:23:13 GMT
I didn't get a date but the producers who are going to be doing it were at the Tom Kitt concert and she said it's moving forward ...
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 8, 2023 11:26:49 GMT
Kerry guested with Tom Kitt at his Crazy Coqs show and did a couple of numbers from If/Then. While they mentioned how Kerry had workshopped it and how they wanted to do it, it doesn't sound like there's any active development of it further sadly. Spoke to her afterwards and that's not necessarily the impression she gave me...
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 7, 2023 17:38:00 GMT
Good for Carly leading a UK tour - great career progression.
Shame she won't get to play Persephone in Hadestown as a result.
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 6, 2023 20:28:35 GMT
Ragtime. Nine. A Little Night Music.
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 4, 2023 22:50:31 GMT
Does anyone remember if Beverly had a regular day off in the previous run of Sister Act? Or did it vary from week to week? She had three schedule shows off otherwise she did 8 shows a week for 7 weeks.
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 4, 2023 17:56:27 GMT
It’s not a joke…I loved her in SIX and she’s really fun to watch. She can’t sing Oh she can sort of sing but she can't act so I'll pass on that thanks
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 3, 2023 14:27:46 GMT
Rumour - Dom Simpson from The Book of Mormon to take over as Christian at cast change. Jamie's last show is 14th October. It has been confirmed by Dom's agency that one of their clients will be taking the role of Christian at cast change. Dom Simpson's last show at BoM (26th August) is a month prior to cast change at BoM (30th September). Also if you dont have a job with a detective agency you should get one.
|
|
4,523 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Aug 3, 2023 14:27:13 GMT
Assume he's late 20s?
Had hoped they'd continue the trend of casting older in age as they did from JB to JM and get someone in their mid 30s - will probs be continuing to give this a miss again.
|
|