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Post by anthony on Jul 28, 2020 14:07:49 GMT
I wouldn't be surprised if Phantom is only 'closing' like Les Mis closed and be replaced by the new production rather than closing and being replaced by a new show. But Les Mis never closed (if you buy CM’s “longest running musical” crap). This has been announced as Phantom permanently closing. I thought it did close and a new production opened? Phantom would have became the longest running musical in a few more months of running (it would have just passed it, if Covid hadn't happened).
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Post by anthony on Jul 28, 2020 13:27:27 GMT
Desperately hoping this is some sort of ruse to put pressure on the government and that he’ll reopen it next year potentially with the tour sets or in a smaller theatre. Can’t believe they’d just announce it in an opinion piece in a paper if it was proper, permanent closure? Surely there’d be a press release like with the tour It has to be, right?! It just makes no sense - it still sells really well (when I last went in February, there was 'sold out' poster at the front). Especially with Phantom being so close to overtaking Les Mis as being the longest running West End musical, following Les Mis' closure and reopening of a new production... (wonder if this has influenced Mackintosh's decision?). It just makes no sense and it seems like such a cheap way to make an announcement like this? Part of me thinks it MUST be to just put pressure on the government - a staple of the West End announcing a closure sends a message, I guess...
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Post by anthony on Nov 12, 2019 21:59:30 GMT
I really hope the company manager or someone is supporting this kid and telling him NEVER to read the comments on forums or fan-sites. Dealing with vocal tiredness is a normal part of playing a big role and he will become used to this over time, but it is as much a mental issue as it is a physical one. I don't see any issue with criticising the performance, tbh. I think with opening night approaching, it's good he's taking some time off if vocal tiredness is the issue here, but that doesn't change the issue with the quality of the performance last night. As a whole, his feedback has been pretty positive - his acting is amazing and he plays the part really, really well. He just struggled.
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Post by anthony on Nov 12, 2019 16:20:26 GMT
Saw Josh Piterman a few weeks back now. At the interval, I have to admit I wasn't a HUGE fan of him, but his Final Lair blew me away (and was perhaps the best performance I've ever seen from a Phantom). Genuinely amazing.
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Post by anthony on Nov 12, 2019 16:13:30 GMT
I was half expecting someone else to come on as Evan in act two so frail was his voice. He struggled with his first two numbers and just about managed the rest. Thankfully act two’s songs are a bit more robust and use different corners of his voice. Sam nailed ‘Words Fail’ so I didn’t leave disappointed. I was there tonight and had the same reaction. In Waving Through A Window his pitch was all over the place and was struggling with the higher range and then his voice cracked on the final 2 big notes. Still, the show's fans still cheered wildly at the end of it. Because his voice was a lot better in Act 2, I wondered if it was a character choice. Maybe his voice was better because he had more confidence in himself. But no singer would choose to crack on a big note. Despite knowing some of the score, i didnt really know the ins and outs of the story, so it was nice to see how it all unfolded. I had little sympathy for Even in Act 1, as he had numerous chances to stop things getting worse, but i can understand how suddenly being seen by people can be a wonderful thing. I also felt his turnaround in Act 2 a little sudden. For me, Evan's mum is the real heart of the story, and it was So Big/So Small that moved me the most. Also, is Alana meant to be that annoying?? Overall i really enjoyed it. Its a very slick show and fits the stage perfectly. I wouldn't rush back, but would be tempted to see it with a different lead in the future. His Waving Through A Window was honestly one of the worst vocal performances I've seen in a show ever. I was there last night too, and he just gave up after his voice cracked and decided to just scream it? It was genuinely painful (Although, perhaps not as painful as Jade Ewan's Jasmine...). He did get much, much better as it went on, though. So, I loved the songs and knew before I went that I was going to love the music. But I can't lie that I went away feeling pretty cold about it? I think we're meant to feel sorry for Evan, but I'm not sure why we would. For all intents and purposes, he's a pretty vile character who only chooses to out himself as a fraud when the walls started to cave in anyway. I agree with you - the star of the show is Rebecca McKinnis. I really thought I was going to love it and I was even looking for more tickets just before the show started... but I probably won't be rushing back to see it any time soon I have a feeling that if I didn't know the broadway cast album so well, I'd have probably disliked it even more than I did.
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Post by anthony on Jun 22, 2019 23:14:44 GMT
I'm not sure that the last tour did sell out everywhere -- I saw it 2 evenings in Milton Keynes and on one of the evenings I literally had about the 5-6 row in the dress circle to myself (genuinely no exaggeration, the entire row and only me...).
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Post by anthony on Jun 22, 2019 22:22:40 GMT
Does the Phantom have a long haired wig at the moment? It looked so odd during West End Live. I thought maybe it wasn't a wig, but Howar doesn't seem to have that long hair and he had the deformity make up on (you could slightly see it at the bottom of the mask), so I assume he was dressed for the matinee already. If you having difficulties distinguishing who the Phantom is, he is the one wearing the white mask. Hilarious Performance here:
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Post by anthony on Jun 22, 2019 21:55:54 GMT
Does the Phantom have a long haired wig at the moment? It looked so odd during West End Live. I thought maybe it wasn't a wig, but Howar doesn't seem to have that long hair and he had the deformity make up on (you could slightly see it at the bottom of the mask), so I assume he was dressed for the matinee already.
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Post by anthony on Jan 27, 2019 0:39:41 GMT
Saw it tonight and it was AMAZING. I really wanted Elhaida Dani (the alternative Esmeralda), but I guess that wasn't going to happen on a Sat night (I'm Alive is one of my favourite Eurovision songs ever!). I'm also a big Eurovision buff and missed the national final of France tonight for it, but given that the French National Final is hosted by Garou, it seemed somewhat fitting! The writers were in the audience tonight and got called up on stage and it was just really, really amazing. It was so great hearing the audience sing back the French lyrics to them (a bit like Derniere songs that German musicals do on their last performance, but this wasn't the last performance). I want to see it again ! (on the subject of dodgy surtitles, there was a lyric in Belle which had a lot of people laugh out loud (Frollo's bit was translated to 'Let me enter her garden' or something to that affect). There is a pretty great translation of Belle that was on an old Uwe Kroeger album (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_prC2U16Pc), I don't know why they didn't just use that - it could be the same as the London English version? I'm unsure!).
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Post by anthony on Oct 31, 2018 8:56:14 GMT
Ugh, that was amazing. I was worried as I thought my other half was going to hate it (I'd tried to get him to listen to some of the songs before, but he's always hated them), but he loved it too.
I was really nervous after 'Company', as it seems that Rosalie perhaps started in the wrong key? I'm not entirely sure, but her voice sounded really strained at the very, very beginning, but other than that very slight hick up at the beginning it was just amazing. I actually think perhaps the best thing I've ever seen live? I just can't put into words how much I loved the entire thing. The staging was amazing. OH AND PATTI. Ugh<3
I need to see it again.
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Post by anthony on Oct 7, 2018 1:26:56 GMT
Saw someone on a facebook page suggest Durone Stokes for Hansen. I can see it. Durone would be amazing. I don't rate Bayer. I haven't seen him on stage, but all of the recorded footage of him (whether it be West End Live or the DEH video he has on Twitter), his voice just sounds so wingey. Really grates on me
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Post by anthony on Sept 8, 2018 18:50:38 GMT
Saw this for the 2nd time today. Went to the matinee. Moya was on as Effie.
I first saw Dreamgirls last August and was expecting to hate it -- I'd listened to a few songs from the cast album, all of which left me cold, but I completely loved it so was looking forward to seeing it again, but something just didn't click today. I can't put my finger on what, but I found myself sort of bored. I can't decide whether I loved Moya or wasn't a fan. She's vocally amazing, but her voice I think can sometimes sound quite 'rough', if you know what I mean?
Has anyone else found the speakers in the Savoy to be a bit rubbish, too? We were in the dress circle and don't remember it being an issue when I saw it last August in the stalls. It was almost like the speakers couldn't handle the volume and it almost sounded like the speakers were going a bit 'fuzzy', particularly during I Am Telling You I'm Not Going.
I really didn't like how the the audience turned the last 10 minutes into a pantomime, though. When Deena was telling Curtis she was leaving, someone in the audience gasped, which led to loads of people going 'ooooohhhhh', and even someone shouting something to the affect of 'RUN AWAY, DEENA', whistling and heckling. They also booed Joe Aaron Reid, which I thought was a shame... I know he's playing a 'villain', but still... I know villains do sometimes get booed, but this is the first time I've ever saw something where the boos were louder than the cheers.
As a side note, Joe Aaron Reid is amazing. He's perfect for the role.
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Post by anthony on Jul 16, 2018 8:06:33 GMT
As I have stated, the lady was crying from the first song because she was upset that it was the last time she was going to see the current cast and she was said they were leaving. I know this, as she proceeded to tell everyone who would listen at the interval.
And it was loudly sobbing. It wasn't discreet. It was literally sniffling, gasping, fiddling with plastic hankey packets from the very beginning to the very end. Literally two and a bit hours of this continuously. She was disturbing others around her -- again, I know this because other people around us were talking about how loud the crying was also.
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Post by anthony on Jul 15, 2018 11:29:45 GMT
Eventually saw this yesterday (matinee). I... didn't like it. I don't think the story is interesting and I don't think their execution of the telling the story is particularly interesting, either. It just seems to be all written around getting cheap pops from the audience. From the moment the word 'prom' is mentioned, you know every single thing that is going to happen throughout.
Saying that, the cast were amazing. Although we were sat in front of a lady who had obviously saw it a few times and continued to sob from the moment the first song started because she was going to 'miss' some of the departing cast members. Literally snivelling her way through the entire thing from beginning to end. Ugh.
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Post by anthony on Mar 14, 2018 10:45:46 GMT
Saw last night and have to say, I just don't get it? The whole show is very disjointed. The cast were great, but I just found act 2... boring? There is so much filler. Also feel sort of bad, but Burr... if you're narrating a show that is primarily rapping, your diction needs to be on point. Due to the actor's very prominent speech impediment, it wasn't too easy to follow. I don't know... it just doesn't work for me and I honestly for the life of me cannot understand the popularity. I may be slightly in love with Jamael Westman, however. 🎶 “Now the world don’t move to the beat of just one drum, What might be right for you, may not be right for some...” 🎶 I would agree that act two certainly slows down towards the end and is filled with more...space, I guess...but boring? I was never anything less than thrilled/heartbroken/thrilled/moved. Not sure what there is to be heartbroken about. People behind me were in tears after the Hamilton son's scene and i just didn't get it -- we have no relationship to the character at all. There was no character building at all. Saying that, I didn't leave feeling sympathetic towards Hamilton at all -- it was Burr I felt sorry for (although saying this, I did read a little about the two in real life beforehand). Oh well!
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Post by anthony on Mar 14, 2018 9:03:00 GMT
Saw last night and have to say, I just don't get it? The whole show is very disjointed. The cast were great, but I just found act 2... boring? There is so much filler.
Also feel sort of bad, but Burr... if you're narrating a show that is primarily rapping, your diction needs to be on point. Due to the actor's very prominent speech impediment, it wasn't too easy to follow.
I don't know... it just doesn't work for me and I honestly for the life of me cannot understand the popularity. I may be slightly in love with Jamael Westman, however.
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Post by anthony on Feb 2, 2018 17:36:17 GMT
Is it warm inside the theatre? I picked up a programme for a friend and was very disappointed with it - no description of the show, no photos of the cast in costume. First time I went, it was freezing -- people were literally sitting there with their hats on and scarfs. I think there may have been an issue with heating (as people were playing with the thermostat during the interval). It was perfect when I went on Wed, though.
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Post by anthony on Feb 1, 2018 10:46:21 GMT
Loved it even more the 2nd time around. The whole cast is just amazing. I really want to try and see it again before it closes, but I'm going away on Monday and won't be back until closing night, so don't think I'll get the chance. Just an amazing production, genuinely flawless. I do understand why people don't like it (I think you have to like this sort of musical, otherwise you just won't "get it").
I was surrounding by awful people (honestly my first bad theatre experience in a while), the "theatre teen" type, who think because they've seen Les Mis and Kinky Boots 20 times that they know everything and just sit and talk non-stop before and during the show and act overly dramatic (for example, loud screams following the thunder during act 2 followed by a minute discussion about how scared they are) and a couple on a date behind me, the man was trying to impress the woman about how he'd seen the original production and was clearly on Wikipedia talking about why it closed, about Crawford and his fat suite, whilst the lady just complained non-stop about how theatre etiquette is "dying".
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Post by anthony on Jan 31, 2018 16:10:25 GMT
Going to see this again tonight before it closes. Partly because I really loved it... partly because they sold out of programmes when I last went and I want one for my collection!
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Post by anthony on Jan 30, 2018 17:52:30 GMT
Bought some tickets yesterday for early March. £57.50 each for D33 and D32 in Upper Circle. View looks OK;
Looking forward to it because of how much hype surrounds it. I've listened to the soundtrack a few times and I just cannot stand it at all. It all just sounds rubbish to me... I guess I'll see - maybe it'll click on stage. I was in a similar position with Kinky Boots. Hated the CD, but it all just clicked when seeing it live and I thought it was great.
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Post by anthony on Jan 10, 2018 16:56:18 GMT
For anyone interested, they had a 'full house' sign out last night when I walked past about 17:30.
Is it really selling this well? or are they just closing off one of the circles and upgrading people? I've listened to some of the songs and I just don't get it.
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Post by anthony on Jan 10, 2018 8:50:09 GMT
Saw this tonight. So, I thought I was going to love it. It's not my type of theatre at all, really, but Aladdin is my favourite Disney movie, Jafar my favourite Disney character (odd, I know), I love Eurovision (like, I even watch all the National Finals from around Europe) so I was extremely excited to see Jade Ewan and I'm a Disney addict (even have a Disneyland Paris annual pass to prove it!). I hated it. So, Jade Ewan. I feel awful for saying this, actually, but it was genuinely one of the worst vocal performances I've ever seen in my entire life. These Palace Walls was honestly a car crash. during the note at the end, I was cringing and you could hear murmurings in the rows behind me. There was even a delay in the applauses after the song. I thought, maybe, she couldn't hear herself. I was close enough that I could see that her eyes were darting around the stage like crazy and she honestly looked panicked. Sets are great. Genie was great (had the u/s). Carpet was amazing. The writing, however, is just so off. I got the impression that the writers knew it was pretty bad, so it's been propped up by great sets and cheap jokes to get laughs. Great sets???!!!!! Obviously when I say great sets I'm referring pretty much exclusively to The Cave of Wonders (which to be fair, is pretty spectacular).
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Post by anthony on Jan 9, 2018 23:25:58 GMT
Saw this tonight. So, I thought I was going to love it. It's not my type of theatre at all, really, but Aladdin is my favourite Disney movie, Jafar my favourite Disney character (odd, I know), I love Eurovision (like, I even watch all the National Finals from around Europe) so I was extremely excited to see Jade Ewan and I'm a Disney addict (even have a Disneyland Paris annual pass to prove it!). I hated it.
So, Jade Ewan. I feel awful for saying this, actually, but it was genuinely one of the worst vocal performances I've ever seen in my entire life. These Palace Walls was honestly a car crash. during the note at the end, I was cringing and you could hear murmurings in the rows behind me. There was even a delay in the applauses after the song. I thought, maybe, she couldn't hear herself. I was close enough that I could see that her eyes were darting around the stage like crazy and she honestly looked panicked.
Sets are great. Genie was great (had the u/s). Carpet was amazing. The writing, however, is just so off. I got the impression that the writers knew it was pretty bad, so it's been propped up by great sets and cheap jokes to get laughs.
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Post by anthony on Dec 11, 2017 3:28:15 GMT
Saw Woman in White matinee yesterday and was blown away. Focussing the action back on the actors rather than the gimmicks of projection and fat suits was absolutely the right move. My friend described it as the best singing she had ever seen on stage and I would have to agree. Only issues I had was the lack of focus from Chris Peluso's Sir Percival Glyde. It felt more like he was charming himself rather than his targets: his aggressive outbursts seemed out of place and forced as a result. Castilligios's (Fosco) italian accent inexplicably slipped from time to time but the intent of his two big numbers complimented the story so much better and his 'Get Away With Anything' was a genuine showstopper (no mice in sight). The trio of ladies were completely in sync and the relationship between Laura and Marion was convincing and moving. I was disappointed by O'Byrne's Christine Daae in Love Never Dies. As Laura, however, she is just outstanding. See it before it's gone. Given that Greg was born in Italy and was brought up in Milan, I'm not sure that it was an accent?
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Post by anthony on Dec 5, 2017 10:21:35 GMT
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