884 posts
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Bodyguard
Aug 28, 2018 16:30:19 GMT
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Post by karloscar on Aug 28, 2018 16:30:19 GMT
Why? There's far less to worry about in fictional and satiric portrayals of politicians than there is in the blatant manipulation of truth and propaganda we are fed constantly by the main stream media. That's what would put me off, not a mere piece of drama.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 28, 2018 14:49:48 GMT
The musical theatre scene is healthier than it's been for decades. New shows are getting produced rather than just workshopped to death. Some of it is great, some mediocre, some popular, some innovative. And there's always room for a good revival of a classic.
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884 posts
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Bodyguard
Aug 28, 2018 14:43:08 GMT
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Post by karloscar on Aug 28, 2018 14:43:08 GMT
Cultural portrayals of politicians only reflect the reality I don't think it does - when Jo Cox was murdered everyone suddenly seemed surprised that here was a person in parliament who seemed to be pretty decent (even if her husband wasn't). The media - to its eternal shame - likes to focus on and give platforms to 'characters' rather than bread-and-butter politicians, so they are the ones whose careers thrive and who the public sees. When I lived in London I'd go to political meetings and some of those I met seemed to be OK human beings. [br Yes, but nobody ever got to be Home Secretary by being nice. They tend to be ruthless self-seeking bastards for the last half century at least.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 28, 2018 8:52:06 GMT
I'd heard the story from other sources too, and although Christine hardly demands the acting chops of Dame Judi, Claire is by far the better actress. Similarly when she was standby for EP in The King and I, she was much more believable in the role, and sang it better too.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 28, 2018 8:39:28 GMT
When does Dame Keeley sing "I Will Always Love You?" Not a bad remake, and Richard Madden is far sexier than Kev.
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884 posts
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Bodyguard
Aug 28, 2018 8:34:01 GMT
via mobile
Post by karloscar on Aug 28, 2018 8:34:01 GMT
The pop-cultural portrayal of all politicians as A-holes has, I think, put generations of decent people off entering Westminster. And now look where we are. Read more: theatreboard.co.uk/thread/5302/bodyguard#ixzz5PSZAQ7mgOh, they do a pretty good job of making A-holes of themselves. Cultural portrayals of politicians only reflect the reality, except Churchill obviously, who can only be seen as a saint it seems.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 27, 2018 10:45:38 GMT
You can do these concerts with a under a week of rehearsal if everyone knows the score fairly well before they start. Anything more elaborate requires more time, especially if choreography is involved, which bumps up the costs.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 26, 2018 15:51:08 GMT
God, I see the body fascists are out in force. What body type does Gabey have to conform to? It doesn't mention it in the script. He just needs to be strong enough to rescue his mates from the ocean. Nathaniel Hackman's slightly goofy naïvety suited the role perfectly. The whole cast was pretty spot on, but I loved Celinde Schoenmaker as Claire, a role that often loses out to whoever's playing Hilde. She was funny and sexy, and did a beautiful lead on Some Other Time. Will look out for her in future.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 25, 2018 11:47:11 GMT
Miss Crawford may have been the diva, but miss Brightman was a close second. She made a very quick recovery when she was feeling poorly in previews and Claire Moore went on with next to no rehearsals and outshone her in every way.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 25, 2018 11:22:05 GMT
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Calamity Jane have never had the magic on stage that they had on film. The casts, settings and choreography can never be equalled. Mary Poppins on film was always too saccharine and the children too nice, so I thought the stage version was far more exciting and also moving, and the new songs are even better than some of the originals. And much closer to what Pamela Travers would have wanted. Controversial I know.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 24, 2018 1:13:59 GMT
Freaky Friday with Jodie Foster is my first memory of her, but she seemed to be extremely versatile and talented. It's a shame she retired from acting at such a young age.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 23, 2018 17:06:37 GMT
Yes, he was touting for work and having a laugh, not announcing a role. Seemed perfectly obvious to me.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 14, 2018 10:31:25 GMT
Blood Brothers original run seems to have been mismanaged. Barbara Dickson was its main attraction, but surely a headline star could have been found to replace her once she wanted to leave. She herself says she wasn't really suited to an eight shows a week long run. And the show itself got far better reviews than Les Miserables did at the time. It seems odd that they didn't manage to market it well at all. (It played to packed houses on tour for ages with Rebecca Storm, before the Kiki Dee tour brought it back to the West End.)
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 10, 2018 16:06:10 GMT
Metropolis was one of the most magnificent flops. Brian Blessed was Brian Blessed on acid, the set was amazing when it worked, the songs were tuneful, though the lyrics sucked, Graham Bickley was the drippiest leading man ever and then Judy Kuhn made you forget all that was wrong with it. Her ability to make dodgy material truthful and compelling is quite unbelievable.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 7, 2018 18:46:45 GMT
Don't Tell Me Not To Fly: Janie Dee. I thought she was funny and charming and sang well despite a couple of lyric slips, (understandable when you're not getting much of a run of performances). The use of projections with questions which are then repeated by some woman with an really obnoxious speaking voice was a complete waste of time and money. I'd much rather Janie had just had a chat and told us a few stories between songs. I presume each actress has to suffer similarly. Still Janie gets the prize for best use of a Magnum in a fringe show!
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 3, 2018 15:24:36 GMT
You Can't Get a Man with a Gun. (Annie Get Your Gun) Unlikely Lovers (Falsettos) Another Winter in a Summer Town (Grey Gardens) Someone Else's Story (Chess) Unusual Way (Nine)
(Might change all of them tomorrow, but these five have never become 'tired'.)
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 3, 2018 9:39:44 GMT
Streisand was at the peak of her relationship with John Peters and is in full blown annoying, cloyingly cute control freak mode. That said the songs are great and she delivers brilliantly in the concert scenes. You just wish it was her who dies at the end. Kristofferson is sexy and funny and makes it all bearable.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Aug 2, 2018 11:02:46 GMT
The trailer makes it look like a scene for scene copy of the Streisand/Kristofferson version. Surely after forty years the story could be told a bit differently, the entertainment industry has completely changed in that time.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Jul 25, 2018 11:00:49 GMT
Who's gonna go tell her off first? ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) [/quotef] Considering the homicidal version of I Know Him So Well she did at the Tim Rice tribute a couple of years ago, I'd be telling her to pipe down for sure! ;-)
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Jul 23, 2018 15:04:21 GMT
Siobhan McCarthy is an example of a voice that sounds great live, but somehow loses character in the studio. The show would never have run if she had not delivered those huge songs in the theatre every night, and she was central to its initial success. (But nobody can compete with the original voices as has often been pointed out.)
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Jul 21, 2018 10:57:21 GMT
Quite a few MDs would benefit from a cattle prod now and again. And it's pretty impossible to hear what other singers are doing when your own voice is playing louder than anything else in your head, so he should shut up as well and concentrate on waving his wand. (Are there any female MDs in the Westend? Never seen one yet.)
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Jul 17, 2018 14:44:13 GMT
Odd that the American critics seem to be most dismissive of the songs that weren't hit singles being used in the movie, one even calling them "crap". Abba had relatively few US hits compared to most other countries, even some big songs failed to chart there. Very much a case of " this is unfamiliar so I won't even bother to listen properly", which is pretty shoddy work for someone making a living criticizing other peoples' art.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Jul 16, 2018 20:35:55 GMT
neither Catherine Johnson or Phyllida Lloyd were interested in doing the sequel but gave Judy the blessing to develop it. Catherine Johnson does have story credit so I wonder what her involvement was Read more: theatreboard.co.uk/thread/2876/mamma-mia-again?page=21#ixzz5LS4c7iGrCatherine created the characters and the original story which the prequel/sequel builds on, so only right that she gets a credit.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Jul 13, 2018 9:29:15 GMT
I doubt Lily James will be signing up for a run in a stage musical any time soon. She'll be in great demand in Hollywood after this.
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884 posts
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Post by karloscar on Jul 9, 2018 13:29:59 GMT
American writing, to me at least, always tends towards stating very baldly the emotions out loud. There's no attempt to analyse or reason it through, it is always, "I am feeling this, please will you validate it because I have said it." That is how a younger person reacts too. Read more: theatreboard.co.uk/thread/2748/fun-home-young-vic?page=31#ixzz5KlN0Sh3nEvery American writer does this? What a load of twaddle. Alison spends the whole show analysing and reflecting on her relationship with her father, looking for answers that aren't always forthcoming.
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