|
Post by danb on Apr 18, 2024 6:00:34 GMT
OK great. I’m a terrible human, agreed. I’m not sure how rank amateur producer Michael Harrison would feel about your accusations of his competence. i know this is *theatre* board but omg there’s no need to be this dramatic any time someone disagrees with you 😂 Daaahhhhlling, drama is my life! 🤣
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 17, 2024 21:19:50 GMT
OK great. I’m a terrible human, agreed.
I’m not sure how rank amateur producer Michael Harrison would feel about your accusations of his competence.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 17, 2024 21:17:18 GMT
Oliver is going to the gielgud and old friends has already been announced to be doing LA and then NY, so it won’t be that Thats a lot nicer than filling a barn like Drury Lane isn’t it? I’ve never felt it was a ‘big’ show. I guess Cameron telling us that it is by putting it in the Palladium & Drury Lane, might make it so.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 17, 2024 21:08:01 GMT
I meant that the ‘production’ is paid for. The set, the costumes etc. The initial outlay. They have the bare bones to mount the production. With the revolving door of fillers the GL appears to house it wouldn’t surprise me if they have a very favourable deal too. Families going to see Oz will spend a lot more than spectators of Lehman or Skys Edge.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 17, 2024 19:59:42 GMT
He’ll still be looking for ways to get his money back for that puppet.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 17, 2024 19:41:33 GMT
How about Betty Blue Eyes..? Yes, that’ll be it! 🤣
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 17, 2024 19:07:03 GMT
Nothing that anyone has said here is worthy of a morning radio announcement…well maybe MG but it won’t be that. It’ll be bloody Oliver moving back into Drury Lane won’t it?
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 17, 2024 10:53:29 GMT
Starter for Ten at Bristol Old Vic, and Matthew Bourne's New Adventures Edward Scissorhands. Both wonderful, albeit in very different ways. ‘Starter for Ten’ was certainly the most surprisingly enjoyable. I was discussing it with a friend who had seen it from the uncomfortable gods at the BOV, and he didn’t enjoy it as much but could certainly see the promise. I do think that it needs to stay in smaller playhouses rather than go big, because its charm played a major part. Internationally, my favourite was ‘& Juliet’ on Broadway, even without Lorna Courtney (who had something more pressing to do on a Saturday night). It just made more ‘sense’ with an American voice, although David Bedella’s Lance still stole the show (was he intentionally channelling Dev from Corrie? Hilarious!) and Najah Hetzbergers cover Juliet who was sensational. These are the two things that I have enjoyed most so far this year.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 17, 2024 9:50:29 GMT
There is a filmed version on Amazon freevee you could have a look at if you wanted an idea of the tone etc. I wouldn’t watch it all, but just to give yourself an idea.
I disagree that they need to lean into the camp more; it shouldn’t be. It should be deadly serious with the naturally campy bits speaking for themselves .
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 17, 2024 8:04:55 GMT
I’ve just watched The Greatest Hits on Disney+ wouldn’t really recommend it. It shares ideas with quite a few (better) films such as About Time and High Fidelity. Overall it just seemed a bit empty- lacking feeling and characters to care about. 2⭐️ Can we just not mention ‘About Time’…😢😢😢😢
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 16, 2024 16:49:43 GMT
I was literally about to write '"don't cancel me but audience behaviour will be dreadful"... Literally my first thought. #Pray4ManchesterfordPalace&OperaHouse Katy Perry sounds a bit ropey these days singing ‘Firework’ but not, I suspect, as bad as Andrea of Urmston.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 16, 2024 15:00:31 GMT
Dare I say ‘Heathers’? I know TOP isn’t West End, but it extended its original run, won ‘some’ prizes, misguidedly went into a W/E playhouse and is now eyeing its 4th(?) season.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 15, 2024 18:41:34 GMT
I don't think it will come back to London. It will go down in theatre history as one of those shows you can say "I was there". However, in this case, I hope I am wrong as I would dearly love to see it again. I'd LOVE to see it again too, but Jamie will have other projects (and as he's very publicly said, if Scherzinger had said no the project wouldn't of moved forward) and he'll want to build on the success of Sunset in his next projects. It did feel like lightning in a bottle, but I'd love to see her do it again... I saw it twice. I feel incredibly lucky to have it as a memory, but I wouldn’t want them to flog it to death.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 15, 2024 14:12:56 GMT
Cheryl Tweedy. I'd love to hear her sing As If We Never Said Why Aye. *see Britney Spears comment above. ☝️
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 15, 2024 12:32:52 GMT
I think, when they cast Faith Brown in the tour they had the right idea, but her voice wasn’t quite strong enough to give you the Norma chills. Finding a ‘performer’ who can embody Norma; all that she is and has-been is a lot more specific than casting someone who can sing it well. I just wish our Jane had the acting chops for this because vocally she would knock it out of the park.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 15, 2024 11:56:37 GMT
During the run I kept asking if might extend/come back and did come to accept all the reasons given here as to why it wasn't! But yeah, I also wonder if having received the most Oliver's an ALW show has ever had if they may now re look at this. It is tricky. I don't think any MT star is bigger than a show. But Nicole in this does come close! Tucker gave a vocally flawless performance but (for me) it really wasn't the same. I would like to see another run. Less keen on it dragging on or touring if it leads to the product being diluted. But hey, what big musical has never been diluted IDK! As for who could be Norma? I think there is someone out there. But someone nobody could predict! And we’re back to Lesley Joseph…
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 15, 2024 11:03:02 GMT
Britney for Norma. The problem with recasting is Jamie Lloyd will be on to something else, so casting someone bonkers would be a risk, and while a safe pair of hands would make an enjoyable show, the sheer surprise that Nicole could do that, is gone. Aguilera, perhaps. Spears? Can’t actually sing live to any sort of acceptable standard which kind of rules her out.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 15, 2024 7:29:20 GMT
She’s shown she has the stamina on that mammoth ‘Sister Act’ slog!!
Maybe lose the black slip dress though.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 14, 2024 18:14:04 GMT
This. Stop looking at yesterday with todays filter. None of these concepts were commonplace in Freddie's lifetime.
|
|
|
Racism
Apr 14, 2024 13:59:38 GMT
via mobile
ceebee likes this
Post by danb on Apr 14, 2024 13:59:38 GMT
I don't really have much to add other than I bloody hate racism and there's just no need for it. I agree with nick that perhaps we might see the last gasps of it as generations come through. When I listen to my children's response to any off-colour remark that is sexist, homophobic or racist it does indeed give me hope that it will die out this generation or the next. Whilst respect for others in general appears to be on the decline, these specific aspects are just “not cool, man”.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 14, 2024 12:57:43 GMT
She’ll be moving into the street before you know it.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 14, 2024 6:08:31 GMT
One of the worst shows I've seen in a long time. I grew up on that catalogue of music but this show is just diabolical and I felt embarrassed for the cast having to deliver it. Jess Daley and Matt Croke are so talented and should be in better shows than this! Yes, those two in particular, and Mel Jacques, were my wtf’s.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 13, 2024 15:50:34 GMT
Dementia jokes & gay stereotypes that make John Inman look restrained don’t really do it for me. Which is a shame because the cast were great. Why is dementia off limits for humour? I've a parent with dementia, and if you didn't laugh about it at times, you'd go crazy. It was more the how, married with the what that made it jar so badly. It was a cheap laugh with no grounding, and mean spirited with it. Scott Paiges’ loud, cuddly gay also makes some highly unpleasant queeny comments that jar with the rest of the script. It just doesn’t know what it wants to be.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 13, 2024 15:06:44 GMT
I was just offered row C dress circle at 4pm on a Saturday afternoon. I think you’d be fine.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 13, 2024 14:49:05 GMT
Watched a few new-ish releases on a flight recently. I dozed through ‘Mean Girls’ as I’d seen it before and most of the good songs are near the beginning. Enjoyable tosh all the same. I then watched a predictable but fun rom com; ‘Anyone But You’ that was so typical I may have written it as I went along. Again, was perfectly undemanding.
The last one however, ‘No Hard Feelings’ with Jennifer Laurence & Broadways Andrew Barth Feldman was much better and had a bit of bite to it. Jen plays a 30something waitress offered a (much needed) car to sleep with an 18 year old introvert before he heads off to college. It is full of surprises, warmth and ick and was genuinely funny. You don’t get much of that these days.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 13, 2024 14:14:22 GMT
Surely you are being its’ friend? 😁
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 13, 2024 14:01:14 GMT
[/quote] On a completely other note, kind of funny that they used "The Lady's Paying" instrumental to open the video for the first day of rehearsal. Almost to say to the fans of that song who were angered by it being cut in the London/forthcoming Bway production "we've got it" [/quote] Neither ‘Eternal Youth’ nor ‘The Ladies Paying’ would make sense in last year’s ‘Sunset’. The fact that Joe has been ALLOWED into the house is a massive deal, so it wouldn’t scan to have a gaggle of beauticians allowed in, nor a load of Tailors just for a pair of mood lighteners.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 13, 2024 13:14:34 GMT
It’s the clamour to use the ‘what a waste/there are so many shows looking for a home’ argument that makes me howl. If they were ready to go and their financial model fit the venue they would already be in there! Nobody wants an empty house.
‘Heathers’ is really inclusive, entry level theatre that has, and will continue to, bring youngsters (and oldsters) into smaller theatre spaces in the West End showing that not everything makes sense in the Adelphi or Victoria Palace. Anyone who claims to be a patron of the arts bemoaning this, needs to have a long hard look at both themselves and the landscape of London theatre land. Because things are not the same as they were ten years ago, and for a production to be as financially agile and adaptable as this is, deserves our praise…whether you like the show or not.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 13, 2024 11:29:58 GMT
I’m pretty sure that the producers know what they’re doing. 🙄 Don’t forget that it’s already bought & paid for so they’re just moving it around the country. I love all the brilliant business minds on here. 😂 It's basically a tour stop so I get your point. But I wouldn't say the west end (or arts in general) is always the best place to look for business minds. We've seen plenty for wtf are they thinking moments over the years. I meant on the board rather than the W/E. I would say that it didn’t sell well initially because of the obscene pricing. It picked up once it hit Today Tix and tkts. I think all bets are off atm about what constitutes a sure fire hit.
|
|
|
Corrie
Apr 13, 2024 11:17:02 GMT
via mobile
Post by danb on Apr 13, 2024 11:17:02 GMT
This whole Roy/Murder thing will have people switching off in droves. It is cruel rather than thrilling and a total betrayal of these characters, and worse still, a shabby desecration of Hayleys memory. Let me know when it’s over please.
(And the fact that ‘the only policewoman in Weatherfield’ is such a recurring character shows how badly they rely on crime to drive the show now.)
|
|