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Post by chernjam on Jul 27, 2019 14:50:29 GMT
I got the impression it was a kind of dream sequence?? This brief montage (an official clip) of the 2007 production shows how Go Go Go Joseph was done then (as well as clips of other bits). I know it's unfair to judge not seeing the current production, but that clip saddened me that such a stellar production/direction has been scrapped. |
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Post by chernjam on Jul 24, 2019 15:16:23 GMT
Since I'm sitting around waiting for a service person to arrive to do some work - I went on the Joseph site just to look at tickets - and for the next week of performances at least - all you see is single seats here and there. I don't think I counted more than 20 available tickets per performance. Have to admit, a show 50 years old that's been revived countless times - selling out a huge theatre like that is damn impressive.
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Post by chernjam on Jul 23, 2019 21:02:00 GMT
so do they no longer sell show merchandise online? I went to the Joseph home page and was surprised not to see a link for anything
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Post by chernjam on Jul 21, 2019 5:04:11 GMT
Theatremonkey - the guitar definitely bounced tonight. For any JCS geeks, there was a lyric change tonight in Gethsemane: "God thy will is done/Destroy your only son/I will drink your cup of poison..." ceebee - I've got at least half a dozen JCS recordings. I know I've heard that before. Not sure when or why Tim Rice alters them in or out - why change them and why does he go back and forth on it? |
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Post by chernjam on Jul 19, 2019 3:37:35 GMT
Its crazy the way people seem to be overreacting to this. I think most of the complainers will still be in the theaters. This is a fresh, modern, creative way on one of the most known "properties" around the world (remember this is an international blockbuster of a musical). The cast alone, the known score will be a draw. I think the finished product will be at the very least interesting. As a non-Cats fan, I'm excited to see this (and hear it, the orchestrations and all have got me pumped)
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Post by chernjam on Jul 17, 2019 19:36:29 GMT
Have to admit that I haven't been all that excited about this "film." Especially when someone had posted pictures of the original animated version they had done some drafts of (that looked really fascinating). But gotta give Universal Marketing an A+ on this. hearing the music (with new orchestrations) underneath the video with glimpses of a very, very different looking set then we've ever had with Cats - with a cast that seems to have been working hard and putting themselves into the roles (I was expecting it would be more computer generated, like the stupid iPhone app that makes people look like cartoon characters) - I was intrigued, possibly even excited about this. So well done Universal... so far. Let's hope the hype lives up to the final production.
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Post by chernjam on Jul 13, 2019 0:29:14 GMT
OK not to stir the pot - but just watched the WOS video. Is it me or is this the second time that Jason Donovan has publicly snubbed Joseph - Jac Yarrow - when talking about this production not even mentioning the kid?
BTW - is it definite to return next summer or is a transfer still a possibility?
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Post by chernjam on Jul 9, 2019 2:15:10 GMT
I agree it's a hit-or-miss thing. This production is wonderful, though, and to be honest the only one I've truly enjoyed since the Lyceum one back in 1996 (incidentally, the 2000 Broadway revival production, which was subsequently released on video with a different cast, is not the same as the Lyceum production, even though it had the same director; everything about it was entirely different...I have no idea why they didn't take the Lyceum one to Broadway). If I remember correctly - the reason? $$$$ The Lyceum while seemingly sparse/simple staging was a bit more sophisticated and I don't think it was able to tour as easily as the subsequent one. The only thing that remained basically was the new logo. |
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Post by chernjam on Jul 8, 2019 4:11:40 GMT
JCS is such a hit or miss thing... The score is legendary (especially when it's sung by actors who can actually sing it). I saw the tour in college with Ted Neeley (who was old 25 years ago to be doing that... shocked that he's still doing the role) And back then, I was just getting into ALW so I enjoyed it. Nothing particularly memorable or anything. When I saw the Broadway revival in the early 2000's which was a stripped down version of the Steve Balsamio one (the one that was filmed and released on video) was awkward. The guy who played Jesus (I think Glen Campbell?) was overdramatic to me - the production was a flop only running for a few months. Maybe 10 years later it was revived again after all this buzz about Des McAnuff's version of it in California and they brought that production to NY. I don't think that lasted three months. The NBC - Television production a year ago was the biggest splash that JCS had in the states. I think some of the praise was a little over the top. John Legend was not as great as the post-performance spin would tell - most notably not nailing the note in Gethsemane (that really bothered me how it was obvious they had PR people working overtime to say he had done so when we just watched him not do it) But the production, the energy, the rest of the cast was really awesome that it definitely attracted a lot of new interest over here.
I'm really curious that this Regents Park production is beginning a North American tour either this fall or early next year and wonder how it's going to transfer here... After filming it a few times, (the Arena tour, the film, the video of the 2000's revival) I can see them not doing this one. But with so much praise for it, will ALW find it hard to resist another go at it?
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Post by chernjam on Jul 6, 2019 0:30:38 GMT
Just watching the DVD (thanks everyone between listening and the car and now watching the DVD- I'm going to have Joseph stuck in my brain for weeks now) But seriously, the One More Angel id Heaven extended dance sequence was probably one of the best additions they made in the 90s. The choreography and extras to it, really were fantastic. Did they keep that in the revival?
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Post by chernjam on Jul 5, 2019 22:12:01 GMT
all this talk of Joseph and being stuck in atrocious traffic today gave me the opportunity to listen to the full recording of Joseph for the first time in a long time. Amazon music had quite a number of recordings - but interestingly the Soundtrack version with Donny Osmond, Richard Attenborough, Joan Collins and Maria Freidman wasn't available anywhere (and didn't seem available for purchase... so glad I found it when I finally got home today)
Anyway - it reminded me of 1 - what a real gem of a score this really is;
2 - the '91 revivals really worked - the score was cleaned up and updated and I don't remember it being incredibly opulent
3 - the 91 revival was a good balance of kids and adults in it - the idea of the Narrator being a school teacher for the kids really was a good way of tying things together. I don't particularly want to see Joseph - school of rock edition. I get it, I get it... kids are the future and all.. but there's a way of integrating them without forcing it too much
4 - it's strange that the Joseph for this production is not "the star." I listened to Michael Damian (who was a Soap Opera star in the US so was very popular when he starred in Los Angeles and then NY) and then switched to Donny Osmond halfway through... it's hard to believe they went with focusing on the narrator and Pharaoh.
5 - and to follow up on #4 - I've yet to read anyone who said Jason Donovan was a good singer. Listening to the score, yeah it's a minor role, but the Song of the King and Stone the crows - you need to hit some notes and really deliver it to make it work.
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Post by chernjam on Jul 5, 2019 22:01:28 GMT
Just seen that alece10 was looking for my review of this mess...well,here it comes... This is lowest-common denominator MT. A pointless dung-heap of a show. Cheap and nasty in every way possible. Sheridan...OMG...embarrassing,smug and unfunny...laughing all the way to the bank,but ‘money for old rope’ comes to mind... JD....hopeless...gone to seed Jac...good but no better than half the people who have played it on the BK tours over the decades. Ensemble...bizarre directorial ideas render them ridiculous. Set....naff! Worst thing I have ever seen at the Palladium! Minus 10 out of 5. NB....must declare an interest...have directed this as an am-dram in the past and it is meant to be a joyful,exuberant,life-affirming show with some moments of great emotion and power....All sold down the river in this version for a farrago of shoddy rubbish imo. And that is my review... You liked it then? Pianowithsam won the internet today |
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Post by chernjam on Jul 5, 2019 14:45:38 GMT
The "cheapness" of productions has been a sad development in recent years. I suppose one could make an argument that theatre as an art form shouldn't need great production values to draw people into the drama and story telling and in this case, musical score. And that's surely been proven with some of the recent productions with scaled back sets - and minimalist props. But that's where you wonder is it necessity or greed driving all these decisions? A venue like the Palladium is huge... When they revived Cats, I never heard people complain that the sets looked cheap. And you would think they had to pull out all the stops there to make people satisfied to come out as they did those two winters in a row.
A show like Joseph, marketed to celebrate it's 50th anniversary, after teasing "Casting coming soon" with those high prices definitely gave the impression of something really big to come - a true event. As an outsider just reading all the comments, it sounds like, while a majority are positive in their reports - most of that is owing to loving the source material itself and then for the Sheridan fans - that's the added plus. For those who aren't Sheridan fans, they're surprised that she's not as awful as they were prepared for.
Its an interesting conversation though about the economics of all this. Cameron Mackintosh decided to fold the original production of Les Miz obviously for cost-saving measures - and to run up profits. Gambling that the score and story are so well known a cheaper production would still sell. I bet if ALW weren't involved, he would've done the same with The Phantom.
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Post by chernjam on Jul 4, 2019 4:26:51 GMT
For anyone that's interested, dynamic pricing has massively kicked in for this now. For all of July, the nonsense price premium tickets have disappeared and most of stalls now top price non premium at 80 ish but also loads of really decent stalls seats at 65. It's all much more affordable. Though you'd be livid had you bought 85-100 quid seats when sale openned that are now 65. Or Premium 125+ which are now 85. I guess most punters would never know! Good to see that they clearly did over price this initially for Monday-Thursday and have now acknowledged it though. part of it - this was before they announced casting. I'm wondering if they had some bigger names in mind that didn't materialize |
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Post by chernjam on Jul 3, 2019 3:57:36 GMT
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Post by chernjam on Jul 3, 2019 3:49:48 GMT
Doesn't ALW's daughter still work in NYC? Maybe that has something to do with it. Plus in recent years he's gotten a much better reception in NY. Having Lin Manuel-Miranda gushing about him on the Tony's - the JCS telecast winning an Emmy Award with John Legend and Sarah Barrailles (sp?-sorry too lazy to look it up) so if it has a successful launch here, it's doubtful that it will have any issues in London.
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Post by chernjam on Jun 30, 2019 21:50:34 GMT
And Aspects of Love - ALW just pissed me off that he's yet to do a new, full, recording of that from the Original London Cast - as that remains one of my favorites. Back to Joseph - with the 91 revivals - I had the Jason Donovan one which I was really excited about because it was a vast improvement from the original recordings. Then Michael Damian (who sadly seems completely forgotten in the Joseph history - who did the US tour and Broadway engagement) - the Canadian Cast with Donny and then the video cast recording Ahh of course, I forget to mention those other CDs of the Stephen Pimlott production. I bought them in the 90s. So the Donny Osmond Canadian and Michael Damian USA one were great but I was very annoyed that they just added the vocals of the leads to the London recording orchestra and backing vocals. Which I always think is cheating a bit - in new recordings even of the same production I love listening out for the subtle changes in orchestration and nuances of musical direction - not so here! Couldn't agree more re Aspects - absolute travesty that such a beautiful score has never been captured in one of it's more recent incarnations. The cool thing was the video recording with the added orchestrations and extended sequences (extended orchestral interlude at the beginning after "Some folks dream..." and before "Any Dream will do" when Joseph first appears and the extended dance music for One More Angel in Heaven) Those additions were really great for me after seeing the show live. So I agree with you there - a new recording to reflect the new productions are most definitely welcomed. And now that recording things live has become easier - and that they can release them as digital purchases only (don't need to do a CD/case/etc) I would think the cost isn't too outrageous |
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Post by chernjam on Jun 29, 2019 20:54:03 GMT
Since someone asked, I wonder if there will be, yet another, Cast recording of Joseph. Of all ALW's efforts, Joseph and JCS seem to have the most. In recent years, he's seemed reluctant to do such (Cats is most notable, even the much loved JCS Open-Air production) I'm guessing it will be No No No Joseph since it's limited run and seems to be kind of a niche market (sorry, as a Yank, I've never heard of your national treasure Sheridan before  and Jason Donovan it sounds like was a nostalgia casting to capitalize on the 91 revival crowds) If anything, fingers crossed for a new Evita recording though. Elena Rogers had to attempts to preserve that beauty of a score and really fell flat both times I can't see a cast recording sadly - ALW has a TERRIBLE record of re-recording shows. Since his Really Useful Records was formed (at the same time as RUTC in 1981 I think?) there has been almost nothing for most shows after Really Useful have recorded them once. The reason there are so many of Joseph, JCS and Evita are that majority are pre ALW having his own company and retaining control. Thinking of English language only. A few exceptions - Cats had London, Broadway and Aus. Song and Dance had Marti Webb and Sarah Brightman. Starlight was re-recorded in 1992. And Sunset had London and LA. Oh and most recently Evita had Adelphi and Broadway with Ricky Martin. Evita aside, all of these were 80s/90s when more happened generally.... But they are notable exceptions really. Things that I really felt should have been recorded - Lee Mead Joseph, Cats Palladium, Recent Woman in White, Boys in the Photograph (at all), version 3 of Starlight (the tours), version 4 of Starlight (The Other Palace - OK, I know that was just a workshop). Any subsequent production of Aspects of Love (it's changed a lot since 1989!), Open Air JCS (I mean some epic vocals and what a band to preserve there!). And I'd put money in Open Air Evita being worth recording and not happening. So, I would LOVE to eat my hat on a Joseph recording, but can't see it (I think another problem is Sheridan's performance would't really be captured by her vocal in isolation). I really do wish ALW would record more. Cam Mac records most of his revivals these days with his new methods of doing it live. Les Mis, Saigon, Half A Sixpence, Mary Poppins Aus, Oliver Drury Lane etc etc. Such a wonderful way of preserving the memory of productions my cast recording collection makes me very happy! Dom - you're going through the list has re-ticked me off I was desperate for a new Sunset with the new orchestrations that accompanied a symphonic orchestra (even if Close would be re-recorded) and the cast was phenomenal as well. I had hoped for a new Woman in White after much was made of ALW and Zippel re-writing a lot of it - and then the raves that cast received (and let's not forget the original WIW was recorded live on Opening night so it wasn't like they spent a lot on that recording) And Aspects of Love - ALW just pissed me off that he's yet to do a new, full, recording of that from the Original London Cast - as that remains one of my favorites. Back to Joseph - with the 91 revivals - I had the Jason Donovan one which I was really excited about because it was a vast improvement from the original recordings. Then Michael Damian (who sadly seems completely forgotten in the Joseph history - who did the US tour and Broadway engagement) - the Canadian Cast with Donny and then the video cast recording. And in the years since, there's been second hand cast recordings of professional recordings that were allowed as well. So the market is a bit saturated I would think. the fact that this production seems to be focusing on this Sheridan lady - more than the actor in the titular role - I would be surprised with a new recording for a production that will only be there for 11 weeks. If anything they probably would record a single of her singing a song or two and maybe reissue it on one of the older recordings (that will be repackaged and said to be "remastered") |
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Post by chernjam on Jun 29, 2019 2:38:51 GMT
Since someone asked, I wonder if there will be, yet another, Cast recording of Joseph. Of all ALW's efforts, Joseph and JCS seem to have the most. In recent years, he's seemed reluctant to do such (Cats is most notable, even the much loved JCS Open-Air production) I'm guessing it will be No No No Joseph since it's limited run and seems to be kind of a niche market (sorry, as a Yank, I've never heard of your national treasure Sheridan before and Jason Donovan it sounds like was a nostalgia casting to capitalize on the 91 revival crowds) If anything, fingers crossed for a new Evita recording though. Elena Rogers had to attempts to preserve that beauty of a score and really fell flat both times |
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Post by chernjam on Jun 29, 2019 2:33:12 GMT
Wonder what ALW made of it all last night? Haha I wondered that - he is always pacing behind the sound desk at the back of the stalls on first nights; usually looks anxious. He must know Sheridan doesn't sing it as originally written - as to whether he's happy with this - who knows! And here I thought he only allowed Glen Close to change the score to a different key |
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Post by chernjam on Jun 22, 2019 16:07:35 GMT
I think that ticket sales have been good... First 4 previews in that gigantic theatre are sold out. No, it's not going to be like Hamilton or something - it's a 50 year old score that's well known and revived multiple times. But that being said, it seems to be doing just fine even before opening.
I'll go on a limb predicting the "Strictly limited run" gets extended after it opens
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Post by chernjam on Jun 20, 2019 4:20:32 GMT
A real revival of Aspects of Love. The recent one's with the super "scaled down" (i.e. Cheap) productions and worse yet, orchestrations don't count for me.
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Post by chernjam on Jun 17, 2019 4:55:16 GMT
Here's the Broadwayworld article if anyone is looking for it: www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-Jake-Gyllenhaal-Annaleigh-Ashford-to-Lead-SUNDAY-IN-THE-PARK-in-London-20190616 I'm a huge ALW fan - and went to see this in NY on a whim. Was having a really awful week, went online on a Friday and found a front-row Orchestra seat for Sat Matinee (two days after the show opened - and people raving about it) I'm not a huge Sondheim fan - really only knew a few of the songs from this and had a vague idea what the show was about - and was absolutely floored by this. Just a stunning theatrical experience. I could never believe it was going to stay with the original "Strictly limited production" and then thought "for sure this will be filmed" (as Sondheim seems to get a bunch of his productions filmed) and was really shocked it didn't happen. Gyllenhal was really amazing. This actually would tempt me to make my first trip to the UK just to see this again. |
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Post by chernjam on Jun 4, 2019 2:35:17 GMT
We agree so often Dom - it's sad to find a place where we part. I'm not interested in Trevor Nunn directing at all Thought the fact that Sunset original Broadway Production changed so wildly from Norma to Norma (and the rest of the cast so often seemed to simply be standing around) showed how little direction he actually had over those proceedings. Under Lonnie Price, the whole show had a much different feel- felt I got to know the characters and care about them more. Think he'd be a disaster in that. |
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Post by chernjam on May 28, 2019 1:40:35 GMT
Whistle down the Wind opened in Washington DC before the West End. Ahhh yeah, course it did, I forgot that. Know very little re that production other than Hal Prince directed it and (unusually as ALW always raves about Hal) ALW wasn't remotely happy with it. Was darker apparently. One of those rare oddities that hardly anyone saw it seems, would love to know more about it. No idea if the plan had been to go straight to Broadway at the time or if was always planned pre West End. Assume the former but it wasn't to be. Not to misdirect the thread - but yes... the plan was for Washington DC to be a "Pre-Broadway Try out" - the Marquee was already up in NY (although I don't think the box office was open yet) They premiered the 7 minute "A Kiss is a Terrible Thing to waste" that ended up on one of the ALW anthology box sets on a NY radio station (which I remember sitting in my dorm room to record at the time - I think it was early 1996) They were really blind sided by the critics ravaging the production - and the rumor at the time was that Hal Prince wasn't as focused on it as they expected/hoped for. At one time I had a horrible audio boot leg of the production - that despite the awful quality of the recording I liked much better then the official London one that eventually opened. I do remember ALW saying in one interview that in hindsight perhaps he was too abrupt with abandoning Hal and going with the London version (he does contradict himself a lot though when he revisits these things... it's why I was really frustrated that "UnMasked ends where it does. I really want to read about everything from Aspects of Love up through Stephen Ward) Interestingly when Prince was interviewed at "the other palace" there was no mention of Whistle. Even more interesting that there's never been a full fledged revival or American production. I've always loved the score and felt that there was a lot to that story that could really be interesting |
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and Jason Donovan it sounds like was a nostalgia casting to capitalize on the 91 revival crowds) 