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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 26, 2018 17:59:19 GMT
Mark Shenton has just tweeted that Orlando Bloom made two unscripted interventions in Killer Joe matinee today - "I need YOU to put that iPad AWAY NOW" and again a few minutes later "Put that f****** iPad away now and I will wait".
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 26, 2018 12:38:32 GMT
Yes, the song lyric made no sense at all!
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 26, 2018 8:31:21 GMT
This production is like drinking warm champagne without the fizz!
Me & My Girl is a joyous show with humour and romance at it's heart but this production is leaden and fails to take off at any point. A huge disappointment!
This is due to a lack of pace throughout - especially the dialogue sections which seemed to be endless and mostly unfunny but mainly some massive miscasting.
Matt Lucas is a triple threat - he cannot act, he cannot sing and he cannot dance. He may have still been struggling with his throat infection, but that does not excuse his inability to dance and be (for a comedian) remarkably unfunny. He has no connection with his "girl" of the title at any level and this undermines the whole show. Alex Young as Sally faired better with an affecting "Once You Lose Your Heart" in the second act - the only time the show fluttered to life, although why she was made to look so geeky with glasses was a mystery.
The casting of Jennie Dale ( a brilliant performer ) as the family solicitor Parchester was a massive mistake, totally wrong and unfunny - her number "The Family Solicitor" which is a comic number died the death!
Caroline Quentin as the Duchess was delightful and seemed to be having a ball throughout but nothing like the gorgon initially described in the script deeming her "thawing" later in the show totally redundant.
The part of Lady Jaqueline (who's simply after any man with money) was played by an actress who was the double of Megan Markle - which did raise some giggles from my party which provided some much needed merriment!
There were some rather odd dance breaks inserted - most notably a samba in the middle of "The Sun Has Got His Hat On" which was totally incongruous and resulted in a chaotic dance sequence.
However, the production looked sumptuous with gorgeous costumes and sets (which was reminiscent of Downton Abbey) and a large cast, and I have to report that a packed house really enjoyed it and Chichester must be hoping for a transfer into town to appeal to the American tourists and the old folk. We shall see...…….
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 25, 2018 2:02:11 GMT
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 25, 2018 0:42:43 GMT
Now we know why she cancelled her tour Ah...yes indeed. It is a West End gig after all. A step up from touring in The Bodyguard and Sister Act.
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 24, 2018 13:32:32 GMT
The casting of AB in Chicago was inevitable/predictable wasn't it?
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 24, 2018 10:29:53 GMT
No need. Just talk about something other than CHF. Talk about CHF in the Performers section. With huge respect to burlybear who is after all an esteemed member of our Admin Team (and may ban me/lock me in a basement/tie me up and gag me and I may never be seen or heard of again after this post), we are discussing stage door dramas of which the latest one surrounds a certain CHF. No doubt the discussion will move on from her when another drama surfaces. It is difficult to talk of stage door dramas without mentioning the actors involved in said "drama". We are not discussing her performance skills. But I know to go "off topic" is a heinous crime and will be punished.....so which way to the dungeon? To other board members - if I am never heard of again burlybear has me locked up and on the rack!
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 23, 2018 9:07:22 GMT
It's just that Carrie Hope Fletcher and Stage Door Dramas seem to be synonymous!
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 23, 2018 8:58:18 GMT
I have followed most of Tommy Steeles stage career since he appeared in Half A Sixpence with Marti Webb - reunited in this! A life comes almost full circle. So I may go and see this on a cheap ticket as it may very well be the last chance to see him on stage. He cannot go on forever! Sad to see it selling so badly but in a far too big theatre at crazy prices, although the matinees are selling better than the evening performances but the Upper Circle and Balcony closed throughout the run! Sad for the theatre!
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 22, 2018 14:28:24 GMT
I've just got an email saying row A get rained on. Might have to wear lenses instead of glasses, then. It was very heavy tropical rain in Chichester too - the cast got absolutely drenched! The front rows were well away though with the rain contained in a circular trough/dais. Hopefully you will only catch the edge of the storm!!
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 22, 2018 14:21:25 GMT
Really enjoyed this the other evening. Thanks again to raiseitup for the row B for a tenner tip - an absolute bargain! Packed house - obviously for Aiden Turner but also I suspect due to word of mouth as the audience really seemed to have enjoyed it on the way out. I thought it was very funny - the humour suited to my black sense of humour, and the scathing view from the author regarding terrorists. I thought it was very well staged with great special effects, which elicited delighted gasps from the audience. The stage management must have a very busy time! A very succinct 1.50 hour running time including interval too - so out by 9.20pm. It made a pleasant change from sitting through 3 hour marathon plays to be honest!
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Brexit
Jul 21, 2018 17:43:52 GMT
via mobile
Post by wickedgrin on Jul 21, 2018 17:43:52 GMT
They could have fun with that poll. It shows 10% changing from remain to leave. What if that were what would happen in a second R ? The establishment would say that 10% more people were thicker than before and call for a 3rd referendum!
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 17, 2018 13:49:49 GMT
Yes, I would have thought this production was intended for a transfer into town. It was a huge hit at the Adelphi and ran for about 8 years! Long overdue for a revival I would have thought and is the same "feel good" escapist show like 42nd St. With the closure of Kinky Boots and the aforementioned 42nd St I would have thought there was a gap in the market.
I am off to see this show next week, although not a fan of Matt Lucas and have very fond memories of seeing Robert Lindsay and Gary Wilmot in the role. It was huge fun! But I have lowered my expectations a tad since reading some of the mixed thoughts on here.
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 16, 2018 16:06:45 GMT
That video seemed a huge amount of work and hype to achieve very little - just a chandelier and two balconies that looked like high rise window cleaning platforms being lowered into the water. The whole thing should have been on hydraulics to partially submerge the set at an angle.
As for the "creatives" - I think I might have struggled to work with them!
Full credit to the cast though who had cold dip in a murky lake to look forward to at the end of the night!
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 14, 2018 13:19:29 GMT
Cant wait for Hell....Dolly?
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 13, 2018 23:01:41 GMT
Yes the character of Bobby has always been the least well drawn of the characters in Company and the character (despite being played by some phenomenal and charismatic actors over the years - most recently Adrian Lester) has always vaguely annoyed me for reasons I could never put my finger on. Hence I thought Bobby might have been a closeted gay man for a time, but Sondheim has vigorously denied this interpretation.
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 13, 2018 22:42:37 GMT
Interesting tweet from Mark Shenton...…..Mark Shenton Retweeted COMPANY 🎈 Interesting observation on @companywestend: the show may have a female Bobbi -- but the number of female characters has reduced from eight to five - and the male characters increased from six to nine.
Mmmmmmm?
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 13, 2018 21:53:38 GMT
Do we know that Bonnie's with the show from Sept until closing or is there room to squeeze in one more bit of 'star casting' if Bonnie did, say, Sept-Nov and a final Dorothy from Nov-Jan? No idea. I would have thought it was a 4 month contract until closing on the 5th January. Bonnie Langford is a seasoned pantomime performer though, and her stock must have risen considerably by being in EastEnders and it wouldn't have surprised me if QDOS had offered her a huge amount of cash to do a 4 week panto stint somewhere. Random thought - has Bonnie Langford every done Strictly? I would have thought she would fit the lovely Debbie McGee slot perfectly!!
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 13, 2018 11:13:05 GMT
Do I splash out 80 squid for AA? Oh for the days when it opened and we got those seats for £15 I suppose when you think of all the money we have saved paying only 15/20 quid for our multiple visits to this show - we could afford to splash out?
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 13, 2018 9:52:24 GMT
People and there contracts. People and THEIR contracts. All of this Sonia situation is a RUMOUR She left Dreamgirls at short notice to appear on Love Island - FACT. Don’t act like you have never quit doing nothing. If I knew what this meant - I might respond, but as I don't I wont.
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 13, 2018 9:37:01 GMT
I suppose they do not hold them prisoner on/in Love Island but there must be a contract of sorts. I understand there is only 2 weeks left of this 8 week show and to quit before she is voted off (or whatever) with only 2 weeks to go means she has quit 2 contracts within 2 months. Not the best reference for a future employer?
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 12, 2018 23:59:45 GMT
So Thursday - is Matt Lucas back? Does anyone know?
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 12, 2018 23:56:59 GMT
Bonnie Langford will be fabulous in this. Although it always depresses me that consummate theatre professionals like her need the TV exposure to be offered a leading role in the theatre. The same thing happened to her theatre career (which mainly consisted of annual pantomime) after appearing on Dancing On Ice, she then went into a leading role in Chicago - a part she would not have been offered if not for the TV exposure!
I don't watch EastEnders but friends tell me she was/is very good in it.
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 11, 2018 23:14:25 GMT
Hannah was on as Peggy last night Isn't that just fabulous for her!
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 11, 2018 23:00:53 GMT
I can remember a time when food and drink was not allowed into the auditorium. Now, however, commercial considerations (that is selling over priced drinks in theatres moments before curtain up and allowing them into the auditorium in plastic glasses) has over ridden any artistic considerations.
Sometimes I feel the show is just interrupting an evening of drinking with friends! So just go to the pub!!
Plus it seems folk are incapable of going an hour without drinking - either alcohol or water in crinkly (once only use plastic) bottles!!
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