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Post by stuart on Aug 18, 2016 5:44:30 GMT
Go on. Someone put me out of my misery about the asthma joke. She comes on stage as Adelaide for one of her Hot Box performances smoking a cigarette but breaks her American accent and goes "Someone take this off me, I'm asthmatic". Nothing hilarious but a nice ad libbed style joke (even though it clearly isn't ad libbed).
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Post by stuart on Aug 17, 2016 17:24:30 GMT
I think this could've run a bit longer had they got another bit of star casting sorted. It was really nice to see the House Full sign out last night and this is a show entering its final week! The majority of the audience were clearly there for Rebel Wilson so another headline star might have kept it open another few months.
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Post by stuart on Aug 17, 2016 16:44:28 GMT
Upper Circle at Guys & Dolls last night had obviously been reading this thread. Issues included: - 3 phones going off in the first 20mins - Multiple people filming throughout (with ushers being rushed off their feet trying to stop them) - A fellow solo theatre goer sitting behind me in a vest top, shorts and flip flops (it wasn't even that warm yesterday!) - People going up/down to the bar/toilets/smoking area constantly And possibly worst of all........someone who got told off by an usher for playing Pokemon Go during the show. I'm not really clear on the issue with the third point. Naked or topless would be pushing it. It wouldn't be my choice of outfit, but as long as the individual in question sat still, didn't make noise or distract me in any way, then he could be wearing a dress for all I care. Fair enough you should dress up for an opening night/special performance, but for a standard performance of a musical? Maybe I'm being overly sensitive, but when I was at drama school (I studied technical theatre) I'd often go from practical classes or rehearsals to a matinee or evening performance in the West End, this meant I'd usually be wearing jeans and carrying a backpack. The amount of times I got filthy looks from people who were dressed up to the nines was unbelievable. Me? I get to my seat well before curtain up, switch of my phone, make sure my belongings are tucked out of the way, don't eat during the performance, don't get up (other than during the interval), that's the way I've always been. The people who used to scowl at me? Phones, toilet breaks, crinkly sweetie wrappers, chatting.....the list goes on and on. I went to the Hans Zimmer concert in Dublin in May and a youngish couple sat in front of me who were dressed immaculately.....around 14 pieces were played and this couple got up during every piece! Sometimes twice. Then there was the 'conducting,' the eating each other, the giggling and the selfie taking - I actually wondered if they were taking something on each of their forays out, at first I thought they were up to something else, but I doubt the man had that much stamina. Someone in shorts and flip-flops? A minor issue. The main issue for me were the flip flops. If I was in the stalls, I probably wouldn't have noticed. But sitting in the upper circle, the last thing I wanted were bare feet (he did take them off) right behind my head. The smell started to spread down into my row within the first few minutes.
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Post by stuart on Aug 17, 2016 7:55:37 GMT
Upper Circle at Guys & Dolls last night had obviously been reading this thread. Issues included:
- 3 phones going off in the first 20mins - Multiple people filming throughout (with ushers being rushed off their feet trying to stop them) - A fellow solo theatre goer sitting behind me in a vest top, shorts and flip flops (it wasn't even that warm yesterday!) - People going up/down to the bar/toilets/smoking area constantly
And possibly worst of all........someone who got told off by an usher for playing Pokemon Go during the show.
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Post by stuart on Aug 17, 2016 6:18:56 GMT
I saw the show last night. House Full sign was out so any hope of an upgrade from my £15 Upper Circle seat was out the window. In reality, I don't really know why this seat was so heavily reduced. Perfect view for 99.9% of the show (Adelaide's Lament is the only part where you might "miss" something, and even then you can see her face and upper half of her body perfectly). Would highly recommend! Very young audience too which surprised me (but gave me plenty of material for the bad behaviour thread!), clearly there to see Rebel Wilson who got a smattering of entrance applause both for her first scene and throughout the show.
Before I continue, I was one of the young people who bought a ticket to see This show off the back of Rebel being involved. The Piccadilly production was one of my first West End experiences and I was keen to see what Rebel would do with the part. She doesn't play Adelaide though. She plays Rebel Wilson as Adelaide. Lots of slapstick comedy, fat girl jokes and sarcastic one liners. When you get over the fact that, this isn't going to be a normal portrayal of Adelaide, you can really get into it. And that's exactly what I did. Say what you want about her portrayal but she had people rolling in the aisles last night. I think she'll be a theatre star for decades to come. Even if the film work dries up, she'll be able to land any theatre role she wants if she keeps packing houses and entertaining audiences like she did last night.
Oh, and the asthma joke was there last night too.
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Post by stuart on Aug 12, 2016 15:24:24 GMT
Managed to get a £15 ticket for Tuesday night. Towards the back of the Upper Circle but Theatremonkey has it as a white seat so I'm happy with that. Can't really complain at that price!
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Post by stuart on Aug 9, 2016 20:02:55 GMT
Anyone know of any ticket deals for this? Looking for 1 ticket for next Tuesday night?
(Assuming Rebel performs on Tuesday nights by the way?)
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Post by stuart on Aug 9, 2016 13:31:15 GMT
Turns out BT Mail are rejecting all ATG confirmation emails so they're going to post me a confirmation. 2016.
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Post by stuart on Aug 8, 2016 21:42:28 GMT
Hmmmm, I took screenshots of the confirmation page with booking number etc so will give ATG a ring tomorrow.
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Post by stuart on Aug 8, 2016 21:26:59 GMT
Can someone post when they get a confirmation email? I haven't got one yet and I'm starting to get a bit anxious.
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Post by stuart on Aug 8, 2016 20:59:51 GMT
2 tickets - Saturday 8th July in the balcony sorted. Thanks to the person who posted that link.
Was offered Row B in the Stalls for a Thursday/Friday performance in June but then remembered it was the small matter of my sister's wedding (abroad) on the Saturday. Oops.
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Post by stuart on Aug 8, 2016 18:49:50 GMT
At the Edinburgh Fringe on Saturday, seeing Set List (a show where comedians have to improvise a full routine on the basis of a few words). It was a late night show so a lot of the audience had a few/lot of drinks beforehand (myself included). During the first act, a woman in the middle of the audience felt obliged to start shouting punchlines and make the show about her. The comedian brushed it off but made the point that a normal heckle would be fine but in an environment where they have to think on their feet, it's not ideal. The compere told her off for it too but the second the next act hit the stage she continued. Cheering at the mention of anything, ensuring she was noticed by the comedian and at one point stood up and held her drink to the ceiling as a way of appreciation. Thankfully, that comedian well and truly shut her down which managed to keep her at bay for the rest of the show but what would make you think that was acceptable?!
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Post by stuart on Aug 4, 2016 21:27:39 GMT
I'm surprised there hasn't been an arena tour of Starlight Express in recent years. I imagine health and safety these days would mean insurance premiums would cost a lot.
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Post by stuart on Aug 4, 2016 10:17:40 GMT
137,523rd in line with ATG.
See you at the Palace in November 2023!
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Post by stuart on Aug 3, 2016 17:41:41 GMT
The surprise when also in the foyer/lobby was also brilliant!!!! It will run forever!! Can you elaborate on this?!
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Post by stuart on Aug 2, 2016 17:48:20 GMT
Finally have an overnight in London coming up for work and was desperate to book tickets for this. Of course, the one night I could go i Press Night and I can't find a ticket anywhere. Typical.
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Post by stuart on Jul 29, 2016 16:39:48 GMT
Imagine if they opened another production in another theatre on the West End due to demand. That WOULD be a first!!! I'm still surprised they didn't put Part 1 and Part 2 in different theatres. Would've allowed them to run 8 performances a week of both shows. Imagine this might happen further down the line.
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Post by stuart on Jul 22, 2016 16:50:12 GMT
Just stumbled across this thread and have to say I'm shocked at some of the reactions.
I loved every second of The Formation World Tour. The stage set up was insane, her vocals were on point, her and her dancers didn't stop for 2hrs and the atmosphere was electric. What more would you want or expect from a stadium act?
When I saw her at The Mrs Carter Show, I really didn't enjoy it. The atmosphere was terrible, the crowd remained seated for the majority of the show and she spent more time off stage getting changed than she did on it. Formation could not have been more different. Every person knew every word to every song. I'll never forget 60,000 people singing acapella to Love on Top including all 7 key changes. Goosebumps just thinking about it.
I have seen Madonna live and you CANNOT drag Beyonce for cutting songs short when you don't hear any proper hits at Madonna shows. Instead you get remixed versions of the big songs. She's been booed every time I've seen her for these dreadful remixes. If she came on and sang the hits alongside the new album stuff, the place would go nuts. Nobody is here for a jazz version of Music, a rock version of Hung Up or a waltz Like A Virgin. I can only imagine what you'd be saying if Beyoncé did a Polka version of Crazy in Love at her show.
Oh, and in reference to something else said earlier in this thread, I'm a twenty something, I earn a lot more than minimum wage, my parents did not buy my ticket for me and I'm on the property ladder. No need to be so patronising to younger people.
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Post by stuart on Jul 22, 2016 15:41:11 GMT
Martin Lewis mentioned the Friday Forty on his GMTV (or whatever they call it now) slot the other morning as "a cheap way to see the show". I imagine that might've boosted demand today?
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Post by stuart on Jun 19, 2016 12:27:23 GMT
I wonder what arrangement ALW had with the BBC. If he helped develop the format and has some form of ownership over it, they might not be able to do a carbon copy.
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Post by stuart on May 23, 2016 17:55:28 GMT
Julian clary, Paul zerdin and Lee mead Weren't those three names mentioned on this board back when it was first announced? It could just be someone reading gossip and taking it as fact?
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Post by stuart on May 15, 2016 12:05:59 GMT
Not really a theatre show but I went to see Busted's reunion tour last night (don't judge me, I know someone working on the production) and ended up with 2nd row seats. There was a group of 3 people sat in front of me who were right in front of the group a number of times during the show. Yet, they remained seated and still. Didn't flinch during the show, didn't singalong once and when the show ended, simply got up and left without uttering a word. Not exactly bad behaviour, just a bit odd.
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Post by stuart on May 10, 2016 21:22:43 GMT
On the topic of Grey Gardens earlier in the forum, Jinkx Monsoon (from RuPaul's Drag Race) confirmed on Jonathan Ross' Radio 2 show last week that she is bringing her production of Grey Gardens to London for a limited run later in the year. She did mention the theatre and it was a fringe one (not the Soho which she's been performing in for the last month) but I can't remember which.
Would they risk 2 productions of Grey Gardens at the same time in London though?
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Post by stuart on Apr 24, 2016 12:16:56 GMT
I'd have thought Drury Lane would be too big for this but I can't see them letting Charlie close if they didn't have something else lined up. Look at the Dominion and Palladium both struggling to get long runners. Drury Lane wouldn't risk it too. Be it they offered Charie reduced rates or something else, I don't think they'd let it close unless it was literally empty night after night.
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Post by stuart on Apr 17, 2016 17:21:39 GMT
Finding Neverland to Drury Lane. The Girls to Phoenix. An American In Paris to Dominion for a limited season.
My predictions.
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Post by stuart on Apr 16, 2016 7:48:06 GMT
They could always get Derrick Barry in. She's free. Oops! Derrick Barry has all the charisma of a wet flannel. Ugh. Can't stand him. Makes me want to like Magnolia Crawford In all seriousness, Bianca Del Rio as The Wicked Stepmother could be all sorts of amazing.
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Post by stuart on Apr 15, 2016 22:09:38 GMT
It appears that Rihanna is having cinema style credits roll on big screens at the end of her current world tour. Never seen that done before. Maybe something we'll see in theatre in the near future?
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Post by stuart on Apr 11, 2016 21:20:41 GMT
The London Palladium has long been one of London's most prestigious theatres but has laid dormant for the last few years. Short seasons and one-off performances have kept it but what would solve the Palladium's problems? School of Rock was pencilled in to start early next year but there are now whispers that it too will go elsewhere.
Personally, I think it needs to become a residency house for musicians and entertainers. The Palladium is famous for variety. Give us that back again! Get big named comedians to do 3mth runs rather than 5 nights at The O2. Fly Britney Spears or Celine Dion over from Vegas and put their Caesars show on for 6wks at a time. Heck, even get Ant & Dec in the door for 6mths! If the Palladium got a really strong list of rostered entertainers with high performance values it could become the entertainment capital of the city. Much like people ask "Who's on at Caesar's?" when visiting Vegas, folk should be asking "Who's on at the Palladium" when in London.
What are your thoughts? It kills me every time I walk past this glorious theatre and the marquee is blank.
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Post by stuart on Apr 11, 2016 21:11:46 GMT
Whatever happened to We Will Rock Two? It was workshopped and rumoured for the Palace but it's all gone quiet. Not that I'd be keen to see it, I'm just intrigued as to how a sequel to a jukebox musical would actually work.
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Post by stuart on Apr 11, 2016 21:08:29 GMT
Really surprised that this is touring actually. It's become the one show that all of my friends (none of whom are interested in theatre) are aware of and are really keen to see. I know a fair few who have paid over the odds for tickets too just because they assumed that was how exclusive it was. For it to tour might damage that somewhat. (And yes, I know it has toured in the States but it's a bigger place than the UK! Someone from Aberdeen could fly to London in just over an hour! Los Angeles or Seattle to New York is a completely different story!
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