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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 20, 2016 20:38:28 GMT
Sorry about the above. Meant to quote andy614 just the once, but got in a pickle. Sorry. Anyway, I digress (and have lost my original post). I was at the matinee today too and thought Bev was sensational. However, there is something wrong about the show in my opinion. The story just seems to be filling in time between Bev's big numbers. I didn't see the tour, so can't comment on that, but saw the original at the Adelphi, although that was without Heather Headley or Bev, as neither did matinees at that time. The theatre (stalls at any rate) was pretty well packed, with full SO before they get you up dancing!
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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 16, 2016 20:44:32 GMT
It all depends on the show, who is in it and whether there are any early booking discounts. If it looks like being a big seller, that would make me book earlier too (the farthest ahead I have booked is 9-10 months). I do like decent seats, and if it looks as if they are selling quickly then that is also a factor.
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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 16, 2016 20:25:39 GMT
Sheridan is usually a star. In this she isn't. I swear her hands have never stopped shaking in act 1. Such iconic songs are supposed to be sung, not stumbled through. But it's a good musical - I'm just sat wondering what anyone else could have done with it. I know its a transfer so it was originally (or at least supposedly) designed for a smaller stage, so they've done well with the set in The Savoy. It feels intimate, so I'm very thankful to be near the front. But the intimacy comes from the direction too - abd I don't think it's well directed at all (for The Savoy). Still, I'm very happy to be sat watching it. I was very disappointed with the direction on 'Greatest Star', thought it was a good effort - if not rushed overall - on 'Parade' and thought 'People' was the best performance from Sheridan vocally thus far. I just feel Sheridan is miscast. Interesting. An acquaintance who has seen Funny Girl many times is there tonight and says Sheridan is "absolutely on fire".
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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 15, 2016 19:43:29 GMT
I have never been tempted to buy a ticket off a tout, whether outside a venue or online - if the show I want to see has sold out, yes I'm disappointed but I get on with my life, I've usually forgotten all about the show within a day or two. I can't believe it when I see tickets going on sale for £1000s of pounds, surely only an idiot would think of paying that sort of money to see a concert or a play? I don't imagine the people running/working at dodgy ticketing websites are any better, but all of the touts I see outside places like the Brixton Academy or the Roundhouse seem like lowlife, joyless knuckle-draggers, the sort of person who would rob their own grand-mother to make a couple of quid and then boast about doing so to their 'friends'. I so agree with this! I hate touts with a passion for depriving genuine fans of fairly priced tickets. I get so mad seeing 'sold out', then watching tickets appear on other sites at vastly inflated prices. Good on Nimax for taking a stand.
Each year we have the V Festival locally, and on the Friday evening, when the happy campers arrive, the touts are hanging around the railway station hoping to catch some innocent punters. Usually clutching a can of strong lager to whet their negotiating skills, they (the touts) used to whip out a wodge of tickets, but now, once they have a victim, they phone a 'colleague' and then usher the punter around the corner out of site, so heaven knows what goes on from that point on.
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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 15, 2016 19:16:28 GMT
I find my interest has built up over the years. I admit there is someone I move heaven and earth to see in whatever he does, but by having done that, I have discovered other performers I like as well, and so go to see them when they do something new. Those are not the only factors, though. I'm a sucker for old musical revivals (i.e. Show Boat - loved it, Guys and Dolls - hated it, things of that ilk, and can't wait for 42nd Street), regardless of who is in them. If I love it, then I will go back again and again - I've seen Phantom and Les Mis (almost)more often than I've had hot dinners. Those two are down to the music rather than performers.
Some new (to me) shows appeal, too, such as Titanic, of which I knew absolutely nothing but was intrigued, and it completely blew me away. Others, like Aladdin, I hated. It has never entered my head to listen to a cast recording beforehand, I go in cold.
There are several shows I am not prepared to pay full price for, but when a good offer comes along then I will go (I'm too old to dayseat any more!). Others I know I will have to pay full whack (i.e. Gypsy, Funny Girl).
So, reading back the above, I don't have any set criteria - if I fancy it (or him) I'll go.
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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 14, 2016 13:38:37 GMT
At Titanic there is (or was, as it closed last night) an actor on stage as the audience take their seats. Twice now I have seen the ushers come up to audience members and tell them to delete any photos they have taken, as they are infringing the copyright.
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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 14, 2016 13:34:19 GMT
I can understand crying at curtain call of the first night (assuming things have gone well and they are getting a unanimous standing ovation!) and last night (for obvious reasons), but other than that I'm with the self indulgent school of thinking.
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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 12, 2016 20:43:51 GMT
Why on earth would you take a baby to the theatre anyway, and why did the theatre staff allow her in? She gets no sympathy from me whatsoever.
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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 12, 2016 16:53:08 GMT
So many empty seats at every venue. Even for finals. Just watching athletics and huge swathes of empty seats. Such a shame. What a contrast to London when, apart from one or two early events that had empty seats reserved for Olympic Family, all the venues were packed. I would guess tickets are too expensive for people who live and work in Rio. We've been commenting on this too and thought cost must be a factor. Also, a lot of the venues are a long way away from each other, so you can't really pop from one sport to another, should the mood take you, like you could in London.
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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 11, 2016 17:03:24 GMT
I seem to have bought another ticket (only my third, so I'm lagging way behind some of you). I'm expecting to sob my way through this one - I found my second visit far more emotional than the first because I knew who was going to survive and who didn't make it.
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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 9, 2016 22:44:09 GMT
Totally agree with the recent comments above. I absolutely love this show. Sadly have only managed to see it twice, but took OH the second time last week. He is ultra fussy (i.e., hates almost everything, but comes with me on high days and holidays as he knows I love theatre - just don't mention Mamma Mia ....) but even he loved Titanic!!!! I'm now desperately trying to arrange things to fit in another visit on Saturday - I don't want this show to end.
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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 8, 2016 17:02:11 GMT
I'm addicted to the Olympics and watch everything going for the duration. However, as soon as it's over, I never go near most of the sports for the next four years.
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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 2, 2016 15:12:39 GMT
In one recent production the Ugly Sisters were called Amanda and Aleesha!
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Post by longinthetooth on Jul 24, 2016 16:43:03 GMT
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Post by longinthetooth on Jul 22, 2016 0:28:08 GMT
It seems Maria Coyne was on as Christine tonight (Thursday).
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Post by longinthetooth on Jul 20, 2016 19:40:41 GMT
I thought someone was going to tell us that Burly was Torso of the Week! Not that I read 'Heat,' you understand ....
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Post by longinthetooth on Jul 18, 2016 19:57:58 GMT
Cancelled tonight, apparently. "No power for sound. Very cross crowd" according to Baz.
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Post by longinthetooth on Jul 11, 2016 16:54:22 GMT
I saw this recently & left at the interval... To echo what a lot of you have said I found it very much too "panto" I also found the genie incredibly annoying & the vocals of the leads to be quite weak. Apart from the fact that I stuck it out until the bitter end, I concur totally.
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Post by longinthetooth on Jul 5, 2016 18:18:44 GMT
I feel I have to wade in here on Carrie's behalf. I've met her a couple of times, and she is a lovely girl. The first time, at Les Mis, I was waiting for someone else when she appeared - not to hoards of fans, just a mere two or three, plus it was after a matinee, between shows. The second time was after Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and again there weren't hoards of her so called manic fans, just half a dozen or so. She chatted to everyone for ages, including oldies like me.
I don't get involved with her social media stuff, and just take her as I see her. If you don't like her videos etc, don't watch them! In my opinion the fact that she tells fans she won't be doing the stage door between shows is great, they know not to waste their time waiting. I've waited many a time for someone to appear, and for various reasons they haven't. I'm fully aware that they don't have to come out, but it would be nice if someone could tell us straight away, so that we aren't left wasting half an hour of our lives (or more!) hanging around, and could go home!
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Post by longinthetooth on Jul 3, 2016 19:57:23 GMT
Blood Brothers. Sweet Charity. Once. Aladdin.
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Post by longinthetooth on Jul 2, 2016 20:26:15 GMT
I have to say I was completely and utterly underwhelmed by this show. I had looked forward to it with great interest, but soon became bored. I thought the Genie was a pain in the **** and agree with Andy614 that A Whole New World was far too rushed. In fact I wasn't impressed with anyone's performance, although if I had to single anyone out it would be Stephen Rahman-Hughes as Kassim - he has a great voice and actually looked as if he was enjoying himself. I saw the pantomime Aladdin in Birmingham earlier in the year and thought their flying magic carpet was far more effective (ok, you could see how it worked, but it came out into the audience and turned upside down, which this one doesn't). Interesting to see quite a few of the ensemble of Miss Saigon appearing. I was glad when it ended. Sorry guys - I must have been having a bad day.
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Post by longinthetooth on Jul 1, 2016 17:52:03 GMT
Absolute corker at Les Mis the other night. Upper Circle, and a man calmly walked to the front of the circle, stood by the rail and began filming the final scene. He was told to return to his seat, which he did with only seconds remaining of the show. As we were leaving, the lady usher called him over and read him the riot act, explaining about copyright etc, but she was foreign, he was foreign but a different nationality, and communication between them was proving a bit difficult. Short of loitering to eavesdrop, I didn't hear the final outcome.
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Post by longinthetooth on Jun 28, 2016 22:06:39 GMT
I saw Titanic at the weekend, and must admit that I went with some trepidation, having heard so many negative reports of the Charing Cross Theatre. I thought it was charming, easy to find and not nearly as hot as I had been led to believe. Oh, and I loved the show.
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Post by longinthetooth on Jun 25, 2016 19:50:27 GMT
Well, it all kicked off at Titanic this afternoon. Mum & two teenage daughters decide to take a pic of the stage before the show started. For those who haven't seen it, there is an actor sitting at a table on stage (the designer of the ship, studying the plans) while everyone takes their seats. Cue usher coming over to tell them not to take pictures and to delete the one they had taken. Profuse apologies, then I heard, "he thinks I've deleted it, but I haven't."
Halfway through the first half the nose bags came out. Each one of them had one, I assume popcorn or something similar, judging from the rustling and prolonged munching. Come the interval, a man leaned over to them and in no uncertain terms told them it was disrespectful and rude to be eating in front of the actors, due to the noise and smell (of the food, I hasten to add, they weren't that bad). They were in the second row, and in a small theatre like the Charing Cross I would imagine they were visible from the stage. More profuse apologies, then Mum got up and disappeared. "It's ok, Mum's gone to sort it." In the meantime someone else had got involved and a debate was under way on to eat or not to eat. Mum duly comes back. "It is ok to eat, I've checked and they say we can. Well, we did buy it here." Thankfully, though, I think they got the message.
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Post by longinthetooth on Jun 25, 2016 19:47:43 GMT
Oops, sorry, posted in wrong thread.
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