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Post by schuttep on May 21, 2024 11:33:39 GMT
I'm also seeing Les Mis in November at the Châtelet so have booked to see Caroline O'Connor at the Lido 2 as well. EUR90 for table seating is a bargain compared to Imelda's London run.
I love Caroline O'Connor having seen her in Damn Yankees, Budgie, Matador, Mack and Mabel, On The Town and in concert.
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Post by schuttep on Apr 7, 2024 10:23:45 GMT
I saw James I, II and III at the National, James IV at His Majesty's in Aberdeen and Mary at the Hampstead.
I'd like to see James V travel to England but I'm not too hopeful.
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Post by schuttep on Apr 5, 2024 9:10:21 GMT
The set for Mutiny! starring David Essex and Sinitta featured a moving galleon on stage that - when it worked - was spectacular. Unlike the musical itself!
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Post by schuttep on Apr 3, 2024 10:59:34 GMT
I saw this play a number of years ago at Trafalgar Studios and if you like Kevin Elyot you'll like this.
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Post by schuttep on Apr 3, 2024 10:56:09 GMT
Ticket info now showing on-sale dates as 3-9 April (the latter being general public.
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Post by schuttep on Apr 3, 2024 10:43:03 GMT
On a more positive note, a young man sat in front of us with the biggest Afro hair. After all the fuss I politely asked him was the any chance he had a hat he could wear. I felt really bad as he said that he had been trying to flatten it but he’d slip down more in his chair. I said not to do that as it could hurt his back and it wasn’t the end of the world looking round it. However, he did slide down more in the 2nd half, even though I whispered to sit up during some applause. To sum up he was an extremely polite you man and I was the ogre that disturbed him! Way back in the mists of time (2012) I attended a performance of The Duchess of Mali at the Old Vic. The guy in front of me was very tall and, to top it off (sic), he had a huge mohican hair cut. As we were in the centre of a row, I clearly I had to do hair dodging to see most of the show. At one point I had my head in my hands and - felt a lump in my throat. Twelve years later I'm cancer-free. At the time I thought he was the audience member from hell but I owe that tall guy my life.
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Post by schuttep on Mar 21, 2024 13:15:27 GMT
This year is my 50th anniversary of going to the theatre and I'm seeing a show on the actual anniversary date!
Bearing that in mind, and as has already been said, I rely on my own experience of what I like and have seen before: writers, directors, actors etc. A poor production won't stop me seeing another if I've previously seen and liked it.
Many websites, especially for new plays, give a paragraph or two about what the show's subject is and unless you want to wait until it's opened, that's about all you can expect. I'm happier relying on that and, sometimes, the particular writer.
I tend not to rely on reviews or word of mouth because - no matter how you rate the critic or friend - it's still one person's opinion, and we've all seen varied reviews of the same show.
But there's no foolproof way of testing the water even after it's opened.
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Post by schuttep on Mar 21, 2024 12:57:19 GMT
I LOVE the device Mrs Doubtfire uses to warn people not to use their phones etc. And won't spoil it here by saying what it is: you'll have to see the show!
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Post by schuttep on Feb 2, 2024 14:18:21 GMT
The Menier set an e-mail to members this morning:
"Coming soon: The European premier of a thrilling new play This promises to be one of the most talked-about plays of the year!"
On general public sale 13 February 2024.
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Post by schuttep on Jan 31, 2024 16:00:38 GMT
I have been fortunate to see this wonderful lady 5 times:
22 August 1981 Maria in The Sound of Music at the Apollo Victoria, London and again at the same venue on 3 April 1982 15 December 1993 Mrs Johnston in Blood Brothers at the Music Box, New York (with David and Sean Cassidy as the twins) 23 November 1996 Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard at the Adelphi Theatre In concert on 12 May 2002 at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking and in concert again on 26 November 2006 at Drury Lane Theatre.
An amazing voice and huge selection of hit records. She really should be a Dame. Don't Sleep in the Subway is one of my favourite songs of all time - superb lyrics superbly sung.
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Post by schuttep on Jan 3, 2024 13:36:34 GMT
Sooner or later theatres are going to have to pipe the sound through individual headphones (like the Donmar Macbeth) with a noise cancelling facility to cut off the sound of the audience!
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Post by schuttep on Nov 1, 2023 9:55:38 GMT
Saturday matinee for And Then There Were None at Richmond Theatre - it is (surprisingly) sold out, so it's a good job I booked early, including a bit of champagne pampering in the Ambassador's Lounge.
Sunday is Rachel Tucker in concert at Cadogan Hall (when it's over I hope there are no idiots out late because of Bonfire Night!)
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Post by schuttep on Jul 31, 2023 12:38:52 GMT
I saw this Off-Broadway and at the Shaftesbury. I would have gone to the concert performance but, my goodness, have you seen the prices?
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Post by schuttep on Jul 24, 2023 13:44:54 GMT
I saw this last Saturday matinee and absolutely loved it.
As has been said, the singing and lighting were particularly excellent. I saw the 2022 winner of the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year (SSSSPOTY) competition, Desmonda Cathabel, as Kim and she was outstanding.
I would be very surprised if CamMac doesn't give this a longer life.
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Post by schuttep on Jul 20, 2023 9:20:36 GMT
I first saw this during its 25th anniversary year and got the souvenir brochure.
I saw it again during its 50th anniversary year and got the souvenir brochure.
I saw it again during its 60th anniversary first UK tour and got the.....
If I live long enough I plan on going again during its 75th anniversary year and, if I can afford it by then, will get a.....
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Post by schuttep on Jul 18, 2023 12:56:49 GMT
I've always enjoyed both plays and musicals but I'd never thought what proportion of each I was seeing until this thread popped up.
So far this year I've seen 12 Plays and 7 musicals.
Before Covid I would go to the theatre around 80 times a year but, as you can see, this has very much reduced. This is more because - as I've been attending theatre performances since 1974 - I've already seen a lot of what's cropping up, admittedly in different productions, and I made a conscious decision to only see repeats I absolutely adore.
I've also been lucky to do lots of travel this year (I'll have been abroad 10 times before the end of the year) so my funds are currently being diverted to other hobbies.
Looking at what's coming up I can see that I'm still seeing too many repeats, with only 6 first timers booked so far, as in: The Third Man at the Menier, A Strange Loop, Sarah Kane's Crave, Carly Churchill's Owners, Twiggy at the Menier, and Feeling Afraid as if Something Terrible is Going to Happen at the Bush.
I don't know if it comes across here, but I do count myself very fortunate in what I've seen and done over the years.
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Post by schuttep on Jul 9, 2023 9:49:49 GMT
Saw the lovely, but short interview. James opened up about how he is dealing with the mental challenges of the show and the physical ones as he is diabetic.
And Luke's comment about what he will miss after the show closes gave me a lump in the throat: "..being on the stage with this guy every night..."
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Post by schuttep on Jul 5, 2023 10:43:55 GMT
I saw this on 1 July at BirmIngham Rep and McSweeney was superb. Sometimes it's easy to forget (when watching Pottery Throwdown) what a consummate actress she is.
Well worth a transfer.
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Post by schuttep on Jun 16, 2023 8:52:38 GMT
I went to yesterday's matinee and agree with the comments made.
The story was interesting and very moving in places. Josh St Clair as Gino Bartali was astonishing - great voice and good looking to boot. I won't say anything about his tight fitting shorts...
I'm pleased I made the effort to go.
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Post by schuttep on Jun 16, 2023 8:44:58 GMT
I saw her in the RSC Antony and Cleopatra in 1979 and enjoyed it. She was an amazing actress with a clear but highly recognisable voice.
I am also lucky to have a letter and signed photo of her.
I think of all the wonderful performances she's left for us.
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Post by schuttep on Jun 6, 2023 10:14:07 GMT
Loved this when it was on TV. So have booked tickets with 4 friends in Richmond in February.
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Post by schuttep on May 17, 2023 10:59:33 GMT
I have quite a few:
RSC which I've had for over 30 years as I lived in Birmingham at the time and went to Stratford regularly.
RNT as I moved to London and always went as often as I could - although not so much under Rufus Norris.
Donmar as I'd never otherwise get tickets. Although I declined Macbeth tickets last week as there weren't any decent ones left, I ended up getting a discounted seat as a companion through my friend's disabled membership.
Almeida otherwise I couldn't get decent seats.
Royal Court although I haven't been for about 2-3 years due to COVID and then due to programming that hasn't excited me.
Menier as I like to get good seats and I also get free programmes. I used to get a bar discount but that's sadly ended.
ATG due to no booking fees, I can easily get to Richmond and Wimbledon and I go to Brighton a lot. I travel in the UK frequently and there are many regional ATG theatres. Also I get 20% discount at the bar up to half an hour before the performance starts which is a bonus.
I also get a free Old Vic membership as I live in the Lambeth area. This gives me a discount at the bar and discount on tickets Monday to Friday. And it costs me my favourite price!
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Post by schuttep on Feb 21, 2023 11:23:44 GMT
Loved Company at the Teatro Albéniz in Madrid in December. No Spanish, though if you knew the show it was still good.
But my goodness, translating English into Spanish does add substantially to the length of the show to 3 hours!
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Post by schuttep on Feb 21, 2023 11:07:47 GMT
The book for Anything Goes was lost until Patti Lupone employed the current writers to create a new book around the old songs. Same thing happened with Stephen Fry's Me and my Girl. No-one would call those juke box musicals.
Rock Follies isn't either. It will be a theatrical production of two TV series (RF and RF of '77) that included songs. I remember seeing both series in the 70s and loved them (compared to other ITV fare at that time!) So I'll be booking to see this incarnation.
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Post by schuttep on Feb 14, 2023 11:35:13 GMT
Sucker Punch is a National Theatre Partnerships production on tour March - June 2023 and was at RC in 2010.
The Children was at Chicago's Steppenwolf theatre in 2019.
I've seen 3 debbie tucker green plays and I'm not a fan.
Agree with the other suggestions, though.
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