4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Jan 1, 2021 21:16:08 GMT
That is completely unfounded and shouldn’t start unfounded rumours on social media, including that he is secretly gay too.
In a day of colour-blind casting/sex-blind casting/sexuality-blind casting. So what if it is the other way round for once.
As for James Corden we British love to elevate a person with working class credentials, I.e. not born with a silver spoon in their mouth, then when they make it, give them a good kicking. James is going through a tough time at the moment with this, also thinking people like David Beckham, Victoria Beckham Wayne Rooney and Gordon Ramsey etc.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Jan 1, 2021 20:20:18 GMT
Obviously with theatre taken away and not being going away on holiday.
So with this lockdown, has anyone taken up any different interests? Even with an existing hobby done more vigorously?
For me though at the beginning of the year, I may have been able to tell the difference between a daffodil and a tulip, but not much more. But since lock down I have got real green fingered and can tell you what are many plants are. This is due to buying many books as bedside reading and watching gardening world, when on earlier this year. I have spent a small fortune on my garden and planted many bulbs, some come through now and winter plants to replace the summer annuals.
if you said to me in March I would have 15 pots in the garden and a compost heap, I would have fallen off my garden chair.
Of course I can do all this by listening to my favourite perennial Elaine Paige.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 31, 2020 22:43:59 GMT
A great opportunity to say Happy New Year to you all.
But also to say good riddance to 2020.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 31, 2020 1:09:32 GMT
I go to Manchester a lot (old uni City) for tours. Have previously looked into seeing a show in Liverpool on one night of a long weekend and getting train back to Manchester after - sadly not possible as no trains back after evening show. So connections certainly not as good as one might think/hope. That said, guess it's easier with a car. And certainly Manchester did have a big geographical pull for the surrounding counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. And depending on how you define urban areas it has a good case for claiming to be England's 2nd city. So if there ever was to be an open ended run of something again, I think Manchester would be the best bet. Think there are now later trains, but service is not ideal and after 21:00 Liverpool Lime Street is like a ghost town, nice to grab a latte on the way home.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 31, 2020 1:07:22 GMT
I grew up in Warrington & could get to and from Manchester or Liverpool for an evening show on the train. (and still could do last year). I was responding to PoL’s comments about my home town Sheffield. Warrington benefits by not having a mountain range between it and Manc. So does Sheffield benefit from not having a mountain range between it and Manc. Ain’t it?
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 30, 2020 17:54:01 GMT
90 minute is an horrific journey, trains can also be overcrowded, I travelled last Christmas from Sheffield to Manchester on a late Saturday morning, Manchester United were playing at home and also the Xmas markets were on, the train was like sardines. I was standing and cramped, some people couldn’t get on. If I have time I enjoy taking the slow train between Manchester and Sheffield, and appreciate the beauty of the Peak District, but this isn’t ideal for theatre goers that want to get home in a hurry!
I cannot legislate for the quality of the train service, it takes me 40 minutes on a slow train to Charing Cross from where I live. Then if going to Paddington/Euston/Kings Cross have to allow half hour. But the fact is you can get fast trains between Manchester and Sheffield. Also I am no sure if Phantom, Wicked, The Lion King or Les Miserables played Sheffield as the theatre is too small. So you can either go to London and cannot get a train back after an evening performance and Pay for an hotel, or catch the show in Manchester, Leeds or Bradford.
I fully support improving train services, which includes improving the Sheffield to Manchester Line, HS2 and HS3.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 29, 2020 23:54:06 GMT
I wouldn’t advocate for Cats, Joseph or Starlight Express to be done at Chichester, but Song and Dance would fit in well with their audience and Chichester is a venue that could enhance the show artistically. Chichester does do shows that don’t really need a ‘helping hand,’ such as; Singing in the Rain, Guys and Dolls and Sweeney Todd etc. Which can all be done by commercial producers.
When it comes to being commercial savvy, subsidised theatre is very poor, as it knows it is going to be bailed out.The RSC is a good example, it closed a sold out run of Wolf Hall in the West End.
It is a joke that Chichester are doing Assassins this year, a show with no real appeal.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 29, 2020 20:46:22 GMT
It would hard to argue to keep education open, whey the Premier League is now talking about suspending for 2 weeks, because of the rising cases and amount of players’ testing positive.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 29, 2020 20:40:32 GMT
Song and Dance would be amazing in the Festival Theatre, Chichester. The West Sussex crowd would lap it up, Andrew Lloyd Webber has never been done at Chichester. Is the very wealthy and commercial ALW entitled to public subsidy when his shows can run in West End and tour no problem? I'm asking for a friend... Although that was before Covid 19 who knows what the new norm is with ACE funding. Has the dance and song elements ever merged to create a through narrative? She sings and he dances to tell one tale Why should Stephen Sondheim and Frank Loesser who are both American can subsidy from the British tax payers?
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 29, 2020 20:35:23 GMT
I agree some do and they’re all buying tickets? If a 100 - 200 come from outside Manchester, this is helpful production wise. I imagine something like Wicked at the Palace would attract a small percentage of an audience from nearby cities, because Manchester is very accessible transport wise, where for me who lives in London, on the Kent borders would take 70 minutes to get to London Euston.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 29, 2020 17:00:05 GMT
Song and Dance would be amazing in the Festival Theatre, Chichester.
The West Sussex crowd would lap it up, Andrew Lloyd Webber has never been done at Chichester.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 29, 2020 16:05:11 GMT
This risible Government saying they’re concerned for children’s education is just plain laughable, they are deliberately seeking a confrontation with the teaching unions, so it is all about ideology. Which is a shame as the teaching profession is one of the most hard working, considerate and caring careers. Funniest post ive ever read on here. Or Bojo has a track record of zero ideology. The reasons why hes making such a bad fist of things is that he AVOIDS confrontation and tough decisions- hence the constant flip flopping. The idea that in the middle of this Crisis, knowing that he's about to get another kicking from behind over the Brexit bill...and he's multitasking, preparing an assault on teachers...brilliant! Dont suppose you'd care to be a teensy weensy bit specific about what he's seeking to achieve? Any facts to support your sweeping allegation? At a time when we need clear thinking how does trotting out old cant help? The Government didn’t say boo, when some of the non unionised pubic/private schools finished early. So glad to be teensy weeny bit specific. There is to be a covid govt meeting tonight to decide tiers etc and then that will be reported to parliament tomorrow from 3pm by Matt Hancock according to the BBC. Or you will get a heads up on the Daily Mail online.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 29, 2020 1:21:39 GMT
Thing is with Manchester it does have 3 theatres, however all the big shows end up in the Palace, the ones that can’t get the Palace end up in the Opera House. The Lowry seems to struggle to get shows. I would have thought Manchester scene would be much brisker, as it is our second biggest city. It is also very accessible from other cities such as Leeds, Sheffield and Liverpool. So no big deal to go for a night out in other cities. Where in London you are pretty much trapped in London and it is very hard to go to other cities.. The main stage at the lowry is committed to regular performances from Opera North and Northern Ballet. Donkeys ago when I lived in Brum I remember the tour of Les Miz coming in and Welsh National Opera was kicked out of the Hippodrome. Back then they performed for three weeks of the year but because of Les Miz it was only two that year Opera North also play Leeds (where it’s based), Nottingham and Newcastle as part of their season. Northern Ballet also tour. This leaves big holes in the Lowry schedule. I know when I am in Manchester and want to see something else, it is hard to find something appealing in the Lowry, it is very hit and miss there. The Lowry also did/does a big Christmas musical, recently it did The Girls, Dr Doolittle, Elf and White Christmas. The Palace also do a big Christmas musical. Where the Opera House always does a pantomime.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 29, 2020 0:56:21 GMT
Put the above in English. Toronto used to be a massive sit down city, until 9/11 changed everything. Very interested as to why you think that, would love to know more please! Also am I wrong in thinking Book of Mormon was trying to have a sit down in Manchester or again was it an extended stay before kicking off the tour? Glad to fill you in then. Americans used to go to Toronto, as in some cases it was closer and cheaper than New York. Toronto being close to the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio. So Americans went for a cheaper weekend in Toronto instead of New York. Americans didn’t need a passport to enter Canada, but 9/11 changed that and now a passport is required as well as an ESTA. Toronto lost it big shows and also some of its theatres, it now resembles, how this for irony as we have been talking about it and that is Manchester, with having just 3 big theatres.It also didn’t help having a big impresario who was corrupt, who embezzled money and ended up doing a stretch. Glad to see Toronto making a comeback with audiences flocking to see The homegrown Come From Away. That is why Phantom run so long there, with Colm Wilkinson.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 28, 2020 22:52:58 GMT
Put the above in English.
Toronto used to be a massive sit down city, until 9/11 changed everything.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 28, 2020 22:02:08 GMT
Toronto used to be massive for sit downslope until 9/11 changed everything.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 28, 2020 21:57:43 GMT
Is the Palace more desirable than The Opera House in terms of location or stage/technical facilities? Was amazed when found out they have much the same seating capacity as the Palace feels so vast. From what I can tell, the Palace stage is bigger than the Opera’s, so therefore it’s better equipped for big productions such as Wicked, Lion, Phantom. And also there are a hundred or so more seats, which I guess producers may enjoy as they can really cram people in. The Palace has 35 extra seats. I actually prefer the Lowry, over the Palace and Opera House.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 28, 2020 19:39:31 GMT
Bat Out of Hell and Ghost both tried out in Manchester.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 28, 2020 19:38:57 GMT
Thing is with Manchester it does have 3 theatres, however all the big shows end up in the Palace, the ones that can’t get the Palace end up in the Opera House. The Lowry seems to struggle to get shows. I would have thought Manchester scene would be much brisker, as it is our second biggest city. It is also very accessible from other cities such as Leeds, Sheffield and Liverpool. So no big deal to go for a night out in other cities. Where in London you are pretty much trapped in London and it is very hard to go to other cities..
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 28, 2020 16:28:37 GMT
Everyone on here would agree that education is very important, but to a point.
In WWII when the Luftwaffe were dropping bombs, children didn’t go to school, it was too dangerous, but allowances were made.
The kid next door to me goes to a bog standard academy, they were all given a cheap tablet, the kids that didn’t have their own one.
This risible Government saying they’re concerned for children’s education is just plain laughable, they are deliberately seeking a confrontation with the teaching unions, so it is all about ideology. Which is a shame as the teaching profession is one of the most hard working, considerate and caring careers.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 28, 2020 2:00:36 GMT
The Producers was a terrible film, as was The Phantom of the Opera.
I thought Mary Poppins was better on stage, as it has the stage magic and that is the wow moment.
If West Side Story wasn’t done as a film, we probably wouldn’t have heard of it today. It would have been some obscure musical like Kismet. The film brought it to the wider public attention.
Billy Elliot, well that one is a draw, as they’re very different, but both are great.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 27, 2020 17:26:15 GMT
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 26, 2020 20:35:07 GMT
Just wondering what you favourite concert version was? And maybe why?
Mine was the 10th anniversary, as you had the original wonderful cast, especially Colm Wilkinson, you had more of the score than was available on the cast recording at the time and at the end you had all the superb Valjeans from around the World, singing One Day More in their own language, which was an absolute treat.
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 26, 2020 15:41:12 GMT
Did anyone get a aunt they don’t like a box of lavender Bath salts?
|
|
4,883 posts
|
Brexit
Dec 24, 2020 19:47:18 GMT
Post by Phantom of London on Dec 24, 2020 19:47:18 GMT
I don’t know why the EU agreed to such an absurd deal. They should’ve dug their heals in.
It gives the green light to other European nations to leave the union now.
We now have to learn to live outside the union and hope a different government can align ourselves and heal wounds with Europe.
|
|