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Post by bellboard27 on Sept 21, 2016 12:05:44 GMT
“It is a far, far better thing that I book, than I have ever booked; it is a far, far better play that I go to than I have ever known.” Or not.
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Post by bellboard27 on Sept 21, 2016 10:42:41 GMT
I agree with much of what David J said and won't repeat. On Freya Mavor, she is indeed excellent. I wouldn't put it quite up there with Denise Gough's performance(or indeed Billie Piper's in Yerma), but that is just being picky!
On the running time, showgirl, we started just about on time at 7.30 and we starting to leave at 10.00 on the dot!
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Post by bellboard27 on Sept 20, 2016 13:17:29 GMT
Ah, that makes sense, thanks. I didn't consider the fact that months (if not years) are meant to be passing between episodes. I haven't looked up Lord M on wikipedia or something, but isn't he the chap who had a little place in Australia named after him?
Melbourne is in Victoria.
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Post by bellboard27 on Sept 20, 2016 10:21:27 GMT
Thanks everyone for the information. I've booked this for a pre-Christmas treat. Fingers crossed for no problems on Eurostar!
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Post by bellboard27 on Sept 20, 2016 10:18:10 GMT
I quite enjoyed this. Yes it is a bit long (the first half middle is too padded and almost repetitive), but the performances are good, as is the set. How well it will do in the West End, though, I'm not sure.
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Post by bellboard27 on Sept 20, 2016 10:01:53 GMT
This also did not really work well for me. I suspect it is partly because there was little new to learn from the play for me (although it is a good few years since I set foot in the Congo). However, some of the performances and elements were good, so a bit of a mixed bag. I like the mine setting, but I ruined it for myself as I could not help thinking that someone would emerge holding Richard III's spine with a 'WTF is this still doing here?'!
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Post by bellboard27 on Sept 19, 2016 21:52:57 GMT
Went last night, in the Balcony nest (A5, on the right-hand side facing the stage). Practically clear view apart from the door to the room which you can't see unless its open. Other than that, don't miss a single thing, and for a Balcony it's quite close. For £10 I don't know you could ever complain, I was just astounded with the quality for what I paid. Added to the fact that I could wriggle/move without disturbing anybody was another extra bonus. That's good to hear, I booked the same nest Lookin forward even more to see it now. I've got this seat booked as well. Should it qualify for a Theatreboard memorial plaque?
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 11, 2016 10:42:13 GMT
I am very keen on gender blind casting (and blind casting in other cases). Just that if the gender blind casting produces a result one way or another it is unlikely (on its own) to affect my choice of whether I go to see a production.
Sorry, Baemax, I did not mean to say your ways of deciding are foolish - it was just an attempt to say how I would feel about myself if I preferred a predominantly male cast on principle.
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 11, 2016 9:09:50 GMT
If I've got an afternoon to spare and two possible plays to see in that slot, then as a woman, I will choose the one that puts more women on stage every time As a white male, should I follow this precept?: "If I've got an afternoon to spare and two possible plays to see in that slot, then as a man, I will choose the one that puts more men on stage every time" and
"If I've got an afternoon to spare and two possible plays to see in that slot, then as a white person, I will choose the one that puts more white people on stage every time"
That would be simply foolish. So, if it is all the same to you, I will see the productions I think are most interesting irrespective of gender, race, etc.
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 9, 2016 7:50:54 GMT
A few thoughts on this. I think there is a danger of retrospectively analysing the hell out of this from a 2016 perspective – including the motivations of Vietnamese who wanted to leave after the fall of Saigon. Let’s focus on the show. What key characters want to leave? Kim and the Engineer.
What might be Kim’s motives: worry about the future of a half-American child? She has killed a high ranking Vietnamese army officer and fears for her life? She is married and feels a duty to be with her husband? She is in love? All of these?
What are the Engineer’s motives: he has lost everything, so anything is better than Vietnam? America is the land of vice and greed, so what better place for him? Hardly portraying America in a great light!
My sister-in-law is from Hanoi and she fully understands why South Vietnamese might have wanted out after reunification. It was a time of great uncertainty, so it was natural to want to avoid this.
In any case, in analysing Miss Saigon it is important to remember the basic plot is Madame Butterfly – so the opening up of Meiji period Japan needs to be taken into account.
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 8, 2016 11:40:02 GMT
the couple exchange mock-erotic wordplay using technical jargon Ah, that brings back memories of my former pick-up approach in bars. I'm convinced it never worked due to the technical ignorance of the other party.
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 8, 2016 11:35:26 GMT
In London there is also the traditional Christmas opportunity to have your nuts cracked. This year with three at the same time - ROH, ENB and at Wembley Park ("the world's first immersive ballet").
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 8, 2016 9:20:11 GMT
Surely the ultimate Olympic sport for musical theatre fans who have no interest in sports is synchronised swimming?!
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 8, 2016 9:16:34 GMT
Went to see this. Freckles summed it up very well.
The comparisons to Sunny Afternoon are inevitable and potentially never ending (so I won't bother!). However, being in the cavernous Vaults brings the performers close to the audience, making it in places much more like a gig. This makes for a great atmosphere. I have been to several productions in the Vaults. For some it really does not seem a good fit. For this show, however, the location seems perfect.
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 7, 2016 13:01:21 GMT
I went to Taming of the Shrew - excellent!
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 6, 2016 6:26:03 GMT
Good job it was ballet. I can imagine a dog trying to join in an opera! Pooch-ini? Careful. You will set off Theatremonkey producing dog related puns all weekend!
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 5, 2016 21:32:36 GMT
Love the concluding sentence in the review "So bad that it's good, I absolutely recommend that you see this greasy stinker of a musical right now"!
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 5, 2016 20:07:34 GMT
Good job it was ballet. I can imagine a dog trying to join in an opera!
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 3, 2016 15:00:36 GMT
I'm all for crying. I cry when I get my ticket, cry when the curtain goes up, cry when I open my ice cream and sob my heart out when it is all over. I am offended if the actors cannot give me the same courtesy. I have left a trail of moist seats across the West End and am not ashamed!
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 3, 2016 14:37:52 GMT
You picky lot. I'll go see most things at the right price (to see what the fuss is about and make up my own mind).
Yes, in theatre terms I'll sell myself like a common street walker!
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 3, 2016 9:50:54 GMT
I just fancy being able legitimately to go up to the box office and say "kiss me downstairs please".
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 3, 2016 9:47:01 GMT
Well I was going to skip this, but you've all persuaded me to give it a go. Grabbed a £10 seat at the end of row E - not many of those left! Ha! One of the only four seats which bellboard27 tells us may have restricted views! I suppose this was the closest you could find to sitting behind a pillar? It depends which side of the stage you are on - if it's the side with the corners, I've no idea. On the straight side, the issue is not pillars, just being just beyond the end of the glass box set, but as I said, it's not much of an issue.
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 3, 2016 9:29:58 GMT
Do we think this could transfer to the Phoenix? I hear Lin-Manuel Miranda is knocking off some songs to beef it up for the WE.
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 3, 2016 9:15:26 GMT
I enjoyed this. Gina McKee was great, but more me Ron Cook stole the show. Stephen Dillane's first outing was good, but I felt there was something odd in his second appearance - he seemed to run out of steam leading to an oddly weak end. Overall, though, a positive outing.
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Post by bellboard27 on Aug 3, 2016 9:02:59 GMT
Saw this last night. I won't repeat Foxa's excellent summing up, except to say that this running time was down to 1 hour 40 mins (after curtain calls we were out by 9.15 and it did start a couple of minutes late).
Totally concur with DutchessConstance on Billie Piper's performance. £10 well spent!
On seating, I was downstairs on the side with straight seating (other side has the corners). All seats seem to have good views except possibly the very extreme ends of rows E and F (but even then 99% of it would be clear).
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