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Post by alicechallice on Nov 28, 2022 9:47:52 GMT
Let’s hope the NTs next musical (The Witches) is not as hideous as this. Or Pinocchio. I hadn’t heard they were doing “The Witches”! Do you know when that will be? They announced it about 5 years ago but all appeared to have gone rather silent on the matter. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Nov 28, 2022 9:55:08 GMT
Admin, now the show has started can we have a vote thingie please? I think it will be fun to see the results Poll added. |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Nov 28, 2022 11:49:09 GMT
I hadn’t heard they were doing “The Witches”! Do you know when that will be? They announced it about 5 years ago but all appeared to have gone rather silent on the matter. They were workshopping it a couple of weeks ago. It’s now all systems go, apparently. Lindsay Turner directing. |
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Hex - NT
Nov 28, 2022 11:55:49 GMT
via mobile
Post by mattnyc on Nov 28, 2022 11:55:49 GMT
I guess The National is continuing with musicals killing children. Maybe they’ll write “It! The Musical!” next.
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Post by alicechallice on Nov 28, 2022 12:57:54 GMT
I guess The National is continuing with musicals killing children. Maybe they’ll write “It! The Musical!” next. Think of the rip-off merchandising on bespoke yellow macs in the NT shop. |
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Post by foxa on Nov 28, 2022 19:00:10 GMT
Thanks FJ - somehow I missed most of the previous discussion about this production but a friend was just in touch asking what I knew about it, so I conveyed your thoughts which she said were very helpful. |
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Post by fossil on Nov 28, 2022 19:22:04 GMT
I guess The National is continuing with musicals killing children. Maybe they’ll write “It! The Musical!” next. Think of the rip-off merchandising on bespoke yellow macs in the NT shop. No yellow macs but the NT shop does have these... Rose in a Dome Pin £22.95 Created by surface design artist and maker Amber Joy, this collaboration was inspired by the world class theatre that is produced by the National Theatre. This pin features a purple rose in a dome to coincide with the National Theatre's Christmas musical Hex. |
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Post by 141920grm on Nov 28, 2022 20:14:55 GMT
How does one get £5 tickets for this... 😂
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Hex - NT
Nov 30, 2022 12:47:59 GMT
via mobile
Post by edi on Nov 30, 2022 12:47:59 GMT
So I quite enjoyed it yesterday.
The first part was right up my street. I liked that the story was told in this dark but also funny & surreal way. I liked the lighting and the moods it created. I liked the songs too, nothing that I can hum but the songs seemed all pleasant and fitting. Liked the orchestration, too. So I went into the interval wondering what all the negativity was about.
After the interval it did go downhill. It dragged with many reprisals of the songs and an increasingly silly story line. Sometimes I wished they stopped talking.
The end somewhat picked up. All in all I enjoyed it, luckily the second half is shorter (seemed that way). It feels as it they run out of good ideas after the break and came up with something rather silly.
As said, I liked the visuals, the choreography and the outfits.
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Post by amuseical on Nov 30, 2022 16:47:07 GMT
How does one get £5 tickets for this... 😂 I DM’d you. |
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Post by Being Alive on Nov 30, 2022 17:32:37 GMT
How does one get £5 tickets for this... 😂 I DM’d you. Me too pleasee! |
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Post by mrnutz on Nov 30, 2022 19:53:35 GMT
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Post by hadeswasking on Dec 1, 2022 23:07:57 GMT
UNPOPULAR OPINION WARNING -
My first long overdue trip to the National tonight. I went in with very low expectations and 1 or 2 doubles to help me enjoy this "monstrosity".
I had so much fun with this tonight. As others have said previously, the technical aspects are stunning! The plot is absolutely bonkers, the lyrics for SOME songs are NOT good. It seems almost like a parody and that's the mindset I decided to go with halfway through the first song.
As a parody it works really well. Sometimes it takes itself way too seriously, like when the Queenie character is introduced. However that simply goes away again after they sing some mind-bending lyrics.
The actors definitely carry this. Lisa Lambe's fairy is the heart of the show. She sings some songs. Some of which were fine, but you kind of forget about the lyrics when you hear her entrancing voice.
I didn't know how to feel about Victoria Hamilton Barret's character in Act 1. Her scenes (Apart from the song) left me bored. Luckily during act 2 they embraced the silliness of the situation more.
Michael was also just so great as Bert.
The Rose character was weirdly quite forgettable? I don't know how that works but she was fine. Which pains me to say because as a Scot I love it when I hear a Scottish accent in musicals.
Anyway, I loved this. No idea how big or little the changes were but I can't wait for someone to find this review in the future and completely invalidate any of my future opinions!
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Post by alece10 on Dec 2, 2022 23:51:14 GMT
What the hell did I just see!
I will put some thoughts together in the morning when I have fully recovered.
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Dec 3, 2022 0:35:24 GMT
What the hell did I just see! I will put some thoughts together in the morning when I have fully recovered. I am so intrigued! |
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Post by alece10 on Dec 3, 2022 9:28:18 GMT
So I have had a sleep but I am still not sure what I have just seen.
Firstly the good, lovely design, lighting, costumes and the whole thing looks splendid.
Main cast very good, I especially liked Lisa Lambe who played the fairy who had a great voice especially during her big number. Victoria Hamilton-Barritt always great value for money. The rest of the ensemble not so good with a few who couldn't really sing or act well.
But the story is totally bonkers..... and doesn't make any sense at all. I am not sure what it is trying to be. Is it meant to be funny, serious, scary? I have no idea. Lyrics and dialogue are really bad in places.
I did not see it last year, and kind of wish I had as people are saying this worked on version is an improvement, then the original must have been truly awful. I had listened to the cast recording but, either I don't remember it much or they have cut a lot of the songs and added new ones. I quite liked the "Hi" song.
The main problem for me is that it doesn't seem to know who they are aiming the show at. Personally I think it would have been better to have made it completely OTT, camp, silly and stagey then we would know it was just a silly send up.
Good audience reaction at the end but only a handful of people stood up. A very entertaining group of school kids in who must have been told they were going to Panto and shouted out a few times, probably the funniest bit.
There was a tech stop in act 2 when the revolve stopped working which was at a very tense "baby eating" point!
4 ladies in front of us walked out after 20 minutes but that was no great loss as they had been talking throughout.
I am going to give it 3 stars as I was entertained and visually I liked it.
As a side note, before the show we went to eat in the terrace restaurant which is now called Bobs Lobster at Terrace. What a rip off.
I ordered croquettes and £8 and Arancini at £9. I got 2 croquettes and 1 arancini for my money. so £17 for 3 balls!
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Post by alece10 on Dec 3, 2022 9:33:14 GMT
Oh and no programmes. They gave me a slip of paper and said I could order online and get free shipping.
You would have thought they have had long enough to get programme printed for this.
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Post by cezbear on Dec 3, 2022 9:47:49 GMT
So I have had a sleep but I am still not sure what I have just seen. Firstly the good, lovely design, lighting, costumes and the whole thing looks splendid. Main cast very good, I especially liked Lisa Lambe who played the fairy who had a great voice especially during her big number. Victoria Hamilton-Barritt always great value for money. The rest of the ensemble not so good with a few who couldn't really sing or act well. But the story is totally bonkers..... and doesn't make any sense at all. I am not sure what it is trying to be. Is it meant to be funny, serious, scary? I have no idea. Lyrics and dialogue are really bad in places. I did not see it last year, and kind of wish I had as people are saying this worked on version is an improvement, then the original must have been truly awful. I had listened to the cast recording but, either I don't remember it much or they have cut a lot of the songs and added new ones. I quite liked the "Hi" song. The main problem for me is that it doesn't seem to know who they are aiming the show at. Personally I think it would have been better to have made it completely OTT, camp, silly and stagey then we would know it was just a silly send up. Good audience reaction at the end but only a handful of people stood up. A very entertaining group of school kids in who must have been told they were going to Panto and shouted out a few times, probably the funniest bit. There was a tech stop in act 2 when the revolve stopped working which was at a very tense "baby eating" point! 4 ladies in front of us walked out after 20 minutes but that was no great loss as they had been talking throughout. I am going to give it 3 stars as I was entertained and visually I liked it. As a side note, before the show we went to eat in the terrace restaurant which is now called Bobs Lobster at Terrace. What a rip off. I ordered croquettes and £8 and Arancini at £9. I got 2 croquettes and 1 arancini for my money. so £17 for 2 balls! Haven't seen Hex but just here to say, if i paid £9 and got one arancini I'd have been staging such a riot the show would have had to be delayed! |
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Hex - NT
Dec 3, 2022 11:38:52 GMT
via mobile
Post by mkb on Dec 3, 2022 11:38:52 GMT
Regarding the programme, when they eventually have them, don't forget that buying any NT programme at their bookshop with an American Express card gets you 10% off.
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Post by bonnotonno on Dec 3, 2022 12:30:10 GMT
I went to see this and enjoyed it. I wish it was a bit more consistent on whether it was targeted towards kids or adults but either way there was enough there for it to be an enjoyable show. Enjoyed the songs which had a good mix of fun catchy tunes and big ballads. The cast were great and visually it's a stunning show. Don't go if you want to watch a show with a good story but go if you want a fun night out and to see some great performances.
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Post by theoracle on Dec 3, 2022 14:10:55 GMT
I was also there last night and thought the show stop in Act 2 probably came at the worst time. Victoria Hamilton Barritt left the baby doll on stage staring at the audience whilst the cast left departed.
Whilst I don't mind a bonkers show (I loved Anyone Can Whistle), I found this more jarring than anything else. The thorns made me very uncomfortable - I don't think the costumes should've been stitched in a way where thorns were sticking out of certain body parts. There was also something mildly offensive about the way fairy was directed to perform her magic at the beginning of the show. It sort of reminded me of how people would imitate people speaking in different languages, played to comic effect and that just didn't really sit well with me. The cast are uniformly good but the songs are fairly forgettable. I really enjoyed the set and lighting though and if Rufus Norris commits to his promise to stage one musical a year, we can really see the potential for what the Olivier is capable of showcasing here.
I also didn't see the show last year so can't say if its improved or not but I think its fair to say that this does not rank highly in a year where we've had superb revivals and openings of various musicals. Will let people make up their own minds on what they think of this show but for me, this left me rather cold
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Post by mrnutz on Dec 3, 2022 14:44:14 GMT
Does the fairy still have some sort of condition that makes her talk to herself and hit herself on the head when she makes herself cross?
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Hex - NT
Dec 3, 2022 16:15:39 GMT
via mobile
Post by edi on Dec 3, 2022 16:15:39 GMT
Does the fairy still have some sort of condition that makes her talk to herself and hit herself on the head when she makes herself cross? I don't think so. She also has lots of unruly feathery silver hair. |
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Post by G on Dec 3, 2022 16:35:00 GMT
Regarding the programme, when they eventually have them, don't forget that buying any NT programme at their bookshop with an American Express card gets you 10% off. Just adding that from memory the 10% Amex discount is applicable to everything/most items in the shop in addition to programmes  (Not sure if they have yet/will at some point print the play text for this) |
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Post by alece10 on Dec 3, 2022 18:32:52 GMT
I was also there last night and thought the show stop in Act 2 probably came at the worst time. Victoria Hamilton Barritt left the baby doll on stage staring at the audience whilst the cast left departed. Whilst I don't mind a bonkers show (I loved Anyone Can Whistle), I found this more jarring than anything else. The thorns made me very uncomfortable - I don't think the costumes should've been stitched in a way where thorns were sticking out of certain body parts. There was also something mildly offensive about the way fairy was directed to perform her magic at the beginning of the show. It sort of reminded me of how people would imitate people speaking in different languages, played to comic effect and that just didn't really sit well with me. The cast are uniformly good but the songs are fairly forgettable. I really enjoyed the set and lighting though and if Rufus Norris commits to his promise to stage one musical a year, we can really see the potential for what the Olivier is capable of showcasing here. I also didn't see the show last year so can't say if its improved or not but I think its fair to say that this does not rank highly in a year where we've had superb revivals and openings of various musicals. Will let people make up their own minds on what they think of this show but for me, this left me rather cold I'm glad you also noticed the thorn costumes. One costume in particular had a large thorn in a very inappropriate place. |
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(Not sure if they have yet/will at some point print the play text for this)