Hex - NT

[max]

Dec 7, 2022 17:27:14 GMT theatrefan77 said:

Dec 7, 2022 16:38:58 GMT oxfordsimon said:

This is how the Guardian sums it up...

'A fabulous musical then, just a shame about the music.'

Then then give it 4 stars..

If a musical has bad music, it is a bad musical.

End of.

That was exactly my thought when I saw it last year. Decided to give it a miss this time around.

And the show is papered nearly every day.  Not sure the reviews are going to change that. For me this is one of those shows that has 'flop' written all over it.

This is interesting - re papering the house, in a subsidised theatre.  I'm not signed up to any of the companies that do this, but saw mention of there being ways to get £5 tickets. 

In a major subsidised theatre, with a second bite at the cherry for the Artistic Director and his writer partner, this feels like luxury self-interested programming.  I wonder whether the NT discloses the sales performance of various shows in year-end reports.  I'm a bit torn, as hit shows should rightly subsidise less popular or niche shows, and the Art keeps going.  Maybe the 'less popular/niche' is recognised for its genius later on and becomes mainstream - that's good and proper.  But if a Christmas show (not a cheaply produced one by the look of it) bombs in terms of sales, it can put a drag on the entire year (or more) ahead. Should that be allowed to slip under the radar, when it could affect the artistic output of many people?

I guess the NT would say they were maximising the investment already made in the first run of the show.  Hmmm.

[dlevi]

When I saw this last year I thought it was awful but when an opportunity for a cheap ticket came up I couldn't resist.
I should have.

The show seems slicker than last year but that's the only improvement. It's still a mess. Who is their audience? The show itself makes no sense, has no wit or consistency of style and the score is truly awful - miserable unwieldy melodies matched only by pathetic lyrics. They've spent money on the design elements but that doesn't mean its good. The return of this catastrophe should be Rufus's undoing - a waste of money and talent on something that has always been reeking of nepotism. Shame on them all.

[fiyero]

This afternoon was my first visit to Hex 2.0. A lot has changed since last year’s version.
Neīma Naouri has been covering fairy since her debut on Thursday and was amazing. I haven’t seen Lisa Lambe in the part yet so can’t compare but loved her interpretation. There were huge technical issues around 8 minutes from the end meaning, after a 30 minute show stop, there was no revolve and fairy had to be lowered down manually with an abseiling technician before finishing the show.
Victoria Hamilton-Barritt was everything I hoped for and more as Queenie. A little of her stepmother from a Cinderella came through, in a good way.
The rest of the cast were all great too.

I’m not sure about the changes. I miss Make it All Good especially. More in spoiler tags below.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler - click to view}
I’m really not sure about other fairies still existing. It made more sense to me that Fairy was the only fairy left. I now have to believe over 100 years fairy didn’t ask for help or have them come in to fix it.
One of the princes being female always seemed a bit of a unexplored avenue. It is more so this time and today there were 2 I think making it even weirder (this mat have been due to cover).

[Being Alive]

Show stop 10 mins into act 2 to fix the revolve was fun.

What an absolute state this is.
Proper embarrassment to be in the Olivier of all places - half full and lots of us were in on papering.
I laughed for 3 hours, and not in a good way.

This was rough - the cast are trying but the entire thing is just...diabolical.

[LaLuPone]

VHB is probably thinking “come back ALW’s Cinderella, all is forgiven”…
Maybe they should have renamed this “Bad Hex” for its second outing!

[Being Alive]

I mean VHB is just recycling her Stepmother in this and like...good for her.

I have been strong to defend the National at every point when people criticise it, but last night was the first time I was like...maybe people have a point

[BurlyBeaR]

What’s the process for getting rid of the AD at the NT? If they haven’t got the self awareness to resign is it a board decision to sack them? Does it happen?

[thistimetomorrow]

Dec 15, 2022 0:42:55 GMT LaLuPone said:

“Bad Hex” for its second outing!

Bad Hex suggests there was a good Hex!!

[n1david]

Dec 15, 2022 11:21:55 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

What’s the process for getting rid of the AD at the NT? If they haven’t got the self awareness to resign is it a board decision to sack them? Does it happen?

Well he got renewed for a second five-year term in early 2020, so the trustees must have thought he was doing something right. Guess the question is whether he will move on in 2024.

[Jon]

Dec 15, 2022 11:21:55 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

What’s the process for getting rid of the AD at the NT? If they haven’t got the self awareness to resign is it a board decision to sack them? Does it happen?

They can't really sack Rufus Norris because of Hex as bad as it is. My guess is that he'll move on in 2024/2025.

[partytentdown]

"Stop trying to make Hex happen!"

[cezbear]

Didn't it get reasonable reviews? I'm not sure it's enough of a flop to prompt any changes.

[hadeswasking]

Being able to discover who Lisa Lambe is, was worth the ticket price alone. What a voice!

[141920grm]

Dec 15, 2022 15:24:20 GMT hadeswasking said:

Being able to discover who Lisa Lambe is, was worth the ticket price alone. What a voice!

each of her solos and the anticipation of her next one, gave me strength to sit through the whole thing (and watching her was fun- liked her wig and costume- I was amused at how much she was onstage even for scenes that didn't directly involve her)

[fiyero]

Dec 15, 2022 15:24:20 GMT hadeswasking said:

Being able to discover who Lisa Lambe is, was worth the ticket price alone. What a voice!

Is she back? I know her (amazing) understudy has been on a lot recently.

[BurlyBeaR]

Dec 15, 2022 13:52:04 GMT n1david said:

Dec 15, 2022 11:21:55 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

What’s the process for getting rid of the AD at the NT? If they haven’t got the self awareness to resign is it a board decision to sack them? Does it happen?

Well he got renewed for a second five-year term in early 2020, so the trustees must have thought he was doing something right. Guess the question is whether he will move on in 2024.

Dec 15, 2022 14:07:45 GMT Jon said:

Dec 15, 2022 11:21:55 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

What’s the process for getting rid of the AD at the NT? If they haven’t got the self awareness to resign is it a board decision to sack them? Does it happen?

They can't really sack Rufus Norris because of Hex as bad as it is. My guess is that he'll move on in 2024/2025.

I suppose what I was asking is whether anyone been sacked? Or do people just “move on” ? 

[samuelwhiskers]

The special HEX Cocktail that the Kerb bar created for the show is great! 5 stars!


(Not going to see the show.)

[oxfordsimon]

And she was rewarded with a huge ACE grant of £2 million ...

And it also lead to the demise of Kneehigh

So we perhaps don't want a similar outcome

Norris has been bad for the NT. I don't want to see his failures rewarded with a payoff

[Mark]

I made a return visit to this last week having been to the first preview last year. It is in a MUCH better shape to what it was, actually I'd go as far as to say it was rather enjoyable. The cast are all great, especially Lisa Lambe - what a find! Thought Victoria was great as always.

[Jan]

Dec 15, 2022 11:21:55 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

What’s the process for getting rid of the AD at the NT? If they haven’t got the self awareness to resign is it a board decision to sack them? Does it happen?

The board won't do that because it will reflect badly on themselves for renewing his contract in the first place. 

[Jan]

Dec 15, 2022 19:22:39 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Dec 15, 2022 13:52:04 GMT n1david said:

Well he got renewed for a second five-year term in early 2020, so the trustees must have thought he was doing something right. Guess the question is whether he will move on in 2024.

Dec 15, 2022 14:07:45 GMT Jon said:

They can't really sack Rufus Norris because of Hex as bad as it is. My guess is that he'll move on in 2024/2025.

I suppose what I was asking is whether anyone been sacked? Or do people just “move on” ? 

The only one who might conceivably have been sacked in some way was Trevor Nunn. There was a huge campaign against him getting the job in the first place from the theatrical establishment - Sir David Hare stated that the reason he was opposed to the appointment was that "I've never met him". Nunn ploughed millions of his own personal money into a new play initiative for them but the sneering from the likes of Billington that he was doing "commercial" musicals never stopped. In the end he left after one 5-year term and said that's all he had agreed to do in the first place. I assume they'll appoint Clint Dyer to replace Norris so it doesn't much matter if he leaves or stays, the programming won't change. 

[luvvie23]

After years of being a devoted NT attendee, I have finally given up. HEX was final nail in the coffin for me.

[mattnyc]

Are tix on sale for next Christmas yet?

[musicbox]

I finally have some time off and went to see this tonight - my only thought coming out of the theatre was...what the hell was that?

I knew nothing about the show going in and only wanted to see it because I'm a big fan of VHB, but honestly this is the one of the worst shows I've ever seen in my life.

The plot is just nonsensical and so bad it's funny throughout, with music that is so utterly forgettable. I came out of the show just over an hour ago and couldn't tell you a single melody or lyric of one of the songs. I was also genuinely shocked when I realised that the main plot revolved around Queenie eating her grandchildren - who green-lit this?

There was also an awkward show stop just before the interval as the table on the stage malfunctioned. The stage manager talked over the cast as they were delivering a line and said they were having to clear the stage, then updating us every minute or so with exactly what they were doing until it restarted. I hate to say this, but it all felt very amateur hour.

I have to give kudos to the cast though who are all clearly very talented and did the best they could with what was given to them.

VHB was the clear highlight for me, but Lisa Lambe also did brilliantly! She has a wonderful voice and clearly is a great actress, but it's just a shame that her character was really unlikeable and felt like a waste of her talent. Also shoutout to Rosie Graham, it's always great to see Glasgow trained talent and not the usual London stage school alumni.

I wouldn't say I'm usually a very harsh critic and I generally like to give everything a chance, but this was just a bit much for me to be honest. There's something very strange going on at the NT if this is brought back next year...unless it's selling really well and I just have no taste.

[mrbarnaby]

Dec 27, 2022 23:55:56 GMT mattnyc said:

Are tix on sale for next Christmas yet?

Next Christmas?

The Witches is their musical next Christmas.