Hex - NT

[mattnyc]

Friend of mine asked me what they’d need to do to fix it by opening and I just said “burn it”. It’s just not redeemable at all. It would need a new book and score - the scenic design I suppose can stay.

[mattnyc]

And they’re really going to broadcast this show to the world?

[Deleted]

Dec 7, 2021 23:45:24 GMT mattnyc said:

Did you get Gollum from her performance, as well???

Very much so! Those random noises she was making constantly… Plus, I was sat quite close to the stage, but couldn’t figure out if what she was wearing on her head was supposed to be a bald cap or a flapper-style white head-cap… Cheap, cheap, cheap

[mattnyc]

It looked just like bandages wrapped around her head and spray painted white. I don’t understand why they wouldn’t just run down to the costume store and buy a £5 bald cap if that’s what they were going for.

[Jan]

Dec 7, 2021 23:46:12 GMT oxfordsimon said:

Will this lead to resignations? 

Only by the audience. 

[FrontroverPaul]

I was there last night. I found Hex to be visually exciting especially the opening number, but in act 2 I completely lost track of what was actually going on story-wise. I nevertheless overall enjoyed the show. The appearance and acting of Fairy played by Rosalie Craig was indeed weird especially the apparently random sounds and movements but that's presumably what the director wanted. No showstoppers in the score but some decent songs.

There was a very positive reaction from the audience with a partial standing ovation. It's "different" - I expected that -but I didn't think it was a disaster by any means

[FJ]

I saw this on Saturday night and echo most of the opinions here. Completely forgettable. And weird.

The first half of the Act 1 was unengaging, but it definitely picked up when Rose 'grew up' and with the entrance of Bert, and it meant I hadn't lost all hope at the interval.

Act 2 then went downhill again.

2 of the songs do vaguely stick in my head now to be fair, but only because they sounded like rip-off's of 'Good Morning' and Adele's 'Hello'.

The cast I actually felt were really good, and doing the best they could with the book and songs. All the leads in particular I thought were great.

I still don't know if the audience laughter throughout was intentional, but a real shame that the show didn't live up to the hopes I had for a good dark fairytale done well.

[mattnyc]

Also just wanted to add that while, leading up to the show, the National seemed very serious about everyone being masked inside there was zero implementation of that besides a sign near the door. It was like any other show, more than half the audience taking it off the second they sat down. They were so adamant about it that I expected some sort of announcement but there was nothing.

So just like “Moulin Rouge”, I suppose they wanted good press but then don’t even bother.

[ThereWillBeSun]

Dec 7, 2021 23:46:12 GMT oxfordsimon said:

This and Manor seem to raise serious questions about the New Writing/dramaturgy departments and production oversight process once again.

When Norris and his other half have created the Christmas musical, who in the building has the authority and strength of character to stand up to them?

Who is assessing new scripts and why do they lack the confidence to challenge established authors about their work?

Two new pieces having serious issues so close together means that something has gone wrong on multiple occasions.

Will this lead to resignations? Of course not.

I saw the first preview - lighting is stunning, Rosalie Craig vocally too. 

But... no ear worms, the book is a mess.

Disappointing this is the state of affairs for new writing in this country....

[oxfordsimon]

And Norris got the gig because of his expertise with new writing...

[fiyerorocher]

Saw this tonight and have to concur with much of the above - really quite dreadful. By the end I literally had my head in my hands, willing for it to be over already. I think what's been overlooked so far is how utterly awful the lyrics are? Half of the songs are just the same word or phrase repeated over and over, and those that aren't have the most forced rhymes that just make you cringe. It would take far too much time to list everything I don't like, so assume it's absolutely everything except the following:
-Rose's main costume.
-The set.

That's pretty much it. Most of the cast are trying to do their best with the little they have (and major props to the women currently understudying Queenie with script in hand), but even some lovely voices can't save an appalling show. And I would like to know why the director seems obsessed with stranding his female leads in the air on pieces of set for long periods of time?

[mrnutz]

Oh dear, I'm seeing this tonight...

[MusicalTalk]

So it seems like it’s the light princess all over again.

Someone writing a musical who doesn’t know how to write musicals
Rosalie being wonderful
Great set
Great costumes
Nonsensical lyrics

Will they learn?

[fiyerorocher]

Dec 9, 2021 9:20:32 GMT MusicalTalk said:

So it seems like it’s the light princess all over again.

Someone writing a musical who doesn’t know how to write musicals
Rosalie being wonderful
Great set
Great costumes
Nonsensical lyrics

Will they learn?

Great costumes is debatable with this one, I think. A couple are good, the majority are fine, but some are awful. The princes all in bright yellow wigs?? Why?? And the Rose baby costume/set up is genuinely nightmare-inducing. Definitely won't win any costume awards.

[Jan]

Dec 8, 2021 23:04:41 GMT fiyerorocher said:

 I think what's been overlooked so far is how utterly awful the lyrics are?

Norris is credited as the sole lyricist on this. Has he ever written lyrics for anything before ? It is a quite extraordinary situation. 

[southstreet]

I saw this last night and whilst I agree that this show is absolutely WEIRD, I didn't hate it. Natasha Barnes did incredibly well as Queenie, seeing that it's not a part she actually covers and her and Rosie's vocals were gorgeous. The set is really nice, I did actually enjoy some of the songs and whilst lyrically it definitely wasn't a Sondheim, I didn't find them as grating as others seemed to. The story was definitely confusing at times though, there is a whole character that makes so sense other than needing to be a tool for the plot in exposing someone, but we have no idea what he does or why he is there and I had a fair few moments where I just thought WTF? LOL

I definitely text friends in the interval and afterwards saying I was watching a really bonkers show, but it didn't feel unpleasantly strange to me, if that makes sense? I was pretty engaged throughout, apart from a couple of places that maybe dragged a bit. I definitely think this could have done with another workshop or two before letting it go out in front of an audience.

But for a ten quid rush ticket in the stalls, I definitely didn't feel short-changed and had an enjoyable evening. Don't think I need to revisit it though. LOL

[fiyerorocher]

Another thing that I can't fathom is 

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler - click to view}
The princes who don't end up with Rose all go off to go their own thing. One of them says he's starting a creche - fine, supposed to be an attempt at comedy since we just saw them all abandon two babies; one of them says he's going to do 'something to do with fish'? made no sense to me at all, and another declares they're actually a woman and no longer want to be referred to by a man's name. The last one just seemed so strangely shoehorned in? By all means, please do add queer rep to fairytales, but do so in a way that doesn't feel so horribly tokenistic and played for laughs...

[Someone in a tree]

southstreet how did you get the rush tickers? Please and ta

[Mark]

Dec 9, 2021 12:39:18 GMT Someone in a tree said:

southstreet how did you get the rush tickers? Please and ta

NT rush goes on sale every Friday for the following weeks performances - www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/fridayrush
They are £10 a ticket .

[southstreet]

Dec 9, 2021 12:39:18 GMT Someone in a tree said:

southstreet how did you get the rush tickers? Please and ta

As Mark said, rush tickets go on sale at 1pm on Friday through the link they posted.

And it doesn't seem to be selling out straight away, so I wouldn't worry too much if you end up quite far back in the queue when they go on sale or even if you forget and only check an hour later. My friend managed to get a ticket for this week's Hex at 4pm last Friday and apparently could get tickets for every performance this week still at that point. Obviously try as early as you can, that'll give you more options to pick your seats from. :-)

[Someone in a tree]

southstreet and Mark - thanks 👌

[andrew]

I haven't seen this (and it doesn't look like I will) but what a sorry state of affairs. Aside from the National's own problems with Norris's entire tenure being generously described as "underwhelming", how said is it that a new musical was actually produced at a major theatre, and it had to be a stinker that earned it's place through nepotism alone?

[londonpostie]

I see Hex/Rufus gets a whole page in todays Metro (p30). Some interesting quotes, worth a read. London only, I'm guessing

[mrnutz]

Oh boy, this is a stinker.

Saw it last night - fourth preview. Again it started with Norris telling us that the actor standing in for Queenie would be using a script - she only used it one scene in the second act and was one of the best performers in the whole show.

I actually didn't hate it overall, but only because aesthetically it looks great and that was enough to keep me interested most of the time. Good use of projections. Ensemble cast were good but I found most of the leads disappointing.

The songs range from forgettable to tedious, and a lot of them are too long.

[mrnutz]

ALSO - it feels like it doesn't know who its aimed at - kids / families or adults? Some of it is really juvenile, some of it more mature and there's swearing in it. It's kind of aimed at everyone and no-one at the same time.