Hex - NT

[fiyero]

Sept 29, 2022 16:19:40 GMT mattnyc said:

I’m just going to say this. My review is posted early in this thread so this is something I 100% was not looking forward to revisiting but with Victoria’s casting - well, now I’m excited.
It’ll obviously be the exact same trash show but at least now it’ll have someone in it who understands camp and will play it as such. She’s such an insanely talented actress that it’ll be almost impossible to hate (at least her scenes) this now.

I loved the show (though can definitely see it’s flaws!) and had already booked and am super excited to see Victoria again. I believe the show has been re-workshopped so hopefully they accept some changes are needed!

[mrbarnaby]

Why?

Why?

Why?

[shownut]

Sept 29, 2022 14:32:38 GMT cavocado said:

That's harsh on those involved with The Normal Heart, The Father and the Assassin, Jack Absolute, All of Us, Middle, Much Ado, The Crucible, Our Generation and others. I agree there's room for improvement and they haven't done an outstanding, sell-out production for a while, but those I've listed were all well worth seeing. I didn't see Manor, but that's the only play I can think of that sounded 'embarrassingly awful'.

Having seen a few of those productions I stand by my previous statement, especially in the case of A NORMAL HEART, a play which normally shakes me to the core. This latest production was weak, badly designed, lamely acted and dull (at least compared to others I have seen including one at The Public in NYC some years ago). In the case of The Crucible, it is early days but I am going in 2 weeks and hope it will not be yet another disappointing experience.

[mrnutz]

Any gluttons for punishment booked in to see this (again)?

[alece10]

Nov 9, 2022 16:45:32 GMT mrnutz said:

Any gluttons for punishment booked in to see this (again)?

I'm booked to see it but this will be first time as last year's booking was cancelled.

[fiyero]

Nov 9, 2022 16:45:32 GMT mrnutz said:

Any gluttons for punishment booked in to see this (again)?

I’m going twice. Once solo punishment, one episode with a co-conspirator. 

I quite enjoyed it last time, it’s flawed but who amongst us is not?

[mattnyc]

Meeeeee. I hope they’ve spent this time rewriting and reworking and now it’s a masterpiece. But of course none of that’s happened lol.

[fiyerorocher]

There is not enough money in the world to make me endure this again. Life's just too short.

[mattnyc]

Life is also too short to NOT see an ogre eat a baby and sing about it.

[ThereWillBeSun]

Nov 10, 2022 18:12:29 GMT mattnyc said:

Life is also too short to NOT see an ogre eat a baby and sing about it.

I really hated the soundscrape and those scenes. As well as the random dancing thorns?!?

Won't be a return visit but I've heard they are having more backstory for Rose's parents especially the mother. 

I'm sure VHB will be brilliant!

[musicbox]

I’ve never seen Hex and know literally nothing about it, but I’m going just because I want to see VHB again…reading here though I’m thinking I better brace myself!

[mattnyc]

Honestly, VHB is the selling point for me. She’s capable of elevating anything so at least I already know she’ll be great.

[FJ]

Looks like the £20 seats in the first 3 rows of the stalls have been released across most performances now.

Hated this last time I saw it but VHB has drawn me to it again, so going to take another shot in the hope there's been a complete overhaul of the whole show, though I doubt it.
Happy to risk it for £20 but didn't want to pay any more.

[musicbox]

Brilliant interview with VHB about the show and other things in the Guardian today -

www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/nov/22/we-put-disney-in-the-bin-victoria-hamilton-barritt-on-being-theatres-top-christmas-villain

[edi]

The power of bad publicity! I've just got my Friday rush tickets for next week.

I need to see it for myself !

[alece10]

My visit has now been brought forward so will be going next Friday.

[edi]

Anyone who goes to see it - I am curious what changes they made to the original, (if any !!!)

Thanks

[FJ]

Went in last night with the lowest of low expectations after last year.

I think I've blocked most of the show from my memory, so I can't be 100% certain that all of this is correct, but from the best of my remaining memory of the show it does appear that they've done a decent sized overhaul of it.

The opening all seems completely new to me, and definitely works a lot better than last year. There are definitely new and revised songs throughout, and some of the old ones have stayed too.


The positives:

Lisa Lambe as fairy is the standout of the show for me. The part of fairy seems to have been completely revised; No longer looks or acts like gollum, has some much better songs and scenes, and I really thought Lisa was fantastic in this role.

The staging and lighting design of the show is really very good. It looks quite beautiful, and I imagine the production images will really sell this for a lot of people who haven't heard much else about it.

Thank god the creatives have actually done some decent sized revisions, it shows that they are not completely blind to the majority of the show that didn't work last year.


The negatives:

The yellow wigs are back.

The story is just as ridiculous as ever.

The second half completely drags. The first half redeemed itself enough for me to stay after the interval but for me the second half made me regret staying.

I just feel like the whole show has these really weird segments which have stayed and really let the show down, in particular the thorns and the group of princes in yellow wigs.



Some of the audience were laughing along with the show but I honestly did not find myself laughing once. It just didn't seem funny to me, the story isn't particularly interesting or gripping or something I feel I can connect with. I also have no idea whether it's meant to be aimed at kids or adults, because it's quite dark but also relies a lot on things like farting gags.

The cast try their hardest, and whilst I adore VHB, even she can't save the book and score of this piece.

After last year I would have given this show 1 star. The changes they've made have at least bumped it to 2 stars, but I can't go any higher than that. From what I could see it looked that about 30% of the audience were on their feet at the end.

As someone who loves to revisit shows multiple times, particularly those that others tend to hate (Cinderella and 101 Dalmatians as good examples), I really regret even seeing it a second time.

[Someone in a tree]

Are the lyrics still terrible ?

[FJ]

Nov 27, 2022 17:38:53 GMT Someone in a tree said:

Are the lyrics still terrible ?

Oh absolutely.

The one that sticks in my mind is ‘everything I say just turns them mean, I’m just gonna build myself a trampoline’

But there were plenty more good examples.

[mrbarnaby]

Make

It

Stop

[hadeswasking]

Every bad thing I've heard makes me want to watch this disaster more. £5 ticket booked. BRING IT ON!

[mrbarnaby]

Let’s hope the NTs next musical (The Witches) is not as hideous as this. Or Pinocchio.

[mattnyc]

Nov 27, 2022 18:40:13 GMT mrbarnaby said:

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?

[alece10]

Admin, now the show has started can we have a vote thingie please?
I think it will be fun to see the results