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Post by Matt on Aug 4, 2023 17:10:35 GMT
Luckily I added ticket protection on today tix cos I just got a £10 rush ticket for the same performance 1 row behind, so got my money back from today tix. I hope Kyle does matinees, especially the one before his final show. The other Kyle did all matinees atleast until the second of august, not sure how much it will change. Yeah main Kyle is still not doing matinees, so I don’t get to see him one more time before he goes but I do get to see an understudy! |
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Post by jarnew on Aug 4, 2023 18:58:58 GMT
The other Kyle did all matinees atleast until the second of august, not sure how much it will change. Yeah main Kyle is still not doing matinees, so I don’t get to see him one more time before he goes but I do get to see an understudy! He's a much more vulnerable, empathic and sweet Usher I feel like. Especially his acting was really good, got a huge applause with his monologue near the end of the piece (the one directed at his mother) when I saw him. I'd love to see him again sometime too and see how he's grown into the role as i saw him really early on in the run. |
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Post by mjh on Aug 4, 2023 22:27:42 GMT
So once Kyle Ramar Freeman leaves, Kyle Birch will take over as lead Usher and they're bringing over another former Usher from the US as the new alternate.
I have a feeling it might be Christopher Michael Richardson but could be wrong.
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Post by edi on Aug 8, 2023 5:39:52 GMT
This wasn't to my liking. I am convinced that I "got it", I just found it too repetitive and the samey, therefore I started losing interest half way through.
I didn't mind "that" song actually, I thought it added the message powerfully.
Also, I couldn't make out half of the words and the specific words were very important in this musical.
£10 ticket and good seats - so no complaints. But I really cannot see this musical doing a long run for the "average" theatre goers, whoever those are.
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Post by Matt on Aug 10, 2023 21:23:16 GMT
Saw Kyle Birch today for the first time, I thought he was brilliant. Delivers a load of the lines different to Kyle Freeman, and is still so easy to be empathetic for.
The thoughts were full cast for the matinee today and honestly they were giving muck up matinee vibes, in a good way. I think they were all pushing he line further and further to see what they could add or change, definitely trying to make each other laugh too.
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Post by toomasj on Aug 10, 2023 21:47:57 GMT
Hi @burlybear wondering why my offer of a free ticket for this has been removed from both here and the noticeboard? Happy to DM proof of the ticket to you if needed.
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Post by intoanewlife on Aug 10, 2023 21:59:34 GMT
Second visit tonight and I loved it even more than I did the first time.
My other half LOVED IT as well and can't wait to go again.
10/5
Will be interesting to see the 'other' Kyle next visit.
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Post by jacob on Aug 10, 2023 22:30:25 GMT
The cast were great, although that plot was sooo bizzare !
I get that it’s Usher trying to write a musical whilst also showing what’s inside his head. I felt that the lines between reality, his imagination and the (breaking of the 4th wall) ‘musical’ were so blurred though. But perhaps it’s supposed to be this way?
I came out thinking that it was ‘a lot’, but I do applaud Jackson for writing a ‘big black and queer’ musical that is purposely in-your-face. It made me uncomfortable, it made me laugh and it made me sad. It provoked reactions, isn’t that what theatre is supposed to do? ..Although that ‘one’ scene was really hard to watch. I think that’s the point though.
I appreciated the Liz Phair references also despite her lack of involvement. Some of the music was quite similar to her work which made it enjoyable, yet I can’t seem to remember too many of the other songs.
I felt like I was trying to be too analytical with this, but at the same time, ASL was doing a lot. Not to say that I didn’t enjoy it though. Some of the jokes were funny, others I was thinking.. ‘can I laugh at that?’. Interesting that Jackson says “You have the total freedom to respond however you authentically respond” too. I guess this statement now excuses a lot of the audience from clapping with the gospel singers.
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Post by toomasj on Aug 11, 2023 0:56:27 GMT
Hi @burlybear wondering why my offer of a free ticket for this has been removed from both here and the noticeboard? Happy to DM proof of the ticket to you if needed. Well anyway, there’s a completely free of charge ticket worth £48 going spare for Saturday’s matinee. Can email the e-ticket to a good home. Pay it forward. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 11, 2023 6:04:02 GMT
Hi @burlybear wondering why my offer of a free ticket for this has been removed from both here and the noticeboard? Happy to DM proof of the ticket to you if needed. Apologies! I got a pm saying another ticket had sold and removed the wrong notice by mistake 😐. Yours is back now. |
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Post by anthony40 on Aug 11, 2023 7:33:11 GMT
Hi @burlybear wondering why my offer of a free ticket for this has been removed from both here and the noticeboard? Happy to DM proof of the ticket to you if needed. Apologies! I got a pm saying another ticket had sold and removed the wrong notice by mistake 😐. Yours is back now. Alas, we're all human BurlyBeaR. Mistakes happen. |
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Post by toomasj on Aug 11, 2023 15:11:21 GMT
Hi @burlybear wondering why my offer of a free ticket for this has been removed from both here and the noticeboard? Happy to DM proof of the ticket to you if needed. Apologies! I got a pm saying another ticket had sold and removed the wrong notice by mistake 😐. Yours is back now. Thank you - just to say this ticket has now been taken so the post is no longer needed. And no worries!  |
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Post by AddisonMizner on Aug 12, 2023 19:27:11 GMT
I saw today’s matinee (12th August). Like others on this board, I went because it won the Tony for Best Musical, as well as the Pulitzer, and I like to see interesting musicals that develop the form.
It was certainly that. There is lots to enjoy, and I was never bored. The score is good, with moments of brilliance. The last two numbers were highlights for me in particular. The show itself is quite funny, but also has many profound things to say. It has certainly got me thinking, even a few hours after seeing it. Similar to other shows I have seen recently, it is essentially about a man coming to terms with his trauma, and trying to make sense of this by writing a musical - the trauma of his childhood growing up as gay in a highly religious, conservative family, the trauma of his identity as both a black and gay man not really fitting into any of those norms, and the trauma of coming to terms with himself and who he is. The lighting design is also beautiful throughout. As a piece of art, I really can appreciate it.
However, it just ultimately left me cold. I didn’t feel any emotional connection to it whatsoever. This could be because I am a straight, white, single, 33 year-old male though!
In some ways, I actually thought it did too much explaining to the audience - do we really need to be told at the start that the six other people on stage are the thoughts in Usher’s head, or that a lot of what we are seeing on stage is down to Usher’s own self-loathing when that is already obvious? The themes just seemed a little too explicit. I could be over-analysing this thought.
The vulgarity was also a little too much for me - I’m really not into that sort of thing normally at all, and it was just too in your face for me (which I appreciate is entirely the point)!
Overall, I am glad that I have seen it, and there are many positives, but it is far from a perfect piece of theatre for me.
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Post by mjh on Aug 14, 2023 15:04:14 GMT
So once Kyle Ramar Freeman leaves, Kyle Birch will take over as lead Usher and they're bringing over another former Usher from the US as the new alternate. I have a feeling it might be Christopher Michael Richardson but could be wrong. Website now updated - Kyle Birch as lead Usher, Christopher Michael Richardson as new U/S Usher. |
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Post by steven22 on Aug 14, 2023 15:09:05 GMT
Excited! I’m going Sept 1!
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Post by Matt on Aug 14, 2023 21:16:38 GMT
Christopher will be doing all matinees.
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Post by danielwhit on Aug 17, 2023 21:43:01 GMT
Visited this evening with virtually no awareness of what the show was before turning up (Theatre Roulette, so I literally didn't book it).
Having gone in cold was an interesting experience. I found myself getting much more into it as the evening progressed. At one point near midway I started mentally comparing the musical to Avenue Q (in that each song seemed to be a stand alone ode to a particular moment in someone's life). The second half lost that and was stronger, felt as it the production found itself. Probably deliberate stylistic shift.
Not sure how award winning this will be here but I'd be shocked if it doesn't win Best Lighting awards.
I'm still trying to process my thoughts. I'm having much the same reaction as I did from Hamilton, recognising it is artistically brilliant but not doing much for me.
Thought provoking, fascinating and will stick in the mind for a long time. Not sure I'd rate it especially highly though.
Will mull my thoughts further...
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Post by Matt on Aug 17, 2023 22:56:29 GMT
Visited this evening with virtually no awareness of what the show was before turning up (Theatre Roulette, so I literally didn't book it). Having gone in cold was an interesting experience. I found myself getting much more into it as the evening progressed. At one point near midway I started mentally comparing the musical to Avenue Q (in that each song seemed to be a stand alone ode to a particular moment in someone's life). The second half lost that and was stronger, felt as it the production found itself. Probably deliberate stylistic shift. Not sure how award winning this will be here but I'd be shocked if it doesn't win Best Lighting awards. I'm still trying to process my thoughts. I'm having much the same reaction as I did from Hamilton, recognising it is artistically brilliant but not doing much for me. Thought provoking, fascinating and will stick in the mind for a long time. Not sure I'd rate it especially highly though. Will mull my thoughts further... I found that I was able to enjoy it more the 2nd time as I was over the shock value of it all, and knew where it was going. |
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Post by danielwhit on Aug 17, 2023 23:18:39 GMT
Yeah, I can understand that for sure. I'll listen to the cast recording at some stage - I imagine I'll appreciate it more from that.
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Post by shownut on Aug 18, 2023 6:40:23 GMT
Yeah, I can understand that for sure. I'll listen to the cast recording at some stage - I imagine I'll appreciate it more from that. I recommend the Off Broadway recording far above the Broadway one if you are choosing between the two. There were only minor changes between them, but the Off Broadway is much clearer and cleaner. The Broadway version is a mess that sounds muddled and badly produced (which is a pity). Enjoy! |
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Post by intoanewlife on Aug 18, 2023 13:39:36 GMT
Yeah, I can understand that for sure. I'll listen to the cast recording at some stage - I imagine I'll appreciate it more from that. I recommend the Off Broadway recording far above the Broadway one if you are choosing between the two. There were only minor changes between them, but the Off Broadway is much clearer and cleaner. The Broadway version is a mess that sounds muddled and badly produced (which is a pity). Enjoy! Thanks for the recommendation. I've been thinking of getting it, but as the videos I have seen of the Broadway lead were...um...meh (I'm being very kind here too) compared to Kyle I was worried it wouldn't measure up. I will go for the Off-Broadway version x |
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Post by Matt on Aug 19, 2023 15:31:32 GMT
Saw the matinee today with Christopher as Usher, his 2nd show? I thought he was great! I feel like I warmed to him a lot more. Some bits of the score are slightly out of his range but I like what he did with it. I’d definitely see him again in a couple of weeks.
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Post by curiouskc on Aug 19, 2023 17:29:52 GMT
Saw the matinee today with Christopher as Usher, his 2nd show? I thought he was great! I feel like I warmed to him a lot more. Some bits of the score are slightly out of his range but I like what he did with it. I’d definitely see him again in a couple of weeks. Thanks for the review of Christopher. I'm seeing the matinee next Thursday so I assume he'll be my Usher. I don't know if other understudies go on for the matinees but I noticed that Jean-Luke Worrell was a cover for some of the Thoughts and I'd love to see him on stage again (he was a brilliant Wadsworth in Cluedo last year). |
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Post by Matt on Aug 19, 2023 18:43:48 GMT
Saw the matinee today with Christopher as Usher, his 2nd show? I thought he was great! I feel like I warmed to him a lot more. Some bits of the score are slightly out of his range but I like what he did with it. I’d definitely see him again in a couple of weeks. Thanks for the review of Christopher. I'm seeing the matinee next Thursday so I assume he'll be my Usher. I don't know if other understudies go on for the matinees but I noticed that Jean-Luke Worrell was a cover for some of the Thoughts and I'd love to see him on stage again (he was a brilliant Wadsworth in Cluedo last year). Christopher is doing all matinees. Jean-Luke was on for the matinee today as thought 5, and he was on for the other matinee I went to last week. He’s great, I’ve seen him as 2 thoughts now. |
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Post by curiouskc on Aug 19, 2023 18:47:09 GMT
Thanks for the review of Christopher. I'm seeing the matinee next Thursday so I assume he'll be my Usher. I don't know if other understudies go on for the matinees but I noticed that Jean-Luke Worrell was a cover for some of the Thoughts and I'd love to see him on stage again (he was a brilliant Wadsworth in Cluedo last year). Christopher is doing all matinees. Jean-Luke was on for the matinee today as thought 5, and he was on for the other matinee I went to last week. He’s great, I’ve seen him as 2 thoughts now. Ooh, excellent! Here's hoping Jean-Luke is a matinee regular then. |
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