174 posts
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Post by dillan on Dec 15, 2023 2:11:57 GMT
5/5 What'sOnStage
5/5 The Daily Telegraph
5/5 Evening Standard
5/5 The Guardian
4/5 Daily Mail
4/5 The Independent
4/5 iNews
4/5 City AM
4/5 BBC
2/5 The Times
1/5 NY Post
Mostly very positive - shocked how low the NY Post gave it though.
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Dec 15, 2023 8:21:09 GMT
5/5 What'sOnStage 5/5 The Daily Telegraph 5/5 Evening Standard 5/5 The Guardian 4/5 Daily Mail 4/5 The Independent 4/5 iNews 4/5 City AM 4/5 BBC 2/5 The Times 1/5 NY Post Mostly very positive - shocked how low the NY Post gave it though. Oh wow more positive than I thought |
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Post by ladidah on Dec 15, 2023 10:14:44 GMT
Amazing how someone can see a 1/5 and someone else a 5/5
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Dec 15, 2023 10:23:45 GMT
Amazing how someone can see a 1/5 and someone else a 5/5 My guess is the NY post guy hasn’t seen the TV show?? Even despite this 1* is crazy. I get this show getting 3* and 5* though. |
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Post by mprlibre on Dec 15, 2023 12:14:19 GMT
I’m a New Yorker, and the NY Post is closer to tabloid than legitimate news source, and Johny Oleksinski is a hack. Terrible writer with little to no credentials as a critic. Not surprised his review is so off the mark. It actually makes me more excited to see the show.
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Post by mrnutz on Dec 15, 2023 13:20:43 GMT
I'm somewhat baffled by the praise across the board here - I can only assume it's been seriously improved and tightened through the previews process.
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Post by Ade on Dec 15, 2023 13:46:33 GMT
I'm somewhat baffled by the praise across the board here - I can only assume it's been seriously improved and tightened through the previews process. Same. As I said on the spoilers thread, I did overall enjoy it and would give it 4 stars purely for the moments that do work really well. But a 5 star production to me is flawless and this definitely isn’t. |
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7,051 posts
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Post by Jon on Dec 15, 2023 13:58:06 GMT
I do wonder if unlike Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, ST: The First Shadow won't become a long runner. I do expect it to run 2-3 years which would a great run.
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Dec 15, 2023 15:55:25 GMT
Wow they had some serious celebs at the press night
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Post by dgjbear on Dec 15, 2023 17:37:35 GMT
I was wondering what the press would make of this. I took the other half for his birthday a couple of weeks ago as he's a hug ST fan. Got to say I was very impressed and so was the audience that seemed show fans rather than theatre lovers. Staging is spectacular and story is tight despite being 3 hours long. Glad the reviewers agreed
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Post by christya on Dec 15, 2023 18:41:49 GMT
I saw this the other night and would put it at a solid 4 stars. It was very long! Joyce was fantastic, she even sounded like Winona, same with Bob who I absolutely loved. Hopper was good, but I wouldn't have known who he was if I hadn't been told, though I did see the occasional mannerism.
I know it was probably necessary, but there's a scene at the beginning where they might as well put up a card listing the character names and whose parents they are, it felt really clunky.
Excellent effects, loved the beginning especially. That and a slow motion part at the end looked like comic book panels. Beautifully done. I'll probably go back and see this again.
I'm hoping that at some point in the future, they'll use this story and film a prequel for Netflix, though I think it'll be a while.
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Post by gmoneyoutlaw on Dec 15, 2023 19:47:23 GMT
I do wonder if unlike Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, ST: The First Shadow won't become a long runner. I do expect it to run 2-3 years which would a great run. They are talking about two more sequels. Will one close and the next open at the Phoenix? Or could all three run simultaneously at LAG on Shaftsbury? |
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Dec 16, 2023 0:02:22 GMT
They are talking about two more sequels. Will one close and the next open at the Phoenix? Or could all three run simultaneously at LAG on Shaftsbury? What's LAG? Lyric, Apollo, Gielgud would be my guess?? 🤣 no idea tho |
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Post by scorpio1094 on Dec 18, 2023 21:37:23 GMT
I won the lottery for this and seeing it on Friday - very excited and can you let you all know which seats they're offering. I also bought regular tickets when they went on sale a while ago - restricted view C1 and C2, does anyone that's been know how restricted these look? I've been to the theatre before and I can't imagine it actually being that bad.. Hi, can I check what seats you were allocated in the lottery please? Is it first come first serve at the box office/they allocate it on the spot? Are were they already allocated when you picked up your ticket? Thanks |
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Post by dillan on Dec 20, 2023 2:02:34 GMT
I won the lottery for this and seeing it on Friday - very excited and can you let you all know which seats they're offering. I also bought regular tickets when they went on sale a while ago - restricted view C1 and C2, does anyone that's been know how restricted these look? I've been to the theatre before and I can't imagine it actually being that bad.. Hi, can I check what seats you were allocated in the lottery please? Is it first come first serve at the box office/they allocate it on the spot? Are were they already allocated when you picked up your ticket? Thanks I got B14/15 - it was allocated before I picked up the tickets, not sure how they did it. I assume the whole first row is lottery. |
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Post by scorpio1094 on Dec 20, 2023 23:58:44 GMT
Hi, can I check what seats you were allocated in the lottery please? Is it first come first serve at the box office/they allocate it on the spot? Are were they already allocated when you picked up your ticket? Thanks I got B14/15 - it was allocated before I picked up the tickets, not sure how they did it. I assume the whole first row is lottery. Thank you |
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Post by andrew on Jan 3, 2024 11:59:04 GMT
Boring question but what time are people getting out of the theatre at currently for this?
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174 posts
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Post by dillan on Jan 3, 2024 19:36:06 GMT
Boring question but what time are people getting out of the theatre at currently for this? 10.05-10.10pm when I went 2 weeks ago with the new 7pm start time. |
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Post by coco on Jan 5, 2024 18:40:18 GMT
Boring question but what time are people getting out of the theatre at currently for this? I went to today’s matinee, and got out of the theatre at 16:15 pm. But we had a small technical issue, which forced the show to pause for a few minutes. |
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Post by coco on Jan 5, 2024 19:23:04 GMT
Not a fan of the tv, but I would say overall I enjoyed it.
I watched the tv series before the show, but only finished season 1 and gave up at season 2, because I don’t like the way it jumps between storylines (doing it as a jump scare) and not a particular fan of this type of plot (reminds me so much of Japanese manga and game). So for the other seasons, I only watched the recap videos to get a faint idea of the characters and the plot.
The stage effects and the acting are good, and it is really nice to see/hear the opening sequence of the show done in the theatre. And maybe it’s just for me, I actually think theatre is a great way to present this story in parallel storylines, much more efficient than tv as you can stage the characters/events regardless of time and space.
However, I think it’s a bit long and the pacing is not very good, giving me a sense of watching a tv show inside the theatre. I remember that I checked the time at around 70 minutes into Act 1, which I normally wouldn’t do.
Overall, a 3.5 to 4 stars production for me. And my friend, who only watched the recap videos and not a theatre goer, thought the staging and effects are good, the plot average, and overall enjoyable.
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1,081 posts
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Post by andrew on Jan 7, 2024 16:22:52 GMT
I've just read through this thread before commenting and wanted to pen down thoughts before reading the spoiler thread, I'm not sure if there's more commentary on there because this thread is actually more barren than I'd have thought given the prominence of the play.
Cards on the table, I've watched Stranger Things since it came out but in recent years have found it a bit disappointing and reckon it should have ended itself by now. I got the cheapest reasonable seat I could in the back row of the dress circle which was OK view wise but maybe distanced me from the action a little bit.
I didn't think much of it to be honest. Positive aspects are that yes, as everyone says, there is significant technical achievement putting on this much stuff in a West End theatre. Is there an effect in here that we've not seen before? I didn't think so. In terms of visual amazement I would put Cursed Child above it which was at times astonishing, this is merely impressive. Lots of sparks pyros, lots of projection and screens. It's all clever and well thought out though. It is quite fun, as others have said it's literally taken the TV show and planted it on stage, it's not trying to be Lorca or Shakespeare it's trying to do a family orientated action/horror flick on stage (I always thought Stranger Things was really for adults seeking the 80s nostalgia, but this didn't really feel like it was aiming at that, more aiming at anyone who watches the show, I guess you can't do 80s nostalgia when it's set in the 60s). So being like the TV show it's a romp. There's a bit of adventure in it. The actors are all great.
But what was the point? It's so slight and meaningless. A subplot involving a search for a family member is the closest they came to an emotional plot point, and it didn't come even close to delivering. The main thrust of the plot, without saying any spoilers, just sort of happens. And if you've seen the TV show you know where it's heading. And even the truly tragic and sad elements of the story that it grazes past are just not looked at or dealt with, they're incidental to just getting to the next effects sequence. It reminded me an awful lot of seeing a sort of blockbuster musical, like Back To The Future or something. It's all just about getting from moment to moment, in a plot that isn't even that interesting, not really taking the time to have any tender or character building moments. Here's one or two funny lines thrown in. Here's a big set piece here. Here's the finale section, oh look we're finished. Doesn't matter if this had any meaning, we've done all our moments now and can wrap things up. With the added benefit that they can chuck Stranger Things references in and a few jump scares.
What was the point. I'm glad it doesn't last 4 hours anymore. I think if I was a 12 year old boy I'd like this. If I was a non-theatre going adult and wanted to sit with popcorn and my beer (as many were) and not think too hard, I'd like this. For me it wasn't entertaining enough, wasn't interesting enough and wasn't emotionally engaging enough to justify it's existence.
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Post by usbuzzer on Jan 8, 2024 8:27:48 GMT
Does anybody know where the lottery seats are usually located?
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174 posts
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Post by dillan on Jan 9, 2024 23:05:35 GMT
Does anybody know where the lottery seats are usually located? Front row when I won. |
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Post by theatre2023 on Jan 17, 2024 22:27:44 GMT
When did they get rid of the actual Demogorgon?
It featured in the initial previews - it’s now gone
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Post by parsley1 on Jan 17, 2024 22:38:49 GMT
I went to this tonight
I had urges to leave from 19:30
And departed at 20:10
Utterly and entirely pointless
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