3,428 posts
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Post by ceebee on Jun 10, 2024 11:36:42 GMT
Strange question What's the quality of the skating like? Excellent but it isn't as fast as at the Apollo. There is a steep central ramp used for tricks etc particularly by the two scooters, and used endearingly by Control to move from the top level down to stage level via a bum slide. There are two side ramps that are less steep but would still half kill me if I tried to skate up them. The quality in my view as a non-skater is that it is very high and they have been well drilled. The syncronisation (syncronicity?) between the cast is excellent. I got some good footage of a scooter rider high fiving the audience on the move and almost "going for a burton" as my grandma would have said. Need to say also that Arabella Stanton as Control yesterday is a little star and she deservedly got a huge roar for her bow at the end. Her sheer talent, clear enunciation and stage presence is frighteningly accomplished. |
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Post by d'James on Jun 10, 2024 11:41:55 GMT
Could I ask, what is the sound design like? Obviously they've thrown technology at it. Always found the sound at the Troubadour for Newsies pretty abysmal as it was never built as a theatrical space. Have they fixed that and can you hear everything clearly? They seem to, yes. There are alit of speakers - one is like a fan of speakers above the circular part of the stage, them there are more to the sides of the stage and then there are more spanning at the top rear of the theatre. The sound design is surround, so you hear different things depending on where you are sat (e.g. effects, whoever is leading vocal at that point gets louder as they pass by you or closer to you). I'm not a sound technician but it seems like they have created an envelope of sound so you get consistent quality throughout. I may be wrong as I was sat near the front - it might be a totally different experience further back. I enjoyed it hugely but a friend further back enjoyed it less so and talking to one or two people their experience if the show was mixed. Yeah. I was nearer the back on Saturday and the sound was very quiet in the first half. A bit better in the second. What did everyone think of Crazy? To me it was too laidback. It’s called Crazy so I feel it needs to be a bit more frantic. This was almost like an acoustic version that I’d imagine someone strumming in a deckchair by the beach, as far away from crazy as you can get. |
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629 posts
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Post by christya on Jun 10, 2024 11:42:29 GMT
Having seen a few videos of this, I'm really glad I didn't book a ticket. Even the megamix annoyed me - that Greaseball sounded terrible and as though there was some kind of accent going on. No excuse for messing up that character. It also all felt slow - not just the skating, but like there was a pause between the different songs that took the momentum out. I had to go and look up old megamix videos to check it hadn't always been like that. It even felt like half the lyrics were missing from the 'Light at the End of the Tunnel' section.
I've no doubt it's entertaining enough overall, but the main feeling I took from the videos is disappointment and a determination to book Bochum before anyone gets ideas about using some of this there.
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Post by link on Jun 10, 2024 11:55:03 GMT
Loved this at the weekend. This had been the first musical I saw in London as a child and I was nervous for this production but it won me over.
My thoughts - loved having Control as a presence throughout. It was exactly what I would have done if I was staging a new version of this show. I was concerned about Greaseball being played by a female but as soon as she had sung Pumping Iron I was a fan. She was fantastic. Hydrogen was a fab performer and may have stolen the show. His new 'song?' has been stuck in my head ever since. I thought Rusty's voice was beautiful and I loved the new words to He whistled at me. I think I even had tears in my eyes. I hope they release a new cast recording. I thought the whole staging was vibrant and colourful. I too thought the races were slower, but I was a kid when I saw it London and may have imagined the speed was great before when it actually wasn't! I think One Rock n Roll Too Many needs to be re-staged entirely. Didn't work for me in this version, but I love the song. I didn't mind losing the national trains. Makes sense in 2024 to be far more generic. I was sat in Platforms but I want to try Trackside next time. That looks a whole different angle to the show and up close to the performers on the ramp sections. An easy 5* from me
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287 posts
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Post by singingbird on Jun 10, 2024 12:12:31 GMT
Fascinating topic and I could drone on about it for hours (but I'll try and spare everyone and keep it as brief as I can ;-)) So I was chatting about the OLC upthread somewhere and you are totally right and I have also always been bemused by the sleeve claims that it was recorded live as it just doesn't sound it! Also annoying there is no orchestra info. Another thing against it being live is that many of the songs are "single" versions and overall orchestration wise it doesn't sound how the show sounded in the theatre! (The first German Live double CD is more more similar). Anyway, it is the right songs in the right order, just with some different arrangements. And edits to fit to double LP. The whole song list at the time is available here: starlightexpressmusical.fandom.com/wiki/1984_London_production/Musical_NumbersIn fact that Wiki page is an incredible resource for details on all the Nunn/Phillips/Napier productions. I am not connected but some fans I am social media friends with have poured a lot of time into it. And you're also right - there is no reference at all to it being a child's dream in 1980's London. Control was just this voice of a woman - some kind of ethereal being. Personally I loved this! It was more abstract. The explicit child's dream thing was then added to the international productions but (I think) didn't become explicit in London until the previews of the "new" version in 1992! Every production has had greater child involvement right up to now when she is onstage throughout! That's brilliant info - thank you so much! I will explore the Wiki page. I really love the fact it's not explicitly a child - I found the original production, and the LP, very mysterious and totally unlike anything else, which is, I think, what drew me in! I'm sure I'll enjoy this new production well enough for what it is, but I also think Starlight Express is ripe for a total directorial rethink. I have a weird idea that it would work really well with the characters not being trains at all, but some kind of hobo community living beneath a load of old railway tracks somewhere in NYC sometime in the 1970s - a seedy, dark Taxi Driver-type world. It would revert to the original score, with characters like Belle and CB, and play up the darkness... these characters are largely out of their heads, and living out some kind of weird, fraught escapist fantasy. I feel like this actually fits the original score better - just look at how dreamy and melancholic the minor-key Call Me Rusty is, compared with the bright, primary-coloured, simplistic Crazy. This is a 'dead-end engine falling to bits' who had a dream 'when they first built my fire...' Obviously it would become a much more adult show, but I honestly think it could be incredible. It's probably me that's crazy! |
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287 posts
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Post by singingbird on Jun 10, 2024 12:13:32 GMT
Oh and the voice of Control in London 1984-1992 and on the OLC is Nancy Wood, who played Buffy in the original cast! More great info! So I wasn't wrong - it is an adult woman! I assume this means Control was recorded, not performed live. |
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1,396 posts
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Post by BVM on Jun 10, 2024 12:25:01 GMT
Oh and the voice of Control in London 1984-1992 and on the OLC is Nancy Wood, who played Buffy in the original cast! More great info! So I wasn't wrong - it is an adult woman! I assume this means Control was recorded, not performed live. Yes indeed :-) |
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4,177 posts
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Post by anthony40 on Jun 10, 2024 12:28:27 GMT
Oh and the voice of Control in London 1984-1992 and on the OLC is Nancy Wood, who played Buffy in the original cast! More great info! So I wasn't wrong - it is an adult woman! I assume this means Control was recorded, not performed live. I know that on Broadway at one stage it was definitely a little boy. I remember seeing a documentary on it at the time. The boy was the (re-recorded) voice of Control in Starlight Express, but was physically performing as Gavroche in Les Miserables. |
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1,396 posts
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Post by BVM on Jun 10, 2024 12:29:18 GMT
Fascinating topic and I could drone on about it for hours (but I'll try and spare everyone and keep it as brief as I can ;-)) So I was chatting about the OLC upthread somewhere and you are totally right and I have also always been bemused by the sleeve claims that it was recorded live as it just doesn't sound it! Also annoying there is no orchestra info. Another thing against it being live is that many of the songs are "single" versions and overall orchestration wise it doesn't sound how the show sounded in the theatre! (The first German Live double CD is more more similar). Anyway, it is the right songs in the right order, just with some different arrangements. And edits to fit to double LP. The whole song list at the time is available here: starlightexpressmusical.fandom.com/wiki/1984_London_production/Musical_NumbersIn fact that Wiki page is an incredible resource for details on all the Nunn/Phillips/Napier productions. I am not connected but some fans I am social media friends with have poured a lot of time into it. And you're also right - there is no reference at all to it being a child's dream in 1980's London. Control was just this voice of a woman - some kind of ethereal being. Personally I loved this! It was more abstract. The explicit child's dream thing was then added to the international productions but (I think) didn't become explicit in London until the previews of the "new" version in 1992! Every production has had greater child involvement right up to now when she is onstage throughout! I'm sure I'll enjoy this new production well enough for what it is, but I also think Starlight Express is ripe for a total directorial rethink. I have a weird idea that it would work really well with the characters not being trains at all, but some kind of hobo community living beneath a load of old railway tracks somewhere in NYC sometime in the 1970s - a seedy, dark Taxi Driver-type world. It would revert to the original score, with characters like Belle and CB, and play up the darkness... these characters are largely out of their heads, and living out some kind of weird, fraught escapist fantasy. I feel like this actually fits the original score better - just look at how dreamy and melancholic the minor-key Call Me Rusty is, compared with the bright, primary-coloured, simplistic Crazy. This is a 'dead-end engine falling to bits' who had a dream 'when they first built my fire...' Obviously it would become a much more adult show, but I honestly think it could be incredible. It's probably me that's crazy! Same! Became next level obsessed with the cassettes as it was then that I saved up pocket money to buy in my local Woolworths. Begged my Dad to take me to the show which he finally did when I was 9. My first West End show - totally blown away! And you always latch on to what you see/know first but I loved Control not being a child and some intangible mythical voice in the sky! Agree one day be nice to see a total directional rethink. They are doing something not dissimilar with Cats in NYC this Summer setting it in the drag, ballroom and Vogue-ing world. Wish I could get over to see it but I can't sadly.... |
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910 posts
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Post by karloscar on Jun 10, 2024 13:38:53 GMT
I saw the original cast in in London and was just old enough to get the innuendo that was rife in a lot of Richard Stilgoe's lyrics. There's no way Control could have been a kid at that time, or the kid had serious issues!
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1,396 posts
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Post by BVM on Jun 10, 2024 13:45:17 GMT
I remember that video!!! As well as Phantom showed the bridge moving and all the associated lighting to the Joseph Megamix! Epic!!!! Oh I meant a live workshop in the theatre, not a video! It was a school trip including that workshop and then the show. But if there is a video somewhere too I wanna see!  Took me ages to remember where I'd seen it. So what am thinking of is in this vid starting at about 7 mins 20! I'd only ever seen it here and had no idea was a school workshop!! Is that what you were thinking of? It does look incredible! |
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Post by dan on Jun 10, 2024 14:38:58 GMT
Oh I meant a live workshop in the theatre, not a video! It was a school trip including that workshop and then the show. But if there is a video somewhere too I wanna see! Took me ages to remember where I'd seen it. So what am thinking of is in this vid starting at about 7 mins 20! I'd only ever seen it here and had no idea was a school workshop!! Is that what you were thinking of? It does look incredible! Oh my… this is incredible! YES! That bridge demo is exactly what they did for us. I was right there in the front rows watching a demonstration of that with all that lighting and music… you’ve made a 40 year old’s 12 year old inner child very happy, thank you 🤩 🥰 it BLEW MY MIND and hooked me forever. And I’ll never forget during the show the sound of those sirens for the races and barriers going up… I was PUMPED! Thank you so much for this. |
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1,396 posts
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Post by BVM on Jun 10, 2024 14:41:43 GMT
Took me ages to remember where I'd seen it. So what am thinking of is in this vid starting at about 7 mins 20! I'd only ever seen it here and had no idea was a school workshop!! Is that what you were thinking of? It does look incredible! Oh my… this is incredible! YES! That bridge demo is exactly what they did for us. I was right there in the front rows watching a demonstration of that with all that lighting and music… you’ve made a 40 year old’s 12 year old inner child very happy, thank you 🤩 🥰 it BLEW MY MIND and hooked me forever. And I’ll never forget during the show the sound of those sirens for the races and barriers going up… I was PUMPED! Thank you so much for this. Oh no worries - when you described the Starlight bridge moving to Phantom music - I was like, I KNOW I've seen that somewhere! |
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Post by erik24601 on Jun 10, 2024 16:00:57 GMT
Oh and the voice of Control in London 1984-1992 and on the OLC is Nancy Wood, who played Buffy in the original cast! More great info! So I wasn't wrong - it is an adult woman! I assume this means Control was recorded, not performed live. And by Tara Wilkinson on the 'New Starlight Express' recording, who was another adult female cast member (From memory, I think she was Ensemble/Swing at the time the new version opened but went on to take over as Wrench). |
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Post by erik24601 on Jun 10, 2024 16:01:44 GMT
Is 'Next Time You Fall In Love' still in the show? For me that was always such a beautiful addition to the 1992 version.
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2,679 posts
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Post by viserys on Jun 10, 2024 16:06:56 GMT
Is 'Next Time You Fall In Love' still in the show? For me that was always such a beautiful addition to the 1992 version. No, that's "I do" now... |
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Post by luvvie23 on Jun 10, 2024 16:16:21 GMT
Oh I meant a live workshop in the theatre, not a video! It was a school trip including that workshop and then the show. But if there is a video somewhere too I wanna see! Took me ages to remember where I'd seen it. So what am thinking of is in this vid starting at about 7 mins 20! I'd only ever seen it here and had no idea was a school workshop!! Is that what you were thinking of? It does look incredible! Anna Jane Casey as Buffy in the number!!! Icon! Those girls were absolutely phenomenal! |
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3,428 posts
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Post by ceebee on Jun 10, 2024 16:17:34 GMT
Oh my… this is incredible! YES! That bridge demo is exactly what they did for us. I was right there in the front rows watching a demonstration of that with all that lighting and music… you’ve made a 40 year old’s 12 year old inner child very happy, thank you 🤩 🥰 it BLEW MY MIND and hooked me forever. And I’ll never forget during the show the sound of those sirens for the races and barriers going up… I was PUMPED! Thank you so much for this. Oh, you're going to have such a good time then when you see it... There are barriers that go up and down, sirens and the races literally burst into life. My youngest said that some of the video reminded her of Mario Kart (there are "placings" when the races end and the look and feel of the animations is very similar). In fact in the programme notes, there is a reference to wanting the race elements to feel a bit more like a video game (another thing that drives the relevance for today's child!). |
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Post by sarissima on Jun 10, 2024 16:23:49 GMT
Is there a proper cast list + understudy list?
The website only has the character names for 6 performers.
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3,428 posts
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Post by ceebee on Jun 10, 2024 16:26:26 GMT
Is 'Next Time You Fall In Love' still in the show? For me that was always such a beautiful addition to the 1992 version. Sadly not - one of my faves too. But there are some crackers - here's the track list: ACT ONE Overture/Entry of Trains (Momma and Control) Rolling Stock (Greaseball and Company) Crazy (Rusty, Dinah, Belle, Tassita and Company) Call Me Rusty (Rusty and Company) I Am Me (Pearl, Dinah, Belle and Tassita) [They could release this track and it would be a hit] Whistle At Me (Pearl and Rusty) Freight (Trucks, Coaches and Company) AC/DC (Electra, Components and Company) Pumping Iron (Greaseball and Company) Coda of Freight (Full Company) Make Up My Heart (Pearl) RACE ONE Momma's Blues (Momma) RACE TWO Laughing Stock (Full Company) Starlight Express (Rusty) ACT TWO The Rap (Full Company) U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D. (Dinah, Belle and Tassita) Wide Smile (Slick and Company) RACE THREE Starlight Sequence (Momma and Rusty) Hydrogen (Hydra and Rusty) PRE RACE FOUR (Whole Company) RACE FOUR One Rock and Roll Too Many (Electra, Greaseball and Slick) I Do (Rusty and Pearl) Light at the End of the Tunnel (Momma and Full Company) Finale (Full Company) |
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Post by erik24601 on Jun 10, 2024 16:32:20 GMT
Is 'Next Time You Fall In Love' still in the show? For me that was always such a beautiful addition to the 1992 version. Sadly not - one of my faves too. But there are some crackers - here's the track list: ACT ONE Overture/Entry of Trains (Momma and Control) Rolling Stock (Greaseball and Company) Crazy (Rusty, Dinah, Belle, Tassita and Company) Call Me Rusty (Rusty and Company) I Am Me (Pearl, Dinah, Belle and Tassita) [They could release this track and it would be a hit] Whistle At Me (Pearl and Rusty) Freight (Trucks, Coaches and Company) AC/DC (Electra, Components and Company) Pumping Iron (Greaseball and Company) Coda of Freight (Full Company) Make Up My Heart (Pearl) RACE ONE Momma's Blues (Momma) RACE TWO Laughing Stock (Full Company) Starlight Express (Rusty) ACT TWO The Rap (Full Company) U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D. (Dinah, Belle and Tassita) Wide Smile (Slick and Company) RACE THREE Starlight Sequence (Momma and Rusty) Hydrogen (Hydra and Rusty) PRE RACE FOUR (Whole Company) RACE FOUR One Rock and Roll Too Many (Electra, Greaseball and Slick) I Do (Rusty and Pearl) Light at the End of the Tunnel (Momma and Full Company) Finale (Full Company) Thank you for this. I was hoping someone would post it soon. Appreciate it. |
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3,428 posts
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Post by ceebee on Jun 10, 2024 16:40:24 GMT
Is there a proper cast list + understudy list? The website only has the character names for 6 performers. Yes, there's a beautifully produced official brochure with full cast, biogs, understudies (there are three for each main character). There are creative process notes from ALW, Director, Set Designer, Lyricist, Orchestrator. It's one of the best 'programmes' I've ever bought. The whole experience at Wembley has been so well thought through and there is tons of merchandise also. CAST:
Rusty Jeevan Braich Momma Jade Marvin Greaseball Al Knott Electra Tom Pigram COACHESPearl Kayna Montecillo Dinah Eve Humphrey Belle Ashlyn Weekes Tassita Renz Cardenas TRUCKSHydra Jaydon Vijn Porter Lewis Kidd Lumber Harrison Peterkin Slick Emily Martinez ENGINESBlue Lightning Jessica Vaux Green Arrow Asher Forth Golden Eagle David Peter Brown Silver Bullet Oscar Kong Orange Flash Marianthe Panas COMPONENTSKillerwatt Pablo Gomez Jones Wrench Lilianna Hendy Joule Catherine Cornwall Volta Ollie Augustin SWINGSDance Captain/Swing Kelly Downing Skate Captain/Swing Lucy Glover Children's Captain/Swing Hannah Kiss Swing Lara Vina Uzcatia Swing Jessie Angell Swing Betnay Rose Lythgoe Swing Deearna McLean Standby Momma Sharon Wattis Assistant Dance Captain/Swing Jamie Cruttenden Assistant Skate Captain/Swing Gary Sheridan Swing Scott Hayward Swing Red Swing Charles Butcher Swing Sam Gallacher Swing Isaac Edwards Skate Marshall Charlie Russell Skate Marshall Jamie Addison Skate Marshall Dante Hutchinson CONTROLBarnaby Halliwell Mimi Soetan Arabella Stanton Shaniyah Abrahams Cristian Buttaci Alexander Brooks PS: Yes, I did type all of this out along with the track list above and, no, I don't do ALW's PR.  |
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4,985 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Jun 10, 2024 16:48:37 GMT
Well judging by all the posts it seems that Sadiq Khan’s 20mph low speed neighbourhoods has had a detrimental effect on this show.
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3,428 posts
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Post by ceebee on Jun 10, 2024 16:51:57 GMT
Is there a proper cast list + understudy list? The website only has the character names for 6 performers. UNDERSTUDIES (IN ADDITION TO CAST LIST ABOVE) RustyScott Hayward Asher Forth Pablo Gomez Jones MommaSharon Wattis Jessica Vaux Deearna McLean GreaseballLara Vina Uzcatia Jessica Vaux Catherine Cornwall Emily Martinez ElectraAsher Forth Oscar Kong David Peter Brown Red PearlAshlyn Weekes Marianthe Panas Lilianna Hendy DinahLilianna Hendy Bethany Rose Lythgoe BelleBethany Rose Lythgoe Lara Vina Uzcatia Marianthe Panas TassitaPablo Gomez Jones Charles Butcher Gary Sheridan HydraGary Sheridan Red David Peter Brown PorterScott Hayward Charles Butcher Sam Gallacher LumberJamie Cruttenden Sam Gallacher Pablo Gomez Jones SlickCatherine Cornwall Deearna McLean Jessie Angel |
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3,428 posts
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Post by ceebee on Jun 10, 2024 16:54:55 GMT
(Apologies all for the long posts - I shared cast / understudy info / track list in response to individual requests for info. If you go, buy a programme/official brochure - it really is one of the best I've bought in a long time.)
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