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Post by steve10086 on Oct 19, 2024 7:21:14 GMT
I was thinking this the other day but could a West End Transfer like AV ever be conceived again. I always thought the Dominion Theatre could handle it. Maybe London Coliseum as well but I guess with H&S it couldn't be possible today? I love the Troubadour does it job but man it could be so much more with more space. I know ALW wants a World Tour of it and a Bochum style in Birmingham so maybe we will get a bigger version of this someday. Nah, I think it’s clear that ALW has now teamed up with someone(Harrison) who doesn’t “splash the cash”. There’ll be no Starlight with 80’s production values ever again. |
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Post by stokerob on Oct 19, 2024 7:44:35 GMT
I am hoping ALW leaves Bochum alone, as much as I enjoyed the Troubadour (it works on its own terms) Bochum is the real deal. 80s excess personified.
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4,968 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Oct 19, 2024 7:51:41 GMT
What is AV?
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1,379 posts
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Post by BVM on Oct 19, 2024 8:04:09 GMT
I was thinking this the other day but could a West End Transfer like AV ever be conceived again. I always thought the Dominion Theatre could handle it. Maybe London Coliseum as well but I guess with H&S it couldn't be possible today? I love the Troubadour does it job but man it could be so much more with more space. I know ALW wants a World Tour of it and a Bochum style in Birmingham so maybe we will get a bigger version of this someday. Nah, I think it’s clear that ALW has now teamed up with someone(Harrison) who doesn’t “splash the cash”. There’ll be no Starlight with 80’s production values ever again. Sadly I completely agree. It's 100% not the direction of travel and we will never see the likes of the AV ever again. (Though in fantasy world, yes the Dominion would be good for that sort of staging. Not the Coliseum though - too ornate to put a set like that in (and too many levels) and there wouldn't be room in the Stalls for two tracks and seating). |
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1,379 posts
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Post by BVM on Oct 19, 2024 8:08:05 GMT
I am hoping ALW leaves Bochum alone, as much as I enjoyed the Troubadour (it works on its own terms) Bochum is the real deal. 80s excess personified. I mean there is a very long history of UK changes in the script making their way to Bochum. So whilst I don't think they'll change the direction/design/choreo (it would be a nightmare financially between two sets of creatives for a stars), and they clearly won't change the physical set, I am sure Hydra will end upon in Bochum at some point - though with a Napier costume. Would they change the whole freight train? Dunno. Dustin and Flat Top are a bit of a double act so you'd probs have to change both to bring in Hydra. Or just have Hydra as an extra character - but that kinda removes Dustin's purpose. But there will be tinkering. There always is! |
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Post by david on Oct 19, 2024 10:12:47 GMT
anthony40 - Are you still after a starlight express badge? If you are I’ve picked up a few this morning from the TT kiosk at Leicester Square station. I can pass one over if you would like and are in the area over the weekend / next week?
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Post by thecursedexpress on Oct 19, 2024 11:00:09 GMT
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Post by thecursedexpress on Oct 19, 2024 11:05:50 GMT
I am hoping ALW leaves Bochum alone, as much as I enjoyed the Troubadour (it works on its own terms) Bochum is the real deal. 80s excess personified. I mean there is a very long history of UK changes in the script making their way to Bochum. So whilst I don't think they'll change the direction/design/choreo (it would be a nightmare financially between two sets of creatives for a stars), and they clearly won't change the physical set, I am sure Hydra will end upon in Bochum at some point - though with a Napier costume. Would they change the whole freight train? Dunno. Dustin and Flat Top are a bit of a double act so you'd probs have to change both to bring in Hydra. Or just have Hydra as an extra character - but that kinda removes Dustin's purpose. But there will be tinkering. There always is! I do think Hydra will go to Bochum. Would be nice to see a John Napier version of the character. |
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Post by d'James on Oct 19, 2024 11:12:42 GMT
I mean there is a very long history of UK changes in the script making their way to Bochum. So whilst I don't think they'll change the direction/design/choreo (it would be a nightmare financially between two sets of creatives for a stars), and they clearly won't change the physical set, I am sure Hydra will end upon in Bochum at some point - though with a Napier costume. Would they change the whole freight train? Dunno. Dustin and Flat Top are a bit of a double act so you'd probs have to change both to bring in Hydra. Or just have Hydra as an extra character - but that kinda removes Dustin's purpose. But there will be tinkering. There always is! I do think Hydra will go to Bochum. Would be nice to see a John Napier version of the character. Yes. One with and individual costume, not one that has been copy and pasted four times and then just changed the colour. |
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1,481 posts
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Post by steve10086 on Oct 19, 2024 21:07:09 GMT
I do think Hydra will go to Bochum. Would be nice to see a John Napier version of the character. Yes. One with and individual costume, not one that has been copy and pasted four times and then just changed the colour. You just can’t get the staff these days! |
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Post by d'James on Oct 20, 2024 3:00:51 GMT
Yes. One with and individual costume, not one that has been copy and pasted four times and then just changed the colour. You just can’t get the staff these days! You can, if you actually go for the best for the job rather than the latest ‘in’ thing. |
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Post by cornish on Oct 20, 2024 8:37:04 GMT
Saw it and didn’t like it at all.
The most low brow thing I’ve ever seen (and I saw Motown)
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Post by unseaworthy on Oct 20, 2024 9:29:29 GMT
Saw it and didn’t like it at all. The most low brow thing I’ve ever seen (and I saw Motown) What do you mean by 'low brow'? |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Oct 20, 2024 10:07:30 GMT
“For the masses”?
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Oct 20, 2024 10:53:00 GMT
Saw it and didn’t like it at all. The most low brow thing I’ve ever seen (and I saw Motown) Did you book without knowing anything about the show ? Cannot believe anyone would expect a high brow musical seeing Starlight Express ! No offence intended but your post - including the dig at a most entertaining jukebox musical -comes across as more than a bit snobbish. |
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Post by danb on Oct 20, 2024 10:59:50 GMT
I’m afraid I have to agree with cornish here. It has never been Ibsen, but this iteration is brain dead to the point of nonsensical. Every aspect has been sanitised and processed beyond authenticity, and whilst it made for a diverting enough couple of hours in the room, any music released has sounded like queuing for a theme park ride.
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19,650 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Oct 20, 2024 11:15:17 GMT
Whoa I didn’t say low brow! I haven’t seen it!
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Post by loonz on Oct 20, 2024 17:21:08 GMT
Long time lurker and eventually saw the show a couple of nights ago. Went with an open mind as I had seen the original just a few weeks after it opened in 1984, plus an updated version a few years later.
Went with hubby and sons and we were all blown away by the show. Although it's the same story, we decided not to compare it to the original. Both were/are great in our opinion.
No unintended crashes, started on time and ran through with no stops.
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Post by andypandy on Oct 20, 2024 20:56:32 GMT
Saw it and didn’t like it at all. The most low brow thing I’ve ever seen (and I saw Motown) I saw it two weeks ago and the whole show has been stirring in my mind. I loved Hydra, loved control as a child even - but i JUST couldn't think of why I didn't love it. It finally came to me!! This show doesn't look like a train set (it's too sci fi - with random planets?), NONE of the costumes look like trains (more like space transformers) and with the quest to make this show woke - this removed the toxic Alpha masculinity Rusty needed to face (and conquer), the show lacked femininity (an offensive diesel dyke Greaseball and robot looking bulky carriages no longer count). The whole production is no longer sexy and NO longer brings back the feel of that train travel nostalgia of yesteryear. Choo choo has been replaced by planets and robots on wheels. As for the skating - the set wasn't built for skaters in mind, the races were a mess (sorry but true), and it all looked very one level and cheap in comparison to the several immersive and multiple levels the original production, Bochum, Broadway, Vegas etc all had/have. NO Bridge, no see saw, no bowls, no tunnels, no countries competing against each others (who cares about colours) the new songs are bad and they have the worst orchestrations I've heard in years - I didn't have one goosebump. They removed all the magic of a show i loved so much. |
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Post by forfivemoreminutes on Oct 20, 2024 23:02:35 GMT
NO longer brings back the feel of that train travel nostalgia of yesteryear. Choo choo has been replaced by planets and robots on wheels. wait they made STARlight express be set in space??? INSANE |
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Post by hadeswasking on Oct 20, 2024 23:07:49 GMT
Saw it and didn’t like it at all. The most low brow thing I’ve ever seen (and I saw Motown) I saw it two weeks ago and the whole show has been stirring in my mind. I loved Hydra, loved control as a child even - but i JUST couldn't think of why I didn't love it. It finally came to me!! This show doesn't look like a train set (it's too sci fi - with random planets?), NONE of the costumes look like trains (more like space transformers) and with the quest to make this show woke - this removed the toxic Alpha masculinity Rusty needed to face (and conquer), the show lacked femininity (an offensive diesel dyke Greaseball and robot looking bulky carriages no longer count). The whole production is no longer sexy and NO longer brings back the feel of that train travel nostalgia of yesteryear. Choo choo has been replaced by planets and robots on wheels. As for the skating - the set wasn't built for skaters in mind, the races were a mess (sorry but true), and it all looked very one level and cheap in comparison to the several immersive and multiple levels the original production, Bochum, Broadway, Vegas etc all had/have. NO Bridge, no see saw, no bowls, no tunnels, no countries competing against each others (who cares about colours) the new songs are bad and they have the worst orchestrations I've heard in years - I didn't have one goosebump. They removed all the magic of a show i loved so much. Starlight ever being described as "sexy" is hilarious. |
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Post by 141920grm on Oct 21, 2024 3:23:00 GMT
NO longer brings back the feel of that train travel nostalgia of yesteryear. Choo choo has been replaced by planets and robots on wheels. no offence but perhaps the yesteryear of *your* train travel nostalgia might be different from the yesteryear of this production's new target audience? it's still magical and able to tap into others' childhood memories if not yours (and was nostalgia ever a requirement in the direction, given most of the segments that truly date the show have been cut this time round?) toy train design differs so wildly across generations and locales- for mine it veered much more towards futurism, 'planets and robots on wheels', electric and bullet trains- rather than realistic model railways with the full works- and I'm gonna step on some toes here: the show doesn't *need* a caboose, just like contemporary railroads! I would say this version celebrates/focuses on Control's vivid imagination, rather than the accurate translation of railway design history into costume or how much it can replicate its 80s predecessor. |
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Post by blamerobots on Oct 21, 2024 6:45:06 GMT
The whole production is no longer sexy Starlight ever being described as "sexy" is hilarious. The original London production was WEIRD. |
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Post by fiyerorocher on Oct 21, 2024 9:49:50 GMT
offensive diesel dyke Greaseball Greaseball isn't offensive in this production. I thought the gender switch worked really well. |
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Post by danb on Oct 21, 2024 10:39:49 GMT
NO longer brings back the feel of that train travel nostalgia of yesteryear. Choo choo has been replaced by planets and robots on wheels. no offence but perhaps the yesteryear of *your* train travel nostalgia might be different from the yesteryear of this production's new target audience? it's still magical and able to tap into others' childhood memories if not yours (and was nostalgia ever a requirement in the direction, given most of the segments that truly date the show have been cut this time round?) toy train design differs so wildly across generations and locales- for mine it veered much more towards futurism, 'planets and robots on wheels', electric and bullet trains- rather than realistic model railways with the full works- and I'm gonna step on some toes here: the show doesn't *need* a caboose, just like contemporary railroads! I would say this version celebrates/focuses on Control's vivid imagination, rather than the accurate translation of railway design history into costume or how much it can replicate its 80s predecessor. Given that so much of the excitement for this production was from fans of its previous versions I don’t feel that it is unreasonable for them to expect certain aspects to still be there. Trying to lay blame at the feet of those shelling out a small fortune to recapture the old Starlight magic is not a great look. |
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