29 posts
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Post by meisner on Jul 17, 2023 8:39:10 GMT
Is there any casting for this yet?? Think that will determine whether i see it or not.
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Post by A.Ham on Jul 17, 2023 9:43:22 GMT
Is there any casting for this yet?? Think that will determine whether i see it or not. It’s already been announced that Elena Skye (currently in We Will Rock You) will play Twiggy, but no other casting confirmed as yet I don’t think. |
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29 posts
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Post by meisner on Aug 4, 2023 11:14:22 GMT
I know Elena Skye is doing this but surprised theres no more casting news. I think that will determine whether i see this or not.
Any rumours etc would be grateful.
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Post by max on Aug 4, 2023 11:58:05 GMT
Is Ben Elton performing in 'We Will Rock You' right to the end of its Coliseum run? It just feels to me that the pre-production to staging the world premiere of a musical is a bit more than a part-time job. If I was Twiggy I'd be Snappy.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2023 22:44:14 GMT
Wonder if the other charcters will be actual real people or just based on people from that era from Ben's imagination?
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29 posts
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Post by meisner on Aug 20, 2023 23:51:14 GMT
Since seeing the casting announcement for this i am so in 2 minds whether to book and equally there hasn't been much chat on here about it.
I'd be interested to hear what people's views are before deciding to part with my cash.
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Post by mattnyc on Sept 18, 2023 22:21:45 GMT
That was…interesting. It’s far from the worst thing I’ve ever seen but it certainly isn’t a great or maybe even a “good” show. Putting aside it was a first preview and the leading lady needed to call out for her lines what seemed well over a dozen times - the structure of this show is very “and then this happened”, “and then this happened”, “and then this happened”, sometimes showing it (while also saying it) while other times just saying it and that creates a very choppy form of storytelling.
The problem with jukebox musicals in general is that the story relies on lyrics written for a completely different purpose than you’re trying to tell. With a BIO musical it’s even worse, the songs can seem even more shoehorned in like they did here a lot of the time. Some of them worked though, and others just contributed to the very long run time. The show ran 3 hours tonight (around an hour twenty for act one and an hour ten for act two plus late start time, interval and pre show speech from Ben Elton) and I’m sure with time that will obviously shorten but there were more than a few times I thought “they can end it here and I’ll be fine”. It didn’t help that the theatre seemed like a sauna at times - the second show in a week I’ve been to where I’ve come out soaked through.
A two star rating for me, though.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Sept 18, 2023 22:57:18 GMT
That was…interesting. It’s far from the worst thing I’ve ever seen but it certainly isn’t a great or maybe even a “good” show. Putting aside it was a first preview and the leading lady needed to call out for her lines what seemed well over a dozen times - the structure of this show is very “and then this happened”, “and then this happened”, “and then this happened”, sometimes showing it (while also saying it) while other times just saying it and that creates a very choppy form of storytelling. The problem with jukebox musicals in general is that the story relies on lyrics written for a completely different purpose than you’re trying to tell. With a BIO musical it’s even worse, the songs can seem even more shoehorned in like they did here a lot of the time. Some of them worked though, and others just contributed to the very long run time. The show ran 3 hours tonight (around an hour twenty for act one and an hour ten for act two plus late start time, interval and pre show speech from Ben Elton) and I’m sure with time that will obviously shorten but there were more than a few times I thought “they can end it here and I’ll be fine”. It didn’t help that the theatre seemed like a sauna at times - the second show in a week I’ve been to where I’ve come out soaked through. A two star rating for me, though. Wow. I thought reports of her not knowing her lines at all was an exaggeration. Seems not. |
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Post by mattnyc on Sept 18, 2023 22:59:45 GMT
She seemed to get aggravated with herself in act two which (i get it, as an actor it’s awful) takes you out of it because she drops The character completely when that happens.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Sept 19, 2023 8:46:11 GMT
She seemed to get aggravated with herself in act two which (i get it, as an actor it’s awful) takes you out of it because she drops The character completely when that happens. She should have learnt the lines then. She had enough time. |
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Post by corblimey on Sept 19, 2023 9:42:26 GMT
I did quite enjoy it but of course needs work and did feel for Elena Skye,by the end she was begging Stu Morley for help and brought on a script and lyrics but by then I think her brain was mush and just more or less given up.
Interesting story and life Twiggy has had even thought a couple of photos of Leigh Lawson her husband for 35 years no mention of him by name.
The rest of the cast I quite enjoyed ,Darren Day think a bit under rehearsed too with a terrible wig as does Matt Corner as Justin de Villeneuve doing a Austen Powers impression!
Previews were greatly reduced compared to usual Menier prices and Ben Elton more or less it wouldn’t be up to scratch before it started but agree it should have been in better shape guess 4 tech days isn’t much time but I doubt if Sunset Blvd is in the same shape at 1st preview when some paying £245 there will be an uproar!
Hannah Jane Fox was spot on though and quite hilarious as Twiggy’s mum.
I may see it again when all the kinks are worked out!
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Post by partytentdown on Sept 19, 2023 9:54:36 GMT
Sorry but why on earth is this on stage for a paying audience if the cast don't know their lines?!
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19,651 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 19, 2023 10:06:05 GMT
It’s not like they only get the script when tech starts. Why hasn’t she learned it?
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Post by ladidah on Sept 19, 2023 10:34:04 GMT
Oh god, how awful.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Sept 19, 2023 10:34:57 GMT
I was there front row and also really felt for Elena whose special night went from bad to worse as the show progressed. She couldn't manage the final song even with the words on a clip board. The audience were on side throughout and while a standing ovation wasn't deserved it was given and hopefully made her feel a bit better. She has a lot of dialogue and lyrics, is rarely off stage in a 150 minute plus interval show, and also has some very quick costume changes. While 99% of her performance - and look - was spot on she wasn't quite word perfect. Didn't bother me at all. Her mum stole the show last night and no doubt there were lots of hugs and a few tears afterwards.
That said I was a little disappointed overall. There's not much to the book and it's mostly in the - better - second act. Only one of the musical numbers has lyrics noticeably changed to fit the story - Right Said Fred becomes Right Said Dad - and the songs don't move the story forwards. There's Gershwin to Pat Benatar, but nothing from The Boyfriend because Sandy Wilson wouldn't release the rights. That's a shame as the scenes from My One And Only were a highlight.
It's written very much in the style of a 1970s sitcom but there's not many laughs and even with a prompt 7.30 start it wouldn't finish till at least 10.15. I think about 15 minutes could be culled from act 1 to tighten it all up.
I suspect that like The Third Man this is going to struggle for an audience to fill two months, especially if the reviews are not what Ben Elton and his cast would wish. Hopefully I'm wrong.
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19,651 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 19, 2023 10:39:38 GMT
Poll added.
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Post by ladidah on Sept 19, 2023 10:47:00 GMT
So the music is through the decades?
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Post by jarnew on Sept 19, 2023 10:49:01 GMT
I wanna see this badly, sounds like the perfect subject matter for a fun vibrant jukebox musical. Hope I can get to London once more before it closes.
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Post by aingidh on Sept 19, 2023 10:57:32 GMT
Ben Elton is notorious for last-minute script and scene changes (as seen with the recent WWRY tours and London run) so this may be an explanation.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Sept 19, 2023 11:06:08 GMT
So the music is through the decades? Yes, 1940s to 1980s with most from 1960s and 1970s though just a verse or two of some (eg Young Girl - cos Twiggy was apparently only 15 in her first relationship) |
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Sept 19, 2023 11:13:14 GMT
I wanna see this badly, sounds like the perfect subject matter for a fun vibrant jukebox musical. Hope I can get to London once more before it closes. In its present form it's an okay jukebox musical based around a thin storyline. I hope you get your wish to see it but if you don't live near London I wouldn't recommend a special trip. |
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Post by mattnyc on Sept 19, 2023 11:17:49 GMT
The first song Twiggy sings is “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi. When she’s done she says “It’s got nothing to do with the story, it just happened to be #1 when I got Dame’d and I quite like it”. And at that moment I was like “ooooook, here we go.”
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Post by jarnew on Sept 19, 2023 11:30:54 GMT
I wanna see this badly, sounds like the perfect subject matter for a fun vibrant jukebox musical. Hope I can get to London once more before it closes. In its present form it's an okay jukebox musical based around a thin storyline. I hope you get your wish to see it but if you don't live near London I wouldn't recommend a special trip. Don't worry, I wouldn't come over JUST for this but i'd like to catch it when i have the chance  |
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Post by jarnew on Sept 19, 2023 11:34:53 GMT
The first song Twiggy sings is “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi. When she’s done she says “It’s got nothing to do with the story, it just happened to be #1 when I got Dame’d and I quite like it”. And at that moment I was like “ooooook, here we go.” |
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Post by mattnyc on Sept 19, 2023 11:42:04 GMT
I think that’s the only “modern” song in the show.
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