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Post by BVM on Aug 2, 2023 10:50:44 GMT
"Theatremadhatter: What I am more disheartened by is how these ‘concerts’ are thrown up, according to the cast at stage door in 4 days with one orchestra rehearsal before a show. Then the cast members like Jeremy and Matt who have done the show before many many times will of course shine out." They had the choice of casting Eva in the same way. Plenty of strong, known and experienced performers out there who know and have played the role. Especially for a production like this. "Toomasj: the performance I attended Eva literally didn’t sing lines at one stage having missed a cue to… be on stage (Rainbow Tour). This is below am-dram. I remind you of the cost." That is unacceptable. As well as not knowing the lines, lyrics and harmonies. It is all very avoidable. Especially in a production like this. I'm wondering if a lot of the theatre-going public would not notice these misses and flubs? Precisely this. The white wine women next to me were having a brilliant time. And for better or for worse, ultimately producers number one priority is getting the masses’ bums on seats! |
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Post by ceebee on Aug 2, 2023 11:09:47 GMT
I'm wondering if a lot of the theatre-going public would not notice these misses and flubs? Precisely this. The white wine women next to me were having a brilliant time. And for better or for worse, ultimately producers number one priority is getting the masses’ bums on seats! But this depresses me hugely. Shouldn't theatre aim higher than catering for Sharon and Tracey from the suburbs to get merry and watch the funny little actors stumble through the script for that film they once watched starring that Bentonio Anderas bloke who played the cat in Shrek? |
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Post by BVM on Aug 2, 2023 11:21:26 GMT
Precisely this. The white wine women next to me were having a brilliant time. And for better or for worse, ultimately producers number one priority is getting the masses’ bums on seats! But this depresses me hugely. Shouldn't theatre aim higher than catering for Sharon and Tracey from the suburbs to get merry and watch the funny little actors stumble through the script for that film they once watched starring that Bentonio Anderas bloke who played the cat in Shrek? It depresses me too! But sadly that’s very much the current climate… |
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Post by 141920grm on Aug 2, 2023 11:45:12 GMT
Precisely this. The white wine women next to me were having a brilliant time. And for better or for worse, ultimately producers number one priority is getting the masses’ bums on seats! But this depresses me hugely. Shouldn't theatre aim higher than catering for Sharon and Tracey from the suburbs to get merry and watch the funny little actors stumble through the script for that film they once watched starring that Bentonio Anderas bloke who played the cat in Shrek? Slightly off topic but I remember the flip side of this argument for Phantom. I know that show much more and was unhappy with the changes; it was argued then that Sharon and Tracey from the suburbs wouldn't notice a thing and the 'phans' were overreacting. Literally the same question about the aim of theatre- achieving artistry or getting bums on seats? Obviously this can be argued till the end of time and no choice is better than the other and I'm not pointing fingers at anyone who's made either argument. So maybe this is why pro-shots of high quality productions of days gone by should be made available to the public, so future producers can have a standard to aspire to/be accountable for if wanting to charge high prices. and theatregoers who care to expect a certain standard can then vote with their wallets, or make informed criticisms after the show if the performance did not justify the ticket price |
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Post by anthony on Aug 2, 2023 11:51:23 GMT
Surprised so many people found this SO bad. I thought was such an enjoyable evening, the orchestra and score sounded wonderful. Production values for a concert I thought were very high. The only mistake was casting Auli’i! Agree with the first part - thought it was a wonderful evening. I actually think Auli'i was fine and I'm not fully understanding the criticism she's getting, if I'm honest. Could there have been a more established performer in the role? Sure. However, she had some really standout moments. I'm fairly familiar with Evita and can't say I noticed her flubbing any lines at yesterday's evening performance? I do wonder why she decided to do this, though. Considering what she is currently involved in, the rehearsal time for 3 performances wouldn't have been a huge financial pay off for her. Also find it interesting that people are complaining about the staging. I genuinely thought the staging was decent, especially considering the fact it was advertised as a concert. Let's be real, the staging used genuinely could have passed a UK Tour (sadly!). |
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Post by MoreLife on Aug 2, 2023 12:13:10 GMT
I have not seen this production, so my comments here are more of a general consideration occasioned by what I have read here.
I know for a fact that LMTO - the orchestra that played at these Evita concerts - put a lot of work and care into everything they do. This has been proved brilliantly in previous concerts and productions of theirs: for example, I remember that people were enthusiastic about Audra's concert with them, and the comments here suggest that they've done a fantastic job again.
IMHO, the issues with these "in concert" version begin when, while the orchestra has been preparing with the utmost care and shows up at the sitzprobe in the best shape possible, the leads, ensemble and choir go through a super short rehearsal process and are then given maybe one full day to rehearse with the orchestra before moving into the theatre for a day of tech, which in all likelihood bleeds into a dress rehearsal if not into the first performance right away.
Under these circumstances, a lot comes down to each performer's own level of commitment (and schedule) in the lead up to the actual rehearsal process. If they arrive having prepared thoroughly on their own, or knowing the material from being involved in earlier productions, even a short and fast-paced rehearsal process is going to be enough for them to do a good job. It also helps if, in the case of the Mistress in Evita, they essentially have to sing one number beautifully, and then they can pretty much fade into the background. If, on the other hand, they arrive expecting to have time to properly learn the material there and then... they're unfortunately in for a very challenging time.
Auli'i Carvalho was maybe never going to be the best Evita ever, talking purely in matters of suitability to the role, but I suspect she underestimated how much preparation she should have done on her own. The fact that she admittedly wasn't super familiar with the score beforehand was never going to help. Further, as she doesn't have a lot of stage experience, having worked primarily in films, she may have been thrown off by the challenges of singing live with a full orchestra and by all that even a semi-staged production entails on top of showing up and singing nicely.
I have some sympathy for her, if this is what she has in fact experienced, because it must have been a horribly stressful few days! On the other hand, I really don't think it is forgivable that the producers charged that amount of money for a production that was - according to so many - so flawed. Personally I am more than willing to enjoy a semi-staged production even if something goes wrong on the day/night, and I accept that things may not be as polished as for a full run (sound design, mic or light cues are tricky to get perfect with so little time), but charging certain prices without guaranteeing a quality that justifies those prices is just not OK.
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Post by alece10 on Aug 2, 2023 12:18:35 GMT
I've been to a few very good concerts including Songs for a New World, Dr zhivago and Bonnie & Clyde. They were really well done. But I've seen a few, for example Sweet Charity at Cadogan Hall which was clearly under rehearsed and cast reading from scripts.
The ones I've seen produced by Fourth Wall seem to be very good.
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Post by capybara on Aug 2, 2023 12:28:10 GMT
I was there last night, enjoying a slightly off centre front row seat purchased with theatre tokens.
I’m not sure I can add much to the essays already written on this thread so I’ll keep it relatively short.
I enjoyed it. I’m not familiar with the story and I do think there was some assumed knowledge - for example, I had to Google the year it was set in during the interval (when I think Argentina and military coups, I think mid-70s!).
No issues with missed cues from any performers. I thought Auli’i was fine. I expect you could find much stronger Eva’s, better suited to the role but for a one off concert, I had no major reservations. It’s not as easy score, especially with such little rehearsal time.
I get that everybody wants the show to be as good as can be but some of the stuff on here strikes me as a bit OTT. Four stars.
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Post by bobbievanhusen on Aug 2, 2023 12:39:02 GMT
but again this is a concert so should we expect more? For the prices they were charging, yes. A lot more. The Monday night wasn't good, so to hear it was even worse on the Tuesday matinee is awful. |
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Post by richey on Aug 2, 2023 12:55:37 GMT
I'm really surprised at the hate for the show here. I saw it on Monday and loved every minute of it, as did everyone sat around me and some friends who were also there.
I thought Auli'i's performance of Don't Cry For Me Argentina was one of the best I've ever heard live and gave me shivers.
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Post by ceebee on Aug 2, 2023 13:07:49 GMT
I'm really surprised at the hate for the show here. I saw it on Monday and loved every minute of it, as did everyone sat around me and some friends who were also there. I thought Auli'i's performance of Don't Cry For Me Argentina was one of the best I've ever heard live and gave me shivers. I think people love the score hence the dissatisfaction with this concert. I was there on Monday and wanted to love every minute (and if you check out my posts on other threads, I could probably be accused of being over-optimistic and rose-tinted in my views sometimes). But on Monday evening, both leads strayed off-tune (Auli'i more than Matt), Che's diction was poor with some lines delivered to his boots (whilst still being able to gurn out to the audience). At one point the conductor even had to hold the orchestra because Auli'i had gone out of synch with the tune. For £65? (And I got in early - others paid double this price). Anybody who couldn't hear the discordance, flat sections, screeches needs their ears flushing. The only redeeming part of the evening was the excellent orchestra. (And in my previous posts, I have said how much I have enjoyed Rawle's previous performances in other productions, so it's not personal.) I just wanted it to be so much better having shifted myself to get on a train into town for a Monday night concert when I could have been watching Police Interceptors on Channel 5 instead. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2023 13:07:57 GMT
The producers forked out the money to book Auli"i, fly her other plus likely some of her support team, put them all up, lay on transport when they could have booked an established or exciting young West End name. She was booked onto This Morning and would have had to rehearse her number there so that took her out of another mornings rehearsal time for the actual theatre show.
I expect thae show had sold very well before she appeared on This Morning so was there a need to do that?
Also I wonder if Auli"i had signed up expecting the show to be a pure concert performance only to find out later on it was to be semi staged. It is up to the producers and directors to have enough rehearsal time and did they actually do a full dress run through on the Drury Lane stage I do wonder?
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Post by ceebee on Aug 2, 2023 13:12:25 GMT
Given that it was Drury Lane, the home of 'Frozen', is there anybody else who would like to see Sven perform "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" or Olaf's version of "On This Night Of A Thousand Stars"?
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Post by shownut on Aug 2, 2023 13:20:43 GMT
The producers forked out the money to book Auli"i, fly her other plus likely some of her support team, put them all up, lay on transport when they could have booked an established or exciting young West End name. She was booked onto This Morning and would have had to rehearse her number there so that took her out of another mornings rehearsal time for the actual theatre show. I expect thae show had sold very well before she appeared on This Morning so was there a need to do that? Also I wonder if Auli"i had signed up expecting the show to be a pure concert performance only to find out later on it was to be semi staged. It is up to the producers and directors to have enough rehearsal time and did they actually do a full dress run through on the Drury Lane stage I do wonder? You make a good point. In response to 'Richey', the people around me were hooting and hollering as well....and most had a large glass or two of wine in tow for both acts and may have even had a few on the way in. When half the punters or more are liquored up to the gills it is hard to gauge honest reactions based on the material or the performances. Ail"i could have belched her way through "Don't Cry For Me" and I doubt it would have made a bit of difference in terms of audience reaction. |
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Post by capybara on Aug 2, 2023 15:10:18 GMT
Some of the posts on this thread are ridiculously patronising.
So if someone enjoyed this show it makes them stupid or some middle aged lush called Sharon and Tracey?
It’s like the opposite of the Aspects thread, where anyone who disliked the show was deemed too thick to be able to deal with challenging theatre.
Utterly bizarre. You didn’t like it; fair enough. But why dismiss anyone who did?
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Post by ceebee on Aug 2, 2023 15:27:36 GMT
Some of the posts on this thread are ridiculously patronising. So if someone enjoyed this show it makes them stupid or some middle aged lush called Sharon and Tracey? It’s like the opposite of the Aspects thread, where anyone who disliked the show was deemed too thick to be able to deal with challenging theatre. Utterly bizarre. You didn’t like it; fair enough. But why dismiss anyone who did? Interesting how you have aged Sharon and Tracey - I saw them more as wannabe twenty-something vacuous influencers who enjoy a prosecco or two in the bottomless brunch before popping off to see a show that they watched their parents watch the film of as kids. They are not lushes, they are lesbian, and they grabbed a vegan sausage roll from Greggs on the Strand before taking the tube back to their in-laws in Cockfosters. |
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Post by vickyg on Aug 2, 2023 15:37:01 GMT
Some of the posts on this thread are ridiculously patronising. So if someone enjoyed this show it makes them stupid or some middle aged lush called Sharon and Tracey? It’s like the opposite of the Aspects thread, where anyone who disliked the show was deemed too thick to be able to deal with challenging theatre. Utterly bizarre. You didn’t like it; fair enough. But why dismiss anyone who did? Different strokes for different folks in terms of liking the staging or not. But when the lead's singing of a sung through show is literally out of tune, I don't know how people are overlooking that. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2023 15:50:19 GMT
I don't think we should criticize differences of opinion on ashow on here. If some of the audience were "well oiled" and people could see that then that is fair enough to comment on. These concerts have certainly sparked an interesting difference of opinions on here and we have had some very thoughtful reviews which offer a wide range of opinions.
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Post by dan28 on Aug 2, 2023 16:02:31 GMT
Literally the same question about the aim of theatre- achieving artistry or getting bums on seats? So maybe this is why pro-shots of high quality productions of days gone by should be made available to the public, so future producers can have a standard to aspire to/be accountable for if wanting to charge high prices. and theatregoers who care to expect a certain standard can then vote with their wallets, or make informed criticisms after the show if the performance did not justify the ticket price The difference with Phantom here is that it's only 2 days. I am sure they would have had a full house with a better leading lady too. Good idea about the pro-shots of theatre productions. If quality finds its way to living rooms, perhaps Sharon and Tracey will get a bit educated and evolve a form of taste. |
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Post by ceebee on Aug 2, 2023 16:13:10 GMT
Literally the same question about the aim of theatre- achieving artistry or getting bums on seats? So maybe this is why pro-shots of high quality productions of days gone by should be made available to the public, so future producers can have a standard to aspire to/be accountable for if wanting to charge high prices. and theatregoers who care to expect a certain standard can then vote with their wallets, or make informed criticisms after the show if the performance did not justify the ticket price The difference with Phantom here is that it's only 2 days. I am sure they would have had a full house with a better leading lady too. Good idea about the pro-shots of theatre productions. If quality finds its way to living rooms, perhaps Sharon and Tracey will get a bit educated and evolve a form of taste. Don't hold your breath. Sharon and Tracey will be alcoholic middle-aged lushes before pro-shots get released to us plebs. |
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Post by shownut on Aug 2, 2023 17:06:34 GMT
Some of the posts on this thread are ridiculously patronising. So if someone enjoyed this show it makes them stupid or some middle aged lush called Sharon and Tracey? It’s like the opposite of the Aspects thread, where anyone who disliked the show was deemed too thick to be able to deal with challenging theatre. Utterly bizarre. You didn’t like it; fair enough. But why dismiss anyone who did? I stand by my original post as it accurately represents the experience I had. Lots of folks carting drinks around and whooping and hollering for a show that was occasionally out of tune and off-tempo, badly staged and with little going for it except a decent orchestra. I could have used a drink (or two) by the end of it. |
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Post by dan28 on Aug 2, 2023 18:14:19 GMT
Some of the posts on this thread are ridiculously patronising. So if someone enjoyed this show it makes them stupid or some middle aged lush called Sharon and Tracey? Utterly bizarre. You didn’t like it; fair enough. But why dismiss anyone who did? Different strokes for different folks in terms of liking the staging or not. But when the lead's singing of a sung through show is literally out of tune, I don't know how people are overlooking that. If they show up for the scene at all. No big deal if they don't, according to some here. They still enjoy it... |
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Post by danb on Aug 2, 2023 18:33:45 GMT
Some of the posts on this thread are ridiculously patronising. So if someone enjoyed this show it makes them stupid or some middle aged lush called Sharon and Tracey? It’s like the opposite of the Aspects thread, where anyone who disliked the show was deemed too thick to be able to deal with challenging theatre. Utterly bizarre. You didn’t like it; fair enough. But why dismiss anyone who did? Interesting how you have aged Sharon and Tracey - I saw them more as wannabe twenty-something vacuous influencers who enjoy a prosecco or two in the bottomless brunch before popping off to see a show that they watched their parents watch the film of as kids. They are not lushes, they are lesbian, and they grabbed a vegan sausage roll from Greggs on the Strand before taking the tube back to their in-laws in Cockfosters. THERE’S A GREGGS ON THE STRAND??? |
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Post by ceebee on Aug 2, 2023 18:59:12 GMT
Interesting how you have aged Sharon and Tracey - I saw them more as wannabe twenty-something vacuous influencers who enjoy a prosecco or two in the bottomless brunch before popping off to see a show that they watched their parents watch the film of as kids. They are not lushes, they are lesbian, and they grabbed a vegan sausage roll from Greggs on the Strand before taking the tube back to their in-laws in Cockfosters. THERE’S A GREGGS ON THE STRAND??? I hereby declare that the bastion of processed pastries and confective saturated delights does indeed have an outlet on the Strand, where once I saw Shaz and Trace eyeing up a steak bake to go with their overpriced post-prosecco Ribena, before they staggered up to Back To The Future to slurp their way through the time continuum like the pre-lushes that they are. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 2, 2023 19:03:19 GMT
Count me in for a sausage roll.
Not the vegan one.
Pack of three. Ta x
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