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Post by djp on May 24, 2016 23:10:49 GMT
I must say (and this won't make me very popular at all) as much as I enjoyed the show, I really don't get the raves for Emma Williams. She was very nice, looks pretty and sings nicely but I didn't think she stood out much from the rest of the talented cast. I mean, it could have been her character that was a bit bland but . . . *awaits the rotten fruit* She is a very vanilla actress and a bit twee I will say that, but it is suited the many roles she has played.. That voice though..
Last night it was a theatre pin drop moment and goose bumps galore in her eleven O'clock number "If Mountains were easy to Climb"... Amazing.
She's playing the girl next door - thats what girls next door, look and act like. There's a lot of character development and growing strength going on there too. Mountains I think is easily one of the strongest vocal performances I have seen in the West End. Her cojones are first class too. |
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Post by shady23 on May 25, 2016 16:25:05 GMT
Just seen the matinee, Emma Williams is a dream. Such a talent.
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Post by ali973 on May 27, 2016 22:42:10 GMT
So I must be the last person on the forum to see it..
I arrived at around 9.30 for day seats and was practically the first and only person there. At 10am they started putting up the signage, and the very polite theatre manager said they'll serve me now instead of having to wait until 10.30. So kudos to him and his hospitality.
I for one am not crazy about musicals set during the war, and there are several of them. I thought this would be yet another Betty Blue Eyes, which I didn't like.
I thought it was an absolutely charming show. Tracy Bennet is stellar and her fine detailed acting is fabulous, despite not having a great voice. Her male costar was wonderful, had great gravitas and good singing. Emma Williams, I thought was slightly inconsistent, but does well. I just thought that the leap from awkward and clumsy to the troupe's leader in a snap of a finger was unrealistic, despite shedding her insecurities and going through sh*t. Maybe I'm just cynical. The beginning is extremely whimsical, but then it changes its tone-granted because of a series of serious events-and then back to being whimsical. People were critical of the comedian bits, but I thought they were actually pretty entertaining, clever and not out of place.
The ensemble were unbelievable, seriously probably the best in the West End at the moment. They work great together and blend in well, but all have built solid supporting characters and get their moment. The three main girls were standouts and a hoot. The score is actually pretty meh and unremarkable, but the numbers still work and are very entertaining. Costumes were perfect, and Tracy Bennet with her knockout figure looks amazing in them.
The audience was probably the best I've sat amongst in the West End in a WHILE. Warm, generous, well-dressed, well behaved with virtually no damn candy being unwrapped. Two random American ladies stuck up a conversation with me because of my Hamilton t-shirt. One of them tapped me on my back and struck up a conversation about just getting the CDs and wanting to see it, and WITH LMM and the other chick lady next to me from Texas continued on about Hamilton and what else should she see here.
I seriously did not expect to love it, but I thought it was a pretty fabulous evening.
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2016 6:22:11 GMT
Tee hee, ali! You see! You surprised yourself... A week or two ago, you came up with an idea to sell this as a Buy Two, Get One Free with Show Boat and The Go-Between. And you liked it! Charming liitle piece, I agree. Not the best show ever, by quite a long way, but not to be written off as just One For The Oldies! Glad you went along, and even more glad you told us.  |
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Post by djp on May 29, 2016 1:51:34 GMT
Tee hee, ali! You see! You surprised yourself... A week or two ago, you came up with an idea to sell this as a Buy Two, Get One Free with Show Boat and The Go-Between. And you liked it! Charming liitle piece, I agree. Not the best show ever, by quite a long way, but not to be written off as just One For The Oldies! Glad you went along, and even more glad you told us. Re the oldies, I was struck that the Mrs H audience seems to be relatively old couples, young females and tourists, same for Showboat today which looked 70% full , minus more of the younger females. Obviously this isn't a family outing show, but you wonder why marketing can't get to the rest of the potential audience? |
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Post by ali973 on May 29, 2016 7:33:58 GMT
Audiences want to see actors who look like them and plots about people who are similar to them.
It's no surprise that Miss Saigon attracts more Asians to the theatre than other shows, Mrs Henderson and Show Boat a more mature audience, etc.
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2016 8:41:43 GMT
Audiences want to see actors who look like them and plots about people who are similar to them. EH? NO WE DON'T! ali, just when I fall in love with you (not literally, you understand!) for being able to pluck facts out of the air, like the Glynn Kerslake bit in the Martin Guerre thread, for admiring the theatre posters I too have admired, and for loving the 90s as much as me... And then you come out with some tosh like the above! I want to see actors of all shapes and sizes: big ones, small ones, fat ones, skinny ones, and plenty of really gorgeous ones for good measure please. And as for plots... Well I love Les Miserables but I would never send my precious daughter to live with a dodgy foster family. Even if I had one. And I've seen Superstar more times than I can remember, but I wouldn't betray my best mate for such a piddling sum and then top myself. I'd spend the money first, not give it back. But I think you know that really.  |
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Post by ali973 on May 29, 2016 17:25:14 GMT
The love is mutual and it's REAL!
What I'm trying to say is that people want to see themselves represented. You will find more gay men (than average!) at Pricilla, you will see that there is a larger number of African Americans at Shuffle Along and Color Purple than say, Waitress, more kids at Matilda and more Asians at Miss Saigon, an older generation at Show Boat. My examples might sound a tad crude, but this is just basically how any service, art or entertainment caters to demographics, don't they?
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2016 17:35:06 GMT
More serial killers at American Psycho.
Although too few in the Broadway neighborhood to sustain the run.
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Post by theatre-turtle on May 29, 2016 17:38:04 GMT
Bend it like Beckham had more South Asians in the stalls than I'd seen at all other west end shows I've ever seen, combined.
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Post by waybeyondblue on May 29, 2016 18:48:20 GMT
So how would that explain Southwark Playhouse and Carrie? Dorothy had her own fan club branch there. The possibilities of a gay tele-kinetic mafia in South London should be exposed today.
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Post by easilypleased on Jun 4, 2016 14:31:27 GMT
So Mrs H enters its last two weeks. I understand attendances are still low (top two tiers closed for many performances) and many seats are heavily discounted. Even the last show still has plenty of availability. The question is, where to now for this show? I doubt we will ever see it in the West End again (at least not in its present form), but will it tour the UK? On the one hand I would be surprised if it has done any more than cover its running costs in the West End, but on the other hand the West End isn't necessarily representative of the UK and there must be a temptation to try to repeat the successful Bath experience. Anyway, if it does happen soon it will be without Emma Williams and Ian Bartholomew, who are going off to Half A Sixpence, so maybe that's a sign.
This must be a real conundrum for the producers - press on or call it a day (or maybe not!).
There is a season lined up in Toronto in Feb 2017 but that was announced back in February, so before the West End run.
What would you do if it was YOUR money? Tour? Broadway even (and not the one in the Cotswolds)? Or stop now?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2016 14:39:42 GMT
It's a shame in a way but the Noel Coward is a small theatre anyway so it must have done really bad to have 2 tiers shut most days. It must be a nightmare for producers as I doubt they returned half the money to the investors let alone cover running costs and make an investment.
I don't think it will ever come back to the West End. It could tour the UK, I think the cast want it to. I think it would've done better if it went on a tour instead of West End but they never knew that. If it did tour it could maybe get some more money and reuse the old set? I don't think the 4 main leads would tour with it though. Not sure how it will do in Toronto...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2016 15:46:26 GMT
Mind you, I think this was better than BILB if I'm honest, and that stayed open longer
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Post by woobl on Jun 5, 2016 13:59:25 GMT
So Mrs H enters its last two weeks. I understand attendances are still low (top two tiers closed for many performances) and many seats are heavily discounted. Even the last show still has plenty of availability. The question is, where to now for this show? I doubt we will ever see it in the West End again (at least not in its present form), but will it tour the UK? On the one hand I would be surprised if it has done any more than cover its running costs in the West End, but on the other hand the West End isn't necessarily representative of the UK and there must be a temptation to try to repeat the successful Bath experience. Anyway, if it does happen soon it will be without Emma Williams and Ian Bartholomew, who are going off to Half A Sixpence, so maybe that's a sign. This must be a real conundrum for the producers - press on or call it a day (or maybe not!). There is a season lined up in Toronto in Feb 2017 but that was announced back in February, so before the West End run. What would you do if it was YOUR money? Tour? Broadway even (and not the one in the Cotswolds)? Or stop now? They've run out of money - the only reason it lasted this long was that it was being propped up someone connected to the show. I'm no producer but pretty sure they will count their losses and call it a day. I guess Canada will give them a few quid? |
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Post by daniel on Jun 5, 2016 14:23:33 GMT
It has had tour venues pencilled in for a while, but whether that actually happens remains to be seen.
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Post by Dawnstar on Jun 5, 2016 20:04:53 GMT
I went to see this for a second time yesterday & got a day seat at 2pm, which is never a good sign of a show's health. Sure enough the stalls had a lot of empty seats, maybe half full.
I actually enjoyed the show more the second time round & found it more emotional. Sitting at the front may have helped with that as I could see more of the acting. In particular I found that Ian Bartholomew came over better. The downside of sitting at the front was the nude scenes, I had to look away a couple of times. If only the show didn't have the nudity - yes, I am aware that's the point of it but I'd prefer if it wasn't shown! - and someone would re-choreograph the Lord Chamberlain scene. I enjoyed the rest of it and once they get into WWII I find some scenes very moving, I started crying 3 times.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Jun 5, 2016 20:12:03 GMT
I know you know that's the point, but it would really make no sense at all.
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Post by Hamilton Addict on Jun 5, 2016 20:16:47 GMT
Re-choreograph the Lord Chamberlain scene. Totally agreed. I didn't quite understand if the choreography in this song was supposed to be funny, or something, but it just didn't fit. |
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Post by easilypleased on Jun 5, 2016 22:46:23 GMT
Re-choreograph the Lord Chamberlain scene. Totally agreed. I didn't quite understand if the choreography in this song was supposed to be funny, or something, but it just didn't fit. I read somewhere the strange antics with their hands on their heads (and maybe other moves too) are supposed to represent a comic view of freemasonry. Mrs H knows the Lord Chancellor and I guess this is to show them bonding through these secret and strange rituals. Andrew Wright who choreographed it will know I'm sure! |
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Post by bungalowbill on Jun 7, 2016 10:56:33 GMT
Saw this last night for the second time - this time from front row right hand side C-something, which is a good seat - no issues with neck craning or leg room, and during the show one can certainly... see... things you might not have otherwise seen sat further away. Ahem. Sat next to a delightful lady from Germany who comes over to the UK for 5 days once a year to see as many West End shows as she can.
As seems the norm, Balcony and Grand Circle closed, quite a few seats spare dotted round the stalls. I paid £39.50 for front row, bought day before.
Nonetheless enthusiastic audience and I enjoyed it more the second time - still find the Lord Chamberlain scene quite grating as others have said, but good reactions to the laughter moments and as I've had the soundtrack on repeat for the last month, good to sing (silently of course!) along to.
Graham Vick covering the Van Damm part, and he was great - pleased to see he made it his own, you would not know he was not the star. Good voice too. One downside, in the male de-robing scene, seeing his old chap - hand me the eye bleach! But "Bravo" anyway. Also Jamie Foreman away, and a great replacement in Alexander Delamere. Still hate the Hitler bit though.
Would love to see again but running out of time.
(First post, woooh!)
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Post by djp on Jun 9, 2016 0:40:48 GMT
Totally agreed. I didn't quite understand if the choreography in this song was supposed to be funny, or something, but it just didn't fit. I read somewhere the strange antics with their hands on their heads (and maybe other moves too) are supposed to represent a comic view of freemasonry. Mrs H knows the Lord Chancellor and I guess this is to show them bonding through these secret and strange rituals. Andrew Wright who choreographed it will know I'm sure! His Lordship ends up later concealing his midlands, behind a masonic whatever, tied around his waist. I think the dance hand gestures are a send up of the secret signals. Though anyone who knows, who tells us, seemingly gets executed on the spot. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2016 9:26:45 GMT
Am heading back next week for one of the final performances. I went to the first preview and loved it and am gutted it is closing so am looking forward to seeing the changes and how the cast have improved before it bows out.
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Post by mallardo on Jun 10, 2016 9:52:46 GMT
There have been few if any changes. It has just gotten tighter and better. Believe me, I am as gutted as you are.
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Post by mallardo on Jun 10, 2016 10:44:58 GMT
It has just gotten tighter and better But what about the show?
I obviously should have chosen my words more carefully knowing you were lurking, TM.
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