The Baker's Wife - Menier Chocolate Factory

[theatre22]

Jul 20, 2024 13:56:46 GMT ladidah said:

Jul 20, 2024 10:08:03 GMT theatre22 said:

If you are anywhere near D58 would you mind reporting back if I am going to have a big pillar in the way when I got and see it?

ibb.co/ZGZd05Z

Thank you very much for the photo!

[sf]

Jul 19, 2024 15:38:16 GMT capybara said:

One of the biggest challenges Schwartz and book-writer Joseph Stein faced was how to make this chamber piece reach beyond the wife’s narrative and to push the villagers to the forefront.

Well... no. The film gives much more space to the villagers than to Aurélie (renamed Geneviève in the musical), and begins with her running off with her lover (a shepherd rather than a chauffeur). Schwartz and Stein did precisely the opposite of what you suggest. In the film, we do not see anything of Aimable and Aurélie's marriage prior to her leaving him, and the focus is on how the villagers find Aurélie and persuade her to return. Schwartz and Stein took a piece that is almost entirely about the life of a village, and placed the love triangle in the foreground. Until the last ten minutes of Act One, the musical's plot is entirely theirs. They take most of the first act to show us a backstory that the film does not portray at all, and Aimable and Geneviève's Act Two solos - If I Have To Live Alone and Where Is The Warmth? - also do not have equivalent scenes in the film (the film does, though, include a scene in which Aimable gets drunk in the cafe).

It's a very charming film, but given the title, it's surprising how little it shows of the title character, and it's surprising how much of the musical's plot was invented by Stein and Schwartz - though having said that, the scene where Geneviève returns is lifted more or less directly from the screenplay, including the detail of Aimable talking to the cat.

[capybara]

I’m speaking with regard to earlier versions of the show, rather than the original film which I haven’t seen. There are interesting notes on the show’s development in the programme.

[BVM]

Saw this today and thought was charming.

Full report to follow but a really lovely afternoon.

It both looked and sounded delightful.

[ladidah]

I really enjoyed it, it felt very special. Great performances, beautiful staging.

[CG on the loose]

I was also there this afternoon and echo the previous two comments. I loved the staging and the cast are top notch. I knew almost nothing of the score, but it sounded gorgeous and I came away humming. I think I may have to return...

[iantheknow]

Saw this last night, it is an absolute delight, Lucie Jones sings it really well but let's be honest her acting is non existent. 

[Being Alive]

Jul 21, 2024 7:30:26 GMT iantheknow said:

Saw this last night, it is an absolute delight, Lucie Jones sings it really well but let's be honest her acting is non existent. 

This is what I figured. Will (as usual) sound lovely and mean nothing.

[ladidah]

I really like Lucie, I think she was great.

[jgblunners]

Well I feel slightly bad breaking the positive theme of the posts above this, but I saw the show tonight and thought it was not particularly good. After reading about the show’s development, I think I have realised why.

As noted by other posters above, it seems that the show has been changed over the years to focus more and more on the villagers rather than the love triangle, aligning it more closely with the source material. As a result, Genevieve is drawn so thinly that she is barely a character, she’s really just a plot device. But the show isn’t really set up as an ensemble piece; Amiable and Genevieve are very much presented to us as the leading man and leading lady. You can’t reduce your leading lady to just a plot device, so the show is left in this weird format where Genevieve is given a glorious song like Meadowlark but barely any character exploration to build up to it.

The scenes with the villagers are often amusing, but to me they are not strong enough to hold the show together. We see flashes of interesting stories - Hortense, for example - but they are only ever explored on a superficial level. If the writers had set out from the very beginning to make the villagers the heart of the show and fully flesh them out, I think it could work. But that’s not what this version of the show is. It just didn’t work for me, in spite of some valiant performances.

[joonas]

I went to see this last night and had booked one of the first row cabaret seats so I was practically in the middle of the action. I knew the score so I knew the music was going to be beautiful but what an amazing production and what a phenomenal cast! And I saw this right after being blown away by the equally incredible matinee of Next to Normal, almost wondering how anything could impress me after that.

The book certainly has its flaws but this very charming, truly immersive production makes up for all of them. Five stars from me!

[Scswp]

Jul 28, 2024 6:34:29 GMT joonas said:

I went to see this last night and had booked one of the first row cabaret seats so I was practically in the middle of the action. I knew the score so I knew the music was going to be beautiful but what an amazing production and what a phenomenal cast! And I saw this right after being blown away by the equally incredible matinee of Next to Normal, almost wondering how anything could impress me after that.

The book certainly has its flaws but this very charming, truly immersive production makes up for all of them. Five stars from me!

I, too, saw this yesterday and enjoyed it. The staging was very effective and I enjoyed the performances (and the music) very much.

Yes, it is old-fashioned and the book is very much a problem. There is no real build to the relationship between Genevieve and Dominique - it’s just suddenly ‘there’. She then sings Meadowlark (very well), runs off with him (though you don’t actually see this) and then they completely disappear offstage until well into Act Two. At this point, Genevieve simply sings a song about leaving Dominique and she returns to the bakery. In essence, she leaves and simply returns, but there is no development of the relationship initially and there is certainly no coverage of the relationship deteriorating. In terms of what you actually see, she leaves filled with passion for Dominique, then she just returns. What happened in-between? A scene or two (and, perhaps, a song) need to happen to explain these changes in the relationship and why ‘the grass wasn’t greener’.

As I said, I enjoyed the music, the immersive style and performances, but the plot has great gaping holes in it.

[joonas]

I definitely agree with everything you wrote regarding the plot! But I guess I’ve seen so many operas that I’ve grown accustomed to ignoring major plot holes and just enjoying other aspects of shows. To be honest, I expected the book to be even worse based on everything I had read though.

[Someone in a tree]

Rush gave me E53. I could see most of it. Doesnt the theatre and designer care about sight lines and audience experience?

The air con was on but it was also baking (wife) hot. Despite all of this, i still enjoyed it. The score is delight and it is performed so well.

The villagers grated on me (similar to the endless bickering in Sunday), i wonder if it would work better as a 1 act piece? Nice afternoon out though.

[showtoones]

I understand people like picking apart the plot and they think that it’s thin, but I just watched the show for what it was. I thought everyone was excellent and while the story is thin, you can really only perform what’s on the page and if it’s written as such then it is what it is.

[ladidah]

It is SO hot in there, I went when it was about 25 degrees and it was awful. I feel sorry for visitors this week!

[sandeep]

Saw this last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. It has European Cinema sensibilities akin to films like Chocolat and Malena. Small town fable transformed by something seemingly trite, but to the people quite drastic. I think once you accept that this isn't Chekov and also set in an "old world" setting, it's easier to enjoy it. The beautiful music seems to fill in all the traditionally "lacking" expository and this cast makes it soar. I personally love that nothing is completely explained or solved and the intimate setting helps us focus on how to feel rather what to think.

I thought the cast were absolutely phenomenal. Some standout performances for me were Clive Rowe (his Aimable was alive and heartbreaking), Joaquin Pedro Valdes (his Dominique charming, playful and reckless, and that voice on him!), Finty Williams (so lived and layered, making the most memorable moments with her few scenes).

[max]

I enjoyed this last night. A shame it feels like 15 pages dropped out of the script, so the storyline leaps over early character motivation our engagement should rest on. Despite revisions over the years Act 1 could be fixed in the song '(Fresh Warm) Bread' if the clamour for Aimable's baking got tracked with time leaps marked by him taking requests, inventing recipes, baking for seasonal calendar occassions, family events etc. Then we'd see him more wedded to the village's needs than Genevieve, earning her disatisfaction. As for Act 2.... I'm out of ideas ; )

But on a hot London day it was a pleasure to enjoy the melodies, a strong cast, and be transported to a French village square with audience members playng petanque in pre-show, some lovely singing and plenty of strong moments that succeed in spite of the overall shaky Book.

I had seat E57 which for £15 from a TodayTix deal a while ago was a great night out. Most of the time the pillar doesn't block the action, though it was pretty bad for 'Meadowlark' (which is badly staged anyway). If that seat comes up on TodayTix at low cost then I'd recommend it as a fair deal bargain. I did observe that if certain scenes were moved just a little more to the centre every seat would have had a good view at all times - why not do that?! Dealing with disappointed punters needn't be an option Menier, and I wouldn't have been happy if I'd paid the usual £53.25 for my seat.

A show I knew from CD decades ago, really good to see it - only the Book makes it a mixed baguette.

[matttom0901]

Saw it tonight and found it quite charming. Was sitting at the J table, which was in the front on the right hand side. I thought it to be quite a pleasant experience as I felt like I was in the middle of the performance.

[theatrelover123]

Transferring to @sohoplace I hear?

[unseaworthy]

Aug 3, 2024 21:31:40 GMT theatrelover123 said:

Transferring to @sohoplace I hear?

Now that would be lovely, I really enjoyed it tonight. A really simple, old fashioned show with a heart of gold. I wish them all the luck in the world. 

[Jon]

Seems a bit risky to transfer considering it's not been a sell out.

[unseaworthy]

Aug 4, 2024 10:23:38 GMT kit66 said:

Aug 3, 2024 23:34:46 GMT Jon said:

Seems a bit risky to transfer considering it's not been a sell out.

Checking the website currently there is not one sold out performance in the whole run

I wonder if the pricing puts people off - even the cheap seats are over £50

[ThereWillBeSun]

Aug 4, 2024 10:27:56 GMT unseaworthy said:

Aug 4, 2024 10:23:38 GMT kit66 said:

Checking the website currently there is not one sold out performance in the whole run

I wonder if the pricing puts people off - even the cheap seats are over £50

Actual joke for a venue as rundown as the Menier. Can’t justify it unfortunately :/

[Musical_Manda]

I saw this production last night. I wasn't blown away by the story but the cast were brilliant and I loved how immersive the set was. It was my first visit to the venue and really enjoyed it. I couldn't help but compare it to Southwark Playhouse and the Union Theatre which have the same vibe and felt that the production was really good. I was lucky and got a cheap seat on the second row, it was full but I can't see it transferring anywhere - as much as Lucie Jones and Clive Rowe have drawn people in I doubt it'll sell well in other venues. Here is a link to my review for anyone interested. musicalmanda.site/2024/08/04/the-bakers-wife-review/