2,775 posts
|
Post by daniel on Apr 17, 2016 23:51:52 GMT
I wonder how high the stage is going to be.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2016 15:31:01 GMT
How will they fill the entire stage as its so wide! I'm guessing they'll make the set grander like the original London version rather than the tour version.
Also in the tour, is the rehearsal song, I'm your baby tonight, replaced with How Will I Know? If so what is then used for the kareoke song with the three drunk girls?
|
|
106 posts
|
Post by trapdoor on Apr 20, 2016 16:05:20 GMT
Drunk Girls do 'Where Do Broken Hearts Go' now. HWIK is the rehearsal number in Rachel's gracious living room.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2016 16:16:30 GMT
Drunk Girls do 'Where Do Broken Hearts Go' now. HWIK is the rehearsal number in Rachel's gracious living room. Ah! So they cut I'm your baby Tonight! Interesting! Thanks for the reply. im so intrigued to see how the set is gonna be on the stage. |
|
3,057 posts
|
Post by ali973 on Apr 20, 2016 18:06:38 GMT
More or less the same as the original London version, but with more projections. I would expect Queen of the Night to be the biggest difference.
It's too bad they had to do the cast recording of the tour with Alexandra (who I like enough). But vocally they should have done a New London cast with Beverley, who does sing it better.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2016 18:22:04 GMT
More or less the same as the original London version, but with more projections. I would expect Queen of the Night to be the biggest difference. It's too bad they had to do the cast recording of the tour with Alexandra (who I like enough). But vocally they should have done a New London cast with Beverley, who does sing it better. Yeah I think it will look more professional as its now in a theatre for 6 months. I think they'll bring back the flying stalker at the beginning of the show instead of a projection. I hope they change Queen of the Night, I'm sure they will to jazz it up abit and I think they'll keep the new songs they've added. Yes I totally agree about the cast recording! I love Alexandra Burke but it would've been great to hear Beverley singing the hits! |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2016 15:38:47 GMT
I'm quite upset to be honest that this is definitely only doing a limited run, would've loved to have seen it run for a long time. But I guess they didn't want a huge flop in that theatre maybe?
|
|
7,052 posts
|
Post by Jon on Apr 22, 2016 17:39:49 GMT
I'm quite upset to be honest that this is definitely only doing a limited run, would've loved to have seen it run for a long time. But I guess they didn't want a huge flop in that theatre maybe? I suspect Nederlander were only planning it to run six months due to An American in Paris. Given this was an return engagement, a six month run is fine plus it ran almost two years at the Adelphi, to think it would be a long runner is unrealistic |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2016 17:48:27 GMT
I'm quite upset to be honest that this is definitely only doing a limited run, would've loved to have seen it run for a long time. But I guess they didn't want a huge flop in that theatre maybe? I suspect Nederlander were only planning it to run six months due to An American in Paris. Given this was an return engagement, a six month run is fine plus it ran almost two years at the Adelphi, to think it would be a long runner is unrealistic To add to that further, I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up heading out on tour again considering the success of the current tour, so it is definitely not the last we will hear of this show!  |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2016 19:01:39 GMT
I suspect Nederlander were only planning it to run six months due to An American in Paris. Given this was an return engagement, a six month run is fine plus it ran almost two years at the Adelphi, to think it would be a long runner is unrealistic To add to that further, I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up heading out on tour again considering the success of the current tour, so it is definitely not the last we will hear of this show! Yes true, it probably was to fill the gal from the current show until An American in Paris. I'm not sure it would go straight out on tour again but I wouldn't be surprised if it does in a year or two, it's defiantly not the last we've heard of it! I think the engagement in London will be a success! |
|
2,775 posts
|
Post by daniel on Apr 28, 2016 19:18:25 GMT
Went to see this in Liverpool this afternoon, and I have to say I was really disappointed.
I had seen the show a few times in Birmingham last year with both Alexandra Burke and Zoe Birkett and absolutely loved it, so much so that I wanted to go back - however today something was just missing, and I think it was mostly the cast.
Carole Stennett as Rachel Marron...all I can say is yawn. She could sing the songs fine, but there was zero stage presence, the acting and line delivery was weak and I didn't feel any emotion or passion at all from her. It felt like I was watching someone on stage singing Whitney songs, rather than watching Rachel Marron. Zoe was the best Rachel that I saw and Carole just didn't come anywhere near. I even enjoyed Alexandra's performance more, at least she had really good stage presence to go with the vocals. I don't like to talk negatively about a performer but I was just so so disappointed.
Rachel John as Nikki Marron...I'm a big fan of Rachel, loved her in WWRY and would love to see her one day cast as Elphaba, but I just felt that this role perhaps wasn't for her. There was nothing wrong with her performance and she sang the songs well, but I just think she didn't get a chance to show herself off as much as in previous roles. I think also, the fact that Melissa James in the last cast was so sensationally good has set the bar exceptionally high for future actresses in the role. I do think Rachel would do really well in the role of Rachel, however, and would be keen to see this.
Even in the smaller roles, I felt the new cast weren't a patch on the previous cast. Especially Sy, I felt he missed all of the comedy and "sassiness" that the previous actor had.
Summary: great show, but poor cast at present. If you'd asked me for a rating last summer I would have said 4/5, however on today's performance, it was a 2.5/5 at best.
|
|
3,057 posts
|
Post by ali973 on Apr 29, 2016 8:43:13 GMT
I've seen Carole play Rachel in Lodnon, and it must have been only her second or third show back then. Like you said, nothing special there. I was also a bit meh about the way she sang the songs. I've seen Rachel John as Rachel (but not as Nikki yet) and think she should have had that gig to begin with. She sang it excellently and her acting was pretty decent.
TBH I actually think you do need a "real" diva to play the role full time, but as an alternate an up and coming starlet like Rachel would have been fantastic.
|
|
2,775 posts
|
Post by daniel on Apr 29, 2016 9:52:09 GMT
I've seen Carole play Rachel in Lodnon, and it must have been only her second or third show back then. Like you said, nothing special there. I was also a bit meh about the way she sang the songs. I've seen Rachel John as Rachel (but not as Nikki yet) and think she should have had that gig to begin with. She sang it excellently and her acting was pretty decent. TBH I actually think you do need a "real" diva to play the role full time, but as an alternate an up and coming starlet like Rachel would have been fantastic. Couldn't agree more! |
|
94 posts
|
Post by Kim on Apr 29, 2016 10:54:05 GMT
I saw both shows yesterday (was booked for the evening but got in early enough to make the matinee) and agree, I found myself getting distracted a lot during it (although that could be because I was sat in the roof) I've seen Carole a few times now and the only times I've thought she was excellent was an evening show and a Saturday matinee, don't know if she performs better to a better crowd. With Rachel I don't always like how she plays Nicki she's suddenly changed a lot before I found her quite cold, like she didn't care that by writing back started it all, yet yesterday she was very emotional. Also I spoke to her after and she won't have any dates as Rachel it'll all be last minute  Alex has a new finale dress too, very gold and sparkly like her I'm Every Woman dress, I like it, but then I'm not a fan of the yellow one |
|
3,057 posts
|
Post by ali973 on Apr 29, 2016 12:32:36 GMT
^ Rachel's London dates will probably be Carole's shows (i.e. Monday and mid week matinees) when Beverley is out. If you go to the main page and find Beverley's off date, you can more or less figure out what days Rachel will be on.
The new yellow sparkly dress started in Germany. Glad they are now using it on tour.
|
|
94 posts
|
Post by Kim on Apr 29, 2016 13:45:34 GMT
That's what I'm hoping for, she's more suited to Rachel anyway, plus I liked Ibinabo as Nicki and the swing fan in me gets excited at them having a decent track.
Carole still had the canary dress so hopefully she'll get the new one soon tho I'll probably only see her in London if there's an understudy on
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2016 23:03:20 GMT
^ Rachel's London dates will probably be Carole's shows (i.e. Monday and mid week matinees) when Beverley is out. If you go to the main page and find Beverley's off date, you can more or less figure out what days Rachel will be on. The new yellow sparkly dress started in Germany. Glad they are now using it on tour. Sorry if I'm getting confused/missed something, but is Rachel definitely the alternate for London? That's not what the cast info on the website says, Carole's listed as both tour and London alternate there, and Rachel as Nicki for both. If Rachel's getting guaranteed alternate performances then I'll be booking for one, but it sounds as if she's first understudy rather than alternate, which means she wouldn't be guaranteed any shows - she'll only go on if Beverley and Carole are both out. |
|
2,775 posts
|
Post by daniel on Apr 30, 2016 0:38:55 GMT
I don't know if it was a printing error, but Rachel John isn't even listed as an understudy in the programme, only Carole Stennett and Emmy Willow were listed.
|
|
3,057 posts
|
Post by ali973 on Apr 30, 2016 7:29:44 GMT
^ Rachel's London dates will probably be Carole's shows (i.e. Monday and mid week matinees) when Beverley is out. If you go to the main page and find Beverley's off date, you can more or less figure out what days Rachel will be on. The new yellow sparkly dress started in Germany. Glad they are now using it on tour. Sorry if I'm getting confused/missed something, but is Rachel definitely the alternate for London? That's not what the cast info on the website says, Carole's listed as both tour and London alternate there, and Rachel as Nicki for both. If Rachel's getting guaranteed alternate performances then I'll be booking for one, but it sounds as if she's first understudy rather than alternate, which means she wouldn't be guaranteed any shows - she'll only go on if Beverley and Carole are both out. She's understudy in London. What I meant to say is, when Beverley will be off, Carole will take Beverley's full time spot, and Rachel will be alternate to Carole during these dates. Rachel will not go on unless Carole is off or taking over Beverley when Bev is on holiday. |
|
2,775 posts
|
Post by daniel on Apr 30, 2016 10:16:50 GMT
Will Rachel definitely do both of the alternate dates when Beverley is off? I remember on tour, when Alexandra was off, Zoe would do all of the evening shows plus Saturday afternoon, leaving Melissa just the Wednesday afternoon. I'd be gutted if I booked a show expecting Rachel and it was Carole!
|
|
3,057 posts
|
Post by ali973 on Apr 30, 2016 10:31:44 GMT
Will Rachel definitely do both of the alternate dates when Beverley is off? I remember on tour, when Alexandra was off, Zoe would do all of the evening shows plus Saturday afternoon, leaving Melissa just the Wednesday afternoon. I'd be gutted if I booked a show expecting Rachel and it was Carole! I think mid-week would be best bet. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2016 10:55:45 GMT
I think that Nicki is a good part anyway. It's one of the major parts and has some good solos. I can imagine Rachel being very good in that role
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2016 23:50:07 GMT
Will Rachel definitely do both of the alternate dates when Beverley is off? I remember on tour, when Alexandra was off, Zoe would do all of the evening shows plus Saturday afternoon, leaving Melissa just the Wednesday afternoon. I'd be gutted if I booked a show expecting Rachel and it was Carole! No, there's no guarantee Rachel will get any shows. Often when an alternate is covering holiday they'll do all eight shows themselves. It doesn't mean the understudy steps up into the alternate role. That, and Rachel herself has said she isn't guaranteed any shows, so clearly she won't just step into the alternate role when Beverley's off. Obviously if Carole gets ill while covering for Beverley then Rachel would go on, but other than that she won't have any shows. |
|
3,057 posts
|
Post by ali973 on May 1, 2016 5:08:01 GMT
Will Rachel definitely do both of the alternate dates when Beverley is off? I remember on tour, when Alexandra was off, Zoe would do all of the evening shows plus Saturday afternoon, leaving Melissa just the Wednesday afternoon. I'd be gutted if I booked a show expecting Rachel and it was Carole! No, there's no guarantee Rachel will get any shows. Often when an alternate is covering holiday they'll do all eight shows themselves. It doesn't mean the understudy steps up into the alternate role. That, and Rachel herself has said she isn't guaranteed any shows, so clearly she won't just step into the alternate role when Beverley's off. Obviously if Carole gets ill while covering for Beverley then Rachel would go on, but other than that she won't have any shows. That's not correct. BG has more or less has an alternate policy at all times and only on tour (and midway through) have they made alternates do two shows a day when the principle is off (i.e. Zoe doing two shows on a Saturday when Alex is off). I think the theory is that they can recover on a Sunday, but they'd never have any of their actors do two shows a day followed by another few nights. It was always very easy for me to figure out when Melissa James and Rachel would go on in tour, despite the very few times they did go on. Ditto for the show when it was in London. And I have pretty much stalked the show since 2012 and figured it out with no fail and saw every Rachel understudy who rarely goes on. The only time anyone went on twice was with Gloria Onitiri who ONLY did it twice. Otherwise, her matinee would be substituted by the understudy. Things might get a bit difficult to figure out when it hits London because the schedule is different altogether-with Beverley doing two shows on a Saturday, and a no Monday no Wednesday guarantee. But I looked at her holiday schedule, and I more or less figured out the days when Rachel will go on. Not a lot of them, but they will exist. It'll basically have to be on a Wednesday when Beverley is off from the evening show. |
|
94 posts
|
Post by Kim on May 1, 2016 9:17:07 GMT
I think Zoe chose to do a double Saturday show, she just paced herself a lot for it, I'm not sure if Carole did both shows when she was lead.
I'd imagine Rachel will get some Rachel shows as Carole is gonna have some holiday too, and she did say if she gets any notice she'll tweet about it
|
|
