Burlesque The Musical - Manchester / Glasgow / Manchester

[richey]

Late start, worst audience I've ever had the misfortune to sit in.
Show looks pretty spectacular, sort of a cross between Chicago and Moulin Rouge.
Can't decide if I love it or hate it.

[BurlyBeaR]

Jun 13, 2024 20:12:47 GMT richey said:

Late start, worst audience I've ever had the misfortune to sit in.
Show looks pretty spectacular, sort of a cross between Chicago and Moulin Rouge.
Can't decide if I love it or hate it.

Can’t wait for the details richey  

[richey]

Jun 13, 2024 20:29:01 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Jun 13, 2024 20:12:47 GMT richey said:

Late start, worst audience I've ever had the misfortune to sit in.
Show looks pretty spectacular, sort of a cross between Chicago and Moulin Rouge.
Can't decide if I love it or hate it.

Can’t wait for the details richey  

This is going to keep the bad audience thread going for months

[richey]

So the show started approx 20 minutes late which might have contributed to the abysmal behaviour which I'll post about elsewhere.
I thought I was going to hate it but by the middle of the first act I'd been won over. There's a big number from Todrick which really kicks things into gear.
Really effective staging. It's basically two massive staircases but they work really well. The back wall is a massive led screen and it's used for a variety of things, sometimes showing video, sometimes background scenery. There's a very effective scene on act 2 where the action on the revolve is coordinated with the screens and we get a 360 degree perspective.
The big dance numbers especially the ones in act 2 are spectacular.
The two female leads are really good. "You haven't seen the last of me yet" sounded fantastic and blows Cher's version out of the water.
This has hit written all over it. There's no way they've spent the amount of money of this staging without it getting a West End transfer. Wouldn't have known it was the first performance, it looked great. Although there was an amusing moment in act 2 where someone dropped a heavy metallic object offstage causing a massive clang and the two characters who were onstage corpsed then ad-libbed brilliantly before picking up exactly where they'd left off.

[singularsensation]

Was also there tonight but wasn’t blown away unfortunately!

The pros;
- An incredibly talented cast. Jess Folley is a sensational vocalist and really blew me away at points as did Jackie Burns.
- The songs from the movie hold up and are still a lot of fun
- The changes they made from the movie to the more general plot points/story make a lot of sense and the book is genuinely funny at many points
- Loved the choreography

The cons;
- Some of the staging felt so clunky, the scene transitions at times were atrocious and really took me out of it.
- The new songs lean very heavily on the style of Christina/Sia. I don’t have the programme so don’t have the names of the numbers to hand but Ali’s first big solo about where she gets her confidence sounds identical to Christina’s Beautiful at points. One of the burlesque transition songs was Sia-by-the-numbers. The Todrick number in act one very much sounded like The Room Where It Happens.
- You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me was absolutely raced through, no build or emotional impact for me as a result no matter how beautifully Jackie sang it.
- The resolution is so rushed.

SPOILER: Click to show

Ali and Tess have their big argument, there’s a relatively throw away line about wanting to go home and then it jumps to Ali saving the club and the big emotional duet comes.

- Todrick’s number whilst lovely got the longest and loudest applause of the night which I found truly truly baffling when the women onstage outshone him in multiple numbers effortlessly. Bizarre.
- Musically it feels a bit confused - traditional burlesque style songs, traditional earnest musical songs and then straight up pop songs.


Was it awful? Not by any means but I wouldn’t rush back.

3 stars for me!

[BVM]

I swear the Manchesterford Opera House is the worst theatre in the country for bad behaviour. The peak of the cruel ATG estate!

Reign of Binge Britain Terror every time I go!

[BurlyBeaR]

I’m scared to go!

[theinvisiblegirl]

What time did it end last night? I just need a general idea so I can book my train home.

[richey]

Jun 14, 2024 9:26:02 GMT theinvisiblegirl said:

What time did it end last night? I just need a general idea so I can book my train home.

10.20ish but it started about twenty minutes late

[benny20]

Is there a cast list in the foyer?

[stevej678]

I hope ATG know a reliable building contractor because Burlesque may have blown the roof off the Manchester Opera House last night! I can't imagine the venue has seen many Monday evenings quite like that.

The audience went absolutely wild for this. And not in a feral, "you'll be hearing about it in the news" kind of way. The rapturous responses to every song. It felt like we were on the cusp of mid-show standing ovations several times. Then at the end, before the lights had even started to fade there was an instant full standing ovation across all three levels of the theatre, of the kind usually only reserved for Come from Away. I can't recall an atmosphere of sheer enjoyment and exhilaration at the theatre quite like it.

I remember criticising the prices for this when it was announced but I take that back, this was worth every penny. You can see where your ticket money has been spent and the whole show is in remarkable shape for only the fourth day of previews.

There is some talent on that stage. Jess Folley as Ali is absolutely outstanding. I'd go so far as to say one of the best performances I've seen on stage. With insane vocals and stage presence to match, she's a bona fide star. Jess has great chemistry with Jackie Burns already. Todrick Hall has the audience in the palm of his hand throughout. And Nina Ann Nelson is excellent as Nikki. It's worth noting that Nina will be alternate Ali at some performances.

I went to the show not having seen the film and with little to no expectations. I came away thinking:

1 - this has smash hit written all over it. The score is electric, the spectacle frequently breathtaking. It doesn't really miss a beat or lose its momentum from start to finish. It's the musical that Moulin Rouge wishes it could be.

2 - there's no way this is selling out as it is, getting the euphoric audience reaction that it is, and clearly had the level of investment it's had, without being West End bound in the near future.

3 - Jess Folley is about to become one of the most in-demand names in musical theatre. Truly, this is a career-defining, star-is-born moment for her.

Some of the audience comments I heard while leaving the theatre included "That was the best musical I've ever seen" and "She (Jess) has the best voice I've ever heard live".

I could happily watch Burlesque all over again this evening. If you were toying with the idea of going, then get your tickets booked while you can. This is the real deal.

Five stars.

[distantcousin]

Jun 18, 2024 9:03:15 GMT stevej678 said:

I hope ATG know a reliable building contractor because Burlesque may have blown the roof off the Manchester Opera House last night! I can't imagine the venue has seen many Monday evenings quite like that.

The audience went absolutely wild for this. And not in a feral, "you'll be hearing about it in the news" kind of way. The rapturous responses to every song. It felt like we were on the cusp of mid-show standing ovations several times. Then at the end, before the lights had even started to fade there was an instant full standing ovation across all three levels of the theatre, of the kind usually only reserved for Come from Away. I can't recall an atmosphere of sheer enjoyment and exhilaration at the theatre quite like it.

I remember criticising the prices for this when it was announced but I take that back, this was worth every penny. You can see where your ticket money has been spent and the whole show is in remarkable shape for only the fourth day of previews.

There is some talent on that stage. Jess Folley as Ali is absolutely outstanding. I'd go so far as to say one of the best performances I've seen on stage. With insane vocals and stage presence to match, she's a bona fide star. Jess has great chemistry with Jackie Burns already. Todrick Hall has the audience in the palm of his hand throughout. And Nina Ann Nelson is excellent as Nikki. It's worth noting that Nina will be alternate Ali at some performances.

I went to the show not having seen the film and with little to no expectations. I came away thinking:

1 - this has smash hit written all over it. The score is electric, the spectacle frequently breathtaking. It doesn't really miss a beat or lose its momentum from start to finish. It's the musical that Moulin Rouge wishes it could be.

2 - there's no way this is selling out as it is, getting the euphoric audience reaction that it is, and clearly had the level of investment it's had, without being West End bound in the near future.

3 - Jess Folley is about to become one of the most in-demand names in musical theatre. Truly, this is a career-defining, star-is-born moment for her.

Some of the audience comments I heard while leaving the theatre included "That was the best musical I've ever seen" and "She (Jess) has the best voice I've ever heard live".

I could happily watch Burlesque all over again this evening. If you were toying with the idea of going, then get your tickets booked while you can. This is the real deal.

Five stars.

I'm surprised to hear this. Does the film have a big following? My perception of it is that it was a box office flop. 

[benny20]

Was there last night. Never seen the film. There was clearly a following for the film I presume from some of the reactions but also a lot of love for the 3 main leads...I mean a LOT..I've seen plenty of shows with bad behaviour but this was not one of them . Just enthusiasm and joy and appreciation of what they were seeing and hearing. WOW..some of those vocals. I'd recommend it if you appreciate top class talent

[westendgirls]

Glad to hear it’s starting to get some good reviews. I have been following the rehearsals as I follow Jess Qualter who is in the ensemble and she has been involved since fairly early on

Hoping that it announces London dates otherwise I may need to take a day trip north

[BurlyBeaR]

Hmmm. Not sure about this. I felt it had all the ingredients to work but somehow, for me, it didn’t entirely manage it. Like something was slightly “off”.
Cast great, I take back everything I said about Jess Foley in those earlier clips - she has a lovely voice. Lots of people seemed to be there for Todrick Hall who didn’t disappoint them, he is extremely confident and knows how to work the audience. Elements of New York drag/ballroom scene have been inserted into the plot and there’s a shameless ripoff tribute to Madonna’s Vogue. There are some extremely attractive people on the stage, tits for days and that was just the men. Jackie Burns was perfect as Cher Tess, it was her totally in attitude without doing the voice. Set simple but good, lighting good, sound good after a slightly fuzzy start, projections good it was all there.
So what wasn’t there? I don’t know, it’s hard to put my finger on it and it could just be that it’s been open only a week and things haven’t all been worked out yet. But, for example they’ve managed to squeeze a tap number into the proceedings which doesn’t really fit but I’m pleased they did it, problem is the boys performing it weren’t tight enough. There’s a really lovely duet between Ali and Jackson but it’s totally thrown by being performed while they do a sex scene. Jess doesn’t seem entirely comfortable doing the burlesque dancing, all the steps are right but the attitude isn’t there. It’s a little awkward.
But apart from niggles like that the whole thing was like it wasn’t firing on all cylinders which from the reviews above it definitely was last night.
Maybe it’s just me. I’ve seen the film but I’m not invested in it or in any of its stars. And I’m a miserable git sometimes. So it’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Oh, audience? Front stalls well behaved and respectful but super enthusiastic. Further back a few inappropriate shouts, wolf whistles at the sex, topless guys etc. totally predictable. Most of all they were TOTALLY up for it. This will appeal to a crowd that I’m not part of.

[BurlyBeaR]

Jun 14, 2024 12:17:34 GMT richey said:

Jun 14, 2024 9:26:02 GMT theinvisiblegirl said:

What time did it end last night? I just need a general idea so I can book my train home.

10.20ish but it started about twenty minutes late

Out at 10.10 tonight and it started 5 or 6 minutes late.  Suspect they’re aiming for a 10pm finish. 

[BurlyBeaR]

Thought of another thing, Wagon Wheel Watusi gets a full dance routine, great costumes, fosse-esque sixties choreo, right up my street but again it wasn’t “on point”. I want that stuff to be tight AF. Flawlessly in sync. It wasn’t. But maybe it will be.

[WireHangers]

Jun 19, 2024 8:44:45 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Thought of another thing, Wagon Wheel Watusi gets a full dance routine, great costumes, fosse-esque sixties choreo, right up my street but again it wasn’t “on point”. I want that stuff to be tight AF. Flawlessly in sync. It wasn’t. But maybe it will be.

I’d be interested in hearing your opinion on the show again when it returns to Manchester and see if the show becomes slicker and it all fits together for you.

[BurlyBeaR]

Jun 20, 2024 18:29:21 GMT WireHangers said:

Jun 19, 2024 8:44:45 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Thought of another thing, Wagon Wheel Watusi gets a full dance routine, great costumes, fosse-esque sixties choreo, right up my street but again it wasn’t “on point”. I want that stuff to be tight AF. Flawlessly in sync. It wasn’t. But maybe it will be.

I’d be interested in hearing your opinion on the show again when it returns to Manchester and see if the show becomes slicker and it all fits together for you.

I think it will be, but don’t feel the need to spend another £70 to find out for myself. It will be discussed at length on here when it lands in the WE. 
Wasn’t it press night last night? No reviews out yet? 

[jgblunners]

Saw the show tonight. I don’t think I’ve ever heard an audience scream so loudly at the end of a show, it was almost eardrum-shattering! I’m sure this show will do very well with audiences, although perhaps not with critics (I will be very interested to see what the London critics say, if it ends up there). But the show is clearly not built to please the critics, it’s built to put bums on seats and to get the audience screaming and jumping out of said seats.

I’m afraid my opinion is much the same as that of BurlyBeaR. There’s a lot of talent on stage. There’s some good design work. But I really struggled to engage with it. To me it seemed like the creative team had come up with a bunch of big Ideas (with a capital I) and just thrown them at the stage in the hope they would work. There’s no cohesive vision underpinning it all.

In the hands of a really good director, this could be moulded and focussed into quite a bold and tight musical. As it is, I felt like I was just watching a bunch of stuff happening on stage. There was only one moment when it elicited a slightly quickened pulse from me - the opening song of Act Two. There, for one number, all the parts of the show were deployed in service of a unified creative vision.

Clearly my opinion is out of step with the majority of audience reactions, as evidenced by the screaming mentioned above. I hope it is successful so that many many people can be introduced to Jess Folley, enjoy all the abs on display, and swoon at the sexy saxophone man. I just can’t help but think that there could be a far more interesting version of Burlesque The Musical, and that’s the version I want to see.

[JustJ]

I saw the show yesterday and had high hopes, but it fell flat in many areas.

Firstly, Jess Folley is a sensation. Her vocals are simply incredible. Every time she was on stage and about to sing, I was excited and completely focused. It's worth noting that Todrick Hall was not on during both shows, which seems strange he was doing a pride event in the US, during such a limited run of previews (and on a Saturday night).

The staging and use of screens were great, and the costuming was spot-on (although ensembles members lurking above in the set added absolutely nothing than just a distraction). One standout (new) song was the scene where Shaun talks Ally through the history of Burlesque—very good!

Unfortunately, the choreography was lackluster, a strong cast of ensemble members just not used to their fullest, the storyline felt rushed and patchy, and the script was absolutely dreadful. There were awkward silences, jokes that didn't land, and an overall amateur vibe. The characters were all very two-dimensional.

In its current state, this show will not be well received in London. Critics and the wider audience, beyond fans of the film, will critique this hard.

Right now, it's a 3-star production at best. Jess as Ally adds a star for sure. When she leaves the show, it will fall FLAT. Mark. My. Words. She is the production- period.

There is a really good show in this, but it needs much better direction, script tweaks, and more "wow" moments in terms of choreography and staging. The first 10 minutes of Moulin Rouge is the impact this show wants to make but never hits the mark.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

[stevej678]

Jun 23, 2024 9:22:23 GMT JustJ said:

Critics and the wider audience, beyond fans of the film, will critique this hard.

Critics perhaps but maybe not the audience based on the reaction earlier in the week. Chatting to those sat nearby before the show, none of us had seen the film, yet we were all saying at the interval how much we were enjoying it. 

Personally I found myself bored through much of Moulin Rouge, with five or ten minutes of spectacle punctuating that boredom. I think Burlesque knows what the audience wants and delivers that more successfully overall. It's also a show that builds to the act one climax and the opening number of act two, whereas Moulin Rouge delivers an opening that it fails to match for the rest of the evening.

I agree about Jess though, she definitely elevates the show and adds (at least) one star singlehandedly.

[JustJ]

Jun 23, 2024 9:54:45 GMT stevej678 said:

Jun 23, 2024 9:22:23 GMT JustJ said:

Critics and the wider audience, beyond fans of the film, will critique this hard.

Critics perhaps but not the audience based on the reaction earlier in the week. Chatting to those sat nearby before the show, none of us had seen the film, yet we were all saying at the interval how much we were enjoying it. 

Personally I found myself bored through much of Moulin Rouge, with five or ten minutes of spectacle punctuating that boredom. I think Burlesque knows what the audience wants and delivers that more successfully overall. It's also a show that builds to the act one climax and the opening number of act two, whereas Moulin Rouge delivers an opening that it fails to match again for the rest of the evening.

I take the point about Jess though, she definitely elevated the show from four stars to five for me. What a talent.

I respectfully disagree. The opening of both Act One and Act Two (Bad Romance) in Moulin Rouge are by far some of the best act openers in terms of scale, choreography and energy on a west end stage.

There is no denying the opening of Act Two of Burlesque is brilliant, but it does not build to a climax. It’s very, very clunky. My main issues are certainly with the script… it is just awful.

Yes, it knows who the audience is (the topless saxophone man that appears twice is evidence of this) but it doesn’t mean it’s a good show, or that it’ll succeed in the state it’s in, in London. It’s just not polished enough… yet!

[BurlyBeaR]

I’d forgotten about the superfluous cast members draped across the staircases silently observing every scene. Pointless and distracting.

[BurlyBeaR]

Still no reviews?

Are we to conclude that press night is happening in Glasgow? Or there isn’t going to be one?