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Post by Phantom of London on Jan 29, 2017 1:00:33 GMT
Gabriel Vick is fantastic in this, in a clunky and uneven production.
Turkey Lurkey which should of knocked it out of the park, remained earthbound, the cast just seemed to muddle through this one and looked relieved once the number was done. However some great songs in the playlist, which is complemented by a strong book by Neil Simon, however this was delievered with mixed results. Watching this kept transporting me back to the fine Broadway production with Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes, also with the late Dick Latessa who was a scream, however a great production should have held me in the moment.
I also found that projections don't work in a thrust stage set up, did they not learn from Bat Boy?
I thought the Basketball number was great, as was a house isn't a home. The title number was delievered with great relish.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2017 11:25:44 GMT
Well. Gabriel Vick is sensational in this, genuinely adorably marvellous but the rest of it is all just a bit ropey. He deserved a much better show.
There are so many bits that could have been swiftly cut - the Christmas 'Turkey Lurkey' song, the Basketball number, in fact most of the ensemble numbers could have been given the chop or anything where Gabriel Vick wasn't included. Most of the score sounded very much the same in that Burt Bacharach lift music way and 'A House Is Not A Home' (while sung very nicely by Daisy Maywood with a touch of the Linzi Hateley's about her) was just completely out of place and you could tell it had been added because it was a hit song.
Oh, and the opening to Act 2 is worth the ticket price alone. Alex Young pretty much steals the entire thing as Marge. If Gabriel Vick wasn't so darn lovely in the lead she'd have waltzed off with the whole show in her owl coat.
And good God, it was hot in there.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 6, 2017 15:05:52 GMT
So basically, you just want The Gabriel Vick Show, with special guests Alex Young and her Owl.
I know what you mean though, he was very charming and likeable.
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Post by stevej678 on Feb 6, 2017 15:17:19 GMT
Gabriel Vick fans may enjoy this from his Once days, performing the pre-show number Red Haired Mary with Phoebe Fildes and the rest of the original London cast.
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Post by CG on the loose on Feb 6, 2017 20:58:33 GMT
First came across Gabriel Vick in Hamlet, the Musical. Which I adored. So his name on a cast list always piques my interest. Seeing this tomorrow... prepared for the late, late train home!
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Post by anthony40 on Feb 6, 2017 21:22:51 GMT
Yes, apart from Once (I LOVE Once), Gabriel Vic was Henrik in the Trevor Nunn directed Menier Chocolate Factory production of A Little Night Music that transferred to The Wyndams. He was also Jean-Michel in La Cage aux Follies.
He also turned up in Sunny Afternoon-The Kinks musical.
He was also part of the creative team behind Miss Atomic Bomb.
Married to Kerry Howard (Russell's sister)
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Post by CG on the loose on Feb 7, 2017 16:46:08 GMT
And by coincidence... this tweet today!
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Post by Stasia on Feb 7, 2017 18:19:37 GMT
And by coincidence... this tweet today! Booked! |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2017 10:51:52 GMT
I noticed on the poster for this on the tube this morning that the show apparently includes the hit song 'I Say A Little Prayer'. I don't remember that being in it at all! Isn't that a bit of false advertising?
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Post by stevej678 on Feb 15, 2017 14:15:17 GMT
I felt a bit sorry for the female ensemble members in the show. When your only real tasks on stage are to walk arm-in-arm with a man, move some of the furniture around and sing a song called Turkey Lurkey, you must know it's not the best acting job you've ever had.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2017 16:09:54 GMT
Fran trills a bit of it, so it is in the show. I must have missed that during one of my naps. |
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Post by stevej678 on Feb 15, 2017 18:10:33 GMT
A chance to work in a trio centre stage for several minutes at a noted venue? I'd guess many actors would rate that pretty high? That's true, TM. My comments were tongue in cheek but, while the last thing this show needed was padding out even more, I would usually have been disappointed to see the ensemble underused to the extent some of them were here. In this instance though, Gabriel Vick and Daisy Maywood were such a cute, likeable leading couple that the absence of more ensemble numbers didn't detract from my enjoyment at all. The doctor's cameos came close to stealing the show but that moment had to go to the gorgeous arrangement for I'll Never Fall In Love Again. For a moment during that number, with Gabriel strumming away on his guitar, it felt somewhat reminiscent of being back watching Once again. |
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Post by Mark on Feb 15, 2017 18:41:49 GMT
Enjoyed this yesterday. Another solid production at Southwark Playhouse.
Interesting the auditorium was "flipped" compared to all my other visits before.
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Post by theatre-turtle on Feb 15, 2017 21:03:39 GMT
Ugh
Where to start.
I'm at the interval now. I hate pretty much everything about the show. There's nothing funny, clever, witty or charming about the script at all.
The music is mediocre call centre waiting music.
The venue is cramped and the staging is cheap and seems to have been bought in a single IKEA trip. Cast average, but to be fair they are portraying utterly detestable characters. I hope there's a flood or earthquake at some point in Act 2.
Protagonist utterly pathetic. I want someone to put him out of his misery.
Incredibly sexist, dated and offensive to all sexes. Was attempting to end this review on a positive but struggling to come up with one...?
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Post by alece10 on Feb 15, 2017 21:08:41 GMT
Ugh Where to start. I'm at the interval now. I hate pretty much everything about the show. There's nothing funny, clever, witty or charming about the script at all. The music is mediocre call centre waiting music. The venue is cramped and the staging is cheap and seems to have been bought in a single IKEA trip. Cast average, but to be fair they are portraying utterly detestable characters. I hope there's a flood or earthquake at some point in Act 2. Protagonist utterly pathetic. I want someone to put him out of his misery. Incredibly sexist, dated and offensive to all sexes. Was attempting to end this review on a positive but struggling to come up with one...? So you are enjoying it then? |
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Post by theatre-turtle on Feb 15, 2017 23:14:02 GMT
One of my least favorites. I'd put it in a league with Viva Forever and Hand to God among my worst theatre experiences for the reasons outlined above. Inexplicably I stayed for Act 2. I should take inspiration from Parsley
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Post by Mark on Feb 16, 2017 9:01:34 GMT
Interesting the auditorium was "flipped" compared to all my other visits before. I wondered about that too, Mark, as it didn't seem to add anything - though maybe it was to help with costume changes, as the dressing rooms are on that side of the theatre? Perhaps! I do love the space and think The Life will be excellent here. Front row ever slightly to the side is where I sat and had a great view. |
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Post by mallardo on Feb 16, 2017 9:02:14 GMT
Grey Gardens was staged in the same configuration, as were Toxic Avenger and Batboy and, I'm pretty sure, others I can't recall at the moment. I think you're right about closer proximity to the dressing rooms as a motive, TM.
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Post by westendwendy on Feb 16, 2017 9:08:11 GMT
Ugh Where to start. I'm at the interval now. I hate pretty much everything about the show. There's nothing funny, clever, witty or charming about the script at all. The music is mediocre call centre waiting music. The venue is cramped and the staging is cheap and seems to have been bought in a single IKEA trip. Cast average, but to be fair they are portraying utterly detestable characters. I hope there's a flood or earthquake at some point in Act 2. Protagonist utterly pathetic. I want someone to put him out of his misery. Incredibly sexist, dated and offensive to all sexes. Was attempting to end this review on a positive but struggling to come up with one...? Why don't people ever say that Miss Siagon is sexist, dated and offensive to all sexes? Same with Dogfight reviews. Why can't some musicals or plays address such issues anymore while others can? I find it so interesting what we find socially acceptable. Hey, if that's the case Showboat should be banned! |
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Post by theatre-turtle on Feb 16, 2017 15:38:46 GMT
Ugh Where to start. I'm at the interval now. I hate pretty much everything about the show. There's nothing funny, clever, witty or charming about the script at all. The music is mediocre call centre waiting music. The venue is cramped and the staging is cheap and seems to have been bought in a single IKEA trip. Cast average, but to be fair they are portraying utterly detestable characters. I hope there's a flood or earthquake at some point in Act 2. Protagonist utterly pathetic. I want someone to put him out of his misery. Incredibly sexist, dated and offensive to all sexes. Was attempting to end this review on a positive but struggling to come up with one...? Why don't people ever say that Miss Siagon is sexist, dated and offensive to all sexes? Same with Dogfight reviews. Why can't some musicals or plays address such issues anymore while others can? I find it so interesting what we find socially acceptable. Hey, if that's the case Showboat should be banned! The women in Miss Saigon are ambitious, ballsy and multi dimensional. The bar scenes etc are a commentary on the oppression of women, unlike Promises Promises which seems totally unironic. They also have much better songs than the hideous 'Turkey Lurkey'' |
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Post by westendwendy on Feb 16, 2017 16:27:49 GMT
Why don't people ever say that Miss Siagon is sexist, dated and offensive to all sexes? Same with Dogfight reviews. Why can't some musicals or plays address such issues anymore while others can? I find it so interesting what we find socially acceptable. Hey, if that's the case Showboat should be banned! The women in Miss Saigon are ambitious, ballsy and multi dimensional. The bar scenes etc are a commentary on the oppression of women, unlike Promises Promises which seems totally unironic. They also have much better songs than the hideous 'Turkey Lurkey'' Same for Les Mis? The lovely ladies? I don't buy it. |
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Post by Stasia on Feb 17, 2017 13:41:00 GMT
The women in Miss Saigon are ambitious, ballsy and multi dimensional. The bar scenes etc are a commentary on the oppression of women, unlike Promises Promises which seems totally unironic. They also have much better songs than the hideous 'Turkey Lurkey'' Same for Les Mis? The lovely ladies? I don't buy it. Me neither. Describing something in the story doesn't mean that you are promoting this or agreeing with the part of view that existed few decades earlier. I am always surprised to see people saying that people are unable to separate one thing from the other. |
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