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Post by ceebee on Jan 30, 2024 20:51:28 GMT
Did you read the person's post who ceebee was replying to? Yes. They saw & strongly disliked the show. That's why I don't understand why they were then told to give the show a fair chance & why that is supposed to be amusing. Read their post again. Read the sentence I paraphrased. Join the dots. |
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Post by theatrefan62 on Jan 30, 2024 20:51:35 GMT
Did you read the person's post who ceebee was replying to? Yes. They saw & strongly disliked the show. That's why I don't understand why they were then told to give the show a fair chance & why that is supposed to be amusing. They used the same phrase in their review, ceebee was just repeating their wording in a sarcastic way |
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4,020 posts
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Post by Dawnstar on Jan 30, 2024 20:58:13 GMT
They used the same phrase in their review, ceebee was just repeating their wording in a sarcastic way Thank you for explaining that it was intended to be sarcastic. I did not understand that, hence I could not make sense of it. |
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Post by luvvie23 on Jan 30, 2024 23:08:54 GMT
She sings quite a bit. And is so great in the show. As is the actor (who was in Company) she plays opposite. They sing dancing in the streets. Apart from the fact he can't hit any of the top notes in Dancing In The Street but I get your point 😂 The actor has Laryngitis. Cover not ready to go on. Be kind. |
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5,139 posts
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Post by Being Alive on Jan 30, 2024 23:17:58 GMT
Apart from the fact he can't hit any of the top notes in Dancing In The Street but I get your point 😂 The actor has Laryngitis. Cover not ready to go on. Be kind. I don't really understand why that's my problem? He couldnt hit the notes, which was what happened - I was just stating what happened? And I've been more than kind about this show 😂 |
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Post by luvvie23 on Jan 30, 2024 23:20:42 GMT
The actor has Laryngitis. Cover not ready to go on. Be kind. I don't really understand why that's my problem? He couldnt hit the notes, which was what happened - I was just stating what happened? And I've been more than kind about this show 😂 he hit the notes when I was in. Performers are human. It was the laughing face that I thought was unkind. Not your comment 😘 |
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Post by luvvie23 on Jan 30, 2024 23:20:55 GMT
The actor has Laryngitis. Cover not ready to go on. Be kind. I don't really understand why that's my problem? He couldnt hit the notes, which was what happened - I was just stating what happened? And I've been more than kind about this show 😂 he hit the notes when I was in. Performers are human. It was the laughing face that I thought was unkind. Not your comment 😘 |
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3,426 posts
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Post by ceebee on Jan 31, 2024 0:40:50 GMT
The early critics might want to pay this show another visit once previews are finished... Ten minutes shorter this evening, much better continuity between scenes with several cuts (shorter intro, moving quicker into the story of the christmas single then the concert plan). Visually stunning - seemed to be more use of video tonight with front projection as well as camera relays on the side video walls.
The "how to die" line was perfect tonight with some clever sound trickery to mimic the moment at Wembley using crowd noise.
All notes were perfectly hit in "Dancing In The Streets" and some really nice chemistry going on in that scene.
Sorry to disappoint the haters but from my vantage point in the front row of dress circle tonight, the majority of people were having a great time. The comedy moments got big laughs, you could hear a pin drop in Bob's speech with the lights out, "Blowing In The Wind" was very moving, and "My Generation" took the roof off.
The story flows much better now; it is less clunky and the cast are getting used to having an audience. It was much funnier tonight,the pace was quicker and the cast are nicely gelling.
An excellent show with some bold decisions already taken to tighten it up. The makeover it seems to have had since Friday is very impressive.
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Post by corblimey on Jan 31, 2024 16:59:01 GMT
Saw the show last night and just loved it and just booked to go back,they have reduced a few singles to £44
Live Aid was such a special day for me and last night brought back so many happy memories of the day and just dug out my Live Aid programme even though I just saw it on TV I was totally invested in watching and sent off for the programme after it!
Thought all the cast were terrific and never thought I’d ever see the wonderful Julie Atherton as Mrs T!
Can’t wait to see it again this time from the front Stalls.
I was Row Y in the Dress Circle last night ,not the best view or comfort but didn’t spoil my enjoyment and did have more room and view when others next to me left at the interval!
But I was more than happy with my £10 experience.
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Post by theatremiss on Jan 31, 2024 18:22:52 GMT
What / how much is Danielle Steers singing in the show? She sings quite a bit. And is so great in the show. As is the actor (who was in Company) she plays opposite. They sing dancing in the streets. Ashley Alexander-Campbell? |
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Post by westendgirls on Feb 1, 2024 9:33:42 GMT
The early critics might want to pay this show another visit once previews are finished... Ten minutes shorter this evening, much better continuity between scenes with several cuts (shorter intro, moving quicker into the story of the christmas single then the concert plan). Visually stunning - seemed to be more use of video tonight with front projection as well as camera relays on the side video walls. The "how to die" line was perfect tonight with some clever sound trickery to mimic the moment at Wembley using crowd noise. All notes were perfectly hit in "Dancing In The Streets" and some really nice chemistry going on in that scene. Sorry to disappoint the haters but from my vantage point in the front row of dress circle tonight, the majority of people were having a great time. The comedy moments got big laughs, you could hear a pin drop in Bob's speech with the lights out, "Blowing In The Wind" was very moving, and "My Generation" took the roof off. The story flows much better now; it is less clunky and the cast are getting used to having an audience. It was much funnier tonight,the pace was quicker and the cast are nicely gelling. An excellent show with some bold decisions already taken to tighten it up. The makeover it seems to have had since Friday is very impressive. I am glad the “how to die” line landed well as when I was in on Saturday it was like tumbleweed. I think I was the only person that clapped. You could even tell they put in a pause expecting a reaction and there was none. “Bob” even looked a bit surprised |
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3,426 posts
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Post by ceebee on Feb 1, 2024 10:09:23 GMT
The early critics might want to pay this show another visit once previews are finished... I am glad the “how to die” line landed well as when I was in on Saturday it was like tumbleweed. I think I was the only person that clapped. You could even tell they put in a pause expecting a reaction and there was none. “Bob” even looked a bit surprised Yes, that happened on Friday too. Seems to have been fixed now though, as it definitely got a reaction on Tuesday. They seem to be experimenting with ambient background sound and it worked on Tuesday when they filtered in some crowd "noise". |
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5,139 posts
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Post by Being Alive on Feb 1, 2024 13:04:19 GMT
They're doing a lot of work on this in previews which can only be a good thing. Act 2 changes going in from this evening I believe and over the next few days.
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Post by shownut on Feb 1, 2024 14:09:20 GMT
They're doing a lot of work on this in previews which can only be a good thing. Act 2 changes going in from this evening I believe and over the next few days. I am there tonight. Going with an open mind and all that goes with that (despite how I feel about the recent crop of British musicals which have put me in a sour mood as a theatregoer). We shall see. I hope for the best. Will report back tomorrow. |
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Post by mrnutz on Feb 1, 2024 14:11:07 GMT
I am in tonight too!
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Post by thistimetomorrow on Feb 1, 2024 17:14:28 GMT
I enjoyed the songs, the performances and having the band visible on stage, but I thought the book was weak. It was a fun night overall, but I probably would have enjoyed it just as well if they had just done a concert of Live Aid songs.
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Post by A.Ham on Feb 1, 2024 18:23:56 GMT
Also there tonight! I’ve ducked out of this thread for the past few days so as to avoid spoilers/not be put off, but interesting that tonight’ll be the first show with changes made. I won’t know what they are of course, but… 😂
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Post by shownut on Feb 1, 2024 21:15:36 GMT
My review of tonight’s visit will almost be as short as how long I stayed to watch it. Left after the first act and now on the District Line home.
It just wasn’t for me. A musical infomercial that gives away its core point within the first 5 minutes and then repeats it to the point of tedium? Not for me.
Slickly done but with amateurish writing that preaches and informs yet has all of the emotional heft of a cruise ship review.
Sigh.
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Post by toomasj on Feb 1, 2024 22:31:57 GMT
My review of tonight’s visit will almost be as short as how long I stayed to watch it. Left after the first act and now on the District Line home. It just wasn’t for me. A musical infomercial that gives away its core point within the first 5 minutes and then repeats it to the point of tedium? Not for me. Slickly done but with amateurish writing that preaches and informs yet has all of the emotional heft of a cruise ship review. Sigh. I did warn you  Jokes aside I agree - this show was offensively bad. Well done for leaving early - I wish I had. |
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Post by ceebee on Feb 1, 2024 22:40:00 GMT
My review of tonight’s visit will almost be as short as how long I stayed to watch it. Left after the first act and now on the District Line home. It just wasn’t for me. A musical infomercial that gives away its core point within the first 5 minutes and then repeats it to the point of tedium? Not for me. Slickly done but with amateurish writing that preaches and informs yet has all of the emotional heft of a cruise ship review. Sigh. I did warn you Jokes aside I agree - this show was offensively bad. Well done for leaving early - I wish I had. I don't think you got this. Just give it a fair chance. :-) |
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5,139 posts
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Post by Being Alive on Feb 1, 2024 22:43:59 GMT
Someone described the book to me as being like a class assembly project earlier on and honestly, it's true 😂
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Post by shownut on Feb 1, 2024 22:52:14 GMT
Someone described the book to me as being like a class assembly project earlier on and honestly, it's true 😂 That is a fairly good description. It reminded me of the earnest but hollow corporate industrial shows from the 80's and 90's in corporate America. Overly worthy and preachy but with not a single ounce of honest or believable emotion. And the Mr G/Mrs T number? God, that was embarrassing. Just plain awful. What a shame that an otherwise interesting subject matter and the cause that created it (which deserved/deserves attention) has been reduced to such an unfathomable mess....or at least the half that I saw. |
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Post by Steve on Feb 1, 2024 23:31:52 GMT
Saw this tonight and I think the comments in this thread give a fair view of just how marmite this project is. Overall, I liked it a lot. Some spoilers follow. . . On the one hand, I loved Julie Atherton's comedic bit as Mrs. T, I loved the ensemble singing, especially when they were all really going for it together, I loved James Hameed's absolutely pure unforced expression of emotion through song, I loved the nostalgic buzz of hearing all these old classics from my youth (I watched the original broadcast on the telly), I loved the sullen and angry nature of Craig El's portrayal of Bob Geldof, I loved Hope Kenna's portrayal of being youthful, I loved Jack Shalloo as Midge Ure, I loved Joel Montague's Phil Collins song, I loved Abiola Omonua's Bob Dylan song, I loved Jackie Clune's wistful look back at her younger self, and I loved Freddie Love's Freddy's "Bohemian Rhapsody," which the whole cast just ploughed themselves into, completely lost in a rhapsody of music. But, oh my, I don't like being talked down to like a twelve year old, with every dot joined to every dot, I don't like being told what to think, I don't like po-faced humourlessness, I don't like know-it-alls, I don't like characters who are merely ciphers to tell us what attitudes of the past are past their sell-by-date (I can work it out for myself, thank you), I don't like overtly serious didacticism. And all the things I didn't like had such an easy cure: the book should have been VERBATIM theatre - warts and all, word by word accounts, told by those who were there, rather than scripted. This would have gutted the patronising tone, it would have fortified the verisimilitude of every scene and word, it would have made it less like a lecture, and besides, as the book correctly states, the power is in the music, and so, if the book just gets out of the music's way by being more truthful, this would all hit so much harder. Personally, I LOVED the Atherton (Thatcher) - Els (Geldof) original rap in the first half. It undercuts the general humourlessness, it allows devilish camp to cut through the sanctimony, and it allows Atherton free reign to be the brilliant tongue-in-cheek comedienne she is. I know others didn't like this, but I thought it a magnificent comedic bit lol! All in all, I felt the pluses far outweigh the minuses, and would give this show 3 and a half stars.  |
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Post by westendcub on Feb 1, 2024 23:55:25 GMT
Mixed bag this show (I was there tonight!)
You can’t deny it’s a thrill to hear these songs with amazing vocals, good arrangements.
This has some ingredients (it definitely is influenced by ‘Come From Away’) but they need to take a sledgehammer to the book, step away from the preaching & message crap (we are not 2 year olds watching) - it works best when it’s telling the story of what happened, the record store scenes are redundant & the modern day girl is annoying.
I have to say the 2nd act was pretty solid (bar a few things) & was enjoyable so I would say do not leave after act 1! Loved Maggie rapping!
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Post by mkb on Feb 2, 2024 0:22:14 GMT
Whatever the changes tonight, they appear to have added 14 minutes, playout music ending at precisely 22:14 with no technical stops or delays.
If only I could say it was all worth it. Even on a £10 ticket in a prime central seat (but not the front row that was indicated at the time of booking), I feel short-changed. This is dire. Imagine a history lesson told in factoids through the prism of Radio 1 Newsbeat (i.e. dumbed down to a target audience of 12-year-old airheads) with musical snippets reimagined by the cast from Glee. No scrub that. It's far worse than that conjures up.
I was entranced as I watched Live Aid on telly in 1985, but let's be honest, people -- overwhelmingly white middle class -- were there because they didn't want to miss a cracking gig, not because they suddenly wanted to solve the famines and gross inequalities in the world. A few may have been spurred to activism and action, but not the many. And most of the performers were there because, once there was a momentum, to be the one not there, would have been reputation detrimental.
But let's not allow any of that stop the show's creators from imbuing the history with schmaltz and a nauseatingly faux feel-good vibe, all turned up to the max -- just like the echo on the vocals -- and delivered by a most improbably diverse set of 1980s characters.
The final insult for me was the portrayal of Thatcher as a loveable, rapping rogue. Although we're meant to laugh *at* this character, it's done with such a light touch -- where Thatcher is almost in on the joke -- that there's an implied revisionism that she was not so bad really. Yes she bloody well was! I found these scenes pretty offensive.
Act 1 is in solid one-star territory, but Act 2 improves slightly, and there's no faulting the effort on display from the cast.
Two stars.
Act 1: 19:33-20:40
Act 2: 21:01-22:14
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