1,561 posts
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Post by showtoones on Jul 16, 2024 16:31:16 GMT
Does anyone know if Charlie was back for todays matinee?
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Post by zephyrus on Jul 17, 2024 22:57:10 GMT
Does anyone know if Charlie was back for todays matinee? Charlie wasn't on tonight (Wednesday.) |
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Post by pomegranate on Jul 17, 2024 23:53:48 GMT
Who is his understudy?
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Post by zephyrus on Jul 18, 2024 16:13:12 GMT
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Post by asps2017 on Jul 19, 2024 18:51:53 GMT
Is Charlie back on?
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Post by vickyg on Jul 19, 2024 19:54:08 GMT
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Post by asps2017 on Jul 20, 2024 18:39:42 GMT
Saw this today and was pleasantly surprised after seeing some reviews here! Also thought Adrian did a great job?
One question that I’m not sure if it’s been answered: how did they get Stephanie to come over to do this!?
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Post by westendwhistledown on Jul 22, 2024 16:32:49 GMT
Probably not that hard considering how well received prior Broadway leading ladies were over here - Kelli O'Hara in King and I and Sutton in Anything Goes! It seems to be a trend too, bringing over wonderful Broadway ladies - Sierra, Caissie, Bernadette etc etc and I am not complaining!
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342 posts
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Post by Figaro on Jul 22, 2024 16:47:56 GMT
Saw this today and was pleasantly surprised after seeing some reviews here! Also thought Adrian did a great job? One question that I’m not sure if it’s been answered: how did they get Stephanie to come over to do this!? Money |
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4,171 posts
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Post by anthony40 on Jul 22, 2024 20:40:38 GMT
Saw this today and was pleasantly surprised after seeing some reviews here! Also thought Adrian did a great job? One question that I’m not sure if it’s been answered: how did they get Stephanie to come over to do this!? Money I'm sure there would have been other reasons. |
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5,138 posts
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Post by Being Alive on Jul 22, 2024 21:43:55 GMT
She's also worked with Bart before, and it's a big production of a role she won't get to play in a big way in America before she's too old to do it.
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1,046 posts
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Post by jgblunners on Jul 24, 2024 23:19:30 GMT
I saw the show on Tuesday and have quite polarised views on it.
On one hand, there are some aspects that I thought were utterly sensational. Georgina Onuorah cements herself as a true star with her ‘Always True To You’, the audience eating out of the palm of her hand. Stephanie J Block is Rolls-Royce casting as Lilli Vanessi - utterly glorious. And the staging of ‘Too Darn Hot’ blows the roof off the auditorium.
On the other hand, I think the show is hampered by a leading man who is woefully miscast. He can hold a tune, sure, but he is entirely unable to provide the kind of performance that is required of him as the leading man in a musical comedy. Furthermore, Bartlett Sher’s direction is uneven - outside of the musical numbers, energy is low and comedy is not played broadly enough. He has this great revolving set at his disposal, but only manages to deploy it with any flair in one or maybe two sequences. And don’t get me started on the hideous sheet that they fly in. Why don’t they have a proper curtain?!
Anyway, I love the music of this show and it was great to hear orchestrations based on the brilliantly jazzy ones from the Blakemore production. However, for me this production did not live up to the high standard set by Anything Goes.
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Post by Talisman on Jul 25, 2024 7:56:16 GMT
I have only just got round to seeing this as I was reluctant given mixed reviews but was encouraged by great value offer. Overall I enjoyed it but much of it seemed to lack zip. ‘Always true to you’ and the gangsters were great. I really don’t like ‘It’s too darn hot’ but this version really won me over with its slow introduction and build up..
I’m completely on my own here but whilst I thought Block was fine, I didn’t find her overwhelmingly outstanding . Like so many, I was baffled by the casting of Dunbar. He didn’t seem up to the part either physically or vocally..
I am in complete agreement with the last paragraph above,
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Post by asps2017 on Jul 26, 2024 8:43:30 GMT
Anyone wish we had a recording of Georgina’s ‘In my fashion’?
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Post by michaell8 on Jul 27, 2024 8:48:25 GMT
Anyone wish we had a recording of Georgina’s ‘In my fashion’? Absolutely ! It's almost "manipulative", in a good way, how well she sings this. It draws the audience in, desperate for more, and it doesn't disappoint ! I thought she was fantastic in Wizard of Oz and this is even better. |
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3,325 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Jul 30, 2024 10:09:22 GMT
Made a late booking today as I realised there’s a matinee (no evening performance) and I’m off work. Managed to get Stalls Row E, central section, through Rush. It doesn’t look to have sold all that well today.
It has to be worth it today for the air conditioning alone! Looking forward to seeing this again.
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13 posts
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Post by ohughes01 on Jul 30, 2024 11:09:02 GMT
Does anyone know if Stephanie does stage door after shows generally? Really not a usual lurker at one, however we all have our individual people and would love the opportunity to just say a quick hello/autograph if possible.
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5,138 posts
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Post by Being Alive on Jul 30, 2024 11:14:45 GMT
She certainly did when I went!
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13 posts
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Post by ohughes01 on Jul 30, 2024 12:07:05 GMT
She certainly did when I went! Amazing thank you! |
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Post by SuttonPeron on Jul 30, 2024 15:36:39 GMT
I went to the cancelled preview, but she absolutely did! She was the nicest!
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3,325 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Jul 30, 2024 22:43:42 GMT
Very enjoyable again this afternoon and I had the perfect seat (central and a few rows back - the angle is difficult from any further forward). Alex Lodge was on as Hortensio and did great.
It was a little warm for the first half, but thankfully the air conditioning kicked in properly.
The Barbican always tries to add confusion with other events, as well as having moved the toilets. Last time, I nearly ended up in the cannabis exhibition taking place. This time, London Met had a graduation, starting and ending at exactly the same time. I felt rather underdressed without a gown.
The Stalls ended up being pretty full, but I think that was due to some reseating. Some of the people around me may have preferred being in the less visible levels. There was a Chinese group in front and one guy just could not stay off his phone. The usual women behind who insisted on repeating lines and giving their opinion. I mostly managed to filter everyone else out.
So, perfect seat, brilliant cast, I even got a good stare from the rather dashing secret service agent (hopefully I haven’t accidentally upset him). I know there’s discussion about if the title number of Hello Dolly should have a standing ovation, but Too Darn Hot here really should have one. Faultless.
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5,794 posts
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jul 30, 2024 23:36:19 GMT
Saw this today and was pleasantly surprised after seeing some reviews here! Also thought Adrian did a great job? One question that I’m not sure if it’s been answered: how did they get Stephanie to come over to do this!? Sure it was Adrian you saw? |
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Post by capybara on Jul 31, 2024 9:28:28 GMT
A rather disjointed show punctuated by some exceptional moments, Kiss Me Kate is ultimately less than a sum of its parts. In years to come, my abiding memory of this production will be the spine-tinglingly executed ‘Too Darn Hot’. That was a genuine masterclass of choreography. Well done, Anthony van Laast.
But the problem is that it felt so out of place that it almost may well have been from a different show altogether. It brought an intensity that seemed lacking throughout the rest of this production. However, other ensemble numbers - such as ‘Another Op’nin, Another Show’ - were also enjoyable moments.
Stephanie J Block was a star and worth the admission fee alone. She made Lilli the centre of everything and her vocal performance was second to none. Adrian Dunbar as Fred gave a pretty good comedy turn and his voice actually held up, although the imbalance with Block’s own abilities was laid bare at several moments.
The rest of the cast did a solid job but it was disappointing to see the likes of Charlie Stemp and Georgina Onuorah in such insignificant roles, given their undeniable talents. But Onuorah (playing Lois) did give a show-stopping moment with ‘Always True to You in My Fashion’ in Act Two. The gangsters’ rendition of ‘Brush Up Your Shakespeare’ also went down well with the audience.
As I say, you will find gems if you dip in and out of this show. But the book soon becomes tiresome and the play within a play more than tedious. Perhaps that is on me; I dislike Shakespeare’s plays, in general. However, the stark chasm in quality compared to Cole Porter’s other works is pretty clear to me.
Michael Yeargan’s set design on the revolve was a triumph and really came into its own during ‘Too Darn Hot’. I only wish they had used more of the upstairs space for more than just balconies.
Kiss Me, Kate is a bit of an odd, muddled show but has enough highlights at regular junctures to justify a visit to see it. Once you can find the labyrinth that is the Barbican, the theatre itself and eventually your seat, that is.
Three stars.
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4,955 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Aug 2, 2024 12:28:25 GMT
After a dull start, it picked up and i really liked it. Great choreography, are you listening Hello Dolly?
Michael Yeargan does like a partioned revolve. The unglamorous set worked well but i much preferred Colin Richmond's glamourous designs at Opera north, he captured the on stage / off stage elemements so much better. Im loving the passerelle, why cant all shows have one ?
Stephanie J B was great and i love how we got a bit of magic flute into her coloratura. However Georgina Onuorah really stood out for me ... how ironic that the woman are much stronger.
Its a smart move to turn 'I am ashamed ...' into a duet.
Its not the Michael Blakemore production but I'd happily watch it again.
****
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5,138 posts
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Post by Being Alive on Aug 6, 2024 10:29:54 GMT
Lovely return to this last night.
Cast are all on fine form - Adrian's much more comfortable with it than he was at first preview, and I think he works just fine.
He works really well as a pairing with SJB too.
Speaking of, SJB is a star and is giving such a great performance, and Charlie and Georgina were having heaps of fun.
Really solid 4 stars still - look forward to going again.
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