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Post by zahidf on Jan 17, 2024 8:58:00 GMT
Interesting! It’s an intrigued yes from me with an open mind, will book as soon as I see a deal on. Adrian Dunbar is a great actor. Here he is singing! Mother of God |
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Post by macksennett on Jan 17, 2024 9:23:25 GMT
Some of us might have seen Adrian Dunbar in the musical Lady in the Dark with Maria Friedman at the National Theatre in 1997... presuming it's the same person! I can't recall how much he sang in that - will have to dig the cast recording out later.
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Post by karloscar on Jan 17, 2024 9:23:32 GMT
It's odd that they're listing this as Adrian Dunbar's musical theatre debut when I saw him do Lady in the Dark with Maria Friedman at the National nearly thirty years ago! (What was that awful detective thing he did a few years ago when he sang at the end of every episode? Jo Riding was the only thing that made it worthwhile. )
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Post by jek on Jan 17, 2024 9:30:13 GMT
I remember Adrian Dunbar back in the early 1990s as a charismatic lead in the film Hear My Song, a whimsical biopic of Josef Locke and his tax problems. I suspect that charm can carry him a long way in this. And I think that the fun that he will have with it will make for an enjoyable time for the audience. I think we may just have to mentally banish the comparisons with Howard Keel!
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4,955 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jan 17, 2024 9:53:58 GMT
Some of us might have seen Adrian Dunbar in the musical Lady in the Dark with Maria Friedman at the National Theatre in 1997... presuming it's the same person! I can't recall how much he sang in that - will have to dig the cast recording out later. I forgot AD was in that, the cast recording is stunning and I'll have listen later on. Im guessing the older man casting will be a metaphor for dated sexist attitudes ? |
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Post by theatreian on Jan 17, 2024 9:59:22 GMT
Adrian was in the drama Ridley fairly recently and sung quite a bit in that too.
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19,650 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 17, 2024 10:17:56 GMT
Interesting! It’s an intrigued yes from me with an open mind, will book as soon as I see a deal on. Adrian Dunbar is a great actor. Here he is singing! Oh dear Pub singer! |
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4,171 posts
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Post by anthony40 on Jan 17, 2024 10:23:55 GMT
I think the Barbican are hoping for another summer hit after the success of Anything Goes, and who can blame them?
Depending on its success (maybe) this too may be filmed for future release.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jan 17, 2024 10:32:15 GMT
I love the score to pieces. But not with this casting.
Dunbar might be ok as the General or one of the gangsters. But he isn't a Fred/Petruchio
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5,138 posts
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Post by Being Alive on Jan 17, 2024 11:03:52 GMT
Had also heard this was going to be Minnie Driver directed by Kathleen Marshall so its an entirely different creative/cast to what I'd been told before Christmas!
Love SJB, and she'll be great fun - I am not convinced by AD though at all - he'd be fine as one of the Brush Up Your Shakespeare guys but FRED?! I want someone with the vocals of Stokes!!
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Post by ladidah on Jan 17, 2024 11:17:19 GMT
I love the score to pieces. But not with this casting. Dunbar might be ok as the General or one of the gangsters. But he isn't a Fred/Petruchio Couldn't agree more. |
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909 posts
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Post by karloscar on Jan 17, 2024 11:26:50 GMT
If they're bringing over SJB for Kate, why not get her husband Sebastian as well for Fred? He'll probably be here with her anyway.
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5,138 posts
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Post by Being Alive on Jan 17, 2024 11:28:20 GMT
If they're bringing over SJB for Kate, why not get her husband Sebastian as well for Fred? He'll probably be here with her anyway. I was going to make the point that Seb isnt the right fit for it, but nor really is Adrian Dunbar! Gotta trust Bart Sher knows what he's doing with this - he usually does! |
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Post by theatrefan62 on Jan 17, 2024 11:28:23 GMT
If they're bringing over SJB for Kate, why not get her husband Sebastian as well for Fred? He'll probably be here with her anyway. He wouldn't mean anything at the box office. Adrian Dunbar will, although I struggle to see him being good in the role. |
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Jan 17, 2024 11:32:04 GMT
I'm excited! Don't know much about Adrian but Stephanie is sublime.
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Post by MoreLife on Jan 17, 2024 11:36:38 GMT
Interesting! It’s an intrigued yes from me with an open mind, will book as soon as I see a deal on. Adrian Dunbar is a great actor. Here he is singing! I wouldn't normally do this, but... desperate times call for desperate measures, I guess. I can see he has been a prolific actor for TV and film, though I must say I hadn't heard his name until today (and this is clearly down to my limited knowledge / different tastes in genres, etc.). But a good singer he is NOT. His breath control is so poor he often blurs the ends of sentences / cuts words abruptly because he runs out of air. Because his breath control and support is so poor, he is often pitchy - a lot of of the time he's flat on a note that needs to be held for a vaguely longer duration at the end of a sentence His diction is lazy, for lack of a better word. This has further repercussions on his general (im)precision as his placement / vowel choice does not favour a free and healthy phonation. His phrasing is boring. I've heard way better renditions of this song by improvised karaoke singers. How someone with such shaky vocal skills can be cast in a production as the male lead to play against a bona fide Broadway diva is a mystery to me... |
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Post by nash16 on Jan 17, 2024 12:16:23 GMT
Stop Casting Great Actors In Musicals.
We want Singers, not Actors.
I want to sit and be able to close my eyes, for the whole show, and hear it sung beautifully.
Perfectly.
Breath control.
The works.
I do not go to a musical to see it acted well.
I only go for the songs.
There are so many of our musical theatre stars who can sing mightily, and act sort of. Why didn’t they check them?
Jesus, Mary, & Joseph…and the wee baby donkey.
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Post by ladidah on Jan 17, 2024 13:34:06 GMT
Such a shame, I adore this show.
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Post by theoracle on Jan 17, 2024 14:14:19 GMT
If they’re trying to repeat the success of Anything Goes, maybe Adrian will do a Meghan Mullally and drop out and we get a Julian Ovenden instead?
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Jan 17, 2024 14:14:32 GMT
I haven't watched Adrian including Line of Duty.
I've watched the above clip. But I feel Fred is such a majestic role singing wise - I'm worried. Why couldn't they cast a musical theatre actor? Someone to match Stephanie. I thought he would be more suited to one of the gangsters or even the General.
Hm. I'm not sure what casting are playing at 2bh.
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Jan 17, 2024 14:14:54 GMT
If they’re trying to repeat the success of Anything Goes, maybe Adrian will do a Meghan Mullally and drop out and we get a Julian Ovenden instead? OH JULIAN 💕💕💕💕 |
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Jan 17, 2024 14:16:28 GMT
Stop Casting Great Actors In Musicals. We want Singers, not Actors. I want to sit and be able to close my eyes, for the whole show, and hear it sung beautifully. Perfectly. Breath control. The works. I do not go to a musical to see it acted well. I only go for the songs. There are so many of our musical theatre stars who can sing mightily, and act sort of. Why didn’t they check them? Jesus, Mary, & Joseph…and the wee baby donkey. I think you have to act to a certain extent. I don't warm to someone riffing the sh*t and leaving me cold. But clue in the title. MUSICAL Theatre. It's really baffling. |
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Post by solangelafitte on Jan 17, 2024 14:32:27 GMT
If they’re trying to repeat the success of Anything Goes, maybe Adrian will do a Meghan Mullally and drop out and we get a Julian Ovenden instead? My heart and bank account couldn't take this. |
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Post by westendwhistledown on Jan 17, 2024 14:55:01 GMT
Stop Casting Great Actors In Musicals. We want Singers, not Actors. I want to sit and be able to close my eyes, for the whole show, and hear it sung beautifully. Perfectly. Breath control. The works. I do not go to a musical to see it acted well. I only go for the songs. There are so many of our musical theatre stars who can sing mightily, and act sort of. Why didn’t they check them? Jesus, Mary, & Joseph…and the wee baby donkey. This isn't a fair comment. Musicals are meant to make you feel something. It is no good just being a fantastic singer if the audience aren't connecting with the story. You should leave the theatre feeling a whole hoard of emotions. Some of the finest MT performances have been from people who in fact aren't the best singers in the world but who give the lyrics new meaning and pull you in. You just have to watch the Sondheim Gala to understand this. |
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Post by Being Alive on Jan 17, 2024 15:15:29 GMT
If they’re trying to repeat the success of Anything Goes, maybe Adrian will do a Meghan Mullally and drop out and we get a Julian Ovenden instead? For my financial security this can't happen |
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