Kiss Me Kate - Barbican / Cinema Release

[barrowside]

South Pacific at Lincoln Center was splendid. I didn't get the full original cast as it was late in the run but the staging was so elegant. I'm not sure in what shape it arrived at the Barbican. I was due to see it in Dublin but the tour was cancelled by that stage.

[Being Alive]

His South Pacific was absolutely stunning, as was his King and I and I adored his My Fair Lady too (MUCH better in NY than here) so I'm really excited at what hell do with this.

[theatrefan77]

I also loved his South Pacific, King and I and My Fair Lady. Looking forward to see Kiss Me Kate next month.

[ladidah]

May 20, 2024 0:05:40 GMT kit66 said:

Sorry - I just don't see Adrian Dunbar in this role.

Agreed, it's putting me off booking

[theatreian]

The cast are performing on the One Show tonight:

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001zhkf

[Jon]

Barlett Sher has a solid track record both in terms of musicals and plays so I think at the very least it'll be a well directed show.

Weirdly, my favourite thing he directed was Oslo.

[ThereWillBeSun]

May 24, 2024 12:54:43 GMT theatreian said:

The cast are performing on the One Show tonight:

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001zhkf

Bracing myself!

Too Darn Hot?!

[alece10]

May 24, 2024 18:02:13 GMT ThereWillBeSun said:

May 24, 2024 12:54:43 GMT theatreian said:

The cast are performing on the One Show tonight:

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001zhkf

Bracing myself!

Too Darn Hot?!

And we just saw Charlie Stemp smiling away.

[ThereWillBeSun]

Accent Adrian??

[alece10]

Well that was bloody great dancing.

[ThereWillBeSun]

I feel like … that choreography was disappointing.

Adrian just introduced…

Bizarre.

I’m
Not
Impressed.

[solangelafitte]

Enjoyed the dancers, thought Jack Butterworth did great, Charlie Stemp is always a treat. Adrian was there too.

[danb]

Jack Butterworth is ace isn’t he? Always so watchable and present (and his Samuel Seabury track always made Hamilton better). Not loving the whole sweaty vibe though.

[bigredapple]

Anyone got a recording?

[alece10]

May 24, 2024 19:09:12 GMT bigredapple said:

Anyone got a recording?

Should be on iplayer

[Deleted]

I wonder if Charlie will climb the set the way Michael Berresse did in the Broadway version which the 4 main stars reprised in the West End in 2002?

The two leads are certainly a lot older in this new version than the 2002 one. Rachel York is only a year older than Stephanie J Block now and played the same role 22 years ago. But if we assume Adrian Dunbar was cast first it does need an actress of Stephanie's age to be opposite him otherwise the dynamic wouldn't seem right.

[max]

Very well danced extract on The One Show - huge energy; could be 42nd St (with hints of West Side Story), dancers en bloc.
I saw a great production at Bristol Old Vic decades ago when I was a kid - in 'Too Darn Hot' languid exhaustion mixed with frustrated sexual desire ("but pillow you'll be my baby tonight") to create real storytelling; which this version of the song wasn't.

Competitive side-by-side jumps - why? There were a few moves that reflected the lyrics, a bit, and they're all hot by the end of it I guess. As it's the characters in the alleyway during the interval of their show-within-a show I'd prefer they dance for their story/eachother in that moment, rather than dance at the audience (there are plenty of other places in 'Kiss Me Kate' to do that)

I expect it'll be a great Show, but the choreography preview felt a bit 'all purpose'.

[ThereWillBeSun]

max - it just wasn’t imaginative at all - not slating the cast but it just didn’t seem it was utilising their talent? The music cut seemed weird as well. Just for TV?

[karloscar]

May 24, 2024 18:49:38 GMT danb said:

Jack Butterworth is ace isn’t he? Always so watchable and present (and his Samuel Seabury track always made Hamilton better). Not loving the whole sweaty vibe though.

isn't sweaty the whole point of the number?

[max]

May 24, 2024 22:29:57 GMT ThereWillBeSun said:

max - it just wasn’t imaginative at all - not slating the cast but it just didn’t seem it was utilising their talent? The music cut seemed weird as well. Just for TV?

Perhaps we saw the reprise/encore version, and in the main song the choreography will be more character/situation specific?  Although, looking at various versions on YouTube, what they did is the way most productions do it - 'Show' to the fore. Can't fault the cast.

[alece10]

Well I thought it was very good and I'm not going come to any conclusion until I've seen the show. That was literally a 3 minute snippet which was, no doubt, choreographed for TV so maybe reserve judgement until you have seen it.

[max]

May 25, 2024 9:18:35 GMT alece10 said:

Well I thought it was very good and I'm not going come to any conclusion until I've seen the show. That was literally a 3 minute snippet which was, no doubt, choreographed for TV so maybe reserve judgement until you have seen it.

I do like that category of musical theatre number where dancing becomes possessed by an unaccountable strength and oneness, springing from something.  'Fidgety Feet' in 'An American In Paris', 'Hand Me The Wine And The Dice' in 'Aspects Of Love', 'Look At Me I'm Dancing' in 'Salad Days'.   

It's not where you finish, it's where you start.

We'll find if it springs from something, or was made for a TV spot.  Fab dancers whatever's the case.

[Deleted]

12 mins in for those who don't want to watch on iplayer.



First time ive seen Charlie Stemp be outshone on stage

Choreography was a bit jumpy, but very well performed

[solangelafitte]

If anyone's interested but didn't want to commit to full price, Seatplan have an offer for evening shows in June, £30 rear stalls and side circle.

[SuttonPeron]

The sitxprobe was today, apparently. Seems it is a reduced orchestra (no harp, no second percussion, 3 strings...).