1,276 posts
|
Post by theatrefan77 on May 5, 2024 23:41:04 GMT
I've seen the show twice and in spite of its flaws I loved it, even more the second time. Sheridan Smith gives an absolutely stunning performance IMHO.
|
|
5,138 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on May 6, 2024 22:02:56 GMT
Saw it for the second time tonight having seen an early preview.
I thought it was good at the preview I saw, I thought it even better now.
More coherent, songs streamlined so they fit better, humour comes through, cast still knocking it out of the park (Jennifer Hepburn a great Sarah cover.)
Sad this didn't appeal to a wider audience, but I still rate it very highly.
|
|
g3
Auditioning
|
Post by g3 on May 7, 2024 7:02:18 GMT
|
|
19,650 posts
|
Post by BurlyBeaR on May 7, 2024 7:10:03 GMT
Blaming Brexit for his flop is certainly a choice. Sounds like Sheridan is taking responsibility for it (which she shouldn’t as it sounds like she was the best thing about it) while doofus Rufus blames everything but himself.
|
|
|
|
Post by jr on May 7, 2024 8:10:49 GMT
I was coming to post this. I am European and I thought this was pretty bad, just to clarify  This confirms my initial impression of being an ego project and the lack of awareness of self-proclaimed geniuses. |
|
|
|
Post by artea on May 7, 2024 8:17:57 GMT
Rufus is just understandably upset. He doesn't realise that in this place, brexit is a massive success. He needs to name the real culprits: the blob, the anti-west end coalition, Gary Lineker and Alastair Campbell. At least his failure has resulted in £35 tickets for the front of the stalls, so it's not all bad.
|
|
343 posts
|
Post by Sam on May 7, 2024 8:19:49 GMT
Just posted a £15 dress circle ticket for this on Thursday as I don't think I'll be able to make it.
|
|
|
|
Post by ladidah on May 7, 2024 8:29:09 GMT
I love Rufus, but this is a reach. He should wander down the West End and take a look at the full houses for the very European Les Mis.
|
|
1,025 posts
Member is Online
|
Post by blamerobots on May 7, 2024 8:39:06 GMT
Skim-reading, I thought this was a headline about the local elections.
The lady next to me on the bus must have wondered what made me gasp so loud.
|
|
|
|
Post by fluxcapacitor on May 7, 2024 9:10:59 GMT
This is absolutely ridiculous. Talk about an ego. I usually rate him very highly but to criticise audiences rather than accept that what you delivered might not be up to scratch is a really bad move. The issue isn’t that this show is experimental. It’s that the material is bad. Rufus Wainwright writes brilliant songs, but what he’s written for this show is sub par and unsuitable for a narrative musical. It frustrates me that someone would actively choose not to learn from this experience. He could take the learnings from this show, reflect on what worked and what didn’t, and write another, stronger piece where the music is part of the narrative and drive rather than repeated choruses which are often irrelevant. But no, it’s just stupid audiences and Brexit. I’m also disheartened that Sheridan Smith is feeling responsible. She’s the best thing about this show, and - IMO - the reason much of the audience is still there. How dare they allow her to feel responsible. She has no reason to. She’s delivering a brilliant performance and attracting an audience despite the bad material she’s been handed. The show’s creators could learn a lot from her humility. |
|
4,153 posts
|
Post by kathryn on May 7, 2024 9:53:43 GMT
I haven’t seen this show.
I like Sheridan Smith a lot, but the last 3 Ivo van Hove shows I saw that used video on stage bored me.
I adored a few of his earlier shows - truly took my breath away - but the magic seemed to disappear the minute he became enamoured with filming.
Ivo, direct a movie already. Get it out of your system.
Rather presumptuous of Rufus to suggest that audience reaction is based on politics and not art.
|
|
|
|
Post by clarefh on May 7, 2024 10:34:12 GMT
I’m not sure he’s saying it’s based on politics - but that audiences have become insular/unable to appreciate avant garde European musicals in the west end since Brexit apparently. Which is just as ridiculous a statement on many levels.
Also makes me laugh as his music is hardly avant garde/experimental
|
|
|
|
Post by nancycunard on May 7, 2024 11:44:14 GMT
I don’t completely disagree with his broader point — a lot of mainstream audiences are incurious and some of the West End can be very staid.
But I think it’s entirely another thing to put Sheridan in your Anthony Newley-pastiche adaptation of a Cassavetes film and then start crying “Brexit” in the Guardian when it doesn’t work. And I quite like the show!
|
|
|
|
Post by ix on May 7, 2024 11:48:21 GMT
The 'it can't possibly be me, it's you' wail of a narcissist. |
|
4,153 posts
|
Post by kathryn on May 7, 2024 12:07:23 GMT
I’m not sure he’s saying it’s based on politics - but that audiences have become insular/unable to appreciate avant garde European musicals in the west end since Brexit apparently. Which is just as ridiculous a statement on many levels. Also makes me laugh as his music is hardly avant garde/experimental As I am sure we all know, it’s got nothing to do with Brexit or politics in general - avant Garde European musicals have never played well in the West End. Which is not to say that West End musical goers are not sophisticated - Sondheim tends to do better in the West End than on Broadway, and generally our tastes are a bit more adventurous than Broadway - but avant Garde European is an acquired taste that you generally find in the subsidised sector. And it’s definitely not what someone who likes that nice Sheridan Smith off the telly would expect from their annual West End treat trip. |
|
|
|
Post by clarefh on May 7, 2024 12:08:21 GMT
I’m not sure this is a post Brexit thing though is it? And if it is I suspect more likely due to the cost of living crisis possibly ( so people spending less and more likely to spend on things they feel confident they will like? - pure speculation as I have no evidence behind this!)
|
|
|
|
Post by normasturban on May 7, 2024 12:10:37 GMT
His music was the worst part of the show…
|
|
1,245 posts
|
Post by joem on May 7, 2024 12:22:37 GMT
I was reasonably polite in my comments when I saw this unsatisfying and unsatisfactory musical but to try and blame its failure on politics - and presumably the audiences - is to be completely out of touch and shows a lack of critical faculties. It simply isn't good enough and Sheridan really should not blame herself, she did everything possible with the average material available to her. I've followed Rufus' career from the very beginning - I actually vastly prefer Martha's work - and I would say that a little talent, if spread too thinly, ends up being tiring and off-putting. He should be less prolific and more discerning. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 7, 2024 13:05:55 GMT
Brexit was 8 years and this musical is based on an American film so what it has to do with Europe I fail to see. If anyone would have mentioned Brexit then surely it would have been IVH the director?
This just seems like a show where they have a talented director, composer and main star but the quality of the script and score were overlooked. The original film wasn't that well known or really a cult classic and certainly not one of John Cassavetes' best works.
Sheridan wasn't involved from the conception of the musical as far as I know or pushed it as a "vanity project" for herself. So her taking the blame is unfair IMO.
I haven't seen the show but I agree that it clearly needed more "workshopping" or at minimum a trail run somewhere before it went to the West End.
|
|
|
|
Post by ix on May 7, 2024 13:26:03 GMT
His music was the worst part of the show… For me, his music was just a part of a worse show. But – oddly – even immediately when leaving the theatre, I couldn't recall even one lyric or one snippet of melody. Not even vaguely. No clever earworms, no musical flourishes, just… nothing. Admittedly, there was a lot happening on stage fighting for my derision attention, so his songs must've been the first things for my mind to say 'nah' to when working out what it could get away with not processing. |
|
7,050 posts
|
Post by Jon on May 7, 2024 13:43:06 GMT
This is absolutely ridiculous. Talk about an ego. I usually rate him very highly but to criticise audiences rather than accept that what you delivered might not be up to scratch is a really bad move. The issue isn’t that this show is experimental. It’s that the material is bad. Rufus Wainwright writes brilliant songs, but what he’s written for this show is sub par and unsuitable for a narrative musical. It frustrates me that someone would actively choose not to learn from this experience. He could take the learnings from this show, reflect on what worked and what didn’t, and write another, stronger piece where the music is part of the narrative and drive rather than repeated choruses which are often irrelevant. But no, it’s just stupid audiences and Brexit. I’m also disheartened that Sheridan Smith is feeling responsible. She’s the best thing about this show, and - IMO - the reason much of the audience is still there. How dare they allow her to feel responsible. She has no reason to. She’s delivering a brilliant performance and attracting an audience despite the bad material she’s been handed. The show’s creators could learn a lot from her humility. Sheridan Smith chose something not in her wheelhouse and while it didn't work, I don't blame her for trying something different. Rufus' comment are cringeworthy but I don't think we should lump in Ivo van Hove who hasn't said anything since the show announced it was closing. |
|
1,736 posts
|
Post by fiyero on May 7, 2024 14:09:08 GMT
Well, I enjoyed the show. They tried something new, maybe it didn't really work but there was something there. We had Jennifer Hepburn on for Sarah (the writer) who was amazing. The audience was rubbish, one group loudly debating whether they should leave and another audience member who obviously thought she should join in with the show. They were always loudest at the points where I wanted to concentrate. Annoying. It isn't worth going over what I would change in the show but the main one is it would have been good to know Nancy more before, was she an obsessive fan there every night etc. I am glad I made the effort to squeeze this in. Whether I'll think the same when I make it home around 2am who knows. I've had a quick response to my complaint and they have invited me back. Dilemma. |
|
8,094 posts
|
Post by alece10 on May 7, 2024 15:24:05 GMT
It was a confusing plot, mediocre music, great cast, wrong kind of theatre.
Maybe if it had gone to somewhere like the Amelda and marketed better so that people knew it wasn't going to be your normal Sheridan fayre it might have stood a better chance.
But probably not as, at the end of the day, it was just a bit rubbish.
|
|
|
|
Post by parsley1 on May 7, 2024 15:55:57 GMT
It’s quite bizarre
You would think getting a sh*t your face MIGHT
Lead to some introspection
But no
TBH it should be a lesson not to get involved with Van Hove
Unless you are willing to take a massive massive risk
He is not a populist director and always divides critical opinion
And certainly doesn’t direct “to be liked”
The hard truth remains
It’s hurts to be disliked or for your work to be slurred or not loved
And a grown man in his 50s should get over it
Perhaps he can write a new album about the experience as a form of catharsis
|
|
|
|
Post by A.Ham on May 7, 2024 16:27:21 GMT
I've had a quick response to my complaint and they have invited me back. Dilemma. You know you want to! But hurry, you've got less than 2 weeks to fit it in. |
|
