Becoming Nancy - Birmingham Rep

[darreno]

Oh, this is a lovely, lovely show.

Nice to see a well attended Wednesday night show tonight, not full, but there's a lot of seats to fill and it wasn't a million miles off. The Rep main house is such a fantastic theatre going experience, very comfortable.

This show is being pushed heavily online, advertising etc., and it's great to see something being backed like this - because it's hard to see anyone leaving the theatre without a big smile on their face.

It's nothing new in terms of theme, coming of age, first loves, parents, coming out, school life as an outsider - all things that have been done a hundred times in musical theatre - and I just can't get enough!! 😁

Songs are very strong, still in my head, hummable, memorable and well put together.

With only a few tweaks, this could be an outstanding musical. Not as much a criticism as a personal preference. I'd love the David/Dad relationship to be a little more reflective of many experiences of the time, if the Dad could be played a little less 'musical theatre' and a little more threatening and realistic, I think it would provide a great edge. It feels like an opportunity missed, as the 'villains' of the piece aren't particularly realistic and a little trite. I realise this is probably to keep the story simple but it feels like the highs would be higher if David was brought lower seeing something close to hatred in his Dad.

After the first half, I thought they were going for a very obvious ending, but I'm REALLY glad they had two key scenes - Brighton club aftermath and the epilogue. Made the main relationship WAY more realistic and elevated the whole story from something obvious and fun to something with a little more to say for itself.

I will catch this again before the run ends for sure. If anyone is reading who is on the fence, if you liked Jamie, Son's a Queer or just fun, well presented, acted, directed musical theatre, just go ahead and buy a ticket.

[Phantom of London]

Front row ticket Saturday night, available for £26.50, which I would say is exceptional value.

[drowseychap]

Oct 22, 2024 7:19:20 GMT stokerob said:

It appears that since I saw the show in preview, Paige Peddie has a new number added just before opening night 'Who I Am'. Does this replace one of her numbers or is it in addition to the score already in place?

It’s an addition was added just before press night

[Phantom of London]

There is a lot to like with this new musical and several things not to like, including a couple of miscasts. This is a kind of Jamie, Billy Elliot with a bit of Kinky Boots, although it is not as good as those three, which might sound a bit curmudgeon, the bar for those 3 musical is high, well to be exact it’s at the top. This isn’t as high, but maybe 80% there

Stiles and Drewe always deliver with conviction a top rate score, even the flop Wind in the Willows has several decent songs, this has several decent songs too. This could end up in the West End, but there is still a work in progress before a transfer, the book seems problematic, the concept is bright with a school play of Oliver, that is used as a vehicle for Oliver to be queer. The book needs to be sharper and more witty.

I thought Paige Peddie, Rebecca Trehearn & Stephen Ashfield all 3 seasoned West End actors and this afternoon I could see why, they were tremendous.

I still hate that artificial song out that is the trend now to get people on their feet clapping.

4 Stars

[macksennett]

Saw it this afternoon and absolutely loved it. Such a moving, funny story and some fabulous numbers. Rebecca Trehearn is on great form as are the whole cast - i enjoyed it so much I've booked a return visit.

[xanady]

Back again tonight on second row stalls….pure magic from start to finish…just enjoying the ride whilst it’s still on….back for final time on closing night…a smash in my opinion

[stokerob]

I can't think that this won't transfer at some point given the audience reaction night after night in Birmingham. The question now is: will we get a full cast album?

[Afriley]

I’ve now seen this several times (I live 10 mins away though so it’s easy).

It’s just so damn charming and warm, and the cast I’ve spoken to are all uniformly sweethearts as well. I sincerely hope for a transfer.

[robertb213]

If anyone's free on 31st October, you can get best available seats for this for £20 with promo code HOCUSPOCUS 😁

[Afriley]

Oooh it’s appeared on TodayTix (greyed out) so at least a transfer is planned I think…

[unseaworthy]

Oct 27, 2024 11:31:44 GMT Afriley said:

Oooh it’s appeared on TodayTix (greyed out) so at least a transfer is planned I think…

Would this fit into the Garrick?

[Afriley]

Oct 27, 2024 13:57:01 GMT unseaworthy said:

Oct 27, 2024 11:31:44 GMT Afriley said:

Oooh it’s appeared on TodayTix (greyed out) so at least a transfer is planned I think…

Would this fit into the Garrick?

Yeah.

[Being Alive]

Oct 27, 2024 11:31:44 GMT Afriley said:

Oooh it’s appeared on TodayTix (greyed out) so at least a transfer is planned I think…

Doesn't mean this necessarily - Death Becomes Her is on there and that doesn't have a London venue yet 🤷🏻‍♂️

There have been plenty of shows on TodayTix greyed out that don't come to fruition so don't read too much into this.

[theatrenerd]

Saw this last night, and considering it was a Monday...WOW, what an enthusiastic and sold out audience! (Even with the brief show stop in the second half)

As for the actual show itself, I'm so glad I caught this in its final week as I loved it so much more than I thought I would. Brilliant songs, script and performances all round.

I hope it is able to have a future life after the Rep (although the same was said for What's New Pussycat? and Sinatra), and I wonder if they actually did record the full cast recording when they did the 6-track EP and holding back the full release?

[drowseychap]

Oct 29, 2024 18:30:57 GMT theatrenerd said:

Saw this last night, and considering it was a Monday...WOW, what an enthusiastic and sold out audience! (Even with the brief show stop in the second half)

As for the actual show itself, I'm so glad I caught this in its final week as I loved it so much more than I thought I would. Brilliant songs, script and performances all round.

I hope it is able to have a future life after the Rep (although the same was said for What's New Pussycat? and Sinatra), and I wonder if they actually did record the full cast recording when they did the 6-track EP and holding back the full release?

I was there too last night my 4th time was electric atmosphere love seeing it throughout the previews seeing the subtle and not so subtle cuts and changes the show really speeds along now I noticed a couple of shortened lines even on the 10days between seeing it all the cast have really settled into parts and adding little extra looks and comedy

who I am the new song added almost steals the whole show it’s not in the programme ,as was added just before press night …. friends went tonight and programmes were sold out

It was a travesty the what’s new pussycat never transferred that was the best new musical I’ve seen in years !!

Let’s hope this show does get the transfer it so richly deserves

I think a couple of tweaks in the book would be good the sister really needs something else to do 😁

[andrew]

There's a few things I took issue with. I too found myself slightly stuck on why he was playing Nancy (does the title remind anyone else of the Groundhog Day song?), especially when you throw in an eleven o'clock scene where the teacher (very well played by Mr Ashfield) is essentially asked straight up why he made the decision, and you feel like you're being set up for a big revelation, and then... no. You just sang well so I cast you in this way that would obviously get you bullied. I am decidedly not a Stiles and Drewe fan, and whilst there were definitely 3 or 4 songs that worked well, there was just so much dross in here. So many wonderful moments in this really sweet story that you could musicalise, and they're waved by in favour of the obvious and the meaningless. Half the songs are just the main character directly expressing their emotion in a really flat and uncolourful way. "I'm really nervous, I'm really scared, I'm really really nervous, I'm unprepared" is not actually a line from the show because I couldn't find published lyrics but is on the level of what happened a lot.

This basic story is a great concept for a musical, and some of the times they find those beats (mostly in act 1) like the number where Paige Peddie's character gets to shout at everyone and the world about being a person of colour in the 70s and the troubles her character keeps having thrown at her. Then bewilderingly we spend 10 minutes singing bland forgettable fare on the trip to Brighton where a main character whose entire personality is "Who cares? Let's have fun!" suddenly decides actually he does care and he can't have fun. Why wasn't that a song instead? Why even waste a third of an act on the Brighton trip when you had so much unresolved stuff to deal with at home? I love Trehearn and her song whilst anatomically not especially accurate was OK, but wouldn't it have been more interesting for her to have a number arguing with her husband and bringing him around to understanding their sons plight instead of him just doing it automatically and in perfect time to neatly round up the show? Or a song about how the mother loves her son, didn't think she'd care and always sort of knew he was gay but when actually confronted by it in the living room totally froze, because she's affected by stereotypes and fear that she can't just ignore? 

I think that was my main complaint, that the story deserved better musicalisation than it got. In my view because Stiles and Drewe are not up to it, or have not proven themselves to be up for it in my experience. Those examples above would be difficult songs to write, and they can't write difficult songs. That lack of quality ends up taking something which is admittedly quite feel-good, often funny and generally endearing and leaves it middling. I walked out thinking this was another British musical that like The Little Big Things just didn't bother to craft enough decent music to earn itself a place within the genre, relying on a loud ending where everyones shouts something cheerful at you for 5 minutes so it gets a standing ovation. 

I really didn't hate it at all, but it wasn't anywhere near a 5 star for me.

[mrbarnaby]

Oct 27, 2024 14:08:16 GMT Afriley said:

Oct 27, 2024 13:57:01 GMT unseaworthy said:

Would this fit into the Garrick?

Yeah.

The Garrick is TINY. Would not fit in there at all.

[FrontroverPaul]

Oct 30, 2024 21:47:59 GMT andrew said:

There's a few things I took issue with. I too found myself slightly stuck on why he was playing Nancy (does the title remind anyone else of the Groundhog Day song?), especially when you throw in an eleven o'clock scene where the teacher (very well played by Mr Ashfield) is essentially asked straight up why he made the decision, and you feel like you're being set up for a big revelation, and then... no. You just sang well so I cast you in this way that would obviously get you bullied. I am decidedly not a Stiles and Drewe fan, and whilst there were definitely 3 or 4 songs that worked well, there was just so much dross in here. So many wonderful moments in this really sweet story that you could musicalise, and they're waved by in favour of the obvious and the meaningless. Half the songs are just the main character directly expressing their emotion in a really flat and uncolourful way. "I'm really nervous, I'm really scared, I'm really really nervous, I'm unprepared" is not actually a line from the show because I couldn't find published lyrics but is on the level of what happened a lot.

This basic story is a great concept for a musical, and some of the times they find those beats (mostly in act 1) like the number where Paige Peddie's character gets to shout at everyone and the world about being a person of colour in the 70s and the troubles her character keeps having thrown at her. Then bewilderingly we spend 10 minutes singing bland forgettable fare on the trip to Brighton where a main character whose entire personality is "Who cares? Let's have fun!" suddenly decides actually he does care and he can't have fun. Why wasn't that a song instead? Why even waste a third of an act on the Brighton trip when you had so much unresolved stuff to deal with at home? I love Trehearn and her song whilst anatomically not especially accurate was OK, but wouldn't it have been more interesting for her to have a number arguing with her husband and bringing him around to understanding their sons plight instead of him just doing it automatically and in perfect time to neatly round up the show? Or a song about how the mother loves her son, didn't think she'd care and always sort of knew he was gay but when actually confronted by it in the living room totally froze, because she's affected by stereotypes and fear that she can't just ignore? 

I think that was my main complaint, that the story deserved better musicalisation than it got. In my view because Stiles and Drewe are not up to it, or have not proven themselves to be up for it in my experience. Those examples above would be difficult songs to write, and they can't write difficult songs. That lack of quality ends up taking something which is admittedly quite feel-good, often funny and generally endearing and leaves it middling. I walked out thinking this was another British musical that like The Little Big Things just didn't bother to craft enough decent music to earn itself a place within the genre, relying on a loud ending where everyones shouts something cheerful at you for 5 minutes so it gets a standing ovation. 

I really didn't hate it at all, but it wasn't anywhere near a 5 star for me.

Oh dear!  Becoming Jane and Little Big Things are both included in my personal top five musicals of the last ten years ( along with Everybody's Talking About Jamie, What's New Pussycat and the Great British Bake Off Musical. BJ displaced Standing At The Sky's Edge this month.)

[Being Alive]

Nice to hear someone sort of siding with me andrew - glad someone else can see the big flaws!

[robertb213]

I loved it but there are some really strong counter points raised by you both! 😁

[Afriley]

I adored this show, but yeah it’s not without flaws. But then no piece of theatre is.

For me this is pure joy and comfort rather than necessarily high brow art.

Yes they can certainly tweak the book a little, and expect they will if there’s a transfer. The aunt needs more to do, there needs to be work on Maxie’s motivations and a few of the less impactful songs can be chopped or shortened.

[FrontroverPaul]

I am probably one of the mainly-silent probably-majority of musical theatre goers whose sole wish is to have a 100%, no if or buts, great time. I now see a stage show almost every day, often two, because there is nothing in my life as I approach 70 I enjoy more, especially, sometimes essentially, from a central front row stalls seat. 90% musicals, a few plays, comedy stand ups and concerts.

I don't, however, really think about what I'm seeing or hearing either at the time or afterwards, the good or the bad aspects, the book, the sound, whose performances are strongest or anything like that. I just have a good or more often than not, an absolutely fantastic time. I enjoy reading most of the critiques on this forum but couldn't produce something like andrew 's post above if my life depended on it. What another poster, Steve , writes often within hours of seeing a show absolutely amazes me ! 

I can only rate a show by how much I enjoy it. On that basis I would award Jesus Christ Superstar and Spring Awakening one star (but I wouldn't contribute that to a poll here on either show) and I Should Be So lucky and Now That's What I call A Musical both five stars. I don't doubt the first two are the better musicals and that raises a point I asked once before - should a star rating be subjective or objective ? i can only do subjective and  I enjoy five stars almost everything. I guess that makes me lucky and I'll keep spending the kids' inheritance on live entertainment for as long as I can do so.

[andrew]

Oct 31, 2024 11:14:19 GMT FrontroverPaul said:

I am probably one of the mainly-silent probably-majority of musical theatre goers whose sole wish is to have a 100%, no if or buts, great time. I now see a stage show almost every day, often two, because there is nothing in my life as I approach 70 I enjoy more, especially, sometimes essentially, from a central front row stalls seat. 90% musicals, a few plays, comedy stand ups and concerts.

I don't, however, really think about what I'm seeing or hearing either at the time or afterwards, the good or the bad aspects, the book, the sound, whose performances are strongest or anything like that. I just have a good or more often than not, an absolutely fantastic time. I enjoy reading most of the critiques on this forum but couldn't produce something like andrew 's post above if my life depended on it. What another poster, Steve , writes often within hours of seeing a show absolutely amazes me ! 

I can only rate a show by how much I enjoy it. On that basis I would award Jesus Christ Superstar and Spring Awakening one star (but I wouldn't contribute that to a poll here on either show) and I Should Be So lucky and Now That's What I call A Musical both five stars. I don't doubt the first two are the better musicals and that raises a point I asked once before - should a star rating be subjective or objective ? i can only do subjective and  I enjoy five stars almost everything. I guess that makes me lucky and I'll keep spending the kids' inheritance on live entertainment for as long as I can do so.

Oh god spend all the money, it's what I would do. Screw the kids, you've given them enough I'm sure.

Sometimes I wonder if I've lost the plot a bit and have developed expectations that cannot be matched, then I remember there are plenty of lighter musicals that are excellent. Mincemeat or Tammy Faye recently... even the likes of &Juliet and Jamie which weren't really my cup of tea style-wise were at least decently constructed. I'm not looking for Hamlet, but where once a frothy feel-good musical meant something like Hairspray and gave you witty fun songs and a tight, hilarious script now it seems to mean pedestrian music that you forget about the minute you walk out. 

My teenage years were all about listening to musical theatre albums to death, falling in love with that sort of music, are the teens of today falling in love with the Becoming Nancy EP, playing it 100 times over? Maybe they are. We love to make fun of Andrew Lloyd-Webber (me included) but there is a man that can write a hell of a melody, isn't afraid of a time signature that isn't 4/4, doesn't rely on something being loud to pretend that it's good. 

I want this musical to exist, I want it to be amazing, I wish they'd picked a different writing team.

[theatreian]

Oct 31, 2024 11:14:19 GMT FrontroverPaul said:

I am probably one of the mainly-silent probably-majority of musical theatre goers whose sole wish is to have a 100%, no if or buts, great time.

I agree with your approach, I see things because I think I will enjoy them, sometimes because who is in it or if it has great reviews . I don't overanalyse what I see, either I enjoy it or I don't. In my mind there's nothing like live entertainment whether that be theatre or concert and admittedly you can't win em all and enjoy everything but you can at least try!