30 posts
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Post by jacobjb25 on Sept 11, 2024 9:02:23 GMT
Where have you seen this? I have a ticket and haven't had anything yet? I received a text and an email. I'm chasing it up with TodayTix! |
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Post by hamletothello on Sept 12, 2024 7:41:50 GMT
Question: does 2 hours 35 minutes with a 20-minute interval mean plus interval or including interval?
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1,475 posts
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Post by Steve on Sept 12, 2024 7:49:30 GMT
Question: does 2 hours 35 minutes with a 20-minute interval mean plus interval or including interval? Obviously,it's unclear. But I would prepare for a 2 hour, 55 minute running time because nobody wants to admit a show is that long. If the show was 2 hours, 35 minutes including an interval, they would just say that lol. |
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Post by hamletothello on Sept 12, 2024 7:57:40 GMT
Question: does 2 hours 35 minutes with a 20-minute interval mean plus interval or including interval? Obviously,it's unclear. But I would prepare for a 2 hour, 55 minute running time because nobody wants to admit a show is that long. If the show was 2 hours, 35 minutes including an interval, they would just say that lol. Thanks. I figured as much. Assuming, of course, that tonight's preview is still going ahead ... |
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1,826 posts
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Post by Dave B on Sept 12, 2024 11:05:32 GMT
Question: does 2 hours 35 minutes with a 20-minute interval mean plus interval or including interval? Now running tonight at 3 hours including interval per the things you need to know email I just got. Fingers crossed it is going ahead... |
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Post by lotster on Sept 12, 2024 11:11:07 GMT
3 hours! Wow. Wonder if this will be cut down after previews.
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Post by ordnyc123 on Sept 12, 2024 21:44:57 GMT
First time poster.
It started at 7:36 after a brief speech by the director and ended at 10;15pm.
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1,826 posts
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Post by Dave B on Sept 12, 2024 22:34:39 GMT
A brief intro from Kwame Kwei-Armah, calling his first previews like seeing his 'dirty underwear'. Some brief thoughts as it is now late.
It started a few minutes late and finished at 22.15 so clearly some time already being cut, the interval ran a little long too. I had some trepidation having not enjoyed Cold War very much and I could not help being thinking of Opening Night as a movie from that era which made the last leap to stage...
But, not to worry - this is a lot more enjoyable than both. Ramin Karimloo and Anoushka Lucas are great with Karimloo in particular doing excellent work. There is a lot of heart in this, at least in the first act. There isn't much to give away it's a first preview, some very slight choreography still settling into place and a general look of relief to have gotten through to the end at the bows - a lot of YV team in the audience (shout out to the YV team in the second row who were not having the talking from the two ladies who sat in the front row after the interval).
The story, it's hard not to see it as a Trump other other populist figure parallel and the second act moves more into this and looking at the people who supported or enable this prominence but of course, this was the original story from the 50s - some things never change. A little less heart after the interval, it looses track of the relationships maybe a little bit but that could very well be the point of it.
Music is good, band are good. Leads are good, ensemble are good. It is funny and smart.
Front row seats are good (hi to the TB member next to me, first time I've spotted someone browsing here on their phone!) and while the YV benches are not the most comfortable, it is nicely paced enough that it does not feel like pushing 3 hours tho I appreciated the scheduled 20 min interval to stand and stretch my legs.
Not sure yet how I'd rate it, at least 3 stars and honestly Karimloo alone might add another.
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1,475 posts
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Post by Steve on Sept 12, 2024 23:03:32 GMT
In my opinion Kwame Kwei-Armah is going out on a high with this one! I felt both the story and performances are electrifying. In a grown-up way, with more shades of grey than black and white, so the characters are neither completely likeable, nor completely unlikeable. Some may conclude that that makes it less entertaining than it could be, but I'd disagree, as the internal tensions of the characters are fascinating. For me, the biggest flaw is that the production probably isn't long enough to explore all the nuances of this story: the languorous storytelling of the first half feels just about perfect to me, but the more perfunctory storytelling of the second half feels like a rush to the end, like the compromised last season of "Game of Thrones:" ie necessarily abbreviated due to theatrical time constraints. Kwei-Armah has (correctly) decided that it's better to rush the plot points and finish at 10:15pm than let them play out naturally and finish at midnight lol. For that reason, the natural home of this story is probably a six or ten episode TV drama/musical, like "Daisy Jones and the Six." Ramin Karimloo does some of his best work here as a character whose worst flaws and greatest talents are massively magnified by the media spotlight. Anoushka Lucas is awesome as the conscience of the piece, from whose vantage point we view the action. Some spoilers follow. . . There are so many echoes of other terrific dramas here, which is to Budd Schulberg's credit as his short story/screenplay source material predates most of my comparisons:- It predates "Network," although there is SO much of Howard Beale in Ramin Karimloo's lead character, Lonesome Rhodes, whose folksy ruminations on life cut through to the radio-listening public because they are, or appear, off-the-cuff and authentic; It predates "Bob Roberts," whose country music star, played by Tim Robbins, also used folksy music to dangerously rouse an audience's most reactionary emotions for political power; It predates Anakin Skywalker's multi-hour slow seduction by the dark side of the force. What it definitely does not predate is Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," a comparison made explicitly and often within the text of this show, with Anoushka Lucas's radio producer, Marcia the Frankenstein to Karimloo's monster. This show is the musical drama amalgam of all of the above, and like those works, it succeeds in being a serious meditation of human foibles, both of the nature and the nurture variety. But it is also brilliantly entertaining because of Elvis Costello's spry, bluesy, folksy and thoughtful music, which is plot-integrated and where the music is a natural extension of the drama (and comedy) of the story. In sad soulful intent, you can compare the music in this to "Girl from the North Country" or "Standing at the Sky's Edge," but where those shows were jukebox at core, this is all original. The performances are wonderful, with Karimloo's Lonesome Rhodes (the seeds of his corruption evident from the very beginning in Karimloo's easy, people-, pleasing, vacant and malleable, yet intrinsically narcissistic persona) incandescent: his character is the most critical and exciting creation of the show, and Karimloo embodies the excitement and danger and fun of it all in spades. Topical beyond belief this US election season, in the second half, Trump comparisons are ladled on with a trowel, as both Trump and Rhodes channel populism opportunistically for political power from narcissistic neediness. The theme is both reductive (it makes us doubt whether Rhodes is capable of compassion) and effective (Trump works audiences just like this, and this depiction of Rhodes's facility for "authentic" seeming BS is revelatory). Anoushka Lucas makes time seem to stop in her contemplation of her cultivation of, and regret for, nurturing her "creature;" sleepy but sly Olly Dobson usefully plays a rival and love triangles; and so does bright and breezy Emily Florence, making a full on dramatic (and funny) love square. All in all, a 2 and three quarter hour musical might not be format enough to contain so much story, but it's a fantastic, if abbreviated, show. 4 and a half stars from me.  |
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Post by ordnyc123 on Sept 13, 2024 15:53:28 GMT
I am very happy people liked it but my take is radically different. I thought it was awful. I had bought tix for tonight and for Saturday also, but I have already given them away. I am a big fan of RK (and his torso, ngl) but, once he sings the title song 20 mn. into the first act, there is nothing that interesting. As it has already been mentioned above, we have seen the story better told several times before and it is a looooong, boring second act. I thought the songs were okay to dreadful. And some of the cast members were not very good (lack of rehearsal maybe?)
What surprised me is how cheap the whole production looked. From the costumes, to the set design (lord, those US backdrops or that stage right bar, and those jailhouse steps), everything looked very cheap; regional level (with all due respect) production.
There was an embarrassing moment when they were trying to get the audience to clap along and only a few did. You had to feel bad for the cast. There was no standing ovation, which nowadays tells you everything you need to know.
I hope it gets better but the story is not interesting enough, the production is very lame and the music is just okay. And I hope I am very wrong. I just flew to London to see it.
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Post by apubleed on Sept 13, 2024 16:35:37 GMT
Wow you book three nights in a row and gave up after one?
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Post by ordnyc123 on Sept 13, 2024 16:44:14 GMT
I really don’t think it is that interesting. Maybe in a month it might be more interesting, but definitely not this week.
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Post by apubleed on Sept 13, 2024 17:53:43 GMT
They just cancelled Saturday night. Is this show in trouble?
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1,475 posts
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Post by Steve on Sept 13, 2024 18:19:15 GMT
we have seen the story better told several times before. . . I thought the songs were okay to dreadful. . . What surprised me is how cheap the whole production looked. From the costumes, to the set design (lord, those US backdrops or that stage right bar, and those jailhouse steps), everything looked very cheap; regional level (with all due respect) production. There was an embarrassing moment when they were trying to get the audience to clap along and only a few did. . . I just flew to London to see it. Your opinion is invaluable as we all see things through our own eyes, and we come here to see through other people's eyes. As far as my examples of similar stories, I felt that this one is sufficiently different and unique from them to earn it's own spot next to them; Some spoilers follow. . . With regard to the songs, I'd argue that this bluesy/folksy downbeat genre is never going to uplift the way pop/rock/etc would, which is why I compared this to the Richard Hawley and Bob Dylan musicals, to cue people in that they need a taste for the genre. For me, I was surprised that Costello's music was as rousing as it was; With regard to the production values, I felt that the spareness of it fits with a story about a nobody who comes from nothing. Also, I'm familiar with the Young Vic, and I don't expect Cameron Mackintosh level production values at the Young Vic; Vis-a-vis the non-clapalong, the Young Vic audience is a smart audience and they weren't going to be baited into clapping along with a populist bigoted song, although you could argue that the production wanted to trick them into doing so. The Young Vic audience profile probably wouldn't clap along to Trump saying "the immigrants are coming for your dogs, cats, and pets" either." They just cancelled Saturday night. Is this show in trouble? I loved it, but maybe they want to discuss how to make the second half flow a bit better, or maybe try to cut it down to 2 and a half hours. It's far too late to change the music style or the plot trajectory. This is previews, after all, when audiences almost expect cancellations, though I feel very sad for audiences having their plans messed up.  |
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176 posts
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Post by unseaworthy on Sept 13, 2024 18:21:07 GMT
What is this show about?
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1,475 posts
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Post by Steve on Sept 13, 2024 18:22:41 GMT
A (monstrous) Star is Born. |
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87 posts
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Post by justinj on Sept 13, 2024 18:50:33 GMT
Tomorrows performance cancelled
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527 posts
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Post by Hamilton Addict on Sept 13, 2024 21:49:58 GMT
I was at tonight’s performance, and it appeared that one of the leads wasn’t particularly well. I won’t name the individual in question incase it is a sensitive topic, but there were quite a few cases of coughing mid-song. The performer in question rallied through however, and made it to the very end!
If I were to hazard a guess, it may be the case that the understudy is not yet trained, meaning that the show can’t go on until this is resolved.
I will say that I did like the show, and that there is some great music here! It could do with a few edits here and there, but on the whole I very much enjoyed it.
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1,826 posts
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Post by Dave B on Sept 13, 2024 22:28:55 GMT
If I were to hazard a guess, it may be the case that the understudy is not yet trained, I don't think YV tend to have understudies, I'm sure we discussed it when Mandela had so many cancellations. |
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176 posts
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Post by unseaworthy on Sept 13, 2024 22:52:25 GMT
If I were to hazard a guess, it may be the case that the understudy is not yet trained, I don't think YV tend to have understudies, I'm sure we discussed it when Mandela had so many cancellations. That is crazy... You would think the cost of all the refunds for the cancelled shows would be vastly more that the cost of a couple of understudies. |
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Post by andrew on Sept 13, 2024 23:00:58 GMT
If I were to hazard a guess, it may be the case that the understudy is not yet trained, I don't think YV tend to have understudies, I'm sure we discussed it when Mandela had so many cancellations. Passing Strange had understudies for all major parts and they went on quite a bit. |
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Post by Dave B on Sept 14, 2024 8:08:11 GMT
I don't think YV tend to have understudies, I'm sure we discussed it when Mandela had so many cancellations. Passing Strange had understudies for all major parts and they went on quite a bit. Ah, thank you. Nevermind me, I'm either mis-remembering or just plain wrong! |
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527 posts
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Post by Hamilton Addict on Sept 14, 2024 9:26:25 GMT
They weren't selling programmes last night, so it's hard to give a definitive answer on the understudy front. I had a look at their website and it did list 'swings', so that would lead me to believe that there are in fact some covers in place. Either way, it seems like it's a difficult situation; to send one of the leads on with a bad cough is certainly not ideal. Hopefully it gets resolved!
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Post by greenandbrownandblue on Sept 14, 2024 9:36:28 GMT
They weren't selling programmes last night, so it's hard to give a definitive answer on the understudy front. I had a look at their website and it did list 'swings', so that would lead me to believe that there are in fact some covers in place. Either way, it seems like it's a difficult situation; to send one of the leads on with a bad cough is certainly not ideal. Hopefully it gets resolved! I think the YV has (annoyingly) completely abandoned programmes. Not sure why as it's presumably a good money maker? |
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Post by wburns on Sept 17, 2024 22:56:39 GMT
Found this show to be incredibly dull and soulless with some good performances. Design / production felt Am Dram. Couple of good songs the rest are dull and forgettable. Feels like Kwame has checked out - embarrassing the YV are putting something up of this standard.
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