A Face in the Crowd - Young Vic

[mrnutz]

Has this been cut down since previews? I saw earlier posters say it was just shy of three hours, but the email I've received from the YV says:

"The running time is approximately 2 hours 35 minutes including a 20-minute interval."

[thistimetomorrow]

Oct 4, 2024 14:58:31 GMT mrnutz said:

"The running time is approximately 2 hours 35 minutes including a 20-minute interval."

yeah that sounds about right from when I went last week. Maybe just under that.

[unseaworthy]

Oct 4, 2024 15:24:40 GMT thistimetomorrow said:

Oct 4, 2024 14:58:31 GMT mrnutz said:

"The running time is approximately 2 hours 35 minutes including a 20-minute interval."

yeah that sounds about right from when I went last week. Maybe just under that.

Interesting... What did you think of the show now it has been cut?

[thistimetomorrow]

Oct 4, 2024 15:31:15 GMT unseaworthy said:

What did you think of the show now it has been cut?

I didn't see the long version, but this was fine. The first act dragged and the songs were kinda samey (although I do like Elvis Costello) and I wasn't a huge fan of the book, but it wasn't actively bad. A solid 3 stars I reckon.

[sf]

Oct 4, 2024 14:58:31 GMT mrnutz said:

Has this been cut down since previews? I saw earlier posters say it was just shy of three hours, but the email I've received from the YV says:

"The running time is approximately 2 hours 35 minutes including a 20-minute interval."

I saw it two nights before the opening night, and I was out of the theatre at 10.15pm - so given that shows at the Young Vic usually start a few minutes late (partly because it takes a few minutes to seat people who bought Lucky Dip tickets) it wasn't too far off. I'd guess it has lost a few minutes since simply from the cast settling in to doing the show in front of an audience and therefore picking up cues more quickly - at the point when I saw it, they'd had a week of previews scheduled and four performances had been cancelled, so it all felt a little tentative.

...and while I liked it quite a lot more than some others here, I think they needed another 2-3 weeks of previews with both writers present and making adjustments to the book and the score.

[yuzu]

Thoughts from a visit last week - Ramin is insanely charismatic in person and personally it was well worth it to see him live (especially after looking forward to a rare concert where I live that of course got cancelled in 2020). I'm probably not the demographic for this kind of music or musical, but it was very hard to not be charmed by him. That being said, it felt a little heavy-handed, and seeing as I'm not usually one for deep media interpretation, that probably means it's way too heavy-handed.

[Phantom of London]

Is there gunshots in this? If so is it from the gun or soundboard?

[dlevi]

I saw this on Thursday night and thought it truly one of the worst musicals I've ever seen in my life. From the lifeless opening monologue which needlessly "set the scene" to the trite and forgettable songs -these are clearly two people who know very little about how to structure let alone actually write a musical. The sets were flimsy and cheap. The choreography was fresh out of a commmunity center square dance workshop and while Ramin was effective , he was working too hard. His charm should appear effortless and it wasn't. I cannot wait for Kwame to leave the building .

[ThereWillBeSun]

Uh oh… ^

Seeing this next week 💀

I found Passing Strange a very strange musical too.

Couldn’t find programmes last time but it was the final matinee I saw. Does anyone know if they’re selling programmes for AFITC? 👀

[Dave B]

Oct 6, 2024 1:05:15 GMT ThereWillBeSun said:

Couldn’t find programmes last time but it was the final matinee I saw. Does anyone know if they’re selling programmes for AFITC? 👀

They were not early in the run. I think YV may have done away with programmes.

[mrnutz]

I saw this on Friday night. Didn't dislike it as much as others, and I'm glad I saw it - mostly for the excellent leads.

The story doesn't go anywhere, the plot is basic, and - other than the title song - the score is forgettable.

I thought the set was perfectly fine.

It's a 3/5 from me!

[mrnutz]

Oct 4, 2024 23:02:59 GMT Phantom of London said:

Is there gunshots in this? If so is it from the gun or soundboard?

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler - click to view}
Yes, there are a couple from a gun in the first half.

[greenandbrownandblue]

Oct 6, 2024 1:05:15 GMT ThereWillBeSun said:

Uh oh… ^

Seeing this next week 💀

I found Passing Strange a very strange musical too.

Couldn’t find programmes last time but it was the final matinee I saw. Does anyone know if they’re selling programmes for AFITC? 👀

No programmes - seems to be a new YV policy, though hoping it'll change with the new AD.

Given the mediocre reviews I had relatively low expectations, but I really enjoyed this - it's a simple plot (though pertinent, especially as it was written in the 50s), but it's brilliantly performed and there are several strong songs, notably Blood and Hot Sauce, and the titular number. 

It's a treat to see Ramin Karimloo on stage again - and in a role very different to the last time I saw him in Paint Never Dries. And Anoushka Lucas does good work in this too, she really does have a gorgeous voice. 

I didn't find it looked cheap; it fitted the era perfectly. 

There are a few pacing issues; it could benefit from a few rewrites as some bits are too quick and other scenes take a while to cover very little ground. But I think there's a very good musical in there. 

[aloysius]

I thought the only scene where the set looked noticeably cheap was the one in the train carriage from Arkansas to Chicago. The set gave me slight Best of Enemies vibes with the TV gallery at the top. I also was nonplussed by the petals remaining on stage - also I thought it lazy how the on air radio equipment stopped being used after the first two times - was it too difficult to roll it out for the other radio studio scenes?

The whole thing was perfectly... fine. A pleasant evening spent in the company of two strong leads but given Elvis Costello's pedigree and supposed devotion to this project I was hoping for a lot more. I found the music a lot less affecting than that he composed for Cold War.

I'm most surprised by Kwame using this as the vehicle to bow out of his time as AD with. Given his willingness to push the boundaries with the types of plays he programmed, particularly those representing BAME experiences, this one seemed a little safe and conventional, even with the casting of two BAME leads. He should have passed out with Passing Strange in my opinion - it provided a far more enjoyable night at the Young Vic than this.

[westendgirls]

After reading the reviews here I almost didn’t go but so glad I did. Really loved it and would definitely listen to a cast recording if it came out. First time seeing Ramin live and loved his charisma and stage presence

After already getting a bargain ticket during London Theatre Week/Month, we got the extra bonus of being upgraded from the upstairs side seats. A lovely usher moved everyone who was sitting there into the main section which ended up being a treat

I had completely forgotten that Olly Dobson was in this so that was a lovely surprise. I see Today Tix have offers on so may be tempted to go again before it finishes

[Paulw]

I saw this last night and have mixed thoughts, there cast are fantastic and do the best they can with the material they have! I found the band to be a little distracting coming in and out of the side area and couldn’t work out why they just can’t stay side of stage for the duration.

The story I can relate to (and have seen it happen in real life many times) due to my working life but with that said is it interesting enough to have a 2 hour 35 minute show about it? I am not so sure, Songs largely forgettable but they served a purpose within the material and there were some good ones in there they just haven’t stuck in my head (which doesn’t mean they won’t with others).

A few interesting moments to mention during the political rally if you are going to do that please give flags to the whole audience and not just 2 or 3 dotted around the downstairs (if you have seen it you will know what I mean) as it would look and come across far more effective, and as part of that I didn’t expect a crowd surf! Effective but not so good if you are sat in front of the final destination 5 or 6 rows back!


All in all I am glad I went to see it (despite the bad tooth ache!) 3 stars from me and well worth the £13.50 on Today Tix I paid for downstairs row b but probably a little too close so if you are thinking about it I would opt for further back if it fits your budget.

[doornumberthree]

Oct 5, 2024 22:13:49 GMT dlevi said:

I saw this on Thursday night and thought it truly one of the worst musicals I've ever seen in my life. From the lifeless opening monologue which needlessly "set the scene" to the trite and forgettable songs -these are clearly two people who know very little about how to structure let alone actually write a musical. The sets were flimsy and cheap. The choreography was fresh out of a commmunity center square dance workshop and while Ramin was effective , he was working too hard. His charm should appear effortless and it wasn't. I cannot wait for Kwame to leave the building .

I have to agree with this. It was 2* at best for me. It was like 4 different shows all patched together terribly. I wasn’t hugely impressed with anything or anyone. I was so so bored throughout act one especially then got thrown into a completely different musical in act two.

[shownut]

Was there tonight and bored out of my mind. Aside from a catchy title song, I have nothing nice to say about this complete mess of a musical.

** from me.

[max]

Oct 15, 2024 22:21:39 GMT shownut said:

Was there tonight and bored out of my mind. Aside from a catchy title song, I have nothing nice to say about this complete mess of a musical.

** from me.

I was also there tonight - it's a very badly directed first 15mins, but I did get into it after that and found quite a lot to enjoy. Gathering my thoughts still.

It is a good title song, but really odd that its opening lyrics and a prominent chord progression are so similar to 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'.
"If you're down and confused" (A Face In The Crowd) is also sung with the same musical feel as "When you're weary, felling small" & "When you're down and out" (Bridge Over Troubled Water).
Reprised at the end, the last thing you want to do is send people out humming a song that isn't in the show. There are some other strong songs though.

I hope you at least enjoyed the British Sign Language interpreter! - she was in my direct line of vision, though I looked past her to concentrate; but the times I took her in she was rather wonderful, and Ramin Karimloo integrated her very well on a few occasions.

[craigbowker]

The good: The cast is one of the best I've seen. The music is great.

The bad: The lyrics, the plot, the book, the sets, the choreography, the pacing, the little flags.

It was the strangest thing I've seen performed live. Like it's fun, but it's fun because it's bad. It wouldn't have been as fun if the cast wasn't incredible. The music has potential but lyrics need a complete rewrite from a new creative team. It's 2024 there can't be a 'incels are the good guys' song.

[max]

I thought this fell between two stools style wise. With its hasty comic strip plot it might have been an idea to flag that as intentional and play it agitprop/living newspaper style with Brechtian captions fronting each scene; like the Federal Theatre Projects of the 1940s. It would force each scene to have a clear, even didactic purpose - the show works best when songs are satirical or knowing: the railroad song with place names hits the heights of Americana, the song giving the hard sell to the mattress product has bite. The middle section of that one (in spotlight) is the only moment Larry (aka Lonesome Roads) gets to sing from the heart about his past, so it’s one of the few where we hear the colours of Ramin Karimloo’s voice (it’s all barnstorming after that). Yet the ballads for the women are also good, and Elvis Costello can’t resist giving us a lot of them - which turns it into a completely different kind of show, miles away from Brecht. It starts to feel musically excellent but safe and old fashioned.

It’s a bad first 15 mins of direction. When Anoushka Lucas speaks the show's first line she has to take a pointless step up 2 inches, so looks down to be certain of her footing. Lucas is so great that she of course pulls it back, and it’s her that owns the show, but… way to sap authority from your narrator’s first moments! Then in the first scene with Lonesome Roads the listless hobo opens a case to reveal…. his pristine brand new guitar. At least give us a scene where he and Marcia scuff it up to fit his downhome image. At the radio station Marcia wards off Lonesome from touching the equipment or ogling the close-harmony singers - but the director has him do neither; so we don’t see him grow from being gauche and feeling lucky at the start.

I was sitting Stage Left and the band drowned out so many words I hardly caught anything Karimloo sang in his first number. I don’t know what kind of foldback speaker or ‘in ear’ they’ve got but singers were often a touch out of time with the band (in early songs anyway). The band pointlessly shuffles off to a bandroom (then shuffles back now and then) but at least the balance is a little better when they’re off stage. With all these missteps it just felt like nothing was taking off.

The show gets onto a much better footing though once Ramin Karimloo sings more simply, playing guitar. I’m baffled as to why (having discovered him and his musical talent at the courthouse jail) it’s his spoken words that intoxicate Marcia’s radio listeners rather than his singing. Surely we’re not meant to think Marcia already played out her dictaphone recording from the courthouse…?

‘Who owes who’, and ‘who owns who’, is always a compelling story, and I enjoyed it again here. Karimloo must be getting flashbacks of Phantom, Sunset Boulevard, and Evita, where he’s played either the monster or those abetting or trying to bring down the monster. There are also quite a few Betty/Joe type ‘Sunset’ conversations in the dialogue.

Elvis Costello once included Lloyd Webber in a diss song about the dross of modern culture, so I had to laugh seeing him not doing anything as musically savage as Sunset Boulevard or Evita, and writing a pale shadow of ‘Rainbow High’/‘The Lady’s Paying’ when Lonesome tries to make a senator into a presidential candidate via clothes and image. Not as easy as you thought, is it Mr Costello?

With that clap back out of the way, I thought there were some lovely songs (rather than ones that are great drama writing), and Anoushka Lucas stole the show with her song asserting being her own person without a man. Just a shame her character flits back to her ex in the very next scene, but hey, people can be inconsistent. I don’t mind that, but it’s the failure to get some bite out of her realising it, or Lonesome Roads throwing it in her face later, that underlines the show’s deficiencies.

As many have said - you can’t satirise what’s beyond satire in the USA right now. But you can change your ending from the film you’ve based your show on. I watched this in the week Trump insulted Detroit to a room of Detroit business people, bussed in supporters to a rally then left them stranded getting home, and stood for 30 mins dancing to his spotify playlist instead of answering questions. The amount of blind love demagogues command can’t be underestimated, but this show underestimates it and gives its plot a soft (and false) landing. It was way back in 2016 that Trump said “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters”.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler - click to view}
So it would be better if, at the end, Lonesome Roads shoots Marcia dead.
And gets away with it.

[ceebee]

Great songs and music, great cast, some of the worst direction I've seen in a long time. What a waste of cast and source material.

[ThereWillBeSun]

The cast were great but direction and book mediocre. Did enjoy it despite all that - could have been shaved down even more in my opinion.

There were so many opportunities to elevate it.

The no programmes is the AD decision; apparently a lot of audience members have been asking. An A4 sheet / QR code doesn’t cut it for me. The Young Vic programmes were always beautifully designed so hope this changes.

[unseaworthy]

Oct 20, 2024 8:24:01 GMT ThereWillBeSun said:

The cast were great but direction and book mediocre. Did enjoy it despite all that - could have been shaved down even more in my opinion.

There were so many opportunities to elevate it.

The no programmes is the AD decision; apparently a lot of audience members have been asking. An A4 sheet / QR code doesn’t cut it for me. The Young Vic programmes were always beautifully designed so hope this changes.

What is the reason for them not doing programmes? It seems like easy money...

[max]

Oct 19, 2024 21:27:05 GMT ceebee said:

Great songs and music, great cast, some of the worst direction I've seen in a long time. What a waste of cast and source material.

The direction was timid; there were so many opportunities to involve the audience, and, with so many Ramin Karimloo fans in, the ice hardly needed breaking. Instead...an 'Applaud' sign pointed at us (in the TV Studio scenes) but no attempt to make us do it.  By the time of the American flags in Act 2 it was too late and a bit feeble. Not everyone's comfortable with tricking the audience into collusion and then slapping them after (A Strange Loop) but in a piece about crowd manipulation....