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Post by melly on Sept 3, 2016 21:23:54 GMT
I also saw this last night and would highly recommend. As well as a fabulous cast, the costumes and wigs are very well used, and such attention to detail (and the cost of) is not something I would have expected in such a small production.
The set does take up quite a lot of the small stage area so be prepared to keep tucking your feet out of the way on the front row.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2016 21:31:44 GMT
I also saw this last night and would highly recommend. As well as a fabulous cast, the costumes and wigs are very well used, and such attention to detail (and the cost of) is not something I would have expected in such a small production. The set does take up quite a lot of the small stage area so be prepared to keep tucking your feet out of the way on the front row. This is very true, I'd tuck your feet in! When I went last night, there were a few times the girls would back up and they are practically on your lap. At one point when Lizzy has her big moment at the beginning of Act II I thought she was actually going to fall on me. Also clothes and towels are thrown about and fall at your feet haha. |
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Post by danielwhit on Sept 3, 2016 22:06:03 GMT
Saw this tonight - very refreshing.
Lovely to see a musical which has very strong character development, powerful songs for all characters and a book which is carefully crafted and completely fits the music and the wider world.
Looking back you can see the hints in each character's journey as they bridge from scene to scene. My only negative would be it took me a while to detect they had 'aged' initially from 18 to 21ish, I had presumed this was a different day in their high school senior year to begin with.
Couple of lighting glitches tonight, but that is one impressive design for TS2. I had always doubted how well a musical could play in there, evidently extremely well.
All three performances are top notch, with very clear diction. Definitely recommended, hopefully it'll have a further life (it's another 'this wasn't done for just four weeks, surely?' production).
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2016 22:12:06 GMT
Well. It's an entertaining bit of fluff, thoroughly enjoyed it. Sags a bit in the second half (don't we all?) but there's enough pizzazz to keep it going, it's nice how they keep the songs era-appropriate. Great cast and they all get to shine and while Ashleigh Gray is the best singer of the lot she has the most dull character. Lizzy Connolly on the other hand is just sensational. She truly deserves to be one of our very biggest and best musical theatre comediennes.
However, whoever it is that styles Ashleigh Gray in the second act needs to be fired. She's an absolute knockout looking gal but they've managed to make her look 20 years older than the other two when they're all supposed to be the same age!
A nice few hotties in the audience too which was a delightful bonus. Vanities brings all the boys to the yard it would appear. Lovely.
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Post by melly on Sept 3, 2016 22:22:37 GMT
However, whoever it is that styles Ashleigh Gray in the second act needs to be fired. She's an absolute knockout looking gal but they've managed to make her look 20 years older than the other two when they're all supposed to be the same age! That was one of the things I liked! I thought that was done deliberately. The paths the characters took basically lead to that. I thought Lizzie's character had sort of caught up by the final age after her 'events'. While obviously Lauren's character's choices kept her looking young. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2016 22:26:22 GMT
However, whoever it is that styles Ashleigh Gray in the second act needs to be fired. She's an absolute knockout looking gal but they've managed to make her look 20 years older than the other two when they're all supposed to be the same age! That was one of the things I liked! I thought that was done deliberately. The paths the characters took basically lead to that. I thought Lizzie's character had sort of caught up by the final age after her 'events'. While obviously Lauren's character's choices kept her looking young. I see where you're going there but I doubt they intended to make her end up looking like Joanne and Mary's mother! Oy oy oy . . . |
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Post by melly on Sept 3, 2016 22:30:12 GMT
I see where you're going there but I doubt they intended to make her end up looking like Joanne and Mary's mother! Oy oy oy . . . Haha, probably not! I took her greying hair to show she didn't care the way the other 2 still did though. Like she didn't need to dye her hair or be something she wasn't. But yes, she did end up looking a lot older! |
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Post by danielwhit on Sept 3, 2016 22:32:56 GMT
I thought that was a conscious decision personally. Show she's kept her figure and is happy to show that off but she isn't worried about looking mature now, which also reflects her character's development between the last two scenes.
That's if you meant the transition after the tea party.. If you meant at the tea party I hadn't detected a visible age gap in appearance.
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Post by Dawnstar on Sept 3, 2016 22:54:01 GMT
I popped into Trafalgar Studios this afternoon & booked for this, given how positive the comments on here have been. I hope I agree with everyone once I've been! Especially as it was a bit more expensive than I was expecting, in fact I paid more for this than for Wicked which I also booked for this afternoon. It's funny how it's often actually more expensive to see fringe shows than West End ones.
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Post by notmymuse on Sept 4, 2016 20:06:13 GMT
Can anyone tell me the running time for this? Am thinking of making the trip and need to book trains! Thanks.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2016 20:10:16 GMT
Can anyone tell me the running time for this? Am thinking of making the trip and need to book trains! Thanks. Act 1: 50 Minutes, Interval: 20 Minutes, Act 2: 50 Minutes (based on signage in the theatre).  |
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Post by notmymuse on Sept 4, 2016 20:15:41 GMT
Can anyone tell me the running time for this? Am thinking of making the trip and need to book trains! Thanks. Act 1: 50 Minutes, Interval: 20 Minutes, Act 2: 50 Minutes (based on signage in the theatre). Grand, thanks so much for such a speedy and helpful reply. Hopefully going next week  ) |
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Post by danielwhit on Sept 4, 2016 22:18:48 GMT
Act 1: 50 Minutes, Interval: 20 Minutes, Act 2: 50 Minutes (based on signage in the theatre). Grand, thanks so much for such a speedy and helpful reply. Hopefully going next week ) In reality it's a spot longer. So allow 2hrs 10mins with interval (2hrs 15mins if there's a short delay anywhere). I don't like being picky usually but it makes a difference at that time of night for trains for us out of towners |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2016 22:54:56 GMT
Grand, thanks so much for such a speedy and helpful reply. Hopefully going next week ) In reality it's a spot longer. So allow 2hrs 10mins with interval (2hrs 15mins if there's a short delay anywhere). I don't like being picky usually but it makes a difference at that time of night for trains for us out of towners I agree, leave about 10/15 minutes extra time on the running time just in case of a delay. But I would do that with any show haha. The upside is this theatre only has about 100 seats if that, so getting out of the theatre is really fast and easy! |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2016 12:48:24 GMT
Booked for Wednesday! It will be my last show before coming back to Spain  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2016 14:54:03 GMT
A fine choice, a great way to end your trip if I do say so myself! The entry price is worth it hearing Lauren Samuels sing Fly into the Future, just trust me! And maybe see you tonight at Wicked! |
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Post by mallardo on Sept 6, 2016 7:12:46 GMT
As I said somewhere near the top of this thread I'd seen the original production of this 8 years ago in Pasadena and been only mildly interested in it. I'd loved the three ladies in that cast and I'd loved David Kirshenbaum's score with its succession of great songs that were so perfectly of the period in a kind of Burt Bacharach-ian way. But the theatre it played in was a 700 seater and there were quasi-realistic sets for all of the scenes and the show seemed to get lost in an overlarge environment.
So it was like seeing a brand new show last night at the intimate Trafalgar Two. To have everything up close and personal in a unit set that provides just what's needed, with all the frills stripped away, is to really confront this show for what it is. And what it is, is a light and fluffy but deeply heartfelt journey through a couple of decades in the lives of three young woman who grow and change in, let's face it, not unexpected ways, yet carry us with them via the sharp writing of Jack Heifner and the strong personalities of a trio of wonderful actresses.
Lizzy Connolly (hysterically funny), Ashleigh Gray (achingly poignant) and Lauren Samuels (brassy but vulnerable) each bring unique gifts to their roles and score big time in their songs and, most importantly, work together to make the necessary magic to pull this friendship tale together. Casting is the secret to success in any show and they got it just right here.
The five piece offstage band, btw, is fabulous and Racky Plews' production is spot on. It was great to learn, thanks to all involved here, that Vanities is a much better show than I'd thought it was. MUCH better.
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Post by notmymuse on Sept 6, 2016 8:47:25 GMT
In reality it's a spot longer. So allow 2hrs 10mins with interval (2hrs 15mins if there's a short delay anywhere). I don't like being picky usually but it makes a difference at that time of night for trains for us out of towners I agree, leave about 10/15 minutes extra time on the running time just in case of a delay. But I would do that with any show haha. The upside is this theatre only has about 100 seats if that, so getting out of the theatre is really fast and easy! Thanks both. Have booked for Sat matinee (using your todaytix code danieljohnson14 as a thank you!) and am excited now seeing all the good reviews on here. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2016 9:21:48 GMT
I agree, leave about 10/15 minutes extra time on the running time just in case of a delay. But I would do that with any show haha. The upside is this theatre only has about 100 seats if that, so getting out of the theatre is really fast and easy! Thanks both. Have booked for Sat matinee (using your todaytix code danieljohnson14 as a thank you!) and am excited now seeing all the good reviews on here. Awwww yay, thank you! |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2016 13:38:59 GMT
It makes me so happy to read so many great reviews of this show. Tonight is their press night, so it will be interesting to see what the media think of the show! Hopefully they will enjoy it just as much as the members of this forum have.
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Post by Michael on Sept 6, 2016 20:15:45 GMT
To listen before I see the show next Saturday or not - that is the question   |
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Post by charmedjean on Sept 6, 2016 20:37:38 GMT
To listen before I see the show next Saturday or not - that is the question Only if you promise not to sing along during the show 😜😝 They has their press night tonight according to twitter, I hope it went well! |
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Post by Michael on Sept 6, 2016 21:08:44 GMT
Only if you promise not to sing along during the show 😜😝 That'll be really hard if the entire score is as catchy as I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2016 9:50:11 GMT
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Post by raiseitup on Sept 7, 2016 10:07:14 GMT
Shenton and Time Out had the same view - 'great cast, terrible musical'
The Stage - 3*
TimeOut - 2*
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