|
|
Post by thatsshowbizkids on Oct 23, 2024 9:54:28 GMT
Full cast announced..... right old hotch potch!
I sniff another PTM flop.
|
|
|
|
Post by blamerobots on Oct 23, 2024 11:43:39 GMT
Joaquin Pedro Valdes being credited for just Heathers in the press release when he's gone on to do much greater things like Death Note and Pacific Overtures is pretty funny... I assume because it's a PTM joint.
But yes, interesting cast.
|
|
|
|
Post by darreno on Oct 23, 2024 17:03:59 GMT
I didn't have much of an interest in this until I saw the cast. Really liking that line up. I'm very much in!
|
|
|
|
Post by anelled on Oct 24, 2024 1:32:27 GMT
I saw this when I was on a U.S. road trip a few years back, and it was the only thing on in the city I was passing through. It's squarely in the family show category, leaning early teens. It wasn't very good, though that production looked super cheap, and the venue was much too large for it. There were folks dressed up in the crowd who seemingly got a lot out of it, which was great to see, but if you're not a fan of the source material, there are better uses for your time and money in London. Hopefully, they'll have improved it!
|
|
|
|
Post by tomcylon on Nov 22, 2024 23:32:12 GMT
Saw this today at the opening and it needs such a lot of work. I will say tho, the lighting is just incredible. The actors really gave it their all & the full house was very receptive throughout with a standing ovation at the end.
The story on the other hand is tedious and the script is drawn out and shockingly beige. Without the captivating lighting it really would have been a complete yawn fest 😂
|
|
|
|
Post by capybara on Nov 23, 2024 2:06:04 GMT
Perhaps they should have just let Cake have its press night and get a load of positive reviews.
Waiting before booking this one. Seems like it could be a bit of a dud.
|
|
278 posts
|
Post by unseaworthy on Nov 23, 2024 2:11:28 GMT
Saw this today at the opening and it needs such a lot of work. I will say tho, the lighting is just incredible. The actors really gave it their all & the full house was very receptive throughout with a standing ovation at the end. The story on the other hand is tedious and the script is drawn out and shockingly beige. Without the captivating lighting it really would have been a complete yawn fest 😂 If the best thing about it is the lighting - then this is one to miss! |
|
|
|
Post by keyspi on Nov 23, 2024 20:33:06 GMT
Saw this today at the opening and it needs such a lot of work. I will say tho, the lighting is just incredible. The actors really gave it their all & the full house was very receptive throughout with a standing ovation at the end. The story on the other hand is tedious and the script is drawn out and shockingly beige. Without the captivating lighting it really would have been a complete yawn fest 😂 If the best thing about it is the lighting - then this is one to miss! Is it called The Lightning Thief because the lighting steals the show? 🤓 |
|
|
|
Post by stagebyte on Nov 23, 2024 21:21:56 GMT
Problem is, everything gets a standing ovation these days rendering one meaningless.
|
|
278 posts
|
Post by unseaworthy on Nov 24, 2024 13:11:55 GMT
Problem is, everything gets a standing ovation these days rendering one meaningless. Usually led by friends & family of people involved in the production |
|
|
|
Post by matthew90 on Nov 26, 2024 22:20:42 GMT
As a fan of the original books/films/tv series I was excited to see a musical adaptation. For me the tone of this piece is confused, it goes from spoof to serious from one moment to the next so I was never quite sure how I was meant to be feeling about the source material so the more touching moments were lost.
It felt like the Spongebob musical at times, but that tone doesn't quite work here when the source material is rather more serious.
The pacing felt off as a lot of the key moments from the quest are rushed through in the 2nd act yet a lot of time was spent in the build up. I'd say the show is far more suitable for young children who are fans of PJ rather than anyone over 16. And given the pacing issues this isn't a show I'd recommend to anyone who doesn't know the material or you'll be completely lost.
The set and light production is great, and they achieve a lot with such a small stage. Although the lightning bolt wasnt workong tonight. The performers give it their all and provide some fun moments. Hopefully this draws in the young family crowds as I'm sure they'll have a great time.
|
|
|
|
Post by sandeep on Nov 27, 2024 9:44:28 GMT
As a fan of the original books/films/tv series I was excited to see a musical adaptation. For me the tone of this piece is confused, it goes from spoof to serious from one moment to the next so I was never quite sure how I was meant to be feeling about the source material so the more touching moments were lost. It felt like the Spongebob musical at times, but that tone doesn't quite work here when the source material is rather more serious. The pacing felt off as a lot of the key moments from the quest are rushed through in the 2nd act yet a lot of time was spent in the build up. I'd say the show is far more suitable for young children who are fans of PJ rather than anyone over 16. And given the pacing issues this isn't a show I'd recommend to anyone who doesn't know the material or you'll be completely lost. The set and light production is great, and they achieve a lot with such a small stage. Although the lightning bolt wasnt workong tonight. The performers give it their all and provide some fun moments. Hopefully this draws in the young family crowds as I'm sure they'll have a great time. Agree that it was a bit confused. Musicals can have serious undertones whilst being funny, but for me, it felt like the show was trying to ride more on the jokes and forgetting what was at stake for each character. As a fan of the book, I was looking for that Percy-Sally Jackson connection on which all of Percy’s actions are based on. That was completely absent from the preview I watched. Onstage, Percy and Sally Jackson were lacking any semblance of mom-son chemistry. Grover for me felt disconnected from Percy (!) and felt like he was playing for laughs from the audience. Annabeth felt more attuned to her character and vocally stronger than the other two. I also liked Luke – his portrayal was grounded on the book, his actions felt intentional and I felt that there was something at stake for him. The gods were camp and larger than life (of course), but that dilutes from the sense of power and authority they should be exuding (and which the audience should be feeling!) Story moves quickly, but there were pace issues – mostly felt in the trio scenes, where it sometimes feels like the show energy drops. Lots of clever moments in the show and thoroughly enjoyable. Must mention that stage direction, puppetry and illusions are all top quality. Set and lighting design were gorgeous. Overall had a good time! Hopefully pace issues and chemistries get resolved – those would elevate this show to a returnable one. |
|
640 posts
|
Post by ncbears on Nov 28, 2024 19:24:01 GMT
There is a bootleg of the Broadway version on that youtube site.
|
|
|
|
Post by badlydrawnhamster on Nov 29, 2024 22:19:06 GMT
As a fan of the original books/films/tv series I was excited to see a musical adaptation. For me the tone of this piece is confused, it goes from spoof to serious from one moment to the next so I was never quite sure how I was meant to be feeling about the source material so the more touching moments were lost. It felt like the Spongebob musical at times, but that tone doesn't quite work here when the source material is rather more serious. The pacing felt off as a lot of the key moments from the quest are rushed through in the 2nd act yet a lot of time was spent in the build up. I'd say the show is far more suitable for young children who are fans of PJ rather than anyone over 16. And given the pacing issues this isn't a show I'd recommend to anyone who doesn't know the material or you'll be completely lost. I went in without knowing anything about the books and found it pretty easy to follow, though I know a little about Greek mythology so that might have helped. I agree with everything else you said though, it almost felt pantomime-esque at times and some of the humour is really broad, but it tries to add depth to the characters as they've had to deal with tragic events and the combination doesn't really work. I liked it well enough, and was amused by the ridiculous plot, but given the price of tickets I'm not sure I'd recommend it as it was only a 3 star production for me. |
|
3,368 posts
|
Post by Dr Tom on Dec 2, 2024 13:44:48 GMT
I did see the Saturday matinee, with an excellent second row centre Rush seat. Although I was lucky with Rush, this is selling very well, mainly with a female audience in their late teens and early 20s. I didn't spot many children in the audience.
I don't know the source material at all, which may well have helped with any pre-conceptions, but this is a lot of fun. In fact, I saw two shows about the Gods in 24 hours and this was by far the more enjoyable. It's best to think of this as rather a take-off of a traditional musical. There are lots of songs that are very much inspired by well-known musical theatre numbers. There are jokes, there's lots of laughter from the audience, and very occasionally the two elements combine.
The costumes are all silly and I feel that the cast members who played this totally over-the-top got the brief better than others. There are a lot of my favourite people in the cast, even Morgan Gregory gets to dance at the back (and I believe he's since been on as Percy Jackson). This won't win any awards, but sometimes you just want a light and fun afternoon. I'll be going back.
|
|
|
|
Post by matty on Dec 6, 2024 22:05:19 GMT
Booked this largely due to a black Friday deal and a Seatplan voucher meant my Row C seat was a fiver, but I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
I mean, it's not going yo be winning any awards, but it was a harmless way to kill a couple of hours. The pacing was a bit off in parts - i was quite surprised when Act 2 wrapped up so quickly for example.
The songs were alright and there were some catchy ones in there. They did well with the staging - nothing felt cramped or lost on the stage and the lighting added quite a bit in places.
Most of all though, the cast really sold it and seemed to be having a great time.
I think it was almost full in there tonight and there was a smattering if wooping at the End along with about half a theatre standing ovation, so it seemed to go down well.
Not one I'd see again (or pay the original prices for), but an enjoyable evening nonetheless.
|
|
|
|
Post by darreno on Dec 10, 2024 9:28:11 GMT
I popped along on Saturday night, had been looking forward to this one the most of my three shows this weekend, but it didn't quite live up to my excitement.
Possibly due to my own expectations, Scott Folan, Paisley Billings, Jessica Lee and Joaquin Pedro Valde are all enough for me to buy a ticket to any show. The cast absolutely does not disappoint. Most importantly for a show like this, they seem to be having fun. The effect of this on an audience can't be overestimated. If the performers seem to be having a good time, you can absolutely bet that will filter out into the crowd.
Set design, lighting, sound, costume, all really, really good, at times excellent.
So what lets it down? The story is thin. Very thin. Or possibly just spread too thinly. Pacing is wrong, it leans a little too heavily into the comedy at the wrong times, which leaves the serious bits exposed, and vice versa. It's hard to really pin it all down, a case of it definitely having all the right ingredients - Great cast, some solid songs, a story with a load of the right points - but the mix feels wrong.
However, I absolutely would see it again. The cast is more than enough for me to have a second bite of the cake, even if it hasn't been fully baked.
|
|
