360 posts
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Post by properjob on Nov 10, 2024 23:26:30 GMT
Enjoyed the concert and the fun new additions! A great crowd. Cameron Mackintosh was in. The programme is a bit of a rip off - it only contains the biogs of the cast/producers and a few old pics - and a load of typos. For a tenner I'd have expected at least some kind of introduction about the show or an interview or something. Pleased to have a signed one but whoever decided to give them black pens to sign a black programme cover wasn't the smartest. Could this be done again in the West End in this day and age? To be discussed! Good to hear Cameron was in. I hope he looked round at how full it was and started thinking about putting the full show on again. Well I can dream! |
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Post by Paulw on Nov 10, 2024 23:35:58 GMT
Interval thoughts, this is so good joke updates are brilliant and the extra bit Simon puts in is especially good! With no t shirts left and only brochures available and a big pile of signed ones they are not going to sell any signed ones off at the end if they are unclaimed, do these producers not want any extra revenue? I would buy signed but not unsigned so I guess I will keep my money in my pocket! Very disappointing that no merch or anything left won’t be available for the evening audience. What was the deal with signed programmes? The signed program was part of a VIP package but there was literally more of them left at the end than normal ones, I asked at the interval if they were going to sell them if they had any left after and the answer was no! When I left the pile was the same as at the interval but I would have bought a signed one but wasn’t allowed so I spent nothing extra, I’m sure I’m not the only one who would have thought that way. |
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Post by marob on Nov 10, 2024 23:40:57 GMT
Great night. Hell of an atmosphere in the theatre, only topped by seeing the original cast of The Play That Goes Wrong in Manchester last year. Certainly better than the last time I saw Avenue Q, at a midweek matinee with an audience of probably less than 100.
The programme thing was weird. Got there early to buy one, but noticed the signed ones. Saw on the way out that there were still three big stacks of the signed ones. Should have asked really, as the woman in front of me had one, but I think she’d been at both shows. But there’s no articles or anything, which is a bit odd if it’s celebrating the show, and it is full of typos, not least the book writer Jeff Whitty’s bio which is just one big mistake.
I booked this weekend away specifically to see this and it was worth every penny. Top notch cast. Just makes me wish I’d seen it back in the day, rather than only the tour. I only saw Giles Terera yesterday in Dr Strangelove, but haven’t seen Simon Lipkin since Assassins, which must be nearly 10 years ago. I wanted to Oliver! anyway, but I really need to see him playing Fagin now. Very pleased Ann Harada came over to do it.
Always suspicious of how unscripted ad-libs actually are, though Simon Lipkin and Giles Terera seemed to have chucked a few in. Particularly Trekkie Monster’s password being diddydidntdoitdidhe, which the cast looked surprised by, and shouting “don’t f***ing patronise him, the man’s got an MBE!” when GT got a round of applause for messing up the start of Schadenfreude. There was a bit in Everyone’s a little Bit Racist about Gary making jokes about white people, then looks into the audience and is like “you too, huh?” Can’t help noticing that covered up the only real derogatory language in the show. Loved Ann Harada’s line “we’re moving to a better neighbourhood… The set of Phantom of the Opera!” and Jon Robyns’ “I’m over here!” when a spotlight failed to light him up at the start of act 2.
Nice speech at the end too from the original Broadway director, who got Cameron Mackintosh to do a little wave from the audience. Given the audience response during the show it was interesting to see quite a few people put their hands up when he asked if it was anyone’s first time seeing it.
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Post by Matt on Nov 11, 2024 7:31:17 GMT
Also why has Rod's hair changed from ginger to brown?! It was the touring puppets rather than the original London ones. |
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Post by bwayboy22 on Nov 11, 2024 7:55:56 GMT
Saw the evening performance last night and was filled with joy the entire performance! Most fun I have had in ages. Such a thrill to see the original London cast still able to hit it out of the park! I have to imagine their arms ached doing the puppets for 2 shows after not having done it for years and years!
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Post by partytentdown on Nov 11, 2024 8:17:41 GMT
Also why has Rod's hair changed from ginger to brown?! It was the touring puppets rather than the original London ones. Was there a shortage of ginger puppet hair on tour?! |
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Post by Matt on Nov 11, 2024 8:53:55 GMT
It was the touring puppets rather than the original London ones. Was there a shortage of ginger puppet hair on tour?! Just a new production and I think they didn’t have the rights/access to the originals. |
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Post by properjob on Nov 11, 2024 9:24:30 GMT
One of the people that looked after the puppets on the original London production set up a business hiring out sets of puppets to professional and amateur groups doing Avenue Q and they were used for this production as well. qpuppets.co.uk/home.html |
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Post by richey on Nov 11, 2024 9:59:17 GMT
With regard to the comment about whether they could get away with this in the West End today, I did like Trekkie Monster's announcement before the show "No-one performing today should be cancelled as the jokes used were acceptable 18 years ago"
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Post by showqueen on Nov 11, 2024 10:50:21 GMT
I enjoyed this yesterday, but don't think this show warrants a full scale revival. My only real criticism is that the humour is a lot broader than I had remembered, which was particularly exposed in a bare-bones presentation. The sharpness and precision of the satire in the original production had, I think, a focusing effect which elevated the material. Nevertheless, a charming concert and fantastic to see the brilliant ensemble cast back together.
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Post by alece10 on Nov 11, 2024 11:10:24 GMT
I don't see why it couldn't be done today
The humour is of a similar to veign to BOM and they still get away with it (thankfully).
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Post by showqueen on Nov 11, 2024 11:34:51 GMT
I don't see why it couldn't be done today The humour is of a similar to veign to BOM and they still get away with it (thankfully). Agreed. In fact, it's actually pretty tame. |
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Post by partytentdown on Nov 11, 2024 12:58:44 GMT
After listening to the Broadway recording over the years I had forgotten that a lot of lyrics had been updated for London, so it was surprising to hear those - I was trying to work out if anything had been changed to suit modern sensitivities but I think all the changes were just the original London ones.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Nov 11, 2024 13:24:46 GMT
This could totally be done today.
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Post by Jon on Nov 11, 2024 13:36:32 GMT
After listening to the Broadway recording over the years I had forgotten that a lot of lyrics had been updated for London, so it was surprising to hear those - I was trying to work out if anything had been changed to suit modern sensitivities but I think all the changes were just the original London ones. Most of the changes were to make it more relevant to London audiences like changing Korean deli to Chinese Restaurant for Christmas Eve in It Sucks To Be Me and also a change they made to Gary Coleman who I remember as I saw the show in previews that Gary Coleman was just Gary but then they changed it back to Gary Coleman when I saw it later on but with the same changes intact. |
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Post by Matt on Nov 11, 2024 13:53:50 GMT
Did they do the slow intro to Purpose which was changed for London?
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Post by greatauntedna on Nov 11, 2024 15:18:14 GMT
I don't see why it couldn't be done today The humour is of a similar to veign to BOM and they still get away with it (thankfully). Agreed. In fact, it's actually pretty tame. That’s why it shouldn’t be done, it’s had its time. |
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Post by Dr Tom on Nov 11, 2024 16:17:39 GMT
This could very easily be revived and would fit neatly in somewhere like The Other Palace. It ran for years in New York.
I never did see the original production, but I've seen this a few times on tour and in New York (during its off-Broadway run). Plus one amateur version earlier this year with the unusual line "Sadiq Khan is only for now", which may give you an idea what part of the country this was in.
Yesterday afternoon, seen from the front row, was brilliant and I almost wish I'd gone for an evening ticket as well. There were a lot of line changes different to any versions I've seen before, mostly scripted ad-libs, some I suspect where lines had just got mangled in busy brains, but everything held together. No problem with hearing everything at the front, including various jokes that I think would have been less audible further back as they were more ad-libs without the microphones being on. Lots of Hamilton references, a running gag with Giles thinking himself too old for the role and I did appreciate his bit of interaction with me. I saw Jon Robyns from the back of the Royal Albert Hall earlier in the week, then again from the front here in a completely different role - he nailed both. Simon Lipkin really stole the show, moving from being casually on his phone at stage door while the insanely long queue went past, to looking like he'd been controlling puppets constantly for the past 18 years.
The only thing missing was the videos that usually play at various points, but this shaved a few minutes from the running time, and I suspect that few people realised. Despite being the anniversary concert, there were plenty of people in the audience who would have barely been alive when this was first performed.
So, Happy 18th Avenue Q. But 18 isn't a legal drinking age in New York, so we need a 21st anniversary concert as well (or, even better, a full production).
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Post by PhantomNcl on Nov 11, 2024 16:31:08 GMT
I was there for the matinée and absolutely loved it. I'd seen it several times over the years in London, and also out on tour too (both pro and amateur versions), so it was great to see the original cast back together again.
The sound was a little tinny in places, especially for Ann as some have said, but given it's a one-day-only event this didn't really detract from the performance itself. The integration with the Les Mis set was fab! I'd forgotten how much skill is involved with the puppets, especially where Nicky and Trekkie have hands operated by two different people, yet look as though they're completely synchronised, and where one person does the voice from the other side of the stage while someone else operates the puppet.
The joy the cast obviously felt from being there was very apparent, and it was lovely to feel so much excitement from the audience too. I'm so glad I booked!
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Post by theatremiss on Nov 11, 2024 18:59:47 GMT
A fantastic show at today's matinee! The audience atmosphere was electric - I was probably the man with the puppet that Alec10 mentioned lol. I had to bring my Trekkie Monster to see the show! Believe it or not it was the first time my wife and I have seen it but after watching our favourite songs on YouTube for months it was amazing to finally see the show performed. Simon Lipkin in particular was fantastic, I'd love to see his Fagin now. The whole cast was on top form and as others have said, the ad libs really made this a special event. They looked to be having as much fun as the rest of us. Using the Les Mis buildings worked very well, and made it feel less of a concert version and more of a staged production. I hope everyone going to the evening show has just as good an experience. I loved his Fagin, saw him 4 times at Chichester and have already booked for Oliver when it’s in the West End. |
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Post by winonaforever on Nov 11, 2024 20:11:51 GMT
Enjoyed the concert and the fun new additions! A great crowd. Cameron Mackintosh was in. The programme is a bit of a rip off - it only contains the biogs of the cast/producers and a few old pics - and a load of typos. For a tenner I'd have expected at least some kind of introduction about the show or an interview or something. Pleased to have a signed one but whoever decided to give them black pens to sign a black programme cover wasn't the smartest. Could this be done again in the West End in this day and age? To be discussed! I agree about the black signatures on a black programme cover, you'd think someone might have noticed it wasn't a great idea. I suppose it's nice to have them, even if I can't decipher anyone's name! 😁 |
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Post by alece10 on Nov 11, 2024 20:35:58 GMT
A couple if people have said that there were lots of signed programmes uncollected at the end. Why would people pay in advance for it and then not collect it on the night. Seems odd.
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Post by richey on Nov 11, 2024 21:54:28 GMT
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Post by theatremiss on Nov 12, 2024 17:00:43 GMT
A couple if people have said that there were lots of signed programmes uncollected at the end. Why would people pay in advance for it and then not collect it on the night. Seems odd. Apparently they ran out of signed programs by the interval, so I can only think people bought them on the night too. The usher said they were getting more signed to be picked up after the show. That would have been no good for me if I had ordered a signed one, as I had a train to catch. I wonder if that’s why there were uncollected programs. |
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Post by Paulw on Nov 12, 2024 23:48:54 GMT
A couple if people have said that there were lots of signed programmes uncollected at the end. Why would people pay in advance for it and then not collect it on the night. Seems odd. Apparently they ran out of signed programs by the interval, so I can only think people bought them on the night too. The usher said they were getting more signed to be picked up after the show. That would have been no good for me if I had ordered a signed one, as I had a train to catch. I wonder if that’s why there were uncollected programs. Which wasn’t true as there was 3 big piles (and I was one of the first out at the interval) at the interval and about the same after and I was told in no uncertain terms they would not be selling them |
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