Follies

[wickedgrin]

I didn't like the idea but thought it was part of Buddy's breakdown - that his view on his life was distorted like a cracked mirror.

[zak97]

One criticism I had was that the actress playing Stella looked a bit too young. Whilst her age relative to Sally and Phylis is not specified, the fact that she supposedly pre-dated them and yet looks noticeably younger than Imelda and Janie as actresses did stand out.

[lonlad]

For what it's worth Dawn Hope (Stella) is all of two years older than Janie Dee ..... Imelda, yes, looks notably older than both of them because she is !

[tonyloco]

Sept 13, 2017 5:07:39 GMT couldileaveyou said:

They reprised an idea that Hal Prince and Michael Bennett used in the Boston try-out of the musical, were John J. Martin and furure Tony Award winner Dick Latessa played Buddy's Blues "Sally" and "Margie". Here there's a photo: red-winged-monster.tumblr.com/post/126928650920/in-the-boston-try-out-of-follies-buddys

Thanks couldileaveyou and others for your responses to my query. If the men in drag in Buddy's Blues was originally instigated by Hal Prince and Michael Bennett in the Boston try-out then that is enough justification for them being included in this production, even though the idea was dropped before the Broadway opening. Actually, to be perfectly honest, from the back of the stalls I didn't realise they were men in drag (I guess because I was concentrating on watching Buddy) but I did register that they were very loud and their coarse performance unbalanced the number.

[Deleted]

Sept 13, 2017 15:58:09 GMT tonyloco said:

Sept 13, 2017 5:07:39 GMT couldileaveyou said:

They reprised an idea that Hal Prince and Michael Bennett used in the Boston try-out of the musical, were John J. Martin and furure Tony Award winner Dick Latessa played Buddy's Blues "Sally" and "Margie". Here there's a photo: red-winged-monster.tumblr.com/post/126928650920/in-the-boston-try-out-of-follies-buddys

Thanks couldileaveyou and others for your responses to my query. If the men in drag in Buddy's Blues was originally instigated by Hal Prince and Michael Bennett in the Boston try-out then that is enough justification for them being included in this production, even though the idea was dropped before the Broadway opening. Actually, to be perfectly honest, from the back of the stalls I didn't realise they were men in drag (I guess because I was concentrating on watching Buddy) but I did register that they were very loud and their coarse performance unbalanced the number.

LOL, tony! Perhaps you're just used to your ladies that way!

[loureviews]

Back to Follies, but not specifically this production. What do people think of the Paris Opera version out on DVD?

Also, a Mark Shenton interview in The Stage suggests this production may be the last UK stage appearance of Philip Quast, so if you want to hear that glorious voice in the flesh one more time, you know what to do!

[Deleted]

Sept 14, 2017 14:27:46 GMT @cardinalpirelli said:

A reminiscences thread would be good. My first theatregoing was in the seventies but it's all a bit hazy now. 1973 would also be around the time of two shows that Lionel Bart was involved in at Stratford East, Costa Packet and The Londoners if memory serves. I've always wondered what happened to get him back doing those.

Just started in General Chat!

[alece10]

Just attended a platform performance at the NT with Janie Dee and Phillip Quast.
Apparently there was never going to be an interval. From day 1 the director said it would go right through. But Janie Dee did say that the first preview was 2.5 hours and said the cast would never have survived that nightly.

[Deleted]

^
Interesting... I've booked for the 'Follies:The Making of a Musical' talk late November and am looking forward to hearing how it all got put together from day one.

[sf]

Sept 14, 2017 12:23:15 GMT loureviews said:

Back to Follies, but not specifically this production. What do people think of the Paris Opera version out on DVD?

Also, a Mark Shenton interview in The Stage suggests this production may be the last UK stage appearance of Philip Quast, so if you want to hear that glorious voice in the flesh one more time, you know what to do!

It's the Opéra de Toulon, not the Paris Opera.

The orchestra sounds wonderful, Charlotte Page and Liz Robertson (Sally and Phyllis) are excellent, some of the other casting is jaw-droppingly bizarre, and the direction and design are a two-hour-long festival of OMGWTF. And it used the cut-down-and-scrubbed-clean revised version of the book (as published by TCG - including in a new edition with the National production's artwork on the cover, despite the fact that the National are using a very different script), so it's never going to be completely satisfying anyway.

I'm glad I own a copy - as I said, the orchestra sounds wonderful and so do some of the leads - but a lot of it plays like a definitive guide to how NOT to direct a production of 'Follies'. And that's being very, very, very kind indeed.

[loureviews]

Thanks, I will get a copy I think!

[n1david]

Sept 14, 2017 16:12:37 GMT alece10 said:

Just attended a platform performance at the NT with Janie Dee and Phillip Quast.
Apparently there was never going to be an interval. From day 1 the director said it would go right through. But Janie Dee did say that the first preview was 2.5 hours and said the cast would never have survived that nightly.

So you weren’t convinced by the audience member who suggested that the only reason there was no interval was because Imelda didn’t want people drinking in the auditorium?

[alece10]

Sept 14, 2017 23:14:40 GMT n1david said:

Sept 14, 2017 16:12:37 GMT alece10 said:

Just attended a platform performance at the NT with Janie Dee and Phillip Quast.
Apparently there was never going to be an interval. From day 1 the director said it would go right through. But Janie Dee did say that the first preview was 2.5 hours and said the cast would never have survived that nightly.

So you weren’t convinced by the audience member who suggested that the only reason there was no interval was because Imelda didn’t want people drinking in the auditorium?

That was quite funny wasn't it.

[mrbarnaby]

I wonder if they will record a cast recording? I have a sneaky suspicion they will....

[Deleted]

Sept 16, 2017 8:26:39 GMT mrbarnaby said:

I wonder if they will record a cast recording? I have a sneaky suspicion they will....

I so hope they do - I've been listening to various cast recordings and none of them except the famously butchered OBC come close to what I experienced at the National last week.

[loureviews]

I really hope they do as well. Or even make a video recording of the production.

[shady23]

I saw this tonight. I liked it. Beautifully staged but it did take me a while to get around the old/new thing.

Plus as it was getting on I was more concerned with the fact I needed the loo... but pretty much an acting master class. I was in the third row and to see it within a metre of my seat was something special alright. I loved the revolve and all the different stories all at once thing. Loved Tracie Bennett and wish she had been in it more. Imelda her usual wonderful. Also liked the young "foursome" but really this us all about the oldies. So glad I booked.

[lonlad]

What does "the old/new thing" mean

[shady23]

Old cast telling their story and the young cast telling their story

[lonlad]

That's an interesting way of describing FOLLIES. So you mean "old/young", not "old/new"  ...  

[shady23]

That's it. Didn't describe it very well.

[theatregeek]

I always worry that I read too much on here before I see a show and I maybe get influenced by other people's opinions, however, I really loved this on Friday. I felt there was a bit of a buzz in the auditorium and especially round me we were obviously Sondheim fans. It did take me maybe 15 minutes to 'get in to it' - that's the only way to describe it really - but once I was in the zone and got used to all the fast-moving action I totally got sucked in.
Loved the direction, staging, casting and as has been said, each song was acted through so strongly. My friend who came with me and had no idea what this was about drank it all in and actually said he would go back and see it again in a flash.
The first time I looked at my watch was 2120 and overall the evening flew pasty so much quicker than I expected.
Just a beautiful piece of theatre, so glad I made the effort.

[centaured]

Loved this. I've never seen it before and thought I'd post about something I like before people think I'm a miserable sod.

Staging was simple and clever and wow, Tracy Bennett just held the spotlight for me, simply stunning.

The opera sequence was beautiful and breath taking.

If I could get a ticket to see this again I would.

[theatreian]

I saw this on Friday and agree it was well performed. The problem is with the narrative as I don't think it hangs well together as a show. It just seems like a series of performances. Having said that it sounded great and looked fabulous. Not one of his best scores though in my opinion. But that is only my opinion!!

[stuartmcd]

Saw the matinee yesterday and really enjoyed it. I didn’t know a lot about the show beforehand but was familiar with a few of the songs such as Broadway Baby and Losing My Mind. It was stunning to watch and felt like everything was meticulously blocked and staged. Had goosebumps within the first couple of minutes. The performances were fantastic across the board with so many members of the cast being given an opportunity to shine. Loved it!