Follies

[alece10]

Apr 7, 2017 6:10:03 GMT frankubelik said:

Booking period confirmed. OK. Is anybody else disappointed in the overall lacklustre casting?

I have to say that after hearing the initial cast names which are impressive I was hoping for the same with the new batch but it's a bit disappointing.
Still won't put me off going though.

[Deleted]

Apr 7, 2017 6:48:37 GMT alece10 said:

Apr 7, 2017 6:10:03 GMT frankubelik said:

Booking period confirmed. OK. Is anybody else disappointed in the overall lacklustre casting?

I have to say that after hearing the initial cast names which are impressive I was hoping for the same with the new batch but it's a bit disappointing.
Still won't put me off going though.

Yeah, when they announced this and that Imelda would be the lead I was thinking how many stars could be in it. In England we have a great number of actors and actresses who are slightly older and as it is the national theatre and sondhiem it seem so like a perfect fir. I thought it would be hopefully people like Shelia Hancock. Julie Walter and maybe judi dench who can all carry a tune but I think I was being a bit to hopeful.
i will definalty be still seeing it as a lover of the national theatre and sondheim;

[viserys]

I had admittedly also hoped for a slightly starrier cast. But I'll still see it mostly for completist reasons, it feels like one of those "musical theatre classics" one should simply have seen at some point. I'm presently trying to rearrange my scheduled trip in October to squeeze this in.

[Deleted]

To be honest, as long as I get to hear Philip Quast singing The Road you Didn't Take and Too Many Mornings, the rest of the cast could be made up of passersby dragged in off the South Bank to make up the numbers for all I care. That we've got Imelda Staunton, Janie Dee, and all the rest is just gravy at this point.

[Deleted]

Starry events are best for concerts, they can just distract from the story being told in a theatre. The ones they have are easily enough and,presumably, cast for ability to play the role. One of the problems with the show has been the spectre of the mid eighties concert (the one part filmed), which twisted expectations. Look at the original, and best, production and you see middle ranking stars throughout.

Given those expectations this looks to be a good compromise, only Staunton is really known by name outside theatre circles but many others have a great name wthin it (Quast, Dee etc)

[wickedgrin]

If they are hoping for a transfer of this into town, then the casting is more sustainable. Although I thought Imelda was doing Gypsy on Broadway in 2018 or has that gone quiet?

[couldileaveyou]

Apr 7, 2017 9:11:39 GMT @cardinalpirelli said:

Starry events are best for concerts, they can just distract from the story being told in a theatre. The ones they have are easily enough and,presumably, cast for ability to play the role. One of the problems with the show has been the spectre of the mid eighties concert (the one part filmed), which twisted expectations. Look at the original, and best, production and you see middle ranking stars throughout.

Yeah exactly, the original Broadway cast was made of former Ziegfeld Follies performers, ladies who were once relatively famous but long past their prime. When Alexis Smith won a Tony for her performance as Phyllis she was as fading as a star can get and Follies proved to be her last success. The Lincoln Center cast was legendary, but not a realistic example of how this show is cast.

[Deleted]

I expect that Follies will close at the NT before Amadeus starts previewing, so probably in w/e 6 January.

[showtoones]

Do we think 4 Nov is the closing date of Follies or just when the booking period for that show currently ends? Will it extend through the festive season?

Cheers

ST

[Deleted]

The NT very rarely announces a full run at once, they only do it when the run is notably short or when the ticket booking is expected to be notably manic (hello, Angels in America). I fully expect they'll extend the run beyond November, but I think Honoured Guest is right that it's unlikely to go much further than early January, as they'll also have Saint George and the Dragon to slot in at some point, as well as the return of Amadeus before clearing a space for Macbeth a little later in the spring.

[mrbarnaby]

It's running longer than November

[Deleted]

Awful mailing in the post today

Asking
For money

Towards the Follies syndicate

The NT are f***ing pathetic sometimes

If they can't afford such a big show

Find some producers

I highly doubt this is due to transfer anywhere

Given there is no commercial producer involved

It's supposedly the biggest show they have ever staged

Yet still minuscule compared to 42nd Street

[theatre-turtle]

Apr 15, 2017 21:41:45 GMT @parsley said:

Awful mailing in the post today

Asking
For money

Towards the Follies syndicate

The NT are f***ing pathetic sometimes

If they can't afford such a big show

Find some producers

I highly doubt this is due to transfer anywhere

Given there is no commercial producer involved

It's supposedly the biggest show they have ever staged

Yet still minuscule compared to 42nd Street

Why not invest? It should be a massive hit.

[showtoones]

Remind us again why you write in haiku? Is it for dramatic effect?

[Someone in a tree]

Apr 15, 2017 21:41:45 GMT @parsley said:

Awful mailing in the post today

Asking
For money

Towards the Follies syndicate

The NT are f***ing pathetic sometimes

If they can't afford such a big show

Find some producers

I highly doubt this is due to transfer anywhere

Given there is no commercial producer involved

It's supposedly the biggest show they have ever staged

Yet still minuscule compared to 42nd Street

Exactly Follies does not need be done on this scale. It can be presented 'large' but with a cast of 28 ish and a band of 12 ish. Those numbers still create the 'large' effect but make it easier to sustain a run

Although the real challenge would be to make it dramatically effective with a handful of singers and musicians. See Peter Brook's Camermen and Pelleas for details

[Deleted]

Apr 15, 2017 21:41:45 GMT @parsley said:

Yet still minuscule compared to 42nd Street

Well, admittedly,

Miniscule compared to 42nd St.

In the mass tapping feet stakes.

However,

Maxiscule compared to 42nd St.

In terms of intelligence and sophistication

[Deleted]

Apr 15, 2017 22:28:05 GMT theatre-turtle said:

Apr 15, 2017 21:41:45 GMT @parsley said:

Awful mailing in the post today

Asking
For money

Towards the Follies syndicate

The NT are f***ing pathetic sometimes

If they can't afford such a big show

Find some producers

I highly doubt this is due to transfer anywhere

Given there is no commercial producer involved

It's supposedly the biggest show they have ever staged

Yet still minuscule compared to 42nd Street

Why not invest? It should be a massive hit.

They are asking for

DONATIONS

Not investment

[mrbarnaby]

I must say I was very surprised to get that mail out.. and found it to be a bit naff BUT I don't want to see a small production of this- this is our first chance to see a big production with a decent sized orchestra and big cast on one of our biggest and greatest stages.

The point is, unlike 42nd street which has been built to run in London then schlep around Europe for years, this is a truly limited run and no show designed for the Olivier with a cast like this is likely to just move to the west end after. Plus Imelda is booked up after this anyway.

[Deleted]

Why not DONATE

Your 42nd St. profits?

Probably because

They are losses?

[Deleted]

Apr 15, 2017 21:41:45 GMT @parsley said:

Awful mailing in the post today

Asking
For money

Towards the Follies syndicate

The NT are f***ing pathetic sometimes

If they can't afford such a big show

Find some producers

I highly doubt this is due to transfer anywhere

Given there is no commercial producer involved

It's supposedly the biggest show they have ever staged

Yet still minuscule compared to 42nd Street

Bub with all the love in the world, you don't have to continuously remind us how good 42nd Street is just because you are involved in it. It is already popular on here. You don't want to become repetitive.

[mrbarnaby]

It's a

Way

Of

Masking

The pain cause-

d

By

Bend it

Bend it

Which was

The greatest show

Ever

Staged

Until it closed

2 days

Later.

[Deleted]

🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣

[Deleted]

I prefer that the NT funds the additional costs of their most expensive shows by seeking donations, rather than by setting significantly higher ticket prices for these shows.

[Deleted]

Apr 16, 2017 10:30:50 GMT @honouredguest said:

I prefer that the NT funds the additional costs of their most expensive shows by seeking donations, rather than by setting significantly higher ticket prices for these shows.

Yes it's a balance

But all the ticket prices have been increased as well

Top price weekend is now £70 for this show with the other price categories at
£63
£46
£31
£18

Most of the seats (more than 65%) will be at £46 or above
It's not that affordable

There is a supplement of £5-£7 on top of normal show prices for the top 2 bands

These are effectively WE prices just no premiums

Yet

[Deleted]

Apr 16, 2017 10:37:18 GMT @parsley said:

There is a supplement of £5-£7 on top of normal show prices for the top 2 bands

Yes, and that's fair but it doesn't cover all the additional costs so a shout-out for donations to a Follies Circle, or whatever they're calling it, is welcome.