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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2017 8:55:03 GMT
Oh poor Frankie. To be honest I couldn't work out whether she was terrific in this or just terrifically awful. She looked and performed it as though she had to be told every little move to make and thing to do but then I wondered if that was the point- that Queenie is just going through the motions in her life.
Anyhow, I wonder if anyone has told Donna McKechnie that she's not in 'The Drowsy Chaperone' yet?
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Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 16, 2017 9:40:00 GMT
Saw this Tuesday and enjoyed it. I found the score relentless and painful in the ears. However, it's directed and choreographed with great gusto and the performances are strong.
Rufelle looks great but is clearly struggling with the dancing- what a hot mess she is trying to execute it. Lots of line fluffs too.
John Owen Jones sings well but hopelessly miscast. No menace at all. Donna mcKechnie fine, but what a rubbish part.
Victoria HB great as always, likewise Dex Lee- wonderful performance.
Can't believe this was staged on Broadway, such a bizarre non commercial show, even with a star in it. It works best like this, as a fringe curiosity.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 16, 2017 9:42:19 GMT
Oh and Tiffany Graves and Lizzie Connolly totally fabulous. What star quality LC has.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2017 10:26:37 GMT
Oh and Tiffany Graves and Lizzie Connolly totally fabulous. What star quality LC has. Totally agree. Even when the whole cast is on stage and she's not front and centre your eyes keep getting drawn to her. |
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Post by raiseitup on Feb 16, 2017 10:30:03 GMT
Super disappointed by this, was probably the show I was most looking forward to in the next few months, but left majorly underwhelmed. Boy, oh boy did it drag on and on. Tuneless ballad after tuneless ballad, the uptempo numbers had the energy but lacked any substance and couldn't recall a single tune as soon as we left.
Pointless nudity, pointless props. Costumes were great, choreography and set was good. Way too many characters, none of them are developed well. Rufelle made zero impact on me, VHB did a good job with a bad role, JOJ was odd throughout, at least I got to look at Dex Lee up close to make the time pass quicker.
Those £5 seats are an absolute steal though - we were in B3&4 with a great view, I think the higher numbers will be even better as it seemed to play towards that side of the stage slightly more.
I much prefer the Lippa score. First act - 75 mins, second act - 45 mins. Out just before 10pm.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2017 11:45:34 GMT
The Lachiuss score is far superior for me (remember the 'battles' over the two shows at the time?), I find the Lippa score to be stylistically all over the place. The way that Lachiusa takes the popular music of the time and twists and refracts it is powerful. The vocal lines wend and weave their way as part jazz, part Sondheim-esque angularity. There's a Duke Ellington feel to the music with those dense orchestrations (I presume, sadly reduced for this production).
As for the story, the first line sets up that this is a fable being retold 'Queenie was a blonde...', the characters' fate inexorably played out. People come and go, flitting in and out of the light, painting a wider canvas than Lippa's focus on the central characters. This and Grand Hotel have a number of similarities and are both great evocations of that age, where disaster was just around the corner.
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Post by mallardo on Feb 16, 2017 12:01:17 GMT
Well said, CP, I totally agree with you. LaChiusa is a serious MT composer with a large body of incredibly original work, The Wild Party being (probably) his most accessible score. It's a big-ish cast but everyone is an individual, everyone is characterized, everyone has his/her moment, unlike Lippa's effort which highlights the principals and reduces everyone else to the background. Plus, as you say, LaChiusa's music has authenticity in regards to the era and the style of the original poem. I think it's a masterwork.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Feb 16, 2017 18:31:58 GMT
I think both Berbarda Alba and Hello Again are better, tbh
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2017 18:58:00 GMT
About to post a 'proper' ad on the noticeboard, but if anyone wants a £15 ticket for this Saturday's evening perfomance, I can't make it so looking to sell it on  |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2017 19:04:04 GMT
Oh, and another thing that annoyed me. Why did they turn the D'Armano Brothers into women? Jackie is supposed to sniff around anyone, male or female and yet in this production, he only sleeps with women.
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Post by mallardo on Feb 16, 2017 19:26:24 GMT
I think both Berbarda Alba and Hello Again are better, tbh
Both great shows as are See What I Wanna See and Giant and Marie Christine. Myself, I prefer Wild Party.
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Post by d'James on Feb 16, 2017 23:51:34 GMT
I really enjoyed that tonight. It started a bit late and we weren't out until 2205.
Anyway, the first half flew by, the second half was also very 'enjoyable.'
My favourite characters were Sally and the Gold..... brothers. Very funny actors.
The chaise longue that they used seem to hit the wall a few times on the way in and out judging by the bumps I heard. They should've made the gap a bit wider.
I had no problem hearing anyone except Victoria H-B in parts.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 17, 2017 7:36:25 GMT
This score is accessible?! Could have fooled me. My companion, someone not so clued up with musicals as me found the score utterly painful to sit through. Well said, CP, I totally agree with you. LaChiusa is a serious MT composer with a large body of incredibly original work, The Wild Party being (probably) his most accessible score. It's a big-ish cast but everyone is an individual, everyone is characterized, everyone has his/her moment, unlike Lippa's effort which highlights the principals and reduces everyone else to the background. Plus, as you say, LaChiusa's music has authenticity in regards to the era and the style of the original poem. I think it's a masterwork. |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 17, 2017 7:39:28 GMT
Yes VHB's role was particularly bad. How depressing to be given that material to try and make something out of, thank god she has enough sass to paper over the cracks Super disappointed by this, was probably the show I was most looking forward to in the next few months, but left majorly underwhelmed. Boy, oh boy did it drag on and on. Tuneless ballad after tuneless ballad, the uptempo numbers had the energy but lacked any substance and couldn't recall a single tune as soon as we left. Pointless nudity, pointless props. Costumes were great, choreography and set was good. Way too many characters, none of them are developed well. Rufelle made zero impact on me, VHB did a good job with a bad role, JOJ was odd throughout, at least I got to look at Dex Lee up close to make the time pass quicker. Those £5 seats are an absolute steal though - we were in B3&4 with a great view, I think the higher numbers will be even better as it seemed to play towards that side of the stage slightly more. I much prefer the Lippa score. First act - 75 mins, second act - 45 mins. Out just before 10pm. |
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Post by theatrefan77 on Feb 17, 2017 8:50:41 GMT
Saw it last night. It was ok but I prefer the Lippa version. The LaChiusa score didn't do much for me. Set and costumes are great. Loved the choreography. Brilliant supporting cast. Victoria HB does a great job in a thankless part.
My main problem was with the 3 leads. John OJ sings well but he's miscast, his character comes across as too nice and lacks the edge that Mandy Patinkin had in the Broadway production. It was lovely to see Donna McKechnie on stage although I also much prefer Eartha Kitt take on the role. Finally Frances Ruffelle is imho completely wrong for Queenie. She sang fine but I was not convinced by her acting choices. Her scenes with Black don't work, they look very Norma Desmond and Joe Gillis. She looks far too old for the part although she seems to enjoy herself strutting around in her sexy granny outfits.
Overall it was entertaining enough, but it could have been much better
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Post by mallardo on Feb 17, 2017 10:37:51 GMT
"Yes VHB's role was particularly bad. How depressing to be given that material to try and make something out of, thank god she has enough sass to paper over the cracks."
It's a show with 7 female roles. Kate is the 2nd most important of those. She's the last to arrive at the party - thus getting an entrance that the others do not - and immediately gets a great up-tempo duet with Queenie, "My Best Friend". From that point on she's a major focal point for the swirling action and has one of the premier songs, the sexy sultry "Black is a Moocher", to perform as well as featuring in all the ensembles. The role was originated on Broadway by Tonya Pinkins which tells you that the show's creators felt Kate was a strong character requiring a major singing actress. Which VHB certainly is.
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Post by westendcub on Feb 17, 2017 12:48:15 GMT
I agree with Mr Barnaby that this score is not accessible, it every song to me sounded the same and added nothing (thankful the choreography was good).
I couldn't connect with the characters and just didn't care by the ending (just that it was the end!!).
So for me it's the 2nd stinker (for me, love that we all do always agree) of the year along with 'Promises, Promises'.
My favourite so far is Arts Educational school production of 'Titanic'!!
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Post by althea on Feb 17, 2017 15:46:03 GMT
Had £5 tickets to this on Wednesday but completely forgot about it as had the Travesties opening night. Should I rebook?
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Post by d'James on Feb 17, 2017 16:18:22 GMT
It seems to be splitting opinion. I really enjoyed it and I'm glad I've already got tickets booked for later in the run! I loved the music and bought the soundtrack right away.
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Post by synchrony on Feb 18, 2017 0:13:09 GMT
Saw it tonight. Went in cold and also know nothing of the Lippa version.
Highlight for me was the choreography, which I loved. I liked the cast in general (especially May and Sally). I also liked the score.
I was neutral on the 'plot'. I was never likely to be a big fan as I'm not very wild ;-)
Negatives were the sound (got better but I could hardly make out a single lyric in the first two songs). I also found it too long - I enjoyed the first act but found the second act dragged with more of the same (until the ending).
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2017 8:25:55 GMT
I'm really intrigued to see this today, especially with the divided opinions it appears to of evoked! |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2017 13:21:29 GMT
One thing I forgot to ask, those who have been, how much is a programme? Oh... and just went to collect my ticket for the show at the box office, only went and bumped into Frances herself!  thr nice thing about this theatre, its chilled out and the actors are always about haha. She was lovely of course. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2017 13:31:09 GMT
Just got to meet and chat to Victoria too. And she is someone I have wanted to meet for ageeeeees. Sorry Rachel John, but your getting bumped off my pic for a while!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2017 15:08:35 GMT
Just got to meet and chat to Victoria too. And she is someone I have wanted to meet for ageeeeees. Sorry Rachel John, but your getting bumped off my pic for a while! VHB is so lovely! |
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Post by Mark on Feb 18, 2017 17:23:21 GMT
So...
Cast were fantastic. Can't fault them and especially Victoria stealing every moment she is present.
The show? AWFUL. Terrible score, a non existent plot, really didn't enjoy it.
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thr nice thing about this theatre, its chilled out and the actors are always about haha. She was lovely of course. 
