98 posts
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Post by paddy72 on Feb 18, 2017 17:42:29 GMT
Just tried to make it through this. Having a seat with no leg room however, made it not worth hanging around for the second half. Sure, It was like watching a party but that's all that it seemed to be about. All that shrill singing and all dancing on a platform the size of a postage stamp. The producer has done some of the most memorable shows I've ever seen down at the Southwark playhouse not least Side Show. Real shame.
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1,119 posts
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Post by martin1965 on Feb 18, 2017 18:12:10 GMT
Going to this next sat, dont know awful lot about the show. Im going mainly coz of the cast esp Ms McKechnie!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2017 20:41:33 GMT
Well this was intense! But I actually liked it, a lot! I think the score is good, the design is beautiful: especially the lighting and costumes! The choreography is brilliant too, especially with the ensemble numbers in the bed and bathtub. And this cast, WOW! What a talented bunch. Frances plays the role like a nutcase and it worked for me, John I thought was good, Victoria stole the show with her Black is a Moocher number, and special shoutout to Lizzy and Bronte for being fantastic in their roles. The problem with the show is, well, the book. It is firstly very unbalanced, with a 75 minute first half and a 45 minute second. There are too many stories going on at once. Most of the characters could have their own musical with the amount of sh*t they have going on with their lives! This is a really dark show, with some very adult themes that I didn't even see coming! And also logically, the amount of cocaine snorted in this show, how did nobody die of the stuff?! Also, The theatre was about 75%/80% full I'd say. But I think I have realised the key market for this. People who love the cast. Everyone there, who I talked too anyway, which was a few around me, but judging by the audience response too, it seemed were here for specific performers rather than the show itself. Which is fair, and they were very responsive. But that couldn't sustain a long run I wouldn't imagine. But I enjoyed it, and I hope you guys who haven't been yet do to!  |
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Post by d'James on Feb 18, 2017 21:07:29 GMT
You're right danieljohnson14 about the length of the first half versus the second. I guess they decided to put it there because of the song rather than anything else. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2017 21:10:11 GMT
You're right danieljohnson14 about the length of the first half versus the second. I guess they decided to put it there because of the song rather than anything else. Thats what I assumed, and it really is a great end to Act I so it works. |
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Post by d'James on Feb 18, 2017 21:15:43 GMT
You're right danieljohnson14 about the length of the first half versus the second. I guess they decided to put it there because of the song rather than anything else. Thats what I assumed, and it really is a great end to Act I so it works. Absolutely! :-) |
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91 posts
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Post by gazzaw13 on Feb 18, 2017 22:18:11 GMT
I found the whole experience exhausting and totally relentless. Thank heavens for VHB and Donna as without them I would have left early.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2017 22:27:56 GMT
I was never tempted to leave, I was totally in the craziness haha. But Donna does offer the quieter moments in the show where it is just her singing onstage, which is fine, and totally works for the character and is needed in a show that, bar her, is pretty much intensity and high drama from the beginning. With Victoria, she gets the best number of the show, in my opinion, with Black is a Moocher, and with her vocals and the staging with the bed and the dancers, it is enthralling!
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Post by d'James on Feb 18, 2017 22:35:12 GMT
I don't get the fuss over Victoria I have to say. She was good but certainly not a stand-out.
I really did like Donna though. She's got a really expressive face. Loved her costume too.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2017 23:35:59 GMT
Saw this last night. It has a lot of things I hate: paper-thin plot, sleazy club setting, raucous jazz music. By rights, I should have hated it.
And yet...I actually had quite a good time. The choreography is brilliant, the audience were really into the singers so pretty much every song got a big response, and I actually found the ending quite moving (which is some feat, given I didn't believe for a second that most of these characters actually existed).
Also, if I may say so, I think some of the comments about Ms Ruffelle on here have been a trifle ungallant. She's got a fantastic figure and is supple with it - and let's not forget, that deliberately thick, caked-on showgirl make-up is never going to be flattering...
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2017 23:48:01 GMT
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, if you are in the front row, particularly the high numbered, fiver seats, because the girls were of-the-time underwear/nighties, even though two females in the show are topless on purpose, because of the looseness of the nighties, you may accidently get a glimpse of one or two women who I assume this wasn't intended to happen. This happened to me twice during the show today with two of the ladies haha. So if you don't like nudity, they may not be the seats for you.  |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2017 0:04:10 GMT
Yeah I wondered if that might be a risk, given that there was quite a lot of, to borrow a phrase from the Daily Mail, 'leggy displays' going on.
I was a bit worried about the potential for it in the Gold and Golden undies segment to be honest!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2017 0:36:46 GMT
Yeah I wondered if that might be a risk, given that there was quite a lot of, to borrow a phrase from the Daily Mail, 'leggy displays' going on. I was a bit worried about the potential for it in the Gold and Golden undies segment to be honest! Of the two actresses I noticed, it was the top half that became on display, and the two women who it was, I wouldn't of thought they would do it intentionally, but I guess they agreed to wear the costume and they have talked about the risks of that happening. It is very obvious most of the women don't wear any support on the upper part of their bodies haha. On the topic of the men, from the front row, you could see those two at least were wearing other undies under their costume undies, so any risk of that happening had clearly been thought out beforehand haha. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2017 1:03:50 GMT
Great production, Drew McOnie is a wonderful talent. The score is luminous and so good to hear something that breaks out of the predictable structures and harmonies of far too many new shows. I don't know how old the person sniffily questioning Ruffelle's allure was but she looks, sounds and moves great (and she's a tiny bit older than me!). The male lead didn't appear dangerous enough but all the supporting cast are top notch.
One complaint, it shouldn't have an interval, it needs to play right through. The structure is such that a break hurts anything after it when it shoukd be the natural collapse and wind down from what we have just seen. If it was an artistic decision then I disagree, if an economic one then it's asinine.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2017 1:12:48 GMT
Well the weird thing is, I wonder if the show had an interval when it was initially on Broadway? Because with this production, the show is split into 5 sections, and looking on Wikipedia, it is the same with the original Broadway production...
The Vaudeville
Promenade of Guests
The Party
After Midnight Dies
Finale
Now, naturally you would think the interval would come at the end of one of the sections, it doesn't, it comes midway through one of the sections. That is what threw me off. It is another example of the fact the issues with the show are not production or cast or anything (in my opinion, they were all fantastic) but it is the overall structure of the piece and what it tries to fit in.
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2,048 posts
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Post by Marwood on Feb 19, 2017 1:15:32 GMT
Saw this tonight and thought it was alright but nothing spectacular, the score was pretty unmemorable (only songs that stuck out were Taboo and Gin, and I wasn't excited enough about the second one to actually order some at the interval), but the acting was pretty solid throughout and there was nothing to dislike (possibly tempered by only paying £5 to see this, excellent view of proceedings by the way)
One quibble, although maybe one for the Trades Descriptions people - 'The Wild Party' : was it really that wild? When you hear of the parties Freddie Mercury held with dwarves carrying trays of cocaine, or Keith Richards throwing a TV out of a hotel window, it's not really what I'd call wild, although to be honest, given what happens in act 2, if they'd been honest and called it 'The S*** Party' it would be a tough act to sell tickets.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2017 1:21:23 GMT
Saw this tonight and thought it was alright but nothing spectacular, the score was pretty unmemorable (only songs that stuck out were Taboo and Gin, and I wasn't excited enough about the second one to actually order some at the interval), but the acting was pretty solid throughout and there was nothing to dislike (possibly tempered by only paying £5 to see this, excellent view of proceedings by the way) One quibble, although maybe one for the Trades Descriptions people - 'The Wild Party' : was it really that wild? When you hear of the parties Freddie Mercury held with dwarves carrying trays of cocaine, or Keith Richards throwing a TV out of a hotel window, it's not really what I'd call wild, although to be honest, given what happens in act 2, if they'd been honest and called it 'The S*** Party' it would be a tough act to sell tickets. Well the cocaine was definitely there! That second act was pretty crazy in fairness, that was a lot of intensity and drama for 45 minutes! |
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Post by d'James on Feb 19, 2017 1:21:55 GMT
So true about the name. I'd love to see a production go really wild, but then there probably wouldn't be any 'names' involved. It was the 20s though.
I totally agree that there shouldn't be an interval but some people can't cope that long - just look at the cinema. You could cut some songs and characters though.
I noticed that too, in the programme. I was trying to work out where we were in the interval.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2017 1:22:51 GMT
Well the weird thing is, I wonder if the show had an interval when it was initially on Broadway? Because with this production, the show is split into 5 sections, and looking on Wikipedia, it is the same with the original Broadway production... The Vaudeville Promenade of Guests The Party After Midnight Dies Finale Now, naturally you would think the interval would come at the end of one of the sections, it doesn't, it comes midway through one of the sections. That is what threw me off. It is another example of the fact the issues with the show are not production or cast or anything (in my opinion, they were all fantastic) but it is the overall structure of the piece and what it tries to fit in. It was written without an interval and performed on Broadway without one (wasn't there a performance where they tried it with one, or am I misremembering?) |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2017 1:26:11 GMT
Yes, remember it's the 20's, they can hardly be throwing TV's out of windows, this is crazy for that time period guys and gals! Though I still think it is insane for them to have us believe that amount of cocaine in one human would not kill them. |
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Post by d'James on Feb 19, 2017 1:28:23 GMT
Though I still think it is insane for them to have us believe that amount of cocaine in one human would not kill them. Sounds like a challenge. Just kidding; don't do drugs kids!!! |
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2,048 posts
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Post by Marwood on Feb 19, 2017 2:51:30 GMT
Yes, remember it's the 20's, they can hardly be throwing TV's out of windows, this is crazy for that time period guys and gals! Though I still think it is insane for them to have us believe that amount of cocaine in one human would not kill them. OK, fair enough, they could have tried throwing one of the gramophones out of the window though |
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155 posts
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Post by synchrony on Feb 19, 2017 11:27:29 GMT
I completely agree that it would have been better without an interval. Although the people next to me didn't come back afterwards so presumably they were glad it did!
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1,103 posts
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Post by mallardo on Feb 19, 2017 12:03:05 GMT
I've seen three productions of it - none had an interval. Very bad idea for the reasons CP stated.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2017 15:18:26 GMT
Interesting to see too there is no understudies. Obviously a short run but it is a very physical show, but each cast member has pretty equal footing in terms of roles, with everyone getting solos and moments to shine. So if a cast member has to be out of the show for whatever reason, is that performance just cancelled? Because I can't really imagine the show without each character.
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