716 posts
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Post by theatre-turtle on May 26, 2017 8:38:12 GMT
What are the cheap seats like here?
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2017 8:46:17 GMT
I rather enjoyed this tonight - it's not perfect, but it's a typical big brassy broadway show.
The cast - understudies, replacements and all - are terrific and I think the West End has found a new leading man in Danny Mac. He can sing, he can dance and is charming to watch. Miriam Teak-Lee was another highlight. Shame about the vastly underused Naoko Mori who was fabulous!
It was the Press-but-not-Press Night audience last night, so a lot of industry and strictly stars in attendance.
It did remind me what a beautiful venue the Open Air is and the lighting on the trees during Some Other Time was stunning, but please sort out the mixing in that opening number, I missed so many lyrics!
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2017 9:12:16 GMT
What are the cheap seats like here? Visibility is great from pretty much anywhere in this theatre. You want to try not being immediately above the entrances, there are bars that are a bit obstructive, and the back row is about thirty miles from the stage, but those are the only things to consider really. |
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219 posts
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Post by PalelyLaura on May 26, 2017 15:43:24 GMT
I was in a seat over the entrance (because it was cheaper), and it was fine. I'm 5'10", though.
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1,349 posts
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Post by CG on the loose on May 26, 2017 16:40:13 GMT
Unsurprisingly, Fred Haig has now withdrawn from the production due to his fractured foot. Understudy, Jacob Maynard, will now take on the role in his own right.
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543 posts
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Post by freckles on May 26, 2017 18:15:48 GMT
Unsurprisingly, Fred Haig has now withdrawn from the production due to his fractured foot. Understudy, Jacob Maynard, will now take on the role in his own right. Having seen one of the few Fred Haig performances, I suppose I'll just have to go back now to check out the new guy... |
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1,936 posts
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Post by wickedgrin on May 27, 2017 9:30:47 GMT
I absolutely loved this show - in my view superb, sassy and sexy!
Of course there's little plot but a sublime score - some great ensemble and comedy numbers - "Come up to My Place" in a brilliantly staged taxi sequence and "I Can Cook Too". The musical highlights of Bernstein's score though are the slower, romantic numbers - "Lonely Town" "Lucky to Be Me" and the sublime "Some Other Time" - beautifully staged with twinkling lights and the trees lit - it was just magical - quite brought a tear to my eye!
The show is heavy on dance but the choreography by Drew McOnie is sublime - no wonder there has been injuries though as the cast leap from rostra, chairs, tables and sofas! But wonderful, inventive choreography, brilliantly executed by the entire company.
The leads were terrific - especially, I have to say, Jacob Maynard as Chip - a completely adorable performance.
All the cast were sexy - the girls in block colours and the guys in white sailor suits - really what's not to like?
Beautifully costumed, lit and staged with the various locations cleverly and smoothly revealed. I think they had adapted some of the JCS set - but no worse for that!
The girls in the show are sassy and know what they want which resonates well with a 21st century audience - women were emancipated during the war and found their voice. Some great comedy lines - my favourite being from Madame Dilly ( Maggie Steed ) "Art and sex don't mix - if they did I would have gone straight to the top!"
A solid 5 stars for me. I saw it on a wonderful warm evening and there is no place quite like the Open Air Theatre as dusk falls and the stage lights weave their magic. I hope the show gets rave reviews with their delayed press night.
Go...go....go!
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2017 10:10:30 GMT
Well. How nice that Timothy Sheader is so environmentally aware that he recycled the set from 'Jesus Christ Superstar'. Very good of him.
It's an entertaining show but I thought it all needed a bit more zip. I'm sure that will come as they settle into the show more. The band is terrific though.
Nice cast. Lizzy Connolly is surely one of our finest musical comediennes around, Samuel Edwards and Jacob Maynard are fantastic (you wouldn't think Jacob was the understudy, it's a delightful performance), there's more than a touch of the Audra McDonald's about Miriam-Teak Lee and I thought Maggie Steed was very funny indeed.
Danny Mac is teeny tiny. You could fit him in your pocket. Bless him, he's not much of an actor and not much of a singer either (although competent at both) and it's a real shame he gets the final bow. I know he's the "name" but he's the weakest of the six leads by some way. Ria Jones is going to eat him for breakfast and spit out the bones in 'Sunset Boulevard'.
Oh and whoever made the decision to put the male ensemble into ballet tights, I thank you completely. They were the most delicious set of buns I've seen since the last series of 'Bake Off'.
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1,217 posts
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Post by nash16 on May 27, 2017 10:39:57 GMT
Well. How nice that Timothy Sheader is so environmentally aware that he recycled the set from 'Jesus Christ Superstar'. Very good of him. It's an entertaining show but I thought it all needed a bit more zip. I'm sure that will come as they settle into the show more. The band is terrific though. Nice cast. Lizzy Connolly is surely one of our finest musical comediennes around, Samuel Edwards and Jacob Maynard are fantastic (you wouldn't think Jacob was the understudy, it's a delightful performance), there's more than a touch of the Audra McDonald's about Miriam-Teak Lee and I thought Maggie Steed was very funny indeed. Danny Mac is teeny tiny. You could fit him in your pocket. Bless him, he's not much of an actor and not much of a singer either (although competent at both) and it's a real shame he gets the final bow. I know he's the "name" but he's the weakest of the six leads by some way. Ria Jones is going to eat him for breakfast and spit out the bones in 'Sunset Boulevard'. Oh and whoever made the decision to put the male ensemble into ballet tights, I thank you completely. They were the most delicious set of buns I've seen since the last series of 'Bake Off'. That really is bad to just plonk the JCS set in early and say "that's the set for this one too". It makes little sense for On The Town? But then it made little sense for JCS too. |
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2017 11:35:37 GMT
There's similarities between the sets of JCS and OtT, but it really is quite unfair to say it's the same set "recycled".   |
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5,795 posts
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Post by mrbarnaby on May 27, 2017 12:32:29 GMT
That is just stupid. It is clearly NOT the same set. Well. How nice that Timothy Sheader is so environmentally aware that he recycled the set from 'Jesus Christ Superstar'. Very good of him. It's an entertaining show but I thought it all needed a bit more zip. I'm sure that will come as they settle into the show more. The band is terrific though. Nice cast. Lizzy Connolly is surely one of our finest musical comediennes around, Samuel Edwards and Jacob Maynard are fantastic (you wouldn't think Jacob was the understudy, it's a delightful performance), there's more than a touch of the Audra McDonald's about Miriam-Teak Lee and I thought Maggie Steed was very funny indeed. Danny Mac is teeny tiny. You could fit him in your pocket. Bless him, he's not much of an actor and not much of a singer either (although competent at both) and it's a real shame he gets the final bow. I know he's the "name" but he's the weakest of the six leads by some way. Ria Jones is going to eat him for breakfast and spit out the bones in 'Sunset Boulevard'. Oh and whoever made the decision to put the male ensemble into ballet tights, I thank you completely. They were the most delicious set of buns I've seen since the last series of 'Bake Off'. That really is bad to just plonk the JCS set in early and say "that's the set for this one too". It makes little sense for On The Town? But then it made little sense for JCS too. |
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2017 14:24:29 GMT
That is just stupid. It is clearly NOT the same set. That really is bad to just plonk the JCS set in early and say "that's the set for this one too". It makes little sense for On The Town? But then it made little sense for JCS too. Exactly. Some rather impressive cantilever stuff going on in OtT. |
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2017 15:13:27 GMT
Clearly the promise of good weather is helping sales - I looked on Thurs and there were quite a few tickets left for tonight but they were nearly all gone by the time I actually booked last night. Bonus of going on your own though, there was a great single seat on the aisle still left. Looking forward to this!
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61 posts
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Post by junet on May 27, 2017 23:29:23 GMT
Just got home from seeing this show. I have to disagree about Danny Mac I thought he was great. I knew he could dance but I didn't know that he had such a good voice, I really loved it.
Got a bit chilly towards the end but the setting is so lovely that it didn't matter. The dancing was brilliant across the board, altogether a really well put together show.
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2017 10:09:52 GMT
I also saw it last night and agree Danny Mac was great, his voice pleasantly surprised me.
This show stands and falls on the dancing though as there isn't much of a plot and the songs are for the most part not that memorable. And I thought the whole cast generally danced it really well. It's feelgood fluff, but no harm in that!
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1,103 posts
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Post by mallardo on May 28, 2017 11:28:37 GMT
Feelgood fluff??? Sure there's lots of silliness and hijinks but it's a wartime show and there is an ache of lonliness and separation at its core. The exquisite "Some Other Time" says it all. The guys are going back to the war. These people will probably never see each other again. For me that's the takeaway.
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1,936 posts
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Post by wickedgrin on May 28, 2017 11:30:15 GMT
I was in tears during "Some Other Time" - exquisite!
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581 posts
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Post by princeton on May 28, 2017 13:07:23 GMT
the songs are for the most part not that memorable Do please try and get a recording of the score and listen again, I promise you'll come to love them. These are some of the greatest theatre songs ever written. Peerless music by Bernstein and lyrics by Comden and Green at the height of their powers - moving seamlessly between comedy and pathos. Some Other Time, Lonely Town, Lucky To Be Me, I Can Cook Too, and New York, New York are each, in their own way, gems. |
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4,171 posts
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Post by anthony40 on May 28, 2017 14:22:49 GMT
Welcome to the board princeton
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364 posts
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Post by dazzerlump on May 28, 2017 17:23:25 GMT
hmm im not a fan of the set, and while its not exactly the same as jesus it is very similar and boxy in design, im going with my partner to see thios and Jesus over the summerand friends and I guarantee they will think its the same set modified for both shows
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2017 17:42:14 GMT
the songs are for the most part not that memorable Do please try and get a recording of the score and listen again, I promise you'll come to love them. These are some of the greatest theatre songs ever written. Peerless music by Bernstein and lyrics by Comden and Green at the height of their powers - moving seamlessly between comedy and pathos. Some Other Time, Lonely Town, Lucky To Be Me, I Can Cook Too, and New York, New York are each, in their own way, gems. I didn't say I disliked them, I said that for the most part I don't think they are memorable - there's a difference. I love some other Bernstein works - West Side Story is probably my favourite musical score. But I didn't find this anything more than pleasant light entertainment - nothing wrong with it, but I can barely remember a single word today apart from New York New York, which I knew of before I saw the show. A lot of the staging was lovely, and it is an entertaining show, I just don't think it's something I would rush to give a second viewing or buy the cast recording of. But if a song came on the radio or was played at a concert I certainly wouldn't object!  |
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Post by anniel on May 30, 2017 17:52:36 GMT
I absolutely loved this last night.
It kept threatening to rain and I was terrified that I was going to have to owe more money to the thieving whatnots of Virgin Rail to get down to London from Leeds again but it held off and actually looked even lovelier against the murky sky - the lighting was particularly fabulous!
It was just so charming.....lovely dancing, funny, romantic, the most spectacular band and brilliant use of set.
All of the cast were tremendous. As a Strictly devotee, I was worried about Danny Mac as stunt casting but he was great - good acting, fabulous dancing and a lovely voice - he had a couple of tough songs - the music is quite challenging. But everyone was just fab - all of the cast were perfect. I thought Miriam Teak- Lee was really excellent - amazing that it is her first job.
There's even a bit with a dinosaur that is really impressive.
Even the wigs were perfect!
It's just a really classy production.
Another great night at the Open Air Theatre. I expect I shall try to go again.
One tiny moan: I just wish they would start at 7.30. It still started at 7.50 and finished by 10.15 but as a single lady, I don't like the walk to the tube which is badly lit. I know they are trying to sell food but I am from the North and not used to these fancy London late night finishes and dark walks to public transport.....
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2,676 posts
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Post by viserys on May 30, 2017 19:10:53 GMT
One tiny moan: I just wish they would start at 7.30. It still started at 7.50 and finished by 10.15 but as a single lady, I don't like the walk to the tube which is badly lit. I know they are trying to sell food but I am from the North and not used to these fancy London late night finishes and dark walks to public transport..... Would it make such a difference though? It will be dark either way. I am a single lady, too, and not keen on the walk back to the streets through the dark park either. Better lighting along the main path(s) at least for the time when the theatre lets out would be great or at least a few security people being posted along the way. I just try to stay close to other people walking away from the theatre until I've reached the lit streets. |
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2017 20:41:21 GMT
As a single lady walking back from the theatre on Saturday night I didn't find it a problem at all - I was one of many heading that way!
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91 posts
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Post by anniel on May 30, 2017 21:00:27 GMT
As a single lady walking back from the theatre on Saturday night I didn't find it a problem at all - I was one of many heading that way! It was a quiet walk last night - perhaps with it being a bank holiday, more people drove. Hope you enjoyed it. |
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