Company

[Someone in a tree]

Oct 2, 2018 10:10:21 GMT @remark said:

Oct 2, 2018 9:12:30 GMT Someone in a tree said:

Just got row p Rush Tickets. Pleased as a vodka stinger 😄😄😄

Stalls?

Keeping tabs on the Rush ticket situation for a journey in a week or two. Torn between booking and paying through the nose via dynamic or risking it for rush on the train down.
Seems they're offering rear stalls only on TT Rush currently.

Yes stalls. View was great. I would obviously liked to be nearer the front but for 25 squid

[Deleted]

Oct 2, 2018 22:04:11 GMT danieljohnson14 said:

Oh wow, Patti has really let the rule of no selfies at stage door go! There are tonnes of her with fans on Instagram!

How else to make this the Patti show with such a strong cast? 😛

[Oleanna]

Hmm...can’t decide whether to risk the rush tomorrow or just go to the box office in the morning (I am local...).

If it’s front row, what’s the stage height like? (Again, sorry if this has already been discussed upthread, I’m just really trying to avoid spoilers!!)

Any suggestions?

[couldileaveyou]

Oct 2, 2018 22:30:29 GMT Oleanna said:

Hmm...can’t decide whether to risk the rush tomorrow or just go to the box office in the morning (I am local...).

If it’s front row, what’s the stage height like? (Again, sorry if this has already been discussed upthread, I’m just really trying to avoid spoilers!!)

Any suggestions?

Front row view is perfect!

[crabtree]

I've just had the pleasure of revisiting Burt Lancaster in The Swimmer, and came to the conclusion that this has strong similarities to Company in the device of a central character dipping, literally, in and out of a gamut of other people's lives, all who claim that he is so close and essential to them, but heck, there's little real connection. But then the device of the outsider being used to expose snapshots of other people's life is a familiar narrative trick. The Swimmer would actually make for a great stage piece.

[nash16]

Went tonight. Full house. Lots of screaming after each number. Trade night?

The positive are that the show remains as fun as ever and the new additions mostly work well. The female Bobby works a treat and you definitely see the character in a different light.

Some of the scenes still feel a bit surplus to requirement and as others have said do go on a bit. When it drops during these it really does drop, but that's only because the scenes and numbers that do work do so so brilliantly.

As others have also said Jonathan BaileyMa song was fantastic. Hilarious and moving at the same time.

Bits that didn't work for us included the strangely muted another 100 people, and side by side which had its moments but didn't feel crazy enough. Didn't catch who did the choreography but a lot of it felt tight and gestury rather than inciting movement. You could drive a person crazy also fairly muted. It's normally so buzzy and invites instant rapturous applause but the barber shop quartet and again the movement which really wasn't as sharp for this number as it should have been meant it sort of just happened.

Also Patti! She was great with her lines dotted throughout the show but we didn't quite feel her big number. They seem to have chosen to remove her drunkenness from the song and have her almost being calmn and composed. A different take on it but not sure if it works this way. She never really let rip. We want her to haha. I think. Great to see her but I reckon she could do a lot more with that number. Having said that everyone screamed afterwards and clapped for a long time.

This might have been us, but a strange problem was that as well as making Amy a gay man in Jamie which was brilliant and worked so well, they seem to have made at least three of the other supposedly straight men gay too.

Richard Fleeshman's character seemed so gay he was terrified to sleep with Bobby. He was camp as Christmas in his gestures too. But then he is an air steward/pilot.

George Blagden's PJ was another who came across as much more homo than heterosexual. His outfit was appalling though, so maybe not as gay as we thought. But his gestures and way of acting did not scream man for Bobby. He does not convince at all as a straight eligible man for Bobby.

And the third was Ashley Campbell's Peter. Again, this character was not presented as a straight guy.

Does anyone know if this is intentional?

Bobby asks Jamie to marry her at the end of their scene. Is she knowingly attracting herself to men she could never have?

Having said that, Peter is married to Susan and therefore surely straight? Or is she divorcing him or he her because they've realised something?

If you're seeing it soon, see if you can see what we mean. We'd love to know if Marianne had a plan with doing this.

Rosalie was great. She never does ugly or big breakdown, in any roles we've seen her in, so even at her most down she's still beautiful and fairly in control. So maybe she could go a bit deeper.

The end is weird too, after Being Alive. Does she want coupledom or singledom? The outcome of the song says one thing, the scene at the end another.

So much to think about! But we really enjoyed it, and cant wait to go back twice to see how it develops.

[sherriebythesea]

Oct 2, 2018 22:47:30 GMT crabtree said:

I've just had the pleasure of revisiting Burt Lancaster in The Swimmer, and came to the conclusion that this has strong similarities to Company in the device of a central character dipping, literally, in and out of a gamut of other people's lives, all who claim that he is so close and essential to them, but heck, there's little real connection. But then the device of the outsider being used to expose snapshots of other people's life is a familiar narrative trick. The Swimmer would actually make for a great stage piece.

Dang, I haven't thought of that movie in years. Now I have got to see it again. It was wonderful in a sad kind of way

[Mr Snow]

Oct 2, 2018 23:28:51 GMT nash16 said:

Went tonight. Full house. Lots of screaming after each number. Trade night?

Was like that Saturday night. The best audience experince ever for me was a preview of 42nd St.   


Just wonder if preview night audiences  are more 'up for it' and lively. Certainly works for musicals.

[Someone in a tree]

I really wanted to love this but came away liking, inquisitive and wanting to see it again but when it is more bedded in.

All the updates and gender swapping appeared to work really well. Still think the pot scene is terribly dated and thankfully the gay conversation is no more.

It did seem to go on a bit, scenes need to be tighter and perhaps shorter

Johnathan Bailey was amazing. Dame Pattie was great in the dialogue but not as much so in Lunch. I can’t say the same about Rosalie Craig, Being Alive didn’t work for me and I didn’t get her suffering, turmoil and final prayer.

I found the set had a stop / start effect on the action which for a show set in one moment ... I’m really not sure about the different doors and how Bobbie blows out the wretched candles, it got a laugh but is it true to Company? Sondheim is very dense and complex does it really need concepts and bulky sets adding to the mix ?

Another 100 people was a bit of a train wreck, did we actually need train carriages and people meeting ?

You could drive a person crazy and getting married today both worked brilliantly. Also Tick Tock was good.

I’ll happily go back and see once it’s running more smoothly ... I’d also really like to see this script in a smaller scaled down production

[karloscar]

Having said that, Peter is married to Susan and therefore surely straight? Or is she divorcing him or he her because they've realised something?

Read more: theatreboard.co.uk/thread/1950/company?page=50#ixzz5SqyRwtZq

Not sure how the current production handles this, but Peter and Susan's "friendly divorce" always seemed to be about him being able to sleep around, and his envy for those not trapped by convention, so he's probably more opportunistic than actually gay. His pass at Bobby is awkward and doomed to fail, but in the Donmar version they did hint that Bobby might have had same sex encounters in the past.
It all sounds rather dated in a modern setting,and of course irrelevant with a female Bobbie, unless Susan and Peter swap parts, which presents new problems....

[karloscar]

Oct 2, 2018 22:47:30 GMT crabtree said:

I've just had the pleasure of revisiting Burt Lancaster in The Swimmer, and came to the conclusion that this has strong similarities to Company in the device of a central character dipping, literally, in and out of a gamut of other people's lives, all who claim that he is so close and essential to them, but heck, there's little real connection. But then the device of the outsider being used to expose snapshots of other people's life is a familiar narrative trick. The Swimmer would actually make for a great stage piece.

With Patti Lupone in the Joan Rivers role? Might be fun. Hugh Jackman in the Burt Lancaster part, a score by Jason Robert Brown, or David Yazbeck and a full size swimming pool on stage! Hit!

[Someone in a tree]

Oct 3, 2018 8:38:29 GMT karloscar said:

Having said that, Peter is married to Susan and therefore surely straight? Or is she divorcing him or he her because they've realised something?

Read more: theatreboard.co.uk/thread/1950/company?page=50#ixzz5SqyRwtZq

Not sure how the current production handles this, but Peter and Susan's "friendly divorce" always seemed to be about him being able to sleep around, and his envy for those not trapped by convention, so he's probably more opportunistic than actually gay. His pass at Bobby is awkward and doomed to fail, but in the Donmar version they did hint that Bobby might have had same sex encounters in the past.
It all sounds rather dated in a modern setting,and of course irrelevant with a female Bobbie, unless Susan and Peter swap parts, which presents new problems....

Is this production Peter coming onto Bobbie would make sense, although that part of the script is cut. So it’s just jolly japes about a fabulous divorce, which worked really well.

[Deleted]

Wow. Can't believe how quickly tickets go on TodayTix Rush. Sat there waiting at 9:55, 10:00 hits, click through and before I can reduce ticket quantity to 1 the button goes to standby and all tickets 'held'.
Eep.

[Deleted]

Oct 3, 2018 9:02:49 GMT @remark said:

Wow. Can't believe how quickly tickets go on TodayTix Rush. Sat there waiting at 9:55, 10:00 hits, click through and before I can reduce ticket quantity to 1 the button goes to standby and all tickets 'held'.
Eep.

That doesn't necessarily mean they'll all go - that happened to me for 42nd Street once and I refreshed a couple of mins later and got two tickets.

[etceteranz]

Oct 3, 2018 9:02:49 GMT @remark said:

Wow. Can't believe how quickly tickets go on TodayTix Rush. Sat there waiting at 9:55, 10:00 hits, click through and before I can reduce ticket quantity to 1 the button goes to standby and all tickets 'held'.
Eep.

Sorry - that was probably me - i got a ticket for tonight

[frontrowcentre]

Oct 3, 2018 9:11:32 GMT @posterj said:

That doesn't necessarily mean they'll all go - that happened to me for 42nd Street once and I refreshed a couple of mins later and got two tickets.

Yes, it's been taking up to an hour an half until all the tickets are completely gone, you just need to be lucky and click just when someone decides not to buy them and before they go onto someone else's basket.

Has anyone try rush tickets at the theatre? how busy is it?

[Mark]

Oct 3, 2018 9:55:01 GMT frontrowcentre said:

Oct 3, 2018 9:11:32 GMT @posterj said:

That doesn't necessarily mean they'll all go - that happened to me for 42nd Street once and I refreshed a couple of mins later and got two tickets.

Yes, it's been taking up to an hour an half until all the tickets are completely gone, you just need to be lucky and click just when someone decides not to buy them and before they go onto someone else's basket.

Has anyone try rush tickets at the theatre? how busy is it?

I dayeated today. Got there just after 9am and was 10th. Another 10 by the time box office opened, and even more by the time I left. I got great seats in stalls row L - didn’t seem to be many front row ones. Everyone in the line seemed to be trying (and failing) the todaytix rush too

[frontrowcentre]

Oct 3, 2018 9:58:00 GMT Mark said:

I dayeated today. Got there just after 9am and was 10th. Another 10 by the time box office opened, and even more by the time I left. I got great seats in stalls row L - didn’t seem to be many front row ones. Everyone in the line seemed to be trying (and failing) the todaytix rush too

Thanks!! Enjoy the show

[BurlyBeaR]

Oct 2, 2018 23:28:51 GMT nash16 said:

Also Patti! She was great with her lines dotted throughout the show but we didn't quite feel her big number. They seem to have chosen to remove her drunkenness from the song and have her almost being calmn and composed. A different take on it but not sure if it works this way. She never really let rip. We want her to haha. I think. Great to see her but I reckon she could do a lot more with that number. Having said that everyone screamed afterwards and clapped for a long time.



The end is weird too, after Being Alive. Does she want coupledom or singledom? The outcome of the song says one thing, the scene at the end another.
.

She definitely played it drunk on Saturday. Perhaps not so much in the actual song but in the before and after dialogue she was slurring. Maybe she’s experimenting a bit while it’s in previews.


Agree about the ending being unresolved. The lyrics are a complete cop out for anyone who doesn’t feel the need to be in a couple in order to be “alive” but her actions didn’t give the impression that she’d really succombed to the notion. Thank god.

[Deleted]

Oct 3, 2018 9:58:00 GMT Mark said:

Oct 3, 2018 9:55:01 GMT frontrowcentre said:

Yes, it's been taking up to an hour an half until all the tickets are completely gone, you just need to be lucky and click just when someone decides not to buy them and before they go onto someone else's basket.

Has anyone try rush tickets at the theatre? how busy is it?

I dayeated today. Got there just after 9am and was 10th. Another 10 by the time box office opened, and even more by the time I left. I got great seats in stalls row L - didn’t seem to be many front row ones. Everyone in the line seemed to be trying (and failing) the todaytix rush too

What are day seat prices like?

[Oleanna]

I day seated this morning. Got there at 9:20 and was 13th in line. 20 of us by 10:00. It seems they’re doing best available as I have a lovely seat in stalls Row M. They were offering seats all over the place from the front row Stalls to the Dress Circle. Didn’t hear any Grand Circle being offered.

All £25.

[couldileaveyou]

Oct 3, 2018 10:40:33 GMT @remark said:

Oct 3, 2018 9:58:00 GMT Mark said:

I dayeated today. Got there just after 9am and was 10th. Another 10 by the time box office opened, and even more by the time I left. I got great seats in stalls row L - didn’t seem to be many front row ones. Everyone in the line seemed to be trying (and failing) the todaytix rush too

What are day seat prices like?

25£

[nash16]

Oct 3, 2018 10:31:53 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Oct 2, 2018 23:28:51 GMT nash16 said:

Also Patti! She was great with her lines dotted throughout the show but we didn't quite feel her big number. They seem to have chosen to remove her drunkenness from the song and have her almost being calmn and composed. A different take on it but not sure if it works this way. She never really let rip. We want her to haha. I think. Great to see her but I reckon she could do a lot more with that number. Having said that everyone screamed afterwards and clapped for a long time.



The end is weird too, after Being Alive. Does she want coupledom or singledom? The outcome of the song says one thing, the scene at the end another.
.

She definitely played it drunk on Saturday. Perhaps not so much in the actual song but in the before and after dialogue she was slurring. Maybe she’s experimenting a bit while it’s in previews.


Agree about the ending being unresolved. The lyrics are a complete cop out for anyone who doesn’t feel the need to be in a couple in order to be “alive” but her actions didn’t give the impression that she’d really succombed to the notion. Thank god.

Yes, that was exactly it. Drunk before and after, but all that disappeared one song. It took away the edge of what she was trying to tell her.

Maybe it's a choice though? Bobby sees and hears everything she tells her clearly? Lol

[nash16]

Oct 3, 2018 10:44:24 GMT @theatremonkey said:

Oct 2, 2018 23:28:51 GMT nash16 said:

Lots of screaming after each number. Trade night?

Trade nights tend to be more muted, with a "been there, seen that" attitude, I've found.

It definitely can't have been trade then lol

[talkstageytome]

I actually think it might have been a trade night yesterday. I think I was offered a ticket a while back...