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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 4, 2016 21:32:15 GMT
Are we looking forward to this? Murder, greed, corruption, exploitation, adultery and treachery…all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts“…so begins the international award winning Broadway and West End musical, CHICAGO, which will tour the UK beginning February 2016. The UK tour stars EastEnders actor John Partridge (Cats, A Chorus Line, Miss Saigon, Starlight Express) as Billy Flynn, Dancing on Ice winner and Coronation Street star Hayley Tamaddon (Emmerdale, Grease, Mamma Mia!) as Roxie Hart, and X Factor winner and real life prison warden Sam Bailey as Matron ‘Mama’ Morton.chicagothemusical.com/uktour.php |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 4, 2016 21:34:13 GMT
If John Partidge's singing of the Take That track on CBB BOTS tonight is anything to go by I can only thank God Billy Flynn doesn't have many songs.
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Post by theatremadness on Feb 4, 2016 22:05:21 GMT
Haha yes that's a fair point, but let's not forget he *is* a trained musical theatre performer - saw him in The Drowsy Chaperone all those years ago and he was fantastic.
I think having to playfully sing a little bit of Never Forget (which is a hard song to sing!) after a month in the Big Brother house for a little segment of CBBBOTS is a bit different than performing in a musical. But who knows, the tour may come round and I may be proved completely wrong!
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 4, 2016 22:16:39 GMT
Let's hope so I'm booked in! Thank god for Mamma Morton being in a safe pair of acting and musical theatre hands.....  |
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Post by wickedgrin on Feb 4, 2016 22:25:01 GMT
As he is in the Big Brother house until Friday night - he will only have 6 days rehearsal at most before the tour opens on Friday next week! It's not the biggest part I suppose but it must have been a nightmare having him missing all the rehearsals.
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Post by theatremadness on Feb 4, 2016 22:34:11 GMT
Let's hope so I'm booked in! Thank god for Mamma Morton being in a safe pair of acting and musical theatre hands..... Please make sure you let us know what you thought!!! I'll hopefully be seeing it in Wimbledon. Aah yes, Sam Bailey was on Loose Women recently talking about her bad her acting was in her first audition....!! |
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Post by wickedgrin on Feb 5, 2016 10:35:25 GMT
All the leads are "off the telly". I am not saying they cannot cut the mustard - I am sure they can - but clearly they would not have got the work without the TV exposure! I suppose that is why John Partridge did CBB - to ensure his theatre work continued to come in on the back of TV. Although after watching CBB (my very guilty pleasure) he must be a nightmare to work with!
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Post by Phantom of London on Feb 5, 2016 10:52:00 GMT
Might catch this in Dartford, Orchard Theatre, when it comes to town.
Funnily nought John Partridge is a good performer, I remember him catching my eye when I saw him in Notre Dame de Paris at the Dominion theatre and he was a unknown then.
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Post by trapdoor on Feb 5, 2016 10:55:05 GMT
As he is in the Big Brother house until Friday night - he will only have 6 days rehearsal at most before the tour opens on Friday next week! It's not the biggest part I suppose but it must have been a nightmare having him missing all the rehearsals. He had lengthy rehearsals before going in the house, and has 30-60 mins private time in the house to rehearse, learn scripts, massage his own ego etc. He'll be fine. It's a fairly easy track other than 'Both Reached for the Gun'. Plus smarm doesn't exactly need rehearsal when it comes so naturally. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 5, 2016 19:24:35 GMT
Who's playing Velma? Gemma Collins?  |
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Post by Sue on Feb 5, 2016 20:51:05 GMT
Oh don't, Burly I'm a little bit apprehensive waiting to hear who'll be taking that slot! I booked this last August and knew I'd be taking a gamble without knowing the cast but I love love love the soundtrack and cast recording so couldn't resist. It'll be my first time...☺️ !
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Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 5, 2016 21:35:43 GMT
I may book just to boo Patridge. I've heard horror stories of what a piece of work he is and his stint on BB proved it. Yuk.
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Post by theatremadness on Feb 5, 2016 21:59:01 GMT
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Post by Sue on Feb 5, 2016 22:19:17 GMT
I may book just to boo Patridge. I've heard horror stories of what a piece of work he is and his stint on BB proved it. Yuk. Yay, MrB! Now don't be such a party pooper, don't forget they're all paid handsomely to make good telly so maybe he's just earning his beans and he's not a total d***! x |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 5, 2016 22:46:11 GMT
No.. I know people who have had the 'pleasure' of working with him
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Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 5, 2016 22:48:32 GMT
They've missed a trick...
Stephanie Davis as Roxie
Patridge as Billy Flynn
Gemma Collins as Mamma Morton
Darren Day as Mr Sellophane
Daniella Westbrook as Velma
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Post by Being Alive on Feb 13, 2016 10:24:03 GMT
Right.
I've never seen Chicago - I love the film - so had reasonable expectations.
This was not good.
Hayley Tammedon has got the acting down to a T. But she can't sing. Not anywhere near powerfully enough anyway. All the Roxie sass was there, but with none of the power to bump it up with.
John Partridge - seriously the less said about him the better. With his MT background I'd expected him to be the best thing in it. But god he's also vocally weak. And can't act. He can dance, but didn't have the opportunity to show it unfortunately, so he's just wasted in his dance role. 4 days rehearsal with the company showed.
Sam Bailey - what a disappointment. Maybe first night nerves but she was not Mama Morton. Not by Brenda Edwards or Sandra Marvin standards anyway. She had no authority in that prison and didn't show it. And was in some ridiculous blonde wig that just was laughable. And she didn't deliver vocally. Not the Sam Bailey power that we know.
HOWEVER
Sophie Carmen-Jones was INCREDIBLE as Velma. Sass, sex, gorgeous vocals, power, attack. Everything you want in a leading lady.
Overall this was a very disappointing evening. Maybe first night nerves. But I wont be rushing back to see this, I'll stick with the film. Rather than the £40 tickets!!
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Post by Mr Wallacio on Feb 13, 2016 10:36:41 GMT
I'll wait for more reviews further into the run before I make my decision on seeing this. Luckily the Bristol dates are in July, so plenty of time for them to improve in their roles.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 13, 2016 11:26:42 GMT
I'm going end of March so they'd better smarten it by then or there'll be trouble!   |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Feb 13, 2016 11:28:54 GMT
Chicago is such a great piece and the production that opened at the Adelphi was astounding but why does it deserve endless tired revivals
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Post by Sue on Feb 13, 2016 15:19:41 GMT
I'm going end of March so they'd better smarten it by then or there'll be trouble! Im going mid-March...eek ! |
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Post by wickedgrin on Feb 13, 2016 16:44:12 GMT
Chicago is such a great piece and the production that opened at the Adelphi was astounding but why does it deserve endless tired revivals Because it's a cheap production of a well known show which gets bums on seats and makes a small fortune for the producer.
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Post by longinthetooth on Feb 13, 2016 17:45:55 GMT
Seeing it in Wimbledon in a couple of weeks. Slightly concerned now .....
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Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 13, 2016 19:23:20 GMT
This is that same version dearest. Chicago is such a great piece and the production that opened at the Adelphi was astounding but why does it deserve endless tired revivals |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 13, 2016 20:35:17 GMT
I saw it at the Adelphi with bloody Gabby Roslin as MM. Stunt casting at its most hideous.
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